Chapter 3: I Was Just Lucky

「wooww!!!」

Utrecht scored an equalizer, and the stands suddenly erupted in noise.

Unlike Utrecht’s second team, a perennial Eerste Divisie side, Forward Eagles constantly shuttle between the Eredivisie and Eerste Divisie.

Due to the gap in strength, no one expected Utrecht to draw this match.

「jesus!」

Melent touched his bald head, his forehead wrinkles twisting together.

The assistant coach, Karen, shrugged his shoulders: 「Well… the boss’s advice is always right.」

「Why didn’t he tell me he could do this?!」

Melent spread his hands, expressing confusion.

According to his memory, Tang Ye shouldn’t have had this skill point at all!

Melent stayed silent, watching the field. Tang Ye, after delivering the assist, opened his arms to receive his teammates’ embraces.

【Damn, what the hell was that?】

【Dude, you can do this too?】

【Wait wait, who said Tang Ye was a fraud? Step forward now! Shit, because of you I didn’t bet 1:1!】

【Was that outside-of-the-foot pass really that exaggerated? Are you sure Tang Ye is only 16?】

【Now I get why Utrecht paid 50k euros for a fraud—Tang Ye actually has talent.】

Seeing Tang Ye’s pass of this caliber, both the live-stream viewers and the home fans were left stunned.

If you have this level, why did you sit the bench all last season?

The match continued. In the remaining time, the director gave Tang Ye more camera time, but Tang Ye didn’t make any further impact.

「Beep, beeeep!」

The referee blew the final whistle. Utrecht’s second team, playing at home, defeated their strong opponents Forward Eagles, winning their second pre-season match of the season.

「Tang, what was that? Come on!」

Zaka ran over and hugged Tang Ye tightly.

Nearly ten minutes had passed since Tang Ye’s outside-of-the-foot pass, yet Zaka still couldn’t believe it.

Such precise, delicate passing—Zaka only needed to extend his foot slightly to create a one-on-one breakaway!

【You completed your first pre-season match after returning from retirement.】

【Reward obtained: Comeback Points *15】

Comeback Points?

Tang Ye frowned, confused by the voice he suddenly heard, but he had no time to investigate—Coach Melent was walking toward him.

「Coach.」

Tang Ye said it, thinking Melent wanted to hug him, but Melent simply walked past him toward Zaka.

「Well done, Isaac! Thanks to your goal!」

「...」

Tang Ye shrugged. Melent’s behavior upset him, but given his own bench-warming performance last season, he could understand it.

The truth was, no coach likes a player who constantly slacks off.

The locker room.

Melent stood in the center, summarizing the pre-season match and praising standout performances by Amrabat, Zaka, and several other players.

Tang Ye received no praise from Melent, but after Melent finished praising all the players, he was pulled aside alone.

「Why? What the hell was that? Tang, tell me what that was!」

「What?」

Tang Ye didn’t understand what Melent meant.

「You can do an outside-of-the-foot pass! You can deliver a pass like that—you should’ve told me! Why didn’t you tell me?」

Melent was furious now.

Because he felt Tang Ye was fooling him!

Last season, Utrecht’s second team had no usable midfielders. If Tang Ye had shown this level of passing back then, Melent had no reason to bench him.

After today’s match, unless something unexpected happens, many Utrecht fans will condemn Melent—for having such a genius on the team and never giving him a chance.

Was Melent not using him?

No—it was fucking Tang Ye who was fooling him all along!

「Sorry, sorry.」

Melent’s outburst made Tang Ye nervous.

To be honest, since that pass was made possible only through the system’s help, Tang Ye himself didn’t know why he could execute such a beautiful outside-of-the-foot pass.

「Hmm...」

Tang Ye hesitated, then said:

「It was a fluke.」

「A fluke? Who the hell are you trying to fool?!」

Melent stared into Tang Ye’s eyes. As a seasoned coach, he knew exactly which passes could be flukes and which couldn’t.

How could a pass of this caliber be a fluke?

「I’m not lying to you, believe me, sir!」

Tang Ye’s expression was sincere. Melent frowned: 「Are you sure?」

「Of course I’m sure!」

「...」

Melent said nothing. Based on his understanding of Tang Ye, if it were truly a fluke, this pass would make more sense.

《Tang Ye’s Miraculous Outside-of-the-Foot Pass: Utrecht’s Second Team Draws Against Forward Eagles in Pre-Season Match》

《The Fallen Genius Awakens: Pre-Season Match Delivers Breakaway to Fulfill Talent》

After leaving the locker room and returning to the dorm on the team bus, Tang Ye stared at his newly appeared panel, lost in thought.

Tang Ye (37 years, 4 months)

【Ball Control: 69; Passing: 70】

【Shooting: 44; Heading: 38; Set Pieces: 55】

【Speed: 48; Stamina: 55; Physical Confrontation: 40】

【Defense: 40; Vision: 91】

Overall Rating: 58

After reading this panel, Tang Ye finally understood why Melent had benched him all last season.

Aside from his system-enhanced passing, Tang Ye had only three attributes above 60: 69 in ball control, 70 in passing, and 91 in vision.

As for his vision, when Tang Ye first saw his scout report, he noticed Utrecht’s scouts highly valued his vision talent—but he himself never felt it.

Then there was the Comeback Point—he received one from the system after winning the pre-season match.

The system didn’t explain the purpose of Comeback Points; it only gave Tang Ye a task.

【Having completed your first pre-season match after returning, you’re extremely excited, and your determination to come back has never been higher.】

【Score a goal in a pre-season match: Reward—Bone Density Enhancement Capsule *1】

「Huh...」

In the dorm, Tang Ye lay on his bunk, staring at the ceiling.

He had already prepared to slack off—then suddenly got this system.

So now, should he slack off or not?

Tang Ye didn’t know. He only knew he was feeling sleepy.

Sleepy means sleep.

The next day, Utrecht’s second-team players gathered at the training base.

Like other teams, Utrecht shared one training facility for both first and second teams. On his way to the pitch, Tang Ye saw first-team players—forward Alea walked over to him.

「Tang—is that how you’re called?」

「I saw the news—your outside-of-the-foot pass was incredible.」

Huh?

A first-team forward had seen news about him—Tang Ye was surprised: 「I made the news?」

「Of course. A pass like that must make headlines.」

The voice came from behind—it was a bald man wearing a black Nike jacket.

Eric ten Hag—the head coach of Utrecht’s first team.

(End of Chapter)