Chapter 561: The 41-Year-Old Ballon d'Or Winner, the Transcendent Power of Bone Marrow Cleansing

The 2019 FIFA Ballon d'Or winner...

Tang Ye!

Clap clap clap clap clap!

Wow!!!

Applause echoed through the Théâtre du Châtelet, accompanied by cheers from several Manchester United teammates.

The camera pans to the front row, where Tang Ye sits beside Cristiano Ronaldo—the 2019 FIFA Ballon d'Or winner.

This is Manchester United's first Ballon d'Or since Cristiano Ronaldo won in 2008, and the first ever by a Chinese player.

Hmm, and also the first by an Asian player.

Tang Ye has broken his own record for the best Ballon d'Or finish by an Asian player (second place).

Better than second? What's that?

It's first!

It's the winner!

Clap clap clap clap!

Clap clap clap clap clap!

Amid applause, Tang Ye stood and bowed to the guests behind him one by one.

"Hmm, Cristiano."

"Rio."

Tang Ye embraced Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi in turn, then also hugged Rodri and De Jong, who had risen from the second row.

"Congratulations."

Messi patted Tang Ye on the shoulder; the latter adjusted his shirt and slowly walked toward the stage.

The camera followed as it moved—just as Tang Ye approached the podium, the red flames on the giant screen burned even more fiercely.

【Manchester United】

【China】

【Manchester United】

【...】

The club and national team logos flashed repeatedly on the screen.

The applause lasted about half a minute before Tang Ye finally stopped before the trophy.

"Congratulations, Tom."

Tang Ye kissed both cheeks of host Sandy, then embraced Didier Drogba behind him.

"If I were still playing in the Premier League, the thing I'd most desire would be to play for Manchester United."

Drogba joked: "But I know I'd likely lose, because I'd be facing the Ballon d'Or winner."

"Hah!"

Tang Ye and Drogba embraced again.

In the corner of the camera, Luka Modrić, dressed in a black suit, slowly stepped forward.

He is last year's Ballon d'Or winner, and now he must present the award to Tang Ye.

【Witnessing history!!!!!!】

【6666666】

【I told you before—the Ballon d'Or is the most fair, no arguments allowed!】

【Now he's truly the King of Football.】

CCTV5's live broadcast of this Ballon d'Or ceremony was correct—its viewership in just these few minutes surpassed that of the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Asia's first Ballon d'Or winner.

True historic witnessing!

The host stepped back; Modrić lifted the Ballon d'Or trophy on stage, displayed it to the audience, then walked to Tang Ye.

Tang Ye appeared calm on the surface, but his heart was racing.

Since winning the Golden Boy Award in 2016, he had seen the Ballon d'Or trophy once every year for the next three years.

The same rule applies: Tang Ye feels the greatest joy from a trophy only after he actually receives it.

Tang Ye has always believed this, and now he was about to receive this joy.

Modrić shook Tang Ye's hand; the Ballon d'Or trophy officially came into Tang Ye's hands.

Clap clap clap clap!!

Clap clap clap clap!

"The 2019 FIFA Ballon d'Or winner, TY!"

On the giant screen behind him, the Manchester United and China logos vanished, replaced by a photo of Tang Ye holding the Ballon d'Or.

This photo had been digitally created by the organizers before Tang Ye won the award—it was fake, but no one cared about the details now.

Click click!

Flashbulbs flashed from afar; Tang Ye slightly raised the trophy, then kissed the golden sphere deeply.

Dongqiu Di top post: Broke history! Outshining Messi and Van Dijk, Tang Ye finally wins the Ballon d'Or!

Click!

Click click!

"Thank you."

Tang Ye spoke softly, his attention entirely fixed on the golden ball before him.

To be honest, the trophy was much lighter than he imagined, yet also far more dazzling.

"TY, you are the first Asian player in history to win the Ballon d'Or."

Sandy and Drogba stood on either side of Tang Ye.

"Yeah, that's right."

"To be honest, before October, I hadn't even thought about the Ballon d'Or, because I had some issues during the offseason and missed two months of matches... but the outcome is good."

With Drogba's help, a headset microphone was placed on the Manchester United midfielder.

The organizers were thoughtful—this way, Tang Ye could hold the trophy while speaking.

Tang Ye had actually prepared a speech for this ceremony, and Boer had even given feedback on the draft. But once he stood on stage, he forgot everything—he was now speaking entirely from the moment.

"I'm grateful for my teammates and my coaches—they're all my friends, Mr. Eric, Mr. Ferran, Rodri, Mata, my former captain Bruno, Ramalho... they all mean a great deal to me... (in English)"

CCTV5 switched from a male voice to a female voice; Tang Ye's words were translated into Chinese in real time—live interpretation.

The live director didn't sit idle either, giving close-ups of Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi in the audience while Tang Ye spoke.

Ronaldo looked serious; Messi looked a bit dazed, but both sat extremely upright—far more so than Tang Ye had when he was seated earlier.

"So your point is, throughout your career—including your youth career—your teammates and coaches have given you tremendous support, and that's why you're standing here today..."

Sandy nodded gently: "As for talent—we know every player here is a once-in-a-million genius, let alone you on this podium. We don't question your talent. But Tom, I want to ask you: in your view, between your natural talent and the support you received along the way, which is more important?"

"Hmm..."

In the camera, Tang Ye pursed his lips: "I've never really thought talent was that important—at least, I never felt it strongly."

"So I believe my teammates and coaches are more important—if football were played alone, I probably would've quit during youth training."

The host didn't quite understand, so Tang Ye added: "Because playing alone would be incredibly boring—we couldn't sustain it this long."

"Oh, hah!"

Drogba looked toward the camera: "I can confirm that—I've felt the same, though not as strongly, hah."

"Yeah."

Tang Ye continued: "Football is a brotherhood game—if you want to achieve great results, you need many brothers."

"..."

In the audience, Boer's mouth twitched—Tang Ye's words had completely deviated from his prepared speech.

Hey Tom!

Boer frantically gestured to Tang Ye, signaling him to get back on track.

But at that moment, thunderous applause erupted throughout the theater.

Clap clap clap clap!

Clap clap clap clap clap!

In all these Ballon d'Or ceremonies, acceptance speeches have been formulaic—Tang Ye is the most extraordinary one yet.

No talk of talent!

Only talk of brothers!

The host asked Tang Ye many more questions—advice for young players, thoughts on other stars, and stories from his own growth.

Then...

"TY, do you think you're the best in the world right now?"

"I won't ask about the greatest of all time—you're too young, so I don't want to put you on the spot. But we just want to know: in your view, among all current footballers, are you the best?"

"..."

The camera cut to Ronaldo and Messi, then back to Tang Ye.

"Huh..."

At least it seems so this year, but after that… we'll have to wait and see.

Clap clap clap clap!

Clap clap clap clap clap clap!

…

France Football, 2019 Ballon d'Or ceremony.

Men's Ballon d'Or: Tang Ye (Manchester United, China).

Women's Ballon d'Or: Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign, USA).

Kopa Trophy (Best U21): Matthijs de Ligt (Manchester United, Netherlands).

Yashin Award (Best Goalkeeper): Alisson Becker (Liverpool, Brazil).

People's Daily Special Issue — It's not because there's hope that you persist, but because only by persisting can there be hope. #TangYeBallonDOr #2019FIFABallonDOr #GreatTangProsperity.

Communist Youth League of China: Tang Ye, recipient of the 2019 Youth May Fourth Medal, has won the FIFA Ballon d'Or, becoming the first Asian in history.

Guangdong Business Daily WeChat Official Account: 20-year-old Foshan lad wins Ballon d'Or; Guangdong government: Commendation!

Dongqiu Di pinned post + full-screen poster: Tang Ye Ballon d'Or! (Comments: 325,841)

【I declare the Ballon d'Or is the most fair award in the world】

【I just want to see how many points Messi and Van Dijk got — I just don't get why Messi ranks higher than Van Dijk】

【It feels like a dream, holy shit, I thought we had no chance when Man United got knocked out of the Champions League】

【Witnessing history!】【666666】

…

After the ceremony, Zhou Ye, as Tang Ye's partner, delivered a brief four-minute speech in Chinese, while Tang Zhengxiong, Tang Ye's father, was being interviewed in the mixed zone.

Additionally, after the ceremony, Tang Ye participated in an interview program at the invitation of France Football.

Tang Ye: Felix (2019 Kopa Trophy winner) is extremely talented; forwards of his type are needed by many clubs.

"I often play FIFA games, so I know Felix well. I think, compared to Atlético Madrid, Felix might suit Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain better."

When discussing the Kopa Trophy, the host asked whether de Ligt (2018 Kopa Trophy winner) and Felix might become modern-day Zhong Yong.

Because so far, only two players in football history have won the Kopa Trophy and later the Ballon d'Or.

There are many geniuses, but also many who perish before reaching their potential.

"I've said before in interviews that teammates and coaches are crucial to a player."

Tang Ye shrugged: "Winning the Kopa Trophy means you have talent — I admit that. I think both Matthijs and João are outstanding. But if you want to turn Kopa into Ballon d'Or, you need to be in a good enough environment."

"No one wins the Ballon d'Or alone — you need teammates to help you."

"Right now your talent advantage is huge, and with Ronaldo and Messi aging, some fans believe you'll win the Ballon d'Or consecutively in the coming years. What do you think?"

Tang Ye: Ronaldo and Messi are still competitive. Also, Mbappé, Rodri, De Jong, and Dembélé all have a chance to win the Ballon d'Or, so I can't be certain. I also rate Van Dijk and De Bruyne highly.

…

Repost: Tang Ye posted a photo of his Ballon d'Or trophy on social media, captioned: (sunglasses) (sunglasses) (sunglasses) (laughing).

Man United beat reporter: Man United will display the Ballon d'Or trophy before their Premier League 15th-round match against Tottenham; club officials plan to raise ticket prices.

After the ceremony, the players stayed in Paris for one day and departed for Manchester early the next morning.

Too many key players came to Paris for the ceremony, resulting in Man United drawing with Aston Villa last night.

But no worries — today Liverpool face their 14th-round match, missing six key players; they'll likely draw too.

If both Man United and Liverpool draw, then not getting three points doesn't matter — it'll still come down to a battle between these two clubs.

"Ty! Ty!"

"Ty!"

Fans gathered at Charles de Gaulle Airport to see off the Man United players; at the fans' request, Tang Ye took the Ballon d'Or trophy out of his backpack.

"Goat! (Greatest of All Time)"

"You're fucking GOAT, Tom!"

The fans had gone mad, bestowing the title of "greatest of all time" on a 20-year-old player.

Tang Ye signed his name on one jersey after another; the feeling of final recognition and reward left him deeply relaxed.

It wasn't that Tang Ye desperately wanted the Ballon d'Or — it was that under pressure, he had to win it.

"Go hard in the Premier League this season!"

"Go hard, Tom! GOAT!"

"Don't hang out with James — James isn't a good guy!"

"…"

Fans were chanting Tang Ye's name, but something strange had slipped into the crowd.

His friend had been insulted, leaving Tang Ye displeased; he walked away from that area immediately.

"How could they say that?"

Tang Ye shook his head, deeply dissatisfied with what that fan had said.

He's known LeBron for nearly three years — how could anyone still try to sow discord here!

"Let's go!"

Rodri placed his hand on Tang Ye's shoulder; Man United and Manchester City players walked together toward the departure lounge.

"See you in the Tottenham match!"

Behind them, fans shouted; Tang Ye waved back: "I think I might come off the bench, but I'll try my best to start, okay?"

Time flies — tomorrow's match against Tottenham is coming. Man United players need to get back and prepare quickly.

The golden Ballon d'Or trophy rested in his arms; Tang Ye still wanted to show it to his teammates.

Hurry up, hurry up!

…

The Sun — The Glazers family used the Ballon d'Or to raise ticket prices, sparking discontent among Man United fan groups.

The Guardian front page — Ty has activated his Ballon d'Or clause with Man United; he will receive a direct bonus of 5 million euros, and starting January 2020, his weekly salary will rise to approximately £440,000, reaching up to £480,000 with goal bonuses.

France Football homepage: Detailed voting results for the 2019 Ballon d'Or.

1. Tang Ye, 692 points.

2. Messi, 622 points.

3. Van Dijk, 597 points.

4. Ronaldo, 255 points.

5. Rodri, 167 points.

Fans thought Tang Ye's lead over Messi was narrow, but according to France Football's results, he actually led by a significant margin.

Nearly 700 points means many journalists gave their first-place votes to Tang Ye.

Seeing this ranking, fans had two lingering questions.

One: Why does Messi rank higher than Van Dijk?

Two: Why does Ronaldo rank higher than Rodri?

These two questions were highly controversial, but since they didn't involve the top spot, fan debates were bound to fade quickly.

…

Back home, Tang Ye's first action was to browse Ballon d'Or news online — Twitter, Instagram, and especially Dongqiu Di.

To be honest, seeing fans praise him online gave Tang Ye a deep sense of satisfaction.

It might seem a bit embarrassing, but that's exactly how it felt.

【Football Element: The youngest Ballon d'Or winner in history at age 20 is born — Chinese football's rise begins now!】

"…"

Element Brother seems to be having a fit.

Just be a proper hater — your videos are bad, yet you still pull this crap.

Even fans weren't interested, and this headline killed Tang Ye's own interest.

No need to dig deeper — after chatting a bit more, Tang Ye put his phone down and went to shower.

Naked, even without underwear, Tang Ye lay on the floor, focusing his attention on the system.

Rubbed his hands.

【Task Objective: Win the 2040 European Ballon d'Or】

【Reward: Unknown】

Status: Completed.

OK!

As expected, the reward will be immense, and Tang Ye was already prepared.

【Holy shit, you won the Ballon d'Or at age 41 — what the hell is this guy lying naked on the bed? One thing's certain: you've transcended humanity.】

【As a being beyond humanity, you may choose one of the following two rewards】

Choose one out of two!

That's perfect — if something's unsuitable, just swap it.

Reward One: Transcendent Power (Bone Marrow Cleansing Version) — instantly elevate one of your talents beyond the 【Unparalleled】 level, officially transcending humanity.

Wow, Tang Ye was definitely going to pick this one!

Reward Two: Transcendent Power (Infusion Version) — instantly raise one attribute below 90 to exactly 90 points, provided the talent for that attribute is no lower than 【Once-in-a-Millennium】.

This...

Tang Ye's mouth twitched.

I thought Reward One was already insane, but Reward Two is just as tempting.

Direct infusion??

Wait, you're making GGBond look like a demonic cultivator!

GGBond is a good guy—how could he possibly be a demonic cultivator!

First, check my two panels.

Tang Ye (41 years old)

【Ball Control: All Eyes on Me; Passing: Transcendent and Sacred (Pseudo-Saint)】

【Shooting: Once in a Millennium; Heading: Useless; Set Pieces: Once in a Millennium】

【Speed: One in a Hundred; Endurance: Unparalleled; Physical Confrontation: Unparalleled】

【Defense: Once in a Millennium; Vision: Transcendent and Sacred】

Overall Rating: Unparalleled

Tang Ye (41 years old)

【Ball Control: 90; Passing: 94】

【Shooting: 82; Heading: 62; Set Pieces: 84】

【Speed: 79; Endurance: 80; Physical Confrontation: 86】

【Defense: 77; Vision: 99】

Overall Score: 89

If I choose Reward One—the talent upgrade—shooting and passing would be the most suitable, since boosting these two stats would maximize Tang Ye's in-game combat power.

Then there's Reward Two.

Provided the talent is no lower than Once in a Millennium, the attribute's value can be directly raised to 90.

Currently, the attributes meeting this condition (excluding those already at 90) are: Shooting (82), Set Pieces (84), Endurance (80), Physical Confrontation (86), Defense (77).

Hmm... this is highly debatable.

Directly raising an attribute to 90 is indeed incredible.

But this is still infusion—in TV dramas and novels, demonic cultivators who favor infusion always end badly.

And Tang Ye knows exactly who he is.

He is absolutely, unquestionably a good man.

So the logic is clear!

【You selected Reward Two: Transcendent Power (Infused Version)】

(End of Chapter)