[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-foresight":3,"chapter-foresight-foresight-chapter-19":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","FORESIGHT",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1847417,2452,"Chapter 19 19: Waiting On The Whistle","foresight-chapter-19",19,"\u003Cp>After the first training match, Kai began appearing regularly in the lineup for the main team training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every time he was on the pitch, the team's overall performance improved noticeably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't just his passion for the game—it felt like the team's whole rhythm shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arsenal remained Arsenal, but there was something subtly different about them now. A certain spark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That difference made Wenger value Kai even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The club continued to press the Ministry of Labour to expedite the hearing process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wenger was eager to use Kai this season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two or three seasons of development might polish him into something special—and if things went well, perhaps even more than that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no news came from the hearing, leaving Wenger feeling powerless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having a promising talent and no way to give him match experience was deeply frustrating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nurturing spirit inside Wenger had already awakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had developed many talented players before, and now, he didn't mind raising a new core figure for Arsenal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai's potential certainly seemed to justify it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Premier League, Arsenal beat Swansea 1–0 in the fourth round, offering a brief respite amid media pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the relief didn't last long. They lost away to Blackburn, and criticism flared up again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A 3–0 home win against Bolton brought a brief calm in the sixth round.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came the seventh round: the North London Derby—Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A 2–1 loss triggered another media firestorm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The team's form was like a roller coaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Win at home, lose away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Public opinion swung wildly—sometimes hostile, sometimes quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for praise?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was out of the question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence was the best the fans would offer—and even that felt generous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truth be told, Arsenal's performance wasn't worthy of applause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After eight rounds, they sat 10th in the table with three wins, one draw, and four losses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Top of the Table:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester City – 7 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses – 22 pts\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester United – 6 wins, 2 draws, 0 losses – 20 pts\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chelsea – 6 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss – 19 pts\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Newcastle United – 4 wins, 4 draws, 0 losses – 16 pts\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liverpool – 4 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses – 14 pts\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tottenham Hotspur – 4 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses – 13 pts\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Five of the Big Six occupied five of the top six spots, with Newcastle making waves early in the season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Arsenal found themselves with a disastrous start, clawing their way up from the bottom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>October 22 – Oak Bar\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai and Billy stepped into the Oak Bar once again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A glass of water,\" said Kai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just a juice for me, thanks,\" Billy added.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They slid onto the bench. Kai glanced around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Quieter than usual today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kelvin Meadows scoffed from behind the bar. \"All those fair-weather fans ran off to watch the game live. No staying power, I tell ya.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai chuckled. \"Why not join them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not a chance,\" Meadows grunted. \"As long as Wenger's still managing, I'm not setting foot in the stadium. Can't stand soft-hearted managers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai shrugged. \"Things might turn around soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Water! Juice!\" Meadows pushed the drinks over, then leaned on the bar. \"By the way, I've been meaning to ask—when are you gonna play?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai sighed. \"Still waiting on the work permit. The hearing hasn't happened yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What position do you play?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai opened his mouth, but Meadows raised a hand. \"No, wait. Let me guess.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sized Kai up—his bulked-up frame, powerful legs, and clear signs of gym work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Defender. You've bulked up like one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai laughed. \"I used to be. But now I'm playing in midfield.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Defensive mid?\" Meadows asked, then smirked. \"Trying to become the next Song?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai raised an eyebrow. \"Should I take that as a compliment?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some players, becoming someone like Song would be a big achievement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Song was never truly among the elite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Talking to you is no fun,\" Meadows muttered, waving a hand dismissively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai grinned. \"If I start playing, will you come watch me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meadows snorted. \"Depends on how good you are.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he added, \"If you want me in the stands, you'd better play like Vieira.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai laughed. \"A world-class midfielder, huh? Can you wait ten years?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meadows rolled his eyes and turned away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a controversial figure among Arsenal fans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some saw him as the \"Last Watcher.\" Others dismissed him as \"Graham's Remnant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His fallout with Wenger had fractured one of the largest fan groups, the Black Jersey organization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without him leading chants, the group struggled to recruit new members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some of the old guard still secretly went to games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meadows knew but didn't say anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't a major schism, but it wasn't trivial either.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A clash of philosophies—nothing more, nothing less.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Meadows stood firm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn't return until Arsenal played with heart—or Wenger left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ninth Round – Emirates Stadium\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite angry chants like \"Arsenal! Wake the f##k up!\", the stadium was packed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because beneath the anger, the fans still loved the club.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It's that same love that made the disappointments harder to bear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But recent wins were helping soften the mood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Against their latest opponent, Arsenal played aggressively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They scored three, conceding just one through an own goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arsenal looked like itself again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Van Persie scored twice in the second half to seal the win.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the post-match press conference, Wenger finally broke his silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He admitted the early-season form was disappointing but believed the team had turned a corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Asked about season goals, he didn't hesitate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our goal is a European spot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That wasn't just ambition—it was necessity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arsenal needed the revenue and exposure from European competitions to stay afloat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without it—and with such a tight-fisted owner—the club would fall into decay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning, Kai arrived early for training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But something had changed—there was one more person beside him during warmups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chamberlain had shaved his head, reset himself, and was starting over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai was glad. Chamberlain was his closest friend at Arsenal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He threw himself into training alongside Kai, and the progress showed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wenger even gave him two more match appearances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chamberlain was over the moon—he'd thought his career was dead after Old Trafford.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his energy restored, he became cheerful and loud again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As training camp began, Kai and Chamberlain entered the locker room together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai glanced around, then walked quietly to his locker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chamberlain followed closely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wherever they passed, players wore awkward expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were being isolated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Kai hadn't noticed the tension. But by the time he did, it was too late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Szczesny pulled him aside and spilled the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Song's been talking behind your back.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was childish—but effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song, having been at the club for four years, had stronger ties with the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his method of isolating Kai was simple: \"Anyone who talks to Kai doesn't talk to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai found it ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He'd expected open conflict or maybe a confrontation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But instead, Playground politics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, many teammates chose to chat with Kai discreetly when Song wasn't looking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai didn't bother confronting the issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why waste time on someone who'd be gone soon?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to Song, the real issue was with the newcomers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chamberlain mentioned multiple times that the South Korean striker had played dirty in training.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He'd even injured Chamberlain once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The club gave Park Joo-young a warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He apologized, but nothing changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, he got close to Song—probably under his influence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or maybe he just thought Kai and Chamberlain were easy targets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kai didn't know what was going through his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as long as Park didn't cross the line, Kai decided to stay silent.\u003C\u002Fp>",1274,"2026-06-09T07:00:21.211Z",1,"novelbin.me","00c144526bd75504ab5ff04a9bc6b1e3347b52f79861b3ccd2f07b4cef2febb5","foresight-chapter-20","foresight-chapter-18",405,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fforesight-cover.jpg"]