Chapter 632: Is It Important?

A normal Achilles Tendon Rupture requires 2 months of rest before one can properly move the ankle, but because Ji Xiang's surgery was performed by Zhou Jiaoshou, he followed medical advice and began barefoot wall-pressing in less than a month, with his ankle's active dorsiflexion reaching about 100°.

The Hybrid Surgery performed by Zhou Jiaoshou allowed for extremely fast recovery, which Ji Xiang could feel himself.

At 1 month and 12 days, Ji Xiang had already begun rehabilitation training.

After another half month, Ji Xiang had basically made a full recovery.

Although the surgery was highly successful, the time lost to training had caused some atrophy in the injured-side muscles, so Ji Xiang could only work hard to make up for the lost time.

Fortunately, AC Milan did not give up on Ji Xiang; their management had quite high expectations for him. Moreover, in recent years, other than winning one Serie A title, AC Milan had achieved very little in European football, and they had been absent from the Champions League for many consecutive years.

Acquiring Ji Xiang was merely a gamble to see if this exceptionally talented young man would bring any surprises.

Next, with the assistance of AC Milan's professional trainers, Ji Xiang began a long rehabilitation process.

Having two legs of different thicknesses caused Ji Xiang countless troubles, but the young Ji Xiang had his own obsession in his heart, and no matter how difficult it was, he gritted his teeth and persevered.

The surgical results were excellent, and combined with Ji Xiang's persistence, his two legs recovered to their original state in just 3 months. His athletic level not only returned to his pre-injury state but even improved.

Even the trainers at AC Milan were full of praise.

Starting from the bench, Ji Xiang helped AC Milan reclaim the Serie A title and won the Golden Boot award within half a season.

In the second year's league, Ji Xiang led AC Milan on a triumphant march and solidified his core status on the team.

However, due to a lack of experience in that year's Champions League, they stopped at the quarterfinals.

In the third year, it was as if Ji Xiang had divine help; after the surgical repair, his 33cm Achilles tendon seemed to have received an angel's blessing, and he was no longer troubled by injuries and participated in every match.

While winning a third consecutive Serie A title, Ji Xiang led AC Milan to defeat one powerhouse after another in the Champions League, winning the European Cup.

The Golden Boot, Golden Ball, and other honors were all swept up by Ji Xiang, and he became the youngest Grand Slam winner in history.

Of course, except for the World Cup.

Just that year, the Football Association sent a summons to Ji Xiang, but the demands Ji Xiang made were flatly rejected by the Football Association.

That pile of rotten filth stank, and Ji Xiang couldn't be bothered to pay it any mind.

He knew very well that if he went back, he would most likely be ruined; although there was Zhou Jiaoshou, things didn't work that way, and Zhou Jiaoshou couldn't perform miracles every single time.

Most importantly, that group of people hadn't been replaced yet, so Ji Xiang simply refused, leaving a regret in his heart.

The news released was that Ji Xiang refused to play for the country, which immediately caused a huge uproar online. Coupled with people with ulterior motives twisting the facts, Ji Xiang was torn to shreds in the war of public opinion.

He was labeled with countless accusations, but Ji Xiang didn't care.

Next, Ji Xiang entered his golden period.

Over a long period of 11 years, Ji Xiang swept through the football world, and his record of 102 goals in a single season was also called a miracle that no one could shake.

Just like that, in the span of 11 years, Ji Xiang won countless honors for AC Milan.

During those 11 years, Ji Xiang's reputation in the country also constantly changed, from mockery and sarcasm to people paying attention, and then to the discovery of that match which was clearly corrupt to the bone, revealing that Ji Xiang had once had his Achilles tendon kicked and snapped by "his own people."

Public opinion gradually flipped, and people began to initiate polls on the most famous sports forums in the country, calling for Ji Xiang to rejoin the National Team for matches.

In the 12th year, unable to withstand the immense pressure, that place began a major reshuffle, and Ji Xiang finally waited for his opportunity.

The moment he put on the National Team jersey again, Ji Xiang was exceptionally excited, even though this place had already been turned into a desert.

Leading a group of little guys who, in Ji Xiang's view, couldn't play football at all, Ji Xiang began fighting on two fronts.

On one hand, Ji Xiang continued to win one honor after another in the European arena, getting more than he could handle; on the other hand, he led the National Team in battle, only to suffer repeated defeats.

Ji Xiang did not complain, but instead silently coached his young teammates.

Domestic public opinion flipped again as the results failed to meet expectations.

Everyone in front of their screens and phones lacked patience; people were thinking of getting rich overnight, and their mindsets were restless. In most people's minds, Ji Xiang's return should have resulted in winning the next World Cup, otherwise, it meant he wasn't putting in the effort.

But let alone the World Cup, they didn't even make it into the quarterfinals of the Asian Cup.

Football is not played by one person; even if Ji Xiang were made of iron, he couldn't drive many nails.

Amidst the raging waves of public opinion, Ji Xiang moved forward calmly.

He had a dream—to lift the trophy with the National Team and fulfill that dream.

Unfortunately, Ji Xiang returned a bit too late; this land had been ruined by his predecessors into a wasteland, and Ji Xiang could only wait quietly, waiting for others to grow up.

Another 8 years passed.

Ji Xiang gradually went from a new star to a popular superstar, and then to... a veteran.

The feeling of a hero in his twilight years is not easy to bear.

At the age of 38, it was difficult for Ji Xiang to perform the moves he once could; his speed was not as fast as when he was young, and his strength was gradually fading.

Although he knew this was inevitable for humans and that no matter how strong he was, he could not escape the laws of nature, Ji Xiang was not reconciled; he still had a dream in his heart!

When Ji Xiang was 38, he suffered a serious injury.

Zhou Jiaoshou was also old and frail; he told Ji Xiang that he could no longer hold a scalpel, and he did not recommend that Ji Xiang undergo surgery again.

Of course, if Ji Xiang wanted to, Zhou Jiaoshou would let his students perform the surgery on him.

At this moment, Ji Xiang vaguely understood Neymar's thoughts.

Deep in his heart, a voice was shouting loudly; the word "dream" was so sacred and serious.

Even if his body suffered an injury, even if he had to endure the excruciating pain after surgery, even if participating in the World Cup would affect Ji Xiang's career path, the impact wouldn't be that great, yet Ji Xiang still longed for it.

He told Zhou Jiaoshou without hesitation that he requested surgery, even if it was performed by a student of Zhou Jiaoshou's whom he had never met.

That longing burned like a wildfire in Ji Xiang's heart; 20 years had turned the dream into an obsession, and regardless of success or failure, he had to undergo the surgery to gamble on a possibility.

For that dream, Ji Xiang was willing to pay any price.

So that was it; at this moment, Ji Xiang in the system was infinitely close to Neymar in reality, and the two souls resonated.

Light flickered, and Ji Xiang left the world of Empathy.

He was stunned for a long time, staring blankly at the system NPC.

"What's wrong?" the system NPC asked.

"Teacher, did I finally win the World Cup in the end?" Ji Xiang asked.

"Is it important?"

"Is it not important?"

"Is it really important?"

(End of chapter)