[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-start-with-r9-template":3,"chapter-start-with-r9-template-start-with-r9-template-chapter-203":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Start with R9 Template",{"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},1388918,1840,"Chapter 203 - 203","start-with-r9-template-chapter-203",203,"\u003Cp>Mourinho shared their sentiment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Staring at the celebrating Ling, he suddenly broke into a wide grin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What defines an explosive point player? It's the ability to create time and space through individual skill, leaving opponents no chance to organize a solid defense, thereby generating opportunities for their team in attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Ling? After a season of refinement, he's gradually developed the capacity to shatter opposing defenses in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it's not yet consistent, there's plenty of time ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the opposing side, Brighton's coach Hughton's face contorted with rage as he roared onto the pitch, \"Mark that guy out of the game! At any cost!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, no one wants to be reduced to a footnote in someone else's highlight reel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Brighton players snapped out of their shock, gritting their teeth and glaring viciously at Ling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this stage of the match, the final outcome hardly mattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they couldn't stop Man United from winning the title, preventing Ling from claiming the Golden Boot award would be a consolation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, when play resumed, Brighton intensified their defense on the right flank, determined not to let even a fly through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fouls became increasingly frequent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waist-high grabs, reckless slide tackles, fierce physical clashes... Under such circumstances, not even Ling—who hasn't reached his peak potential—could prevail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Diego Maradona himself would have been powerless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester United quickly switched the direction of their attack, trying to stretch Brighton's defensive line and create space for Ling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Brighton didn't fall for it at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the 34th minute of the match, Pogba delivered a precise through ball to Lukaku, who executed a burst of speed, charged into the penalty area, and fired a shot into the bottom right corner of the net.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>2-0!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the 54th minute of the match, Mourinho, watching Ling being fouled repeatedly, decisively substituted him with Rashford.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If an injury occurred because of a single match, it would be a lifelong regret for both the team and the player.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, there was still the more crucial Champions League final ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Rashford delivered a cutback from the byline in the 72nd minute and Pogba followed up with a long-range screamer, the match had already lost all suspense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the remaining time, Manchester United kept passing the ball around in their own half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cameras frequently panned to the stands, where many creatively designed banners were on display.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, a striking Chinese slogan: \"You're next!\" Accompanied by the Real Madrid crest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another example was a massive \"21＞18,\" symbolizing Manchester United's imminent 21st English top-flight league title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for what the 18 represented? It was, of course, the number of titles won by their arch-rivals, Liverpool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This infuriated many Liverpool fans watching the match, who wished they could pull the Manchester United fans out of their TV screens and give them a beating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Just wait till next season!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beep-beep-beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dull time passed quickly, and finally, the referee blew the whistle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The full-time whistle signaled the end of the match, but the celebrations were just beginning, as Manchester United had secured the Premier League title one round early!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>70,000 Manchester United fans raised their hands and jumped wildly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Old Trafford seemed to tremble with the excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon after, the stadium DJ played Manchester United's anthem, and the uplifting, passionate melody burst forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Glory, Glory, Man United!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We're the champions of england!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone seemed to be in a dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the previous 20 titles, this one felt even more precious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because they had faced the strongest opponent—Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Man City had achieved a 19-match winning streak, scoring 2-3 goals almost every game and winning matches with ease, Manchester United's victories had been far more stumbling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were draws against weaker teams and even situations where they were overturned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But only after enduring prolonged hardships does the final victory taste sweeter, and Manchester United fans truly understood the meaning of this saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the pitch at that moment, Ling stood frozen, unsure of what to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reflecting on his life since rebirth, he had always aimed for championships, but when the dream finally came true, how should he greet it with what kind of emotions?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't seem as excited as he had imagined, or perhaps he was overly excited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, the emotions in his heart were incredibly complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long while, Ling flashed a bright smile at the camera and waved vigorously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew his parents were definitely watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thousands of miles away, in Guofeng Shimao Residential Area, Bincheng, China.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Congratulations to Manchester United, congratulations to Ling, for winning the 2017-18 Premier League title!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Since the end of the Ferguson era, Manchester United seemed to have reverted to decades ago.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The team hit a low, with poor match results, fluctuating player form, and an overall gloomy atmosphere within the squad.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lanxia and Ling Changzheng listened to the sounds coming from the television, their eyes fixed on the familiar young man on the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The former's eyes were slightly moist, her heart aching for her son's efforts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The latter lit a cigarette, swelling with pride over his son's achievements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over all these years, aside from financial support, they hadn't given Ling much assistance, leaving them with a lingering sense of guilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They felt they had failed as parents. Of course, Ling would never think that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Husband, am I dreaming? Did our son really win the championship?\" Yan Lanxia asked in disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Changzheng took a deep drag. \"That's right, our son is the champion! And it's the Premier League of all things!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you think he'll come back this summer?\" Yan Lanxia suddenly thought of something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Changzheng sounded uncertain. \"He should, right? He has almost a month off.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lanxia murmured to herself, \"That's good. I've been learning to make lots of healthy meals lately—guaranteed to be both delicious and nutritious.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before long, Ding-dong, ding-dong—the sound broke the atmosphere in the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Lanxia picked up her phone and opened WeChat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were all kinds of congratulatory messages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling Changzheng was the same, grinning as he slowly replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The city was also going wild.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In university dormitories, boys were howling with excitement, shouting \"Man United is awesome!\" and \"Ling is awesome!\" everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some even sprinted around draped in Man United flags.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The dorm supervisors were terrified, almost dialing the police.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although Dong Fangzhuo had won the Premier League before, he had rarely played, and it was so long ago that young people weren't familiar with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ling was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chinese fans had watched him grow up—from the Man United youth team to the first team, from substitute to starter—witnessing every goal he scored.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as if they had experienced it themselves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An unprecedented excitement surged within them, making it impossible to suppress their shouts and roars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some hurried to online shopping platforms to order a Man United No. 7 jersey, only to find that even last season's jerseys were sold out when they clicked into the official flagship store.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene shifted to Old Trafford.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling wrapped an arm around Rashford's shoulder. \"Do you know when they hand out the Premier League trophy?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don't even know that? It's definitely after the next league match. I bet you've never even touched the Premier League trophy.\" Rashford put on a disdainful expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Valencia promptly gave him a knock on the head. \"You only joined the first team two seasons ago—you haven't seen it either!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Exactly, these youngsters can't compare to us.\" Ashley Young flashed a row of gleaming white teeth, his grin stretching almost to his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ling, I wonder who's been in the Premier League for over a dozen seasons but still hasn't scored as many goals as you did in one.\" Scott McTominay chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Man United veterans' faces darkened at that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ashley Young counted on his fingers for a long moment before slowly saying, \"Well, it's not me. I've scored 41 goals.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Valencia, Matic, Fellaini, Mata, and others chased McTominay until he fled with his hands over his head, laughing all the way to the dressing room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After this match concluded, only one final round remained in the league—Man United versus Watford, again playing at home.\u003C\u002Fp>",1374,"2026-06-05T22:48:23.062Z",1,"novelbin.me","cdeba5b55f1464cd48300d0b92c1b56465beb428d66e4d8fd22902347a81e6cf","start-with-r9-template-chapter-204","start-with-r9-template-chapter-202",371,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstart-with-r9-template-cover.jpg"]