[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-start-with-r9-template":3,"chapter-start-with-r9-template-start-with-r9-template-chapter-5":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},1388676,1840,"Chapter 5: The Death Pendulum","start-with-r9-template-chapter-5",5,"\u003Cp>Two days later, the team wasn't at Old Trafford.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barring a Youth FA Cup final, the U21s didn't get that privilege.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, they were at Aon Training Complex, five kilometers down the road.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the players from both teams stepped onto the pitch, scattered applause echoed from the 800-or-so fans who had gathered beyond the railings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Premier League season yet to begin and youth matches being free, it was a decent turnout.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A large portion of them were students and fans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as an academy player, Ling's connection to Manchester United meant he already had a substantial following back home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The kick-off was scheduled for 7 PM local time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back in China, it was the early hours of the morning, but one streaming channel on the Huya platform was buzzing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, alright, settle down,\" the streamer said, laughing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You all want the United U21 match? Fine, fine, I'll pull it up. Stop spamming the chat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He switched the feed, and the comment section instantly flooded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[Lads, I heard Ling might get a first-team contract this year. True or false?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[God, I hope so. We have literally no one in the top five leagues right now.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[So what? Remember Dong Fangzhuo? He got a contract. Didn't make a difference.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[Sigh, Dong. He went to England carrying all our hopes and just... fizzled.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[Nah, it's different. Dong was a transfer. He had issues with personality, language, culture... Ling grew up in the academy. He's one of them. He has a real shot.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[Don't get your hopes up. West Ham's youth team is stacked. They'll walk this.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[Ooh, there's Rice! What an interception.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[That kid is the real deal. Chelsea letting him go was a massive mistake. He'll be in their first team by September.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[No doubt. You're probably watching a future 100-million-pound player right there.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the pitch, Declan Rice passed to a teammate and continued his run forward, joining the attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His intent was clear: use quick, fluid passing to pull United's defense apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester United's shape immediately tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling was no exception.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately dropped back, tucking into the midfield line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was non-negotiable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mourinho demanded a high defensive work rate from everyone, regardless of their talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was this exact demand that, in Ling's first life, would eventually ignite the civil war between the gaffer and Paul Pogba.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rice's skill was obvious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few quick passes later, a gap appeared in United's left channel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rice got the ball back, thirty yards out, and struck it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ball sliced through the defense like a surgical knife, perfectly weighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>West Ham's young forward, Kina, made a clever run, ghosting in from the blind side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kina controlled the ball, turned, and created a yard of space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wound up his right leg to shoot—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CLANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ball hammered off the crossbar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?! How did he... he hit the bar!\" the streamer yelled. \"Wow. United got lucky there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>United's keeper, Kieran O'Hara, gratefully clutched the ball and immediately looked for his outlet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He saw the signal and, without hesitation, threw the ball long toward the left flank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>West Ham's attack had overloaded that side, leaving their own right flank exposed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling, who had been anticipating this, was already in position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defend deep, absorb, and on the counter, be lethal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid scattered cheers, United's players surged forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling controlled the ball with ease, turned, and drove forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing his raw speed wasn't his greatest asset yet, he laid it off to Angel Gomes in the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gomes, remembering Faria's instructions, played a quick one-two with McTominay, drawing the defense in before spreading the ball wide again to Ling, who had continued his sprint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"United's counter is flowing smoothly!\" the streamer noted. \"This is classic Mourinho. Simple, fast, direct.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the sidelines, Rui Faria remained expressionless, but his eyes were fixed on Ling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He recalled Mourinho's last order: 'See if he is a lion in training, or a lion in a game.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Well, kid?' Faria thought. 'Show me.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>West Ham's full-back, Luis, closed in aggressively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew the type.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Asian players,' he thought, a smirk on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'A bit of pressure and they panic. They lose control'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was already planning his overlapping run after he won the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Luis lunged in, Ling made his move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn't a step-over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a rapid, rhythmic sway of his entire upper body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Left, then right. A feint so fluid it looked like an unstoppable pendulum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Luis's balance shifted for just a microsecond, his weight moving to his back foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was all Ling needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He exploded to the opposite side, the ball seemingly glued to his boot, leaving Luis stumbling on the grass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[HOLY CRAP!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[THE PENDULUM DRIBBLE! RONALDINHO-STYLE!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[WHAT WAS THAT?!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling continued his sprint, driving hard toward the byline.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He drew the center-back toward him, and just as the defender committed, Ling coolly cut the ball back across the face of the goal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The striker, Josh Bohui, was all alone at the edge of the six-yard box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a tap-in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He calmly slotted the ball into the net.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1-0, Manchester United.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A roar erupted from the modest stands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the live stream, the chat went wild.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[That was served on a silver platter! My grandma could have scored that!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[United took the lead?! Unbelievable. There go my channel points.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[THAT PENDULUM WAS SICK!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[Ling's improvement is insane! He looks so confident!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[This is what the first team is missing! A winger who can BEAT a man!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-[Calm down, guys. The future '100-million-man' Rice hasn't even woken up yet. He'll equalize.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After celebrating, Deeney jogged back, giving Ling a surprised look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They'd played together for a year, but... that... that was new.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The move was so effortless, the touch so perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well done!\" Deeney yelled, patting him on the head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>McTominay ran over, his eyes wide.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ling, that was incredible! Listen, next time you get it, I'll make a run to the top of the box. Look for me, yeah?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling just shook his head, smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stick to the plan, Scott. Your job is to defend. If Faria sees you bombing forward, he'll have your head.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>McTominay's face fell, but he knew Ling was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At United, especially under Mourinho's philosophy, every player had a clearly defined role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You did your job. No exceptions.\u003C\u002Fp>",1061,"2026-06-05T22:48:22.783Z",1,"novelbin.me","959a5e706b9ad2b0baa29d39710bafe0031ac4d7b04559f3ba5be03958d7cad5","start-with-r9-template-chapter-107","start-with-r9-template-chapter-106",371,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstart-with-r9-template-cover.jpg"]