Chapter 1: Euro Youth Championship: One Sword Seals the Throat

July 2015.

Greece, Kaliterni.

Euro Youth Championship, opening round of the group stage.

Spain U19 versus France U19.

Even as the match entered its final stages.

The tempo of attack and defense transitions for both teams remained extremely intense.

Possession swung back and forth.

The frantic end-to-end action ignited the passion of fans from both nations.

The LED scoreboard hanging high above the field showed a 0:0 score.

On the sidelines.

Both head coaches, expressions animated, gestured wildly at the players on the pitch, wishing they held a game controller.

This match did not attract much attention in Asia.

Mainstream video platforms had no interest in purchasing the broadcast rights.

Dragon Kingdom livestream.

An amateur host, speaking extremely non-standard Mandarin, said: "Brothers, the video signal is pirated from abroad, so it's a bit glitchy! Just make do and watch!"

A large crowd of Happy Bean users in the comment section anxiously followed the match.

-{【A bunch of useless players, attacking so fiercely yet not scoring! France's dumbass Dembélé wasted two one-on-one chances!】}

-{【SB ref! Always calling offside! Where was Asensio offside? Maybe his body hair was offside!】}

-{【Why isn't Spain U19 playing tiki-taka anymore? There are hardly any La Masia graduates in the squad—Real Madrid has four, Osasuna has five!】}

-{【Touch the ball and then flop? Bury them alive on the spot! Substitute? Damn it! Making a sub only in the 87th minute? What a joke!】}

In the 88th minute of the match.

The ball flew out of bounds.

The head referee blew his whistle, signaling a substitution.

The camera panned.

A black-haired youth in a red number six jersey stood calmly at the edge of the center circle.

The Dragon Kingdom fans in the livestream.

They were dumbfounded.

Spain U19... how is there an Asian player?

Is he from that stick‑nation or an island nation?

"Brothers, hold on, I'll look up the info."

"Lee Kang? Li Kang? Damn! This guy is a Spanish Dragon Descendant! He comes from La Masia's youth academy, plays midfield, and this is his first appearance for Spain U19!"

"According to FIFA rules, since he's played in an intercontinental match for Spain, he apparently can't play for our national team… Pah! You guys are right—our national team is a pile of shit; no matter which country he represents, if he can score or assist, he's our bro!"

The match continued.

The Happy Bean users' hearts suddenly turned cold halfway.

In the camera view.

The Dragon Descendant youth named Li Kang, as soon as he came on, kept turning his head, observing the other players' positioning.

He isn't fast, but he always manages to link up with teammates at the crucial moments.

Every pass and reception he made was extremely sound.

With his teammates' cooperation, he gradually took control of the central zone.

The match's tempo seemed to slow down tenfold.

It doused the enthusiasm of the fans in the stands.

The whole stadium grew quiet as the ball moved now fast, now slow.

In the livestream, the Happy Bean users grew angry:

Is this guy playing health‑preserving football?

Damn it, the goods coming out of La Masia are all the same!

Hypnotic football!

The little host was also bewildered.

Is this still a youth‑team match where goals come in bunches?

We're screwed—the gifts are totally ruined.

Happy Bean users are pragmatic—if there's no goal, nobody will send gifts.

On the sidelines.

The fourth official held up the added‑time board.

The France U19 head coach grew anxious.

In his view, his own team were the tournament favorites, a cut above the opposition; fallen Spain? Worthless. How could we play so frustratingly?

He waved his hand broadly.

He frantically urged the French youngsters forward! Step up the pressing in the attacking third!

Li Kang seemed to perceive the change in the opponent's formation.

Gazing at the loose French back line,

he made a gesture.

instantly accelerating the midfield tempo!

The football was quickly passed under the red jersey's feet.

Easily dissolved the opponent's pressure.

Spain's formation surged forward frenetically.

The final minute of injury time.

France's half-field forty-meter zone.

He received another pass from a teammate.

His body tilted slightly.

He swung his left leg.

He sent out an ultra-long through ball with one kick.

The trajectory lacked precision.

The power was not moderate enough.

Yet it was like a dull knife, rubbing on the Gallic rooster's neck!

"Brothers, here it comes! Awesome!"

"France's defensive line is pure shit, Asensio! One-on-one!"

When Asensio broke through the France U19 goal.

Spanish fans in the stands burst into cheers like a landslide and tsunami.

The LED scoreboard was altered!

Teammates also swarmed the goal scorer, celebrating wildly.

The Spanish head coach clenched his fists, disregarding decorum, and roared loudly.

On the other side.

The France team head coach's face looked as ugly as if he had eaten shit:

Damn! How could the U19 have such a monster with extraordinary game-reading ability!

Scouts from various clubs lurking in the stands bowed their heads, fingers flying, unaware of what they were recording.

Dragon Kingdom livestream.

Bullet comments flooded the screen.

-【Li Kang! This assist is awesome! Lifetime fan!】

-【Thank you Li Kang for saving my life! This vision and awareness! Off the charts!】

-【Good brother!】

-【Good brother!】

-【Good brother!】

Li Kang's expression was very calm.

When the head referee blew the whistle signaling the end of the match.

He slowly walked off the field.

A mechanical electronic synthesized sound rang in his mind.

-【Ding, congratulations Host for completing the task: National team debut!】

-【Personal rating: S】

-【Task reward being distributed... Congratulations Host obtained: Lu Yin Costa's "Godlike Through Ball" module (defective)!】

-【Pass: 70-81!】

Barcelona.

La Masia youth academy.

Sports director Robert angrily threw down the remote.

"Those idiots in the national team! How could they let Li Kang play! Do they know how much money this will cost Barça! How else am I supposed to sell him back to the Chinese Super League?"

In this parallel timeline.

In recent years, with the rise of the money-laden Chinese Super League.

Transfer fees of Dragon Kingdom players.

Making European and South American clubs eager to act.

Thus.

More and more Dragon Kingdom youngsters, packaged by agencies, join overseas elite clubs.

Waiting for media hype to reach a certain level!

Then play another set of export then domestic sales.

Youth training director Lula, carefully watching the goal replay, said: "Wouldn't it be good to keep Li Kang at La Masia? Back then Guardiola and Vilanova praised him..."

"If his footwork improves dramatically, perhaps he could be Xavi's successor!"

Before he could finish speaking.

Then Robert interrupted: "He's a mute!"

Lula shook his head, smilingly correcting: "It's aphasia, Mr. Robert."

Barcelona sports director scoffed: "Li Kang's stats in all aspects are very average; I need to quickly deal with him... sell him. I once asked Enrique's opinion, and he also said he had no interest in Li Kang at all!"

Lula sighed: "Then you'd better not come to the youth academy cafeteria; Li Kang's foster mother will poison your snail bread."

Robert involuntarily shivered:

"I recall that Sofia Auntie, when young, had a fling with the Spain U19 head coach! No wonder Li Kang got a few minutes of playtime."

One week later.

The European U19 Championship ended.

Spain U19 finally won the championship!

Asensio was named the Best MVP of the European U19 Championship.

Li Kang had no further playing opportunities in the subsequent matches.

Of course, he also didn't cause any ripples in the media coverage.

Even in the post-championship photo,

he also stood at the very back, the outermost spot.

This national team experience was, for him, so-so; he just snagged a minor medal.

He also didn't communicate much with teammates behind the scenes.

It's just that the head coach's gaze at him feels weird.

July in Barcelona, scorching hot.

Li Kang's 'home' is right at the former site of the La Masia youth academy.

In the cafeteria.

A middle-aged woman of obvious Castilian descent glanced at the stopwatch in her hand.

Lunchtime ended.

She furrowed her brow and walked over to the young player.

"Paés, why do you have so much left over again? Isn't your idol Xavi? Xavi used to lick his plate clean as a kid!"

"Ansu! And you! Don't run!"

"...."

"Sophia Auntie! Quick look, Li's back!"

"Don't think you can fool me with this trick again!"

When Li Kang's figure appeared at the doorway.

The young players seized the chance and scattered.

Sophia Auntie turned her head, her face showing uncontainable joy.

She wiped her hands on her apron before stepping forward.

Li Kang smiled, took out a bank card from his backpack, and handed it over.

This is the U19 national team's salary.

It's not much; even with the assist bonus, it's still not much.

Sophia Auntie put the bank card back into his backpack.

"I have nowhere to spend money, foolish national team coaching staff—you're obviously outstanding, yet you only got him a few minutes of playing time!"

Li Kang crossed over into this parallel world.

For over a decade, he has lived a life of extreme poverty.

Sophia Auntie, this Castilian, for some reason came to the Catalonia region and suffered discrimination.

Of course, working in the La Masia cafeteria means she never worries about food or drink.

Four years ago, Li Kang suddenly awakened the Green Field Superstar System, gaining God's perspective.

Only then did he get a chance to pass La Masia's tryouts.

His match-reading ability is awesome, right?

It was exchanged for his language ability.