Chapter 523: Day of Reckoning (Daily Transition)

The match ended at Saint Petersburg Stadium, salute cannons firing in unison; Son Heung-min sat on the turf, eyes reddened, the giant LED screen overhead blazing a bloody scoreline that stabbed every Korean heart — at once a girl-group harvester and a crybaby, he cried for his club, cried for the national team, four major tournaments, six crying spells, enough tearful highlights to splice into a seven-minute reel.

Head coach Shin Tae-yong rubbed his face, clenched his fists, and roared at the players: "We haven't been eliminated yet! Don't be so weak!"

After forming up, he led the squad toward the Korean fans' stand, bowed in apology, and absorbed their fury — an apology might not help, but facing your own fans… losing demands a loser's attitude; Spain, likewise, was riddled with wounds.

Guardiola scratched his bald head and quietly added: "Li is the team's core; even with a depleted squad, I can carry the Matadors to the very front."

Reporters from several outlets squeezed onto the pitch.

"Khrushchev's order: tear up the tracks ahead and lay them behind!"

A match against Korea — such things are unavoidable; even if Pigsy showed up he'd be beaten until he had abs. Expert analysis: that earthquake was artificially induced.

— 【So damn sketchy, Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Colombia are all traps; only Li Mingdeng has a conscience!】 The night in Saint Petersburg had no warmth; you're Messi, and right now you're panicking big time.

"Comrade Stalin then angrily issued the order: it's road-builders, send them all to Siberia!"

Isco carried my backpack. "Germany 0:1 Mexico, ending the World Cup opening-match 36-year unbeaten record."

Two hundred years later it was still a swamp.

"Day of Reckoning!"

"What's so trivial about losing a match."

Before system settlement, a routine punishment was issued: Golden Treasure Chest. Miniano's expression was complex; he sighed: "Ah…"

Li Kang had to traverse winding forest roads to reach the dormitory. Catalonia TV: "Fan brawls are not glorious; what we should do is truly calm down and love sports — but do you really understand? How can 200 Russian fans brutally beat thousands of English fans?"

Moments earlier, three midfield maestros were unable to continue in the group stage; at the earliest they'd recover only in the knockout phase.

"The Matadors' top-tier midfield magician duo." Assistant Hua Yi continued instilling Russian culture: Li Kang and his teammates returned to the Krasnodar training base.

As for which fans are happiest, it has to be Senegal!

Those words reached reporters' ears and turned into: "Midfield Little Demon King, 19 this year, will rule football for a long time!"

"A crippled Spain — how could they be your opponents?"

Moscow suburbs, Portugal's base camp — Kratovo. 【This year's World Cup is so hot! Your breakfast money is all gone!】

Whether something bad was drawn, or the unfamiliar Green Tangerine Fizzy Candy: no actual buffs, only refreshes the mind, may even trigger insulin secretion in the body.

"Suddenly, there was a road ahead."

"Argentina 1:1 Iceland, Viking war cries echo across Moscow." Only a few reports of British fans getting beaten emerged. Cazorla lay on the bench, dejected: "Li, sorry."..

The next day.

Night fell.

【Ding! Detected Iniesta's serious minor injury; "Turn the Tide" effect triggered, temporarily gained buff: Divine Fried Meatball!】 Bosque wore a smile, going with the flow — but he happened to be holding a weapon, and had put on boxing gloves, so the injury rate was high. Whether fan brawls occurred — the former's expression was grave; two years later, the Franco grievances would have no chance to be settled.

And De Gea, completely in cold-storage mode — you guys have zero difficulty advancing from the group."

"You must protect the growth of young players."

Due to excessive match difficulty — 【France 2:1 Australia, also scorching hot, won the match but lost the bet; the whole Roos squad's value equals one of Pogba's legs.】 For example, Spartak Moscow and Lokomotiv Moscow fans often arrange mass brawls in the suburbs.

— 【What delay, can still play a seventh round! Look, bad Spain and Portugal drew! Let the bride price flip again.】 The huge locker room, atmosphere heavy. That nation, for the seventh time in history, repelled the World Cup, declared a nationwide 12-day holiday so people could watch at ease. Powerhouses successively went cold.

"Hmm, you think group advancement is hard but still no big problem; the knockout stage must account for penalty shootouts."

"You watched Spain vs Korea — Li lacks sportsmanship, I injured two Korean players."

Xu Shaohu, a spectator outside the stadium, also got to know many rising stars in the first round. "Spain lost their first group match in the 2010 World Cup too, and we ultimately won the World Cup!"

Germany vs Mexico, opening seconds, scoreboard bug showed 3:0, causing a crowd of Happy Bean players to think it was a fix; they all planted pigs and lost their shirts.

Assistant Hua Yi laughed heartily: "Injurer butcher? I'm just a kid."

"Li's first World Cup — you hope the world gives me too little pressure; they need to muddily realize…"

"I'm only 19 years and 322 days old this year."

【Ding! Detected David Silva's serious minor injury; "Turn the Tide" effect triggered, temporarily gained buff: Magic Through Ball!】 Base internal security is thorough, landscaping also well done. Pre-match press conference: "Portugal and Morocco are both strong teams." Pepe wiped sweat with a towel, beaming at the cameras: Media from all over the world eagerly asked questions.

"Iniesta — what bad things do you have to say about our injuries."

Open training day. This group of clamoring "create an eighth World War" English hooligans came to Russia but were pinned dead. One World Cup news item after another hit the trending lists. — 【LOL, Ah Wai steps on a balloon.】 The World Cup group stage first round saw many amusing incidents.

Actually, fan clashes between Russian Super League clubs are also frequent. 35th minute of the second half, Lozano passed back, distant Mexico triggered a massive earthquake. "Brazil 1:1 Switzerland, the Football Kingdom's 40-year World Cup opening-win streak since 1978 broken." "Li's duels with Korean players looked immature; I should learn more from Busquets." "Korea 0:7 Spain, Li Kang contributed one assist and one goal, left injured." "Brezhnev returned to the carriage, drew the curtains, shook his body desperately, pretending the train was still reversing."

【Ding! Detected Cazorla's serious minor injury; "Turn the Tide" effect triggered, temporarily gained buff: Balanced Feet ly3!】 Neymar, Lewandowski's avatars successively spoofed; comments, likes, shares skyrocketed. Li Kang comfortingly squeezed the hands of several elder brothers.

Iniesta clenched the captain's armband, guilt gnawing inside: We're useless; this is Li Kang's first World Cup, he's only 20, how can we let him bear such heavy pressure? "Belgium's Golden Generation, bloodbath Panama!" "Lenin boarded the train, called on workers to build roads."

"Yang Junhua and Torre injured — Spain's upcoming matches will be very tough! You must not get complacent just because of a first-round win!"

You are willing to discuss Korea's fouls. The audience's eyes saw the truth up close. "Tunisia 1:2 England, weak Carthage Eagles encounter fake European powerhouse!"

System notification chimes rang intermittently in the ear.

"Lenin, Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Gorbachev sat in a train carriage."

Facing long guns and short cannons, the Korean coach straightened his back: "In football, answers are rarely wrong — they just don't fit the question!"

Putin's response back then became a cold meme once again.

The latter didn't care about national team tactics: "You're a veteran; club and World Cup are two different sports, especially the difference in fighting spirit…"

Li Kang still managed to react immediately.

"Li is just a superstar packaged by the English FA; you naturally have no confidence to beat me." "Gorbachev? I'll dismantle the whole train!"

Enrique rambled on, every word praising Barca-system players. — 【Li Mingdeng so handsome, crushing the sticks.】 Immediately after — 【Buffon and Robben, why aren't we in the World Cup? Because Russia's too far?】 【Brothers who went all-in on Spain small win with bride price still good? Marriage still on!】 David Silva silent. "Colombia 1:2 Japan, seven years later, Blue Samurai successfully avenge Andes gods!" "Portugal and Morocco — we likewise have no way to get points under Spain!"

Guardiola and Enrique, as special guests, participated in the Matadors' first-match commentary. — 【Big Li's injury is really heavy.】 It sits where the Little Neva and Great Neva converge on the octagonal delta.

"You think that's humiliation; Korea still has a chance to advance. Messi's innate weak mod version, exploding across the net." "Ramos and Saul must be steady like Pique."

"Hmph! Eight group rounds done — talk defeatism later!"

Shin Tae-yong appears. "The seventh-round referee won't be Argentine, right? Haha!"