Chapter One: The Last Shot Before the Window Closed

The next morning, the warning became ridicule. “He runs slower than the security guard,” center back Zhao Ye muttered. Gu finished last in the first sprint and held his knee after the shuttle runs. Twenty-year-old winger Luo Xiao passed behind him, plainly uninterested in his new teammate. Some players thought the owner merely wanted to sell tickets with a famous name. Others had already contacted new clubs. Nobody believed a three-month contract could save them. Shen gathered everyone in the video room and wrote 12 on the board. “Our first objective against Southport isn't a shot. It's twelve straight passes.” Coach Han Dongsheng frowned. “They lead the league in tackles. You want us playing with fire at the back?”