Chapter Two: Eight Minutes at Twenty-Seven

Luo passed the ball into the bottom-right corner. Two-one. He raced toward the flag, changed his mind halfway, and threw himself onto Gu. Teammates piled over them. Beneath the heap, Gu cursed cheerfully. “My knee!” At exactly eighty minutes, the gold light died. His face turned white. Doubled fatigue struck like a wall, and he caught Luo's shoulder to remain upright. Shen called for a substitution, but Gu shook his head when the fourth official raised the board. “Ten minutes left,” Gu said. “Your eight minutes are over,” Shen replied quietly. “The match isn't.” Cape City had already used every substitute. Shen realized that Gu knew nothing of the Echo.