Chapter Five: A Goal Defended by Nine

Fatigue vanished from Gu's stride as he reached the ball. Three defenders blocked every shot. Luo began a sixty-meter run with a marker beside him. Gu stopped and invited all three defenders close, then stabbed the ball through the narrowest gap. Luo entered the box. He could shoot, but saw Han arriving opposite and squared it. Han scored into the empty net. One-one. Nine men blocked every lane for the final minutes. Wei saved a close header in stoppage time and tore open his old hand injury on landing. He hid the blood until the whistle. The draw did not secure safety, but left their fate in their own hands. In the dressing room, Wei finally spoke. “Aurum's people took my authentication device during a dinner.