Chapter Three: The City Watches Him Rise

"Don't use the center forward. Let the keeper find him." In the twenty-ninth minute, Sun Yue caught a cross and launched the ball beyond midfield. Lu Ye accelerated past the fullback, but his first touch ran too far. The stands booed. With no shooting angle, he back-heeled into the half-space. Captain Chen Fang arrived and struck. One–one. Blaze's bench exploded. Qin punched the shelter roof. "How did you calculate that?" "I didn't. We left them only one choice." Chengze stopped applauding. At halftime, Chenzhou entered the dressing room and placed a bank card before the tactics board. "This month's wages and victory bonuses are in escrow. Not a promise—money." Exhausted players looked up.