Chapter 45 - Sinister Enemy (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The game was going to be carried out in Yang Guang High School. After a few team members of Shu Guang High heard the news, their fear increased. A game against a violent soccer team was already frightening enough. On top of that, they had to go to their base camp. Basically, it was like entering a den of tigers and wolves!

…

Ah Yuan was quite surprised to see Li Yongle. He never thought he would see him again so soon.

“Please do me a favor.” Li Yongle was always straight to the point, no beating around the bush. This was the reason why Ah Yuan liked him―he was frank!

“Say the word.”

“Saturday afternoon at 3.00 pm, Yang Guang High School: Shu Guang and Yang Guang’s match. I need you to help me keep a look out for someone.”

“That work-study school? What’s going on?”

“Yang Guang High’s captain is nicknamed ‘Butcher’. He’s famous for being a dangerous person and I’m worried. I know you have some people in that school.”

Ah Yuan thought about it for a bit. “Alright. But only for this match. It has nothing to do with you though, why are you so concerned?”

Li Yongle laughed as he shook his head. “No, I am largely connected to this game. I’m worried about a particular person.”

“Who?”

“Shu Guang’s No. 11, Zhang Jun.”

“Oh, I get it! You’re afraid of him getting hurt, right?”

Li Yongle laughed. “That guy, he’s three bricks short of a load.”

…

“Ah-choo!”

“Are you having a cold?” Su Fei asked, looking concerned.

Zhang Jun rubbed his nose. “Nah, it’s a good day today, why would I have a cold?”

Next to them, Yang Pan replied, “A certain someone probably called him three bricks short of load.”

Zhang Jun turned around to glare at Yang Pan.

“But, I seriously am worried,” Su Fei said. “Tomorrow’s game is definitely not going to be the same as the usual.”

“Su Fei, why are you worried?”

Yang Pan interrupted, “Only a person who’s three bricks short of load wouldn’t be worried.”

“Yang Pan, you…”

The two of them noisily quarreled with one another and Su Fei laughed as she watched the fight between the two of them. However, inside, she was upset today. She hoped that her worries would not become a reality.

…

When their car drove through Yang Guang High School’s gate, many of them could not help but exclaim. The clean campus, the uniformity, the trees and flowers that decorated the place all made it look like a garden. It was far beyond everyone’s expectations. Before the gates were opened, they imagined the place to be pitch black, but what they found instead was a blissful place full of flowers and chirping birds.

“Wow! Is this the work-study school? It looks like a garden!” An Ke was the first to exclaim. Everyone also followed soon after. Only Ren Yu De had no trace of emotion; he silently looked out the window.

But when they saw the soccer field, it was a different kind of surprise.

“Wow! How is this a soccer field!”

“It’s so tattered!”

“Can we really play soccer in such a place? I feel like we’re going to lose a leg.”

“Violent opponents, a dangerous audience and a terrible stadium…”

Yang Pan could not help but frown as the field was in a terrible state. There were pebbles and potholes everywhere; anyone could easily fall. In addition of the opponent’s brutal style of playing, everyone’s mental preparedness to win the game was also seriously a concern. Zhang Jun would especially become a target after he displayed a wonderful performance in the previous match. It was really bad for Shu Guang to be in this place!

He turned his head to Zhang Jun on the side and saw him looking around without any concern. He looked as if was interested in the school. Our unresponsive friend, we sure hope that he won’t be badly injured in this match!

…

Liang Ke tried to get the players to relax, but some of them were still really nervous. Most of them were checking if their leg protectors were not crooked or falling off.

In fact, if it was not for Yang Guang’s rough playing, the game itself would have been much cause for suspense. The only outstanding player was Yang Guang’s team captain, No. 10 midfielder, Tu Yong. He had comprehensive techniques, outstanding awareness and excellence in both offensive as well as defensive play. It was also hard to say if his teammates were all third-rated players. Hopefully, he would not cause any trouble to the fragile Shu Guang. The trouble that Liang Ke was concerned about was not Tu Yong’s technique, it was his other aspects. Tu Yong’s soccer techniques were really good but he was equally good with his little tricks and fouls. He was extremely crafty and he would create fouls whenever he kicked the ball from the edge so that the referee could not see it. They absolutely could not let him do that!

…

The stands were Yang Guang’s most characteristic feature. After the fighting case that took place two years ago, the school installed a huge wire fence around the stands of the soccer field. The wire fence separated the stands and the field. This was to prevent unscrupulous viewers from throwing things at the field or curb their “sudden impulses” to rush into the field and cause serious problems.

The scene was somewhat like the insides of the South American League. It appeared that Yang Guang’s violence in soccer was not just a mere rumor.

Despite the barbed wire fence, Yang Pan could still feel the unpleasant stares and attitude of the audience towards them. Their swearing and reproach filled everyone’s ears. What’s more, they also made a banner that said, “Welcome to hell!”. All these things added more pressure to Shu Guang’s team players, even Yang Pan felt uneasy.

…

Ah Yuan and a few of his brothers were very much in the crowd; they were sitting behind the stands. He could not help but laugh when he saw how the situation.

Yang Guang High School was considered a work-study school, hence the management was very strict. Their brutal practice made the students obedient before the large-scale of school police. But this attitude of obedience was the result of students forcibly suppressing their violent impulses. They needed a place to vent plus, a long period of holding in stress was not good for the body, Therefore, soccer was granted for this important task. They did not really know soccer but soccer was their best tool to vent, so it really seemed like Shu Guang would be faced with evil.

…

The referees called out the two captains. When Yang Pan shook hands with the other captain, his opponent had changes in his expression, but Yang Pan felt a cold sensation hitting him, especially from those eyes. They were so dark that they appeared to have no light in them; it was like a corner where the sunlight would never reach. As long as he stared at you, it was enough to turn you into ice.

Yang Pan immediately avoided his eyes.

“Heads or tails?”

“Heads!”

“Tails.”

A coin was thrown in the air; it tumbled and fell.

Shu Guang gained the first serve while Yang Guang had the right to snatch. Yang Pan was lucky. From the very beginning, he was always the one to start off with offense and he had control of the ball under his two feet. Perhaps, he could also have the upper hand in this game. But, he inadvertently saw the expressionless captain once again and he started to shiver in cold sweat.

…

Zhang Jun looked at the very unfriendly and frowning audience on the stands. He then saw Yang Pan approaching, and an idea formed in his heart.

“Yang Pan, do you think the audience is full of hatred?”