Chapter 59 - Black (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation  Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

There are different types of rain. Although it was considered a drizzle at that point, the drops were rather rapid. The weather report from the day before predicted that there could be a little up to a mid-sized downpour and it looked like it would not stop before the end of the game.

For once, Chen Huafeng had forgotten to bring an umbrella; it was not until Xiao Zhang opened one for him that he realized his clothes were already soaked. Still, his thoughts were not on the match, but on that referee.

Kaka’s beautiful tackle had been called a shoving foul; the ball had been out of bounds, but he gestured play on. When Kaka fell to a tackle and the ball was still with Yang Pan, he ignored the offensive advantage, whistling for the game to stop instead.

And then there was the offside, which he totally ignored. He allowed Ma Ni to score freely, adding to Yingcai’s advantage.

This referee!

Chen Huafeng was seething. “Wearing black clothes… he really is blacker than all others…”

The stands did not jeer or roar in disapproval against the goal. They only cheered.

Bribed referees only appeared black and revolting to those who lost. For those who gained from it, such referees were proper heroes of justice. Not only would they validate their offside goals and nullify the opposition’s scoring, they would also turn slips in the opposition’s box into penalties and the other team’s falls into dives.

For them, such referees were the iron face of integrity. They were fair and square in their ways—a role model for all other match officials. And on that day, the referee was the “cutest guy” in the eyes of the students from Yingcai High.

The rain steadily grew, but it did not stop the waves of Shu Guang’s offense.

Keeping their rage in check, they converted that frustration into action, wildly retaliating against the injustice.

It did not matter how much of a “monster” Sima Hongxin was, he too could feel the pressure from them.

Yang Pan took a shot from the right, just outside the box! The ball, despite being heavier after soaking in rain darted off like a cannonball towards Yingcai’s goal.

For the first time, Sima Hongxin could not catch it; he used both hands to knock the ball off the baseline. It was clear that he dreaded those extraordinarily powerful drives as well.

Kaka took the corner as Zhang Jun leaped up behind a defender and headed the ball!

Sima Hongxin got a glove on it, but once again failed to catch it. It seemed like he was still feeling the power from Yang Pan’s shot earlier! Nonetheless, his reflexes were not dulled in spite of the pain. An ordinary keeper in his place would have probably conceded!

Flustered, the defenders cleared the ball away from the chaotic box.

Kaka passed a through ball! And out of nowhere, Zhang Jun moved amidst the defending crowd and dribbled into the area!

Sima Hongxin was taken aback. He did not expect such speed from Zhang Jun, who appeared to have taken only two steps before breaking inside the penalty area; to top it all off, it was on a muddy pitch. In a panic Sima dashed out, but his single moment of hesitation turned into a fatal mistake.

Zhang Jun suddenly slid and stumbled from the slippery ground, while Hongxin dived in. Just as the striker was about to fall, he prodded the ball once and it lobbed over his hand as well as his head towards the empty goal!

The stands erupted in shock!

It bounced off the woodwork amid the panicked cries! The returning defenders quickly kicked it far out once it rebounded into the penalty area.

The stands breathed a sigh of relief before exclaiming in stunned gasps once again!

It was Yang Pan! He appeared right where the ball was after the clearance! With a whirl of his muscular right foot, he volleyed!

The ball whistled straight towards goal!

Sima Hongxin quickly picked up his mud-stained body. With his hands outstretched, he dived to keep it out. However, he was one step behind this time, and the ball scraped past his fingertips into the open goal!

The Shu Guang bench burst into cheers, but their celebration was cut short when the referee whistled loudly.

The linesman raised his flag up high before holding it level in front of his chest.

Offside!

“Offside?” Xiao Zhang cried. “How is that an offside?”

The referee cleared all his doubts by awarding Yingcai with a free kick at the spot where Zhang Jun fell in the box. It was an offside on the striker!

“Zhang Jun was offside? How’s that possible! He may have been on an offside position when Yang Pan made his shot, but he did nothing! How could that be an offside?” Xiao Zhang was even more troubled.

“It is an offside.” Chen Huafeng seethed. “The referee saw that Zhang Jun was on an offside position. Furthermore, when Yang Pan made his effort, Zhang Jun was interfering with Sima Hongxin’s line of sight, which counts as disturbing the keeper.”

“That’s… That’s not even funny! How could Zhang Jun avoid blocking Sima Hongxin?! That referee’s doing this on purpose!”

The complaints continued on the stands, while the faces of the Shu Guang players remained unreadable. Even An Ke, who had blown up in rage just a while ago only kicked the post once.

Yang Pan stared at the referee blankly before turning back.

Zhang Jun treaded back too, coldly and silently.

Since the judges and robbers were a team, saying anything was meaningless.