Chapter 94 - Not A Multiple Choice Question (2/2)

Ren Yu De tried to pass the ball but Zhang Lintao’s actions were quicker. He leapt sideways and parried the ball away with the tips of his fingers. Zhang Jun watched the ball soar away from him regretfully.

However, Ke Da’s crisis was not over as Kaka was already rushing towards the ball. When Luo Bin interfered, he managed to cleverly hit a grounded shot. A grounded shot is lethal in a chaotic penalty box. Regardless of the attacking or defending team, anyone caught careless with their feet may score a goal.

Zhang Lintao was on the ground when he saw Kaka take the shot. He took a deep breath and scrambled with both hands and feet towards the ball. However, before he could get to the ball, Zhang Yang turned around and cleared it away.

The atmosphere turned tense for Ke Da’s supporters. The ball that Zhang Yang cleared away went only as far as Yang Pan. The “King of Power” lifted his muscular right leg 25 m away from the goal…

Zhang Lintao felt desperation rise in his heart. His hand could no longer stop Yang Pan’s shot.

“No!”

“Yang Pan, shoot!”

A tall figure suddenly appeared right in front of Yang Pan. The ball inevitably hit him. After a muffled noise, the figure fell down.

“Big Idiot!” Luo Bin glanced at Deng Rui that fell down to the ground.

“We are the best partners! The goalkeeper and the defender, haha!” This was what Deng Rui said when Zhang Lintao just joined the team. Zhang Lintao could still remember Deng Rui’s silly demeanour then.

“The ball has bounced back to Yang Pan! Deng Rui’s efforts could not stop him from shooting! Yang Pan shoots again…”

Zhang Lintao suddenly sprang up from the ground and leaped towards the ball.

With a muffled sound, Zhang Lintao managed to push away Yang Pan’s shot with closed forearms. Amongst the four great goalkeepers of Luoyang, apart from An Ke being spared from a terrible fate by virtue of being Yang Pan’s teammate, the rest had previously been defeated. Yang Pan had an amazing destructive power.

The ball blocked by Zhang Lintao fell to the right side of the penalty area. Liu Chao hastily rushed to clear it with a powerful kick as Ren Yu De closed in like a phantom.

Luo Bin first rushed to Deng Rui’s side. He then bent forward and shouted at Deng Rui who was on the ground, “Big Idiot! Are you dead?”

Deng Rui gritted his teeth, frowned and replied with a muffled voice. “No! I am not…”

“Then get up! The match is not over yet! Quick!” Luo Bin was the oldest player on the team but he did not flaunt his seniority. In fact, as partner defenders for three years, his friendship with Deng Rui was unusual. Although the nickname “Big Idiot” was not a nice one, everyone in Ke Da knows that Deng Rui’s best friend was Luo Bin.

Sure enough, after Luo Bin roared at Deng Rui, Deng Rui put both of his hands to the ground and climbed up with a scowl.

“Hey. Are you alright?” The referee still fulfilled his duty.

Luo Bin suddenly slammed his head at Deng Rui’s forehead and growled. Deng Rui growled back at him. Luo Bin then turned to the stunned referee and said, “Alright. He is fine now. The match can continue.”

“Ren Yu De’s surprise attack had caused confusion within Ke Da’s penalty box. With great courage, Deng Rui used his body to block Yang Pan’s shot. After the bland opening performance, the first climax had finally arrived! Players from both teams have showed us their unyielding spirit!”

If the players from both teams were initially showing some restraint, they were now putting two hundred percent into their offense. To quote a fan from outside the stadium, “Shit! Both sides are out of control!”

Now, Yang Pan suddenly felt that the coach’s arrangement was a bit too conservative. Allowing Ren Yu De to control the ball but not break through was naturally to allow Ren Yu De to rest. However, what was the point of conserved strength now? Instead, it may waste a good opportunity of scoring and winning. Just like the offense earlier., if Ren Yu De had merely controlled the ball instead of passing it, that climax would never have happened.

Would it be better to be conservative and enter a penalty shootout or would it be better to go on a fierce offensive to determine victory or defeat?

This was not a multiple choice question as there was only one answer.

Yang Pan went up to Ren Yu De who was panting heavily.

“How much strength do you have left?”

Ren Yu De looked up at Yang Pan and replied, “Enough to take penalties.”

“Do not worry about penalty kicks. Exert your best effort in these last few moments. We will defeat them with the first goal!” Yang Pan said as he turned to look at his opponents a distance away.

“We may also be defeated by a goal.” Yang Pan turned back. Ren Yu De smiled and said, “If this was a multiple choice question…”

Yang Pan shook his head and interrupted him. “We do not have any other choice.”

It would be all or nothing. It was definitely not a multiple choice question.

Liang Ke found out soon enough that Yang Pan must have altered his instructions. This is because Ren Yu De continued to try and break through the opponent’s defenses every time he got the ball.

“Shit! His remaining strength…” Liang Ke suddenly stood up but he immediately sat down again. This caused Su Fei who was beside him to be confused.

Maybe Yang Pan is right and I am the one who’s mistaken. What is the point of me being reserved at this moment? Maybe I am still afraid. When close to victory, the one that shrinks back will lose!

The situation on the pitch reminded Liang Ke of a phrase. The great revolutionary Liu Bocheng once said, “When confrontation is inevitable, victory favors the bold!”