614 9527 (2/2)

The Chinese coach at his side looked at him, and he nodded to his colleagues who worked on this with him.

The local Chengdu coach stepped forward and faced the ten lucky contestants. ”Your strength to be able to break into the Chengdu division's top ten. I know a lot of the contestants who came here are not Chengdu or Sichuan natives. Some people were even unwilling to give up and come here for the last fight because they were eliminated in the other competitions. So, I can say without exaggeration that the Chengdu Division is the strongest, most competitive, and most brutal division among the country's six divisions!”

He raised his voice, and the ten youths in front of him applauded in response.

”So, to be able to get into the top ten is enough to show how strong you are. However, according to the rules, only the last two contestants in this division can advance to the finals' training camp, so that means eight of you will be eliminated. But don't give up on your love of football even if you don't win.” The coach's words stirred everyone up.

”Now...” He looked back at the British coach and other colleagues behind him and turned around to continue, ”there's no final assessment.”

The ten contestants had a look of surprise on their faces. They thought that there had to be the most brutal and severe assessment waiting for them at the end and they would have to push past their limits to pass.

”This is the end. There is no more assessment or test. The final two places will be awarded based on the performances the ten of you gave throughout the selection process. The two people who score the highest will be given tickets to Changsha.” He raised his hand and somehow two envelopes appeared in his hand.

Everyone knew what was in there. It was not a ticket to Changsha but a ticket to their dream.

With that, he stopped talking and just stood aside. The Englishman, Kenny Sansom, stepped forward. His job was simple but was the one with the most attention. He just had to read the two winners' numbers. He was the one to announce their fate.

Sansom looked at the ten Chinese teenagers in front of him. Over the months in China, he followed the entire process of the selection in the various competitions and interacted with a wide variety of people from the top — the Chinese Football Association officials and people from the media — down to the ordinary fans and these young players. He recognized that football in China was different from in the United Kingdom. But there was one thing in common: the passion and love for football.

In an earlier interview with BBC Television, he said that given the poor results of the Chinese national men's soccer team in the AFC Asian Cup, their early elimination in the World Cup qualifiers in South Africa, the continued slump in Chinese football, and other factors, he had thought the event might not get as good a response as expected. He did not think that the auditions would be a sea of people each time, not to mention how much attention the media paid. It was not known how high the show ratings would be. When he saw so many adolescent faces hopeful with dreams appear in front of his own eyes, he felt... How could he put it? It was incredible. It was hard to understand why there were so many football-loving teenagers in this country when the football standards were so low.

”Boys, among you... there can only be two people to advance, so good luck to you all.” He spoke in English before he announced the two numbers. ”3084.”

The teenager, who stood on the right side of Chen Jian, screamed with his arms held high. Everyone turned their heads to look at him. The number on his chest was ”3084.”

Someone congratulated him, but more people were worried and anticipating the last spot. Who would get it?

For the nine remaining boys, the cruelest moment had arrived. This was the last chance. Unlike the previous five divisions where they could move on to the next division and continue to try to win after being eliminated, if they were eliminated there, there would be no a ”next time” again.

Although Hunan Television had publicized that there might be a second season, it depended on the impact and earnings for the first season in China. Who could predict it?

Chen Jian was still smiling. He did not want anyone to see his nervousness.

Sansom looked at the teenager, who was still cheering, with a smile on his face. He beckoned the lucky kid to come forward and stand to the side. His excitement was too out of step with the nervousness of the other nine people.

”And...9527.”

The lucky ”9527” contestant answered and fainted. It was not due to excitement, but exhausted. After Chen Jian heard the results, he could no longer hold on and fainted because he had not eaten the entire day, his fever still ran high, his head was dizzy, and his legs trembled.

※※※

Chen Jian had a dream, which was short but wonderful. He dreamed of the beautiful Qiuxiang Sister embracing him in deep concern and anxiously calling his number —

”9527? How are you feeling?”

”9527? Wake Up!”

”Someone fainted, someone fainted! Quickly!”

”9527... Chen Jian, Chen Jian... Wake up, wake up!”

Someone shook him awake. After some haziness, he looked clearly at the people in front of him. Where was the appearance of the beautiful Qiuxiang Sister? There was only a Caucasian man's face. Then he turned his head and saw more concerned faces.

”You're awake.” The Caucasian man had a reassuring smile on his face.

Chen Jian did not understand. He turned his head and looked at the people around him in confusion.

”You fainted when we announced the result,” the Chengdu coach said as he crouched down. Chen Jian realized that he was lying on the ground. There were nine other peers next to him who were also concerned about him.

”You're running very hot. Do you have a fever?” The Englishman asked quickly, but Chen Jian looked confused. He immediately remembered and asked the man next to him to translate for him.

After he understood the translation, Chen Jian bobbed his head. ”I had a fever on the train ride here and I also had food poisoning. I didn't eat for a day because I was worried about what would happen during today's assessment.”

Sansom was moved when he heard the translated answer.

Even the Chinese coaches and his competitors who were familiar with the situation were very surprised. It turned out that he competed with them in such a condition and still emerged the winner.

”Hey, buddy.” A teenager with a Beijing accent who had also rushed there from other divisions stepped forward. ”I'm impressed.” He patted Chen Jian on the shoulder and gave him a thumbs up. ”You're awesome!”

Chen Jian remembered him because he was also eliminated and came from the Beijing division, but he was in the top ten in the Beijing division before he was finally eliminated. He once trained in the youth team of the Beijing Sinobo Guoan Football Club and could be considered a professional. He always thought highly of himself and felt that his elimination was only a matter of luck, not strength, so he went to Chengdu to prove himself again. He did not expect to lose to Chen Jian.

Initially, he was unwilling to accept the outcome: how could someone like him with a professional background lose to an amateur player? Now he was sincerely convinced and ready to concede because he thought he could not even get through the primaries with his physical condition.

The majority of people would probably not even participate in the selection and give up because they were not feeling well.

Sansom laughed. ”OK, kid. Now you can go have a good meal, take a hot bath, and then get some sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, whatever discomfort will be gone. Of course, don't forget to take medicine.” He reached his hand out and congratulated Chen Jian.

”Congratulations, 9527, Chen Jian.”