Finally!
Ann Carr found his bag.
It was late, but heartbroken Ann Carr pulled out his mobile phone from the bag.
Lucky!
He had bought a Nokia, and the best thing about it was its sturdiness.
Though that same sturdiness was probably why the company went out of business.
"It's over!"
One look at his phone and Ann Carr's heart sank.
Sir Alex's calls!
Three missed calls!
Done!
This was bad!
The old man hadn't called him all year, yet his funding had never been cut off. Thinking about all the services he provided - morning coffee, evening coffee, yuck - Ann Carr felt a pang of dread.
Excited heart, trembling hands!
Ann Carr dialed the number.
"Doh!"
"Puff!"
"Doh!"
"Puff!"
Ann Carr was so scared his heartbeat synchronized with the ringing tone.
"Get me in touch with the Chinese player!"
"And remember your promise!"
Ferguson's cold voice came through before Ann Carr could even speak, then the line went dead.
With that, Ann Carr stumbled off the pitch.
Meanwhile!
Su and his teammates had just returned to the locker room after interacting with their fans.
Right after the final whistle, the SYSTEM beep had sounded.
[Mission Failed!]
The Maradona template he'd been waiting for was gone too.
The System seemed user-friendly though.
It didn't completely dismiss his UCL results.
[UCL rewards will be released at season's end.]
Su wanted to see what rewards the System would give him, but after checking, he realized the System truly meant what it said - no rewards until the season was officially over.
Helpless, Su sat in his chair fuming.
Defeat!
His first loss of the season.
After growing accustomed to winning, this was his first real taste of failure.
"Su, is this how it ends? Will this be the peak of my career?"
Hao sat beside Su, a towel draped over his head, his voice hollow.
"No way, Hao! You're only in your twenties, and this was just the semifinals. You'll reach the finals someday!"
"Cut the crap! Don't lie to me. They don't understand anyway. Tell me, where are you going after this season? Don't say you're staying here. After this season ends, probably only Annan and I will remain on this team!"
Though spoken calmly,
Hao's words carried unmistakable sadness.
"Honestly... Hao, I don't know."
"But the season isn't over yet. We still have the league! At the very least, we should win a league title... With the UCL over, we can focus entirely on the league!"
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Su's words seemed to reignite Hao's spirit.
"That's right! Now that's what I wanted to hear, kid!"
"While you're here, let's grab a Bundesliga title. Then my overseas journey won't be in vain! Haha! Apart from Dong, who lucked into a title at Manchester United, I'll be the first Chinese player to win as a core starter!"
"No—you count too, but... wait, no, I'm older than you, so I should be the first!"
Hao had regained his energy.
Raul remained unchanged—
melancholic yet dignified.
Su didn't attempt to console Raul.
At Raul's age, with his experience, this was clearly a moment of personal reflection.
"Raul! Let's go to the post-match press conference!"
Magath opened the locker room door.
The team, still subdued, was momentarily surprised to hear Magath call Raul for the presser.
After all, Su had been the match's standout performer.
Why send Raul?
Hearing Magath's call, Raul wiped his face and smoothed his hair slightly before standing and walking out.
Su watched his retreating figure.
Huh?
The dejection from earlier had vanished, replaced by natural composure.
Was it all an act?
...........
Post-match press conference.
Journalists waited excitedly for Su's arrival.
Although FC Schalke 04 had lost!
This was truly Su's breakout moment!
Five goals across two legs!
A brace in one game, a hat-trick in the other!
A performance that outshone Messi himself - had it not been for Iniesta's last-minute miracle saving Bar?a again, this could have been Su's definitive statement game.
Even in defeat, Su had proven his worth.
Yet just as all reporters eagerly anticipated Su's appearance, an unexpected figure followed Magath in.
Raul Gonzalez!
What was this?
Where was China Su after his spectacular hat-trick?
They wanted headlines, they wanted the rising star - what was this veteran doing here?
Magath took his seat.
"Mr. Magath, weren't you furious about this match? Wasn't your red card overly harsh?"
"Mr. Magath, do you believe Barcelona relied on referee assistance to win?"
"Mr. Magath, can you reveal when Su will be transferred? Where will he go next?"
Damn!
Magath was already in a foul mood, and these ridiculous questions made his expression darken further.
"The match is over!"
"Rehashing the details won't change our elimination!"
"FC Schalke 04 now has one objective - winning the league title!!!"
"As for Su's transfer?"
"As I've stated, Su is not for sale! He's untouchable for FC Schalke 04, and we'll rebuild the squad around him next season!"
"UCL? We'll be back!"
Magath finally showed some backbone this time.
Though his declaration lacked conviction.
The reporter who'd asked about Su's transfer laughed openly, quite disrespectfully.
To the journalists,
Magath's claims were pure fantasy.
FC Schalke 04 wouldn't sell Su with just two years on his contract?
Not only keep him but spend to rebuild the team?
In their dreams!
The conference descended into chaos.
The cacophony of chattering voices made Magath want to storm out.
"I've decided I'll resign at season's end!"
Suddenly!
The noisy press conference fell silent!
Reporters stared in unison at Raul, who had unexpectedly spoken up.
"What?"
"Retiring?"
"Raul is retiring?"
"Oh my God! This is huge!!!"
"Hurry! Damn it, where's my recorder? This is definitely front-page news!!!"
As the press conference quieted down,
Raul took a deep breath.
"Actually, I only signed a one-year contract with FC Schalke 04."
"I've had a wonderful year here."
"I'm thirty-three... no, thirty-four now!"
"FC Schalke 04 offered to extend my contract for another year."
"But I believe it's time to say goodbye to the pitch I love."
"After seeing Messi, Su, and those young players today, I suddenly felt my age."
"Many clubs have inquired about my availability - if not for today's match, I might have considered moving to Asia or the US."
"But now I know it's time for me to retire."
"At season's end, I'll hang up my boots!"
"Of course, before that happens - we will deliver a trophy to FC Schalke 04's loyal fans! I promise!"
With these words, Raul smiled and exited the conference.
Magath watched Raul leave, sighed deeply, and silently rose to follow.
..............
