Chapter 44: The Long-Awaited Skill

“What?” Dai Zhiwei’s once-excited face froze as soon as he saw the referee’s decision. Two yellows became a red; Dai Zhiwei was sent off for receiving a red card after celebrating by taking off his shirt twice. Well, in his overexcitement, Dai Zhiwei received a red card with just one minute left in the match. Looking at his face now, as bitter as a bitter melon, dragging his feet toward the touchline, it was clear just how frustrated he was!

Less than a minute after Dai Zhiwei was sent off, the referee blew the final whistle to end the match—

“Beep!”

The added time hadn’t even fully elapsed, but with the score already at 4:0, the referee ended the game without ceremony—time had lost its meaning.

Standing on the sideline, Cannavaro was beaming with joy, pumping his fists repeatedly and shouting to the players coming off the field, “Well done, boys, well done! You played a magnificent game out there. I’m running out of adjectives to describe you! Let’s keep going just like this and win the championship in the end!”

Cannavaro’s euphoria wasn’t just about a resounding victory. This win meant that Evergrande already had one foot in this season’s AFC Champions League final; the other foot looked to be just a matter of time. How could Cannavaro not be thrilled?

If he could lift the AFC Champions League trophy, he would match his mentor Lippi’s peak achievement at Evergrande. Compared to now, it would be a world apart! Who’s to say Cannavaro wouldn’t get a chance to manage giants like Inter Milan or Liverpool in the future?

In the mixed zone, reporters were the first to swarm around Cannavaro, firing off questions.

“Coach Cannavaro, how do you feel about this match? What are your thoughts?”

“…”

“Who do you think was the key player today?”

Cannavaro answered skillfully, “Who was the key player? That’s an easy one. All eleven players on the pitch were crucial, because they executed my tactical instructions perfectly.”

“Who were the standout performers?” It seemed that particular reporter just wouldn’t let it go.

“Well, Dai Zhiwei, Elkeson, and Goulart—they were all pivotal today. We’ll be holding a banquet tonight to celebrate. Of course, for Dai, this is his debut season, and in this match, he scored twice and assisted twice. To achieve such remarkable results at his age, I think he’s the best in his age group—perhaps not just in Asia!”

The reporter, satisfied that Cannavaro had finally said what he wanted to hear, stopped pressing.

“Any problems for the next leg? Are you confident about winning the championship?” Another reporter was already looking ahead to next month’s AFC Champions League final.

“After such a big win, we’re now very confident going into the next match. When is Evergrande at its most dangerous? When we keep attacking, that’s when we’re most dangerous. We’ll make any opponent who underestimates us pay. All our attacking players are in great form…”

“…”

After answering another reporter’s question, Cannavaro quickly broke free from the crowd, slipping into the players’ tunnel before anyone could react, vanishing from sight.

“Hey, Zhiwei!”

After being sent off, Dai Zhiwei hadn’t gone straight to the locker room. Instead, he lingered in the tunnel, and as soon as the final whistle blew, he rushed back onto the pitch to celebrate with his teammates—only to find himself surrounded by reporters once again.

“Andrew, how does it feel to receive the first red card of your career?”

“Haha! Of course, it’s incredibly frustrating!” Dai Zhiwei pulled a funny face at the question. “I was really foolish at that moment, just got carried away, I guess. But I believe that in the next match, even without me, my teammates will deliver another victory!”

“Do you have the confidence to score again in the next Champions League final?” a reporter behind him shouted.

Dai Zhiwei turned, raised an eyebrow, and replied, “Of course. As long as I get on the pitch, I’ll keep scoring, and keep scoring. That’s only natural—I don’t see a problem with that.”

“Will you stay at Evergrande in the future? Or will you move to a European club?” This was the question most reporters were eager to ask.

Dai Zhiwei paused before answering, “I’m not sure yet. Of course, playing in Europe is every domestic player’s dream! But for now, I just want to focus on my football. Transfers aren’t something I should be thinking about at the moment, are they? Besides, I’m really happy at Evergrande!”

Naturally, Dai Zhiwei hoped to play for one of the top clubs in Europe’s five major leagues next season, but just because he wanted it didn’t mean others would come calling.

After all, the Chinese Super League might have a reputation for being flush with cash, but Chinese players themselves hadn’t shown much progress.

“…”

It took Dai Zhiwei quite some time to deal with the throng of reporters—what an ordeal! Thinking back, in his previous life, he too had been one of those reporters, chasing after players for interviews; now it was his turn to be on the receiving end. The thought filled him with pride.

There was another reason Dai Zhiwei was eager to return to the locker room: after this match, he had finally accumulated thirty points, enough to redeem the skill he’d long dreamed of acquiring from the system—

Tiger Shot!

The moment Dai Zhiwei saw this reward in the system, his face lit up with glee. With the guidance and training of legends like Tsubasa Ozora, Teppei Kisugi, and the “Phantom Bird” in the system, Dai Zhiwei’s abilities inside the penalty area now nearly matched those of Cavani at his peak.

But outside the box, Dai Zhiwei’s threat diminished significantly. His ability to threaten the goal from distance was lacking; he didn’t have a thunderous, long-range shot in his arsenal. Once opponents forced him out of the penalty area, his contribution dropped sharply.

The skill he was about to redeem today was precisely the long-range weapon he desperately needed.

Anyone who has watched “Captain Tsubasa” will remember the Tiger Shot as one of the most iconic, unforgettable signature moves! The Tiger Shot, Kojiro Hyuga’s special technique, possessed tremendous destructive power and lightning speed, like a wild beast. In the anime, it could tear through the net, make the ball spin so fast it seemed to burst into flames, and even leave a deep mark when fired at a wall.

Just thinking of the Tiger Shot’s formidable power made Dai Zhiwei unconsciously drool all over the floor.

Of course, the real-life version of the Tiger Shot wouldn’t be as exaggerated as in the anime, but once Dai Zhiwei mastered it, the force and speed would absolutely surpass Roberto Carlos at his peak!

After half a year’s hard work, Dai Zhiwei had finally amassed enough points to exchange for the Tiger Shot, and his body and technique had at last reached the minimum required to integrate the skill.

“Haha! Next match, I’m going to astonish all those who doubt my long-range shooting! I’ll blow them away!” A strange burst of laughter echoed from the bathroom in the Evergrande locker room, so startling that Feng Xiaoting, who was using the restroom, splashed water all over his shoes…

…

Appendix: Dai Zhiwei’s attributes after acquiring the “Tiger Shot” skill:

Offensive ability: 89 (Good)
Defensive ability: 34 (Very poor)
Balance: 83 (Good)

Left foot: 75 (Average)
Right foot: 85 (Good)
Stamina: 82 (Good)
Top speed: 96 (Elite)
Acceleration: 94 (Excellent)
Reaction: 97 (Elite)
Agility: 88 (Good)
Dribbling accuracy: 91 (Excellent)
Dribbling speed: 86 (Good)
Short pass accuracy: 73 (Average)
Long pass accuracy: 65 (Average)
Shooting accuracy: 87 (Good)
Shooting power: 93 (Excellent)
Shooting technique: 80 (Good)
Free kick: 56 (Amateur)
Turning: 82 (Good)
Heading accuracy: 91 (Excellent)
Jumping: 92 (Excellent)
Technique: 84 (Good)
Goalkeeping: 40 (Amateur)
Teamwork: 85 (Good)
Health: 7 (Excellent)
Skills: Mueller’s Ball Control, Kisugi’s Off-the-ball Movement, the “Phantom Bird” Aerial Header, Kojiro Hyuga’s Tiger Shot
Overall rating: 84 (Star level)