Chapter 2 — Only Through Hard Work Can Dreams Become Reality
After a one-key auto-play, the system ignores the host's real abilities and forcibly completes all actions.
When auto-play ends, the gap between the host's real abilities and the abilities matched to the performed actions will backlash onto the host.
The greater the gap, the harsher the backlash!
Like tonight — weak legs and kidney trouble are actually the mild outcome.
Once,
in an U18 match, Xia Qi used one-key auto to complete a Messi-style run dribbling past five opponents and slicing through six players; afterward, because the gap between his real ability and the system's matched actions was too big, his ankle was injured.
Luckily the system is invincible.
An injury thought to affect his career was healed with no sequelae two weeks later.
Doctors called it a "medical miracle."
On the pitch,
without auto-state, Xia Qi's legs went soft and he collapsed straight onto the turf.
"Ding: Detected that the host's slumped posture has a pastoral vibe, hidden task triggered."
Fuck!
Pastoral vibe?
I'm still rocking my Mediterranean wisdom!
"Hidden Task: Within three days get Mario Balotelli to catch a fish. Completion reward: Messi-Ronaldo-Lukaku goal-mouth instinct.
Task fail: One week of heavy makeup training; if punishment completed, no points deducted. If not completed, minus 5 ability points."
Heavy makeup?
You're ruthless!
Compared to the reward, this is more motivating.
Fortunately the task wasn't difficult, and Xia Qi didn't protest.
"Ding: For this match, host scored a famous goal on debut — Epic-level debut reward: +20 attribute points, 'Bale Jaguar' speed."
"Ding: 2011–2012 season has ended, rewards settling…"
"Ding: Host participation this season too low, reward: +10 attribute points, 'Gattuso Octopus' defense."
Though Xia Qi had played matches with one-key auto and it had little to do with his true ability, gaining attributes could at least make his body suffer less.
And Xia Qi didn't want to auto-play forever; he dreamed that one day he could perform in matches as perfectly as the auto-play did.
"Xia, you okay?"
Mario Balotelli ran over and helped Xia Qi up.
"I'm fine."
"You've got social anxiety, you should treat it. Look at me — I'm not fazed by them…"
Because Xia Qi had been lively and energetic during the match, but the whistle blew and he turned into a trembling shrimp, often needing support off the pitch.
Such a stark contrast,
the team doctor diagnosed: social anxiety disorder!
They said Xia Qi got afraid thinking about dealing with reporters and fans after matches.
Xia Qi could only "thank" them for their imagination.
Hearing Balotelli say he wasn't fazed by fans, Xia Qi looked at him with disdain.
Somebody had written on his undergarments: "Why is it always me."
Not fazed? Then why write that?
The club physiotherapist, experienced, helped Xia Qi to the bench and checked him over.
"You're fine, psychological problem."
Psychological nothing!
Xia Qi complained but still said thanks.
"Xia, find a girlfriend!"
The doctor thought having a girlfriend would help treat his social anxiety.
Xia Qi mumbled an uncertain reply.
Xia Qi is a third-generation Chinese. His parents were both Chinese and run a Shanxi knife-cut noodle shop in Manchester.
Fortunately, playing football in England didn't cost much; if it were like back home they really couldn't afford it.
Because of his interest, Xia Qi started training at eight. The best academy in Manchester was obviously Manchester United next door, but their requirements were high, so his parents settled on Manchester City.
At that time City was a small club — no big results, no big academy.
Xia Qi's entry was very easy.
Even a mediocre school has benefits: with effort and talent, he became a focus of the team and rose to the U16s.
At 16, after watching Hao Junmin's wonderful free-kick in the Bundesliga, Xia Qi exclaimed: "Holy shit, Min Ge is awesome!" (voice cracking).
Then the system inexplicably appeared in his head, and he began to shine in the U16s, jumping a level each year until he reached the first team.
Teammates and fans celebrated the club's first Premier League title in 44 years.
To maintain his social-anxiety persona, Xia Qi went home after the award ceremony.
The noodle shop was bustling tonight — ever since Xia Qi made the first team it had become a little Manchester City fan hub.
Seeing their son make it, Xia Qi's parents had scrimped and saved to buy a 46-inch LCD TV to hang in the shop.
That thing wasn't cheap in 2012.
"Our hero is back."
In the shop,
applause thundered.
Xia Qi instantly blushed.
Auto-play is cheating; he felt guilty.
Fans saw his dodging eyes and actions as social anxiety, and respectfully made a passageway for him.
"Xia, I knew you'd turn the tide and bring us the title."
George shouted at Xia Qi.
His remark got a look from Xia's mother: "I wrote it down — you shout the loudest of all."
George blushed and protested: "I was yelling at Mancini…"
To keep up his social-anxiety act, Xia Qi hung his head and dashed upstairs.
The noodle shop had the business area downstairs and the living quarters upstairs.
"You child, why not say hi to everyone?"
Luckily everyone had grown used to Xia Qi's indifference.
He opened his attribute panel:
Host: Xia Qi
Bone age: 18
Height: 185 cm (189 cm)
Weight: 74 kg
Host ability value: 70
Unassigned ability points: 0
Unallocated attribute points: 30
Equipped skills: Yang Chen Dribbling Sprint, Gao Hongbo Lazy Steal.
Idle skills: Bale Jaguar Speed, Gattuso Octopus Defense.
Task: Within three days get Mario Balotelli to catch a fish.
Equipped skills were picked up during his U18 days and trained to activate.
Idle skills were obtained by the system; they couldn't be used immediately and required training to activate.
Xia Qi felt calling idle skills "talent" would be more accurate.
Talent is not the same as ability.
Only through effort can dreams become reality!
Opening the host's abilities panel shows three major sections: Technical Attributes, Physical Attributes, and Mental Attributes.
Technical Attributes (72/100):
First touch: 72+
Passing: 62+
Crossing: 52+
Dribbling: 56+
Marking: 70+
Tackling: 62+
Penalties: 85+
Corners: 45+
Heading: 72+
Long shots: 68+
Throw-ins: 52+
Free kicks: 55+
Finishing: 78+
Physical Attributes (75/100):
Explosiveness: 85+
Jump: 75+
Agility: 75+
Stamina: 70+
Balance: 72+
Pace: 74+
Vision (physical): 70+
Strength: 83+
Constitution: 75+
Explosiveness and Strength rose after applying Yang Chen's skill; Vision and Agility came from Gao Hongbo's skill.
Constitution was the result of investing attribute points over the past two years.
Xia Qi continued… opening Mental Attributes.
Mental Attributes (75/100):
Creativity: 52+
Defensive positioning: 68+
Work rate: 72+
Concentration: 78+
Decision-making: 68+
Determination: 75+
Aggression: 50+-
Team play: 72+
Off-the-ball movement: 88+
Imagination: 75+
Influence: 62+
Bravery: 88+
Anticipation: 70+
Composure: 85+
Off-the-ball movement was gained by redeeming Gao Hongbo; Bravery came from Yang Chen.
…
…
Xia Qi didn't hesitate to max out Constitution.
The coaching staff wanted Xia Qi to strengthen his body — to be stronger.
At 185 cm and 74 kg he was a bit thin.
But they didn't know Xia Qi had one-key auto. After that injury he knew the value of good constitution.
He wanted to guarantee how much he could endure — he didn't want to re-experience that tearing pain.
Constitution rose from 75 to 100 and the "+" disappeared. Xia Qi had five points left, so he put them into Strength, making it 85+.
His weight rose from 74 kg to 75 kg.
But his overall ability score didn't change — still 70.
Raising Constitution didn't much affect his ability, but increasing Strength does improve ability.
However, only five points in Strength had a negligible effect on his overall ability, so the ability score remained 70.
(END CHAPTER)
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