Simultaneously, Dieter Hecking's eyes brightened behind his black frames, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes deepening significantly.
In professional sports, especially football, a single move is often enough for an expert to separate the wheat from the chaff. A player's dribbling rhythm, their sheer pace, and the precision of their footwork reveal their caliber almost instantly.
"He's actually got something!" Hecking muttered, shedding his initial disdain and straightening his posture.
Following his gaze, David Qin carried the ball for another dozen meters before encountering his first real obstacle: Sebastian Jung.
Jung was a right-back who had just arrived from Frankfurt in the summer window for a 2.5 million Euro fee. Eager to prove his worth and secure a starting spot under the new manager, he saw the trialist as a "soft target" to be crushed.
As Jung instinctively dropped into a defensive stance, he noticed David suddenly accelerating, his center of gravity shifting subtly to the right.
A slide tackle!
Jung prepared to execute a clean, stylish interception to announce his presence. But in the next heartbeat, his pupils contracted.
With incredible foot frequency, David feinted a move to the right but snapped the ball back to the left in a blur of motion. Before Jung could even register the change, David had exploded past him, leaving the defender rooted to the spot in a daze.
This simple yet devastatingly effective escape drew the eyes of everyone on and off the pitch. Dieter Hecking didn't just stand up; he leaned forward, wanting to catch every detail. Even De Bruyne raised an eyebrow, his initial pity transforming into genuine anticipation.
"Don't just stand there!"
The roar of Team B's goalkeeper, Max Grün, snapped Klose out of his shock. Not the legendary Miroslav, but Timm Klose—a Swiss defender who had joined the Wolves the previous season. Standing at 193cm, he was a formidable center-back, strong in aerial duels and physical contests, but he possessed a fatal flaw: he was cumbersome. Turning his massive frame was like maneuvering an aircraft carrier in a narrow canal.
David sensed the opening. He feinted again, making a move toward the left as if to drive to the goal line for a cross. As Klose's weight shifted to compensate, David used his core strength to pivot violently, snapping the ball across his body and opening a clear shooting lane.
Before Grün could even set his feet, David unleashed a thunderous strike.
Bang! The dull thud of the laces connecting with the ball echoed across the grounds. By the time anyone reacted, the ball had already crossed the line, rippling the back of the net.
"Where did this guy come from?"
"Is Bayern II really that stacked? I had no idea. If he's at this level, why is he even trialing here? Shouldn't he be with the Bayern first team?"
"Damn it! How are we supposed to compete with that?"
While the players on the pitch were silent, the trialists waiting on the sidelines were grumbling in despair. The player from the Dortmund reserves was particularly grim; he had faced Bayern II before but had only a vague memory of David. He sighed, knowing his chances were gone today. Had he known, he would have tried his luck at Mainz or Leverkusen instead.
"Maybe it was just a fluke?" Scott, from Darmstadt 98, whispered hopefully.
"Heh..."
He was met with several cold scoffs. Everyone there was a professional; if they couldn't see that those two escapes and that finish placed David in a different league entirely, they shouldn't be in the business at all.
"Get me his testing data," Dieter Hecking said to his assistant coach, clearing his throat.
As a manager famous in the Bundesliga for his ability to save clubs from relegation, Hecking's specialty was unearthing young gems. In a list compiled by Sport Bild of the top ten managers who favored youth, Hecking ranked third, with U23 players accounting for 25.1% of his total league minutes. For context, Klopp (23.3%) was fourth, Wenger (22.4%) was fifth, and even Pep Guardiola (18.7%) trailed at tenth.
Hecking knew exactly what it meant for a boy who wasn't even seventeen yet to perform like this. Why David had chosen Wolfsburg over staying at Bayern didn't matter to him—as long as the paperwork was legal, he was interested.
On the pitch, David didn't celebrate his goal. He simply walked over to De Bruyne and gave him a bright smile. "Kevin, thanks. That was a beautiful ball."
"You handled the rest yourself," De Bruyne replied stubbornly, shaking his head. "I just hit a pass. Anyone could have done that."
David smiled wider. Everyone likes a compliment, especially when it comes from someone like Kevin De Bruyne. David had liked the "Ginger" back in his previous life—at first out of sympathy for the infamous "betrayal" by a best friend, but later out of pure respect for his genius. He realized that playing alongside De Bruyne meant he'd likely score a lot of goals.
Watching the two walk back together, Junior Malanda looked confused. "Are they actually friends?"
"Maybe geniuses just speak the same language," Timm Klose replied. He felt no shame in being beaten; he simply recognized the quality.
Sebastian Jung, however, felt differently. He had intended to use David as a stepping stone to boost his own profile; instead, he had become a highlight reel for the trialist. He couldn't let it stand.
When the match resumed, David felt a shift in his teammates' attitudes. They no longer left him stranded on the periphery of the tactics; instead, they began looking for him.
To be honest, as someone who had just stepped into the world of professional football, David still had much to learn. His previous success had been a mix of skill and taking advantage of his opponents' underestimation. In a real match, pressure often makes a player's movements stiff, reducing their ability by seventy percent. David felt that tension creeping in.
However, he knew the importance of a first impression. If he didn't dazzle Hecking today, his path forward would be much steeper. He took a breath and consciously decided to treat the scrimmage like a game—just as he had as a child.
How did I used to play? I played for the joy.
De Bruyne was the first to notice the change. David's movements were no longer rigid or mechanical; they were beginning to show a distinct, vivid spark.
As the first half drew to a close, Timm Klose intercepted a ball in the back and launched a long pass forward. Luiz Gustavo won the header, nodding it down toward David.
Jung surged forward, sticking to David like glue. He planned to use his physicality and experience to force a turnover and launch a counter-attack. He wanted to help Team B regain the lead before the whistle, reclaiming his dignity in the process.
Just as Jung's boot was about to reach for the ball...
Snap!
The ball rose into the air as if by magic, clearing the Swiss defender's head with a sharp, clean touch.