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The Xihongshi Stadium was packed to capacity.

This is Suning's first official match after joining Xihongshi FC...

In the 12th round of the Jia-A League, they will host the strong team Donghai United.

Before the match, no one was optimistic about Xihongshi FC.

With starting goalkeeper Chen Lei still recovering from injury and the backup goalkeeper in poor form, the coaching staff ultimately decided to start Suning.

"Old Wang, don't be nervous! You're really amazing!" Captain Zhao Tianyu patted him on the shoulder and said.

Suning nodded, put on his gloves, and walked towards the goal.

The roar of more than 20,000 fans filled my ears, and the blinding lights of the green field were right in front of me.

This is what it feels like to be on a professional sports field.

At the start of the match, the Donghai United team immediately displayed overwhelming dominance.

Their striker, Martinez, is third in the league's top scorer list. He is fast, has excellent shooting skills, and is known as the "First Division Killer".

In the 8th minute, Donghai United won a corner kick.

The ball was lobbed high into the penalty area. In the ensuing chaos, the opposing center-back overpowered the defenders and delivered a powerful header that flew straight into the top right corner of the goal!
"Danger!" the commentator exclaimed.

But in Suning's eyes, the ball's trajectory had already been locked by the red prediction line.

He leaped into the air, his body fully extended, and supported himself with one hand...

"boom!"

The ball was slammed against the crossbar!

The whole audience was boiling instantly.

"That save was incredible!" the commentator exclaimed excitedly. "Wang Duoyu, this 32-year-old new signing, made a world-class save in his first professional league start!"

The players of Donghai United looked at each other in disbelief, clearly not expecting that Xihongshi FC's goalkeeper could be of such a high level.

In the following matches, Suning's performance became increasingly stable.

In the 25th minute, Martinez broke into the penalty area on a one-on-one, faked out the defender, and fired a low shot into the near corner...

Suning sprinted down the ground like lightning and blocked the ball with his leg!
In the 37th minute, Donghai United took a long-range shot. The ball changed direction mid-flight and looked like it was about to go into the corner of the net...

Suning's body was contorted at an almost unbelievable angle as he barely managed to flick the ball out of bounds with his fingertips!

The first half ended with the score 0-0, but Suning had already made 5 crucial saves.

Halftime, in the locker room.

"Old Wang, are you fucking cheating?" Li Wei's eyes widened. "Those saves, even the national team goalkeeper might not be able to do!"

Coach Chen Zhiyuan couldn't help but pat Suning on the shoulder: "Keep it up, they will definitely continue to attack fiercely in the second half."

Suning took a sip of water and silently brought up the system interface:
Current Level: LV.3

[Current experience value: 9500/10000]

He took a deep breath, his eyes resolute.

However, the Donghai United team was clearly enraged.

They adjusted their tactics, starting to use frequent long-range shots and crosses, attempting to break down Xihong City FC's defense with high-intensity attacks.

In the 63rd minute, Donghai United won a free kick in the attacking third.

Martinez stood in front of the ball, his eyes cold and stern.

The whole audience held their breath.

Run-up, kick...

The ball traced a strange arc, heading straight for the top left corner of the goal!
"Absolutely a dead corner! This ball is in!" The commentator was almost about to announce a goal.

But in Suning's view, the red prediction line clearly marked the ball's trajectory.

He pushed off the ground, leaped into the air, and his body shot out like a spring, his right hand extending to its limit...

"Snapped!"

He tipped the ball over the crossbar with one hand!
The entire stadium was silent for a second, then erupted into a thunderous roar of cheers!
"Incredible! Wang Duoyu! He made a save that seemed certain to result in a goal!" The commentator's voice almost cracked. "This could be the best save in the Chinese Super League this season!"

The Donghai United players held their heads in disbelief, and Martinez even knelt down on the ground.

The match ended with Xihong City FC drawing 0-0 with their strong opponent, Donghai United.

But everyone knows who the real protagonist of this match is...

Suning.

No, now we should call him Wang Duoyu.

The fans chanted his name, reporters swarmed in, and flashbulbs went off like crazy.

"Wang Duoyu! How did you manage those saves?"

"Were you really just an amateur player before?"

"I heard you entered the professional league at the age of 32. What are your thoughts on that?"

Suning wiped his sweat, faced the camera, and said only one sentence:

"This is just the beginning."

That night, a compilation of Suning's saves went viral on social media.

#WangDuoyu's Amazing Pouncing# became a trending topic, with over a million views.

"That reaction speed is at the national team level, right?"

"32 years old? I'd believe you if you said 22!"

"West Hong City FC has struck gold!"

Even the well-known domestic sports media outlet, *Football Weekly*, published an article commenting on it:

"A 32-year-old goalkeeper who jumped from the amateur league to the top league, and became a legend in his debut – Wang Duoyu, a miracle of Chinese football."

Back in the apartment, Suning brought up the system interface:
[Competition Performance: S-Tier]

[Experience value +1000]

Current Level: LV.4

[Unlock new skill: "Goal Line Lightning" (Save speed +30%)]

Suning clenched his fist and smiled.

In his professional league debut, he won over everyone.

But the real challenge has only just begun.

……

The thrill of victory and glory is undoubtedly wonderful, but Suning's daily training and life continue as usual.

Now, Suning's big belly is gone, replaced by perfect eight-pack abs.

Looking at his handsome face in the mirror, Su Ning finally believed what Shen Teng had said: he was also the most handsome guy at the PLA Academy of Arts back then.

At 6:30 a.m., the training base of Xihong City FC was still shrouded in a thin mist.

Suning, wearing his training uniform, practiced his saves alone in front of the goal.

The rustling sound of gloves rubbing against the grass was particularly clear in the empty stadium.

The professional team's official training doesn't start until 9 a.m., but he's used to arriving two hours early...

This is a habit he developed after being reborn.

"Old Wang, you're here so early again?" Site manager Old Zhang yawned as he pushed open the door to the equipment room. "You're even more energetic than those young guys."

"There's no other way! I'm getting old, I have to keep pushing myself."

Suning smiled and continued to focus on each fall and leap.

The world of professional football is very realistic...

At 32 years old, he has to work harder than others to convince the coaching staff that he deserves a starting position.

At 8:45, the team members arrived one after another.

The key players walked into the training field in twos and threes, chatting and laughing.

Li Wei was wearing the latest Beats headphones and limited-edition Mercurial sneakers; Zhao Tianyu's Rolex gleamed in the sunlight; and several young players huddled together, discussing which nightclub they had the most fun at the previous night.

"Old Wang, your gloves are fading, aren't you going to change them?" Zhang Hao, a young player on the team, glanced at Suning's gloves, his tone teasing. "Didn't the club give us new ones?"

“The old gloves fit better,” Su Ning replied briefly, tightening the frayed finger cots.

This is the locker room culture of professional teams—equipment becomes a symbol of status.

Some people drive Porsches to training, some wear expensive watches worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to play friendly matches, and some even hire photographers to follow them and film their "training routines" to post on social media.

Suning has no interest in these things.

All he knew was that on the football field, skill was the true luxury.

This pair of gloves is one of the few items left behind by "Wang Duoyu," and Suning intended it to represent "Wang Duoyu" basking in glory.

Training ended at 12:30 pm.

"No plans for the afternoon, how about we go to 'Dynasty' to relax?" Li Wei suggested, wiping his sweat. "I heard they have a few new models."

Several key players responded immediately, while the younger players showed expressions of longing mixed with timidity...

Those high-end places are not places that substitutes like them, who earn 20,000 to 30,000 yuan a month, can frequent.

"I won't go." Su Ning packed his training bag. "I have an appointment with Coach Mark to practice hand positions."

A few snickers immediately rang out in the locker room.

"Old Wang! You're 32 and still working so hard?" Li Wei patted his shoulder, the Patek Philippe on his wrist digging painfully into him. "While you can still play, enjoy life."

Suning smiled but didn't reply.

He knew that in the eyes of these players who earned millions a year, he was just a country bumpkin who didn't know anything about life.

At 3 p.m., while Suning was practicing his saves, his phone kept vibrating.

In the teammates' group chat, Li Wei posted a video: In a gold-trimmed KTV room, several teammates were playing dice with scantily clad girls, the table piled high with champagne. [Zhao Tianyu: @Wang Duoyu, really not coming? We saved you a top-tier one.]

[Zhang Hao: Wei Ge, did you spend over 10 yuan tonight?]

[Li Wei: Small change, being happy is the most important thing [smug]]

Suning turned off his phone and continued to focus on training.

He had heard about the extravagant lifestyle in professional football before, but what he saw with his own eyes still left him speechless...

The cost of these players for one night is equivalent to the entire Da Xiang team's food expenses for a whole year.

At 6 p.m., when Su Ning finished her physiotherapy and was about to leave, she bumped into Li Wei, who was returning home drunk.

"Old...Old Wang!" Li Wei, reeking of alcohol, hugged him. "Next week...next week's game, remember to pass me the ball a few more times..."

Suning frowned and helped the staggering star striker up: "You still have training tomorrow."

"Hiccup...train my ass!" Li Wei waved his hand. "I...I'm at the national team level...I can just kick around casually..."

Watching Li Wei being helped away by his assistant, Suning suddenly understood why Chinese football could never break out of Asia...

Too much talent has been fermented and fermented by alcohol and nightclubs.

At 9 p.m., while most of his teammates were still partying at the club, Suning returned to the training base.

Goalkeeper coach Mark was surprised: "Wang? What are you doing here again?"

"That diving move during the day wasn't smooth enough." Suning walked towards the goal. "I want to practice it some more."

The German shook his head and smiled: "I've coached in China for five years, and you're the first professional player to voluntarily add extra training sessions."

Under the moonlight, Suning repeatedly lunged at shots from various angles.

Sweat soaked through his training clothes, and his palms were red from being rubbed raw by grass clippings, but he was completely oblivious.

He knew that in this glamorous world of fame and fortune, only strength would never betray him.

It was nearly midnight when I got back to the apartment.

[Daily training completion rate: 100%]

[Experience value +50]

Current Level: LV.4 (1250/1000000)

Su Ning looked at herself in the mirror...

At 32, her face showed signs of age, but her eyes were sharper than when she was 20, and she was slowly regaining her former stunning beauty.

Outside the window, the neon lights of Xihong City still shone brightly.

Outside the nightclub, his teammates might be getting into cars with beautiful women in their arms; inside the mansion, someone might be counting their bank account balance before falling asleep.

In his world, there is only the next save, the next game, and the next opportunity to prove himself.

However, the glamour of professional football has nothing to do with him.

……

2018 years.

The lights at Taipei Zhongshan Soccer Stadium shone like a galaxy, and cheers from more than 30,000 spectators rose and fell.

Suning stood in front of the goal, took a deep breath, and felt the familiar touch of the grass.

Three years have passed, and his journey from an unknown substitute for Da Xiang team to the starting goalkeeper for Xi Hong City FC has been more exciting than he imagined.

That decision three years ago changed everything.

When he left the Daxing team, Zhuang Qiang hugged him and cried like a child, which angered Coach Ma Daxing so much that he threw down his tactics board.

But now, as he returns to his old stomping grounds as a candidate goalkeeper for the national team, even his teammates who were most opposed to his departure have to admit...

This decision was correct.

"Wang Duoyu! Over here!" Captain Zhao Tianyu's shout brought him back to reality.

The friendly match is about to begin, and the players of the Taipei All-Star team have lined up.

This is the final stop of Xihong City FC's preseason Asian tour, and another stage for Suning to prove themselves.

The hardships of the first year are still vivid in my mind.

When he first arrived at Xihong City FC, he was only the third-choice goalkeeper and couldn't even get a spot on the bench.

But with the support of the system and intense training, he repeatedly amazed the coaching staff in the team's scrimmages.

"Old Wang, do you still remember your first official appearance?" Li Wei always brings up that legendary night during post-match dinners.

That was a turning point in Suning's career...

During the intra-squad scrimmage, starting goalkeeper Chen Lei was unexpectedly injured, and he was called upon to play against the starting lineup, representing the reserve team.

In that game, he made an amazing nine saves, including an incredible triple save, helping the substitutes to a stunning 1-0 victory.

Social media exploded instantly, with #WangDuoyu's Amazing Pounce# trending on social media and the video garnering over ten million views.

"After that, your value tripled." The team manager always spoke of this with great enthusiasm. "You jumped from a monthly salary of 15,000 to an annual salary of 2 million, setting a record in the top division."

The following year was also a harvest season.

Suning not only secured their starting position, but also led Xihong City FC to a historic entry into the FA Cup semi-finals.

In the quarter-final match against Shanghai Harbour, he saved two penalties in the penalty shootout, becoming the biggest contributor to the victory.

"Wang Duoyu's performance can no longer be described as 'stunning'," the CCTV commentator remarked. "He has changed people's perception of the goalkeeper position."

That year, he achieved:

Best goalkeeper in the top division;
FA Cup Best XI;
China nominated for the Golden Globe Award;
Even more surprising is that national team head coach Li Tie publicly stated at a press conference: "Wang Duoyu is on the national team's evaluation list, and age is not a problem."

Taipei nights are hot and humid, but the gloves from Suning remained perfectly dry...

This is the result of three years of hard work.

In the 18th minute of the match, the Taipei United team had an excellent opportunity.

Their Brazilian import Anderson broke into the penalty area and unleashed a tricky shot that went straight into the top corner!

"Danger!" the commentator exclaimed.

But in Suning's eyes, the trajectory of the ball was clearly visible.

He lunged sideways, his fingertips flicking lightly...

"boom!"

The ball hit the post and bounced out!

The whole place was in an uproar.

Anderson held his head in disbelief, while Suning had already calmly organized their defense.

"That's the value!" Xihong City FC coach Mark exclaimed excitedly from the sidelines, pumping his fist. "That's why European scouts are all coming to watch his games!"

In the 63rd minute of the second half, the real test began.

Taipei United team was awarded a free kick in the attacking third, just 22 meters from the goal.

Their Japanese midfielder, Yu Kobayashi, took a run-up and unleashed a perfect "knuckleball".

The ball traced a strange arc in the air, about to fall into the net.

At the critical moment, Suning made an unbelievable diving save...

He almost lost his balance, but managed to tip the ball over the crossbar with one hand!

"World-class! Absolutely a world-class save!" the commentator exclaimed hoarsely. "Wang Duoyu has once again proven that he is one of the top goalkeepers in Asia!"

The final whistle blew, and Xihong City FC won 2-0.

But everyone's attention was focused on Suning.

Taipei fans stood up and applauded, and even opposing players took the initiative to exchange jerseys.

“You remind me of Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi,” Yu Kobayashi said in English. “Are you interested in coming to the J-League? I can help you get introduced.”

After the game, the team owner personally called to congratulate the team in the locker room.

Wang Sanchun then leaned closer mysteriously: "Old Wang, there's something you need to know—Wolves scouts are here today."

Suning paused for a moment as he wiped his sweat.

In three years, he went from amateur leagues to the sights of European scouts.

All of this felt like a dream, yet it was so real that it made one's blood boil.

"System," he murmured to himself.

[Host: Su Ning (Wang Duoyu)]

【Age: 35】

[Current Ability: LV.7]

[Honors: Best Goalkeeper in the Chinese Jia-A League (2 times), FA Cup Best XI, Chinese Golden Ball Award Nomination]

[Skills: Ball trajectory prediction line (advanced), instant reaction (master level), goal line lightning (expert level)]

The night view of Taipei outside the window is breathtaking.

Suning knows his story has only just begun. Whether he stays in China to become a legend or ventures to Europe to challenge himself on a higher stage, these golden three years have already proven...

It's never too late to take off as long as you have a dream.

My phone vibrated; it was a message from Zhuang Qiang:
"I watched the live stream! Those saves were so cool! When are you coming back to Xihong City? Ma Daxing said he wants to treat you to dinner. He tells everyone you're the best student he's ever taught!"

Suning replied with a smile: "Tell him that I will always be the backup goalkeeper for Daxing team."

He put down his phone and looked at himself in the mirror... Time had left its mark on his face, but the flame in his eyes burned even brighter than it had three years ago.

This is football, this is life, forever full of endless possibilities.

……

(End of this chapter)