Everyone stared at Su Bai, dumbfounded.
North George wore an expression of pure annoyance.
Su Bai was nothing but a hassle the club had dumped on him.
The first team had taken money from the Chinese Football Association, but the job of babysitting this useless kid had fallen to him.
Over these three months, even though the boy hadn't made the squad list once, let alone played in a proper training match, reporters still showed up every month to film how "welcome" Su Bai was at Dortmund.
It was all just a disgusting show for the club's businessmen to make more money in China.
As much as North George loathed amateur players like Su Bai with zero talent, he glanced at the reporters by the pitch and forced his most charming smile.
"Su! Your trial at Borussia Dortmund U18 is coming to an end. Today is your special final trial match. We sincerely hope you pass the evaluation and stay part of the Dortmund family!"
Su Bai smiled back at the hypocritical coach.
He knew his own ability. The old man was only putting on this fake smile because of the cameras.
Three months were up.
His one hope—maxing out his shooting—had accidentally gone to passing instead.
But Su Bai had already made peace with it.
With a system now active, staying at Dortmund no longer mattered to him.
Besides, with his temper, he'd fought these guys more times than he could count. There was no point sticking around.
Ding!
System Quest Triggered!
Secure your first youth trainee contract within 7 days!
Quest Reward: Unknown
Just as Su Bai was about to leave, the system unexpectedly sounded.
A youth trainee contract?
Su Bai was confused.
At his current level, he had no hope of getting any kind of contract here.
The club clearly wanted him gone.
But the unknown reward was too tempting.
Su Bai gritted his teeth and stayed.
It was just one last match.
Maybe he could luck into the quest reward.
North George noticed Su Bai actually planned to play the final match and nodded slightly.
With his ability, and so many reporters watching, the kid had no shame at all.
If it were him, he would have politely declined and saved some face.
North George signaled to the assistant coach.
Moments later, all U18 players lined up on the pitch.
Su Bai took his place in the line.
"Split into Team A and Team B!"
"Most positions stay the same. Su, you'll start up front for Team A. Steven, you go to Team B."
North George quickly divided the squads.
Steven, captain of the U18 and Dortmund's star striker, was assigned to Team B—the makeshift reserve side.
None of the players reacted.
They all knew this was just a show match for the reporters.
They'd pass the kid a few times, let him make an appearance, and that would be that.
It was his last day, after all.
But then Ham, the starting defensive midfielder who'd been glared at by Su Bai earlier, raised his hand.
"Gaffer, I want to go to Team B too!"
North George nodded at the sudden request and turned back to the sideline.
Ham glanced at Su Bai, then at the cameras, and grinned.
That damn Chinese kid had embarrassed him earlier. He was going to teach him a proper lesson on the pitch.
Show him football wasn't a game for Chinese people.
Su Bai knew exactly why Ham had volunteered for Team B.
But the guy was openly planning to target him, and there was nothing he could do.
Soon the assistant coach split the two teams.
North George watched from the sideline with a blank expression and nodded at Joffrey, the assistant.
Beep!
With Joffrey's whistle, the farewell match specially arranged for Su Bai began.
Reporters by the pitch raised their cameras and focused on Su Bai.
Most of them had been hired locally by the Chinese FA. There was no way around it—even the FA knew how bad Su Bai was. Real channels like CCTV-5 wouldn't have bothered coming.
They still had to file expenses for the event, so they needed footage.
For the money, the reporters did their best to keep their lenses on Su Bai.
Just as the Chinese FA official had told them: make him look good. The photos were going on the official website.
But soon the reporters realized something was wrong.
This Chinese kid really was terrible.
As a striker, he had no positioning sense!
His dribbling was garbage!
For five minutes, he ran around the penalty area like a headless chicken.
He was leagues below Dortmund's youth players.
Su Bai felt miserable on the pitch.
He tried his hardest, but his runs were always too early or too late.
The coach below was signaling for his teammates to pass him the ball.
But he couldn't receive any!
After two turnovers, Su Bai became completely invisible on the field.
Ham, who was marking him for Team B, stared at Su Bai with open mockery.
This level and he thought he could stay at Dortmund?
He was dreaming.
In the 6th minute, Ham intercepted a cross from Haus, Team A's right winger, before Su Bai could reach it. He immediately launched a long pass to Steven, who was bursting forward.
Steven controlled the ball with his chest, and without letting it drop, volleyed it powerfully.
The ball screamed into the Team A goal like a cannonball.
Beep!
The assistant coach, acting as referee, blew his whistle.
Team B 1 – 0 Team A!
Reporters instantly swiveled their cameras to Steven, Dortmund's talented goalscorer.
Su Bai stood dejectedly in the final third.
Ham, who'd just provided the assist, walked past Su Bai with a cold sneer.
Haus, who'd tried to pass to Su Bai, sighed and said nothing.
His pass had been fine. The Chinese kid had just run too far.
Haus shook his head helplessly and trotted back to his half.
After that, Team A focused on their own attack.
Su Bai was completely abandoned.
For ten full minutes, he didn't touch the ball once.
Ham even abandoned his marking duty entirely and pushed up to join the attack.
Seeing he was useless up front, Su Bai reluctantly dropped into midfield to help defend.
North George watched from the sideline and shook his head in disappointment.
The boy was truly a talentless waste.
Even in midfield, Su Bai's defending was awful and he contributed nothing.
Reporters exchanged awkward glances. How were they supposed to take good photos if the kid couldn't even get near the ball?
But then—
On the pitch, Su Bai, who'd been fighting hard for every ball, unexpectedly received a pass from Team A's defensive midfielder, Montari.
The second Su Bai controlled the ball in midfield, a jolt of electricity surged through his body.
He dragged the ball and spun.
A bizarre vision appeared before his eyes.
In that instant, countless lines spread out in front of him, each marked with a success percentage, as if calculated with perfect precision.
Almost as soon as he turned, Su Bai acted.
His right foot slammed into the bottom of the ball.
It spun fiercely toward Team B's half.
Along with the spin, the ball curved in an unnatural arc through the air—like a rainbow—flying straight over Team B's entire defense.
It dropped perfectly between the goalkeeper and Team B's two center-backs.
And at that exact moment, Haus, Team A's right winger, appeared as if out of nowhere.
Without controlling the ball, Haus side-footed it into the far corner.
The ball slammed into the net.
1 – 1!!!
Team A had equalized!
Su Bai… with an assist???
Reporters excitedly turned their lenses back to Su Bai.
Finally, something to film.
They all thought the kid had just gotten lucky.
A blind kick had somehow turned into an assist.
But among the reporters, one white-haired old man suddenly fixed a grave gaze on Su Bai, still frozen in midfield.
His eyes flashed with surprise… and confusion.
Nobody else noticed.
Even North George checked his watch boredly.
He knew Su Bai's level. That ball was just a fluke.