Super Wingstorm

”My God, did you all see that?”

”Am I seeing things?”

”Did that Chinese kid just steal the ball from Henk Demyer? How is that possible?”

”Our team’s most promising young genius, the one most likely to get into the Ajax Youth Academy, just got the ball stolen from him?”

”I must be dreaming. That kid actually got the ball.”

”I can’t believe it. This is just unbelievable.”

...

The fans watching from the sidelines were in an uproar.

For some time now, they had been watching Almere’s training with detached amusement. Many even saw Yang Yang’s plight as a source of entertainment. They never would have imagined that Yang Yang would actually steal the ball, much less from Henk Demyer.

It had to be a coincidence.

Yes, it must have been luck.

...

...

On the training ground, Henk Demyer was furious, glaring at Yang Yang as if he would explode.

He never would have thought that this good-for-nothing, whom he usually didn’t even spare a glance for, would embarrass him in front of everyone—especially in front of Mr. Reep on the sidelines.

’This damn bastard!’

Henk Demyer shot a venomous glare at his other teammates, and they all nodded in tacit understanding. As for him, no matter how unwilling he was, he had no choice but to obediently step into the circle and play the part of the monkey being toyed with.

Yang Yang, however, wasn’t thinking about any of that. After stealing the ball, a feat that should have filled him with a sense of accomplishment, he felt no excitement at all. Instead, he was lost in thought, trying to figure out just how he had managed to win the ball back.

Previously, he had no concept of position or space. Standing in the circle, he only knew how to mindlessly chase the ball. But a person can never be faster than the ball, so he could only make one useless effort after another, wasting his stamina.

But with the help of God’s Vision, he could clearly see who had the ball and what their passing options were. So, he used a feint to block some of the passing lanes, forcing the player to pass to Demyer’s side, which was exactly what Yang Yang had planned.

”Old Ice, was my judgment correct?” Yang Yang asked humbly in his mind.

”More or less. You’re finally starting to understand how to play football,” Old Ice said indifferently.

Although it wasn’t direct, it was a rare, indirect affirmation. Yang Yang’s mood lifted instantly. This further confirmed he was on the right track, and he decided to keep doing what he was doing.

...

...

The rondo drill began again.

Seeing Henk Demyer, the most skilled and strongest player on the team, in the middle of the circle was a novel sight.

The teammates who had gotten Demyer’s hint began to consciously pass the ball to Yang Yang. Out of revenge, Demyer also targeted Yang Yang, trying to win the ball back. His only goal was to get that ”monkey” back in the circle.

Sure enough, after only two or three passes, Yang Yang made another error receiving the ball, and it was taken from him.

Both John Reep on the sidelines and the watching fans covered their faces, unable to look. They were ashamed of having overestimated Yang Yang just moments ago. The kid’s fundamentals were still as terrible as ever.

But unlike his usual long-faced demeanor, this time Yang Yang was actually happy. It was as if he had been looking forward to this. Without waiting for the coach’s instruction, he eagerly returned to the center of the circle.

How could they know? He was now eager to test his own judgment and what he had learned.

Back in his familiar position, Yang Yang easily found his rhythm. This time, he was prepared. In less than a minute, he spotted another opportunity. He used the same trick, feinting to bait a teammate into passing.

Whether it was out of habit or for some other reason, his teammate once again passed to Henk Demyer. The youth team captain hadn’t even brought the ball under control before Yang Yang was right on top of him.

Still agitated from before, Henk Demyer was a bit impatient. Seeing Yang Yang close in, he instinctively tried to shield the ball and dribble past his opponent, but the coach acting as referee immediately blew the whistle.

According to the rules, it was one-touch only. Henk Demyer had committed a foul.

’He’s doing this on purpose!’

’That bastard must be targeting me, deliberately getting revenge!’

Henk Demyer glared at Yang Yang, grinding his teeth, and indignantly walked back into the circle.

All the surrounding fans were dumbfounded. Who would have thought that Henk Demyer would be back in the circle so quickly? What was going on with him?

And that Chinese kid—how had he suddenly gotten so good?

...

...

Had Yang Yang gotten better?

John Reep, on the sidelines, had the clearest view.

Especially as the rondo drill continued, with Yang Yang constantly switching between being the defender and a passer, it became easy for John Reep to see what was happening.

The kid’s fundamentals were still as rotten as ever, but when it came to winning the ball, he seemed to have gotten smarter.

If before he was like a headless fly, buzzing around blindly, now he was full of premeditation. Every movement he made had a deeper purpose.

The rondo drill seems simple, but it’s a very important training tool. The game incorporates training for one-touch passing, off-the-ball movement, positional sense, and many other aspects. The reason Yang Yang had performed so poorly in the past, besides his terrible fundamentals, was his lack of spatial awareness on the pitch.

It was like someone with no sense of direction being dropped alone in a bustling metropolis, completely unable to find their way.

But from today’s training, it seemed the kid had truly had a breakthrough.

If that was the case, maybe he still had a chance to become a decent defensive player. After all, the fundamental skill requirements for attacking midfielders and forwards are different from those for defenders, especially in a low-level amateur league.

But John Reep didn’t change his conclusion about Yang Yang. He still couldn’t stay.

Although Almere was in the third-tier league, they had already set their sights on the second-tier Eerste Divisie, and even the higher-level Eredivisie.

...

...

When the rondo drill ended, everyone tallied the results. Yang Yang was still the player who had been ”the monkey” the most times. But what stunned everyone was that the player with the second-most times was the team’s number one rising star, Henk Demyer.

This wasn’t because Yang Yang was intentionally targeting Demyer. He had simply discovered that his teammates tended to pass the ball to Demyer, which made it more predictable and easier for him to win the ball back. So, naturally, he took full advantage of it.

The ever-proud Henk Demyer was still the monkey in the circle when the final whistle blew. Having lost all face, he furiously stomped over to Yang Yang, spat a vicious threat, and then turned to leave.

”You just wait.”

Yang Yang just shrugged helplessly. ’I’ve been made a fool of by Demyer and the others for almost a year and never got angry,’ he thought. ’Demyer was the monkey a few times and he’s throwing a fit? What a petty guy.’

Ignoring everyone else, Yang Yang picked up a nearby football and went to the side of the pitch to do some extra practice, juggling the ball.

Just then, Old Ice from the Super Training system appeared in his mind. He began to analyze and coach Yang Yang on his performance during the training session. He particularly focused on his mistakes, not only analyzing them with video playback but also guiding Yang Yang on how to make better choices.

Juggling the ball while listening to Old Ice’s analysis, with the training session still fresh in his memory, Yang Yang felt he was benefiting immensely.

”I never thought the Super Training had a function like this,” Yang Yang praised with a smile.

He hadn’t really grasped it before, but after Old Ice’s analysis, he felt like a complete idiot who couldn’t play football at all. His mistakes were countless. Sometimes, there were so many better options available, yet he had blindly chosen the worst one. The regret was immense.

But precisely because of this, Old Ice’s analysis and guidance left an incredibly deep impression on Yang Yang. He believed that if he encountered a similar situation in the future, even if he couldn’t make the best choice, he definitely wouldn’t make the worst one again.

”Change slowly, improve step by step,” Old Ice said, uncharacteristically lenient.

What Yang Yang didn’t notice was that the scene of him focused on his juggling practice had caught the attention of head coach John Reep in the distance, as well as many of the fans who had lingered by the pitch.

But no one knew how long he could persist with such tedious and boring fundamental training.

...

...

The annual assessment was fast approaching, and Yang Yang was running out of time.

Having tasted the benefits of the Super Training, Yang Yang began to throw himself into fundamental training like a madman. His uncle, Shen Ming, was understanding of his situation and let him focus on practice instead of helping at the restaurant. So, every day, apart from classes and meals, Yang Yang dedicated all his remaining time to training, not even sparing his sleeping hours.

Building on his previous foundation and thanks to his persistent, long hours of training, Yang Yang’s juggling practice progressed quickly. After a week, he could consistently juggle the ball 500 times or more with his instep, the inside of his foot, the outside of his foot, and his thighs. However, his progress with his shoulders and head was slower, especially his head.

Old Ice wasn’t surprised. While continuing to urge Yang Yang to practice juggling with his shoulders and head, he also officially moved on to the next step. He started demanding speed in his juggling and added some freestyle skill training, saying it would further improve his feel for the ball and his balance, while also training the flexibility of various body parts and mastering changes in rhythm when releasing the ball.

After a week of special training, Yang Yang could clearly feel his own improvement. His performance in team training had improved significantly, especially in the rondo drill, where his teammates found it much harder to make a fool of him. He even managed to make a brilliant tackle on Henk Demyer during a team scrimmage once, earning applause from the fans on the sidelines.

This was the first time Yang Yang had earned applause since arriving in the Netherlands, and it made him happy for a long time.

Because of this, he followed Old Ice’s instructions to the letter, without any compromise.

He believed that with Old Ice’s help, he would definitely be able to pass the team’s assessment and stay on the team.

As long as he could stay, he still had hope.