Chapter 42: To Command a Wider View, Ascend Another Story

As Wang Lie trained earnestly according to the tactics designed by the coaching staff, without expressing any dissatisfaction in public or private, everyone finally believed that he was truly cooperating with all his might.

Then someone remarked with deep emotion: "So, Wang is truly getting old after all!"

After the torture of that season-and-a-half at Soflian, he perhaps realized this himself, which is why his temper is no longer as volatile as it once was. Back at Soflian, he was put to the fire; given his personality and temperament, he certainly could not have bowed his head or conceded. But after arriving at Tyne, no one worked against him; everyone respected and understood him, so he let go of his inner pride and became easy to talk to, becoming gentle...

That Wang Lie admits he is old is a good thing for everyone else. But for a man who has been strong his entire life, it feels more like an unacceptable tragedy. It is truly sigh-inducing.

These were all baseless speculations. In reality, they simply underestimated Wang Lie’s obsession with victory. With his physical condition yet to return to its youthful peak, was it not natural for him to temporarily sacrifice his personal interests for the sake of winning? The key is to win. Only winners have the right to breathe and speak.

Moreover, the next match against the Scousers is crucial. If they lose, one could basically say it is all over. Why say that? With Tyne’s strength, it wouldn't seem strange to lose to the Scousers at home—they were soundly defeated 0:3 away in the first half of the season, and both the result and the process met public expectations. But if they intend to qualify for the Champions League next season, a loss to the Scousers is unacceptable—at the very least, Wang Lie will not accept it.

What would be the impact of losing this game? It’s not just that the gap with the league's top four might widen; after all, Soflian could also lose. The biggest impact is that it would cause those "silent majorities" in the team to fall back into silence, and it would make the "fence-sitters" waver once again.

If the goal were merely to participate in the Europa League or the Conference League, this problem wouldn't exist. Based on Tyne's current standings, with fifteen rounds left, it is genuinely possible to qualify for those competitions. But Champions League qualification is different; it is very difficult to attain. If the team can only defeat the weak and surrenders as soon as they encounter a strong opponent, assuming defeat, then no one will believe such a team can make the top four.

The Scousers are the first strong team they have encountered; the result of this match will serve as a weather vane. Losing to the Scousers is equivalent to telling everyone in the team: "We can't do it. Even with Wang Lie here, we can't do it. We might as well give up early and stop having daydreams about the Champions League!"

Conversely, if they can win against the Scousers, it can establish confidence and set an example for the team. In the future, when they encounter strong teams again, they can reflect on how they defeated the Scousers to gain the confidence to beat formidable foes. It would prove that they are fully capable of going toe-to-toe with strong teams without surrendering before the battle begins.

The "first time" for anything is always the most important. For instance, in Wang Lie’s first match for Tyne, if he hadn't scored two goals, he would never have received such treatment—neither in the external media nor in the locker room. His past achievements and fame allowed others to be polite to him, but if he had performed poorly in his debut, that preferential treatment would have ended there. Some would still trust him, but more would look at him with suspicion, and the pressure would grow with time. No one wants to carry that kind of pressure for long. If one can use the first match to get a flying start, it not only relieves the pressure but also opens up the situation, making the road ahead much easier.

***

Sam McNeal looked at his assistant coach, Valo, who gave him a nod of affirmation: "Everyone is here, except for those on the injury list."

McNeal looked back at the players on the training ground, who were waiting for the session to start.

"Everyone, quiet for a moment, I have something to announce!" McNeal raised his arm. The players, who had been chatting, turned to look at him with curiosity.

McNeal called out, "Wang! Come here for a second."

All eyes turned toward Wang Lie. Under the gaze of everyone, Wang Lie walked out of the crowd to McNeal, looking at him with a puzzled expression. He didn't know why Sam was calling him out alone. He had been very cooperative in training lately... He had already been given the captain's armband... What else could it be?

McNeal said to him, "Actually, I debated whether to do this, as not everyone might accept it... but after careful consideration, I decided to go ahead. Because I think this expresses the team and the club's feelings for you..."

As he said this, the players standing opposite them suddenly became restless. Some cheered, some whistled, some clapped and laughed. Their gazes were fixed behind Wang Lie and McNeal. Clearly, they had seen something there.

Wang Lie turned around curiously. He saw the club's general manager, Will Foster, pushing a stainless steel cart from the side of the training ground. On the cart sat a golden... Ballon d'Or?!

Wang Lie's eyes widened. Oh no, it just looked like a Ballon d'Or. As the general manager pushed the cart closer, Wang Lie realized it was a cake shaped like the Ballon d'Or trophy!

"Happy birthday, Wang!" McNeal turned to say to Wang Lie. Today is Tuesday, February 17, 2037, his thirty-eighth birthday.

Wang Lie laughed and shook his head, saying, "I never encountered anything like this at Soflian..."

McNeal replied, "That’s why I wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do. But I wanted to use this way to express the team's gratitude toward you."

At this point, General Manager Will Foster had reached them and added, "It’s also the club's gratitude and a small compensation. After all, when you joined the team, we didn't even organize a fan welcome ceremony for you..."

Wang Lie waved his hand, "I requested that myself." This wasn't to show off; Wang Lie genuinely felt that throwing a grand welcome ceremony in the middle of the season was meaningless and a distraction. At the time, he hadn't played properly for a long time and had been training with the youth team, so his need for normal training was more urgent than showing off in front of people.

Although he had personally requested no welcome ceremony, seeing that the club had kept it in mind and organized this small ritual for his birthday, Wang Lie was still a little moved. As he had said, if he were a mercenary, he could only be hired by "love" and "respect." Now, looking at the Ballon d'Or-shaped cake, it was clear he had found love and respect at Tyne. To be treated with a cake from the club during training on his birthday was something he hadn't even enjoyed during the peak of his career.

In his youth, Wang Lie might not have cared about such things. But after tasting the coldness of the world in the first half of the season, this small gesture, which cost little but required thought, won his favor. When he first joined Tyne, he had no attachment to the team; it was only because McNeal trusted him and he needed a platform for his ambition. In his situation then, he no longer hoped to be "loved"; he simply used Tyne as a tool for his revenge.

However, from the second day he arrived, when Gotz gave up the captain's armband, to the "unexpected joy" the club prepared for him today... his emotional connection to Tyne was gradually being built.

As Wang Lie stood before the cake, the official photographer for Tyne, who had come with General Manager Foster, captured the scene. Soon, after simple editing, the photos and videos would be posted on the club's official accounts. Although Tyne had plenty of money, the club's image had always been poor due to a lack of results. Now that Wang Lie had joined, attracting a massive amount of attention, they were naturally going to make good use of his influence. Daily training photos and videos of Wang Lie would be released, satisfying his fans while expanding Tyne’s reach.

After the photos were taken, the cake was taken away; they wouldn't actually let Wang Lie eat it. After all, professional players have to control their diet. The purpose of this ritual wasn't for Wang Lie to eat a piece of cream cake, but to express how much the club valued him.

***

After the birthday celebration, everyone went back to their business; they still had to train. It was just a small interlude. However, Wang Lie's fans were very attentive to such "small interludes."

Once the official Tyne account posted the video and photos of the birthday celebration, it immediately caught the attention of Wang Lie’s fans. Likes, comments, and shares climbed rapidly.

"Wow! Tyne is so thoughtful!"
"I remember Wang never got this treatment at Soflian, right?"
"Yes, Soflian would only post a tweet on his birthday, and not even every year. It felt like their media department would only remember if they felt like it..."
"Hard to imagine this is the treatment the superstar Wang got at Soflian!"
"There's no harm without comparison! Look at Tyne and look at Soflian; it turns out Soflian only respected Wang in words!"
"Honestly, the old Wang wouldn't have cared—you see, he never complained. Of course, he didn't need to, but that doesn't mean Soflian shouldn't have done it. In this regard, Tyne knows how to handle things... I’m really liking this 'nouveau riche' team more and more!"
"Thank you, Tyne, for loving Wang so much! Love from Palestine!"

...

In addition to the official Tyne greetings, Wang Lie’s own official account also posted birthday commemorative photos and text on multiple platforms. Of course, he didn't post these himself; they were handled by his PR team. But the content was certainly reviewed by him, or written by him, and the photos were approved by him before being used.

For this birthday post, Wang Lie chose a photo of his celebration after scoring his second goal in his debut for Tyne. He had used this photo before—right after that match, he tweeted to celebrate his return to the pitch with goals. However, that time he used a photo taken from a different angle, showing him standing before the wildly celebrating, fist-pumping, shouting Tyne fans, hands on his hips, back to the camera, showcasing his name and number.

This time, he used a front-facing photo taken by photographers behind the advertising boards. His upper body took up almost the entire photo; in the frame, his head was slightly tilted up, his expression calm and steady, but the corners of his mouth seemed to be curled up, as if he were smiling. But in reality, he hadn't been smiling at the time. It was unclear if it was the angle—the photographer was clearly sitting behind the boards, shooting upward.

The caption for this photo was written by Wang Lie himself, and he wrote two versions: one in English and one in Chinese. The English version translated to: "Thirty-eight, not an end, but a beginning!"

The Chinese version was quite interesting. It couldn't be said to be exactly the same as the English version; one might say they were entirely unrelated: "To see a thousand miles further, ascend another level!"

The English version was posted on international social media, while the Chinese version was posted on Weibo.

The English version drew attention, but it was the usual kind—Wang Lie's fans left messages of blessing, congratulated their idol, and praised the spirit he expressed... Of course, there was no shortage of Wang Lie's haters being snarky in the comments, with some even using the photo of him posing with the Ballon d'Or cake to spread rumors, claiming that Wang Lie was so obsessed with the Ballon d'Or that he went crazy and ordered a cake for himself to pretend he had won it again...

The Chinese version, however, led many media outlets and fans to start "reading comprehension" exercises.

"What does Brother Wang mean? Is he planning to climb to the roof of the stadium to look out?"
"The point is 'ascend another level'! Everyone thought Wang Lie had come down the mountain, but he is like an old steed in the stable, his heart still high; he still wants to keep climbing!"
"Why do I feel like Brother Wang is subtly mocking Soflian? Brother Wang is saying that if you want to satisfy your ambition (to see a thousand miles further), you have to go to a bigger platform and a better team (ascend another level)... So Brother Wang is saying Tyne is better than Soflian, a level higher!"
"So that's it! The profound Chinese language! Brother Wang, well said!"
"Today is Wang Lie's thirty-eighth birthday, and he posted a Weibo that sparked interest and debate. People have different opinions on what the poem 'To see a thousand miles further, ascend another level' actually means... So, what do you think? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section..."

***

Chi Zhen had just put down his phone when the notification sound made him pick it up again. It was his friend, Su Ju. He had sent an image, and from the thumbnail, it was a screenshot of Wang Lie's English social media post. He didn't even need to click on it to see it clearly. Why was he so sure? Because he had just exited Wang Lie's social media page before putting his phone down; the interface was very familiar.

"???" He couldn't be bothered to type, so he just sent three question marks to ask his friend what the image meant.

"Did you click on it to look?" Su Ju replied.

Chi Zhen sighed—why couldn't he just say what he wanted to say instead of being mysterious! Complaining in his heart, he still clicked on the image. It was indeed Wang Lie's tweet celebrating his thirty-eighth birthday. But what was slightly different from what he had seen was that under the tweet, there was his own "like."

As he finished looking at the full image, Su Ju's new message arrived: "You’re playing against Brother Wang this weekend. You 'liked' Brother Wang's post at a time like this; aren't you afraid someone will stir up trouble? Thinking your 'like' is a provocation to Brother Wang..."

Chi Zhen replied: "That’s why you see I didn't 'like' it on Weibo..."

"Self-deception!" Su Ju said. "You’re running away! Running away is shameful!"

Chi Zhen: "But it works."

Su Ju: "Haha. You think if you don't go on Weibo to speak, they will stop? It’s just deceiving yourself. What's the use? Have your fans and Brother Wang's fans made peace? The next match is between you two; everyone is watching every move you both make. Let me tell you, you lose because you don't know how to express yourself. Actually, some things wouldn't need to spiral into such a public opinion mess if you just spoke up, instead of letting people run wild with their imagination..."

Chi Zhen replied: "Players should still let their football do the talking."

Su Ju sent a rolling-eyes emoji: "I feel like you’re older than Brother Wang... I'm telling you, times have changed. Besides, speaking with your mouth and speaking with your feet are not mutually exclusive. As for you and Brother Wang, from the Asian Cup the year before last until now, the toxic fans on both sides are still fighting, and you don't say a word."

Chi Zhen was silent for a few seconds before sending a voice message to Su Ju: "What else can I say? It’s not like I haven't spoken out before. Right after the Asian Cup ended, I gave an interview and said that the responsibility for the elimination couldn't be blamed entirely on Brother Wang; everyone had responsibility, and I didn't perform well enough to relieve the pressure on Brother Wang... How did the media report it? They said I was being passive-aggressive toward Brother Wang!"

"There are many similar situations. I say I take Brother Wang as an example and a goal, and I want to work hard to surpass Brother Wang, and the media says I want to step on Brother Wang to climb up. I say I hope the fans will be rational—I was talking about fans on both sides—and the media says I’m accusing Brother Wang's fans of cyberbullying my fans... Originally, my fans and Brother Wang's fans had nothing between them; it was all stirred up by these unscrupulous media and marketing accounts, turning into what it is now. You tell me, in this situation, how can I speak up? Whatever I say, there are people watching, taking things out of context, and misinterpreting my original intent. Then I might as well not say anything."

"Haven't I tried to persuade the fans to calm down? But does it work? Do you think just because they carry the banner of a fan, they are really my fans? Do they really listen to me? They still listen to those few fan leaders, heh... And I truly feel that all the problems stem from my own poor performance, that I can't carry the team like Brother Wang used to. So, as long as I can become stronger and do better, perhaps the online arguments will disappear. Until I achieve that, whatever I say is useless; they will keep arguing regardless."

Chi Zhen spoke with a heavy tone. Su Ju sent a doge emoji to tease his friend and lighten the mood: "I get it, you want to replace Brother Wang's position in the national team, you rebel!"

But his teasing didn't work. Chi Zhen continued sending voice messages, his tone as serious as ever: "Am I wrong? Brother Wang is getting older and will retire sooner or later; someone from the Chinese team has to step up. I’m not saying I’m definitely that person, but I will strive toward that goal; I will strive to become someone like Brother Wang. Before becoming that person, anything I say is useless and meaningless. We footballers, in the end, have to let our performance on the pitch speak for us, right?"

Su Ju’s attitude became much more serious; at least he stopped sending emojis to tease his friend: "That’s true. Look at Brother Wang. Before he went to Tyne, he was being insulted so badly. People online were saying the most horrible things; someone who didn't know better would think their mother died in childbirth, that no one taught them manners. Then he scored two goals against Hellingham, and the public opinion changed instantly... Now Roster and Herlden are being grilled all day long... tsk tsk."

"So, since it all depends on the performance on the pitch, what’s the use of me saying so much off the pitch? Since it’s already like this... I think instead of explaining so much and causing more misunderstandings, it’s better to just let my performance on the pitch speak. As long as I perform well enough, those who curse me will become fewer and fewer."

Su Ju joked: "You have quite the ambition, wanting to make the insults of toxic fans unable to catch up to you..."

Chi Zhen laughed and sent a voice message: "What kind of ambition is that? Brother Wang's ambition is the real deal. Did you see the Weibo post he made in China?"

"Saw it. 'To see a thousand miles further, ascend another level', right?"

"Brother Wang is thirty-eight; by any account, he's in the late stages of his career, but he’s still thinking about seeing a thousand miles further and ascending another level. Let me tell you, Su Ju, in front of Brother Wang, my little thoughts can't be called ambition. At most, I want to become someone like Brother Wang; Brother Wang is my role model. And Brother Wang? Before him, there is no role model. He is walking a path no one has walked before; that is what's truly amazing."

After listening to Chi Zhen's voice message, Su Ju asked: "Before, when Brother Wang was benched by Herlden at Soflian, Coach He didn't even call him up for the national team. But looking at Brother Wang's recent performance, it's possible Coach He will call him back for the World Cup qualifiers in March. What will you do with him then? No matter how much you respect him, there is definitely a tactical conflict on the pitch..."

This time, Chi Zhen was silent for a long time, so long that even Su Ju thought his friend was pretending not to see his question, trying to fool him by "playing dead," just like he said—running away is shameful, but it works... This guy often does that!

Then, a voice message of only five seconds was sent:

"I will do everything in my power to defeat him in Sunday's match."

***

PS: I have an idea, and for this idea, I have been burying my head in writing these past few days. That is, during this match, I will release two chapters—don't complain that two chapters are few; everyone has seen the word count of the chapters in this book. Releasing two chapters is actually equivalent to my previous three-chapter volume, sometimes even more; at most, it might be the volume of four or five chapters. So this double-chapter release is definitely full of sincerity.

Therefore, I hope everyone can vote more so that our performance on the monthly ticket rankings looks better. Thank you all, and I am counting on you!