Before passing, Su Bai had already seen that familiar red line in his vision.
The number 87% success rate glowed right next to it.
With his passing stat maxed out, every movement Su Bai made felt as precise as if calculated by a computer.
The second his foot connected with the ball, it shot upward like a cannonball.
He'd put every ounce of power into this pass.
From the direction of Su Bai's strike, it looked like he was playing it toward the left winger on the far side.
On the sideline, Raúl watched the ball's flight path with surprise.
After that earlier skill, he'd actually thought the kid might go for a shot.
It was a 40-yard distance—if he shot from here, Raúl expected a spectacular long-range strike.
But watching where the ball was heading, Raúl felt a flicker of disappointment.
It looked ordinary, even mediocre.
A top-class midfielder wouldn't rush a pass like this with space ahead of him.
This kind of delivery wasn't going to create a clear chance.
He should have just dribbled forward himself…
But Raúl quickly changed his mind.
The ball initially flew toward the left, but at its highest point, it suddenly swerved violently.
What's more—
he stared in shock as the ball spun ferociously in the air.
At the very peak of its arc,
the ball plummeted downward at terrifying speed… straight toward the D just outside Team B's penalty area.
Whit Benedict, Team A's striker, who'd been hovering near Team B's center-backs, burst forward like a wild horse unleashed.
No contest at all.
The moment the ball bounced, Whit Benedict side-footed it home completely unmarked.
Beep!!!
The referee blew to confirm the goal.
...
For a split second, the noisy U18 training ground fell completely silent.
Only the goalscorer Whit Benedict turned excitedly to give Su Bai a thumbs-up. Everyone else gaped at the black-haired kid standing in the center circle.
Giles Daniel, the U18 head coach, stared at Su Bai, dumbfounded.
It was breathtaking.
A La Croqueta to weave past three men, followed by a stunning outside-of-the-boot curved long pass for an assist!
This…
This was ridiculous. Even in training, it was too good to be true.
Was this guy really his player?
In that instant, Daniel suddenly felt confident he could win the 3. Liga title.
With a passing midfielder this dominant, how could any opponent in the third division stand against his team?
The Team B substitutes who'd been green with envy all hung their heads.
They had to admit—this newly arrived Chinese kid deserved his place in Team A.
"Hao, this boy is incredible," Raúl swallowed hard and blurted out.
"Yeah… he really is…"
Unlike Raúl, Hao Junmin was completely stunned.
He knew the standard of Chinese footballers.
He couldn't pull off a sequence like that himself, even if he tried.
He was currently China's best midfielder, even if Magath had been playing him at full-back.
But back home, he'd always been an attacking midfielder.
He'd played in the Chinese Super League for five or six years, and not one of those high-paid foreign stars could put on a show like that.
In that moment, Hao Junmin felt a surge of excitement.
Maybe in two years, China would produce a world-class midfielder.
The 2014 World Cup…?
A dream they'd once thought impossible might actually come true.
Hao Junmin spotted a member of staff on the sideline holding a small camera.
He hurried over.
"Did you film that just now?"
"Yeah! We got it all!"
"Can I get a copy?"
"Uh…"
Hao Junmin was eager to save the clip of Su Bai's brilliant play.
"Mr. Daniel said all our training footage is confidential," the stubborn staff member refused.
Just then, Daniel walked over.
"Let him have it. We'll have plenty more clips like this from Su Bai."
Daniel was overjoyed that a first-team player wanted the video.
This was the perfect chance to show off his work.
Why would Hao want the footage?
Obviously to show Manager Magath.
Su Bai probably wasn't ready for the Bundesliga yet, but this would at least make Magath realize the U18 had players who could contribute to Schalke 04.
In the end, Hao Junmin happily got a copy of Su Bai's amazing long pass.
After Su Bai's assist, the rest of the training match felt completely flat.
A short while later, Daniel called a halt to the session.
Many players had part-time jobs in the afternoon, so he didn't keep them any longer and ended training for the day.
Su Bai quickly walked over to Hao Junmin.
"You were amazing, kid," Hao praised him as he approached.
Su Bai felt a little embarrassed.
When he'd been closed down by three players, he didn't know why he'd suddenly found his rhythm. His body had moved on its own, and the La Croqueta had come out effortlessly.
Afterward, he realized it must have been the system.
He was thrilled.
This was only his first skill card. If he kept completing quests and earning more, he'd be unstoppable.
"What are you doing this afternoon?"
Hao checked the time—it was only three o'clock.
"Training. I've still got so much to improve."
Hao Junmin nodded approvingly.
Talented and hard-working—this kid had an unlimited future.
"Keep it up! I'll take you out for dinner in a couple of days. And call me if you need anything, okay?"
With that, Hao prepared to leave.
Tomorrow was a Bundesliga matchday, and he couldn't stay long—Magath's training session was starting soon.
"Great work, Su! I hope to see you in the first team soon. Then you can send me passes just as beautiful as that one!"
Raúl smiled and clapped Su Bai on the shoulder.
He wasn't just being polite.
Su Bai's performance had genuinely shocked him.
A 17-year-old with such incredible passing talent.
Moving up to the first team was definitely possible.
If Schalke 04 had a playmaker like this in midfield, combined with his own finishing in the box…
Maybe Magath's dream of winning the Bundesliga wasn't so far-fetched after all.
With that thought, the fire in Raúl's heart, which had faded over the years, sparked back to life.