Chapter 67

"Do you want to become stronger?" the old man asked, looking at Lucas.

Lucas was taken aback by the question.

Become stronger?

Who doesn't want to become stronger?

I dream of becoming stronger!

Do you think I want to be a substitute?

Do you think I don't want to push that damn Kleiber to the bench?

If I could... I would have done it long ago!

But I can't!

As a forward, I lack speed and physical strength. As a Brazilian player, my footwork is only average.

What do I have that makes me stronger than others?

Before Rong, I could still maintain a sense of superiority, but now that has been shattered...

In Rong, he saw that geniuses really do exist in this world. They can start running much later than you, but when you are struggling on the road, they can easily overtake you and leave you behind in a blink of an eye.

The efforts of ordinary people are insignificant in front of geniuses.

"Do you want to become stronger?" the old man asked again.

"I..." Lucas, for some reason, opened his trembling lips and spoke.

"Do you want to become stronger?" the old man pressed.

"Yes! I want to become stronger! I really, really want to become stronger!" Lucas finally couldn't bear the old man's repeated questioning and shouted loudly.

Rong looked at Lucas in surprise.

He had never seen Lucas like this. In his mind, Lucas had always been somewhat cynical, lacking enthusiasm for anything. Even in the youth team, he noticed that Lucas was not very proactive in training and would often slack off whenever he could.

When he was emotional? Never.

Lucas seemed to have no interest in anything... except women. But without money or fame, it was hard for him to attract girls...

"But how can I become stronger? Don't try to fool me with the same tricks you used on Rong. I, Lucas, am not that easy to fool!"

The old man smiled and asked, "Do you have asthma?"

Lucas shook his head and said dismissively, "No, I don't. But what does that have to do with becoming stronger?"

The old man looked at Rong, who also shook his head, "I don't have it either, Old Immortal."

The old man turned back to Lucas, "Alright, then go into the sea."

Lucas didn't understand what the old conman was trying to achieve, but he wanted to see what he was up to, so he obediently turned and walked towards the sea.

He passed the people enjoying the sun on the beach and stepped into the sea.

When the water reached his waist, the old man didn't tell him to stop. He felt like a fool... He must have been tricked by the old conman!

Just as he was about to turn back to confront the old conman, he heard him say, "Keep going."

So he continued walking.

He felt like he was going crazy, actually listening to the old conman...

"Go further, further, a bit more." The old conman's voice kept coming from behind.

He kept walking, and the water gradually reached his shoulders.

At this point, the people playing in the water around him noticed Lucas and looked at him in surprise.

If Lucas were like them, this would be wrong, because no one would walk straight into the sea like that; it would look like he was trying to commit suicide!

Some women gasped, and more people stopped what they were doing, standing up to look at Lucas. Some even started running towards him to help.

The old conman kept saying, "A bit further, a bit further..."

When the water reached Lucas's mouth, he tilted his head back to prevent the water from entering.

Enough!

I'm really stupid to listen to that old conman!

Fine, I admit he's good at tricking me, but now I'm going to settle the score with him!

Just then, he heard the old conman say, "Alright, you can come back now."

Lucas turned around almost immediately, walking towards the old conman with a hostile look. Even though he was an old man, he was going to teach him a lesson for treating him like a fool!

The people who were rushing to help Lucas stopped in surprise when they saw him walking back.

They didn't understand what was happening...

When the water reached his chest, Lucas walked up to the old conman.

Just as he was about to ask, the old conman said, "Do you really want to become stronger?"

"Huh?" Lucas hadn't reacted yet when he saw the old conman reach out and push his head down, making his body lean forward—Lucas was pushed into the water by the old conman!

Lucas, in shock, swallowed a large mouthful of seawater. Then he was pulled up by the old conman.

Just as he took a breath of air, he was pushed down again!

"Damn... gurgle gurgle..."

"Spit! What are you... gurgle gurgle..."

He couldn't even finish a sentence.

Rong was stunned, and so were the others.

Some even thought there was a conflict and were about to call the police.

After four times, the old conman pulled him up and stopped pushing him down.

Lucas, having swallowed a lot of salty seawater, finally managed to breathe. He took deep breaths, filling his lungs with air.

Then he panted and cursed the old man, "Are you crazy?! You murderer!"

"How do you feel?" the old man asked calmly, seemingly ignoring his expression.

"You're asking me how I feel? I almost couldn't breathe!" Lucas waved his arms as if he wanted to hit the old conman.

"That's right," the old man's words made him pause.

"Right? Right about what?"

"Remember the feeling of struggling for breath, boy. You say you want to become stronger, but you don't really want it that much. Your desire to become stronger is less than your desire to go to parties, to show off, to flirt with girls, or even to sleep in. When your desire to become stronger is as strong as your desire to breathe, you will become stronger."

With that, the old man turned and walked away, hands behind his back.

Hearing the old man's words, Lucas stood there, letting the seawater wash over him, lost in thought.

Do I want to become stronger?

Do I really, really want to become stronger?

Or am I just making excuses for myself because I'm content with the status quo? This way, I don't have to put in the hard work and sweat to become stronger...

He remembered seeing Rong in the training base cafeteria, covered in bruises, and asking him what happened. Rong told him it was "special training." He didn't believe it at the time.

He also remembered seeing Rong on the beach doing training that exceeded his imagination, and Rong telling him it was also "special training."

He thought about Rong's shorts, which looked like tree rings...

The effort and sweat Rong put in... could he compare to that? How could he think Rong's progress and strength were due to talent alone?

He seemed to focus only on Rong's exceptional learning ability and speed, completely ignoring the effort Rong put in.

Could a genius, without effort, become a key player for São Paulo in just four months?

Although he was reluctant to admit it, Lucas couldn't help but agree with the old conman's words.

His desire to become stronger was far less than his desire to attend parties, flirt with girls on the beach, and show off...

He had thought Rong's dedication was crazy.

But without that crazy drive, how could a rookie who had only been playing football for four months achieve success?

My desire to become stronger is not strong enough.

But do I really not want to become stronger?

Who doesn't want to become stronger? Who doesn't want to become a successful professional football player?

I do!

I really do!

I want it as much as I want to breathe!

***

A kind person saw Lucas still standing in the chest-high water. Fortunately, the wind was calm today, or he would have been knocked over.

He approached to ask, "Young man, do you need help?"

Lucas, as if he hadn't seen him, suddenly moved and walked towards the shore.

The kind person was left puzzled, not understanding what was going on.

***

Rong didn't see Lucas again. Maybe he had gone back, or maybe he was still on the beach flirting with girls, just in a different area.

He didn't have much time to worry about Lucas. His special training continued every day, with morning and evening warm-ups with the old conman and ten kilometers of kicking walnuts each day.

Just these two types of training were enough to exhaust him, leaving him with little energy to worry about Lucas.

He could only hope that Lucas wouldn't be discouraged.

He had a reason to push himself so hard, as he was eight years behind others, especially Kaka. He had to catch up. Lucas didn't necessarily have to do the same, as he, like Kaka, had started football training at a young age...

***

Rico was helping his mother in their family's grocery store, which was their main source of income. Before he became a professional player, he, his parents, his grandmother, and his three brothers and two sisters all relied on this store. Like other ordinary Brazilian poor, they lived a very frugal life. The whole family depended on him to succeed in football, so that once he started earning money, the whole family could live a better life.

The bright shop entrance suddenly darkened, and he reflexively thought a customer had come in, so he quickly greeted, "What would you like... huh?"

Looking up, he saw Lucas Sutton with a football.

"Lucas?"

"Rico, practice with me!" Lucas threw the football to Rico and turned to walk away.

Rico, fumbling to catch the ball, chased after him, "But I have to watch the store..."

"Right here at your door!" Lucas said as he walked.

Hearing Lucas's firm and determined voice, Rico was taken aback, "Are you crazy, Lucas? You've never been like this before!"

Lucas suddenly stopped and turned to look at Rico.

"Do you want to become stronger, Rico?"

"Who doesn't want to become stronger?" Rico spread his hands, confused.

"How much do you want it?"

"Uh... very, very much." Rico didn't know how to answer, so he just fumbled for a response.

"Can you want it as much as you want to breathe?"

Hearing this, Rico was stunned.