Chapter 1

"Ha ha! Another goal! 4:0!"

"Chinese people don't even know what football is!"

"It's no fun playing with them."

"Scoring one goal would be a win for them."

...

This was an amateur football match, one side being Italian students, the other Chinese students studying in Italy. The game had only been going for 30 minutes, and the Italian students were already leading by five goals. During the halftime break, the Italian students' unhidden arrogance and expressions made the Chinese students extremely angry, but they were helpless. Despite being amateurs, the Italian students were far superior in physical strength, technique, and awareness, almost like professionals playing against amateurs.

"Brother Chen, these foreigners are too disrespectful. I'm not playing anymore. Playing any further is just asking for punishment," a student with glasses picked up his clothes and stood up.

Brother Chen, whose real name was Chen Yu, was the only one among the Chinese students who worked abroad. He wasn't a pure amateur; he was a special football recruit from North China University of Technology and had played in the second division for a year. However, because his skills, physical condition, and awareness didn't meet the requirements of a professional player, he left the team after graduation to work abroad and accompany his girlfriend in her studies.

"Don't give up. We still have a chance to score a goal, right?"

Chen Yu smiled, his expression calm and his tone firm, but he was also filled with despair. The other students couldn't coordinate with him at all. However, as the oldest and most skilled player among the Chinese students, he had to encourage them.

"Right, Brother Chen is right. We need to score a goal."

"If we don't play, the foreigners will look down on us even more."

"Xu Bing, you're a coward!"

...

The Chinese students criticized Xu Bing, who scratched his head and said, "If we can't score a single goal, I won't play anymore next time."

Chen Yu patted Xu Bing on the shoulder, "In the first half, their defenders couldn't resist pushing forward. When you get the ball, pass it behind them. I'll definitely have a chance to score."

Chen Yu wasn't much older than the other students, but his skills and early work experience made him the de facto leader. The other students, who were once the pride of their country, were willing to listen to him.

Ten minutes later, the second half began. After leading 4-0, the Italian students became even more arrogant and aggressive. The defenders almost pressed to the midfield, and the goalkeeper wandered outside the penalty area, occasionally chatting with the sparse audience.

Chen Yu's tactical arrangement was correct, but his teammates' passing skills were too poor. They couldn't find him, either passing too long or too short, and when the passes were just right, they were intercepted by the defenders. Chen Yu ran back and forth in front, unable to even touch the ball.

After ten minutes, the Chinese students conceded two more goals. The Italian students became even more arrogant, starting to play flashy moves to mock the Chinese students. However, this was when the Chinese students got their chance. Xu Fei's clearance from the backfield reached Chen Yu. Chen Yu didn't dare to control the ball, knowing that if he did, the opponent would catch up and foul him. He chested the ball and immediately shot it over the goalkeeper, who was too far back to react, scoring directly from the midfield.

Scoring from the midfield is extremely rare in amateur matches. The bystanders couldn't help but applaud, and the Chinese students excitedly lifted Chen Yu and threw him into the air.

Chen Yu's goal ignited the Italian students' anger. They attacked fiercely in the remaining time and won 8-1. However, the Chinese students, who were used to losing, were greatly encouraged by Chen Yu's goal. After the game, they drank and celebrated until the middle of the night before returning to their respective homes.

Chen Yu rented a small apartment in the Tiber area of Siena, near the train station and a Chinese supermarket. It was a simple, low-rent apartment with one room, a bed, a table, a sofa, and a computer. The room was cluttered with mineral water bottles, flattened cigarette packs, empty instant noodle containers, and scattered ash, giving it a desolate feel. The only thing that brought a bit of warmth was a full-length mirror on the wall, a beautiful photograph of a girl next to it, and an expired bottle of gel.

Chen Yu entered the room, turned on the light and the computer, and stood in front of the photo, quietly looking at the girl in the picture.

This was his girlfriend, or rather, his ex-girlfriend, as they had broken up more than half a year ago.

Chen Yu met Lin Hong in his first year of college. At that time, Chen Yu had to attend team training every day and study hard to pass his exams. He went to class on time and spent weekends in the library. Lin Hong always sat in front of him. Chen Yu was soon captivated by the beautiful and quiet Lin Hong. He mustered the courage to write "I like you" on a bookmark in the book "The Road to Serfdom" that Lin Hong often read. Lin Hong wrote back, "What do you like about me? I can change." They started chatting through bookmarks, similar to QQ messaging, and eventually fell in love.

The university where Chen Yu studied was known for having more "wolves" than "meat," and it was often referred to as "South Shaolin, North University of Technology." Finding a girlfriend as beautiful as Lin Hong was a rare achievement, so Chen Yu cherished her deeply. When Lin Hong left China to study at the University of Siena, Chen Yu followed her to Italy to work and study.

The rift in Chen Yu and Lin Hong's relationship began when Chen Yu became obsessed with Pro Evolution Soccer. At first, Lin Hong could tolerate it, but as Chen Yu's obsession grew, he spent all his time working in restaurants, playing football, and gaming, even sneaking out at night to play. He neglected Lin Hong, and as she put it, "We spend a whole day together, and he only looks at me when he scores a goal or during halftime. This is a waste of life. How will he support a family in the future? Can football provide him with a living?"

Before graduation, Lin Hong gave Chen Yu an ultimatum: "Choose between football and me." Despite this, Chen Yu continued to play football and games secretly. Their relationship ended after Lin Hong graduated, and she went to the UK, while Chen Yu stayed in Italy.

"Is this Mr. Chen Yu's place? You have a package."

Chen Yu was lost in thought when he saw a foreigner standing at the door. The stranger spoke Italian with a strange, stiff accent, similar to how a Chinese person might speak Italian.

It was the middle of the night, and he hadn't ordered anything recently. Chen Yu, though a bit drunk, felt puzzled. "Is it really for me?"

"Are you Mr. Chen Yu? The address is 222 Station Street, Tiber."

"Let me see it."

Chen Yu took the small package. It was light, not like a bomb. The name might be wrong, but the address was correct. It was for him, and it had been sent from China. He shook his head and signed for it.

After the delivery person left, Chen Yu opened the small package. He thought it might be a prank from a friend, but to his surprise, there was something inside. It was a USB drive he had never seen before, very intricate and shiny, with a silver chain attached. It didn't look like a cheap item from an online marketplace. There was a line of text on it, but Chen Yu couldn't recognize any of the letters and couldn't remember buying such a USB drive.

Curious, Chen Yu plugged the USB drive into his computer to see what was on it. However, the computer showed no reaction, and the drive didn't appear in "My Computer."

Is it a dud? It could still be a nice decoration.

Chen Yu regretfully took the USB drive out and hung it around his neck, then sat down to play a game. He had drunk a lot and soon fell asleep on the bed, still in his clothes.

After a long time, the stars in the sky dimmed, and clouds covered the moon.

After an unknown period, a flash of lightning illuminated the dark room, followed by a rumble of thunder.

Chen Yu was so tired that the thunder only made him change his position and continue sleeping.

The lightning grew brighter, and the thunder louder. Finally, after a series of thunderclaps, the rain started pouring down.

The rain grew heavier, and the thunder and lightning became more intense, as if trying to release all the stored water and energy in the world.

The heavy rain continued for more than four hours. Suddenly, a deafening thunderclap split the sky, and the room was as bright as daylight.

Chen Yu was jolted awake by the thunder. He saw the door was open, and rain was pouring in. As he was about to get up to close the door, a blue ball of lightning floated into the room and headed straight for him. Chen Yu was shocked and tried to dodge, but the lightning was too fast. He barely had time to think before it hit his chest. *Sss! Crack!* The ball of lightning exploded. At the same time, the USB drive on Chen Yu's chest flashed with a golden light.

"Damn, it looks like I'm really going to be transported! And it's the most cliché way—being struck by lightning."

To Chen Yu's surprise, he only felt a moment of darkness, and then nothing happened. He touched his chest, and the USB drive was still there. He looked outside; the lightning and thunder had stopped, but the rain continued, and there was still water on the ground.

"Damn, I'm not transported. The lightning wasn't that powerful. Wait, maybe it wasn't lightning, but St. Elmo's fire. Otherwise, how could I still be alive? I saw the USB drive flash with golden light. It must not be damaged."

Chen Yu, driven by some unknown force, plugged the USB drive into his computer again.

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