The Next Morning.
Carrington Training Base.
The air was fresh, and sunlight bathed the surroundings in a golden hue.
On the training ground, thunderous sounds erupted one after another, startling the dozing security guard.
When he recognized the familiar figure pounding the ball, he could only mutter under his breath, "This kid is perfect in every way, except he wakes up far too early."
After completing another set of long-range shooting drills, Ling wiped the sweat from his forehead and began packing his gear while taking a break.
Since acquiring the "Injury Immunity" module the previous night, he had woken up feeling like a new person, devouring three breakfasts with ravenous hunger.
This delighted the newly appointed nutritionist.
During basic training, Ling noticed he had far greater control over his body.
The discomfort he used to feel in his knees during high-intensity directional changes had completely vanished.
It must be said: the "Injury Immunity" module was truly a remarkable thing.
After all, for a professional footballer, the greatest enemy is often not the opponent but the fragility of the human body.
Take, for example, Diego Maradona, Marco van Basten, Ronaldo Nazário, and Kaka.
Movements that demand extreme power cause intense friction between the cartilage and tendons in the ankles, leading to irreversible damage.
Consider Gabriel Batistuta.
After retiring, the "God of War" suffered from severe ankle pain and even voluntarily requested amputation from his doctors to stop the agony.
Of course, Ling had no masochistic tendencies, so he decided to leave the mystery of how the module worked for another time.
Regarding this, Ling could only assert his physical robustness, with medical examinations revealing no issues.
Through this period of intense training, his mental state had been revitalized, as if every drop of sweat shed made him clearer and more determined.
However, the "God of War Goal" module featured unique power generation techniques—the core essence of this module was sheer, unadulterated power.
After training ended, Ling sought out David De Gea, and the two began practicing shooting together.
The mere thought of it made De Gea's scalp tingle.
Because Ling's shooting power kept increasing, De Gea's hands would go numb after saving his shots.
A direct hit to a vital spot would be dangerous.
"No more!" De Gea eventually yelled, shaking his stinging hands.
Thus, Sergio Romero became Ling's training partner.
The Argentine national team goalkeeper initially displayed unwavering determination, but just a day later, as training concluded, he bolted straight for the locker room without a word, fearing for his life.
...
May 19th.
FA Cup Final Day.
After a quick shower, Ling drove to Chapel Street, an affluent area of Manchester.
A few days earlier, Maria Guardiola had invited him to watch the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City.
Ling agreed; after careful consideration, he decided to treat it as relaxation after rigorous training.
Since being promoted to the first team, he hadn't attended another team's match live.
Pep Guardiola stood at his villa entrance.
"Good morning, boss," Ling greeted politely.
Guardiola took a deep breath, forced a smile, gritted his teeth while waving dismissively and entered his house without looking back, ignoring Ling's greeting.
Maria grew irritated seeing this—Ling had been perfectly polite, yet her father remained hostile, as if owed some debt.
"Dad, you don't understand him at all!"
Guardiola nearly spat blood upon hearing this inside the house.
'Damn it, I even know Ling wears size 44.5 shoes with feet measuring 27.7cm. I can rattle off his weight, height, and lung capacity without hesitation.'
'In this world, apart from Mourinho, I'm probably the one who understands Ling best.'
'When we face Man United next season, if I don't understand him, I'll end him!' Guardiola thought viciously.
But at this moment, he was powerless, only able to secretly watch through the window as Ling's speeding Camaro disappeared into the distance, leaving behind exhaust fumes.
Then, filled with weariness, he headed to the Man City training base to join the players for their trip to Wembley Stadium.
The distance from Manchester to London is about 215 kilometers.
It would require at least three hours by car, so Ling and Maria chose to fly instead.
They chatted and laughed along the way, making the time pass quite quickly.
...
Wembley Stadium, London.
An hour and a half later, they arrived at the home of football.
At a shop outside the stadium, Ling bought two cups of Earl Grey tea and one sundae.
"Jeremy, don't you usually eat sweets?" Maria took the sundae and asked curiously.
Ling shook his head, "I have some occasionally, but the Champions League final is in seven days. I need to watch my diet in advance."
"Oh, this year's final is in Kiev. Maybe I should go watch your match live?" Maria took a bite of her ice cream and tentatively asked.
"Sure! Didn't you say you have good luck? Maybe you can share some with me." Ling didn't think too much about it.
Hearing this, Maria beamed and nodded vigorously.
After they entered the stadium, the match soon began.
Peter Drury's voice echoed in the commentary box.
"Welcome to Wembley! The sun beats down on the hallowed turf, and the stage is set for a clash of titans. Antonio Conte's Chelsea against Pep Guardiola's Army's in waiting, Manchester City. It is the oldest cup competition in the world, and it demands a hero!"
Surprisingly, Chelsea scored first.
In the 22nd minute, Eden Hazard was brought down in the penalty area by Nicolas Otamendi.
"Hazard goes down! The referee points to the spot!" Drury shouted. "Eden Hazard... against the weight of expectation... Cool as ice! He rolls it home! Chelsea strike the first blow at Wembley!"
Conte roared with excitement on the sidelines.
Although Chelsea had lost to Man United twice this season and missed out on crucial Champions League qualification, if they could win the FA Cup, perhaps Roman Abramovich would change his mind.
But he underestimated Man City.
With concise and effective passing combinations, enhanced by Guardiola's newly developed tactics, they displayed terrifying firepower.
In the 37th minute.
John Stones pushed forward to form a double pivot with Fernandinho, breaking Chelsea's high press and delivering the ball to Kevin De Bruyne on the right.
The latter immediately passed after receiving the ball.
"De Bruyne... painting pictures with his feet!" Drury cried. "The ball skims across the turf in an exaggerated arc... It bypasses Rudiger... It finds Sterling!"
Raheem Sterling instantly accelerated, using his unique gait to beat the offside trap.
One-on-one!
Facing Thibaut Courtois, who would be moving to Real Madrid after the season.
"Sterling! With the composure of a surgeon! Manchester City are level!"
Jim Beglin analyzed, "It's the vision from De Bruyne that unlocks the door, but Sterling's run is perfection. He waits, he holds, and then he strikes."
Another seven minutes passed.
"David Silva... The magician finding space in a telephone box!" Drury continued his poetic narration.
"Evading Moses... Fabregas can't get near him! Cleared by Kante... but only as far as Sane!"
The German star, who had been surprisingly left out of the national team squad conversation, cut inside sharply, brushed past Cesar Azpilicueta, and curled a cross toward the far post.
"Bernardo Silva is arriving! It's in! The turnaround is complete in the blink of an eye! City lead 2-1!"
Before the first half had even ended, Man City had completed their comeback, a testament to their formidable strength.
Moreover, with players like Aguero, Gundogan, Jesus, and Foden on the bench, and potential reinforcements in the summer transfer window, they were bound to be even stronger next season.
Ling stroked his chin, lost in thought.
The landscape of the Premier League next season was becoming clear: it would likely be a three-way race between Man United, Man City, and Liverpool.
As for the other teams? Spurs were busy building their new stadium and had limited funds.
Arsenal had finished their stadium, but their iconic manager Wenger had departed, meaning they would inevitably face a prolonged period of adjustment.
Chelsea were in a similar situation.
Even so, for Man United to defeat Man City and Liverpool and retain the Premier League title would be no small feat.
Still, he wasn't overly concerned.
Because next season would also be Man United at their peak, and without the worry of injuries, he could go all out.
...
The second half began quickly.
Guardiola, breaking from his usual style, made consecutive substitutions of defensive midfielders and center-backs, employing "Delaying Tactics" to protect their lead.
This was a necessary adaptation to the fierce competition in the Premier League's golden era and a true reflection of the evolving tactics in modern football.
The once-dominant pure "Pass and Move" tactics had faded with time, giving way to a world of opportunists.
Conte clearly hadn't anticipated Guardiola resorting to such an unorthodox, pragmatic approach.
In the end, Man City defeated Chelsea 2-1 to claim the 2017-18 FA Cup.
Conte slumped despondently in the dugout, his eyes inadvertently falling on a familiar face in the stands—the Man United player who had silenced Stamford Bridge.
His frustration only deepened.
If not for that player, Chelsea might not have lost both matches against Man United so easily, and his job might be safe.
...
Post-Match.
"Aren't you going down to join the victory celebration?" Ling inquired.
"It's just the FA Cup. The Premier League title would be a different story," Maria retorted, pouting and revealing her dimples.
"Well, you might have to wait a while for that!" Ling raised an eyebrow, his tone brimming with confidence.
Maria's sparkling eyes twinkled mischievously. "If Man United win the Premier League next season, you can invite me to the championship celebration."
"Shall we make it a promise?" Ling extended his pinky finger.
Maria broke into a happy smile, linking her slender finger with his and saying earnestly.
"You better not forget!"
For some reason, the girl found herself hoping even more for Man United's success.
As for Man City? They could wait a few more years—after all, good things are worth waiting for.
On the pitch below, Guardiola couldn't help but glance toward the stands.
He saw his daughter laughing with Ling.
His joy at winning the cup instantly evaporated!
....
Meanwhile, back at the Guardiola villa, Marius and Valentina beamed, thinking how wonderful it would be if Jeremy became their brother-in-law—even better than having a Man City player in the family.
Christina also wore a satisfied expression.
It was a perfect illustration of the old saying: "A mother-in-law grows fonder of her son-in-law with each passing day."
"Do you think if Ling taught me how to play football, I could become that strong too?" Marius asked excitedly.
"What does he know about football? I'm more than enough to teach you. Don't forget, I have 11 major championships!" Guardiola said irritably later that night.
Marius timidly replied, "But you don't have a Premier League title."
Guardiola was left speechless.
He declined the party invitation from the Man City players and returned early to Manchester with his family.
He kept glancing at his phone from time to time.
As it approached midnight, he couldn't hold back and made a call.
Maria finally returned home.
After some indirect questioning, he learned that after his daughter and Ling returned, they had leisurely strolled along the River Irwell.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
Eventually, he dialed Mourinho's number.
"Jose, your player Ling traveled all the way to London to watch a match just before the Champions League final. You need to keep a close eye on him."
Mourinho couldn't help but laugh and simply said, "That's the player's private life. As the head coach, I have no right to interfere."
Still, he felt somewhat displeased, thinking to himself, 'How dare you look down on Ling? He's too good for your daughter anyway!'
...
May 25th.
Valdebebas Training Base, Madrid.
The Real Madrid players, dressed in sleek black suits, boarded the flight to Kiev.
Luka Modrić, Casemiro, and Toni Kroos huddled together, studying Man United's tactics and discussing how to contain the influence of Man United's number 7.
Isco was chatting with his girlfriend.
The two had just started living together recently.
Since his girlfriend was a vegetarian, he had gradually begun avoiding meat as well.
Karim Benzema listened to rock music, fantasizing about one day winning the Ballon d'Or.
Cristiano Ronaldo took a sip of mate tea and turned to the next page of his book.
Sergio Ramos leaned over to take a closer look—it turned out the book was titled "The Biography of Cristiano Ronaldo."
...
Carrington Training Base, Manchester.
The Man United players completed their final training session, packed their things, and likewise embarked on their journey.
It was the final destination of the season!
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