Volume One: Our Own League Chapter 115: Not the Only One Putting in Extra Effort

The challenge was accepted—the football team of Class 16 agreed to face off against the team from Class 10.

Xu He hadn’t expected the Class 16 team to agree so readily; it was completely unexpected.

Was Zhuo Jun truly that confident?

Or did Zhuo Jun believe that their Class 10 team wasn’t actually that strong, unable to pose a real threat to the Class 16 goal?

Xu He couldn’t help but glance at Zhuo Jun a few more times; this guy was even stronger than he had imagined.

Of course, the chance to face Class 16 again filled Xu He with excitement and anticipation.

Losing to Class 16 in their previous match had left Xu He quite frustrated and unwilling to accept defeat. He believed their Class 10 team should have easily beaten Class 16, yet they had lost.

Moreover, the loss felt unfair, with a heavy dose of luck influencing the result.

Naturally, he was dissatisfied.

He had long awaited an opportunity to battle Class 16 again, eager to reclaim the honor they had lost. Now that the chance had arrived, Xu He was thrilled.

Suddenly, Li Jie whispered in Xu He’s ear, “Old Xu, this time we’ll definitely beat them.”

Seeing Li Jie’s eagerness, Xu He nodded firmly.

He was resolute—to bring forth his strongest form and show the players of Class 16 exactly which was the mightiest team in Jinguan City No. 17 Middle School.

After arranging the match with Class 16, the players of Class 10 were about to disperse and head home. But then, they were surprised to find there was another match today. Curious, everyone sat back down to watch.

The next match was between the combined football team of Classes 5 and 8 and the team from Class 14.

Xu He settled in, intrigued by this game.

He was especially interested in the Shaolin monk Liu Peng, part of the combined 5-8 team. Although he knew Liu Peng mostly used his head to play rather than other parts of his body, Xu He was still curious and eager to watch more of Liu Peng’s performance.

Xu He held a good impression of Liu Peng and wanted to see him in action.

The match began with a captivating display, as Class 14’s offense was impressive. Their front three’s coordination was fluid and masterful—Xu He watched in awe, deeply impressed.

Such seamless teamwork wasn’t achieved overnight. Seeing Class 14’s players donning Brazil jerseys, the trio truly evoked the spirit of Brazil’s famous 3R combination.

At the tenth minute, Class 14’s front three executed a brilliant sequence of passes. After a series of exchanges, midfielder Xu Liuxian suddenly flicked the ball with his heel, threading it sharply into the opposing penalty box.

Forward He Xiaoke immediately anticipated the move, breaking through the offside trap and charging into the 5-8 combined team’s penalty area. The crowd gasped—it was a critical moment.

He Xiaoke faced the goalkeeper Jiang Hao directly.

Dangerous—extremely dangerous!

From the stands, Xu He stood up and exclaimed, “Wow! That coordination is incredible—their chemistry is unbelievable!”

Other Class 10 players nodded, equally amazed.

Such harmony was rare.

The 5-8 combined team’s goalkeeper Jiang Hao was startled and quickly shifted laterally toward the near post.

With a sudden burst, He Xiaoke feigned a shot, then swiftly passed the ball across.

This caught everyone off guard; eyes widened in surprise.

They watched as the central forward Qin Tailong sprinted forward and calmly pushed the ball into the open goal.

One to zero—the lead belonged to Class 14.

Though individually, Class 14’s front trio wasn’t particularly outstanding—just average at best—their combined power was formidable, their teamwork exceptional.

Xu He applauded them wholeheartedly; truly impressive.

He admired the trio’s remarkable synergy and their dazzling display. He immediately turned to Li Jie and said, “Looks like we need to train harder together if we want to build this kind of chemistry and execute such plays.”

Li Jie stared at Xu He and replied, “Yes, we must train even harder.”

The brilliance of this trio spurred Xu He and Li Jie on—they were determined to improve both their skill and teamwork.

The match resumed, with Class 14 still holding a slight advantage.

However, the 5-8 combined team was no pushover; their offense pushed back, making things difficult for Class 14’s players.

Class 14’s defense was indeed weak—one key reason they hadn’t made the semifinals. If their backline were just a bit stronger, they might have advanced.

At the twenty-first minute, the 5-8 combined team launched an attack.

Midfielder Liu Peng bent down and, with his iron head, intercepted a powerful long pass. The ball immediately redirected and sped toward the flank.

Yuan Fang rushed up along the sideline, received the ball, and advanced swiftly.

Though not particularly fast, Yuan Fang successfully carried the ball to the end line.

He glanced into Class 14’s penalty area and curled a cross into the box.

From the stands, Xu He shouted, “Here he comes—the Shaolin monk of the 5-8 combined team!”

Sure enough, Liu Peng leapt, protruding his shiny bald head above the crowd.

With a fierce header, he struck the flying ball, sending it hurtling toward Class 14’s goal.

The goalkeeper reacted too late—the ball sailed into the net.

One all—5-8 combined team equalized.

This was rare. Previously, Liu Peng’s iron head technique had mostly been defensive. Scoring a headed goal like this was unusual.

It was clear Liu Peng’s skills were improving steadily. Everyone was working hard.

Xu He sighed, “Next season’s league will be tough to play!”

At the same time, he silently vowed to redouble his efforts—to improve quickly. If others progressed while he remained stagnant, he would be left behind.

He had to work hard now.

The match continued, both sides becoming more engaged. The intensity grew.

From the stands, Xu He could clearly sense that everyone’s skills had improved significantly since last season.

It had only been a short while—the league had finished just a week ago—and these players had already made such progress, proving everyone was putting in great effort.

The previous match had also shown remarkable improvement from both teams.

This realization weighed heavily on Xu He; he had to push himself harder.

Perhaps sensing his close friend’s mood, Li Jie patted Xu He on the shoulder and said, “Old Xu, you’re already very strong. Even if they grow, they won’t catch up to you.”

Xu He smiled faintly at Li Jie, then turned his gaze back to the field.

Other Class 10 players in the stands shared the same feeling—everyone on the field had improved. Next season’s matches would be even more challenging.

Zhu Ge immediately said, “Everyone needs to work hard from now on. Practice well—don’t let these guys surpass us. Our goal next season is the championship.”

It was clear Zhu Ge also felt the pressure.

The match on the field continued. Both teams launched fierce attacks, creating multiple scoring chances.

Yet neither side added to the score—halftime arrived with the game tied at one all.

As the second half began, the 5-8 combined team earned a direct free kick in a favorable position near the opponent’s goal.

Yuan Fang stepped up and delivered a beautiful curling shot.

The ball curled over Class 14’s goalkeeper and soared swiftly into the net.

Two to one—the 5-8 combined team took the lead.

They were truly showcasing their strength this match.

At the nineteenth minute of the second half, the 5-8 combined team launched another counterattack.

Once again, Liu Peng used his head to intercept a pass in midfield.

The ball came to Yuan Fang, who sent a long pass to the opposite flank.

The winger dribbled forward and then lofted a cross back to Yuan Fang.

Yuan Fang immediately crossed the ball into the penalty box.

Their number nine forward capitalized on a defensive lapse.

Though Class 14’s defenders managed to intercept, the ball bounced to the striker’s feet.

He calmly swept the ball into the net.

Three to one—the match’s momentum shifted dramatically.

Xu He nodded repeatedly, his gaze full of admiration for Yuan Fang.

Yuan Fang’s skills were improving rapidly—his passing and curling became increasingly precise.

It was evident Yuan Fang had been training hard.

Of course, Class 14 had not given up.

Their front 3R trio struck again.

He Xiaoke, Xu Liuxian, and Qin Tailong executed a dazzling sequence.

Xu Liuxian performed a Marseille turn and crossed the ball.

Qin Tailong lightly lofted the ball over the central defenders, landing before the advancing He Xiaoke.

Without waiting for it to drop, He Xiaoke volleyed powerfully.

The ball screamed past the goalkeeper into the 5-8 combined team’s net.

The play was brilliant—simply magnificent.

Xu He gave them a thumbs-up.

At this point, Xu He’s impression was clear—these players had all trained hard.

Everyone was putting tremendous effort into preparing for next season or the school team.

Clenching his fists, Xu He thought, “Xu He, you must work hard too!”

The match was far from over.

Class 14 launched a fierce counterattack, desperate to equalize.

But their aggression left them vulnerable.

The 5-8 combined team seized a counterattack opportunity and earned a corner kick.

Yuan Fang delivered the corner into the box.

Liu Peng rose and headed the ball into the goal.

Four to two—the 5-8 combined team clinched the victory.