Volume One: Our Own League Chapter 28: Xu He Is About to Be Substituted

Halftime had just come to an end, and the players from both teams made their way off the field to rest. At that moment, the attention of the spectators shifted entirely to the bald-headed man—he had stolen the spotlight, becoming the center of everyone’s focus.

Even the players exiting the pitch couldn't help but cast glances in his direction. He truly was the focal point of the entire stadium. Even Lin Xuefeng, who usually drew crowds of adoring fans, found himself overshadowed.

The girls in the stands were all chatting animatedly about the bald man. Xu He, meanwhile, was discussing him with Li Jie. “Old Li, isn’t that bald guy just bizarre? Have you ever seen anyone play football like that?”

To be honest, Xu He’s entire worldview felt a little shaken today. The bald man played almost exclusively with his head, rarely using his feet—clearly, his legs were just for support. It was simply too strange.

Li Jie still wore a look of disbelief as he shook his head. “Never seen anything like it! I’ve really learned something new today—who knew football could be played this way? Amazing, just amazing!”

Unable to resist, Xu He glanced over at the bald man again, his eyes still full of shock. Li Jie added, “I wonder where this oddball came from.”

Hearing this, Xu He said, “Wait here,” then hurried over to Yuan Fang to inquire, “Old Yuan, who is that bald master on your team? How is he so freakish?”

Yuan Fang seemed unsurprised, as if he’d expected this question all along. Without a hint of concealment, he replied, “His name is Liu Peng—he just came back from Songshan Shaolin Temple!”

Xu He was stunned. What?

With disbelief written all over his face, Xu He pressed, “What? He’s from Shaolin Temple?”

“Of course,” Yuan Fang replied. “He joined Shaolin at five and stayed there for nine years. Only came down the mountain this September.”

Seeing that Yuan Fang wasn’t joking, Xu He was shaken inside. Was this guy really a Shaolin monk?

Yuan Fang asked, “So, what do you think of his Iron Head skill?”

Xu He glanced at Liu Peng’s gleaming scalp again, replying, “I don’t know how formidable his Iron Head is, but that head of his is certainly as hard as iron.”

After gathering this intel, Xu He returned to his team, sharing what he’d learned with his teammates, who were all left dumbfounded. Their own school had a Shaolin monk? That was straight out of science fiction.

Mu Yang and Zhu Ge exchanged glances, nodding secretly to each other. Zhu Ge then said, “Alright, let’s not dwell on that. Let’s talk about our tactics for the second half…”

Taking this opportunity, Zhu Ge gathered his teammates for a quick meeting, aligning their strategy for the next period. Looking at Xu He, he said, “Xu He, in the second half, you need to run as much as possible, use your speed to stretch and tear apart their defense. No one in their lineup can keep up with you. As long as you find open space, we’ll be able to score and win the match.”

Despite being behind at the moment, Zhu Ge and his teammates showed no signs of panic. They could tell their team was still stronger than the United Team of Class Five and Eight. The first half had gone the way it did partly because they didn’t know their opponents and played hesitantly, and partly because Liu Peng’s performance had been so extraordinary, disrupting their rhythm.

Having now gotten a feel for their opponents, Zhu Ge and Mu Yang believed that the United Team was not their match—they were ready to go all out in the second half. Xu He was to be the first spark for Class Ten’s team, given his aggressive style, which could prove fatal to their adversaries.

Feeling the weight of responsibility, Xu He grew a little excited. He nodded resolutely and said, “Captain, don’t worry. I won’t let everyone down!”

Zhu Ge nodded slightly, patted Xu He on the shoulder, and said, “Go for it!”

Afterward, Zhu Ge gave Lin Xuefeng, Zhang Zhen, and the others detailed instructions, laying out the battle plan for the second half. As this series of preparations wrapped up, the players of Class Ten’s team brimmed with renewed confidence.

Soon, the second half began in earnest, with Class Ten’s team launching a ferocious assault right from the whistle.

The players of Class Five and Eight’s team immediately sensed the change—their opponents’ morale had surged, and both their attack and defense had become more direct and ruthless.

Yuan Fang frowned slightly; this half would not be easy. Liu Peng, too, became serious, dedicating himself wholly to defense. With Liu Peng guarding the back, Class Ten’s team rarely attempted high balls, instead opting for ground passes. This limited Liu Peng’s abilities somewhat, but despite his seemingly thin frame, he was astonishingly strong, making life difficult for the Class Ten attackers. Even Zhu Ge, when going up against him, felt immense pressure and often lost control of the ball.

Zhu Ge couldn’t help but take another long look at Liu Peng.

“Over here!” Suddenly, Xu He, who had moved to the wing, raised his right hand, calling for the ball.

Mu Yang, in the center, immediately noticed the direction Xu He was pointing—inside the opposing penalty area, an empty patch of space.

Mu Yang’s eyes lit up—this was a golden opportunity. In his heart, he silently gave Xu He a thumbs-up. Xu He had a keen sense for reading the game, always able to find gaps in the defense and exploit them at the perfect moment.

Excellent. Xu He really was impressive.

With a thump, Mu Yang sent a low pass straight into the penalty area of the United Team.

Ball and player arrived almost simultaneously.

Xu He shot into the box like a bolt of lightning, facing the United Team’s goal directly.

One on one! Xu He was through on goal!

A tremor ran through the United Team’s players—they all sensed danger. Every hope now rested on their goalkeeper, Jiang Hao.

Meanwhile, all eyes from Class Ten’s team were fixed on Xu He, placing their trust and hope on his shoulders.

“Come on, Xu He!”

“Score, Xu He!”

Even without looking back, Xu He could feel those hopeful gazes—he was the team’s hope at this moment.

Xu He remained calm, not the least bit nervous. He controlled the ball steadily, keeping it in the most comfortable position at his feet.

“Beautiful—what a superb first touch, clean and precise!” Mu Yang watched, inwardly praising.

More importantly, Xu He showed no sign of excitement or panic. He was perfectly composed.

Xu He’s eyes fixed intently on the opposing keeper, Jiang Hao, studying his movements, searching for the best moment and angle to shoot.

This was a battle of wits—a psychological duel between Xu He and Jiang Hao.

Xu He appeared as calm as a still lake, betraying not a ripple of emotion. Jiang Hao couldn’t read him at all and grew increasingly tense as Xu He drew closer. Unable to wait any longer, Jiang Hao suddenly rushed out, lunging at Xu He.

He went for the challenge! The keeper had committed himself, leaping like a hungry tiger.

Xu He’s eyes flashed—this was the moment he’d been waiting for.

At the precise instant Jiang Hao lunged, Xu He, still running, subtly swung his leg and jabbed the ball forward sharply with the tip of his foot.

A toe-poke shot!

Xu He executed a brilliantly disguised toe-poke while in full stride.

The goalkeeper had no time to react—the ball skimmed over the grass, rolling quickly past him and speeding toward the goal behind.

Brilliant!

A magnificent shot, Xu He!

The players of Class Ten’s team raised their arms, shouting Xu He’s name. In the stands, however, the girls began chanting for Lin Xuefeng, his name instantly drowning out Xu He’s.

Clearly, those girls were absolutely devoted to Lin Xuefeng.

Seeing the play, Zhu Ge punched the air in triumph—they’d finally broken through. Li Jie was overjoyed for his close friend, who had scored and leveled the match—surely, Xu He’s place in the starting lineup was now assured.

With confidence surging, Xu He was ready to run to the side and celebrate.

But, to everyone’s shock, the ball rolled just past the near post and out of bounds.

It hadn’t gone in!

Xu He clutched his head in disbelief—he’d thought it was a certain goal. He’d aimed for the center, hoping to nutmeg the keeper. But the shot had veered off slightly and missed the target.

Xu He was frustrated and angry—with himself.

It was entirely his fault, a product of his own shortcomings. His shooting technique was lacking, and he’d squandered the golden chance his teammates had created.

Xu He was filled with remorse.

But none of his teammates blamed him. On the contrary, they encouraged him, telling him to keep playing well—they still needed him to lead the charge.

Zhu Ge and Mu Yang exchanged glances, their eyes full of unspoken thoughts.

Xu He was a player of great talent and ability. Physically, he was strong, fast, agile, and not lacking in power. His dribbling and ball control were also quite good, and his game-reading skills were impressive. The only areas he fell short in were shooting and passing. If he could improve those, he would surely become a formidable player in the future.

In this match, Xu He had been one of the most energetic and outstanding players. Yet, missing that chance was undeniably a blow.

Zhu Ge approached Mu Yang and asked, “Old Mu, should we substitute Xu He for now?”

Yes, Zhu Ge was considering a substitution. They had good strikers on the bench, and with the urgent need for a goal, it made sense to make a change. He was also worried that keeping Xu He on the pitch might hurt his confidence.

Zhu Ge was genuinely concerned about him.

Hearing the suggestion, Mu Yang frowned slightly. Would substituting Xu He now deal a blow to his self-confidence? After a moment’s thought, he said, “Let’s wait a bit longer.”

With that, he walked away.

Watching Mu Yang’s retreating back, Zhu Ge smiled slightly. This guy seemed cold on the outside, but he was warm-hearted inside.

Zhu Ge quickly made his way over to Xu He and said, “Just a bit of bad luck this time. Keep pushing, try to score—our victory depends on you!”

Suddenly, the girls in the stands broke into a chorus: “Go, Lin Xuefeng! Go, Class Ten! Go, Lin Xuefeng!”

They could see it was a critical moment for Class Ten’s team, so they cheered for Lin Xuefeng, hoping he would step up, become the hero, and turn the tide.

Zhu Ge frowned, his heart sinking. Weren’t these girls just adding to his troubles?

He glanced warily at Xu He, and seeing no reaction, finally breathed a sigh of relief.