Volume One: Our Own League Chapter 072: Preparing to Poach Zhuo Jun

Dark Horse!
A genuine dark horse.
The soccer team from Class Sixteen, with remarkable poise, had charged into the finals of the first-year league, taking many by surprise.
This team, seemingly devoid of any offensive prowess, had somehow made it to the final, a feat that felt almost fantastical to some.
On the stands, Zhu Ge stared blankly at the unfolding scene, unable to believe his eyes.
Before the match, everyone had favored the joint team from Classes Five and Eight, yet the outcome had defied all expectations. The Five-Eight team held a significant advantage, even striking the post twice, but ultimately they lost.
Class Sixteen’s luck truly seemed extraordinary.
Yes, it was luck.
Was the Class Sixteen soccer team perhaps divinely favored?
In nearly every match, their fortune was astonishing, ensuring their undefeated run so far.
But was their success really just luck?
Zhu Ge was full of questions.
If you looked closely at Class Sixteen, you’d realize that, so far, most people only knew Zhuo Jun, and perhaps another name, Song Xiang. Was this team really strong?
Zhu Ge shook his head.
How had they made it to the final?
He couldn’t understand.
Zhu Ge glanced at Xu He, wondering if the boy had seen something others missed. How could he predict Class Sixteen’s victory so confidently? Was his insight truly so formidable, his ability to read the game so uncanny?
If Zhu Ge knew what Xu He was thinking, the latter would surely smile ruefully and say, “You’re overthinking, Captain.”
Why did he favor Class Sixteen?
It was nothing but a feeling.
Yes, Xu He’s faith in Class Sixteen stemmed simply from intuition. He had no evidence, no insight into why they would win.
Look at him now—sitting in the stands, still stunned by the outcome.
Though he’d voiced support for Class Sixteen, predicting their victory, it was merely a casual remark; deep down, he knew the joint team from Five and Eight was stronger and should have won.
But the result taught him a lesson.
Indeed, football is unpredictable—anything can happen.
Xu He thought Class Sixteen’s victory was nothing short of a miracle.
Li Jie turned to him in amazement and said, “Old Xu, you’re incredible! You saw this coming—are you some kind of prediction god?”
Xu He smiled wryly, “If I said I didn’t expect this result before the match, would you believe me?”
Li Jie rolled his eyes, “Come on, now’s not the time for modesty.”
Xu He could only laugh again.
Nowadays, telling the truth hardly wins belief.
Xu He looked back at the pitch, curiosity about Class Sixteen burning within him. He longed to understand the real secret behind their ascent—what was their formula?
Was it Zhuo Jun?

The captain of Class Sixteen, Zhuo Jun, was indeed formidable. His command of the defense was unwavering; in so many matches, they’d conceded only one goal, a fact that spoke volumes.
Zhuo Jun was exceptional.
But could Class Sixteen reach the final relying solely on Zhuo Jun?
Xu He wished he could ask him directly—what was their secret?
But he didn’t.
Both teams were exhausted, having played too long and run out of energy. Many players sat on the grass, worn out. Yet Zhuo Jun stood, pacing and discussing tactics with his teammates.
Clearly, Zhuo Jun’s stamina was remarkable; in his current state, he looked ready for extra time.
Not that his fitness surpassed professional players, but the match intensity was just not enough to drain him.
Xu He sighed in admiration, “Impressive, truly impressive.”
Zhuo Jun was a marvel—top-notch defense and stamina. No wonder their team’s defense was nearly impenetrable, conceding only one goal in several matches.
Suddenly, Zhu Ge muttered, “Zhuo Jun is amazing. If only we could recruit him for our team.”
Xu He’s eyes widened, fixing on Zhu Ge, “Captain, you want to poach Zhuo Jun to our squad?”
Everyone turned to Zhu Ge at these words.
This would be a major event.
If their Class Ten team managed to recruit Zhuo Jun, wouldn’t they be invincible at Jin’guan City No. 17 Middle School? Who could threaten them? Wouldn’t the league title for next season already be theirs?
The thought was thrilling.
Zhu Ge glared fiercely at Xu He, not expecting him to broadcast the idea.
He sighed, “I’ve thought about it, but you all know it’s nearly impossible. Zhuo Jun would never agree, and if our team were too strong and weakened the opposition, what meaning would the league have?”
Yes, if the opponents were too weak, where was the fun?
Everyone nodded in agreement.
But Xu He kept his eyes on Zhu Ge, as if asking, “Then why did you have that idea?”
Zhu Ge read Xu He’s question and smiled bitterly, “Can’t I just think about it?”
Xu He shrugged, “You can, of course.”
Truthfully, Xu He longed to compete with Zhuo Jun himself. He knew Zhuo Jun was formidable and wanted to see how he’d perform against him—would Zhuo Jun mark him out of the game?
A match against Zhuo Jun would surely help him improve his own skills.
Now, Xu He was eagerly anticipating a showdown—provided, of course, their Class Ten team could reach the final.
At present, Class Ten was indeed the strongest team at Jin’guan City No. 17 Middle School, but they weren’t invincible. So far, they’d conceded three goals, letting in at least one per match, indicating vulnerabilities in defense.
This posed risks, giving opponents a chance for an upset.
More importantly, their semifinal opponent was Class Six, which boasted a powerful striker, Yang Hao. He was confident against Class Sixteen’s defense, having scored multiple times against them before.
So, in the semifinal against Class Six, Class Ten was not guaranteed victory.
This match would be the ultimate test of their strength.
Let’s see if Class Ten truly is the strongest at Jin’guan City No. 17 Middle School.
After watching the game, Mu Yang left early.

Of course, before departing, Mu Yang reminded the players of Class Ten to arrive early for training the next day, in preparation for Friday’s semifinal.
Clearly, Mu Yang took this match very seriously.
Class Ten was now poised to challenge for the league title.
Yes, only one match was played today; the remaining semifinal would take place Friday afternoon, with the final scheduled for the following Friday.
Now, the inaugural season of the Jin’guan City No. 17 Middle School first-year soccer league was nearing its climax, and the champion would soon be crowned.
Time had flown by so quickly.
It felt as if the league’s founding was only yesterday.
These thoughts made Xu He a little melancholy. He remembered Li Liying, that capable, valiant woman; without her, Xu He might never have played in the league, and Jin’guan City No. 17 Middle School wouldn’t have had a first-year soccer league.
Li Liying was truly remarkable.
Xu He looked around, but still didn’t see Li Liying. It seemed she had thrown herself into new work, and perhaps before long, their school would have a table tennis league as well.
Xu He got up and bade farewell to his teammates—he was off for extra training.
Yes, after watching the match between Class Sixteen and the joint team from Five and Eight, Xu He was filled with drive. Especially with the prospect of facing Zhuo Jun head-on, he felt he needed to train harder, or he’d never beat him.
Zhuo Jun’s skill was simply too great.
The other players from Class Ten said their goodbyes and headed home. Only Li Jie, his best friend, stayed behind to train with him.
Li Jie watched Xu He and said, “Old Xu, your shooting has improved so much already, you’re incredible! You still want to train? Aren’t you going to rest?”
Xu He replied, “I’m still far behind. Look at Zhang Zhen and Zhuo Jun—they’re both better than me. If I want to be a starter in the final, I have to work even harder and improve my shooting quickly.”
He’s obsessed!
Li Jie thought his friend Xu He was a little obsessed, almost acting like a professional player.
But since Xu He was his best friend, he’d certainly help him.
Li Jie had no complaints and trained alongside Xu He.
It wasn’t until they started that Li Jie realized, though Xu He’s shooting had improved, it wasn’t as much as he’d imagined. In the last match of the group stage, Xu He had performed exceptionally, which explained his eagerness to train more.
Knowing this, Li Jie became even more supportive, hoping Xu He could quickly improve and secure a starting spot.
“Come on, you can do it!” Li Jie encouraged Xu He as they trained together.
This filled Xu He with motivation and energy.
The two of them became a striking sight on the training field, attracting attention, for hardworking kids are always captivating.
Of course, there were two others training as well—Lu Yiming, the little one.
Honestly, Xu He felt his efforts paled compared to Lu Yiming. That boy was relentless, training every moment he could. It was Lu Yiming’s dedication that inspired Xu He to push himself so hard.
Xu He felt grateful to Lu Yiming deep down.
Watching Lu Yiming’s figure, Xu He thought, “I hope one day we can face each other on the pitch.”
Then Xu He packed up, ready to head home.
If he didn’t leave soon, he’d be in trouble, as it was already quite late. Xu He hugged his soccer ball, waved to Li Jie, and dashed off towards his home.