Volume One: Our Own League Chapter 041: In Command of the Match from the Very Beginning

The first half ended with both sides deadlocked at zero; neither team managed to score. The Sixteenth Class football team had hardly any real chances, while the Seventeenth Class United Team appeared to dominate with aggressive attacks and numerous opportunities, controlling the tempo of the game, yet not a single shot truly threatened the goal.

Still, this match was anything but silent for the crowd. Especially for those like Xu He, who understood the nuances of the game—it was a contest full of flavor, truly exciting.

During halftime, Xu He once again questioned Li Liying about the school leaders’ views on the league. The answer he received snuffed out the last glimmer of hope in his heart. Xu He felt dejected. Yet, as the second half began, he threw himself into the match with all his heart, knowing this was the final half of their first-year football league. For this swan song, he needed to give his all, so there would be no regrets in his life.

In the stands, Xu He was no longer silent. Instead, he frequently chatted with his teammates, praising Zhuo Jun’s skills and marveling at the match’s brilliance.

Honestly, his teammates were stunned. This was the first time they had seen Xu He like this. Some were even worried—what could have happened to make Xu He act this way? Was everything okay?

Only Li Jie understood the pain his close friend was feeling. Patting Xu He on the shoulder, Li Jie said, “Don’t be so pessimistic. As long as the league hasn’t been officially shut down, we’ll keep playing. Who knows, maybe we’ll have another league match on Friday.”

Though comforting Xu He, Li Jie was also attempting to console himself. None of them wanted the league to vanish just like that.

But for now, there was nothing they could do. All they could do was savor the match.

On the field, the players were fully engaged, relishing the game. If one were to speak of the match’s level, it wasn’t particularly high. There were some skilled players, but too few. Some didn’t even know how to play well, so the standard was genuinely low.

This was no professional contest—just ordinary students fueled by pure love for football.

They played with joy and happiness, which was always their original intention, and it remained so now. Only afterwards did thoughts of performing well or fighting for the championship enter their minds.

Above all, they played for happiness.

Thus, compared with professional matches, this one was truly of low caliber—perhaps even very low—but every player was fully committed, giving their all, with not a single one slacking off.

And that was what made the match so captivating.

Xu He saw his own reflection in these players. He even wished he could be out there among them, playing on the pitch. That alone would make him happy.

The players on the field were indeed happy. In their joy, they also fought for a shared goal—victory.

As the match wore on, the three showboating and attention-seeking members of the Seventeenth Class United Team stopped their antics and fancy moves. They became completely absorbed in the game, battling purely for victory.

At this moment, they were more genuine than ever.

Even the spectators who had previously disliked them no longer found them annoying—some even grew fond of the two fullbacks. During this stretch, the two fullbacks shone with exceptional skill, frequently stirring up excitement along the flanks.

The two fullbacks took turns charging up and down the wings, dazzling the crowd and igniting their passion.

Of course, many spectators couldn’t help but blame the United Team’s forwards, for the fullbacks had created plenty of chances, but the strikers wasted opportunity after opportunity, keeping the game locked in a draw.

Now, many on the sidelines cheered passionately for the Seventeenth Class United Team, seeing in them the hope of victory, since the Sixteenth Class team barely attacked at all, focused solely on defense. Without offense, how could they possibly win?

Thus, the crowd overwhelmingly supported the aggressive United Team. Hearing the cheers, the United Team’s players were energized, launching wave after wave of attacks.

Especially the two fullbacks, who repeatedly cut inside and even took shots themselves.

Suddenly, the headband-wearing right back performed two quick lateral moves, shaking off his marker, and launched a long-range shot from just outside the penalty area.

The ball whistled toward the Sixteenth Class goal.

Zhuo Jun could do nothing; stationed in the center of the box, he was simply too far away.

Clang!

The ball struck the near post with a metallic ring and bounced out for a corner.

It was the closest anyone had come to scoring all match.

The crowd erupted in applause for the fullback. Scattered voices even called out his name, “Chen Ping, Chen Ping, you’re amazing! Come on, you’ll score next time!”

At that moment, Zhu Ge commented, “That was a fantastic shot from Chen Ping.”

Only then did Xu He learn the player’s name was Chen Ping.

Zhu Ge added, “Chen Ping is the elder brother; the left back, Chen An, is his twin, born just five minutes apart according to rumor.”

Xu He looked at Zhu Ge with admiration and gave him a thumbs-up. Was Zhu Ge the school’s walking encyclopedia? He seemed to know everything—was there anything about the school he didn’t know?

Xu He glanced at the flamboyant goalkeeper on the pitch and asked, “So what’s the name of their keeper?”

Zhu Ge shook his head blankly—he didn’t know.

Xu He couldn’t help himself; he spat out the mouthful of water he’d just drunk, nearly spraying it over Zhu Ge’s face.

Nearby, Lin Xuefeng burst into laughter, slapping Zhu Ge’s shoulder repeatedly.

Zhang Zhen laughed until tears nearly streamed down his face, finally saying, “Old Zhu, you need to stop bluffing so much, or you’ll get what’s coming to you!”

Xu He glanced at Zhang Zhen in confusion.

Lin Xuefeng quickly explained to Xu He, “Don’t listen to Zhu Ge’s nonsense—he’s just messing with you. He knows the United Team’s keeper; his name is Wang He.”

Hearing this, Xu He rolled his eyes at Zhu Ge and grumbled, “I should have spat that water right in your face.”

Zhu Ge just chuckled. “You shouldn’t have asked me that. You know I’m the school’s gossip-monger.”

Fair enough—it was his own fault.

Xu He ignored Zhu Ge and turned his attention to the United Team’s keeper, thinking, “So that guy’s name is Wang He. It does sound imposing, but the man himself… what a clown!”

The match continued, the United Team still in control.

The Sixteenth Class remained toothless in attack, yet showed no urgency, calmly sticking to defense, as if attacking was none of their concern.

Truth be told, Xu He admired their composure. Any other team would have panicked by now. Imagine going a whole match without attacking—how could the players not be anxious? Yet, these Sixteenth Class players showed no sign of disorder.

Perhaps they had no hope for their lackluster attack, or maybe their mentality was simply that steady.

The match went on, with the United Team pressing forward, and Zhuo Jun steadfast in defense.

Zhuo Jun didn’t just defend well himself; he also organized the entire line. With him there, their defense seemed like reinforced concrete—impenetrable.

Zhuo Jun truly was formidable.

Everyone could see that, apart from Zhuo Jun, the Sixteenth Class defenders were average at best, yet under his leadership, their defense was nearly unbreakable. It was astonishing.

Xu He applauded Zhuo Jun—he was almost becoming his fanboy.

Yet, even Xu He, impressed as he was, didn’t believe Sixteenth Class stood a chance of winning, for their attack was simply abysmal.

He felt the match was destined to end in a draw.

Zhu Ge and Lin Xuefeng agreed. On the surface, the United Team seemed to control the game, but in reality, it was the Sixteenth Class—more precisely, their captain Zhuo Jun—who held sway. The United Team likely wouldn’t break through, and the match would end in a draw.

Almost everyone present believed so—a draw seemed inevitable.

But as the game neared its end, everything changed in a flash.

In the seventy-seventh minute, Zhuo Jun intercepted the ball and passed to Song Xiang on the wing. Song Xiang sprinted forward on the counter and sent in a cross, which was deflected for a corner by the United Team’s defenders.

Sixteenth Class had a corner kick.

That corner changed everything.

Song Xiang curled the ball into the United Team’s penalty area. Zhuo Jun leapt high, overpowering the defenders, and slammed the ball into the net with a powerful header.

Wang He, the United Team’s keeper, sprang into action, diving dramatically and swiftly—his movement was spectacular, but ultimately useless. The ball flew past him and into the goal.

This was a textbook case of “all that fancy action, only to find the ball sitting in your net.”

One-nil, Sixteenth Class snatched victory at the death.

Xu He’s mouth hung open, eyes wide in disbelief. “Unbelievable!” he thought. “How lucky can Sixteenth Class get?”

But was it luck?

No—it was because they had the best center-back at Jinguancheng No. 17 High School: Zhuo Jun.

Indeed, the ones truly controlling the game were always Sixteenth Class—or, more precisely, their captain, Zhuo Jun.