NOVEL WEB Chapter 68: 68
Gu Ran exploded into a full sprint from midfield, racing toward the left flank!
That was his defensive zone!
There was no way in hell he was letting anyone mess around in his area, not in these crucial final moments!
Adrenaline surged through his veins. In just five to six seconds, he covered over 50 meters in a dead sprint!
His stamina was burning away at an insane rate, his lungs felt like they were about to explode, and his heart was pounding like a war drum—but none of it mattered.
There was only one thought in his mind:
Crush him.
The Manchester school crowd stared in utter disbelief.
They couldn't believe what they were seeing.
A Chinese player—a black-haired, black-eyed kid—was moving at a blistering pace, far faster than anyone on the pitch.
The Pirate Ship right-back, dribbling toward the box, felt the footsteps thundering behind him.
He turned his head to check—
And his heart nearly leaped out of his chest!
Gu Ran was already alongside him!
Panicked, the right-back instinctively raised his elbow to block him.
But Gu Ran didn't even hesitate—
A long stride forward—
He cut in front, sealing off the passing lane while slamming his hips into the right-back's body!
A heavy collision—
And just like that—
The right-back was bulldozed off the ball!
His momentum sent him crashing to the ground, tumbling helplessly!
A collective gasp rang through the stadium.
The Pirate Ship players stood frozen in shock.
The Manchester school fans—completely speechless.
Their strong, burly right-back…
Had just been manhandled by a Chinese kid?!
But… but…
He didn't even look that strong!
How the hell was he this powerful?!
Several Manchester girls involuntarily gulped, eyes locked on Gu Ran.
The fallen right-back, still on the ground, immediately threw his hands up to complain—
"Foul!"
The referee ignored him.
No foul.
In football, malicious body-checks, pulling, or elbow strikes were clear fouls. But Gu Ran had done neither.
He had simply sealed his space first and then used a clean body challenge.
This was England.
This was how English football worked.
And in high school amateur matches, the officiating was even more lenient.
As the right-back protested in vain, Gu Ran had already controlled the ball, turned, and started dribbling inside.
"Support! Watergate, move up! Seamey, make the run!" Coach Carter screamed from the sideline.
The entire Bucks Ironhorns squad reacted.
By now, everyone was physically drained, running on sheer willpower.
Gu Ran exchanged a smooth one-two with Watergate, regaining possession.
A Pirate Ship midfielder rushed in to press him—
Gu Ran slipped past him effortlessly.
Another midfielder came in with a dirty sliding tackle—
But he was too slow.
Gu Ran was gone before he even got close.
The Bucks Ironhorns supporters went wild.
Their drummer, glasses flung off his face, didn't care—he just kept pounding the drum harder!
On the bench, even the substitutes screamed in sync with the drumbeats—
"Kill him! Kill him!"
Gu Ran's counterattack ignited a fire in the Bucks Ironhorns that had never burned this bright before!
As he broke past midfield, the Pirate Ship defense fell into complete chaos!
Their coach, suit and all, was full-on clawing at his crotch, roaring from the sidelines—
"STOP HIM! STOP THAT CHINESE KID! AT ALL COSTS!"
Two Pirate Ship defenders, faces twisted in desperation, rushed forward—
They were ready to foul.
They didn't care if they gave away a free kick—
They couldn't let this terrifying player break through.
This Chinese kid was too damn dangerous!
Gu Ran instantly analyzed the situation.
Watergate was nearby for support, but he was exhausted—his pace couldn't keep up anymore.
A pass to Watergate was safe—
But not the best option.
Because—
Behind those two defenders…
Was a wide-open, 30-meter space.
And Seamey was already making a run behind them!
This was it.
A golden chance.
No hesitation—
Gu Ran executed a Rainbow Chip Pass.
For normal ball skills, he didn't need to focus his thoughts—he could use them instantly.
His thigh muscles tensed, his toes flexed, and—
Flick.
The ball lifted gracefully into the air—
Arching like a rainbow over the defenders—
And landing precisely in the 30-meter pocket, near the left edge of the penalty box.
Complete destruction.
The Pirate Ship defense—
Shattered.
The Manchester school crowd collectively froze—
Just seconds ago, they thought their team was about to score—
But in the blink of an eye, their defense had been split wide open!
And the most terrifying part?
This Chinese kid's chip pass—
Was cleaner, sharper, and more precise than Albert's!
Even Albert himself—
Was completely stunned.
Seamey raced toward the ball, controlling it near the penalty box's left corner.
He cut inside, dribbling laterally.
On the sideline, Coach Carter's face turned red.
"F*ING—**"
Before Carter could finish cursing, Seamey panicked and rushed a cross into the box.
Maybe it was fatigue, maybe it was Carter screaming at him—but his cross was off.
Watergate hadn't reached position.
Glider, their tallest forward, tried adjusting—
He got a slight touch on the ball, but—
Not enough power.
The ball floated weakly toward the near post—
And skimmed over the crossbar.
"F*! F***! F***!!!"**
Carter stomped on the ground like a madman but didn't single anyone out.
Glider collapsed onto his knees, gripping his head.
Seamey stood there, head lowered, hands on his hips, unable to face his teammates.
Gu Ran tilted his head back and let out a long sigh.
So damn close.
This could've been the game-winning goal.
If only Seamey had calmly laid it off to Watergate—then set up Glider for a clean finish—
They would've scored.
But with everyone drained, their final execution had suffered.
Gu Ran clapped, encouraging his teammates.
There wasn't much time left.
He quickly steadied his breath and sprinted back into position.
After nearly 40 minutes of high-intensity battle, his stamina was nearly spent.
And a chance like that…
Would probably never come again this match.
But that's football.
The game resumed.
Pirate Ship took a goal kick.
Under the suit-clad coach's orders, their entire team pushed forward, throwing everything at the Bucks Ironhorns' defense.
The final minutes would decide everything.
…
(To be continued.)