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Chapter 14 — A Birthday Debut
Date: November 16, 2003
Place: Oe, Germany
Su Long was ecstatic.
〖Achievement Unlocked: +10 Achievement Points〗
Head coach Golder smiled and said:
"Sue, you should rest briefly and get acquainted with the environment. When the German Football Association completes the registration, you can participate in matches with the team."
Su Long nodded.
"Also," Golder asked, "are you still in high school in China?"
Su Long was stunned.
"I've studied in school… but haven't graduated yet."
"Oh, so," Golder called over a slightly younger middle-aged man, "Weiss, come here. This is Sue, the new guy on our team. He's 16 years and 11 months now, right?"
Su Long nodded, a sense of foreboding creeping in.
Nima, don't tell me I have to go to school…
The old man Golder continued:
"He's Weiss, the head of the Oe academy. You'll need to finish high school here in Germany. Work with him to handle your academic situation from China and get enrolled in school as soon as possible."
Su Long was speechless.
What? I'm about to play professionally, and I still have to sit in class?
When his parents found out that Su Long could continue school in Germany, Su Mu immediately burst into a smile. Especially relieved, knowing her son wouldn't just be lost in some tiny German village, she even suggested resigning from her job to come live with him.
Su Long was horrified. He spent hours persuading her not to resign. Finally, she gave up on the idea.
He had finally gained a taste of freedom — the sky wide, the sea vast — and he didn't want to be nagged daily by his mother.
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Su's parents stayed two more days in Oe, then prepared to return to China. Their business had already been unattended for almost a month, and pressure was mounting back home.
At the airport, Su Long personally sent them off. Su Mu held his hand tightly, eyes brimming with tears.
"Son, you must study well here. Eat properly, don't stay up late, and take care of your body."
"I know, Mom."
"Let's go," Father Su urged.
Su Mu glared at him.
"As long as you don't have any heart… our son's come so far, and you don't care at all!"
An hour later, the parents boarded their plane, reluctant expressions still on their faces.
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Back at the club, Su Long began training full-time with the second team.
Meanwhile, several main players of the youth squad noticed Su Long hadn't returned and asked assistant coach Eller.
"He went straight to the second team," Eller explained.
The youth team players immediately soured.
Andreas, the striker of Team B, actually sighed in relief. If Su Long had joined, he might have been benched for a long time. Luckily, Su Long skipped their squad.
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But the German Football Association's registration dragged on. Until it was finished, Su Long couldn't even appear in a senior league match.
"The Germans are so rigid," Su Long muttered.
Golder reassured him:
"Because you're so young and a Chinese national, the process takes longer. Don't worry. Just keep training normally."
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A month passed.
Su Long now had a routine: school during the day, then club training from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Afterward, straight to the dormitory.
Three hours of training a day felt light to him. Still, he noticed growth: from 177 cm, he had grown to 179 cm. His Physical Attribute rose to 16.
〖System: Daily training improves attributes, but progress is slower than through simulations.〗
At home, his parents asked him about schoolwork every time they chatted on QQ. Su Long was speechless. I'm a player. What's the point of studying? As long as I pass, it's fine.
But surprisingly, he passed the monthly exam easily, even earning an "A" and praise from his blonde homeroom teacher.
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Finally, one day, Golder called him to the office.
"The German Football Federation has approved everything," he said with a smile.
"Sue, are you ready?"
"Mr. Coach, I'm ready."
"Good. The next game, you will start."
Nobody objected. Over the past month, everyone had seen his strength — he fully deserved it.
"The match is on November 17. We're at home against Bremen C. Just come on time tomorrow for training."
As he left, Su Long suddenly realized: November 17 was his 17th birthday.
A debut on my birthday… even if it's only the second team, this will be unforgettable.
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That night, Su Long used the 10 achievement points he had saved.
〖System: Do you wish to use the Football Career Simulator?〗
〖Use once consumes 10 Achievement Points.〗
"Yes!"
〖Simulation begins…〗
2003 (Age 17): Debut at the U17 World Cup. Afterwards, trialed in Europe and joined German 2. Bundesliga club Oe. Made official debut at Elzberg Bilgers Stadium on November 17, scoring twice.
2004 (Age 18): Scored 22 goals + 9 assists. Led Oe II to regional championship and promotion. Selected for the national youth team, played in the Asian Youth Championship, but was limited by "injury."
2005 (Age 19): Promoted to Oe's first team. Ended the season as Bundesliga top scorer with 24 goals. Selected for the national youth team, joined the World Youth Championship in Holland, but was benched due to muscle and knee issues.
2006 (Age 20): Scored 25 Bundesliga goals, again Golden Boot winner. Nicknamed "Dragon King." Played in Asian Games, scored 4+1 vs Malaysia but tore ACL in the final.
2007 (Age 21): After surgery at Scharetty University Hospital, out for the season. Transfer value plummeted. Missed Olympic team call-up.
2008 (Age 22): Left Oe, joined Werder Bremen free. Lost pace after injuries. Demoted to reserves, returned to China, joined CSL team Luneng.
2009–2017: Ten years at Luneng. Scored 122 goals, became CSL's all-time top scorer. Won 4 league titles, 3 FA Cups. Starred intermittently for the national team — hat-tricks vs Laos, Bhutan, Philippines. Retired in 2017 after the final international match.
2018 (Age 32): Retired from professional football.
〖Simulation Over〗
Final Attributes:
Physical: 16
Technical: 30
Mental: 30
〖Choose one reward:〗
1. Physical Attributes at 25 (Score 26)
2. Technical Attributes at 25 (Score 35)
3. Mental Attributes at 25 (Score 35)
4. Life Experience at 33
Because Su Long's career lasted more than 15 years, he also unlocked:
〖Special Trait Unlocked: Iron Man〗
Injury risk is reduced by 50% during physical confrontations.
Recovery speed doubled from injuries.
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Su Long leaned back in his chair, thoughtful.
This time, his career had taken him from the Bundesliga all the way back to China — a full 15 years.
Even though the heights he reached weren't at the very top of Europe, he had built an unforgettable legacy.
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