In the locker room.
Paco Jémez slowly walked up to Lu Chuan, without the expected shouting and accusations.
"He succeeded," Paco's voice was frighteningly calm. "He got you a yellow card."
Lu Chuan raised his head, the anger in his eyes still burning.
"Second half," Paco squatted down, looking Lu Chuan in the eye. "Use your speed and positioning to make him run after you, exhaust him!"
Trejo nodded from the side: "That old fox's biggest fear is running.
He's already 34, and his stamina is his weakness."
Suárez patted Lu Chuan's shoulder: "Kid, don't go head-to-head with him.
Torture him with your skills, make him a clown in front of you."
Lu Chuan took a deep breath, feeling his teammates' support.
As he listened to his teammates, Cala's trash talk in his mind gradually subsided, and his gaze refocused.
"I understand," his voice was low and firm.
As the second half began, Lu Chuan's playing style underwent a fundamental change.
He no longer sought direct confrontation with Cala but began a wide range of interspersed runs.
Left wing, center, right wing, Lu Chuan's figure roamed the front field.
Whenever Cala just caught up with his rhythm, he would suddenly change direction, using the skills of Direction Change Acceleration Master to shake off his opponent.
"What is this chinese kid up to?" Cala panted behind Lu Chuan, sweat beading on his forehead.
In the 58th minute, the opportunity came. Lu Chuan pulled to the right wing to receive the ball, and Cala and full-back Alfonso Espino formed a pincer movement.
Sudden stop!
Lu Chuan's body instantly froze, and the ball was deftly pulled back with his foot.
Espino's center of gravity was completely deceived, and he charged in the wrong direction.
Change of direction!
Lu Chuan's body burst out with astonishing acceleration, instantly shaking off two defenders.
The corner of his eye caught Trejo's run in the Penalty Box, and his right foot deftly crossed the ball.
Trejo leaped high, heading for goal!
The ball arced, but just barely went over the crossbar.
"What a pity!" The commentator's voice was full of regret. "Lu Chuan's cross was of high quality, Trejo's header was just a fraction off!"
Cala bent over, gasping for air, sweat dripping down his cheeks onto the grass.
He began to realize that the chinese kid's tactics had changed.
The match continued, and Cádiz's defense remained resilient.
Goalkeeper Alberto Cifuentes performed excellently, repeatedly deflecting Rayo Vallecano's several threatening shots.
In the 70th minute, Lu Chuan once again pulled wide to receive the ball. This time, Cala's marking was noticeably a beat slower.
"Can't keep up, old man," Lu Chuan thought to himself, his footwork showing no hesitation.
He dribbled inside, attracting the attention of three defenders.
Just as the encirclement was about to form, Lu Chuan passed the ball to the overlapping Advíncula.
The Peruvian full-back's cross was of extremely high quality, accurately finding Álvaro García in the Penalty Box.
García's shot was bravely saved by Cifuentes, and the ball hit the post and rebounded!
"Oh my God! Another post!" The commentator's voice almost broke. "Rayo Vallecano's luck is terrible!"
The final whistle was getting closer, and the deficit only increased Lu Chuan's fighting spirit; he felt as if his stamina had not diminished at all.
He felt a strange power surge within him, with his focus and stamina significantly enhanced.
His gaze became sharper, and every touch of the ball was purposeful.
In her Madrid apartment, Esther stared intently at the television screen. Seeing Lu Chuan constantly being fouled, her fists clenched white.
"Come on, Lu Chuan," she prayed silently, "Make that bastard pay."
In the 85th minute, the turning point finally appeared.
Suárez got the ball in midfield, his eyes scanning the runs in the front field.
Lu Chuan's interspersed runs drew Cala away, creating space for Álvaro García.
A precise diagonal pass!
The ball bypassed Cádiz's defense, accurately finding García who had surged into the Penalty Box.
The Spanish winger's speed was extremely fast; he shook off the last defender, creating a one-on-one situation!
Just as García was about to shoot, Cádiz's defensive midfielder José Mari came in with a flying tackle from behind and to the side.
"Bang!"
Mari's tackle was swift and fierce, directly bringing García down in the Penalty Box.
The referee's whistle blew decisively, his arm firmly pointing to the penalty kick spot!
"penalty kick! An undeniable penalty kick!" The commentator shouted excitedly. "José Mari's foul was too obvious!"
Cádiz players gathered to protest, but the referee's decision was firm and accurate.
Lu Chuan picked up the ball and walked firmly towards the penalty kick spot. This was an excellent opportunity to equalize the score and the best way to hit back at Cala.
Cala walked forward, a sinister smile on his face.
"Kid, do you dare to take it?" He whispered in Lu Chuan's ear. "If you miss, you'll be the team's sinner. The whole world is watching you, don't disappoint your compatriots."
Lu Chuan ignored his provocation, simply placing the ball steadily on the penalty kick spot. He took a few steps back, taking a deep breath.
The Guaranteed Penalty Kick talent was not triggered, but the Big Heart skill kept him absolutely calm.
Goalkeeper Cifuentes swayed left and right on the goal line, trying to distract Lu Chuan.
Lu Chuan's gaze locked onto the top right corner of the goal, the dead angle most difficult for the goalkeeper to save.
Run-up!
His steps were steady and powerful, each one in rhythm.
Kick!
The inside of his right foot struck the ball fiercely, combining power and angle perfectly.
The ball shot out like a cannonball, straight into the top right corner of the goal!
Cifuentes dived to save, but the ball's speed was too fast and the angle too tricky. His fingertips only slightly touched the ball, unable to change its trajectory.
"Goal!" The commentator's voice resounded throughout the stadium. "Lu Chuan! A calm penalty kick! 1-1! Rayo Vallecano has equalized!"
Lu Chuan was unusually calm after scoring. He didn't celebrate wildly, didn't roar, but slowly walked towards Juan Cala.
Their eyes met in the air, and Lu Chuan put his index finger to his lips, making a "quiet" gesture.
Cala's face instantly turned ashen; he opened his mouth but found himself speechless.
"Beautiful response!" The commentator praised. "Lu Chuan responded to all provocations in the most perfect way! This is the true demeanor of a strong player!"
The match restarted, and Cádiz tried to regain the lead. But time was running out, and Lu Chuan's goal had greatly boosted Rayo Vallecano's morale.
In the 90th minute, the referee raised the board, indicating 3 minutes of injury time.
Lu Chuan continued his runs in the front field, every touch of the ball full of threat.
Cala could no longer keep up with his rhythm, only able to watch as the chinese kid performed freely in front of him.
In the 2nd minute of injury time, Lu Chuan received the ball at the edge of the Penalty Box. Faced with the encirclement of three defenders, he calmly passed the ball to Trejo.
The captain's long-range shot went just wide, but this attack showcased Rayo Vallecano's powerful offensive capability.
The final whistle blew, and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
Lu Chuan let out a long breath, sweat soaking his jersey. This match was more difficult than any other, but he got through it.
Cala walked over, extending his hand for a handshake. This is a traditional courtesy on the football field; even the fiercest opponents shake hands after the match.
But Lu Chuan ignored him directly, walking past him.
This action was fully captured by the sideline cameras, and the Spanish media immediately titled the scene: "The war is not over yet."
In the locker room, teammates came forward to congratulate Lu Chuan.
"Well done!" Trejo patted his back forcefully. "You shut that bastard up!"
"That penalty kick was so calm!" Suárez gave a thumbs up. "A truly Big Heart performance!"
Paco Jémez walked into the locker room, a satisfied smile on his face.
"Kid, this is the Lu Chuan I know," he patted Lu Chuan's shoulder. "You responded to all the doubts in the most perfect way."
Lu Chuan nodded, but there was still an unspent fighting spirit in his eyes.
A draw was not a bad result for Rayo Vallecano, but for him personally, the significance of this match far exceeded the score itself.
He proved that he would not be defeated by any provocation, and he also proved that true strong players speak with strength.
The system prompt sounded in his mind:
"Ding! A tough away draw!"
"Match rating: 8.5"
"LP gained: 50 (draw) + 100 (penalty kick) + 50 (key goal) = 200LP!"
"Consecutive scoring record: 9 / 12"
"Current LP balance: 820+200 = 1020LP"
Seeing his LP break the 1000 mark, Lu Chuan felt a surge of excitement. He was one step closer to exchanging for Penalty Box Finisher.
But more importantly, he maintained his consecutive scoring record in the most difficult environment.
As he left Carranza Stadium, Lu Chuan looked back at the hostile stadium.
Today's experience made him more mature and stronger.
No matter what challenges he faced, he would respond with goals.
This was his way, and the way of a strong player.