The smoke of battle had not yet cleared from Carranza Stadium, but the Spanish sports media had already exploded.
Marca's front page dedicated an entire spread to the headline: "The Butcher vs. The Artist."
The accompanying photo perfectly captured Lu Chuan's calm yet dominant expression AS he made the "quiet" gesture.
AS was even more direct: "Chinese Shooter Silences Cala with a Goal!"
World Sport's commentary was even more incisive: "This isn't just a penalty kick; it's a declaration of war.
Lu Chuan told everyone that true power speaks through strength."
Rayo Vallecano's bus slowly drove away from Cádiz, and the interior of the bus was unusually quiet.
The players were all reliving the intense confrontation, while Lu Chuan sat quietly in the corner, watching the scenery flash by outside the window.
His phone vibrated, and a video call request from Esther popped up.
"Oh my god, you scared me to death!" Esther's face appeared on the screen, her eyes still filled with worry,
"Seeing you being fouled repeatedly by that jerk, I wished I could jump into the TV and beat him up."
Lu Chuan's expression relaxed, and his tone became a bit lighter: "Don't worry, that guy isn't good enough to hurt me."
"But that gesture you made at the end," Esther's eyes sparkled with excitement, "it was so cool! The whole internet is going crazy over that moment."
"I just thought he needed to calm down a bit," Lu Chuan replied casually.
Esther leaned closer to the camera, her voice becoming tender: "My dear, I'm so proud of you."
After hanging up the video call, Lu Chuan noticed his teammates were secretly looking at him, their eyes full of admiration.
Trejo was the first to speak: "Kid, your performance today made all of us look at you in a new light."
"That penalty kick was so calm," Suárez gave a thumbs up, "to be able to shoot into the corner under that kind of pressure, that's a Big Heart."
Álvaro García smiled and shook his head: "If I had to deal with Cala's trash talk, I would have exploded long ago.
You actually endured it and responded with a goal in the end, that's incredible."
Their words, whether rough or sincere, made Lu Chuan feel like he wasn't fighting alone anymore. He smiled silently.
It was late at night when they returned to Madrid, but the sports news channels were still repeatedly playing highlights of tonight's match.
Lu Chuan's penalty kick was replayed in slow motion countless times, every detail magnified and analyzed.
The next morning, an unprecedented crowd of reporters gathered outside the training base. Cameras and microphones were aimed at every player entering and exiting, and flashbulbs fired continuously.
"Lu Chuan! Any response to Cala's provocation?"
"How do you feel about your performance?"
"Are you confident about scoring again in the next match?"
Questions flooded in like a tide, and Lu Chuan quickly walked towards the training ground, escorted by security. In the mixed zone, he was forced to stop and face the cameras.
"What do you want to say about last night's conflict with Cala?" a reporter extended a microphone to him.
Lu Chuan's expression was calm AS water: "He is an experienced defender, and on the field, everyone plays for their own team. The match is over; I'm only concerned about the next one."
"But some of his actions and words clearly went beyond normal limits..."
"Anything can happen on a football field," Lu Chuan interrupted the reporter, "I responded to everything with a goal, and that's enough."
An old reporter whispered to a colleague next to him: "This kid, he plays well, and he speaks impeccably. He's going to be something special in the future."
Before training began, Paco Jémez gathered the entire team. His expression was unusually serious.
"gentlemen, I know last night's match made you very excited. But I want to remind you that the real test has only just begun."
Paco's gaze swept over every player: "The media is now focusing all their attention on Lu Chuan, and on that damn record. But I want to tell you, we are a team!"
"Starting today, Lu Chuan will no longer give any pre-match interviews."
Paco's voice rose, "I also forbid anyone from discussing the record within the team. We only fight for one goal—victory!"
Captain Trejo stood up: "The coach is right. The record is Lu's own business; victory is the business of our entire team. We do our job, and the goals will come naturally."
Other players nodded in agreement. This unified atmosphere deeply moved Lu Chuan.
After training, Lu Chuan stayed on the field alone to practice shooting. Ball after ball flew towards the goal, each shot carrying a strong purpose.
The Assistant Coach walked over and quietly watched him practice.
"Kid, don't put too much pressure on yourself," the Assistant Coach's voice was soft, "The record is just icing on the cake."
Lu Chuan stopped, wiping the sweat from his forehead: "Coach, I'm not fighting for the record; I'm fighting for victory. The record is just a byproduct of victory."
The Assistant Coach nodded in satisfaction: "That's a very good mindset. Keep it up."
Meanwhile, on the other side of Madrid, at Fuenlabrada's training base, head coach José Ramón Sandoval was setting up specific tactics.
"This chinese kid really has some skills."
Sandoval pointed at the tactics board, "But if he wants to break the record on our home turf, he'll have to ask our defenders first if they agree."
Fuenlabrada's players let out a low chuckle.
AS teams from the same Madrid region, they had a natural competitive rivalry with Rayo Vallecano.
"Focus on marking his runs," Sandoval drew circles on the tactics board, "Don't give him any comfortable opportunities to receive the ball. If necessary, fouling is also acceptable."
Center-back Míchel Iribas raised his hand to speak: "Coach, Lu Chuan and I were teammates during our Espanyol youth training. I know his characteristics."
"Very good," a hint of excitement flashed in Sandoval's eyes, "Know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated."
The media hype intensified. Television stations began producing special programs, analyzing the possibility of Lu Chuan breaking the segunda división consecutive goal-scoring record.
"The current record is 10 games, set by former Real Madrid player Raúl González in 2010," the commentator spoke eloquently to the camera, "Lu Chuan has now scored in 9 consecutive games, just one step away from tying the record."
"More importantly, if he can reach 12 games, he will set a new historical record for segunda división."
Another guest added, "This is incredibly significant for a 19-year-old chinese kid."
On social media, the hashtag #Lu Chuan Breaks Record# continued to trend.
Fans were divided into two camps: one firmly believed he could make history, while the other thought the pressure would affect his performance.
In Carlos's office, the phone rang incessantly.
"Yes, Lu Chuan is currently in great form... What? Nike wants a meeting? Okay, I've noted it down..."
"Adidas wants to talk too? Oh my god, these brands are so sharp..."
"The registration for L&E Capital has been completed."
Carlos hung up the phone and reported to Lu Chuan via video call, "Both fund managers will be in place tomorrow."
"Very good," Lu Chuan nodded, "I'll leave the investment matters to the professionals; I'll just focus on playing football."
"Oh, and one more thing," Carlos's expression became serious, "Several Chinese media outlets want exclusive interviews, and they're offering a high price."
"Refuse them all," Lu Chuan said without hesitation, "Now is not the time for interviews."
It was late, and Lu Chuan lay in bed, wide awake. His mind kept replaying the confrontation with Cala and the support from his teammates.
The system panel appeared in his consciousness:
"Current LP Balance: 1020"
"Consecutive Scoring Record: 9 / 12"
"Next Opponent: Fuenlabrada"
He still needed 1180 LP for the Penalty Box Finisher. If he could win and score in the next match, he would have enough points to redeem it.
Thinking of this, a flicker of determination flashed in Lu Chuan's eyes. No matter what kind of defense he faced, no matter how much pressure he was under, he would continue to move forward.
This was not just for the record, but also to prove himself, to prove that chinese kid could also shine in European football.
Outside, the Madrid night was deep, but Lu Chuan's heart burned with a fierce fire. Tomorrow was a new day, a new challenge.
And he was ready.