The match entered the 70th minute, and the air in Vallecas Stadium was suffocatingly thick.
Every touch by Lu Chuan was met with bated breath from the entire stadium, and every mistake drew cheers from the Sporting Gijón players.
Pressure surged like a tide, but Lu Chuan felt an unprecedented clarity.
The Big Heart skill was fully activated in adversity; his senses became exceptionally sharp, and every detail on the field was clearly presented in his mind.
"Come back and get the ball!"
Lu Chuan proactively retreated to midfield, a move that caught Babin, who had been marking him closely, somewhat off guard.
If he followed, there would be a gap in the defense; if he didn't, Lu Chuan would be able to organize the play calmly.
The Full Field Vision skill allowed Lu Chuan to see the entire layout of the field.
Although Sporting Gijón's defense was dense, long periods of high-intensity defending had caused their physical condition to deteriorate.
In the 75th minute, Lu Chuan received a pass from Comesaña near the center circle.
Babin hesitated for a second, and this second of hesitation was keenly caught by Lu Chuan.
Direction Change Acceleration Master activated instantly!
Lu Chuan used a sudden change of direction to shake off Babin's entanglement, then sent a precise through ball into the penalty area.
Álvaro García surged forward at high speed, but Mariño came out in time and collected the ball.
"Almost!"
Fans outside the stadium sighed in regret, but this attack gave everyone hope.
The match devolved into a brutal tug-of-war. Both sides fought for every inch in midfield, with players constantly falling.
Sporting Gijón's players were already showing signs of cramping, but they still gritted their teeth and persevered.
Time ticked by, and less than 20 minutes remained until the end of the match.
Paco Jémez paced back and forth on the sidelines, a wild glint in his eyes.
This was a huge gamble: either make history or lose everything.
"Suárez off, Ullóa on!"
Paco made his final gamble. He replaced defensive midfielder Suárez with the tall striker Ullóa,
changing the formation to an extremely offensive 4-1-3-2, putting all his chips on offense.
"He's crazy!"
Sporting Gijón's coach, Djukić, shouted from the sidelines, "They're committing suicide!"
But Paco's gaze was as firm as iron. He believed in his players, in Lu Chuan, and in miracles.
In the 82nd minute, Rayo Vallecano earned a free-kick opportunity in the attacking third. Trejo stood over the ball, but instead of shooting directly, he passed it into the box.
The ball was headed out by a Sporting Gijón defender, but it only cleared to near the touchline.
In the 85th minute, Advíncula had a throw-in opportunity on the right wing. He glanced at the situation in the penalty area and took a deep breath.
This might be the last chance.
Advíncula took a run-up and threw the ball forcefully into the box. The ball arced high, heading straight for the center of the penalty area.
The newly introduced Ullóa, using his height advantage, leaped high at the near post. He didn't shoot directly but headed the ball backward!
The penalty area instantly descended into chaos.
The ball bounced between the legs of several players, each touch changing its trajectory.
Sporting Gijón's defenders desperately tried to clear the ball, while Rayo Vallecano's forwards frantically searched for a shooting opportunity.
Just as everyone was focused on the ball flying through the air, Lu Chuan made a different choice.
He didn't contest the first ball but, relying on his extraordinary anticipation, appeared ghost-like at the far post.
Full Field Vision allowed him to see the ball's trajectory, and Big Heart kept him absolutely calm amidst the chaos.
The ball bounced off Ullóa's head, arcing strangely through the air, landing precisely where Lu Chuan was positioned.
Time seemed to stand still at this moment.
Lu Chuan watched the slowly descending ball, countless images flashing through his mind.
The despair of being abandoned by the Evergrande Football School, the loneliness of struggling in the Segunda División B, the anger of breaking with the Football Association, and Esther's gentle smile.
Everything would find its answer at this moment.
As the ball dropped, Lu Chuan made no adjustments, directly unleashing a side-volley!
The inside of his right foot struck the ball precisely, and the immense power sent the ball flying towards the goal like a cannonball.
Mariño dived to save, but the ball was too fast and the angle too tricky.
The net violently shook, making a crisp sound.
1-0!
A last-minute winner!
Vallecas Stadium instantly erupted with a thunderous roar.
Although the stands were empty, the cheers of tens of thousands of fans outside the stadium pierced through the thick walls, echoing to the sky.
Scoring in 12 consecutive League matches!
A new record for Asian players in Europe!
A Segunda División record that had been sealed for decades was completely broken at this moment!
An era belonging to Lu Chuan was officially born!
After scoring, Lu Chuan ran towards the sidelines, knelt, and slid more than ten meters on the grass. He let out a loud roar, a declaration and a release.
The fans outside the stadium instantly went wild.
Red fireworks shot into the sky, dyeing the night sky of Vallecas blood-red.
Songs, shouts, and cries intertwined, forming a magnificent symphony.
"Lu Chuan! Lu Chuan! Lu Chuan!"
Tens of thousands of people chanted his name in unison, their voices spreading throughout Madrid.
In the vip box, Esther was so excited that tears streamed down her face.
She hugged her friend tightly, repeating, "He did it! He really did it!" over and over again.
In front of their televisions, countless Chinese fans erupted at this moment.
From Beijing to Shanghai, from Guangzhou to Shenzhen, everyone following this match celebrated this historic moment.
On the field, Rayo Vallecano players rushed towards Lu Chuan. Trejo was the first to arrive, hugging Lu Chuan tightly, tears of excitement sparkling in his eyes.
"You did it, brother! You really did it!"
Comesaña, Álvaro García, Isi Palazón, all his teammates surrounded him, lifting Lu Chuan high.
Paco Jémez raised his arms and cheered on the sidelines; the usually calm Spanish coach could not control his emotions at this moment. He knew he had witnessed the birth of a legend.
Sporting Gijón's players stood frozen, their eyes filled with unwillingness and despair.
Babin looked at the celebrating Lu Chuan, the scorn in his eyes completely gone, replaced by deep reverence.
"This is the difference between genius and ordinary people."
Djukić shook his head and smiled bitterly on the sidelines, "We did well enough, but against such an opponent, we can only accept defeat."
The match restarted, but Sporting Gijón had already lost their fighting spirit.
They passed mechanically, ran mechanically, their minds no longer on the game.
In the 90th minute, the referee signaled 3 minutes of added time.
The added time board went up, 3 minutes. The red and white jerseys on the field desperately tried to run down the clock, while the blue and white jerseys made their final struggle.
Lu Chuan controlled the ball in midfield. He was not in a hurry to attack but patiently passed the ball, running down the clock.
Every touch drew cheers from the fans outside the stadium, and every pass made Sporting Gijón's players more desperate.
In the 2nd minute of added time, Sporting Gijón got one last chance.
Đurđević received a pass in the penalty area, but his shot was weak and easily collected by Dimitrievski.
The final whistle blew!
Vallecas Stadium completely erupted!
His body rose and fell in the air; he looked at the fireworks set off for him, his heart surprisingly calm.
They won, so what? His thoughts had already drifted to the next match.
He knew this was just the beginning.
The record of 12 consecutive goals was precious, but it was not his endpoint.
His gaze was already set on a farther horizon, on La Liga, on Europe's top stage.
"Lu Chuan! Lu Chuan!"
Reporters frantically rushed onto the field, camera flashes flickering like rain.
But Lu Chuan did not accept any interviews; he just stood quietly in the center circle, enjoying his moment.
Esther rushed down from the vip box, pushing through the crowds to embrace Lu Chuan.
"I'm proud of you."
She whispered in his ear, her voice trembling.
Embracing Esther, Lu Chuan felt himself transform from a symbol who made history back into a flesh-and-blood person.
"This is just the beginning."
Lu Chuan whispered back in her ear, "Our story has just begun."
In the locker room, the celebration continued.
Players popped champagne, golden liquid flying through the air. Paco Jémez raised his glass, toasting everyone.
"To this historic night!"
"To Lu Chuan!"
"To Rayo Vallecano!"
Cheers echoed throughout the locker room, but Lu Chuan quietly walked to a corner.
He took out his phone and saw congratulatory messages from all over the world.
His parents' pride, friends' blessings, fans' jubilation, media's praise.
But what moved him most was a message from the Evergrande Football School: "We are proud of you and will always support you!"
Lu Chuan's eyes were a little moist. From being abandoned to making history, this journey had not been easy. But he knew it was all worth it.
The system's voice sounded in his mind:
"Congratulations, Host, for completing the feat of 12 consecutive goals! You have gained 5000 Legend Points!"
"New achievement unlocked: Light of Asia!"
"New skill unlocked: [King's Aura]!"
But Lu Chuan did not immediately check these rewards. He just sat there quietly, relishing every detail of that goal.
He remembered Babin's disdainful look, and the coach's gambling substitution. That kick was not just for a goal.
"Lu Chuan!"
Trejo walked over, holding a bottle of champagne.
"Come on, let's celebrate again!"
Lu Chuan smiled, took the champagne, and clinked glasses with his captain. Foam splashed on his face, but all he felt was sweetness.
This night belonged to Lu Chuan.
This night belonged to Rayo Vallecano.
This night belonged to everyone who believed in miracles.
The record of twelve consecutive goals will forever be etched in history, but more importantly, a new legend was rising.
Lu Chuan's era had officially begun.