The air in the training base's locker room was so heavy it was suffocating.
Assistant Coach Juan Carlos, holding the red and white captain's armband, slowly walked towards Lu Chuan in front of all the players.
"Lu Chuan," Juan's voice was low and serious, "Coach Paco asked me to give this to you."
The armband glinted under the lights, embroidered with Rayo Vallecano's crest.
This was not just a piece of fabric, but a weighty responsibility.
Lu Chuan extended his right hand and took the armband. It felt heavier than he imagined, as if carrying the fate of the entire team.
Trejo was the first to stand up and start applauding.
The applause echoed in the locker room, with Suárez, Savić, and Álvaro García joining in.
But Lu Chuan keenly noticed that not everyone was applauding.
Young striker Antoñín sat in the corner, arms crossed, watching the scene with complex eyes.
Substitute midfielder José Pozo had his head down, seemingly deep in thought.
"A 20-year-old Chinese man as captain?" Antoñín's voice was very quiet, but it was exceptionally clear in the silent locker room.
The air instantly froze. Everyone's gaze turned to Antoñín, then back to Lu Chuan.
Lu Chuan showed no anger, nor did he offer any defense. He simply looked calmly at Antoñín, then surveyed the entire locker room.
"I know some of you have questions about this decision."
Lu Chuan's voice was soft, but every word was clear and powerful, "Age, nationality, seniority—these are all legitimate questions."
He put the armband on his left arm, his movements slow and solemn.
"I don't care if you believe in me now," Lu Chuan's gaze swept over each teammate,
"But I believe in every single one of you. From now on, on the field, we carry this together."
Trejo nodded, his eyes shining with approval.
The old captain knew that a true leader was not defined by age or seniority, but by actions.
"Alright, let's go out and train." Juan clapped his hands, "We still have a lot of work to do."
The players exited the locker room one by one. Lu Chuan deliberately slowed his pace, waiting until the very end.
On the training ground, the Madrid sun was particularly dazzling.
Lu Chuan was the first to start warming up, his movements more serious than usual, every stretch perfectly executed.
Other players gradually joined, but the atmosphere was noticeably subtle.
"Passing drill!" Juan commanded loudly, "In pairs, keep the rhythm!"
Lu Chuan proactively walked towards Antoñín. The young striker froze for a moment, then reluctantly nodded.
The two began to pass, and at first Antoñín's movements were a bit stiff, and his passing power was not well controlled.
"Relax a bit." Lu Chuan caught a slightly high pass, "Your technique is very good, don't be nervous."
Antoñín looked up, the hostility in his eyes gradually fading.
"I just feel…" Antoñín hesitated, "You're too young."
"Youth is not a weakness." Lu Chuan passed the ball back steadily, "What matters is what we can do for the team."
As the scrimmage began, Lu Chuan displayed unprecedented drive.
In every tackle, he gave his all with the strength of Iron Body. In every run, Perpetual Motion allowed him to cover the entire field.
His actions were more convincing than any words.
"Damn it!" José Pozo cursed under his breath after Lu Chuan cleanly dispossessed him in a challenge.
"Beautiful!" Trejo cheered from the side, "That's the intensity we need!"
Halfway through training, Lu Chuan noticed Pascual standing alone on the sidelines, staring blankly at the grass.
"Martín." Lu Chuan walked over and gently patted the young center-back's shoulder, "Still thinking about yesterday?"
Pascual nodded, his eyes full of guilt.
"Forget about it." Lu Chuan's voice was soft, "Everyone makes mistakes; what matters is learning from them."
"But that goal…"
"That goal is in the past." Lu Chuan interrupted him, "Now we need to think about the next match. I need you, and the team needs you."
Pascual looked up, his fighting spirit rekindled.
After training, Lu Chuan proactively sought out Juan, and the two had an in-depth discussion in front of the tactics board.
"Without Paco's live coaching, we need a more stable tactic." Lu Chuan pointed at the tactics board, "Defensive counter-attack might be the best option."
Juan nodded. "Your idea is very good. But Almería's offense is very sharp, and our defense…"
"I will drop back more to help with midfield defense." Lu Chuan drew a few lines on the tactics board, "Trejo will be responsible for organizing, and I'll connect the front and back fields."
Full Field Vision gave him a deeper understanding of the game, and every tactical detail was thoroughly considered.
"This might affect your goal statistics," Juan reminded him.
"Statistics don't matter; victory does." Lu Chuan's answer was without hesitation.
Outside the training base, reporters had already gathered. When Lu Chuan walked out the gate, flashlights instantly lit up.
"Lu Chuan, what are your thoughts on becoming captain?"
"Do you think a 20-year-old Asian player can handle the captaincy?"
"Is Rayo Vallecano making a huge gamble?"
Questions rained down, each with a sharp edge of doubt.
Lu Chuan stopped, looking calmly at the reporters.
"Doubt is normal," his voice was clear and firm,
"But I will prove everything with my actions. What Rayo Vallecano needs is not a perfect captain, but a captain willing to give everything for the team."
"So, regarding the team's current predicament…"
"Predicament?" Lu Chuan sneered, "We've just encountered some setbacks. True warriors grow stronger through setbacks."
The reporters wanted to continue asking questions, but Lu Chuan had already turned and left.
Back at the apartment, Esther was preparing dinner in the kitchen. She heard the door open and turned around.
"How was it?" Her eyes were full of concern.
"Very good." Lu Chuan walked over and hugged her from behind, "Although there are some challenges, I can handle them."
"This burden is too heavy; won't you be crushed?" Esther turned around, her hands gently caressing his cheeks.
"Don't worry." Lu Chuan held her hands, "This will only make me stronger."
Esther nodded, her eyes full of trust.
"I believe in you. But remember, you're not fighting alone."
During dinner, Lu Chuan's phone vibrated incessantly. Carlos sent a message, telling him that the public relations team had already started working, releasing positive signals to the media.
Messages like "Lu Chuan has high support within the team" and "This is a joint decision by the coaching staff and players" began to spread across major media platforms.
"Your agent is very professional," Esther said, looking at the news on the phone screen.
"He has to be professional," Lu Chuan put down his phone, "Every detail is important now."
The next morning, the team announced the starting lineup against Almería. Next to Lu Chuan's name, "(C)" appeared for the first time.
Looking at that letter, Lu Chuan took a deep breath. This was not just an honor, but a thousand-pound burden.
In the locker room, teammates were making pre-match preparations. The atmosphere was much more relaxed than yesterday, but a tense undercurrent could still be felt.
"Brothers." Lu Chuan stood in the center, looking at each teammate, "Today we will prove to everyone that Rayo Vallecano will never fall."
Trejo was the first to stand up and walk to Lu Chuan's side.
"For Rayo Vallecano!" The old captain raised his right fist.
"For Rayo Vallecano!" Everyone responded in unison.
The sound echoed in the locker room, shaking people's hearts.
As he walked towards the player tunnel, Lu Chuan felt the weight of the captain's armband on his left arm. This weight no longer made him feel pressure, but gave him infinite strength.
He knew that the real test had just begun. But he was ready, ready to lead this team out of its predicament and back to its peak.
The lights in the player tunnel were bright, shining on the captain's armband, making it sparkle. Lu Chuan's gaze was as firm as iron, his steps steady and powerful.
Behind him, his teammates followed, their eyes burning with the same fighting spirit. They knew that today was not just a match, but a demonstration.
A demonstration that their captain was trustworthy, and that Rayo Vallecano would never give up.