Chapter 15
—
After securing the opening goal, the match began to progress smoothly.
Jeonbuk’s relentless pressing intensified with the cushion of one goal, while Gwangju struggled helplessly, unable to find a solution.
‘Typically, this is when substitutions are made to change the flow of the game. Surely, they know that.’
They probably do. The issue is that their coach isn’t confident that any substitutions will meaningfully change the current situation.
The Gwangju coach needed time to confirm that his judgment was correct.
Tap!
“Argh! Damn it, again!”
Of course, we had no reason to wait for them.
Once again, after intercepting the ball in midfield, I quickly surged forward, dribbling toward the centre circle.
“Ian! Up front!”
“Hey! Don’t send it right away. Let me sync up with Shaferi and create space first. Pass it over here!”
Simultaneously, Chun-jae hyung and Han Gang-rok waved at me, signaling their intentions.
With both the centre and the right wing in motion, Gwangju’s defense split into two. I slotted the ball through the gap, delivering it to Han Gang-rok.
Receiving the ball, Han Gang-rok used his trademark speed to penetrate deeply into the half-space.
“Cover the central line! Don’t overcommit to the flanks! Ah!”
The disarrayed Gwangju defense began to crumble under the relentless attack. Han Gang-rok didn’t miss the fleeting gap.
“Chun-jae hyung! Either go for it yourself or use Yoon Seung-hwan!”
Han Gang-rok’s pass landed at Chun-jae hyung’s feet.
Chun-jae hyung received the ball and scanned his surroundings.
There were plenty of defenders ahead of him. At this point, his options were to withstand the pressure and pass into an open space or take a direct shot.
Chun-jae hyung chose the latter—he went for the shot.
Bang!
The ball was struck with precision, aimed at an opening.
It was a well-hit shot, no doubt about it.
However, perhaps determined not to be outdone a second time, the Gwangju keeper’s reaction was swift.
Thud!
[Ahhhhhh!]
“Ah, dammit…”
As the ball was saved, the Mad Green Boys and Chun-jae hyung groaned in frustration.
Evidently disappointed, Chun-jae hyung hung his head. But I paid no mind, already positioning myself for the second ball.
‘A midfielder’s role, after all. Missing one chance in a game is no big deal.’
If the score were tied, it would be different. Isn’t this why we scored the first goal in the first place?
In a favourable situation, bold attacks like this not only apply pressure to the opposition but also lead to successive offensive plays.
Just like now.
“I… I’ll… Ah, damn Korean is so hard! ¡Yo me encargo, quítense! ¡Vete a la mierda! (I’ll handle the second ball! Get out of the way!)”
Realizing Chun-jae hyung’s shot had been saved, Shaferi immediately dove into the fray, aiming for a header.
With no better plan, he lunged forward with the sole intent of sending the ball ahead, thrusting his head recklessly toward it.
Thud!
“¡Puta!”
“Argh!”
Though fast on his feet, Shaferi’s shorter stature meant his head connected with Gwangju’s centre-back’s sideburns instead of the ball.
The contested aerial duel sent both the defender and Shaferi sprawling to the ground.
Thankfully, Shaferi’s desperate header redirected the ball toward me.
“Got it! Everyone, move forward!”
I took control of the ball and immediately began my advance.
With one centre-back incapacitated, Gwangju’s players scrambled frantically to stop me.
“You want to score an own goal too?”
“Huh? What?”
Feigning a kick and aiming a verbal threat, I startled one of their players. Flustered, he pinned his hands to his sides and started running defensively.
Turning his back prematurely?
‘Then you’ll have to deal with the consequences.’
A simple feint was all it took to shift the ball inside, allowing me to break through.
Raising my head, I assessed the situation.
‘Do I have to finish this myself again?’
I could, but I didn’t feel like making another risky decision with a low success rate.
As I deliberated, Yoon Seung-hwan came into view.
‘Found him.’
A complete striker. The protagonist of this world, capable of converting any touch into a goal.
With all the buffs and plot Armor bestowed upon him, Yoon Seung-hwan could undoubtedly turn even this chaotic situation into a scoring opportunity.
“Huff! Damn it!”
Perhaps sensing my intention, Yoon Seung-hwan’s eyes widened as he prepared to receive the ball.
“Hey! Seung-hwan, put your head toward the goal!”
“What? Wait, you’re not—”
“Don’t want to? Fine, I’ll use your legs then!”
“What the hell is this guy saying? Ah, crap!”
Bang!
Once I had my target, there was no need for hesitation. I immediately launched the ball toward Yoon Seung-hwan.
As soon as the ball left my foot, Yoon Seung-hwan frantically backpedaled.
Unfortunately for him, an average shot travels at about 90 km/h.
Even for a striker with the best stats in the human realm, it was impossible to dodge such a fast ball.
What happened next was obvious.
Thud!
“Arghhhhh!”
[Yeahhhhh! Seung-hwan!!!]
The ball I had kicked struck Yoon Seung-hwan’s leg, deflecting straight into the goal.
“Hah…”
The Gwangju keeper froze in place, unable to react to the unexpected deflection. Meanwhile, despite scoring a goal, Yoon Seung-hwan lay on the field clutching his ankle.
I didn’t understand why he seemed so upset, rolling on the ground without even celebrating. Still, his pitiful state stirred some pity in me, so I decided to share in his moment.
“Ugh, this guy is ridiculously heavy! Hey, Baek Ian! I’ve got Yoon Seung-hwan here!”
“Good work, Gang-rok. Looks like this guy can’t even stand up, so how about we celebrate among ourselves? Maybe a fishing celebration?”
“Sounds good. He’s flopping around like a fish anyway. Hyung! Why don’t you head over to the corner flag and pretend to snap some photos?”
“You bastards! What are you doing to me? Aren’t we friends? Didn’t we agree to stick together and do well as a team? Why are you treating me like this?!”
Yoon Seung-hwan screeched and wailed.
All I did was help him score, like the protagonist he is, so why is he so upset?
Whatever. He’s incomprehensible. In the meantime, I’ll just enjoy the celebration.
***
Like most teams, the good times come hand-in-hand with darker days.
In sports, it’s common to witness teams that seemed unshakable suddenly crumble due to time and various factors.
The K League is no different.
Take Suwon Oseong Bluefeather, a team once known for having the most passionate fans. They suffered the humiliation of relegation for the first time in their history due to insufficient support from the club owner and an utterly incompetent front office.
Jeonbuk Mirae Motors, after repeatedly hiring the wrong managers, found themselves on the brink of relegation, barely managing to survive.
In such cases, fan reactions typically fall into two categories:
First, those who continue to support the team no matter what.
Second, those who take a step back, casually checking in on the club’s news.
“Hm… What’s this?”
Yu Yeon-seong, the operator of “Jeonbuk Clip Collection,” a fan YouTube channel that once boasted the most views in the K League, fell into the latter category.
Jeonbuk had been his beloved club since childhood, and his passion was strong enough to inspire him to create and upload videos. But as the club began to decline and collapse, his deep fandom turned into despair.
Unable to bear it any longer, he decided to distance himself from Jeonbuk and pick up other hobbies.
Three years passed that way.
Having gradually erased Jeonbuk from his mind, he suddenly found himself reminded of them by an algorithm-suggested video.
[Jeonbuk vs. Gwangju: Wonder Goal in the First Half Followed by a Game-Sealing Goal]
[Jeonbuk Reborn!!!!! Overtaking Last Season’s Champions Ulsan with Three Consecutive Wins!]
“Jeonbuk won again? I’ve heard this season’s different, but this makes it three wins already, doesn’t it?”
Things had changed.
Jeonbuk was back.
Yu Yeon-seong had heard similar claims before and knew better than to trust them. Past experiences taught him that getting his hopes up only led to disappointment.
The likely scenario this time, too, was that the buzz on the community would lure him into following the matches again. But as time went on, Jeonbuk would spiral downward, and he’d end up crying in frustration by the season’s end.
‘I shouldn’t. I promised myself I wouldn’t watch. If I’m curious, I can check back later when Jeonbuk secures first place… No, even the upper split will do.’
Logically, staying away seemed like the smarter choice.
But people are emotional creatures, aren’t they?
[Jeonbuk Reborn]
Those four words caught his eye, and before he knew it, Yu Yeon-seong clicked on the post.
Fifteen seconds into the gif, as he watched it, he sprang up from the dinner table, where he had been eating with his family, and yelled.
“Damn it! Jeonbuk is back! Jeonbukcelona has returned!”
“Goodness, Yeon-seong! Why are you shouting all of a sudden? What’s going on?”
“Yu Yeon-seong! You’re thirty years old! What are you doing at the dinner table? Sit back down this instant!”
“I can’t! Jeonbuk’s been floundering for so long, but now they’re back after seven years! Do you think I can eat right now?”
Seven years.
That’s how long he had waited.
Seven years—long enough for rivers to change course and mountains to shift.
After what felt like an endless era of hardship, the clouds were finally parting, and a ray of light was shining through.
Once you realize that, family dinners stop being a priority.
“Baek Ian and Yoon Seung-hwan—they seem to be the core players this season. How should I edit the video? Oh! Maybe I could overlap their footage with clips of past Jeonbuk legends to highlight the similarities?”
Rising stars who remind fans of Jeonbuk’s past icons.
If edited like that, it would surely resonate well with the fans.
‘This is all I can do for now. I’ll put my heart and soul into it…’
With that resolve, Yu Yeon-seong sat down at his computer and began typing away.
That night, a new video appeared on the long-dormant “Jeonbuk Clip Collection” channel.
[The Heart of Jeonbuk Reborn] (UP)
– ??? What’s this? I thought the channel owner quit because of real-life commitments, but they’re back?
– Who are the players in the video? Just from their gameplay, they seem way above K League level.
└ His name is Baek Ian. He’s a rookie called up from the Youth Team this season. His form is insane.
└ Insane? That’s an understatement. Objectively speaking, he’s amazing. I looked him up, and his position is a Defensive Midfielder. Judging by the footage, he excels at both holding and box-to-box roles. With more matches under his belt, he’ll definitely make the national team.
└ Apparently, Valdé watched this game and was super impressed. He even grabbed his assistant coach by the collar and shook him after seeing Baek Ian’s long-range goal LOLOL.
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