Chapter Thirty-One: The Trainer System

Sitting on the plane, watching his teammates snicker around him, Yang Chen adopted the tone of someone who had been through it all, speaking earnestly, “Mo Mo, matters of the heart can't be rushed.”

At this moment, Mo Mo no longer cared to explain himself; better to finish the World Cup first and deal with everything else later.

The next match for the Chinese team could truly be called a battle to change their fate. If, in the final round, China defeats Turkey, or Turkey defeats China, both teams will have four points. If Brazil beats Costa Rica, or if Costa Rica pulls off an upset and beats Brazil, Brazil would take first place in the group with nine points (in fact, even if they lose, they’re still first), and Costa Rica would be second with five points.

The key now is whether Brazil can beat Costa Rica. If Costa Rica wins, both Turkey and China are out. If Costa Rica loses, they stay at two points, and then the second qualifying spot comes down to China and Turkey. If China wins, they go through with four points; if Turkey wins, they go through instead. If the match ends in a draw, then Costa Rica, China, and Turkey all compare goal difference, and China will surely lose in that scenario.

In the last match against Brazil, Mo Mo played for nearly thirty minutes. Calculated at five training points per minute, Mo Mo would receive 150 training points (these bonus points are awarded for match time played). Just as Mo Mo was agonizing over how to allocate his points, the system greeted him warmly in his ear.

The automatic training system is now activated. The host may choose to assign points manually or let the system do it automatically. For automatic allocation, please choose a position: forward, winger, central midfielder, and so on. Was there even a question? Of course he’d pick forward! Thinking this, Mo Mo made his choice.

But it wasn’t over yet. Please select favored attributes (note: the more you choose, the less effective each is). For this, Mo Mo selected off-the-ball movement and finishing.

System message: As this is your third world-class match, the Trainer System is now unlocked. You may select a trainer who will offer technical guidance while your eyes are closed.

Close my eyes? Mo Mo was taken aback, but he closed his eyes as instructed. He found himself enveloped in darkness, then suddenly a door appeared before him. Mo Mo stepped forward, and the door opened automatically. The next thing he knew, he was standing on a football pitch.

“Hello, I am your trainer, Su Yishen.”

Standing before him was a young man, about 180 centimeters tall, looking rather ordinary, sporting a bowl cut. This isn’t as good as having a pretty secretary, Mo Mo thought.

“Hello, Yishen. May I ask, in what ways can you help me?”

Su Yishen bowed slightly, straightened up, and said in a clear voice, “I can conduct simulated matches for you when you’re stuck on the bench and not playing.”

Mo Mo’s lips twitched. The bench? Not playing? Get lost! I don’t need you. For some reason, any mention of not playing set him on edge. Suppressing his irritation, Mo Mo asked, “Anything else?”

Su Yishen bowed again. “I can also provide one-on-one training: passing, movement, shooting—even simulating defenders for you to practice dribbling past.”

Now that was interesting. Mo Mo’s lips curled into a smile. Was this his golden finger?

“What are we waiting for? Let’s begin!” Mo Mo’s fighting spirit was ignited.

Su Yishen bowed again. “Which training would you like to do?”

It was a question worth considering. After a moment’s thought, Mo Mo replied, “Dribbling past defenders.”

Su Yishen bowed, and then the scenery shifted abruptly. Suddenly, he was dressed head-to-toe in a spotless white kit, with a name floating above his head like a game mini-boss: Aubilev.

Mo Mo’s lips twitched again. He said coldly, “Didn’t you say you’d simulate defenders for this drill? What’s with the outfit and the new name?”

Su Yishen—now Aubilev—bowed with no emotion in his voice. “Aubilev is my English name. As for simulating defenders, you haven’t fulfilled the unlock requirements yet.”

Mo Mo caught the implication. His lips twitched as he asked, “So, what can I do right now?”

Su Yishen put on a thoughtful expression and replied seriously, “As a basic coach, I can fetch the ball for you during training, act as the wall when practicing free kicks, and serve as goalkeeper during shooting practice.”

Well, it could be worse. Even if the coach was mediocre, at least he was still a coach.

“What’s your skill level, more or less?”

Su Yishen bowed slightly and replied, “Roughly the level of a lower-tier college team player.”

Hearing this, Mo Mo understood that, for now, the Trainer System wasn’t going to help him much. He was about to leave when Su Yishen spoke again.

“But, during various drills, if you manage to beat me, you’ll gain one training point. Beating me means scoring a goal.”

A glint flashed in Mo Mo’s eyes. One training point? Worth a try.

“Dribbling drill.”

Su Yishen nodded and once again transformed into the white-clad Aubilev.

At first, Mo Mo felt a little nervous. But as the training mode began, he couldn’t help but smile. They stood about ten meters apart. Facing a college amateur—wasn’t this easy prey?

In a flash, Mo Mo surged toward goal. Aubilev “rushed” forward to intercept. It felt like running while the other was merely jogging. With a gentle tap of his left foot, Mo Mo sent the ball right through Aubilev’s legs. Aubilev tried to turn and stop him, but his reaction was hopelessly slow. Mo Mo easily left him behind, sprinted forward, and scored.

As soon as the ball hit the net, the scene went black, and they were both back at the starting point. The only difference: Mo Mo had gained one training point. That was almost too easy! In just two or three minutes, he had earned a point.

Excited, Mo Mo launched into a spree of effortless training. But after beating Aubilev ten times, Aubilev suddenly collapsed, reverting back to Su Yishen. Mo Mo nudged him with his toe.

“Get up! Keep going!”

Su Yishen lifted his eyelids and replied, “As a basic coach, I only have ten stamina points. Stamina recovers at a rate of one point per hour.”

Before Su Yishen had finished speaking, Mo Mo had already vanished—he had exited the Trainer System. Su Yishen stared after him, then added, “But, if you do non-experience training, stamina isn’t required.”

Well, this weakling of a trainer...