The changed Yang Yang

The next morning, Yang Yang finally opened his eyes, the strange dream still fresh in his mind. He shot up from his single bed, his heart racing. Panic set in as he frantically touched his face, then his arms, and all over his body, trying to reassure himself that everything was still normal. He hurried to the mirror, staring intently at his reflection, half-expecting to see some alien-induced mutation staring back at him.

But to his relief, everything appeared perfectly fine. There were no strange marks, no signs of mutation. His body was just as it had been the day before. Yet, something was different. Despite spending more than ten hours training in the Dream Training System, he didn't feel the slightest bit tired—neither mentally nor physically. On the contrary, he felt revitalized, more energetic than he had the day before.

It seemed the system's claims were true. Everything that happened in the Dream Training System had a direct impact on him, but without any of the usual physical exhaustion. Instead, he felt refreshed, as though the training had actually rejuvenated him.

This realization brought a wave of relief. If he could train this intensely without any physical drawbacks, his potential to improve was limitless. With access to the skills of football's greatest superstars and the ability to train without restraint, his progress could skyrocket.

The thoughts of the grueling training sessions and the doubts he had entertained the night before were suddenly swept away. A new determination filled him. He was ready to embrace the challenges ahead.

"Zax, Zax," Yang Yang called out, using the name he had chosen for the voice in the Dream Training System.

His first priority was to confirm that Zax truly existed, that this wasn't just some vivid, lucid dream.

"Stop screaming, you weren't dreaming," the cold, emotionless voice responded, sounding as it always did. "And don't call me Zax." There was a hint of irritation in the voice, protesting the name Yang Yang had bestowed upon it.

Yang Yang couldn't help but laugh, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. "He, he," he chuckled, suddenly feeling that his real football journey was about to begin.

"Zax, you said I can only enter the Dream Training System to train when I fall asleep?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

"Yes," Zax's voice confirmed, still cold and devoid of any warmth. "But I am always at your side to help you."

"What if I have insomnia and can't sleep?" Yang Yang asked playfully, feeling light-hearted.

"Relax. When you want to train, even if you have insomnia, you just need to lie on your bed and think of the Dream Training System. You will fall asleep immediately," Zax replied, his tone as matter-of-fact as ever.

"Unexpectedly, you can also improve my sleep," Yang Yang said with delight. The idea that the system could help him sleep was an added bonus.

Good sleep was crucial for everyone, but for professional footballers, it was even more vital. He had often heard Johnny Rep emphasize the importance of rest, saying that players who sleep well have a better chance of enjoying a long and successful career. The importance of sleep was clear.

"There are many other uses for the Dream Training System," Zax continued, "and you will gradually learn how to use it. But for now, I suggest you wash yourself because you stink terribly. After that, you can have a good breakfast and then start your training."

"I have to train again?" Yang Yang glanced at the alarm clock on his bedside table. "I have to go to school soon."

"You can go to school and juggle the ball," Zax replied, his tone as emotionless as ever.

"But I'll be late," Yang Yang protested. He usually took the bus to school, and there wasn't much time left.

"That's your problem. I'm only responsible for the training," Zax responded coldly.

Yang Yang sighed, feeling a mix of frustration and amusement. It seemed that Zax had no interest in his daily schedule or the practicalities of his life outside of football. The system was focused solely on one thing: making him a better player, regardless of the inconvenience it might cause.

Realizing there was no point in arguing, Yang Yang hurried to get ready. His mind was already buzzing with thoughts of the day ahead, but one thing was clear—his journey as a footballer was about to take a dramatic turn, and he was determined to make the most of it.

...

...

Although Yang Yang's performance in the Almere youth camp was consistently the worst on the team, he proved the saying "God is fair" true in other aspects of his life—particularly at school.

As a transfer student who had traveled a long way from China to the unfamiliar environment of the Netherlands, Yang Yang quickly adapted to his new surroundings. Remarkably, he picked up the Dutch language with ease, despite never having spoken it before, and he swiftly caught up with his studies. His academic achievements stood in stark contrast to his struggles on the football pitch.

Meanwhile, some of Almere's youth prospects, who shone brightly on the training ground, were floundering in the classroom. Many of them struggled to even pass their exams, much to the frustration of their head teachers. Almere had to hire after-school tutors to help these players meet the academic standards necessary to continue their football training.

In the Dutch youth education system, maintaining at least a passing grade in school is mandatory. Without it, players are not allowed to participate in training or competitions. Because of Yang Yang's excellent academic performance, both Johnny Rep and the headmaster suggested that he should give up football and focus on his studies to secure a place at a university.

But this morning, the model student in the eyes of the headmaster was nearly late for class.

Under the watchful eyes of his teacher and classmates, a sweaty and slightly disheveled Yang Yang stood at the door, embarrassed. He offered a sheepish apology, trying to come up with an excuse that might explain his tardiness.

"Sorry, I missed the bus and got lost trying to walk here," he mumbled.

The entire class erupted in laughter, even the teacher couldn't help but smile. The excuse was so far-fetched that it seemed almost comical.

But being a top student had its perks. The teacher merely made a light-hearted comment, using Yang Yang as an example, before allowing him to enter the classroom.

Relieved to have avoided any serious reprimand, Yang Yang hurried to his seat. He had barely settled in when the bell rang, signaling the start of class.

"Yang Yang, we all thought you had given up and run away," teased his teammate and classmate, Henk Dimer, poking Yang Yang in the back with a pencil.

Henk Dimer was the quintessential class bully, and according to teachers' gossip, he wouldn't have been admitted to this class if Almere hadn't intervened with the school. Despite his academic struggles, Dimer was the captain of Almere's sixteen to seventeen-year-old team and was widely regarded as the most promising talent among them.

Yang Yang glanced around and noticed the mocking eyes of his teammates, who seemed to share Dimer's sentiment. He knew that guessing when he would finally give up football had become a sort of game for them—a way to amuse themselves during the long school days.

"Don't worry, I haven't given up yet. There's still a month to go," Yang Yang replied, pursing his lips with determination.

Dimer smirked, lifting his lips in a sneer. "Really? I don't think you can last that long."

"In every training session, practice match, or technical evaluation, you're always the worst on the team," Dimer continued, his tone dripping with condescension. "I don't understand why you bother. Do you actually enjoy dragging the team down?"

"Sooner or later, you'll be kicked out of the training camp. Why not just give up now?"

Before receiving the Dream Training System, Yang Yang might have felt crushed by his teammates' taunts, unable to muster the confidence to respond. But now, with Zax by his side, his confidence was unshakable.

"You just watch," Yang Yang said firmly, his voice filled with conviction. "I'm not only going to pass the assessment and stay on the team, but I'm also going to earn one of the spots to go to Amsterdam and participate in the Ajax Talent Day selection."

Hearing Yang Yang's bold and confident statement, Henk Dimer and the others were momentarily stunned. Then they burst into laughter, as if they had just heard the funniest joke in the world.

"You? Pass the assessment and get a spot for Talent Day?" Dimer chortled, barely able to contain his amusement. "Oh my God, where did you get that confidence?"

"That's the funniest thing I've heard in my life!" another teammate added, clutching his sides.

Dimer, still laughing, stood up and shouted to the rest of the class, "Hey, everyone! Our great player Yang Yang just said he's going to be selected for the Ajax Talent Day! Did you hear that?"

A chorus of sarcastic "Yeses" echoed through the classroom, and everyone turned to look at Yang Yang with mocking expressions. Although some of them felt a twinge of sympathy for him, they all knew that Yang Yang's performance on the field was a far cry from his academic prowess. Most of them agreed that he would likely leave the team—and possibly the school—by the end of the semester.

How could someone like that hope to earn a spot in the Talent Day selection?

Yang Yang knew that none of them believed him, but he didn't feel the need to explain himself. He understood that the only way to earn their respect was through his performance on the field.

Since the first day he joined the team, his teammates had never taken him seriously. Words were useless now. The only thing that mattered was proving himself through action.

This realization only strengthened his resolve. He would work harder than ever before. He had to succeed. Failure was not an option.

...

...

At noon, during the designated nap break, Yang Yang eagerly re-entered the Dream Training System, determined to continue practicing his ball control. Despite the hours of training he had already put in, the challenge of juggling the ball two hundred times consecutively still eluded him. His footwork had improved significantly, and he now had good control over the ball with his feet. Yet, achieving the elusive two hundred juggles in a row remained a daunting task, with small mistakes interrupting his progress.

The biggest challenge, however, lay not with his feet but with his shoulders and head. These were areas he had barely practiced before, and the task of juggling the ball with these parts of his body was proving to be particularly difficult. The road ahead was still long and demanding, filled with the repetitive drills required to master two hundred consecutive juggles.

Fortunately, the Dream Training System provided invaluable support. Every time Yang Yang juggled the ball with his head, Zax was there, offering precise guidance to correct his form and movement. This assistance made a noticeable difference, allowing Yang Yang to juggle more successfully and steadily improve his technique. Each session brought him closer to mastering the difficult skill.

Later in the afternoon, when Yang Yang arrived at Almere's youth training camp for the regular training session, he discovered yet another remarkable benefit of the Dream Training System: a new ability he dubbed "God's Vision." This extraordinary feature gave him a panoramic view of the entire pitch, almost as if he were a deity observing the mortal world from above. It also provided him with the ability to understand every move made by the players around him, whether in training or during matches.

Though he was still getting accustomed to using God's Vision during gameplay and his reactions were a bit slow, Yang Yang quickly recognized the immense advantage it conferred. During the Rondo game that followed, he began to apply this newfound ability, using it to anticipate the direction of his teammates' passes with surprising accuracy.

There's a saying: "While the expert sees the art, the layman enjoys the show."

Johnny Rep, a seasoned professional and a former star player, was someone who could certainly see the art. As he observed the training session, he noticed something different about Yang Yang. While everyone else seemed to see the same old Yang Yang, rushing around the pitch with his usual energy, Rep detected a subtle change. His experienced eyes narrowed in concentration as he muttered to himself, "This boy is a bit different today."

He couldn't quite put his finger on what had changed, but his instincts told him that something was indeed different.

In contrast, the assistant coach, who had a less discerning eye, laughed off Rep's observation. "Nothing unusual, he's just running slower than usual," he quipped.

But Johnny Rep wasn't convinced. He knew better than to dismiss his gut feeling, even if he couldn't immediately identify the change.

As the Rondo game continued, everyone expected Yang Yang to be the target of his teammates' mockery, as was often the case. Usually, he would spend ten long minutes chasing the ball around the circle, unable to intercept a pass. But today, something unexpected happened.

Less than two minutes into the game, Yang Yang suddenly slowed his pace while trying to catch the ball. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then abruptly turned and accelerated toward Henk Dimer, Almere's star player. Dimer had just received the ball when, to his shock, Yang Yang was already upon him.

With no time to make a pass, Dimer watched in disbelief as Yang Yang cleanly intercepted the ball from him. The tables had turned—now it was Dimer's turn to step into the circle and try to catch the ball.

Johnny Rep's eyes widened in surprise. For the first time, he was certain that Yang Yang had changed. The exact nature of the change was elusive, but it was clear that something had clicked. Perhaps, Rep mused, Yang Yang had finally learned to use his head—not just physically, but also in the way he approached the game.

The moment marked a turning point, not just for Yang Yang but also for his coaches and teammates. While the others were still processing what had just happened, Yang Yang felt a surge of confidence. He had begun to tap into the potential that the Dream Training System offered, and now, for the first time, he was showing real progress on the field.

The path ahead was still filled with challenges, but Yang Yang was ready. He had something to prove—not just to his teammates and coaches, but also to himself. And with each step forward, he was closer to making his dream a reality.