Chapter 222 5-Star Player Unlocked! Dafeng Will Join In First!

2016 flew by in the blink of an eye.

Since Su Luo's rebirth, time seemed to move faster than ever. It felt like just yesterday that he had joined Union Berlin for trial training, and now, here he was, leading Chelsea to an 18-match winning streak in the Premier League.

In the past, Su Luo would spend New Year's Eve with Josephine, or sometimes with Taylor Swift and Erica. But life in the Premier League had made him busier than ever. After facing Bournemouth on Boxing Day, Chelsea had another match against Stoke City just a week later.

Even though it was New Year's Eve, Su Luo found himself spending it on the pitch. Perhaps this was the unique romance of being a professional footballer.

For the last match of 2016, Josephine didn't hesitate to attend, taking her place in the VIP box at Stamford Bridge. She wanted to spend New Year's Eve with Su Luo.

If Su Luo were still with Union Berlin, Josephine would have been in the middle of the north stand, hanging out with the diehard fans. She had become a part of the Iron League, always finding a spot among them. But at Chelsea, things were different. Not knowing many of the fans, she watched the game from the box, feeling like an outsider.

For Su Luo, Chelsea felt more like a job. East Berlin was his home. While the Blues fans were crazy about him, he still felt somewhat disconnected. He didn't even know who the leader of the Chelsea Fans Association was. But that didn't matter much. As long as he kept winning, Su Luo was the king here—the God of Stamford Bridge.

Stoke City, as always, remained a solid opponent. Season after season, they managed to finish mid-table in the Premier League, a feat not easily achieved. Stoke City used to be the epitome of an old-school British team—relying on high balls and the infamous "grenade throw-ins," earning them the nickname "The City in the Sky."

Under Mark Hughes, Stoke had added a more European flair to their game. They no longer relied solely on defensive counterattacks but attacked with full force, no matter who they faced. This season, they often ended up in high-scoring games, making them a nerve-wracking team to play against.

Recently, Stoke had drawn 2-2 with Leicester City at home and then lost 1-4 to Liverpool. Conte knew not to underestimate them and repeatedly warned the team to be cautious of their attacks.

With only 5 hours left in 2016, Chelsea took on Stoke City at Stamford Bridge!

As the media predicted, Stoke City didn't hold back, despite facing Chelsea. They went on the offensive from the first minute of the match!

"Shaqiri breaks through! A cross from the left!"

"Peter Crouch!!! A powerful header! Courtois saves it!"

Stoke's early attack gave the home fans at Stamford Bridge a real scare!

Chelsea had been riding high, crushing teams like Manchester City and Tottenham on their way to 18 consecutive victories, and their fans had grown confident—perhaps overly so. They didn't believe Stoke could pose a threat. But as the match began, Chelsea's defense seemed jittery, almost conceding early on.

Chelsea quickly responded, not willing to be outdone.

"Chelsea's attack! A quick pass through the midfield, Su Luo eyes the space behind, and a through ball penetrates the wing! Willian follows with a threatening cross!"

"Lukaku!!! Just misses the target, the ball sails slightly over the crossbar."

"Stoke City counters! A fast break, bypassing the midfield, looking for Crouch!"

"The header comes down, Shaqiri again with a breakthrough on the wing! He shoots!"

"Unfortunately, Shaqiri's shot is off-target, but Stoke's attack looks dangerous!"

Unlike previous matches, where little happened in the first five minutes, this game was different. Within the first two minutes, both teams had already created three threatening chances!

The fans were on edge from the start, not daring to relax for fear of missing a crucial moment.

"Chelsea's in for a tough game today."

Stoke City's squad wasn't full of unknowns. They had Shaqiri, the "Swiss Messi," and the veteran England striker Peter Crouch. Their midfield boasted players like Joe Allen, Diouf, and Charlie Adam, while their defense was anchored by Shawcross, Glenn Johnson, and Indi—all seasoned Premier League players.

Mark Hughes employed a straightforward strategy: using Crouch's towering height to create a focal point in the attack. Chelsea, known for their high pressing and strong midfield interceptions, found it difficult to defend against this direct style of play. Retreating into a defensive shell would only hand the initiative to Stoke, so Chelsea had no choice but to go on the attack.

Conte had seen through Stoke's tactics, but he made no changes to his plan. After all, as long as Chelsea could score one more goal than their opponents, they would win. And when it came to scoring efficiency, who could compare to Su Luo?

Sure enough, after weathering Stoke's early pressure, Chelsea began to find their rhythm. In the 18th minute, Kante made a crucial interception and immediately passed the ball to Su Luo, who had dropped back to receive it.

With his back to Charlie Adam, Su Luo executed Bergkamp's signature move—flicking the ball to his right with his right foot while spinning to his left, leaving the defender behind.

With the skills of Ronaldinho at his disposal, Su Luo made such extraordinary moves with ease.

"Su Luo channels Bergkamp! A dazzling move that breaks through Stoke's defense in an instant!"

"Su Luo now faces Shawcross head-on, with Glenn Johnson rushing in to help defend!"

"The timing is perfect!! Su Luo slips the ball to Ajar! He's onside!!"

"Ajar shoots from inside the box… It hits the crossbar!"

Ajar held his head in disbelief, frustrated at missing such a golden opportunity. Su Luo's pass had practically served the goal on a silver platter, only for Ajar to squander it. Still, he quickly gave Su Luo a thumbs-up, a gesture he had learned from Lukaku. Whenever Lukaku missed a chance, he would always acknowledge his teammates with a thumbs-up, admitting his mistake.

"Stoke City on the counter!! Another long ball to Crouch!"

"Crouch heads it down! Shaqiri with the cross! Crouch again!!!"

"The ball is in… Wait! The referee has blown the whistle! Crouch was just offside when the pass was made."

The hearts of Chelsea fans, momentarily in their throats, finally settled back into place.

The first half of the match ended with neither side scoring, but the excitement on the pitch was undeniable. Both teams created numerous thrilling opportunities that kept the neutral fans on the edge of their seats. Stoke City's goalkeeper, Grant, and Chelsea's Thibaut Courtois were both in top form, making crucial saves to keep the score level.

Su Luo, Chelsea's star forward, unleashed two powerful long-range shots from difficult angles, but Grant managed to stop them both, showcasing his undeniable skill.

By this point in the match, Su Luo had accumulated four layers of buffs, and his "Unparalleled Mode" was ready. However, Su Luo knew there was no need to rush. He just needed to stay patient and wait for the right moment to strike.

Finally, during a fast-paced exchange, Chelsea found their breakthrough.

In the 34th minute of the first half, Su Luo took another shot, but once again, the goalkeeper saved it. With that, Su Luo reached four layers of buffs, feeling a warm surge of energy through his body.

The karma weapon was ready.

As Chelsea prepared for a corner kick, Cesc Fabregas stepped up to take it. He aimed the ball towards Su Luo, who was closely marked by Joe Allen and Charlie Adam. Using Harland's power, Su Luo held his ground firmly, preventing Adam from pushing him off the ball. Adam, despite giving it his all, couldn't budge Su Luo.

As the ball dropped in front of him, Su Luo, with his back to the goal, didn't even bother to control it. Instead, he had a sudden flash of inspiration and decided to activate his newly unlocked skill.

After their last victory over Bournemouth, Su Luo had celebrated at a nightclub. During that time, he discovered a new player had been unlocked in his virtual reality—a player from Sweden, a forward whose presence commanded respect.

The last badge he saw was from Inter Milan, and out stepped a tall, imposing figure with an air of arrogance—Zlatan Ibrahimovic, during his prime at Inter Milan!

A 5-star player, Ibrahimovic joined the team with flair.

Back on the field, Su Luo immediately channeled Ibrahimovic's spirit. As he did, he felt a wave of supreme confidence wash over him—he saw everyone else on the field as mere ants beneath him.

In this state of utter self-assurance, Su Luo activated the law of causality buff. He didn't care about the technicalities of his shooting form—he knew he could score from any angle.

In front of a stunned Stamford Bridge, Su Luo executed an extraordinary scorpion kick from outside the penalty area, sending the ball soaring into the net!

Stoke City's players didn't even have time to react. The ball flew past them, and Grant, Stoke's goalkeeper, stood frozen, unable to move.

"What a goal! Su Luo has just scored with an unbelievable scorpion kick from outside the box!"

"Chelsea take the lead with one goal!"

"Su Luo is known for scoring incredible goals, but this might just be the finest of his career!"

The Stamford Bridge crowd erupted as Su Luo's confident, effortless strike became an instant highlight. The blue stands roared like a tidal wave.

Stoke City's players and their manager, Mark Hughes, were in shock. As they struggled to regain their composure, another Chelsea attack was already underway.

N'Golo Kanté intercepted a pass and quickly played it forward to Fabregas. Fabregas wasted no time, launching a swift counterattack, passing to Eden Hazard on the left. Hazard danced past Glenn Johnson and Shawcross with ease before delivering a precise cross.

Romelu Lukaku, who had pulled defenders Indy and Shawcross out of position, left a gaping hole near the penalty spot. To Stoke City's dismay, Su Luo appeared in that very spot, perfectly positioned.

He took the shot.

"Oh my god! 2-0!!"

"Su Luo has scored twice in just one minute! His relentless combination of strikes has completely overwhelmed the opposition!"

"In the final game of 2016, Chelsea are marching towards a 19-game winning streak!"

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