In the Butarque Stadium locker room, Lu Chuan sat in a corner, gently caressing his right foot, which had just completed a hat-trick.
Sweat dripped down his cheeks.
Four consecutive matches, with at least three goals in each.
This record was unprecedented in the history of the segunda división b league.
"Damn it, are you going to make all the defenders in Segunda División B cry?" Joaquín walked over, his tone filled with complex emotions.
A few months ago, he would never have imagined he would proactively joke with this Chinese man.
Lu Chuan looked up, a slight smile on his lips: "Not enough yet."
Joaquín was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.
Such arrogance, if it came from anyone else, he would have scoffed.
But coming from Lu Chuan, it felt perfectly natural.
Chema Rico pushed the door open, a stack of newspapers in his hand.
"Look at these headlines," he spread the newspapers on the table.
Marca's front page: "Chinese Messi Emerges!"
AS's sports section: "Asian Cristiano Ronaldo Conquers Spain!"
World Sports' column: "Can Lu Chuan Break the Segunda División B Single-Season Goal Record?"
Teammates gathered around, discussing animatedly.
"Chinese Messi? That nickname is good," Luis Pereya said with a smile.
"I think Asian Cristiano Ronaldo sounds more domineering," Sergio also joined the discussion.
Lu Chuan did not participate in these discussions.
His attention was entirely focused on the system interface in his mind.
"Four consecutive matches with a hat-trick completed!"
"Obtained LP: 500"
"Achievement Unlocked: Segunda División B Legendary Striker"
"Dribbling attribute increased: +3"
"Positioning attribute increased: +2"
"Current LP balance: 1200"
This was the largest LP reward he had ever received.
1200 LP, the number made his fingertips tingle. It seemed that even the system thought his performance in these few matches was insane.
His phone suddenly rang, displaying Carlos's name on the screen.
"Congratulations, Lu Chuan!" The agent's voice was full of excitement.
"You are now the focus of the entire Spanish football world!"
Lu Chuan walked to the corner, lowering his voice: "Any specific news?"
"Too much!" Carlos's tone became even more agitated.
"Three segunda división teams have officially inquired, including Almería and Zaragoza."
"And scouts from two La Liga teams appeared in the stands last night."
"Regarding commercial collaborations, I have already screened out five valuable brands."
Lu Chuan's heart skipped a beat.
His gaze passed over Carlos's name, looking out the window. The dream that was unattainable in his previous life now seemed within reach.
"Which two La Liga teams exactly?"
"I can't reveal that yet, but I can tell you that one of them is absolutely unexpected."
Carlos deliberately kept him in suspense.
"I need to talk to you in person, tomorrow at 3 PM, same place."
After hanging up, Lu Chuan returned to his seat.
His teammates were still discussing the newspaper reports, but his thoughts had drifted elsewhere.
La Liga, that was the stage he had always dreamed of.
But at the same time, he also clearly knew the extent of Leganés B Team's reliance on him.
"Lu Chuan, the club president wants to see you," Chema Rico walked over, his expression serious.
"Now?"
"Now."
The president's office was on the second floor of the training base.
Lu Chuan knocked and entered, seeing a Spanish man in his fifties sitting behind the desk.
"Please sit, Lu Chuan," President Juan Carlos Pérez gestured to the chair opposite him.
"I think we need to talk."
Lu Chuan sat down, waiting for the other party to speak.
"Your performance has exceeded everyone's expectations," Pérez said straightforwardly.
"The club has decided to offer you a new contract."
He pushed a document over.
"Double salary, plus generous goal bonuses."
"We hope you can continue to stay at Leganés."
Lu Chuan looked through the contract terms, a mix of emotions in his heart.
Leganés B Team was indeed his stepping stone, but he never intended to stay on it for too long.
"I need time to consider."
Pérez nodded: "I understand. But I hope you understand that Leganés gave you a chance, and now we need you too."
"Thanks to your performance, the team has jumped from the middle-to-lower ranks of the League to a strong contender for promotion."
"The fans see you AS a hero."
"These are all responsibilities, Lu Chuan."
Lu Chuan rubbed his temples hard; the club's retention efforts and the agent's blueprint were a tangled mess in his mind.
The word 'responsibility' felt so heavy it made him breathless.
Back in the dorm, Miguel was already waiting for him on his bed.
"How was it? What did the president say?" Miguel poked his head out, winking with a gossipy expression.
"New contract," Lu Chuan replied simply.
"Double salary?" Miguel's eyes lit up.
"About that."
"Then what are you hesitating for? Sign it!"
Lu Chuan didn't respond, instead pulling out his phone.
The screen showed a call from his parents.
He immediately answered the video call.
In the video, his mother's eyes and brows were full of smiles, and her voice was a little higher than usual: "Son! We saw all the news!"
"Four consecutive hat-tricks! You are truly the pride of our whole family!"
His father also leaned into the camera: "The newspaper says you're called the Chinese Messi?"
"It's just media exaggeration," Lu Chuan replied modestly.
"But son, you must remember to stay humble," his mother's expression turned serious.
"Don't be arrogant when you succeed; this is just the beginning."
His father added calmly: "Your own path, once you've thought it through, go for it."
"No matter where you go, we support you."
After ending the call, Lu Chuan lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
His parents' words eased some of the confusion in his heart.
But the choice remained difficult.
Staying at Leganés meant safety and stability.
But it also meant limitations and compromises.
Leaving, on the other hand, meant the unknown and challenges.
But it also meant he could go to a place truly worthy of his ambition.
The next afternoon, Lu Chuan arrived at Carlos's office on time.
The agent's desk was covered with various documents and contracts.
Carlos gestured for him to sit down, no smile on his face: "Today, we need to talk business."
"Regarding endorsements, there are a few good ones," he cut straight to the chase.
He picked up a document.
"Spanish local sports drink brand 'Energy Source', annual endorsement fee of 150,000 euros."
"Sports goods brand 'Star of Madrid', annual endorsement fee of 120,000 euros."
"And a fast-moving consumer goods brand, annual endorsement fee of 80,000 euros."
Lu Chuan quickly calculated; these endorsement fees combined already exceeded his current annual salary.
"These are small brands, but they are very helpful for building your commercial image," Carlos continued.
"More importantly, there's news from the team side."
His tone became even more excited.
"Almería offered a transfer fee of 500,000 euros and an annual salary of 250,000 euros."
"Zaragoza's terms are even better, a transfer fee of 800,000 euros and an annual salary of 300,000 euros."
"But what excites me the most is this."
Carlos took out a special document.
"Vallecano Football Club, a La Liga team."
"They hope to loan you for half a season during the winter transfer window."
Lu Chuan's heart instantly accelerated.
Vallecano, a La Liga team!
Although it was only a loan, it meant he had a chance to prove himself in Spain's top League.
"What are the terms?"
"A loan fee of 200,000 euros, and they will cover your salary."
"If you perform well, they have a priority buy-out option."
"The buy-out price is 2 million euros."
Lu Chuan swallowed hard, trying to calm himself down.
This opportunity came faster than he expected.
"There's an even bigger surprise," Carlos smiled mysteriously.
"Espanyol Football Club."
"What?" Lu Chuan almost jumped out of his chair.
Espanyol, that was the team Wu Lei played for!
"Their scouts have been watching you for a long time."
"Although there's no official offer yet, they've expressed strong interest."
"If you perform well during your loan spell at Vallecano, Espanyol is very likely to make an official offer in the summer."
It took him several seconds to digest the news.
From Segunda División B to La Liga, this leap was much faster than he had imagined.
"I need time to consider."
"Of course," Carlos nodded.
"But I advise you to make a decision quickly."
"The winter transfer window will open soon."
"Opportunity waits for no one."
Leaving Carlos's office, Lu Chuan wandered aimlessly through the streets of Madrid.
AS the sun set, pedestrians hurried along the streets.
His phone kept ringing, but he didn't answer.
In his mind, the system interface quietly appeared.
"Detected host facing an important career choice"
"Triggered special mission: Make the correct choice"
"Mission Reward: Corresponding reward based on the choice outcome"
"Hint: Every choice will affect future development trajectory"
Lu Chuan stopped, looking at the distant sunset.
Choice, the word had never felt so heavy.
Stay at Leganés, continue to dominate Segunda División B.
Transfer to a segunda división team, prove himself in a higher-level League.
Or take the risk of a loan to La Liga, directly challenging the highest level of Spanish football.
Staying at Leganés was comfortable, but the ceiling was too low; going to segunda división was a safe step, but what if there was a better opportunity? Going directly to La Liga was too risky, but the temptation was also the greatest.
Every choice had its risks and opportunities.
His phone rang again, this time it was Joaquín's call.
"Lu Chuan, where are you?" Joaquín's voice was filled with concern.
"I haven't seen you since training ended."
"I'm just walking around the streets."
"Is something on your mind?"
Joaquín's concern warmed Lu Chuan's heart.
A few months ago, this Spaniard was still hostile towards him.
Now, they had become true teammates.
"Joaquín, if I leave one day, what would you think?"
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the line.
"I'll miss your passes," Joaquín's voice was a little choked up.
"But I'll also be happy for you."
"Because you deserve a bigger stage."
These words brought tears to Lu Chuan's eyes.
"Thank you, Joaquín."
"No problem," Joaquín's voice returned to its usual relaxed tone.
"Just remember, no matter where you go, Leganés will always be your home."
After hanging up, Lu Chuan already had his answer.
He wasn't here for comfort; he was here to conquer.
La Liga, the stage he had always dreamed of, was beckoning him.
Even if it was just a loan, even if it was full of risks, he had to try.
Because that was his nature, never satisfied with the status quo.
Always craving higher peaks.
Night fell, and Madrid's lights began to illuminate.
Lu Chuan took out his phone and dialed Carlos's number.
"I've decided," his voice was firm and clear.
"Vallecano, I'm going."