On a night in southern Madrid, the lights of Butarque Stadium illuminated the pitch a vibrant emerald green.
Lu Chuan stood in the player's tunnel, hearing the clamor from the stands.
Tonight's opponent was Almoayano Sports, a mid-to-upper table team in the League, trailing Leganés B Team by only three points in the standings.
"Everyone's eyes are on you tonight."
Chema Rico patted Lu Chuan's shoulder.
In the past few rounds, Lu Chuan had either scored or assisted in every match, and the Spanish media had already begun to call him the "new star of Segunda División B."
In the locker room, his teammates' expressions were more focused than usual. Joaquín sat next to Lu Chuan and proactively handed him a sports drink.
"I heard they specifically studied your match footage."
Joaquín said in a low voice. A few months ago, he would never have imagined himself proactively caring about the situation of this Chinese player.
Lu Chuan took the drink but didn't respond. His attention was entirely focused on the system interface in his mind.
"Current LP Balance: 280"
"Redeemable Skill: Penalty Box Finisher (Beginner) - Requires 200LP"
"Redeem now?"
Lu Chuan silently confirmed in his mind.
He took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes again, the stadium's clamor faded away.
In his world, there was only the football, the goal, and the gaps between the defending players.
The whistle blew, and the match officially began.
Almoayano had clearly done their homework.
Their two center-backs took turns man-marking Lu Chuan, not giving him any comfortable space to receive the ball.
Just five minutes into the game, Lu Chuan was double-teamed three times.
The first time was on the left wing; as soon as he received a pass, he was pressed by two players and could only hastily pass the ball back to the defender.
The second time was in the center; he tried to receive a pass from a teammate, but the opponent's midfielder anticipated it and directly intercepted the ball.
The third time was on the right wing; when he cut inside, he was maliciously pulled by an opposing defender, but the referee did not call a foul.
The home fans in the stands began to grow anxious.
They were looking forward to Lu Chuan's brilliant performance, but he had posed almost no threat in the first fifteen minutes.
"Damn 'turtle shell' formation."
Luis Pereya panted near midfield.
Almoayano's defensive density made Leganés's attack extremely difficult.
Lu Chuan was not impatient. He began to consciously adjust his positioning, no longer sticking to a single spot, but instead roaming between the three areas of the attacking third.
In the 23rd minute, the opportunity finally arrived.
Sergio delivered a diagonal long pass from the left wing; the ball flew over Almoayano's defense and landed on the right side of the Penalty Box.
Lu Chuan judged correctly; he shook off his marker and sprinted at full speed towards the landing spot.
Almoayano's goalkeeper rushed out, attempting to control the ball before Lu Chuan.
Both arrived at the ball's landing spot almost simultaneously. The goalkeeper stretched out his hands, while Lu Chuan gently poked the ball with the tip of his right foot.
The ball slipped through the goalkeeper's fingers and slowly rolled towards the goal.
The defenders desperately chased back, but it was too late. The moment the ball crossed the goal line, a thunderous cheer erupted throughout Butarque Stadium.
1-0!
Lu Chuan did not over-celebrate; he merely raised his hands and saluted the fans in the stands. This calmness made the opponents feel even more despair.
But Almoayano did not give up. After conceding the goal, they immediately intensified their attack, trying to equalize before halftime.
In the 41st minute, their efforts paid off.
From a corner kick, Almoayano's center-back outjumped Leganés's defenders in the Penalty Box and scored with a header.
1-1.
At halftime, the score was back to square one.
The atmosphere in the locker room was somewhat subdued.
His teammates had initially thought they could go into the second half with a lead, but the opponent's resilience exceeded expectations.
"We need to be more patient in the second half."
Chema Rico drew arrows on the tactics board.
"Lu Chuan, your positioning needs to be more flexible.
They are putting all their attention on you now, which will create opportunities for others."
Lu Chuan nodded. He could feel the expectant gazes of his teammates; this pressure accelerated his adrenaline secretion.
After the second half began, Lu Chuan clearly strengthened his cooperation with the midfield.
He no longer played alone, but instead participated more in the team's overall attack.
In the 58th minute, he received a pass from Joaquín at the top of the Penalty Box.
Facing the encirclement of three defenders, Lu Chuan did not choose to shoot,
but instead backheeled the ball to the surging Luis Pereya.
Luis's shot was saved by the goalkeeper, but the ball rebounded into the Penalty Box.
In the scramble, Lu Chuan, relying on the keen sense brought by the [Penalty Box Finisher] skill, got to the ball before everyone else and slotted it into the net with his left foot.
2-1!
This time, Lu Chuan's celebration was more intense. He ran towards the corner flag, slid on his knees on the grass, and spread his arms to embrace the night sky.
His teammates rushed over frantically, piling on top of him. The fans in the stands chanted his name, their voices deafening.
But the match was not over yet.
Almoayano became even more aggressive after falling behind. They pushed almost everyone forward, trying to equalize again.
In the 78th minute, their striker was tripped by Sergio in the Penalty Box.
The head referee unhesitatingly pointed to the penalty kick spot.
Almoayano's captain stood at the penalty kick spot, taking a deep breath.
But Leganés's goalkeeper, Alberto, made a miraculous save, denying the ball.
In the stands, a fan who had just sat down suddenly jumped up again, spraying beer foam all over the row in front of him.
This save ignited the entire stadium, and even Leganés's players on the field straightened their backs, their steps lighter as they ran back to defend.
In the 85th minute, Leganés earned a free kick opportunity in the attacking third.
Lu Chuan stood over the ball, his gaze sweeping over the wall, repeatedly measuring the narrow gap in the upper right corner of the goal.
A run-up, a kick.
The ball kicked by Lu Chuan spun, almost grazing the heads of the wall, carrying all his determination, and flew towards the dead corner of the goal.
The goalkeeper made a desperate save, his fingertips touching the ball, but he could not change its trajectory.
3-1!
Hat-trick!
The entire Butarque Stadium went wild.
Fans jumped up, waving scarves and flags. Teammates from the bench rushed onto the field, surrounding Lu Chuan.
"Hat-trick! Lu Chuan has completed his first hat-trick of his professional career!"
The live commentator's voice had changed pitch.
"Defenders in the segunda división b league have a new problem, and his name is Lu Chuan!"
He was carried on his teammates' shoulders, his vision filled with waving arms and excited faces,
the deafening cheers made him temporarily forget the match, leaving only pure joy.
In the final minutes of the match, Almoayano's players didn't even bother with symbolic pressing, merely walking around the field, waiting for the final whistle.
When the final whistle blew, the score was fixed at 3-1.
Lu Chuan walked towards the away team players, shaking hands with them one by one. The opposing captain patted his shoulder, his eyes full of admiration.
"You played great."
The words were in Spanish, but Lu Chuan could hear the sincerity in them.
At the press conference, reporters surrounded Chema Rico, asking questions incessantly.
"Coach, how would you evaluate Lu Chuan's performance tonight?"
"He no longer needs my evaluation."
Chema smiled and shook his head.
"Three goals, three different ways. That is the mark of a top striker."
"Do you think he has a chance to break the Segunda División B single-season goal record?"
"If he maintains this form, anything is possible."
Meanwhile, Lu Chuan was receiving congratulations from his teammates in the locker room. Joaquín proactively walked over and extended his hand.
"Congratulations, Captain."
This was the first time Joaquín had proactively called him Captain. The moment they shook hands, all the past months of resentment vanished.
In his mind, the system's notification sound rang out.
"Hat-trick completed!"
"LP gained: 300"
"Penalty Box Finisher skill upgraded to Proficient"
"Guaranteed Penalty Kick talent trigger probability increased to 40%"
"Shooting attribute increased: +3"
"Positioning attribute increased: +2"
Lu Chuan felt the changes in his body. Every touch of the ball became more precise, every run more reasonable.
When he returned to the dormitory, Miguel was already waiting for him on the bed.
"Oh my god, Lu Chuan! You were a god tonight!"
His roommate jumped up excitedly.
"My phone was blowing up! Everyone was asking me about you!"
Lu Chuan sat tiredly on the edge of the bed, but a satisfied smile played on his lips.
His phone screen showed countless unread messages. Carlos, his parents, friends from home, and even some unknown numbers.
He first called Carlos.
"Congratulations, Lu Chuan!"
His agent's voice was full of excitement.
"After tonight, your market value has at least doubled!"
"I've already received over a dozen interview invitations from media outlets, and three segunda división teams have inquired about you."
Lu Chuan listened quietly, but his heart was unusually calm.
"Carlos, help me decline all interviews."
"What? Why?"
"Now is not the time. I need to prove myself with more performances."
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.
"You're right. Maintain the mystery, make them crave it more."
After hanging up, Lu Chuan made a video call to his parents.
On the screen, his parents' excited faces brought a warm feeling to his heart.
"Son, we saw the news!"
His mother's eyes were filled with tears.
"A hat-trick! Our son completed a hat-trick!"
His father also leaned into the camera.
"You are the pride of our whole family now!"
"But remember, don't get complacent. This is just the beginning."
Lu Chuan nodded.
"I know, Mom and Dad. I will continue to work hard."
After ending the call, Lu Chuan lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Tonight's hat-trick was just a milestone, not the end.
His goal was La Liga, the top European Leagues, and the World Cup.
Outside the window, the night in Madrid was deep. The sound of cars passing in the distance could be heard.
Lu Chuan closed his eyes, and the image of the next match appeared in his mind.
Opponents would take him more seriously, and their defense would be tighter.
But he was ready.
The power of the system, combined with his own efforts, nothing was impossible.
Miguel tossed and turned in the upper bunk.
"Lu Chuan, do you think we can get promoted?"
"Of course."
Lu Chuan's voice was calm and firm.
"We not only need to get promoted, but we need to get promoted as champions."
These words sounded exceptionally powerful in the silent night.
Miguel stopped talking, but Lu Chuan could feel the light in his roommate's eyes.
It was a yearning for the future, a desire for a dream.
And Lu Chuan was at the heart of it all.