On the stands of the Heliodoro Rodríguez López Stadium, a dense crowd of blue-clad fans waved flags, their hoarse voices merging into a thunderous roar.
Lu Chuan took a deep breath, his mouth filled with the salty tang unique to the island.
The air here was different from Madrid, tense as if it were about to ignite.
Lu Chuan stood in front of the mirror in the away team's locker room, the shin guard on his right ankle soaked with sweat.
After a three-hour flight from Madrid to this island, the fatigue of the long journey had not fully dissipated, and the humid climate made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
"The humidity in this godforsaken place is going to suffocate me," Suárez said, pulling at his jersey, his face beaded with sweat.
Trejo sat on the bench, silently adjusting his shin guards. "Tenerife's home ground is never easy to play on; the fans here will blow the roof off."
Paco Jémez pushed open the door, holding a stack of papers. "Ready? Baraja is waiting for us outside."
Rubén Baraja, former Valencia legendary midfielder, was now Tenerife's head coach. His understanding of Lu Chuan was evident from his pre-match interview.
"We've studied all of Lu Chuan's match footage," Baraja's voice came through the wall. "His running habits, shooting preferences, passing routes—we know them all like the back of our hand."
In the player tunnel, Tenerife's players looked serious, their eyes filled with fierceness. Defensive midfielder Aitor Sanz and center-back Alberto Jiménez exchanged a glance, a silent understanding that made Lu Chuan feel a hint of unease.
As the whistle for the start of the match blew, Rayo Vallecano immediately felt the opponent's targeted deployment.
Sanz and Jiménez were like two chains, firmly binding Lu Chuan in the central position.
Whenever Lu Chuan received the ball, the two always appeared beside him at the first opportunity, cutting off his connection with his teammates.
"Damn it!" Lu Chuan tried to turn in front of the penalty area, but Jiménez's body immediately pressed against him, his strong muscles blocking every one of Lu Chuan's movements.
Rayo Vallecano's offense hit a wall everywhere against the opponent's tight defense.
Lu Chuan could only constantly drop back and pull wide, trying to find space, but this played right into the opponent's hands, moving him further away from the goal.
In the 18th minute, Tenerife's key player Luis Milla took the ball in midfield. He had excellent vision and sharp passing.
A long ball over the top found the right winger, who then delivered a cross from the byline, creating danger in Rayo Vallecano's penalty area.
"Watch the defense!" Trejo shouted, sweat dripping from his forehead.
In the 25th minute, the match became even more intense. Tenerife's players were making very aggressive moves. Defender Carlos Ruiz, in a defensive challenge, directly knocked Lu Chuan to the ground from behind.
Lu Chuan's body hit the turf heavily, and a sharp pain shot through his left shoulder. He struggled to get up and looked at the referee, but he merely waved his hand, signaling play to continue.
"That's a foul!" Paco Jémez roared from the sidelines, raising his hands in protest.
Ruiz walked past Lu Chuan, a cold smirk on his lips. "Kid, this is just the beginning."
The continuous away matches and the difficulties on the field began to make Rayo Vallecano's players restless.
Álvaro García's passes were errant, and Isi Palazón's breakthroughs lacked his usual composure.
The halftime whistle blew, and the score remained 0-0.
Lu Chuan dragged his tired body towards the locker room; his streak of consecutive goals seemed to face a huge test.
In the locker room, his teammates all looked a bit dejected.
Paco Jémez drew new formations on the tactics board, trying to find a way to break through.
Lu Chuan pulled out his phone, and a new message appeared on the screen.
Upon opening it, a picture appeared—Esther sitting in front of the TV at home, wearing a Rayo Vallecano jersey with "Lu Chuan 9" printed on it.
Her face wore a warm smile, and her blue eyes conveyed support and encouragement through the screen.
This picture was like a shot of adrenaline, reigniting Lu Chuan's fighting spirit.
"We need to change our tactics," Paco Jémez turned around, facing all the players.
"Slow down the tempo, pass the ball patiently, lure them to push up, and then use Lu Chuan and Álvaro's speed to exploit the space behind them."
The second half of the match resumed, and Rayo Vallecano's tactical adjustments paid off. Tenerife, eager to win at home, began to push their formation forward, leaving gaps behind their defense.
In the 65th minute, the opportunity finally arrived. Trejo received the ball in midfield. He looked around and saw Lu Chuan making a run forward.
"Lu!" Trejo shouted, delivering a seemingly casual long ball over the top with his right foot.
The ball arced beautifully through the air, and Lu Chuan and opposing defender Alberto Jiménez simultaneously started chasing it.
Their footsteps echoed rapidly on the turf, muscles tensed, breathing hurried.
Lu Chuan's muscles exploded with full power, and he, like a sports car hitting top gear, forcefully left Jiménez behind on the outside! He controlled the ball a step ahead!
"Beautiful!" Trejo clenched his fist, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Lu Chuan, now one-on-one, faced the onrushing goalkeeper Adrián Ortolá.
Ortolá spread his arms, trying to block the shooting angle, his eyes focused and sharp.
Lu Chuan did not choose a conventional push shot or chip shot.
While running at high speed, his right foot struck the ball at an extremely unusual angle, the outside of his instep precisely cutting into the lower side of the ball.
With a gentle flick of Lu Chuan's outside of the foot, the ball, like a boomerang, curved outwards along the turf, brushing past the near post and rolling into the net!
The entire Heliodoro Stadium fell into a momentary silence.
Fans in the stands gaped, unable to believe what had just happened.
Then, even some of the home fans couldn't help but applaud this imaginative and artistic goal.
"Oh my god! What a shot!" The live commentator's voice changed pitch.
Consecutive scoring record, fourth game, achieved! Lu Chuan conquered this devilish away ground with a masterful goal!
Álvaro García was the first to rush over, dramatically hugging Lu Chuan's shooting foot.
"Does your foot have a GPS? How did that ball go in!"
Trejo also ran over, smiling and patting his head. "You little rascal, you got me another assist!"
Tenerife's coach Baraja shook his head helplessly on the sidelines. He had pushed his tactics to the extreme, but still couldn't defend against such a flash of genius.
In the away stands, a few dozen Rayo Vallecano fans jumped wildly, their voices faint but enough to express their inner ecstasy.
In the last 20 minutes of the match, Tenerife launched a fierce counterattack, but Rayo Vallecano's defense held firm.
The final whistle blew, and the 1-0 score remained until the end.
Lu Chuan lay on the turf, gazing at the Canary Islands sky. The sea breeze swept across his cheeks, bringing a refreshing coolness.
This difficult away victory gave him a deeper understanding of his own abilities.
In the locker room, the sounds of his teammates' celebrations echoed in the small space.
Paco Jémez walked over to Lu Chuan and patted his shoulder.
"You know what? This goal today will make many people remember your name."
Lu Chuan smiled, wiping the sweat from his face.
He thought of Esther's photo, and the encouragement and support in her eyes.
Amidst the roar of the airplane taking off, Rayo Vallecano's players embarked on their journey home.
Outside the window, the waves of the Atlantic Ocean sparkled in the sunset, as bright as the dream burning in Lu Chuan's heart.