Isi Palazón's pass was like an arrow, the ball rolling swiftly along the grass, aimed directly at a fatal gap in Elche's Penalty Box.
Lu Chuan's timing for his run was perfect; his legs seemed to have springs, unleashing astonishing speed in an instant.
"Damn it!" Juan Cruz realized the danger and desperately chased back, but his tired legs couldn't keep up with his mind's reaction.
Gonzalo Verdú tried to cover, but found his positioning completely disrupted by Lu Chuan's movement.
The Chinese forward's predictive ability filled him with fear.
At the moment Lu Chuan received the ball, all thirty-six thousand spectators at Vallecas Stadium collectively held their breath.
Goalkeeper Edgar Badia decisively rushed out, attempting to block the angle with his body.
Facing the charging goalkeeper, Lu Chuan remained exceptionally calm.
The "Penalty Box Finisher" skill showed its power at the crucial moment; his brain rapidly calculated the optimal shooting angle and timing.
Badia spread his arms, lowered his center of gravity, his eyes fixed on Lu Chuan's foot movements. As a top goalkeeper in the Segunda División, he had seen too many forward's shooting routines.
Lu Chuan made a shooting motion, pulling his right foot back, his body slightly tilted.
Badia immediately made a judgment, shifting his body's center of gravity to the right, preparing to save the near post.
At that very moment, Lu Chuan's right foot suddenly changed direction! He didn't shoot directly, but instead used the outside of his foot to deftly flick the ball, which rolled past Badia's right side.
"What?!" Badia's eyes widened in shock, his body already off balance, unable to make a second reaction.
Open goal!
Lu Chuan faced an empty net and easily tapped the ball into the goal.
The ball hitting the net made a crisp sound, a sound that resonated like thunder in everyone's heart.
"Goal! Goal!!!"
A roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami erupted from the stands. Red and white flags waved wildly, countless fans jumped, embraced, and cried.
Lu Chuan didn't celebrate wildly; he ran directly towards Isi Palazón.
The two embraced tightly at the edge of the Penalty Box, their foreheads touching, their eyes gleaming with excitement.
"What a beautiful pass!" Lu Chuan patted Isi's back.
"Your run was even more incredible!" Isi responded excitedly.
Then, Lu Chuan turned to face the stands, pointed to his temple, and then pointed to the coaching bench where Paco Jémez was located.
This celebration clearly indicated: this was a victory of intelligence, a perfect execution of tactics.
Paco vigorously waved his fist on the sidelines, his face filled with excitement and pride.
This goal proved that his tactical adjustments were correct, and it also proved that Lu Chuan was not just a goal-scoring machine, but also a player who could think.
"Scoring in seven consecutive games!" The commentator's voice was a little choked, "Lu Chuan has proven himself again! Facing the tightest defense, he used his intelligence to tear open a crack!"
In the vip box, Esther excitedly stood up from her seat, covering her mouth with both hands.
She witnessed the entire process of Lu Chuan breaking through from a difficult situation; the shock of finding a way out of desperation made her tremble all over.
"This is the man I fell in love with," she whispered softly, her eyes full of deep affection.
On the field, Elche's players were thunderstruck. Their carefully constructed defensive wall was completely torn apart by a precise surgical strike.
Gonzalo Verdú hung his head in frustration, hands on his hips. Juan Cruz stood panting in place, sweat mixed with disappointment dripping from his cheeks.
Pacheta roared on the sidelines, but he knew in his heart that this goal could not be blamed on any one player. It was a complete tactical defeat.
"Damn it!" Pacheta punched the air, "How did they spot the weakness?"
Elche, after conceding the goal, was forced to change tactics. They could no longer maintain their previous extreme conservatism; they had to push forward to seek a goal.
The collapse of the defensive wall gave Rayo Vallecano more space to operate.
Trejo's organization in midfield became more composed, and Álvaro García frequently created threats on the left wing.
The game entered garbage time, and Rayo Vallecano completely controlled the situation. Lu Chuan moved freely in the attacking third, each time he touched the ball, it elicited cheers from the stands.
In the second minute of injury time, Rayo Vallecano launched their final attack. Trejo received the ball near the center circle and saw Lu Chuan's gesture for the ball in the attacking third.
A long pass accurately found Lu Chuan, who received the ball on the right side of the Penalty Box.
Facing the double-teaming of two defenders, Lu Chuan could have chosen to shoot forcefully.
His right foot was already prepared to shoot, and Edgar Badia had also adopted a saving stance.
Suddenly, Lu Chuan passed the ball horizontally to Álvaro García, who was in a better position on the left! This selfless pass made the entire stadium erupt again.
"Lu Chuan passed! What a selfless choice!"
Álvaro García faced an open goal and easily tapped the ball in. 2-0!
After scoring, Álvaro didn't celebrate alone; he immediately rushed to Lu Chuan.
The two embraced tightly in the Penalty Box, a scene that warmed countless hearts.
"Brother! Thank you!" Álvaro shouted excitedly in Lu Chuan's ear.
"We are a team!" Lu Chuan responded, patting his shoulder.
The final whistle blew, and Vallecas Stadium completely transformed into an ocean of joy. Fans sang loudly, celebrating this hard-won victory.
The team washed away the regret of the Copa del Rey with a perfect victory, reigniting their hopes for promotion. Every player's face was beaming with joy and pride.
In the locker room, the system's prompt sounded in Lu Chuan's mind.
"Ding! A crucial League victory!"
"Match Rating: 9.2"
"LP gained: 200 (Victory) + 150 (Crucial Goal) + 80 (Assist) = 430LP!"
"Current LP balance: 710 + 430 = 1140LP"
Lu Chuan looked at the growing numbers with satisfaction; every LP was a valuable resource on his path to the pinnacle.
At the post-match press conference, Pacheta actively sought out Paco Jémez, and the two shook hands firmly in front of the cameras.
"You deserved this victory," Pacheta's tone conveyed respect, "Your number 9, not only scores goals but also plays with his brain. He will belong to La Liga sooner or later."
Paco smiled and nodded: "Lu Chuan is indeed a special player. But more importantly, he makes the entire team better."
The next morning, Lu Chuan and Esther were enjoying a leisurely breakfast at their apartment.
Suddenly, an urgent news flash interrupted the television broadcast.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt this program for an important announcement." The anchorwoman's expression was exceptionally serious,
"Given the rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain, to ensure the health and safety of all personnel,
the Spanish Football Association and La Liga have jointly decided that La Liga and Segunda División will be suspended immediately, with a resumption date to be announced later."
Lu Chuan's coffee cup paused in mid-air, his gaze fixed on the television screen.
His winning streak, his goal-scoring record, his red-hot form... everything was put on pause by the sudden pandemic.
Esther's phone rang urgently at that moment; she glanced at the caller ID, and her face instantly turned pale.
"Esther, look at the news!" Her agent's anxious voice came from the other end of the line, "Madrid... might be going into lockdown!