Chapter 115: The Anthem of the Great River Team

This story is purely fictional.

Nian Weiyi paused for a moment and said, "It doesn't matter if I leave. The key is that my son is still at the club; if I leave, his future becomes an unknown. Not to mention your nephew, Fan Wei. If we lose the match tomorrow, I will have to tender my resignation at the press conference."

"Alas, life is full of unpredictable misfortunes. It is truly a great pity that my nephew Fan Wei has served the Dahe Club for so long yet hasn't played a single minute."

Zhang Chi, who overheard this from outside the door, felt as if he had grasped a life-saving straw. After learning the top-secret news that Dahe was set to throw the match, he scurried back home. He intended to get a good night's sleep so he could witness the match in person the next day. He planned to use this inside information to turn his fortunes around and win back every penny he had lost.

At the stadium, the steel-horn cheerleading squad continuously rallied for the Dahe team. Waves of people in the stands rolled back and forth, chanting that Dahe would surely win. The scene was spectacular.

Inside the MC broadcast hall, staff members were at their stations. The live feed from the stadium was being transmitted, and the singer Sun Bei was belting out the team anthem, "We Are Rising":

We are rising,
Running on the green turf,
Bidding farewell to the past,
Creating today's glory.
Look at the athletes of Dahe,
Dashing on the field,
Heading toward higher dreams,
Breaking through waves along the way.
Singing our team anthem,
With inexhaustible strength.
We are rising,
Sweating on the green turf,
The character of striving to be the best,
Displaying infinite power.
Listen to Dahe surging,
We are unstoppable,
Heading toward higher dreams,
Watching over each other along the way,
Singing our team anthem,
Writing a new chapter.
We are rising, we are rising...

At HZ Entertainment, Gao Yating sat dazed in her office. She had no heart to pay attention to the Dahe match; she was lost in thought, reflecting on her relationship with Yun Jiu from the time they first met.

At the Zhizhen Sports Bar, Lin Yanfeng and several other fans were watching the live broadcast of the Dahe match. Some fans screamed or blew long whistles, eager for the game to start. After receiving a call from Lin Yanfeng, Xiao Jin rushed to the bar. Seeing Lin from a distance, he waved.

Lin signaled for Xiao to sit down and whispered something into his ear. Upon hearing this, Xiao Jin threw his head back and let out a loud laugh. This behavior drew a few glances from other fans, but since he was sitting next to Lin Yanfeng, no one dared to say anything.

Lv Jiahui noticed Xiao Jin sitting with Lin Yanfeng and saw them whispering; he knew it was about the Dahe vs. Seahorse match. Anyone with a bit of status knew the news about the match being fixed. Those gamblers who had managed to get such information would never let it slip by; they had placed massive bets, hoping for a windfall.

Chi Zhaoming was in the Sports Center broadcast room, deep in thought, but he couldn't reach a decision; he simply couldn't bring himself to place his bet. The reason for his hesitation was that he wanted to use this one bet to clear all his debts. He had lied, claiming several friends wanted to play, and managed to secure a million-dollar betting limit, which he split into ten accounts of one hundred thousand each. This time, Chi was extremely cautious. He needed absolute certainty before placing his bet. Whether it was a final gamble or a desperate struggle, he was determined to end the miserable days of debt.

Chi wanted to ask Xiao Jin for his take on the Dahe vs. Seahorse match. When Xiao Jin answered the phone, he lowered his voice and said, "There’s something fishy with the Dahe odds today. The betting volume on Dahe is 300 million higher than on Seahorse. You can bet on Seahorse—put down ten thousand, and when the live betting opens, add another ten thousand. Winning twenty thousand shouldn't be a problem."

"I was planning to bet on Dahe. If what you say is true, does that mean Dahe will lose three times over? Didn't Hao Benshan get angry at the club? Will they still lose?" Chi asked skeptically.

"You've been betting for so long, are you really a pig-headed fool? Does Hao Benshan taking over mean they must win? What is Hao Benshan compared to money?" Xiao Jin cursed over the phone.

Chi hesitated, but remembered how Xiao Jin always seemed to win and make money hand over fist. His own "betting strategies" had proven worthless, leaving him penniless. He made up his mind to listen to Xiao Jin for once. Before the match began, he placed bets on Seahorse across all ten accounts. He also prepared to use his live betting limit once the match started. Having previously chased Dahe, he now placed all his hopes on them losing.

Will watched the Dahe match, surprised by how much attention it was drawing. As a gambling tycoon, he shouldn't have been bothered by a minor league match, but faced with the stars of H-City, Hao Benshan had issued a "kill order," and Will had no choice. He didn't want to go too far, so he allowed for the possibility of a draw to end the farce.

The match began. When setting up the lineup, Nian Weiyi deliberately left the players in better form on the bench. When Hao Benshan received the starting list, he shook his head, unable to understand the arrangement, but the players were already in position.

Wang Yifa and his homeroom teacher were in the stands, unable to suppress their excitement. They were already fantasizing about the luxury hotels they would visit to squander their winnings once the match ended. They had bet their full limit on Seahorse. Since Seahorse was given a half-goal handicap, as long as Dahe didn't win, they would succeed.

As the first half drew to a close, Jin Yan called Xiao Jin, who then left the stadium.

Time ticked away. Dahe dominated the field, but they couldn't convert their possession into goals, leaving Hao Benshan in the VIP box stomping his feet in frustration. He stood up, sat back down, and remained silent, his hand resting on his chin, his eyes staring blankly.

It wasn't until the 87th minute that a Dahe forward was tackled by an opponent and lay motionless on the grass. The team doctor took him off on a stretcher. On the sidelines, Nian Weiyi tapped Fan Wei on the shoulder, sending him in as a substitute without a warm-up.

Fan Wei, who hadn't played in a long time, was incredibly excited. He began to warm up vigorously. Nian Weiyi grabbed the hem of Fan Wei’s jersey, seemingly wanting to give him instructions, but Hao Benshan pulled Nian away, interrupting him.

After Fan Wei entered the field, the situation didn't improve. His teammates seemed indifferent to his presence, refusing to pass him the ball. He was like an isolated soldier. Fan Wei couldn't understand why his teammates were so selfish, refusing to pass even when there was a good opportunity.

During stoppage time, Fan Wei had lost faith in scoring. Both teams assumed the game was over. In that moment of relaxation, Fan Wei suddenly intercepted the ball, dribbled past several midfielders, and faced an empty net.

Zhang Chi and Wang Yifa in the stands were stunned, frozen like wooden statues. Even the referee and linesman were dumbfounded as they watched Fan Wei score.

"A goal! Dahe finally scores in stoppage time! Substitute forward Fan Wei delivers the killer blow, securing the first victory since Hao Benshan took over Dahe!" the commentator shouted excitedly.

This goal left Nian Weiyi stunned. Sending Fan Wei on had been a last resort, and he had intended to tell him just to finish the game, but Hao Benshan had pulled him away. Now, this unexpected goal had occurred.

At the Zhizhen Sports Bar, some cheered, while others cursed. Lin Yanfeng was furious, smashing wine bottles on the coffee table and leaving the luxury private room in ruins.

Normally, a coach would be genuinely happy for a player's goal, but this goal came at the wrong time. Nian Weiyi didn't know what fate awaited him; he only knew he had likely brought disaster upon himself. He understood that behind this match, fueled by money, lay a catastrophe.

Fan Wei didn't know what had happened, but as he left the field, he was met with a cold attitude from the club—no comfort, no celebration, only inexplicable indifference. Only Hao Benshan said to him, "Well done!"

After sitting on the bench for years, he hadn't expected such an ending. Fan Wei felt disheartened and left the stadium alone.

As for the match, the most miserable person was undoubtedly Chi Zhaoming. He had bet his full limit across ten accounts and lost everything. He sat paralyzed in the lounge, his mind a complete blank.

(To be continued)