21: Chapter 21 Kyle Walker: Welcome to the Premier League

There were no surprises.

The day after his triumphant return, a transfer order lay quietly in Yu Bai's locker in the U21 dressing room.

Mauricio Pochettino kept his promise.

Although the squad list for the Premier League match against Stoke City this weekend still did not contain the name 'Yu Bai'—which was completely expected—the line 'Train with the first team effective immediately' itself meant that a chasm had been crossed; a door to the truly top stage had been cracked open for him.

The news spread like the wind.

Tottenham U18 dressing room.

Dylan Duncan almost shoved his phone screen into everyone's faces, his voice distorted with excitement: "Look! Hat-trick! Worldie! Banana Kick! This is my brother! Yu! I've partnered with him in defensive midfield!"

Ryotaro Araki watched Yu Bai's effortless dribbling and Shooting in the highlights, silently clenching his fists, his eyes burning with more intensity and determination than ever before.

Coach McKenna walked in, said nothing, but just smiled and slapped Yu Bai's locker, which had been cleared out but not yet reassigned, making a 'clanging' sound.

A sense of pride that 'someone incredible has come out of our ranks' flowed silently among the young players.

...

Enfield, the Thompson house.

The dinner was as lavish as Christmas.

The roasted lamb chops were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the massive beef pie was steaming, the golden Yorkshire puddings were fluffy, and in the center of the table were the 'General Tso's Chicken' and 'Mapo Tofu' (British-adapted home version) that Mrs. Susan had successfully challenged herself to make, their colors vibrant and tempting.

Uncle David opened a bottle of his prized champagne, the bubbles rising cheerfully.

Grandma Margaret kept piling food onto Yu Bai's plate, her wrinkles filled with smiles.

Chloe chattered away, gesturing wildly as she recapped every detail of the goals, her lake-blue eyes shining as if they held stars, her gaze drifting toward Yu Bai from time to time.

Even Michael, in between bites, rubbed his nose, took the initiative to pick up Yu Bai's glass, and filled it with juice: "You played... really well."

The warmth of 'home' blended with the joy of success; the lights were dim and cozy, and the room was filled with laughter.

However, as Yu Bai held his cold glass, watching the golden bubbles in it burst and rise, a part of his heart remained cold, hanging heavy.

Because the system had gone completely silent.

From being substituted after the Hat-trick and receiving thunderous applause, to being surrounded by reporters after the match, then receiving the first-team transfer order, and now facing a table full of delicacies and the smiling faces of his family... that familiar 'ding' sound that often brought tasks or rewards never rang.

There was no achievement reward for the 'Hat-trick', no milestone task for 'skipping levels to the first team', and not even a hint of any attribute fluctuation.

Deep in his consciousness, that light blue panel floated quietly. The numbers for his various attributes, skills, and overall rating were frozen coldly, as if his perfect performance today, which shocked everyone and conquered the former Arsenal captain, was, by this mysterious system's cold criteria, merely... a 'job requirement' not worth mentioning?

A feeling mixed with emptiness, unease, and a faint panic, like silent vines, coiled around him, quietly eroding the joy that should have been pure.

He had become accustomed to the system's feedback, like a glimmer of light in the dark or confirmed coordinates while climbing.

At this moment, this complete silence was more unsettling than any difficult task prompt.

...

Tottenham first-team training base, Hotspur Way training center.

The atmosphere was completely different from the youth team.

The dressing room was more spacious and bright, with top-tier facilities, but the air was filled with a heavier, more intangible pressure—the naked competitive pressure belonging to the Premier League, to the top professional League.

Those faces that he had once only seen on TV broadcasts, football cards, and video games were now there in the flesh, changing into training kits beside him, whispering to each other, or immersed in their own worlds with headphones on.

Yu Bai could feel some gazes landing on him, curious, scrutinizing, but mostly indifferent, just a glance—a kid who had just come up from the youth academy was too common here, so common that it hardly caused much of a stir.

During the morning's basic training session, Yu Bai's footwork remained delicate and eye-catching.

In the passing and receiving drills, his ball control and passing accuracy made a few veteran players take a second look;

In the shuttle runs, his acceleration and agility were good;

In the ball coordination training, he completed it with ease, even with a touch of elegance.

At least in this part, he looked like he could 'keep up'.

Until the group scrimmage in the afternoon.

Mauricio Pochettino divided the players into red and white teams. Yu Bai was assigned to the white bib group, which symbolized the substitutes.

"Yu," Mauricio Pochettino walked over, his finger tracing a line on the tactics board, "You, on the left."

Left winger.

Yu Bai put on the white bib and walked to the left flank.

When he stood his ground and looked up at the defensive player on his side, his heart skipped a beat involuntarily.

Kyle Walker.

An England international, a top-tier right-back famous in the Premier League for his terrifying recovery speed and formidable physical duels.

At this moment, he was slightly warming up his ankles, looking at Yu Bai with no particular expression on his face, but his sturdy physique and steady gaze naturally exuded a powerful sense of oppression.

Yu Bai took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. His fingertips were a bit numb, but in his chest, an impulse mixed with nervousness, awe, and a more intense desire to prove something surged up.

He glanced at Harry Winks, who was tying his shoelaces in the other group.

That name, the realization that he was 'ahead of him in the pecking order', was like a tiny thorn pricking at his competitive instinct.

He had to do something, he had to make that Argentine head coach, who was standing on the sidelines in his tracksuit with his arms crossed, watching silently, see him!

The first encounter came quickly.

Yu Bai received a ball from the midfield on the left flank, near the touchline.

Kyle Walker immediately closed him down, maintaining a defensive distance of about an arm's length, his center of gravity kept very low, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's, locking tightly onto the ball at Yu Bai's feet.

Yu Bai faced him, stepped on the ball with his left foot, and his gaze swept quickly and covertly toward the center of the penalty area, seemingly looking for a possible cross or a teammate to combine with.

His feet began to move!

With the tip of his left foot, he gently nudged the ball to the right, and his upper body followed with a feint as if to break through to the right!

Immediately after, he quickly pulled the ball back to the left with the sole of his right foot, while his left shoulder suddenly dipped toward the byline. His entire body posture instantly became extremely aggressive, as if he were about to use his absolute speed to blow past him in the next second!

A simple yet highly deceptive Step-over combined with a shoulder dip!

Kyle Walker's center of gravity was indeed deceived by this series of feints, moving half a step to his left (Yu Bai's right)!

This was the fleeting space!

A flash of light burst in Yu Bai's eyes. Without any hesitation, he used the outside of his right foot to knock the ball toward the byline with full force!

Going down the outside! A powerful breakthrough!

He pushed his instantaneous explosive power to the limit, attempting to use this lightning-fast start to force his way past this international-level defender!

"I've got him!" The wind whistled past his ears; he felt his shoulder was almost past Kyle Walker!

However—

Just as he was about to complete the overtake, a massive, steady, and irresistible force struck from his side!

It wasn't a reckless collision, but rather, in the moment when his center of gravity was deceived and he seemed to be out of position, Kyle Walker, relying on his amazing core Strength and secondary burst, forcibly twisted his body back and regained his position in just two big strides!

In the moment when the two were almost running side-by-side with slight physical contact, Kyle Walker's left arm, strong as if cast in iron, seemingly casually, pushed horizontally and firmly at the junction of Yu Bai's waist and hip, very hidden and solid!

"Ugh!"

Yu Bai only felt a brutal force coming from his waist and hip. He instantly lost his balance, as if he had been lightly clipped by a speeding truck. Both his feet left the ground, and he flew diagonally out of the byline, falling heavily.

The ball had long since left his control and was easily kept by Kyle Walker.

Yu Bai immediately turned, hands raised high, his face full of disbelief and indignation, looking at the assistant coach who was acting as the referee. His voice was raised due to excitement and sudden embarrassment: "Hey! No whistle for that? Foul! He pushed me!"

The assistant coach acting as the referee held his hands out, signaling for play to continue, showing no reaction, not even giving Yu Bai an extra glance.

The teammates and opponents on the pitch—those who needed to defend were accelerating back, and those who needed to attack had already started their runs. Everyone was continuing the game, not even casting an extra glance. It was as if that physical contact that had sent him flying out of the byline was just the most ordinary, insignificant part of this high-intensity training session.

Yu Bai snapped his head around, looking eagerly at the head coach, Mauricio Pochettino, on the sidelines.

The Argentine was still standing with his arms crossed, at the junction of shadow and light, expressionless, his lips moving slightly, as if he were saying something to his assistant, Jesus Perez, beside him, completely unresponsive to the appeal and the situation on Yu Bai's side.

Yu Bai gritted his teeth hard, turned around, and chased back toward his own half with all his might.

When he ran back to his own half full of stifled frustration, passing by Kyle Walker, who was strolling toward the midfield, Yu Bai couldn't hold back, lowering his voice, his defiance and indignation almost breaking through his teeth: "You pushed me. That was an obvious foul."

Hearing this, Kyle Walker turned his head.

There was no mockery, no anger on his face, but rather a hint of a half-smile. It was the understanding of a battle-hardened veteran seeing a rookie step into his first pitfall, and a trace of almost imperceptible, near-pitying amusement.

"Hey, relax, kid."

Kyle Walker spoke, with his unique, somewhat rugged Sheffield accent. His voice wasn't loud, but it hit like a heavy hammer against Yu Bai's buzzing eardrums and churning emotions.

"Welcome to the first team."

After saying this, he didn't stop his pace, but without any warning, he used his broad, sturdy right shoulder to bump 'bang' against Yu Bai's left shoulder in the same position, not too lightly or too heavily, with full warning and a clear demonstrative meaning.

The force of the impact made Yu Bai's body sway slightly.

Then, Kyle Walker kept that almost mocking smile, slightly turned his head, and stared closely at Yu Bai's eyes, which were wide with shock, anger, and confusion. Word by word, clearly and slowly, he asked the question that made Yu Bai's blood feel like it froze instantly, with a chill rushing from the soles of his feet to the top of his head:

"Now, use that smart little head of yours and think carefully..."

"Just like what I did to you just now..."

"In the Premier League, for fuck's sake, would any referee blow the whistle?"