46: Chapter 46 Ranieri: What tactics? None! Just be yourself!

The first day at Leicester City was a whirlwind, filled with endless procedures—signing papers, taking photos, medical exams; he felt like a human stamp.

The next day, matchday crashed into view unexpectedly—the second round of the League Cup, a home game against EFL League One side Bury FC.

The home locker room was awash in blue.

The air was thick with the locker room's signature mix of sweat, disinfectant, and tense pre-match hormones.

Yu Bai, wearing his brand-new blue training kit, sat quietly in front of his locker, feeling a tiny bit "out of place" compared to the veteran players chatting, stretching, and taping up their legs around him.

Then, a figure walked over—Christian Fuchs, the Austrian international, the very man who had played dirty against Yu Bai during their matchup in the last League game.

"Hey, everyone! Stop what you're doing!"

Christian Fuchs had a booming voice; he grabbed Yu Bai by the shoulder, "pulled" him up from his seat, and pushed him to the center of the locker room with a mischievous yet sincere smile. "Everyone look, meet our new teammate! Last game against Tottenham, this was exactly how I pushed him on the pitch! This kid was probably thinking about beating me to death back then, right? Hahaha!"

He mimicked the pushing motion from that day with an exaggerated expression. "Who would've thought? The tables have turned, and now we're on the same side! Welcome to Leicester City, Yu!"

"Hahahaha!"

"Christian, you've got the nerve to say that!"

"Yu, did you really want to kick him back then? (Laughs)"

A burst of good-natured laughter erupted in the locker room.

Even Yu Bai couldn't help but smile, the corners of his mouth lifting. The slight sense of alienation he felt as a newcomer was instantly shattered by Christian Fuchs's clever move of "exposing his own dark history."

Because Christian Fuchs, the person involved, had brought it up himself and defused the tension with a joke, Yu Bai was accepted into the locker room at lightning speed.

Every teammate who came over to high-five or bump shoulders with him had respect and curiosity in their eyes—after all, this was the ruthless player who had shredded their right flank in the last game.

Underestimate him? That would be like slapping the team in the face.

Out of the corner of his eye, Yu Bai caught a glimpse of head coach Claudio Ranieri holding a tactical board and quietly walking out of the locker room.

His heart skipped a beat; he greeted his teammates and immediately chased after him.

The anxiety returned—he only knew he was starting, but what were the tactics? What were his responsibilities? He was completely in the dark!

"Boss! Boss! Wait up."

Yu Bai caught up with Claudio Ranieri in the hallway.

Claudio Ranieri turned around, adjusted his glasses, and asked kindly, "Oh? Yu, is there something you need? Is there something in your life that hasn't been arranged yet?"

"No, Boss."

Yu Bai took a deep breath and asked the question that had been making him restless, "I want to ask, in the match later... how should I play? What are our tactics? What should I mainly be doing?"

He needed some reassurance.

Upon hearing this, Claudio Ranieri's expression turned somewhat strange, and he blinked. "Oh... you mean that. Didn't anyone tell you?"

Yu Bai shook his head honestly.

He couldn't exactly run over to Christian Fuchs, who had just "turned from foe to friend," and ask, "Hey, how should I play?" That would be too weird. Besides, Ritchie De Laet had just declared in the locker room that he wanted to "one-on-one" Yu Bai in tomorrow's training...

Yu Bai didn't know if this guy had been secretly playing Fish Leong's "Courage" on loop.

Claudio Ranieri looked at Yu Bai's young face, which was slightly anxious and bewildered, and suddenly smiled.

He reached out and patted Yu Bai's shoulder heavily, with a force that seemed to be trying to hammer a certain belief into his bones.

"Yu, listen."

Claudio Ranieri's voice was low but carried a strange, reassuring power. "You've just arrived; if I start talking to you about formations, movement, and tactical details now, it's all nonsense. Not needed!"

Yu Bai: "???"

"What I want is for you to be yourself."

Claudio Ranieri stared into his eyes, enunciating every word with perfect clarity. "On the pitch, play however you want. If you see a gap, pass if you want; if you see an opportunity and want to dribble, then go for it! You don't need to listen to anyone. If Andrej Kramaric shouts for you to pass him the ball, tell him to get lost! I said so!"

Yu Bai was completely stunned, his mouth slightly agape. This... what kind of tactic was this? It was too "free-range," wasn't it?!

Claudio Ranieri seemed to see through his shock. He pressed both hands on his shoulders, his tone more serious and determined than ever:

"Yu, I'm serious. Forget those rules and restrictions. For this match, I'm not giving you any tactics, just one task: let me, and all the fans at the King Power Stadium, witness the true power of Yu Bai. Let the beast inside you out. Believe in yourself, unleash yourself; that is the only 'tactic' I am giving you!"

After saying this, he patted Yu Bai again and turned to leave, leaving Yu Bai standing alone in the hallway, dazed.

It was as if Claudio Ranieri hadn't talked about any complex tactics, yet it was also as if he had delivered ten thousand of the finest "chicken soup for the soul" quotes.

But Yu Bai understood; the core of that "chicken soup" wasn't empty slogans, but unconditional, almost blind, absolute trust.

A scalding hot current instantly surged from the bottom of his heart, rushing through his limbs and bones, washing away all his anxiety and confusion.

In fact, during the training session yesterday before Yu Bai had even returned to the team, Claudio Ranieri had already given the whole squad a "strict order":

"For tonight's match, there is only one core objective—make sure Yu Bai enjoys his game to the fullest! Everyone must give him the ball more and actively create space and opportunities for him. If anyone deliberately doesn't pass to him or makes lazy runs, don't blame me for settling scores after the match."

If it were any other Premier League team, such an instruction that clearly skewed resources might have caused grumbling in the locker room. But not Leicester City.

This team, which was on great terms with its manager, had a unique gene of pragmatism and unity.

More importantly, Christian Fuchs and Ritchie De Laet, whose right flank had been shredded by Yu Bai in the last game, had told the whole team with lingering fear after they returned: "That Chinese kid is just as devilish as Riyad Mahrez, maybe even more unpredictable! His rhythm is impossible to catch!"

Yu Bai's strength had been personally certified by the "victims."

The strong will win respect everywhere.