67: Chapter 67 The Pressure Falls on Son Heung-min! Son's Father: Chinese Football is Worthless, and Yu Bai is Too.

[System Space]

Azure light flowed like ripples, reflecting Yu Bai's contemplative face.

[Superstar Moment] and [Superstar Treatment].

The two options, like two vastly different paths that both led to the pinnacle, floated quietly in his consciousness, emanating an alluring glow.

Option A, [Superstar Moment].

It enhances individual heroic performances at critical moments, allowing one to become a savior in desperate situations and decide the outcome with a single kick... It sounds thrilling, a capability countless geniuses dream of.

It could allow his already astonishing Dribbling and Shooting to burst forth with even more brilliant radiance during the lightning-fast moments of victory.

But Yu Bai's finger, without almost any hesitation, hovered over [Option B: Superstar Treatment].

Why?

Because after these few matches, he had had enough! He really had enough!

Being viciously tackled at the ankle by Eunan OKane, with the referee only giving a yellow card; being shoved from behind by Francis, with the referee turning a blind eye; being deliberately tripped by Bacuna in front of an open goal, with the referee instead giving him a yellow card to "balance" the game...

Every time he was fouled, every time he was kicked maliciously, it didn't result in a whistle or a yellow card for the opponent, but rather an imbalance in his own mindset and the danger that the team might be countered!

Football is a game for the brave, but it is not a paradise for those who commit fouls!

He could accept fierce physical confrontations and could accept being dribbled past because he was less skilled, but he could not accept the malicious injuries that were clearly avoidable yet tolerated due to the referee's "standards" or "negligence."

"Superstar Moment is strong, but that's just icing on the cake."

Yu Bai looked at Option B, his eyes firm, "What I need now is help in a time of need, something that can make those who want to stop me with dirty tactics weigh the consequences!"

"Walk others' paths, and leave them with nowhere to go?"

A cold arc curled at the corner of Yu Bai's mouth, "No."

"I want those who want to take the 'foul shortcut' to deal with me..."

"To taste for themselves just how difficult the path they have paved is!"

His will was firm. Choice — B!

[Superstar Treatment]!

...

The next day, in a Premier League focal match, Tottenham challenged Sunderland away.

The reason this match was so highly anticipated, besides Tottenham needing to grab points, was that the South Korean forward Son Heung-min, who had joined for a high price of 30 million euros, was about to make his official debut for Tottenham.

However, almost all pre-match media reports and fan discussions were unavoidably unable to avoid another name — Yu Bai.

Yesterday's soul-stirring comeback from 0:2 to 4:2 by Leicester City, where Yu Bai provided two assists, scored one goal, was involved in all four goals, and directed the last-minute winner, was truly too explosive, and the aftershocks had not yet subsided.

Media and fans almost instinctively compared this 17-year-old genius, who had been "abandoned" on loan by Tottenham, with this new Korean signing who had joined with the halo of a high price tag.

"Can Son Heung-min deliver a Yu Bai-style answer in his debut?"

"Tottenham's choice: 30 million [euro] Son Heung-min vs. the loaned-out Yu Bai, who is the answer for the front line?"

"The pressure is on Son Heung-min!"

Headlines like these flooded the internet.

Stadium of Light, outside the away team's dressing room tunnel.

A middle-aged Asian man with a lean build, a stern face, and eyes as sharp as an eagle's was pressing firmly on his son's shoulder. He was Son Woong-jung, Son Heung-min's father, a former South Korean professional player, and also the most rigorous coach and "shadow" of his son's professional career.

He followed his son from Germany to London, moved into an apartment arranged by Tottenham, and was even allowed to watch his son train at the training ground.

Mauricio Pochettino once described it half-jokingly: "Mr. Son (Woong-jung) is in the stands, with one eye on me and one eye on his son."

At this moment, Son Woong-jung stared at his somewhat nervous son, lowered his voice in Korean, and spoke with an unquestionable hardness:

"Heung-min, look up, look at me."

"Forget those stupid comparisons on the internet. Forget that Chinese kid named Yu Bai."

"The Chinese National Football Team?"

Son Woong-jung curled his lip, making no effort to hide the deep-seated sense of superiority and contempt stemming from South Korean football's long-term dominance over the Chinese National Football Team, "What kind of towering tree can grow in a barren desert? If one or two weeds that look decent pop up occasionally, they will only be a flash in the pan."

"Tottenham spent 30 million euros to choose you, which in itself is the most powerful proof — you are much stronger than that green kid who was loaned out!"

"What you need to do now is go onto the pitch, use your legs, use goals and victories, to tell everyone —"

"Who is the strongest active player in Asia! Who is worthy of the applause at White Hart Lane!"

Son Heung-min took a deep breath and nodded heavily: "Yes, Father, I understand."

Son Woong-jung's words were like a shot of adrenaline, dispelling some of the nervousness. But deep in his heart, that pressure had not completely disappeared.

His arrival in the Premier League should have been met with great anticipation, but one could already see many comments from Tottenham fans on social media:

"Day one of missing Yu Bai..."

"Why is it Son Heung-min? Can't we recall Yu Bai early?"

"Welcome Son, but Yu Bai showed us more possibilities."

This situation of "being compared before having achieved anything" made him feel a sense of grievance and injustice.

Why could that kid who had only played a few good games steal the attention and expectations that should have belonged to him?