116: The Beginning of the Frenzy and the Future Game (Part 2)

The silence on the phone lasted a few seconds, and Sara suddenly felt a jolt of alarm. It turned out that the boss's goal was not the small gaming market from the very beginning.

This was not a simple game investment; this was laying out a vast football data empire.

"I understand, boss. We will proceed with the acquisition as per your instructions."

At the same time, at the other end of Hartlepool town, the construction site for the second phase of the Phoenix Training Center.

The massive steel frame structure was already completed, and the technologically advanced exterior design began to emerge.

This building would become a new landmark for Hartlepool town and an important part of Lin Feng's business empire.

Project supervisor John McDonald was reporting progress to Lin Feng.

"The facade is expected to be completed next month, and the interior decoration will take three months. According to the plan, it will be operational by January next year."

Lin Feng nodded, but his gaze was fixed further afield.

To the east of the training center, on the vacant land planned for a commercial district, several bulldozers were leveling the ground.

"What about the commercial district around the stadium?"

"Several brands have already expressed interest in settling in. Starbucks, McDonald's, and a local high-end restaurant chain."

McDonald flipped through the documents in his hand.

"Additionally, representatives from IMAX cinema will conduct an on-site inspection next week."

McDonald felt the pressure in the office seemed to ease a little, and the boss's tight jawline softened slightly.

This was exactly the effect he wanted.

To make sure that on match days, fans not only came to watch two hours of football but spent an entire day consuming here.

Coffee, shopping, dining, watching a movie, then watching the match, and continuing to consume after the match.

This was the correct way to commercialize modern football.

At dusk, Sophie Green appeared in Lin Feng's office again.

This time, the interview theme was "Football and Technology."

"Mr. Lin, many people are curious: how do you get a group of teenagers to play such mature football?"

Sophie's notebook was already filled with dense handwriting.

Lin Feng pointed to the large display screen on the office wall.

The screen showed various data charts and analysis models, which were simplified versions of the system's functions.

"The answer is simple: data."

"We have detailed records and analyses of every player's running distance, passing success rate, heat maps, and even heart rate changes."

Sophie's eyes lit up.

"You mean the tactics for last night's match were based on data analysis results?"

"Partially, yes."

Lin Feng neither fully admitted nor denied it.

"Data tells us where the opponent's weaknesses are, but how to exploit those weaknesses still requires the players' intelligence and execution."

Sophie quickly took notes, then looked up.

"What do you think the future of football will look like?"

Lin Feng walked to the window, looking at the construction site in the distance.

"Smart stadiums, real-time data analysis, personalized tactical adjustments..."

Sophie met his gaze and involuntarily straightened her back; the ambition and foresight in his eyes almost made her feel a sense of oppression.

"The sport of football itself will not change, but the way we understand and analyze football will undergo a revolutionary transformation."

As the interview drew to a close, Sophie suddenly asked a question that surprised Lin Feng.

"Mr. Lin, you always seem to be planning for the future."

She closed her notebook and looked directly into Lin Feng's eyes.

"Do you... enjoy the present victory?"

Lin Feng was startled.

He had never seriously considered this question.

Enjoy the present victory?

He recalled the innocent smiles of those young people on the field last night, the fierce determination of Vardy and the others during training today, and the pride and trust in Old John's eyes.

"I think I am learning how to enjoy it."

Lin Feng's answer was unexpected by Sophie.

"Football has taught me many things, but the most important one is: success is not just the result, but every moment in the process."

He pointed to the young players training in the sunset outside the window.

"Seeing their growth, seeing the light in their eyes, that in itself is the greatest victory."

Sophie silently wrote down this sentence.

She realized that this man was more complex than she had imagined.

This man could analyze all night for a twelve-million investment and also show a genuine smile for the growth of a group of children. This sense of contradiction, perhaps, was the root of the Hartlepool miracle.

He was both a shrewd tactician and a warm guide.

And this complexity was the source of the Hartlepool United miracle.

As night fell, Hartlepool town returned to tranquility.

But in Lin Feng's office, the large display screen still flickered with various data and charts.

[System Prompt: Media attention +15%, team prestige reaches new heights]

[Detected interest from multiple European clubs in core players]

[Recommended to appropriately increase core player salaries and set higher release clauses in contracts]

Lin Feng looked at these prompts, his expression still calm.

Increased prestige was a good thing, but it also meant greater challenges.

Attention from European giants meant players might face temptations.

Media adulation meant every detail would be magnified and scrutinized.

But all of this was within his expectations.

The real test had just begun.

He opened the system's [Market Forecast] function and began to look for investment opportunities for the next stage.

The screen displayed several potential targets:

A German company specializing in sports nutrition products, developing new sports recovery products.

A football data analysis team located in Spain, possessing a unique youth player evaluation system.

And a British sports media company, developing virtual reality sports viewing experiences.

Each project could become an important part of Northern Capital's business empire.

But beyond all these business considerations, Lin Feng had an even bigger goal in his heart.

He wanted to build not just a successful football club, and not just a vast business empire.

He wanted to change the way the entire football world operated.

To make data analysis a standard for every club, to make technology truly serve the development of football, and to give more young players the opportunity to showcase their talents.

This goal was distant, but not unattainable.

The performance of those children on the field last night had already proven that anything was possible.

Lin Feng closed the computer and walked to the window.

Lin Feng looked at the training center in the night; the glow in his eyes was not just a building, but a machine operating at high speed, continuously producing the most valuable asset for his empire - talent.

Tomorrow would be a brand new day.

New challenges would await them.

But so what?

The Northern Storm had just begun to roar.