137: "General" at the devil's home court

Inside the away team's changing room at halftime, the players sat in their respective spots, panting heavily.

Sweat streamed down their faces, mixed with traces of rain.

The jeers from outside were still deafening, making the walls tremble slightly.

Old John's phone vibrated.

After reading the message, he looked up and scanned the gasping players, his gaze no longer heavy, but instead revealing the composure of a hunter watching prey fall into a trap.

“Gentlemen, listen.”

Old John stood in the center of the changing room; his voice was calm but carried an undeniable authority.

The players all looked up, their eyes focused on the head coach.

“The boss just sent a message.” Old John's tone held a hint of confidence. “He said their emotions have been ignited, and this is our chance.”

Vardy wiped the sweat from his face with a towel, listening intently.

“In the second half, we'll continue to move them around with our passing.” Old John walked to the tactics board and began drawing new deployments. “They'll make mistakes themselves.”

Henderson sat up straighter; he understood his crucial role in the second half.

“Gylfi, try more long-range shots.” Old John turned to Sigurdsson. “Their goalkeeper will make mistakes due to nerves.”

Sigurdsson nodded, his face showing no change in expression, but a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.

Old John put away the tactics board and looked around at all the players.

“This is no longer just a technical confrontation.” His voice deepened. “This is psychological warfare. The boss said we need to precisely grasp the emotional changes of the opposing players under the pressure of the home fans.”

Maloney took a deep breath, clenching his fists.

“Their pride has become a burden.” Old John continued. “Now, they carry the expectations of the entire home stadium, and we have no baggage whatsoever.”

The changing room door was knocked.

The referee team's staff reminded the players to prepare to go out.

The players began to stand up, organize their equipment, and prepare for the battle of the second half.

Schmeichel was the last to stand, his gaze impressively resolute.

“Remember, we are not here to survive.” His Danish accent echoed in the changing room. “We are here to conquer.”

In the player tunnel, the two teams met again.

Millwall's players seemed even more agitated after halftime.

Their movements became rougher, and their eyes held a clear murderous intent.

As Fode passed a Hartlepool United player, he deliberately bumped Henderson's shoulder.

Henderson did not respond, simply continuing to walk forward, and this disregard made Fode even angrier.

As both teams walked out of the tunnel, the jeers at The Den once again echoed through the sky.

But this time, Hartlepool United's players appeared more composed.

They had adapted to this hostile environment and even began to enjoy the confrontation.

The second half began.

Hartlepool United's players strictly followed Lin Feng's tactical instructions.

They played more patiently, not rushing to attack.

Henderson constantly passed the ball horizontally in midfield, moving it from the left wing to the right wing, and then back from the right wing.

These seemingly meaningless passes were actually wearing down Millwall's players' fighting spirit and physical strength.

In the 55th minute, after receiving a pass, Sigurdsson did not rush forward.

He passed the ball to Tinkler next to him and immediately ran to a new position.

Tinkler then passed the ball back to Nelson, who sent a long pass to Walker on the right wing.

Walker dribbled forward but did not blindly break through, instead passing the ball back to Henderson in the center.

This series of passes seemed unthreatening, but it forced Millwall's players to run frantically.

They kept running, trying to steal the ball, but were always a step too slow.

The Millwall fans in the stands began to grow impatient.

Their jeers became even more piercing, and they even started to voice their displeasure towards their own players.

“Go get the ball!”

“Don't let them pass it around like that!”

The pressure from the home fans was transmitted to the field.

Millwall's players became more anxious, and their formation began to loosen.

After a failed tackle, Fode angrily kicked the turf.

Gary Alexander constantly dropped back to demand the ball, but his teammates' passes were always off.

In the 68th minute, Hartlepool United's patient tactics finally paid off.

A fatal error occurred in Millwall's backline.

Center-back Matthew Lawrence hesitated for a moment when passing the ball, and this momentary delay was seized by the alert Maloney.

Maloney suddenly accelerated from the flank, stretching out his foot to intercept the ball.

The jeers at The Den instantly turned into gasps.

Maloney dribbled straight into the penalty area, and Millwall's goalkeeper rushed out.

The two met at the edge of the box, and the goalkeeper made a save attempt.

But Maloney did not choose to shoot forcefully; a better option appeared in his vision.

In the center of the penalty area, Vardy was in a completely unmarked position.

Maloney passed the ball across without hesitation.

Millwall's goalkeeper looked back in despair, only to see the white football bouncing in the net, and Vardy's figure already sprinting towards the corner flag.

Two to one!

Hartlepool United led again!

A deafening cheer erupted from the away fans' stand at Victoria Park.

Those few hundred traveling fans released all their emotions at this moment.

Vardy ran towards the away stand, spreading his arms to celebrate the goal.

His teammates rushed over to embrace him, each person's face beaming with excited smiles.

The Millwall fans in the home stand fell silent.

They couldn't believe what was happening before their eyes.

An opponent they should have easily defeated had taken the lead again in their home stadium.

Even more terrifying, this goal came so simply, so easily.

Fode stood in the center circle, hands on his head, his face filled with regret and anger.

He knew that the mistake just now would completely change the course of the game.

The Millwall manager frantically waved his arms on the sidelines, trying to motivate his players.

But his voice was drowned out by the increasingly loud jeers from the stands directed at his own team.

“You bunch of useless players!”

“If you're going to play like that, you might as well go home!”

Millwall's fans began to turn their spearhead on their own team.

This pressure from the home fans was more deadly than any tactical arrangement.

The Millwall players on the field could clearly hear these insults.

Amidst the insults, the Millwall players' shoulders slumped; they no longer ran, but merely watched Hartlepool United's players pass the ball around in their own defensive zone with blank expressions.

After the game restarted, Millwall tried to launch a final counterattack.

But their movements had completely lost their structure, and their passing became disorganized.

Hartlepool United's players firmly controlled the ball at their feet.

They no longer needed to risk attacking, only to maintain possession and run down the remaining game time.

In the 83rd minute, Sigurdsson took the ball in midfield.

The Millwall players in front of him no longer had the fierce pressing of the first half.

Their eyes revealed despair and powerlessness.

Sigurdsson easily passed the ball to Snodgrass on the wing.

The latter did not rush to break through, but instead passed the ball back to the overlapping Walker.

Walker then passed the ball across to Henderson, who sent a long pass to Vardy in the attacking third.

Vardy received the ball with his back to goal and easily passed it to Maloney.

This series of passes flowed smoothly, and Millwall's players could only run frantically to keep up.

Time passed by minute by minute.

The Millwall fans in the stands had already started to leave early.

They could no longer endure this humiliating defeat.

In the 90th minute, the referee held up the electronic board.

Added time: 3 minutes.

Hartlepool United's players did not relax in the slightest.

They continued to execute their possession tactics, giving the opponent no chances.

Schmeichel loudly directed his teammates' positions from the back.

Although they were leading, the young goalkeeper remained highly focused.

In the 93rd minute, the final whistle blew.

Hartlepool United defeated Millwall 2-1 at “The Den”!

They achieved an eight-game League winning streak, conquering England's most terrifying 'Devil's Home Ground' in the smartest and calmest way.

The Hartlepool United fans in the away stand erupted in jubilation.

They sang their team song, proud of their team's victory in such a hostile environment.

The players ran towards the away stand, celebrating this hard-won victory with the traveling fans.

Vardy raised his arms, accepting the cheers of the fans.

Sigurdsson maintained his calm expression, but his eyes sparkled with satisfaction.

Henderson tightly embraced his teammates, his face beaming with the joy of victory.

In the main stand, scouts from European giants were organizing their notes.

Maldini of AC Milan said to his colleague beside him: “These youngsters not only have skill, but also a strong heart for fighting in adverse conditions.”

Valdano of Real Madrid nodded: “Especially that Icelandic kid; his composure is simply not like an 18-year-old.”

Arsenal's scout wrote down several players' names in his notebook, specifically noting their performance under high pressure.

Chelsea's scout was more focused on Hartlepool United's overall tactical execution.

This victory made all of English football realize that Hartlepool United's winning streak was no accident.

Their strength and mental resilience had reached a new height.

In the media box, reporters had already begun drafting tomorrow's headlines.

The Sun reporter wrote in the headline bar: “Northern Dragon Conquers The Den!”

The Mirror reporter prepared to describe the match as “A Battle of Ice and Fire.”

Sky Sports' Martin Tyler concluded at the end of the broadcast: “Tonight, we witnessed the birth of a truly strong team.

Hartlepool United not only reached Championship level in terms of skill, but more importantly,

they displayed an iron will that would not yield in any environment.”

Inside the away team's changing room, celebratory sounds rose and fell.

The players embraced each other, celebrating this hard-won victory.

Old John stood in the corner, a relieved smile on his face.

He took out his phone and sent a short message to Lin Feng: “Mission accomplished.”

Soon, Lin Feng replied: “Tell the players they played like true champions tonight.”

On the return bus, the atmosphere was completely different from the journey there.

The players excitedly discussed every exciting moment of the game.

Maloney imitated his ball-winning move, making his teammates laugh heartily.

Vardy described his feelings when scoring, his eyes still sparkling with excitement.

But Sigurdsson remained quietly seated in the back row, the music from his headphones helping him stay calm.

This 18-year-old Icelandic teenager had already shown maturity beyond his age.

Schmeichel sat in the front row, reviewing every save he made during the game.

Although his workload was not heavy tonight, the young goalkeeper maintained the professionalism expected of a professional player.

The bus drove out of the streets of London, heading north towards Hartlepool.

The rain outside had stopped, and the moon emerged from behind the clouds.

This was a night that belonged to Hartlepool United.

They left a strong mark on the map of English football in their own way.

Just as the bus was driving on the highway, Lin Feng's phone received an email from Richard Arnold.

The subject of the email read: “Urgent Business Report - Latest Progress in Northern Dragon Arena Naming Rights Negotiations.”

Lin Feng opened the email, and when he saw the numbers in the attachment, his eyebrows raised slightly.

The offer from that South Korean electronics giant was indeed an astonishingly high price.

A naming rights contract for ten years, with a total value of eighty million pounds!

This figure had already surpassed the value of any stadium naming rights in England at that time.

Lin Feng leaned back in his office chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk.

He understood that the other party was not only interested in Hartlepool United's current performance.

But also in the future blueprint he had described, and the huge potential commercial value behind the club.

If this contract were signed, it would inject a strong cash flow into his business empire.

More importantly, this would be a signal.

A signal to the world that Hartlepool United was no longer a small club.

Lin Feng's lips curled into a slight smile.

Tonight's victory was not just a conquest on the football level.

It was also an important part of his overall business empire expansion plan.

The system interface of the World-Class Club Development Platform flashed in his mind.

System Prompt: Congratulations to the host for completing the phased goal 'Conquer the Devil's Home Ground'. You have gained 1000 system energy points.

New mission has been released: Establish the first step of a business empire - Complete the sky-high naming rights negotiation.

Mission Reward: Unlock the 'Global Market Analysis' advanced functional module.

Lin Feng closed the system interface and refocused his attention on the commercial details in the email.

The victory in this match had added important bargaining chips to his negotiations.

Now, it was time to transform this dominance on the football field into leverage at the business negotiation table.