194: The Value of "Crisis" and the Declaration of the "Queen"

In the meeting room of the Phoenix Training Center, the hum of the air conditioning was completely drowned out by the rain outside. Lin Feng sat behind the main table, a thick stack of various British newspapers in front of him, each front page mocking Hartlepool United's "crushing defeat."

"The Sun says we're a burst bubble, and the Daily Mirror says we're an expensive farce," the new press officer, Ben Carter, carefully flipped through the newspapers. "Boss, do we need to respond?"

Lin Feng's fingers tapped lightly on the table, each tap as regular as a pendulum. His gaze passed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking at the players training in the distance. Rain hit the glass, making a dense tapping sound.

"Respond?" Lin Feng finally spoke, his voice as calm as a deep pool. "Ben, have you ever seen the sea?"

"Yes, Boss."

"Does the sea change its direction because of the cries of a few seagulls?"

Ben Carter shook his head.

"Then issue a statement," Lin Feng stood up and walked to the window. "Tell them: any great voyage will encounter storms. Hartlepool United's goal is the stars and the sea, not the gains and losses of a single city or field."

"Is that all?"

"That's all." Lin Feng turned around, his eyes shining with a chilling light. "True power never needs to prove itself."

After Ben Carter left in a hurry, Lin Feng picked up the encrypted phone.

"Jason, how are the preparations for the second phase of the Siren Project coming along?"

From the other end of the phone came the slightly excited voice of Northern Capital's Chief Trading Officer, Jason Webb: "Boss, Lehman Brothers' stock price has fallen to a historic low. We can start shorting at any time."

"Don't wait," Lin Feng's voice carried a wisdom that transcended time. "Lehman will go bankrupt in September. Before then, I want to see every penny of value squeezed out."

"Understood! AIG and Merrill Lynch are also on our target list."

"Add Apple and Google," Lin Feng walked to the computer, where the real-time data of the global stock market was displayed on the screen, a sea of red. "When others are fearful, we are greedy. When others are desperate, we harvest."

"Boss, Apple is only a little over a hundred dollars now, and many analysts are not optimistic..."

"Five years from now, you will thank me for today's decision." Lin Feng hung up the phone, a slight smile playing on his lips.

The rain stopped, and the players on the training ground reassembled. Lin Feng walked out of his office and came to the edge of the training ground.

"Everyone, come here!"

Henderson was the first to run over, followed by core players like Vardy, Nelson, and Smalling. Confusion and a hint of bewilderment were etched on everyone's faces.

"Gentlemen, are you disappointed?" Lin Feng scanned the players gathered in a semicircle.

"Boss, we will prove ourselves," Henderson clenched his fist. "Reading was just an accident."

"An accident?" Lin Feng shook his head. "Jordan, that wasn't an accident; that was the price of growth."

He pulled out his phone, and a set of photos appeared on the screen. These were the latest construction progress pictures of the Northern Dragon Arena. The massive steel skeleton had already risen from the ground, resembling an awakened ancient beast under the glow of the setting sun.

"See?" Lin Feng handed the phone to Vardy, who was closest. "This is our future. Sixty thousand seats, the most advanced stadium in all of England, world-class training facilities."

Vardy took the phone, his eyes instantly widening. The stadium in the photos was grand beyond his imagination.

"My goodness..." Vardy murmured.

"Pass it around, everyone take a look," Lin Feng's voice echoed across the training ground. "Gentlemen, the future is there, but we need to walk there step by step. The current difficulties are the steps leading to it."

The players passed the phone around, each person showing a shocked expression after seeing the photos. Nelson, as the captain, was the last to see the photos.

"Boss, is this... is this really our stadium?" Nelson's voice trembled.

"Not just a stadium," Lin Feng took back his phone. "This is our throne, our castle, the place where our legend begins."

The air after the rain was exceptionally fresh, and the setting sun shone through the clouds onto the training ground. The flames in the players' eyes reignited.

"Now, let's talk tactics," Lin Feng walked towards the tactics board. "Our Championship opponents like to use physicality, pressure, and a jungle of muscle to destroy us. So, we will use speed, passing and moving, and intelligence to tear apart their defense."

He quickly drew diagrams on the tactics board, each stroke precise and powerful.

"Diamond midfield, quick transitions. When they press you with five men, remember, there must be space behind them. Find that space, and then..."

Lin Feng's chalk struck the tactics board heavily.

"Tear them apart!"

Training immediately became more intense. The players practiced according to Lin Feng's new tactics; their passing speed was faster, and their positioning was more precise. Every successful combination drew cheers from their teammates.

After training, Richard Arnold, the club's equity manager, hurried into Lin Feng's office.

"Boss, the small shareholders are making moves," Richard put down a report. "After the first League defeat, three small shareholders privately contacted us, expressing their willingness to sell their shares."

"What about the price?"

"They are all demanding a premium. They believe now is the best time to sell."

Lin Feng sneered: "Let them wait. Any other movements?"

"There are rumors that an investment company in London is contacting the remaining shareholders, trying to acquire their shares."

"Interesting," Lin Feng leaned back in his chair. "Richard, do you think they will succeed?"

"Hard to say, Boss. If the team continues to lose..."

"Then don't let the team continue to lose." Lin Feng stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. "Richard, sometimes, a crisis is the best filter. It can distinguish who are true allies and who are opportunistic merchants."

Night fell, and only a few offices in the club building were still lit. In Lin Feng's office, the blue light of the computer screen illuminated his tired face.

On The Sports Express website, Sophie Green's latest column article was being frantically shared: "Give the Miracle Some Patience."

"In the world of football, nothing is more precious than patience. While everyone is mocking Hartlepool United's 'failure,' what I see is a group of brave young men undergoing the harshest test..."

Lin Feng carefully read the entire article, a hint of warmth flashing in his eyes. On this night full of doubts, at least one person chose to believe.

A knock sounded.

"Come in."

Sophie Green pushed the door open, holding a cup of hot coffee. She didn't speak, just walked to Lin Feng and gently placed the coffee on the table.

"Thank you for your article." Lin Feng took the coffee, not hiding his fatigue in front of her for the first time.

"I just wrote the truth I saw." Sophie sat down in the opposite chair. "You look very tired."

Lin Feng nodded: "Sometimes, seeing the future is also a burden."

"A burden?"

"When you know the outcome, the waiting process becomes exceptionally long." Lin Feng took a sip of coffee, the bitterness spreading on his tongue. "I know Coutinho will become the core of Brazil, De Bruyne will become the best midfielder in the world, and Vardy will become England's top scorer. But I have to wait, wait for them to grow, wait for the world to recognize their value."

Sophie listened quietly, her eyes full of heartache. This man carried too much pressure that others could not understand.

"Then..." Sophie stood up and gently walked behind Lin Feng. "Let me help you share a little?"

Her hands gently pressed on Lin Feng's temples, the warm touch instantly relaxing his taut nerves. The air in the office became ambiguous, with only the sound of the night wind gently caressing the curtains.

Lin Feng closed his eyes, allowing himself to show vulnerability in front of her for the first time.

"Sophie, do you believe in fate?"

"I believe in choice." Sophie's voice was as light as a feather. "Everyone chooses what to believe in, what to follow. And I..."

She paused, her fingers gently stroking Lin Feng's hair.

"I choose to believe in you."

Outside the office, the night was quiet. At the Northern Dragon Arena construction site in the distance, night shift workers were still working intensely. The massive steel skeleton, illuminated by the night lights, quietly awaited the return of its king.

And in the heart of this rising football castle, a man and a woman were writing the prologue to their legend.