202: Dream Theater's "Rehearsal" and the King's Gamble

The Phoenix Training Center was brightly lit, and the late autumn night wind seeped through the window cracks, bringing with it a chill.

Lin Feng sat in the tactical analysis room, his eyes bloodshot, but still fixed on the holographic screen in front of him.

Ferguson's "welcome speech" continued to ferment in various media, with commentators interpreting it as a benevolent uplift from an elder to a junior. But Lin Feng knew that this was precisely the Scottish manager's usual psychological tactic; behind the seemingly gentle words lay an absolute desire for victory.

"System, activate the [Tactical Master Simulation Duel] module," Lin Feng said, his voice a bit hoarse as he gently massaged his temples.

A golden prompt box popped up on the screen: "Warning: This module will consume a large amount of system energy. Do you confirm?"

"Confirm."

Instantly, Lin Feng's consciousness seemed to be pulled into a virtual tactical sandbox. The surroundings were pure white, and a huge tactical table appeared before him. Across the table, a blurry figure gradually became clear—that familiar Scottish face with its characteristic sneer.

"Virtual Ferguson" chewed gum, his sharp eyes scanning Lin Feng. Although he knew this was just a data simulation, the sense of oppression was still suffocating.

The first simulation began.

Lin Feng chose the team's most proficient 4-3-3 high-pressing formation, attempting to overwhelm Manchester United with speed and skill. But after only fifteen minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo's wing breakthrough tore through the defense, and Rooney followed up to score.

At twenty minutes, Tevez's counterattack made the score 2-0.

At thirty minutes, Giggs's long-range shot completely sealed their fate. 3-0, a crushing defeat.

The system's cold voice rang out: "Simulation over, tactical rating: Failure."

Lin Feng took a deep breath, wiping the sweat from his forehead. This was his first such complete defeat in a system simulation; Ferguson's tactical versatility and on-the-spot adaptability far exceeded his imagination.

"Again."

In the second simulation, Lin Feng switched to a defensive counter-attacking strategy. But "Virtual Ferguson" immediately adjusted his tactics, patiently passing the ball in midfield to gradually open up space, eventually winning 2-1.

The third, fourth, fifth times... Each failure gave Lin Feng a deeper understanding of Ferguson's coaching artistry. The terrifying aspect of this Scottish godfather was not in a fixed set of tactics, but in his ability to make the most precise adjustments during a match based on the situation on the field.

Time quietly passed, and the sky outside had already begun to lighten.

The office door gently pushed open, and Sophie walked in, holding a steaming cup of coffee. Seeing Lin Feng's tired appearance, a pang of heartache welled up inside her.

"Is it worth it?" Sophie gently placed the coffee on the table. "Pushing yourself like this for one match."

Lin Feng took the coffee, and the warm liquid slightly invigorated him. He pointed to the dense tactical diagrams on the screen, his voice low and firm.

"This isn't just one match, Sophie. This is a staircase to the throne, and Ferguson is the dragon guarding it."

Sophie silently sat beside him, no longer disturbing his thoughts. She knew that at this moment, Lin Feng was engaging in a cross-temporal game of chess with one of the greatest coaches in football history.

In the sixtieth simulation, Lin Feng tried an extreme defensive strategy, but was still broken by Ferguson's substitutions.

In the eightieth simulation, he adopted a three-man defense system, only to be torn apart by quick counterattacks.

Each failure made Lin Feng more clearly realize that to defeat Ferguson, he had to break free from conventional thinking.

Meanwhile, the club's commercial operations were also in full swing. Richard Arnold's phone rang non-stop, as the minority shareholders who had once ganged up against them now caved, eagerly selling their shares.

The tough condition of an "eighty percent discount" completely shattered their psychological defenses. Within a week, ninety-five percent of the club's external shares were successfully bought back, and Lin Feng finally achieved absolute control over Hartlepool United.

In Northern Capital's operations room, traders were busy monitoring various charts. The shadow of the financial crisis brought Lin Feng unexpected wealth growth; early short positions in financial derivatives had already generated tens of billions in cash revenue.

These funds were rapidly being invested in the acquisition of physical industries and high-quality tech stocks. Apple, Google, Amazon—these future tech giants, whose stock prices were currently depressed due to the economic crisis, became Lin Feng's targets.

In the ninetieth simulation, Lin Feng suddenly had a new inspiration.

He no longer pursued a head-on confrontation but designed an extremely risky, bizarre formation of "asymmetric wing offense + deep midfield retreat." This tactic seemed illogical, even contradictory.

But it was this seemingly absurd tactic that, for the first time, made "Virtual Ferguson" show a bewildered expression.

By the seventieth minute of the match, Hartlepool United was still trailing 0-1. But Lin Feng's tactical trap finally showed its power. When Manchester United habitually intensified their attack, they suddenly found the opponent's defensive structure completely unexpected.

De Bruyne's long pass found Vardy, and the England striker's speed advantage was infinitely magnified in this special tactical system. 1-1.

In the eighty-fifth minute, Coutinho's world-class shot from outside the box completely shattered "Virtual Ferguson's" psychological defense. 2-1, victory!

The ninety-ninth simulation finally ended, and Lin Feng collapsed into his chair, but his eyes gleamed with the light of victory. Although it was only a virtual duel, this narrow win showed him the only possible way to defeat his opponent.

He quickly simplified this complex tactical system into a few key instructions and sent them via encrypted transmission to Old John. The core of this tactic was to exploit the opponent's habitual thinking, seeking opportunities for a fatal blow within a seemingly chaotic setup.

On the training ground of the Phoenix Training Center, the players were undergoing extremely arduous targeted training. Although they didn't fully understand the deep logic of Lin Feng's tactics, their absolute trust in their boss made them execute every instruction without question.

Henderson constantly practiced deep retreat runs in midfield, while De Bruyne and Coutinho repeatedly rehearsed the timing of their wing cuts. Vardy, moreover, pushed his speed advantage to the extreme, each counterattack as sharp as lightning.

Just as the team was preparing intensely, a piece of news exploded in the media.

Keira Knightley, through her agent, announced with great fanfare that she would personally purchase an entire away fan box for the League Cup match between Manchester United and Hartlepool United, inviting her friends to "witness a miracle or a downfall."

This news instantly became a headline across major media outlets. An international movie star so publicly supporting a Championship team was eye-catching enough in itself. Moreover, the implied challenge in her words made the entire England football world speculate about her relationship with Lin Feng.

When Sophie saw this news, a hint of displeasure welled up in her heart. Although she trusted Lin Feng's feelings, a woman's intuition told her that this Hollywood actress would never pay such attention to Hartlepool United for no reason.

"She's provoking me," Sophie clenched her fists, a flash of anger in her eyes.

Lin Feng gently stroked her hair, smiling tenderly: "Let her be. Some people are destined to only be spectators."

The night before the team departed for Manchester, Lin Feng received an unexpected package. The courier said it was sent by a lady through someone else but refused to disclose more information.

Opening the package, inside was a Manchester United jersey printed with "Lin Feng" and the number 99, made of excellent material, clearly custom-made. Even more striking was the card, on which elegant cursive script read:

"If your men lose, put this on. If you win... come to my box, and we'll talk about things beyond movies. — K.K."

Lin Feng looked at the card, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. This international movie star's boldness and directness were indeed unexpected, but they also strengthened his resolve to win at Old Trafford.

He locked the jersey and card in a safe, then walked to the window. In the distant night sky, stars twinkled, just like the fighting spirit burning in his heart.

Tomorrow, the Theatre of Dreams will witness an unprecedented showdown. The young challenger will launch his bravest assault on the throne of football there.

The outcome was undecided, but Lin Feng had made all preparations.