29: Small Town Hero

The morning light in Hartlepool filtered through thin clouds, casting a glow on the turf of Victoria Park Stadium.

The September 30th sun, carrying the warmth of autumn, made the dewdrops sparkle.

Lin Feng stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, a thick stack of newspapers in his hand.

The front-page headline of The Sun was particularly eye-catching: “Victoria Park Miracle! League Two Underdog Defeats the Toffees!”

Next to it, The Mirror’s exaggerated font declared: “Lin Feng’s Magic! Chinese Owner Creates Football Fairytale!”

Even the usually serious The Times dedicated an entire half-page to report on this epic victory.

Lin Feng’s lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile.

The media attention was continuously escalating as he had anticipated.

System Notification: Club reputation increased by 322%.

Media Attention: National level.

New Function Unlocked: Future Tactics Library - 4-2-3-1 Flexible Counter-Attack Tactical Module (Beginner).

Player Value Assessment System upgraded.

John Stone pushed the door open, carrying a large stack of documents.

The club’s commercial director’s face was filled with barely concealed excitement.

“Boss, you absolutely won’t believe the current situation!”

Stone’s voice trembled slightly with excitement.

He placed the documents on Lin Feng’s desk, his fingers shaking slightly.

“Yesterday alone, we received sponsorship inquiries from seventeen companies!”

“From local car dealerships to sports brands in London, everyone wants to collaborate with us.”

Lin Feng put down the newspapers, his gaze sweeping over the contract drafts.

While the figures weren’t enormous, for a League Two team, they were astronomical.

“What about ticket sales?”

Lin Feng’s voice remained calm, but his eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

Stone opened another document, his smile growing even wider.

“All four thousand eight hundred tickets for the home match against Bradford City sold out within two hours!”

“The black market price has already soared to three times the face value!”

“Jerseys with Vardy’s name printed on them are out of stock in the fan shop!”

“Sigurdsson’s jerseys are also selling like crazy, especially in Iceland!”

Lin Feng nodded, tapping his finger on the desk.

The rapid increase in commercial value was within his expectations.

But he was more concerned with long-term planning.

“John, small sponsorships can be accepted appropriately.”

Lin Feng’s voice carried an undeniable sense of authority.

“But don’t rush into signing long-term, large contracts.”

“We have a more long-term commercial plan.”

Stone nodded vigorously, his eyes shining with admiration.

In his view, every decision Lin Feng made contained profound wisdom.

On the training ground, the chemical reaction of the prodigy squad continued to elevate.

Vardy was practicing shooting, each shot carrying devastating power.

The victory over Everton had completely unleashed his confidence.

Schmeichel directed the positioning of the defensive line from the goal.

The Danish goalkeeper’s voice boomed, and his teammates unconsciously obeyed his commands.

“Danny, move half a step to the left!”

“Ben, pay attention to marking the space at the top of the box!”

Simpson was on the right wing, practicing precise link-up play with Snodgrass.

The Manchester United youth academy's foundation was evident in every pass he made.

The Scottish winger’s laughter was particularly noticeable on the training ground.

“Danny, your passes are more accurate than those old guys at Manchester United!”

Snodgrass’s words sparked a round of laughter.

This relaxed atmosphere was exactly what Lin Feng wanted to see.

Sigurdsson practiced passing alone in the corner.

The sixteen-year-old Icelandic boy was introverted, but his last-minute world-class goal against Everton had made everyone look at him with new eyes.

Every touch of the ball seemed so logical, every pass just right.

By the training ground, Old John held a tactical notebook.

Dense handwriting recorded his new understanding of tactics.

Since defeating Everton, the old coach’s admiration for Lin Feng had reached a blind level.

He even started imitating Lin Feng by drawing strange geometric shapes on the tactics board.

He attempted to comprehend the mysteries of football from them.

“The strategy of ‘Tian Ji’s Horse Racing’ is simply a stroke of genius.”

Old John wrote this sentence in his notebook, his handwriting as neat as if he were transcribing a sacred text.

He now regarded every word of Lin Feng’s as divine.

In the media area, Sophie Green was organizing her latest report.

The “Northern Storm” series of articles had caused a huge stir nationwide.

Three major newspapers had offered her positions, with salaries double her current one.

But she chose to stay.

Her intuition told her there were even greater news treasures waiting to be uncovered here.

“What exactly is Lin Feng’s investment path?”

Sophie wrote this question in her notebook.

She had already begun to investigate the mysterious Chinese owner from a business perspective.

Bank records, investment companies, capital flow.

Every clue pointed to the same conclusion: Lin Feng was definitely not an ordinary rich second-generation.

At three in the afternoon, in the tactics meeting room.

Old John stood before the tactics board, his eyes burning with unprecedented confidence.

The victory over Everton had given him a new understanding of his coaching abilities.

“Lads, tomorrow we will host Shrewsbury Town.”

Old John’s voice was loud and strong.

“The top spot in the League cannot be lost!”

Vardy sat in the front row, his arms crossed over his chest.

The experience of defeating a Premier League team had subtly changed his mindset.

League Two was no longer a challenge for him.

“We need to let everyone know that defeating Everton was no accident.”

Vardy’s voice was calm, but his tone exuded absolute dominance.

Schmeichel nodded, his eyes also full of determination.

“The League championship is our goal.”

Sigurdsson sat quietly in the corner.

The Icelandic boy’s mindset had undergone a fundamental change.

That last-minute world-class goal against Everton not only shocked English football but also completely unleashed his inner potential.

“I want to try a new tactical position.”

Sigurdsson’s voice was soft, but his words conveyed unprecedented confidence.

Old John turned his head, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

“Gylfi, what do you want to say?”

“I can play more positions.”

The Icelandic boy’s eyes were clear and firm.

“Attacking midfielder, winger, even defensive midfielder.”

“I want to contribute more to the team.”

Simpson nodded silently from the side.

Coming from the Manchester United youth academy, he deeply understood the value of versatility.

At top clubs, players who can play multiple positions are often more highly valued.

Snodgrass clapped his hands, and the Scotsman’s enthusiasm instantly infected the entire meeting room.

“Brothers, we are giant killers now!”

“Why don’t we keep killing?”

His words provoked laughter, but the fighting spirit in everyone’s heart was completely ignited.

After the meeting, the players left one after another.

Lin Feng walked to the window, his gaze penetrating the glass to the distant training ground.

The Sun was setting, casting golden light on the green field.

The growth rate of these prodigies exceeded his expectations.

Not only were they becoming more technically mature, but more importantly, their mentality had made a qualitative leap.

System Analysis: Player Psychological State.

Vardy: Bursting with confidence, extremely strong desire to win.

Schmeichel: Leadership qualities emerging, core of team cohesion.

Sigurdsson: Potential awakened, technical talent fully unleashed.

Simpson: Improved stability, accumulated big-match experience.

Snodgrass: Team lubricant, morale booster.

Overall Assessment: Perfect chemistry, combat power greatly increased.

Lin Feng’s lips curved into a satisfied arc.

Everything was developing according to his plan.

But he knew that the real challenge had only just begun.

The League Cup fourth-round draw was approaching.

Stronger opponents were waiting for these prodigies.