Football Card System

There were three minutes of injury time in this game, but Luton fans had begun celebrating as early as the 80th minute.

Leading 4–1, Luton's defense was rock-solid, and the opponent had no chance of mounting a comeback in the closing minutes.

The TV broadcast frequently shifted its focus to the jubilant fans in the stands and head coach Gao Bo on the sideline. Even Port Vale, Luton's opponent, had seemingly lost interest in the game. They kept possession in their own half, and Luton didn't bother pressing. Port Vale players knew that any attempt to attack would immediately trigger Luton's aggressive pressing, which had been overwhelming throughout the match. No matter where they had the ball, they always found multiple Luton players closing in on them, as if Luton had twice as many players on the field.

This relentless pressure left Port Vale feeling helpless, and they eventually gave up.

This was Luton's day, and it was clear that no one would be able to spoil their celebration.

---

The referee didn't even let the full stoppage time play out before blowing the final whistle. Port Vale players quickly exited through the tunnel, leaving the field to the jubilant Luton team and their fans.

Worth Field erupted into a sea of celebration.

Not only at the stadium but also in bars across Luton, fans were raising their glasses, shouting, "Long live!"

On the pitch, Luton's players ran to the bench, celebrating with the coaching staff.

Before long, someone suggested lifting Gao Bo, and the players quickly carried him, tossing him into the air.

"Gao Bo has completely won over his team. It only took him two months to establish total control. He was named the Second Division Manager of the Month for both August and September, and barring any surprises, he'll win the award for October as well," Letkinson said with admiration as he watched Gao Bo being celebrated by his players.

When Gao Bo was finally set down, pale-faced from being thrown into the air, he glared at his players and muttered to himself, "Looks like tomorrow's day off is canceled!"

---

Letkinson continued his commentary with enthusiasm:

"From today on, every team in League Two needs to be on high alert—there's a monster in the league, and it's here to collect points!"

League Two relegates the bottom two teams each season. Luton had started the season with a 30-point deduction but had clawed their way back to zero points in just ten games. By comparison, Grimsby Town, sitting at the bottom, had only managed four points from four draws and six losses, while second-bottom Barnet had just seven points from two wins, a draw, and seven losses.

Teams just above the relegation zone, like Accrington (22nd place) and Morecambe (23rd place), had only eight points each.

With Luton's current form, relegation was no longer a concern. In fact, they were poised to climb further up the table.

Gao Bo looked on with satisfaction at the celebrating players and the ecstatic fans in the stands.

For him, this was just the beginning.

He had taken a team on the brink of despair and brought them back to life. He had built something special—a team that embodied his vision and ideals.

Luton was like a small, sickly sapling that Gao Bo had carefully nurtured. Now, its roots were firmly planted, and fresh green shoots were beginning to sprout.

---

On the TV, Gao Bo stood tall and confident, his hands on his hips, surveying the field like an emperor inspecting his territory.

The scene was inspiring.

But Lin Sen, watching from his dorm room, felt a pang of uncertainty. He was in his senior year of university and had recently started searching for internships.

With a major in pure mathematics, his career options were limited unless he pursued further studies. Financially, he had no pressure—his family was well-off, and he could easily choose to pursue a master's degree or even study abroad for a Ph.D. But Lin Sen wasn't drawn to the idea of spending the next several years in academia.

But if not that, then what?

Lin Sen glanced at a small cabinet under his desk. He opened it with a key and pulled out a thick notebook.

This notebook contained the fruits of his labor over four years in college—a comprehensive database of players from the Brazilian Série A and the English Championship. It was filled with meticulous notes and detailed statistics.

Lin Sen ran his hand over the notebook's hard cover, treating it as delicately as if it were a girl's skin.

Just then, his roommates returned from an internet café, chatting about an upcoming campus recruitment fair.

"Hey, Lin, are you going to the interviews tomorrow?" one of them asked.

"What companies are coming?" Lin Sen asked hesitantly.

"Nothing special, really. But you should check it out. Your major doesn't have many options, so you should seriously think about grad school."

The conversation turned to their future plans, but Lin Sen was lost in thought.

---

What is my future?

Lin Sen stared at the notebook, his thoughts drifting to childhood memories.

He remembered sneaking off to play football and being made to write a self-critique by his teacher. He recalled his mother taking him to apologize to a neighbor whose window he had broken with a wayward shot. He thought of the bruises and scrapes he had hidden from his family by wearing long pants in the summer.

Once, Lin Sen had dreamed of becoming a football player. But that dream had been crushed by his family's opposition.

By the time he was 18, Lin Sen was a high school senior focused on academics. It was an age when aspiring players should have been making their mark, but Lin Sen was growing further and further away from his dream.

In college, his love for football never faded. He poured his passion into watching games, analyzing tactics, and compiling player data. He even took several coaching courses and earned a D-level coaching certification.

Now, as he stared at pictures of Gao Bo on his computer screen, something clicked.

I want to fight for my dream.

"Guys," Lin Sen said, turning to his roommates, "can I borrow some money?"