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“Champions!!!”
“Champions!!!”
“We are the champions!!!!!!!!!!”

On May 4th, in the final round of the Italian Serie C league, Reggina fulfilled its mission. Before the eyes of the home fans, not only did they secure promotion, but they also claimed the Serie C championship.

Even though it was just a lower-tier title, it was immensely precious to Reggina.

Excited fans stormed the pitch.

The players, equally ecstatic, were utterly swept away by the moment. There was hardly any barrier or distance between them and the fans; everyone was celebrating. On this day at Granillo Stadium, there were no disappointed souls.

Reggina had successfully suppressed the biggest favorite for the title, Cagliari.

In this clash between young coaches, Nevio Scala defeated the equally fresh-faced Claudio Ranieri, emerging victorious in the end.

The commentators at the booth were just as thrilled, shouting loudly, “Reggina has shown us the power of unity. This team embodies the true essence of football... Dejan, who lost his last close relative, became the key figure in the second half of the season. His level has already surpassed Serie C. Next season, he will fight alongside Reggina in Serie B. I believe this young man will be a vital part of Reggina.”

“Yes, and I’ve also heard he’s caught the attention of several fashion brands. Everyone in Reggio Calabria knows who the young handsome guy on the motorcycle is. I’m not at all surprised by this.”

In truth, most of that was just exaggerated by Dejan and Bianchi.

No matter how influential a Serie C player might be, big brands generally wouldn’t take notice.

However, a chocolate company did approach Dejan.

Having barely escaped the fans’ eager grip, Dejan hurried back to the locker room.

Upon entering, he found the old fellow Giuseppe Bagnato hiding inside.

“Hey, what are your plans for next season?”

Dejan asked directly.

Bagnato wasn’t even a starter in Serie C.

With the team promoted, there was certainly no place for him anymore.

Yet Giuseppe Bagnato didn’t answer. Instead, he said mysteriously, “I might be about to make it big.”

“Did you win the lottery?”

Dejan joked.

“No, a director spotted me.”

Dejan was speechless.

The guy looked decent enough, but he wasn’t particularly outstanding for the film industry and lacked experience. Which director would be so stubborn?

“You know, there were reports that Tindo hit a bottleneck, and then he actually reached out to me, wanting me to play myself based on my experiences,” Bagnato explained.

Dejan’s expression turned strange.

He knew all too well.

That was a little essay he had written to deflect some pressure, and he never expected Tindo to take it seriously.

On the bright side, Reggina still had some buzz right now.

Moreover, Italian football was thriving, and a film about players should find a market — even in other European countries, the box office would likely do well.

“Well then, good luck,” Dejan said.

He then asked, “If you’re going into acting, does your wife have any objections?”

“What objections could she have?”

Bagnato said, “After hearing the news, she even made me watch the tapes and practice a few times, reminding me not to be too nervous and to make sure the actresses have a good experience.”

Impressive!

In this regard, Europeans, especially those from Latin cultures, really have an open mind.

A guy who couldn’t make it in Serie C switching to acting might actually be a good move.

At least financially, it would be a significant upgrade.

Dejan patted him on the shoulder. Next time they met might just be on a video screen.

Back home, Dejan opened the system and indeed saw the task completed.

[Successfully activated the “If You’re Brothers, Come Play Football” official version (The key to football is having many players. If you have the most players in the football world, you are recognized as the King of Football)]

Acquired skills: [King of Brothers], [Complementing Strengths], [Star of Dreams].

Skill: King of Brothers — As a football superstar admired by many players, your off-field life should be equally spectacular to elevate your historical status as much as possible. As the absolute lead on the world stage, the probability of encountering various off-field events increases. (The more brothers you have, the better your luck in these events.)

Dejan: …

So wherever I go, will people around me just drop dead?

Reality shouldn't be as exaggerated as in “Detective Conan.”

This last skill fits the system’s name well — the more football friends you have, the luckier you are when facing off-field incidents. If you’re stuck in traffic, having many brothers might mean a helicopter shows up to pick you up for the match?

That’s not a problem. Dejan has survived so far precisely because of having many brothers.

[Complementing Strengths]: Each match, you can randomly draw an experience card from a player opposite in style to one of your close brothers to cooperate with your brothers on the pitch. (The more brothers you have, the more likely the drawn player is at their peak.)

Good, very much in line with the system’s name.

But the “opposite to close brothers” part is a bit confusing.

Opposite playing style? Like drawing an Owen for a slow runner?

Or opposite personality? Someone who’s always late paired with someone who trains every day?

Whatever it is, it’s at least a good thing.

Dejan now felt that his talent had always been there, but he was still a bit short of playing in top-tier leagues — no time to train slowly.

This skill could at least make up for that shortcoming.

Star of Dreams — As the leader of your brothers, you never drive a Range Rover yourself while letting your brothers suffer. As the timely rain of football and the champion of Earth’s justice, you are their strongest support. With this skill, your brothers receive positive feedback to a certain degree. The best among your brothers can even partially have their wishes fulfilled.

Whoa?!

This skill is quite interesting.

Everybody’s well-being truly means well-being for all.

If his friends around him keep having good luck like this, football might really come to be known as the “Lu” era.

Continuing to read:

[New Journey: Having won your first important championship in life, you are ecstatic. But as the last superstar in the era of Samba football in reserve, you cannot always be the sidekick. For the glory of Brazilian football and the brilliance of your career, please transfer away from Catalonia and remain in one of the Big Four leagues. PSG is not the best choice; be cautious about your career. (Successfully transferring while staying in the Big Four leagues will activate a mysterious event.)]

Dejan: …

First, they made him brothers with the “Twin Stars,” now they just treat him as Neymar?

This system really knows how to play.

Anyway, the summer means a job change. This task should be easy to complete.

Dejan hadn’t yet decided where to play next.

If possible, he definitely wanted to stay in Italy, but no clubs had contacted Reggina.

Serie C ended early, so he could still wait a bit.

If no offers came by the end of the month, he planned to try his luck in England.

English clubs were banned from European competitions, but they were great at marketing.

Playing there would boost his commercial value quickly.

He decided not to think about that right now.

Tomorrow, he had to go to Milan.

Ferrero had entered the domestic market in the 1980s, specializing in hazelnut chocolates and premium products. It made sense they noticed him; they probably wanted to film a commercial to test the waters.

Although it was a food ad, Dejan took it seriously.

It was his first commercial endorsement, even if only for a short domestic campaign.

Early the next morning, Dejan boarded a flight to Milan.

Arriving at the hotel lobby early, he had the chance to chat with the commercial director.

Dejan didn’t smoke but would occasionally take a puff in social situations — these days, even football teams were full of chain smokers, let alone society at large.

Luca Biggs was quite famous, and Ferrero seemed to value him highly.

Biggs smiled and said, “You’re the first Chinese person I’ve ever met, and you’re nothing like the image I had.”

“The British TV shows are too arrogant,” Dejan scoffed. “In their eyes, the whole world is bad. If it weren’t for witnessing one colony after another gain independence, they’d still think the sun never sets on the British Empire.”

“Hahaha, yes, they’re always so snobbish!” Biggs nodded vigorously. “Between British food and dog excrement, I think dog excrement might taste better because I haven’t eaten either.”

The two found common ground in their banter.

Biggs excitedly waved his right hand, saying, “You know, when I was filming in Portsmouth, they kept telling me about child protection laws. Britain is actually the country with the highest child labor deaths — those damned hypocrites.”

At that moment, a young woman approached them briskly.

The clicking of her high heels was light and lively, signaling her cheerful mood.

Both men instinctively turned their heads.

Dejan immediately recognized her, even though she wasn’t yet very famous in Italy.

If he had to describe her in one sentence, Dejan would say this girl could shine…

Damn, this was the planet’s flower in her early twenties!