Chapter 20: Yes, He Is a Treasure!

Page 20: Yes, he is a treasure!

"Arsenal on the attack, the ball moves to the flank, now at the feet of Cazorla. A direct cross searching for Giroud!! Joe Hart! A brilliant charge out! The ball is punched away. Out there! It is... It is Li! Li!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

In the commentary box, Sky Sports commentator Andy Gray was stunned. He even leapt from his seat. Because he saw it clearly: Li Mo was unmarked inside the penalty area!

"Li controls the ball with his left, his right... shoots!!! Goooooooooooooooooooooooal!!!!" Andy Gray roared toward the heavens. Beside him, Arsenal legend Martin Keown jumped up, pumping his fists in celebration. Gary Neville, sitting nearby, looked dazed, his mouth agape.

In North London, at Uncle Russell’s house, Li Mo’s neighbors had gathered to watch the match. As they saw Li Mo drive the ball into the net, everyone sprang from their seats, cheering wildly!

"Beautiful!! I knew it! I knew it!! He could definitely do it!!"
"He is the most hardworking guy I’ve ever seen!!"
"Ahhh! What a goal!!"

Everyone was nearly incoherent. Although Li Mo was just a young player who had recently joined the club, the neighbors had witnessed his dedication—leaving early and returning late every day. It is easy for fans to accept a player; all you have to do is perform well. Now, Li Mo had not only scored Arsenal's first league goal of the season but had also proven himself to be the quintessential "someone else's child"—the kind of kid neighbors use to lecture their own unruly children. And now, didn't this goal just prove the foresight of these "neighborly parents"?

On the television screen, Andy Gray’s voice echoed. He took a deep breath. "This is Arsenal's first goal of the season! This... is Li Mo's first goal in professional league play!! Welcome to the world of football! Welcome to the Premier League! Welcome, Arsenal's wonderkid!!!"

Wonderkid. The nickname, coined by Andy Gray in the heat of the moment, was destined to follow Li Mo for the entire season.

"Listen, listen, the Etihad Stadium has gone quiet after Li Mo's goal; the Manchester City fans have just been doused with a bucket of cold water!"
"One-one!! The visiting Arsenal side has leveled the score!"

After the goal, many Manchester City fans stood with mouths agape, unable to believe what they were seeing. The person they least expected to score had done just that. They hadn't even fully reacted; they were still anticipating a quick counter-attack after Joe Hart punched the ball away. Instead, they saw Li Mo tucking the ball into their net.

On the sidelines, Mancini looked perplexed. He had accounted for everything, except for this "X-factor" named Li Mo. He kept replaying the moment leading up to the goal in his mind, but it remained blurry. Fortunately, ultra-high-definition cameras captured the entire sequence from every angle. Mancini turned to stare at the big screen. The build-up was standard: Giroud in the middle, Li Mo crashing the back post, and Podolski at the near post, forming a classic three-striker cross-attacking formation.

However, the moment Cazorla struck the ball, Li Mo, who was pressing toward the back post, suddenly paused and then burst forward into the center of the penalty area. It was a gap—a fleeting one. Yet, Li Mo happened to be there. Joe Hart’s clearance also happened to land right there. Li Mo’s follow-up was equally beautiful: hooking the ball down with his left foot, observing, and then calmly slotting it home with his right.

Everything looked like a coincidence. Was it? Mancini didn't quite believe it was a coincidence. But if it wasn't, wasn't this kid a bit too terrifying? He was matched up against Kompany, and it could be said he completely played the defender for a fool. He didn't rely on speed, strength, or flashy footwork—the things young players rely on most when they reach the first team. He relied on his nose for the game and... his intelligence.

Mancini watched Li Mo, who had rushed into the net to grab the ball and was now sprinting back, waving his arms at the Manchester City players to hurry up and restart. Looking at that seventeen-year-old face, still possessing a hint of baby fat, Mancini couldn't help but wonder: was there the brain of an old fox hidden inside?

At the San Siro, Inzaghi watched the close-up of Li Mo on his phone screen. His hands were clenched. He was excited—incredibly excited. He felt as if he were looking at another version of himself. No! Even better! Because Li Mo had better physical attributes. The way he had stopped, started, and shaken off Kompany was the moment that had impressed Inzaghi the most.

"His speed... he can regain it!" At that thought, Inzaghi felt a thrill. He imagined himself back in his prime, if only he had possessed that top-tier speed... Inzaghi shivered.

In the media gallery, the journalists who had previously hyped up the "Van Persie successor" narrative to mock Arsenal were stunned. But soon, one reporter reacted: "Arsenal got lucky!" "This kid got lucky, too." They had noticed Li Mo's positioning, but the reporters didn't care about that. Fans didn't care for boring runs; they loved seeing brilliant dribbles and explosive shots. Li Mo’s control was decent, and his choice of shot was reasonable, but it was far from "explosive."

"Arsenal is doing well, four games unbeaten."
"Hahaha, you could also say four games without a win." The reporters laughed.

With the goal scored, there were about three minutes left in the match. Three minutes—neither for Arsenal nor for Manchester City—seemed like enough time to score again. Wenger applauded on the sidelines, then turned to give Bould a triumphant smile. "See that? Was my judgment accurate or what!"

Bould couldn't be bothered with that; he was pumping his fists, shouting: "We have another true genius on our hands! He is the treasure of Arsenal's future!" Calm, rational, hungry for goals, and desperate for victory—such a player, anywhere, is a treasure.

"Yes, he is our treasure!" Wenger laughed. But... it takes peeling away the seemingly unremarkable outer layer of stone to discover the gem beneath.

"No way..." Just then, Bould stared with wide eyes. The entire stadium seemed to fall silent. Wenger turned around. He saw a sight that made his whole body tense up. The ball soared across half the pitch, arcing toward the left. On the right, Li Mo was sprinting toward the landing spot, adjusting his stride. One step, two steps, three steps. Left foot, drawing the bow! The ball dropped from the air.

And then... Bang!!

Massive power transferred into the ball. The ball changed trajectory. Like a meteor... it drilled into the net once again!