Chapter 86 — Dragon's Roar, Tiger's Howl: The Overlord Balotelli Stages a Dramatic Turnaround
1:1!
After Bayern equalized, the online comment feeds exploded.
"I swear my premonitions are brilliant when they're wrong… I give up."
"Football is weird like that — when you squander chances you invite retribution."
"This isn't weirdness, it's football law. Life is the same: when an opportunity appears and you don't seize it, you'll be unlucky for a long time."
"Haha, I can't stop laughing. After Balotelli knocked the ball into the net he looked at his shirt and had the dumbest expression. Hilarious—I took a screenshot, DM me if you want it."
"I think Wenger should take the blame. He never told Balo which goal was ours."
"Am I the only one who thinks Toni Kroos's free kick was so clever?"
"Kroos doesn't score many Champions League goals; this is his fourth, but it's crucial."
"The pressure is on Arsenal now. This match just got hard to play."
The game continued.
Bayern, buoyed by the equalizer, quickly regained control and intercepted possession in short order.
"Ding dong — Triggered {Dragon's Roar, Tiger's Howl} attribute…"
The AI controlling Xia Qi's body immediately had him return to midfield.
Modern football expects not only wingers but also strikers to defend — think Harry Kane. But in 2013 the idea of a "defending forward" was mostly a talking point in the Bundesliga and among some younger, progressive coaches.
Wingers like Eden Hazard or Cristiano Ronaldo practically didn't help defend at all.
Xia Qi's tracking back at this moment was somewhat "trendy," and Jupp Heynckes took note and viewed Wenger with a little more respect.
On the pitch,
after a few passes the ball arrived at the feet of the Little Flying Dutchman, Arjen Robben.
Xia Qi immediately sprinted at Robben.
Tactically, the two weren't supposed to be directly matched, but at this moment Xia Qi's attribute had activated.
Many in the stands immediately took out their phones to capture this historic moment.
Just as Xia Qi reached Robben, the ball slid between Xia Qi's legs; Robben accelerated and went around on the outside.
He tried to eat him alive!
But the eater was eaten!
Bayern fans went wild — their shouts filled the arena, the roar assaulting Xia Qi's eardrums until they ached.
In Xia Qi's head he shouted, "Comrade, shoulder him!"
AI wouldn't do something so gauche; it immediately turned and chased after Robben.
Fortunately Arsenal's defense had layers.
Mikel Arteta rushed in at that instant and, using experience, forced Robben to slow down.
As Robben decelerated, Xia Qi closed back and trapped him in a double-team.
Those loud Bayern fans who had been mocking Xia Qi's U-turn now let out a huge hissing: "Ooooh…"
That hiss got to Robben. He was already a lone wolf type; with blood heating up he got even more individualistic.
In midfield, Mario Mandžukić and Toni Kroos shouted themselves hoarse but got no response from Robben.
Robben was boxed in from left and right; to have a next move he had to protect the ball. He just drew the ball between his feet — then Xia Qi's long leg shot in with precision.
"Ding dong — {Dragon's Roar, Tiger's Howl} activated. Host possessed by the Overlord… On frequency shift, first touch speed is 5% faster than the opponent…"
Xia Qi's first touch was 5% quicker than Robben's. Seeing Xia Qi's leg coming, Robben tried to shield the ball but was 5% slower. Their in-and-out movements widened the gap.
Robben suddenly felt the ground go from under his feet; the ball was at Xia Qi's feet.
Seeing Xia Qi didn't immediately move the ball, Robben stuck close to attempt a counter-steal.
Xia Qi pulled the ball inwards, the frequency-shift first touch added +5%, dodging Robben's leg. A step to the right was another frequency-shift, another +5%, leaving Robben to watch Xia Qi's elegant back view.
Two consecutive +5% boosts;
Robben's attempt to tackle was like a child trying to take something from an adult — he was toyed with.
"Xia Qi's beaten him!"
"No feints even, just a simple rhythm difference."
"Robben's defense is a bit weak."
"Xia Qi's on the counter!"
On the pitch,
Xia Qi picked the ball up with his right foot… frequency-shift first touch +5%… Robben was past.
Allianz Arena burst into hissing: "Ooooh…"
The hisses didn't faze Xia Qi.
He strode forward with long, rapid steps. The young, tall, handsome figure evoked images of silver saddles and white horses — a meteor. The crowd hissed louder.
Bastian Schweinsteiger lunged at Xia Qi rapidly and even reached out, trying for a tactical foul, but grasped only air.
As Schweinsteiger came on he trapped the ball and made two touches like he did past Robben, producing two +5% speed boosts.
When masters clash, a sliver of a difference can mean a world apart.
Especially when it's +5% —
with the Overlord possession, Xia Qi's rhythm-difference dribbling was almost invincible.
"Another rhythm-difference!"
"Xia Qi has taken a basic dribble move and refined it to a transcendental level."
"In front of Xia Qi, all the defenders move in slow motion."
Zhan Jun's commentary sparked hot debate online:
"Simplicity at its peak: a blunt sword without an edge. A basic Luohan fist practiced to mastery can beat even the legendary Jiumo Zhi."
"Say no more. Take the kitchen knife up the mountain. Ten years later the legend of the Ten-Mile Slope Knife God will be born."
"This is no longer skill — it's art."
"Robben's attempt to eat him triggered the strongest Xia Qi."
Seeing Xia Qi's retreating figure, Schweinsteiger was dumbfounded and forgot to pursue.
Normally his rapid presses could halt any player — Messi, Ronaldo, all would pause and think. Tonight, not only did he fail to stop Xia Qi, he actually helped him succeed. Schweinsteiger's long-nurtured defensive doctrine collapsed…
He didn't know Xia Qi had the frequency-shift first-touch acceleration trick, so he assumed Xia Qi had energy in reserve.
This explosiveness — man, it topples walls!
Javi Martínez came to Schweinsteiger's cover.
Xia Qi's carry was long, bold strides like Kaka's. He moved past Schweinsteiger with a large advancing touch.
Javi Martínez, seeing the ball nearer to him, realized this might be a "mistake."
He sprinted forward!
Bayern fans cheered again, but some older fans frowned in worry. A certain image in their memories overlapped with the boy on the pitch.
Unease grew.
Sure enough!
Xia Qi was lightning-fast, reached the ball a step earlier, and with another rhythm-difference slid past Javi Martínez.
"Beautiful!"
"One trick that does it all!"
"Dribbling no longer needs complexity; fancy moves are less suited to modern football. A simple rhythm change is the trend now…"
Bayern fans were dumbstruck and scared; beyond hissing they shouted, "Double team him!" "Double team him!"
The tone had a slight quaver; before them the boy had turned into a killing spirit, with no defender capable of stopping him — how could they not panic?
Ten steps kill one man,
a thousand miles leave none alive!
Nothing more to say.
Bayern fans were terrified, while Arsenal fans were electrified. The small band of Arsenal supporters in the Allianz Arena shouted like a tidal wave:
"Four!"
Xia Qi had already dribbled past three defenders; they hoped he'd go on a Champions League run like his Premier League solo runs.
"Four" was their chant, their expectation!
"Four!"
"Four!"
"Four!"
Although Arsenal fans were few, their voices were huge and cutting.
Young David Alaba couldn't stand the provocation and charged out of the box.
Seeing Alaba come out,
Heynckes on the touchline roared angrily, his face full of bitterness and reluctance…
Charging out like that was a death sentence!
Double defense is king…
In the center, Mario Balotelli sprinted forward, injecting life into Arsenal's attack.
Xia Qi lifted his leg as if to cross.
Alaba twisted and extended a leg, trying to block the cross.
But his stretch was a feint —
he had seen through Xia Qi's false move
and set a trap.
Sure enough, Xia Qi did not cross.
Xia Qi pulled the ball back with his right foot,
Alaba sneered and abruptly shifted his foot to collide on the other side.
However, Xia Qi's drag added +5% speed, then the next touch added another +5%.
The scheming Alaba had his trick reversed and ended up colliding with the turf like a beaten dog.
He had planned and ended up being out-planned.
"Five!"
"Five!"
"Break them through!"
"Break them through!"
Many live viewers regretted not being in the Allianz Arena to wave flags and shout…
Xia Qi dribbled past Alaba and burst smoothly into the penalty area.
His dribbling terrified Bayern defenders like running down an alley at dawn.
They feared Xia Qi single-handedly breaking through the defense — preventing his shot was the collective aim.
Manuel Neuer shifted along his line and shouted loudly: "Don't let him shoot!" "Surround him!"
In an instant, Boateng and Dante blocked every angle.
Xia Qi didn't choose to batter through; the Arsenal fans' frenzy didn't affect him.
AI has no emotions.
A diagonal touch with the right foot.
The ball was laid to Balotelli at the near post. Balotelli charged in at speed; ball to man, man to ball.
Philipp Lahm rushed forward to block head-on. Dante abandoned Xia Qi to cover Balotelli's side, forming a complete lock with Neuer and Lahm.
The moment Dante moved, the ball rolled into the spot he had vacated.
Balotelli and Xia Qi somehow performed a wall pass in the cramped space.
Dante's head buzzed; his IQ felt under pressure. He braked sharply and tried to run back.
But the body couldn't catch up to the brain, and he tripped over himself.
Boateng slid in quickly.
Xia Qi surged, extended his leg to poke the ball,
Neuer threw himself to the side,
but —
the expected shot didn't occur!
Xia Qi's forward poke pulled the ball back with the toe, +5%, then he pushed it with the outside of his foot, +5%.
No one dares to show a trick inside such a shell, but the two 5% boosts gave Xia Qi courage.
They kept playing wall passes.
The ball slipped behind Lahm.
"Beautiful!"
"Xia Qi and Balotelli treat Bayern's backline like nothing — another wall pass!"
On the touchline Wenger's heart climbed into his throat; he worried Balotelli would try something flashy.
Fortunately, the tactic on Xia Qi still worked.
Balotelli surged, skipped past Lahm, and face-to-face with the open net he didn't go for theatrics; he simply completed the tap-in with a thunderous finish.
"Goal!"
"Assist from Xia Qi, Balotelli slots it in."
"A bravely executed combination!"
"Classic team play — they treated the defense like air, two successive wall passes finished by Balotelli's tap-in."
Bayern defenders stared at the ball in the net in silence,
Dante buried his face in the turf,
Boateng bit his own lip till it bled,
Captain Lahm kicked up a clump of turf in fury.
Xia Qi and Balotelli — two mischievous geniuses — who would have expected them to carve beauties in the box, yet they did it.
Damn it all. Bayern's defenders swore vengeance on Xia Qi from now on.
The Bayern fans at the Allianz were stunned — not because of the 1:2 score but because their once-impregnable defense, which they had been proud of, had been torn apart.
On the pitch, Balotelli hoisted Xia Qi on his back and sprinted — Arsenal players surged toward them…
Live stream:
"At halftime the score is 1:1. The two coaches made no personnel changes but both adjusted tactics."
"Bayern shifted to wing play, attacking the Robben side, but Wenger responded by pulling Xia Qi slightly deeper to add midfield density."
"In this tactical duel of two great coaches, Wenger has a slight edge for now, but be cautious: wing attacks are Bayern's specialty — Real Madrid and Barcelona have suffered."
Zhang Lu's commentary was unpopular with some; the Arsenal fan forum immediately posted opposition:
"We are invincible…"
"Two wings flying — if they can get airborne that's scary; in terms of speed, Xia Feilong isn't afraid of the Little Flying Dutchman…"
"Sigh, seeing Balotelli actually cooperate with Xia Qi has ruined my fun…"
"Ugh! Upstairs, you're a spy — call the moderator…"
"Honestly, these two are way too brave to play like that in such a small penalty area…"
"When Xia Qi beat Alaba I thought he'd shoot before Boateng and Dante closed, but he passed to Balotelli."
"Balotelli, true to being Xia Qi's brother, didn't aim at Lahm's face but chose to play behind Boateng. Usually the story ends with applause here, but Xia Qi's poke was a fake — it fooled Neuer's dive."
"Reversal after reversal! Watching this is more brain-burning than a spy drama."
"Balotelli might not be clever, but his football IQ is high. Most others wouldn't see Xia Qi's seven-layered intention. They'd be content with one simple combo, at most."
"Yes, one combo is the limit for normal people; many would just shoot once entering the box."
"Xia Qi and Balotelli are like a sleeping dragon and a wily phoenix! You can't expect them to act like normal people. If they didn't play tricks, why would we stay up watching?"
"Brother, I'm just afraid they'll overplay it!"
Arsenal players returned after celebrating.
The match continued.
Kroos and Schweinsteiger played a couple of one-twos to push Bayern past the halfway line.
Schweinsteiger immediately fed the ball to Robben on the right flank.
Robben usually takes off quickly on possession, but this time he couldn't.
Xia Qi and the ball arrived at the same instant.
This was their second direct duel.
Last time Robben exploited Xia Qi's unstable footing and nutmegged him.
Seeing them face each other again,
Allianz Arena reenergized.
Bayern fans chanted: "Nutmeg him!" "Eat him alive!"
Robben's already-weathered face looked even more worn.
If it were that simple, he wouldn't be frowning like this.
Times change — now Xia Qi's whole body had zero flaws; another nutmeg would be extremely hard…
(END CHAPTER)
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