Field Commander - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 6.

Chapter 6.

Chapter 6.

“Hey, but are you really from Maedong High School?”

I hadn’t said a peep about it, but it seems rumors have been spreading within the Early Morning Soccer Club.

“Yes…”

“Are you really that player who completely shut down Jang Jin-woo, the consecutive K-League top scorer?”

My shoulders felt like they were swelling with pride for a moment, but then a dirty feeling washed over me.

That bastard went to the Bundesliga and already scored 13 goals even before his debut season ended.

While some people are wondering whether they can even make it to the 4th division…

“I was just a bit lucky.”

“Wow, you’re even modest. Does that happen just because of luck? You completely blocked him for two straight years, right?”

Please stop.

Just stop.

“No wonder. When I saw you play last time, you were way above Early Morning Soccer Club level. Defense, passing, even headers…”

Being surrounded by people and hearing about past achievements was truly torturous.

“Stop it, everyone. You’re making him uncomfortable. That Jang Jin-woo was the top scorer from his debut season until last season in the K League, and he’s already scored over 10 goals in Germany, right? There are tons of articles about him and Park Hong-min having a guillotine match, but this guy is playing early morning soccer right now.”

Jo Jung-sik intervened.

‘But isn’t this a bit too cutting?’

That also made me feel pretty bad in its own way.

Regardless of me frowning, Jo Jung-sik spoke.

“Sang-hyuk.”

“Yes.”

“Want to try playing defensive midfielder today?”

“Defensive midfielder?”

“Yeah. It’s a waste to use just your defensive skills when you have that passing ability.”

“Understood.”

“Receive the ball from the defenders and distribute it to the wingers. When the opponents counter-attack, protect the defenders from the front.”

“Yes.”

“If you get a chance, feel free to play however you want. Nothing world-ending will happen even if we lose here.”

Jo Jung-sik said that and headed to the playground, but treasurer Kim Sang-su quietly whispered to me.

“The president hates losing more than anything in the world.”

“…”

Why are people’s words and true nature so different?

Seriously.

It was a practice match as usual, and instead of the central defender position I always played, I moved to a higher position to take on the defensive midfielder role.

The team still used the 3-5-2 formation, and I struggled a bit since it wasn’t a position I was used to.

Of course, my teammates didn’t know, but I was struggling on my own.

‘It feels really different with the position change.’

When I played central defender, I mostly just had to deal with the opposing number 9 striker, but this required dealing with fast wingers, pressuring opposing midfielders, and sometimes helping the center backs.

In the midst of all that, I had to participate in the build-up process and distribute the ball forward…

It really seems like a busy position.

‘That team also seems to be mostly made up of former players.’

You can tell just by looking at their form.

The way they distribute the ball, their movement, how they find space.

Getting past one player with a dribble is nothing special for them.

Nevertheless, the overall game tempo was slow, so I could comfortably block most attacks at my line.

I tackled a fairly sharp through pass out to the touch line and got up, when the opposing midfielder clicked his tongue.

“Wow, what’s with this guy? Is he a wall? Why is it so hard to get a single pass through?”

But there’s no need to get cocky.

This is just the early stage of regaining my lost game sense.

“He’ll be shocked when he finds out who this guy is later.”

“Who is he?”

The opposing player looked at me with a face full of curiosity.

But I don’t really want to tell them.

I’m so embarrassed I could die.

It was around the middle of the first half when I could finally understand this position instinctively.

Unlike the center back position where I always defended from the back, being able to occasionally participate in attacks and take shots felt refreshingly different.

“Switch sides! Switch sides!!”

If they seemed unable to trust my play in the first match, now when we counter-attack, everyone runs forward leaving just me behind.

Since the tempo was slower than what my body was used to, I could play more comfortably than expected, and I kept trying crosses that I couldn’t do well in high school.

– Bang!

‘Right foot…’

The more I kicked the ball, the better my touch felt.

The ball with backspin hit the ground and its speed dropped dramatically, making it easy to receive.

“Nice pass!!!”

Jo Jung-sik, who’s almost 50 and playing left winger, shouted loudly as he took the ball and went on the attack.

Of course, the opposing defense wasn’t ordinary either, as they sent Jo Jung-sik flying along with the ball with a tackle.

“Hey hey hey! Take it easy!!”

A free kick in front of the penalty area.

They seemed to be wary of me as the tallest player, but the ball’s trajectory was already drawn in my mind, and no one could reach my jumping point.

It wasn’t like we were playing crazy physical soccer either.

– Thud!

The feeling of heading the ball while looking down at all the other players…

– Swish.

“How do you stop that?”

The opposing team’s goalkeeper’s dejected muttering tickled my ears.

* * *

“What kind of jump is that…”

“He’s floating two heads above the opposing tall center back.”

“His hang time in the air is considerable too.”

“He’s definitely not at a level that the Early Morning Soccer Club can handle.”

“Aside from his height and nasty expression, I don’t see anything special?”

Cheongju FC’s manager Park Chang-yeol was watching the match with the team’s ace, Seo Dong-myung.

“Really?”

“I think I could break through him easily enough.”

26-year-old Seo Dong-myung had once swept the University Soccer Association Award, Elementary Division Best Player Award, and Kim Beom-geun Soccer Award, standing out since elementary school.

Around 1995, when overseas study was unfamiliar, he officially received an offer from Portsmouth FC in England and left, but had to return after just two years due to the club’s financial difficulties.

After going through adolescence and being unable to play proper soccer due to an ACL injury, he was now performing very well in Cheongju FC of the 3rd Division League.

“Think you can do it?”

“The tempo seems slow, and he doesn’t look that fast either.”

He had come with high expectations after hearing that Kim Sang-hyuk had completely tied down Jang Jin-woo throughout high school – Jang Jin-woo who was fast, good at physical battles, and excellent at shooting and individual skills – but in his eyes, Kim Sang-hyuk’s play was just at Early Morning Soccer Club level.

Park Chang-yeol was pleased with the confident Seo Dong-myung.

As a right winger resource who had been scoring over 20 goals for two years in the 3rd Division League, scouts from the 1st Division League occasionally came to watch his matches.

“Want to give it a try?”

“Would that be okay?”

“Go in during the second half and see how it goes.”

“Yes.”

“Warm up properly. You absolutely cannot get injured.”

“Of course.”

At 180cm tall, Seo Dong-myung was a player with exceptional speed and dribbling ability.

While he took off his coat and warmed up, Park Chang-yeol rested his chin on his hand and watched Kim Sang-hyuk’s play.

‘I heard his injury was so severe that playing sports would be impossible…’

In fact, Park Chang-yeol was seeing something that Seo Dong-myung couldn’t.

‘Those fighting spirit-filled shouts from his high school days, that incredible determination, the will to never concede a goal… That tremendous aura is definitely not visible, but he’s not completely immersed in that game either. It feels more like he’s practicing his senses?’

Park Chang-yeol let out a slight exclamation as he watched Kim Sang-hyuk’s right-foot cross.

“Nice. That cross.”

He had seen footage of Kim Sang-hyuk playing in high school, but back then he didn’t even attempt crosses that were so fast, accurate, and high quality.

Moreover, playing as a defensive midfielder rather than a center back…

‘But he adapted so quickly? He knows exactly what he needs to do. His right foot is really good? Wasn’t his dominant foot his left?’

Whether he could deliver such crosses in a real professional game with intense pressure from the front, fast tempo, and tight spacing requiring split-second decisions was questionable.

The first half ended with Kim Sang-hyuk’s beige team leading 1:0, and after a 20-minute break, Seo Dong-myung joined the game.

‘I’ll be able to confirm whether he can just exercise, or if he’s in condition to compete with professionals…’

He couldn’t judge based solely on Jo Jung-sik’s words.

This was a soccer team operated with Cheongju citizens’ tax money.

* * *

In the second half, a very young player was substituted into the opposing team.

About 180cm tall with a very lean body, especially thick thighs that suggested an explosive speed style.

Jersey number 54.

‘Something feels ominous…’

Sure enough.

“Huh?”

It was movement at a completely different tempo.

Before I could even provide backup, the right line completely crumbled to just a couple of passes and quick dribbling, ultimately conceding a goal.

“What the hell?”

This time our team players looked flustered.

Number 54, who scored the goal, calmly passed by me and said a word.

“Please take care of me, Mister Iron Wall. Though that nickname seems a bit faded. Well, everyone had their promising youth days when they were evaluated as world-shaking talents.”

Mister Iron Wall.

That was the nickname the media gave me during high school.

Back then, scoring against the defense I led was truly difficult.

‘Am I being provoked right now?’

Watching him return to his half, some emotion I had forgotten stirred deep in my chest.

‘This is pissing me off?’

Because of number 54, the right side couldn’t easily push up the line, and the entire team line dropped back.

Our team suddenly went into defensive mode because of one incredibly skilled attacker who appeared out of nowhere.

But I couldn’t just charge in to see who was stronger.

Soccer is a team sport.

My first priority was to maintain my position and fulfill my role.

– Clang!

Three players stuck to number 54, but one phantom dribble broke through the space, and using that speed, he dribbled to the goal post and shot. Another goal conceded.

“Is he crazy? Who is that guy?”

“Looks like a current professional?”

“You really don’t know? That’s Seo Dong-myung from Cheongju FC. The player who’s rumored to be going to the K-League.”

“Huh? Hey, this is cheating!”

Suddenly my ears perked up.

‘Seo Dong-myung.’

So I can face a player who might become a K-Leaguer here?

Jo Jung-sik, who had said the world wouldn’t end if we lost the game, came to me with a frustrated expression.

“Can you handle that number 54?”

Jo Jung-sik approached and asked.

“Of course. I’ll mark him exclusively.”

That’s how the game began.

I switched positions to left defender and directly faced Seo Dong-myung.

I went into defensive mode to watch his movements and not give him any space.

His ball-handling tempo, turning movements, and passing rhythm were 1.5 times faster than other players.

‘Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.’

I had no choice but to concentrate intensely to match that rhythm.

The ball that had been circulating on the opposite side was passed to him, and instantly he looked at me and showed movement to attempt a dribble.

Number 54 dribbled with small touches to find an angle, then immediately executed a phantom dribble.

At that moment.

I briefly saw a thick line, as if drawn with a large brush, crossing over my right side.

It appeared when I was intensely focused on the game…

The synesthetic ability that led me to the path of glory!

How nice to see you again…

You were still there?!

– Tap… tap… tap tap tap tap!

And I caught sight of number 54’s expression, showing a slight sneer as if he had beaten me.

I gave him a sneer in return.

‘Playing around, are we.’

– Tap!

But when he tried to get past me, only his body got through.

The ball was resting at my feet.

“What?!”

Number 54’s startled shout echoed from behind, and without 0.1 seconds of hesitation, I kicked the ball forward and sent a long pass to a teammate launching a counterattack.

The opposing team, which had pulled their line up high due to the all-out attack situation, hurriedly rushed back to defend.

– Thwack!

Our team had one more attacker in the situation, and eventually scored the equalizing goal.

* * *

Park Chang-yeol had no choice but to bolt upright.

“Blocked again?”

Kim Sang-hyuk seemed like his physical condition and fitness hadn’t fully recovered yet.

But Seo Dong-myung was a player who had finished winter training and brought his condition to maximum for the next season.

Nevertheless.

After several attempts, when Seo Dong-myung realized dribble breakthrough wasn’t working and chose kick and run, Kim Sang-hyuk would body-check him before he could build up speed, disrupt his rhythm with clever tackles to let backup defenders stop him, or even grab his uniform with his hands in a foul to tie up Seo Dong-myung.

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

Among the so-called genius youth players, only 0.7% make it to professional teams.

And among that 0.7%, only about 20% can actually play in real games.

‘Form may die but class never changes, is that it?’

When Seo Dong-myung’s face turned red and he began showing signs of excitement, Park Chang-yeol quickly substituted him out.

“Are you okay?”

At Park Chang-yeol’s words, Seo Dong-myung calmed his excitement and barely managed to answer.

“No. I didn’t know he would defend so dirty like that. Damn it, really…”

“You got too absorbed in the competition. If you had utilized the surrounding players even a little, you could have created a goal without much difficulty. You need to get that into your system to make it to the K League.”

At Park Chang-yeol’s words, Seo Dong-myung let out a deep sigh and lowered his head.

“You’re right. But when I’m playing… I keep getting my competitive spirit provoked.”

“That’s exactly what happened to Jang Jin-woo during his high school days. Go rest for a bit. Cool down your joints with some Ice Treatment.”

“Yes, coach.”

Park Chang-yeol’s eyes sparkled.

‘To reduce the overconfident Dong-myung to that state… If I bring that guy over… promotion to the Second Division League this season wouldn’t be difficult, would it?’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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