Return of the Immortal Emperor Daddy-Chapter 312 - 314: The Hope of the National Team [2/5]

Major news stories would break in the city from time to time—hijackings, bank robberies, and the like. This time at Yuzhou Airport, however, nothing quite so severe occurred. Instead, a middle-aged man had groped a young woman, causing her to let out a sharp scream. Her cry threw the airport into chaos, with many people turning to accuse the man.

Dressed in flashy clothes and wearing a thick gold necklace, the man bellowed, "Scream? What are you screaming for? Are you looking for a beating?"

His wild, ferocious expression was terrifying. The young woman and the other bystanders quickly scurried away, afraid he was a madman. Normal people rarely encounter lunatics, and when they do, it's always bad news. There was no telling what horrible things a madman might do.

The man strutted around the airport until he suddenly noticed Chen Meiling. His eyes lit up, and he started walking toward her.

As her agent, Wang Renjie stepped forward, but with a noticeable lack of confidence, he said in a subdued voice, "Sir, please. You can't do this."

"Get lost! Believe it or not, I'll kick you to death," the man snarled, his eyes never leaving Chen Meiling.

The man had disheveled hair and a greasy face, looking as though he hadn't washed in days. When he opened his mouth, the reek of alcohol wafted out, causing Chen Meiling to quickly back away.

"Sir..."

Wang Renjie didn't dare to actually step in and stop the man, only calling out weakly from the side as if such a gutless cry could somehow make the lunatic see the error of his ways.

"Shut up! You're buzzing like a mosquito, it's annoying as hell!" the man roared, turning his head arrogantly. Wang Renjie immediately fell silent, lowering his head and pretending he hadn't seen a thing.

When Chen Meiling saw this, she felt no disappointment. I already knew this agent was all show and no substance. He looks so refined, with the supposed integrity of a scholar, but he's nothing more than a coward. He's a perfect example of someone who appears magnificent on the outside but is rotten to the core.

Chen Meiling moved behind Wu Tian. The man's gaze shifted to Wu Tian as he said flatly, "Move aside."

Wu Tian remained silent.

The man was displeased. He walked right up to Wu Tian and glared angrily, but Wu Tian remained unfazed.

The man flew into a rage, suddenly screaming neurotically, "Yes, that's the look! Exactly that look... You look down on me, just like those people from the Foreign States! We were running on the same field, and I gave it my all! So why did they say I was throwing the game? It's not fair!

"It wasn't my fault we lost, my teammates were useless! The referee was biased!"

Clutching his messy hair with both hands, he let out another ferocious scream. The people in the airport stared, a mixture of curiosity and fear, and made sure to keep their distance.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd recognized the man and shouted, "He's Lin Zongyuan, from Dragon Country's national team!"

"What? It's him?" Hearing this, more people turned to stare at the man. Looking closely, one could just barely make out the features of Lin Zongyuan from all those years ago.

He had been a national player on a team that had failed time and again in matches against the Foreign States. Their history was filled with so many "bloopers" that searching "national team bloopers" on social media would pull up a library of amusing GIFs. Back in the day, Lin Zongyuan was hailed as Dragon Country's number one player. Yet, during one match, he kicked the ball with so much force that it flew right into his own goal, turning him into a national laughingstock.

...Lin Zongyuan clenched his teeth, trying to block out the murmuring crowd. "Shut up! All of you, shut up!" he roared. "I said it back then! I said there was no hope for the national team, but they made us compete anyway! We became a joke, but it wasn't our fault! The team was hopeless from the start!"

His voice trailed off and he took a deep breath, but it did little to calm him. He was still panting as he turned to Wu Tian and said coldly, "Get out of my way. I want this woman to drink with me. If you don't move, don't blame me for kicking you."

Dragon Country was repeatedly defeated by the Foreign States in Cuju. However, the national players weren't completely useless. The kicking speed of every single player was far greater than that of an ordinary person. Lin Zongyuan, for example, could kill a man with a single kick.

Seeing Wu Tian standing his ground, Lin Zongyuan snorted. Wu Tian's calm expression reminded him of the players from the Foreign States all those years ago. That's the same look they always gave us. It was Dragon Country's fault. We were no match for them, so why did they make us compete? Why did they force us to endure that humiliation?

Seething with rage, Lin Zongyuan lunged forward, aiming a vicious kick at Wu Tian.

"How pitiful, to see someone who's lost the spirit of a national player," Wu Tian said, flicking out a light kick of his own. Though he moved second, his foot struck first.

CRACK!

"AARGH!" Lin Zongyuan shrieked in agony before collapsing to the ground.

"How could you do this?" he sputtered. "I... I've been hired as the... the coach for Yuzhou's national players."

Blood gushed from Lin Zongyuan's right leg, where the white of his bone was clearly visible. The leg was shattered. Not even a doctor could fix a wound like that.

"So you can act so recklessly just because you're a coach?" Wu Tian sneered. "You have absolutely no faith in your country's players. What kind of team could a man like you possibly build?"

The crowd started buzzing. "That guy's kick was so fast!"

"But the other one's was even faster!"

"Hey, what do you think would happen if that guy played Cuju?" This thought began to cross the minds of many people in the airport.

Among them was an old man who immediately made a phone call. He was a scout from Yuzhou, but he wasn't looking for celebrities; he was looking for athletes. After seeing Wu Tian's kick, the old man felt he had just discovered the key to the national team's revival.

Wu Tian couldn't care less about the national team. Sure, I watch the World Cup, but me? Play Cuju? Not a chance.

After the commotion, Chen Meiling began to worry about the situation in Yuzhou. If a national player could cause this kind of trouble, what else could happen? Will attending the Sword Convention be a problem?

With that thought, she turned to Wang Renjie and said, "Tell the organizers I won't be attending as a judge this time."

Hearing this, Wang Renjie's face went pale. He quickly shook his head. "No, no, that's absolutely out of the question!"

"Why not?" Chen Meiling's tone grew cold as a possibility dawned on her.

If Wang Renjie was merely a coward who bullied the weak and feared the strong, I could grudgingly tolerate it. I know I'm kind-hearted. He had a tough time, coming from a rural area and getting into Shuimu University, only to end up as an agent after graduation because he had no connections. I sympathize with him, which is why I put up with some of his flaws. But there are some lines that I will absolutely not let him cross.

"I..." Wang Renjie lowered his head, all his usual arrogance in front of Chen Meiling gone. He knew, deep down, that she was the one who usually let him have his way. He needed to know his place. That's what he always told himself, but sometimes he'd get carried away and forget.

"Did you go behind my back and sign a contract with them in my name? If I don't go, will we have to pay a penalty?" Chen Meiling demanded, clenching her teeth. "Tell me. Is that what you did?"

Wang Renjie froze on the spot, cold sweat beading on his forehead, completely at a loss.

「Meanwhile, three groups of people were rushing toward Yuzhou Airport.」