12. I'm Here to Freeload Off Beckham!
Lying in Sophie's lavender-scented bed, Gu Ran found himself wide awake.
His mind was occupied with one thing—
Where should he invest his Talent Point?
This was the first step in his football career.
According to the system, Talent Points could be used to upgrade skills or base attributes.
That gave him a lot of flexibility.
His current skills included:
Speedrun Hand Technique One-Handed Bra Unhooking Stocking Removal Mastery Cheating on Exams Method Acting (Realism Boost) Legal Shoulder Charge
He hadn't tested Speedrun Hand Technique, Stocking Removal Mastery, or Cheating on Exams, but he had to admit—his One-Handed Bra Unhooking was fast and precise.
Heh.
Of course, Gu Ran wasn't planning on becoming a professional pervert, so using his precious Talent Point on that skill was out of the question.
That left Method Acting and Legal Shoulder Charge—two skills that actually mattered.
Method Acting was useful, but he wasn't planning to become an actor anytime soon. His +1 level was enough for small-scale performances.
Legal Shoulder Charge, on the other hand, was crucial on the field.
In football, physical strength mattered more than the technique itself.
Strength was a core attribute for defenders and target strikers, especially in English football, where physicality dominated the game.
Even midfielders needed strong balance and body control to avoid getting bullied on the pitch.
Gu Ran knew this well from his past life.
No matter how skilled you were, without physical strength, you'd get knocked off the ball every time.
First, build the foundation. Then refine the technique.
With good physicality, Legal Shoulder Charge would become a terrifying weapon.
That made his first upgrade decision easy—
Invest in STRENGTH.
The moment Gu Ran mentally confirmed his choice, he felt his entire body tense up—his muscles expanded, becoming noticeably denser.
"Damn… feels solid!"
Ding~
"Congratulations! Your Strength has increased from 58 → 59."
Gu Ran froze.
"Wait… my Strength was only 58?!"
That was terrible!
Top-tier Premier League defenders and strikers had Strength ratings above 90.
Even at the high school level, midfielders and forwards typically had at least 65 Strength.
"I really am weak."
Rusty—his upcoming opponent—was at least 65 Strength.
If they went head-to-head, Gu Ran would lose every physical battle.
He had two days left before their one-on-one match.
That meant—he needed to pick up as many skill bubbles as possible.
He also needed another Talent Point from Sophie tomorrow.
"How should I piss her off again…?"
Actually, scratch that.
Lately, Sophie got mad at him for no reason.
"Forget it. I'll deal with that tomorrow."
First, it was time to freeload off Beckham.
Gu Ran grinned, stretched lazily, and fell into a deep sleep.
The Next Morning
Bright sunlight streamed through the window.
Gu Ran woke up feeling refreshed.
After a quick breakfast of toast and pan-seared scallops, he headed out immediately.
At this time, past Gu Ran would've been studying in his room.
But now—
He had bigger dreams.
At 8:30 AM, he arrived at Sand Dunes Beach—one of Southampton's iconic locations.
The beach was famous for its unique dune formations and ocean swings.
A crisp sea breeze made the morning air refreshingly cool.
Looking out, the view was breathtaking—clear blue waters, rusting shipwrecks in the distance, and a golden sunrise illuminating the horizon like a painting.
Security personnel were already setting up barricades, cordoning off a 200-meter area of the beach.
Gu Ran opened his backpack and pulled out:
A golden wig A fake mustache A vest with 'PHOTOGRAPHER' printed on the back
Disguised as a photographer, he casually walked toward the barricade.
This was his master plan—
Pretend to be a photographer and get close to David Beckham.
If he could farm even one skill bubble from the football legend, it would be priceless.
That was his true goal.
Security spotted him immediately.
Before they could say anything, Gu Ran spoke first—
"What the hell?! Where's Beckham? Why isn't he here yet? Where's the rest of the crew? Where the hell is my camera?! Did I get the time wrong?!"
His flawless Southern English accent and realistic frustration made the guards hesitate.
The security guard hesitated, then replied, "Sir, you might have the wrong time. He'll be here in half an hour."
Gu Ran frowned.
"Half an hour?! This lighting will be gone by then! Damn it! I need to call them!"
He pulled out his phone, randomly dialed numbers, and angrily paced forward.
"Hello?! Where are you?! What? You already left?! Bullshit! I can hear the hotel staff in the background! Get your ass over here now before we lose the best lighting!"
The security guard was thrown off by Gu Ran's energy but still tried to stop him.
"Sir, I need to see your—"
Before the guard could finish, Gu Ran interrupted.
"Damn, this sea breeze is freezing. You—go get me a coffee. No sugar."
He pulled out two fifty-pound notes and handed them over.
The guard hesitated for half a second—then snatched the money.
"Of course, sir! I'll be right back!"
Money really did solve everything.
Gu Ran sat on a beach swing, waiting.
Five minutes later, the security guard returned with a steaming hot coffee.
"Here you go, sir—black coffee, no sugar."
Nice. No ID check.
Gu Ran took the cup, smiled.
"Good job. Now leave me alone—I need to mentally prepare my shots."
"Yes, sir!"
As the guard scurried away, Gu Ran exhaled in relief.
Taking a sip—
HOLY SH*T. BITTER AS HELL.
"Damn it, I was just pretending! Who actually drinks black coffee like this?!"
He spat it back into the cup and just used it to warm his hands.
Half an Hour Later
A convoy of vehicles rolled up.
David Beckham stepped out, still looking half-asleep.
Surrounded by staff and security, he made his way toward the shoot location.
Gu Ran inhaled sharply.
"He's here. Finally!"
His fingers twitched, resisting the urge to run up and ask for an autograph.
No.
I'm not here for an autograph.
I'm here to freeload Beckham's skills.
SHOW ME THE SKILL BUBBLES!
(End of Chapter)