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Gu Ran pondered the significance of a B2B midfielder.

In modern football, midfield maestros came in many forms—some excelled at defense, others at attack. But when it came to the best of the best B2B midfielders, Frank Lampard was at the very top.

B2B (Box to Box) meant covering the entire field, from one penalty box to the other. These midfielders were all-rounders, capable of both orchestrating attacks and breaking up plays, possessing elite-level skills in both areas.

They were the rarest type of midfielders in world football.

Legends like Matthäus, Yaya Touré, Vieira, Ballack, Deco, and Modrić were all iconic B2B players.

As for Lampard's stats—

He was the highest-scoring midfielder in Premier League history. 5th on the all-time Premier League top scorer list. 4th in the all-time assist charts. The midfielder with the most goals in a single Premier League season. The first midfielder in Premier League history to score four goals in a single game. Holder of the record for most consecutive double-digit goal seasons as a midfielder. And… he was a runner-up for both the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year.

In the late 2000s and early 2010s, Ronaldo and Zidane had retired, and Messi and Ronaldo were beginning their era of dominance.

For Lampard to finish as a runner-up in this era was nothing short of remarkable.

Gu Ran greatly admired Lampard—especially now that he was playing as a full-back with a B2B playstyle.

Lampard was a central midfielder but covered the entire pitch, known for his exceptional off-the-ball movement.

While not the fastest or most technical, his game was efficient and simple, embodying the purest English football style.

Beyond football, Lampard was highly intelligent—one of the few footballers with a high academic IQ. His IQ surpassed 150, earning him membership in the Mensa society.

His intelligence translated to the pitch, making him Chelsea's midfield engine, with an exceptional sense of game awareness.

While not an elite dribbler or one-on-one specialist, Lampard's strengths lay in:

Limitless stamina Deadly late runs into the box Precision through balls ("Lampard's Lamp-post passes") Thunderous long-range shots

Chelsea's entire offensive system revolved around Lampard's through balls.

Forwards like Drogba and Anelka only needed to sprint into the box, receive his pass, hold off defenders, turn, and shoot.

If the shot didn't go in, Lampard would simply try again.

His long-range shooting was brutal—hitting the ball with the power of Batistuta, but from even greater distances, with an uncanny accuracy.

If I could learn his through balls or long-range shots…

Gu Ran was practically drooling at the thought.

As long as he doesn't become a coach, he's a perfect Lampard.

After finishing his team research, it was already 5 PM.

He still had 10 daily skill extractions left.

Since the school team had no training, his only option was to visit the gym.

It was the weekend, so the gym was packed with women.

In just half an hour, Gu Ran collected a stack of business cards from female gym-goers.

The other gym bros were fuming with envy, their jealousy so thick it could be cut with a knife.

White-colored skill bubbles dropped like a waterfall.

Gu Ran carefully selected 5 stamina-related and 5 strength-related skill bubbles, converting them into 1 Talent Point.

This Talent Point would be saved for the match against St. Paul's School.

After finishing his daily skill extractions, he casually tossed away the business cards and left the gym.

Behind him, the gym erupted into chaos—

Men fought for dominance, while women lamented missing their chance.

That evening, Gu Ran made himself a hearty beef and potato stew.

Looking back, he felt a little guilty for only feeding Maria instant noodles.

After dinner, he strolled along the beach, then soaked his feet in the pool.

Rebirth really was a luxury.

Now, all he needed was a "grinding tool".

The system demanded massive amounts of Talent Points for upgrades.

There were 37 sub-attributes spread across Physical, Technical, and Mental categories, plus countless skills and star abilities that required upgrading.

The Talent Point deficit was immense.

With only five matches left in the tournament, every game was do-or-die.

If I had another "grinding tool" like Sofina, it would be perfect…

Just as he was deep in thought—

Ding-ding!

Ding-ding!

Two text messages popped up on his phone.

The first was a betting deposit notification—£210,000 credited.

Gu Ran glanced at it briefly and moved on.

Small money.

It was just for daily expenses and future investments.

Once he went pro, gambling would be off the table.

That was when real investing would begin.

The second text was from a U.S. number:

[Hello, Sand Dune Villa owner.]

[I tried calling you multiple times, but you didn't answer.]

[I saw your rental listing and absolutely love your house.]

[I'd like to co-rent with you and can pay the full amount.]

[Or, if you prefer, I can pay in… another way.]

[I've attached my latest photos. Let me know if I'm acceptable.]

Gu Ran tapped on the photo attachment.

In the image, the woman's face was hidden.

But everything that needed to be seen… was on full display.

Too open.

Gu Ran exhaled deeply.

She was bold, but the quality was lacking.

Besides, I'm a serious man.

Sending photos like this? Definitely a red flag.

Without hesitation, he deleted the image and blocked the number.

No one interrupts my football.

(And… let's be real, the quality wasn't there.)

After two "stormy nights," Gu Ran needed proper recovery.

So, he did one last cryotherapy-sauna session before hitting the bed early.

It had been a wild few days.

Meanwhile, across town—

In a shabby motel, a woman in a sunhat and sunglasses sat across from her assistant.

The assistant checked her phone and gasped.

"He… he blocked me?!"

The mysterious woman frowned. "Are you sure? You used the best photo I just took."

The assistant nodded.

"Not only did he see my message, but he read the text and saw the photo… Then he blocked me!"

She huffed in frustration.

"Does he think my body isn't good enough?"

The woman glanced at her.

"...Well, it's not entirely your fault."

Assistant: …

"Maybe he just doesn't like women!" the assistant fumed.

The woman thought for a moment.

"If that's the case, I don't have to worry. He passed our test. He must be an honest and respectable man."

The assistant sighed.

"Annie… you're too naive."

That's right.

This "mysterious woman" was none other than…

Anne Hathaway.

And tomorrow, she planned to personally visit Sand Dune Villa to negotiate her co-rental agreement.

The next morning.

Gu Ran woke up naturally, completely refreshed.

As he stretched, he heard the doorbell ring.

Who the hell is visiting this early?

Still shirtless, wearing only sports shorts, he lazily went to answer the door.

As the sea breeze blew in, he instantly snapped awake.

Standing before him… was a tall, stunning woman.

With a wide-brimmed white hat and oversized sunglasses, her face was mostly obscured.

But her perfect proportions, milky-white skin, and graceful aura—

This was no ordinary woman.

And just like that, Gu Ran realized—

A grinding tool had delivered itself to his doorstep.

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