125

Gu Ran's analysis had been spot on—St. Paul's had indeed invited Chelsea's superstar, the legendary Frank Lampard.

The moment Lampard strode out of the players' tunnel, waving confidently, the entire Riverside Stadium erupted into chaos.

Students chanted his name at the top of their lungs, some even shaking the metal railings of the stands as if they were about to storm the field for his autograph.

The security measures were tight, though. Every five meters, there was a security guard specifically hired for crowd control—this was the treatment reserved for true football legends.

Triangle River's players wasted no time, rushing forward to shake hands, hug him, and beg for autographs.

Even the Bucks players were itching to go, but…

The team had strict discipline—on the field, Coach Carter was the undisputed authority.

It was still warm-up time, and without Carter's permission, no one dared to break formation just to chase after a celebrity.

Carter furrowed his brows slightly before silently nodding.

After all, this was Frank Lampard—one of the best box-to-box midfielders of his generation, the highest-scoring midfielder in Premier League history!

It wasn't just his players who wanted to meet him—even Carter himself was tempted.

Once Carter gave the silent approval, the Bucks players immediately sprinted toward Lampard for autographs.

Lampard was gracious, signing for every single player who approached him, carrying himself with the poise of a true superstar.

The players who got his autograph were practically dancing with excitement.

Finally, when it was Gu Ran's turn, Lampard smiled and asked, "Where do you want me to sign?"

Gu Ran, hands in his pockets, simply said, "Sorry, Mr. Lampard, I'm not here for an autograph."

Lampard was slightly taken aback and gave Gu Ran a curious look. "Oh? Then what do you want?"

I want to mooch off you.

—Of course, he couldn't say that out loud.

Gu Ran said casually, "Mr. Lampard, I've watched a lot of your games. I think you're an absolute legend, a player who will go down in football history."

Lampard grinned. "Thanks."

"But—" Gu Ran suddenly changed the tone.

Lampard froze.

Not just him—the players around them also paused.

Who would dare say "but" to Frank Lampard?

"Yes, but," Gu Ran continued nonchalantly. "Here's a piece of advice: when you retire, do not become a coach. You're an incredible player, and you're very intelligent, but coaching? It's just not for you. Trust me, it really isn't."

In his previous life, Gu Ran had witnessed Lampard's managerial career. He had a brief period of success, but ultimately, his coaching career ended in disappointment after one disastrous sacking after another.

So while Gu Ran was fishing for a skill drop, he was also genuinely offering some advice.

"Hahaha!" Lampard burst into laughter. "You're giving me advice? Kid, how long have you been playing football? Coaching has always been my dream. You can question my playing ability, but don't doubt my intelligence as a manager. And—" His smile sharpened. "You'll find out soon enough just how good I am as a coach."

Ding!

Even though Lampard acted like he didn't care, a bright blue bubble had formed at his feet!

Gu Ran had hit a nerve.

Lampard might have seemed unfazed, but deep down, he was pissed.

A high school kid with black hair was telling him he wasn't fit to coach? The fact that he didn't snap on the spot was already proof of his patience.

Gu Ran, on the other hand, was overjoyed.

He had successfully extracted a skill bubble from a football legend!

This was the second time he had gotten a skill from a superstar—the first being Beckham.

Wait—what did Lampard mean when he said I'd find out soon?

Surely he wasn't announcing his retirement right now?

Whatever, first things first.

Gu Ran suppressed his excitement and focused his mind.

Through Pass: Lampard's Vision +1.

Holy shit.

He had just mooched one of Lampard's core skills!

Lampard's through balls were the backbone of Chelsea's attacking play.

This was huge.

This was even more practical than Beckham's pinpoint crosses or curling shots.

Gu Ran kept his expression neutral as he silently absorbed the "Through Pass: Lampard's Vision +1" skill.

The blue bubble shattered into dazzling streaks of light that only Gu Ran could see, weaving into his neural pathways.

His mind instantly felt clearer, his limbs more fluid.

Gu Ran smiled at Lampard. "Thanks."

Though he was genuinely grateful, Lampard sensed a hint of provocation. His tone turned cold. "Well, kid, if this is what you wanted, then congratulations—you've got my attention… But you'll soon realize that's not a good thing."

Oh?

Was Lampard planning to take him head-on?

Bring it on! If you want a fight, I won't back down!

Gu Ran didn't flinch, instead raising an eyebrow challengingly. "Gu Ran, left-back for the Bucks, jersey number three, from China."

The Triangle River players behind Lampard looked furious, as if Gu Ran had just insulted their god.

Meanwhile, the Bucks players immediately lined up behind Gu Ran, ready for a fight at a moment's notice.

Lampard blinked, then suddenly burst out laughing. He gave Gu Ran a thumbs-up. "You've got guts. I like it."

At that moment, the stadium DJ's voice boomed over the speakers, "Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Frank Lampard will not only be kicking off today's elimination match—he will also be serving as Triangle River's interim head coach! Let's give him a round of applause!"

The stadium erupted in deafening cheers.

Lampard proudly waved to the crowd.

For St. Paul's, having a football legend coach their team, even temporarily, was an honor.

But the Bucks players stared at each other in shock.

Gu Ran finally understood what Lampard had meant earlier.

So that's the "mystery project" Benson was talking about.

He nearly laughed.

Forget Lampard's actual coaching ability—just the fact that St. Paul's was willing to make him their coach on the spot showed how little they respected the Bucks.

They clearly believed the match was already won, that who coached them didn't matter. If anything, having Lampard as coach would make them even stronger.

In the National High School Championship, players had to be officially registered to play, but there was no such rule for coaches.

Triangle River had exploited this loophole.

Or perhaps it was Lampard himself who requested this. His playing career was past its peak—he had won all the trophies he could, and the ones he hadn't won were already out of reach. Now, his ambition lay in coaching. What better way to get a taste of it than during this special guest appearance?

The problem was… changing coaches right before a match was a huge mistake.

Triangle River had strong players, stronger than the Bucks. But Lampard knew nothing about them. He hadn't watched their matches, didn't know their strengths, and probably couldn't even name half the squad.

And his coaching experience? Zero.

This was beyond risky—it was downright reckless.

St. Paul's was playing with fire.

Gu Ran shook his head internally.

Warm-ups officially ended, though neither team had been able to focus since Lampard's arrival.

Both teams returned to their locker rooms for final preparations.

Inside Triangle River's locker room, there were roaring cheers. Having Lampard as their coach had supercharged their morale.

In contrast, the Bucks' locker room was filled with uneasy silence.

That was Frank Lampard out there...

Coach Carter's sharp gaze swept across the room before he sneered. "What's the matter? One Lampard is enough to make you all go soft? Are you afraid? Afraid he'll eat you? Afraid he'll yell at you? Or are you doubting yourselves, thinking you're not good enough to handle pressure from a world-class legend?"

The Bucks players hung their heads in shame.

Carter continued, "In Chelsea, in the Premier League, Lampard is terrifying. But here, in my presence… he's nothing!"

"This is the National High School Championship."

"And he's just an inexperienced, last-minute coach."

"God help him if I make a few tactical adjustments—he won't know what hit him!"

"You fear Lampard? I don't! In fact, I'm thrilled!"

"Before this, I couldn't see a clear path to victory. But now that Triangle River has made this stupid decision, there's no excuse for us not to win!"

"I bet you—by the time this match is over, Lampard's underwear will be soaked in sweat!"

The players were stunned.

Damn… our coach is a badass.

Carter roared, "Tell me—who are you?!"

Fueled by his energy, the Bucks players erupted, "We are the Bucks!"

"What's our battle cry?!"

"Bucks—fight to the end!"

"Damn right!"

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