Chapter 79: Racism (2)

[The game has been temporarily suspended, and the referee tried to get the situation under control… but something that should never have happened has occurred.]

[This is no longer just a problem between the players.

The situation, with the crowd joining in… is likely to have major repercussions even after the match.

As a fellow Englishman, I am simply ashamed.

Their skills are already comparable to adult players, but they seem to have forgotten that Taewoo is still an eighteen-year-old boy.]

The game resumed, but the tension on the field was at its peak.

[Ah… the game is getting very rough.
Castillo sends Hendricks flying with a strong tackle!]

“Aargh!”

“Do that slanted-eye gesture one more time.
Then I’ll tear you apart.”

Castillo looked down at the fallen Hendricks and whispered threateningly.

Seeing this, the Arsenal players rushed over and pushed Castillo roughly.

“What do you think you’re doing! Show some respect!”

“Respect? It’s funny hearing that word come out of your mouths.”

“Boooooooo!”

The boos rained down from the stands again.

The referee ran between the players and warned them in a firm voice.

“This is the last warning.
One more incident like this, and you’re off without delay.”

“I was pushed, so why me?”

“You provoked first, and you as well.
One more gesture like that and you’re off immediately.”

At the referee’s words, Hendricks spat on the ground, glared at Castillo and me alternately, and then returned to the Arsenal side.

“Castillo…”

“Taewoo, don’t worry.
That bastard won’t be able to do that to you again.”

Castillo is a player with strong pride in being English.

However, his pride came not from looking down on players from other countries, but from upholding true sportsmanship.

That’s why Hendricks’s actions today must have especially provoked his anger.

The petty racism committed by a fellow Englishman, and the crowd egging it on, must have deeply wounded his pride.

‘He’s the kind of guy whose English pride is so great that he insists on eating only English food.’

Perhaps that’s why he’s overdoing it now, unlike his usual self.

When Castillo got angry, he would spew harsh words like, “I’ll send you flying,” or “You’re dead today,” but in reality, he was a player who fought fair and square without a single foul.

The fact that he hadn’t received a single yellow card in 24 league matches as a defender proves this.

“Don’t act out of character.
I’ll take care of it.”

“But I…”

“I know how you feel.

But don’t worry.

If England is the land of gentlemen, then my country is…”

I continued with a cold smile on my lips.

“The nation of warriors.”

For a moment, Castillo flinched upon seeing my expression.

He was probably taken aback by a look he had never seen on me before.

“Ah, alright! Taewoo.

But take it easy.

Don’t kill him…”

What’s with him?

Why is he suddenly so wary of me?

For a guy built like a mountain to suddenly be so timid in front of me.

Castillo really has a heart of gold, to be sweating and worrying like that…

“Don’t worry.
I’ll take care of it.”

“Heeik!”

As I placed a hand on his shoulder, a strange sound, unfitting for his size, was heard.

Hmm…

He must be doing that because he’s worried about me, right?

***

I had already decided how to punish him, but I couldn’t execute it right away.

The play I wanted and the tactics the team required from me in the first half were different.

It was still time to be faithful to the team’s tactics.

‘In the second half, I’ll ask the coach to somehow let me score a goal and show those bastards the ‘stroll’ celebration.’

The stroll celebration.

I dare say it’s a celebration that represents our country.

Amidst the boos of the Japanese, our great Park Jisung sunbaenim, staring at them proudly as he slowly jogged.

Cooool~

That legendary moment, which sent shivers down my spine every time I rewatched it as a child, is forever engraved in my memory.

I used to upgrade that celebration in my own way and use it when I was really angry during my Kim Chan-ki days.

And in the second half, they will have to be hospitalized after seeing that celebration.

‘Not that I’m going to just stand by in the first half, though.’

A faint smile hung on my lips.

It felt as if the sweet scent of revenge was brushing past the tip of my nose.

[Arsenal’s corner kick chance.

The kicker sends the ball up with a clean out-swing.

In the center of the penalty box, Hendricks beats two defenders and soars up for a powerful header!]

[Ah, but Jeong Taewoo, with lightning-fast reflexes, perfectly catches the ball flying towards the top left corner.]

“You motherf*cker…”

“Is this a second-division match? Why is it so easy?”

“What?”

Hearing my words, Hendricks’s expression sharpened for a moment and he glared at me, but seeing the referee nearby, he couldn’t approach me.

I sneered at the sight.

“Pathetic bastard.”

This was a perfect provocation.

If he fell for the provocation and rushed at me, he would get a card, and even if he endured it, his mentality would surely be shaken.

Either way, it was a win for me.

And he chose to rush at me.

‘Hmm… He’s falling for such an obvious provocation?’

If I just put on a good act here, I could get him a card, but ending it like this felt too bland.

‘This is too weak of an ending.’

Ignoring Hendricks rushing at me, I ran forward with the ball.

Then, I threw it as hard as I could towards the front.

“What, what?”

Hendricks’s hollow voice from behind.

I considered myself to have reached a masterful level of proficiency in playing with my feet.

But what I lacked, unfitting for a goalkeeper, was playing with my hands.

So, what I had been practicing hard recently was not my feet, but my hands.

This talented body had an amazing sense of touch in its hands as well.

The ball that flew from my hand cut through the air at an incredible speed, as if kicked by a foot.

[The ball thrown by Jeong Taewoo flies at an incredible speed and goes exactly in the direction Guerrero is running.]

Sports famous for playing with hands include baseball, basketball, volleyball, handball, and American football.

And just as I had used a volleyball spike pass before, this time my practice of the long pass form of an American football quarterback paid off.

The ball in American football has an oval structure with the center of gravity shifted to one side, allowing for a spiral pass for speed and accuracy.

But the size and strength of my hands had developed enough to control a larger and heavier soccer ball.

And Guerrero, who received my ball, seemed to have been angry at them for their racism as well.

[Guerrero receives the ball and sprints with explosive speed.]

[Two defenders are blocking his path, but Guerrero’s movement is unusual.

Oh!

With a simple upper-body feint, he completely deceives the defenders!
The defenders lose their balance, their feet get tangled, and they collapse!]

Players with monstrous physique show overwhelming destructive power even if they are slow.

On the other hand, players who lack physique but have speed threaten the defense with sharp attacks.

But players like Guerrero, who have both overwhelming physique and explosive speed, become a nightmare for defenders with just a simple upper-body feint.

[Guerrero beats the defenders and breaks into the penalty box! One-on-one with the keeper! Guerrero curls it with his right foot… Goal!!!!!!! Goal!!!!!! An unbelievable finish! A shot at a perfect angle that the keeper couldn’t react to at all! Guerrero calmly and accurately pierced the bottom left corner of the goal with the inside of his right foot!]

[A perfect finish after a dribble that made a mockery of the defenders! This is the class of Guerrero, the second-highest scorer this season!]

Currently, in the Premier League scoring race, Manchester United’s monster striker, Garnacho, was leading with 22 goals.

A four-goal difference.

It was by no means a small gap, but with this goal, his 19th, he took another step closer to Garnacho.

With plenty of time left until the end of the season, it seemed like he could fully compete for the top scorer title if he continued like this.

As soon as he scored, Guerrero roared and ran towards the stands.

“Do it again! Then I’ll shove more balls into your goal!”

“Hey, you bastard! Piss off!”

“Get that ugly head out of here!”

Insults poured down from the stands.

But Guerrero just grinned at them and put a hand to his ear.

With his other hand, he made a provocative gesture, repeatedly raising it from bottom to top.

It was a taunting celebration, as if to say, ‘Keep going.’

Peeep—

“I’m pretty sure I told you not to cause any more trouble.”

The referee immediately raised a yellow card upon seeing Guerrero’s provocative celebration.

Guerrero, as if he had expected this, just smirked without any protest.

“That vulgar bastard… Your team is full of vulgar ones, ignorant ones, and even a monkey… Pathetic for a team that’s first in the league.”

From behind, Hendricks continued in a venomous voice towards me.

“I’d rather be vulgar, ignorant, and a monkey than a striker who can’t even score a goal like you.”

At my words, Hendricks’s face contorted in an instant.

“Unbelievable.
Just wait, I’ll put one in your goal soon enough.”

“Yeah, I’ll be waiting.”

I waved at him with a relaxed smile as he returned to his own side.

A gesture like this would piss him off more than insulting him.

“But out of all the strikers I’ve seen so far, your shot is the slowest.
Why don’t you try harder?
From what I see, you’re at a third-division level.”

Hendricks spun around at my words, but I just kept smirking.

‘What are you gonna do, glare at me?’