Chapter 24: Hunter in a State of Sudden Enlightenment—The Electric Baton Is a Must!

"Come on! Just like that, smile!"
"Very good! Show your teeth!"
"Hold it! Hold it!"
"Click!"
"Click!"
"Fantastic! Let's get two more!"

The manufacturer of Golden Throat was highly efficient. The very next noon after Lin Hao and old Gassen agreed to the endorsement, a professional film crew arrived in Gelsenkirchen.

To avoid delaying Lin Hao’s training the following day, the crew skipped resting and began shooting immediately. It was only a few simple photos, so the entire process, including signing the contract and taking the promotional shots, was completed in just two hours.

Of course, the deep-pocketed Golden Throat was not only efficient in their filming, but they were also extremely prompt with the payment. However, what made Lin Hao feel a bit of a sting was that after taxes, the 15 million endorsement fee was reduced to a mere 10 million! That was a full one-third lost to taxes!

Still, heartache aside, Lin Hao dutifully paid his taxes. He didn’t want to be targeted by the troublesome German tax authorities before he had even truly gotten started.

...

Once the money was in hand, Lin Hao wasn't foolish enough to let it just sit there. A few days prior, he had asked old Gassen to open a private account for him at the best independent wealth management firm in Germany. Per Lin Hao's instructions, the firm had already converted his previous signing bonus into Apple and Google stock. With this latest sum, Lin Hao naturally intended to increase his holdings in these two "can't-lose" stocks.

With that settled, Lin Hao dived back into the gym. Women... at 18, he certainly had physiological needs, but he truly didn't have the time to think about such things. After all, he hadn't even secured his status as a regular starter yet! Who knew if he would even get a chance to play in the next league match? If he couldn't get on the pitch, training was his only path to becoming stronger.

Yet, what Lin Hao didn't know was that while he was burning the midnight oil, his name had already appeared in the starting lineup for the second round of the Bundesliga inside the Schalke 04 club building.

...

"Boss, are we really going with a 4-3-3?"

Although the new formation for the upcoming match had been confirmed, Milnor, who had always followed Magath in playing a 4-4-2, was still a bit worried and felt the need to double-check.

"Yes! In tomorrow's training match, Team A will line up exactly like that. Huntelaar and Raul on the left and right, with Lin in the middle! But Raul and Huntelaar need to push further up. Lin doesn't just have offensive duties; he has to track back when we're defending!"

A pseudo-4-3-3! To be precise, it was a modified 4-3-1-2 that Magath had mulled over for days, finally settling on Lin Hao as the central axis. Lin Hao’s all-around play meant he could serve as a focal point for Raul, and with help from both Lin and Raul, Huntelaar—whose offensive capabilities were not to be underestimated—would finally be liberated.

Instead of letting Huntelaar sit on the bench, it was better to give this three-forward formation a real try. Of course, the biggest drawback of this formation was the heavy demand it placed on the players' stamina. After all, Lin Hao had to constantly retreat, and Raul and Huntelaar also had to quickly drop wide during defense.

However... if Magath worried about the players' skill, he certainly didn't worry about their stamina. Ha! Let’s just put it this way: under Magath, there was no such thing as a player with poor fitness!

...

Life is unpredictable! This phrase could not be more fitting for Huntelaar at this moment. Once upon a time, this golden boy, wearing the halo of the Eredivisie's greatest scoring machine, was the future in the eyes of thousands of Bernabeu fans. But who could have imagined that in just three short years, he would bounce from Real Madrid to AC Milan, and finally land at Schalke 04—a club he once wouldn't have even bothered to look at?

He had experienced the highs and lows, and had already written his own life summary. Yet, just as he opened his heart and intended to get back to basics in the Bundesliga, something even more desperate happened.

Eighteen! A youngster of only 18 had pushed him to the bench in just over ten days. And the kicker was, the kid was actually playing well! Retreating to receive the ball, creating space, delivering all kinds of passes, and even scoring those miraculous curling shots... What was most infuriating was that the guy was only 18!

On that first day of the league, he had hammered his seat in a fit of irrational rage. That blow was filled with jealousy, envy, and even... disappointment. It felt as if that strike also declared that his career at Schalke 04 was about to come to an abrupt end.

However... just as he was thinking he might need to look for a new club during the winter break, Magath called him. Magath didn't waste any time. He simply said he planned to play him, Raul, and the 18-year-old kid he was insanely jealous of all at the same time.

And just like that... the jealousy that had filled his heart seemed to instantly evaporate.

"Klaas! I have always recognized your ability, but our goal isn't just the Bundesliga—it's the Champions League! That is the stage we truly need! Lin is still young, and you and Raul must guide him well!"

"With him on the pitch, you can focus more of your energy on scoring goals!"

"You've seen it—that kid loves to assist Raul right now!"

Magath wasn't a man who usually fed people lines, but it depended on who he was talking to.

...

The extreme personality of Huntelaar, after experiencing such wild swings of fortune, naturally woke up as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw.

"I understand what you mean, Boss!"

What did he mean by "that kid loves to assist Raul"? The Boss's intention was too obvious! It turned out the Boss valued me, Huntelaar, the most! Yes! The Boss said that to make me build a relationship with that Chinese kid, ideally so he would be more inclined to pass to me during attacks!

When Lin Hao first arrived, Huntelaar had seen Raul take the initiative to greet him. It seemed Raul even took the kid out to dinner later. Ha! Could a simple meal seal the deal? As a Dutch citizen, Huntelaar knew exactly what the best way was to get closer to another man!

...

"Good morning, Lin!"

The next day, as soon as Lin Hao arrived in the locker room and took off his pants, he saw Huntelaar taking the initiative to greet him!

"Uh... good morning, Klaas!"

"Oh, right, Lin, do you have time tonight? I have a private gathering and I'd like to invite you!"

"Huh? That... that..."

Lin Hao was a bit confused! What was going on? Had Huntelaar lost his mind? Why would he invite him to a private gathering? Could it be that he was resentful about losing his spot and intended to ambush him at this private party?

Nothing good comes from unearned favors... The more he thought about it, the more suspicious it felt. But looking at Huntelaar’s expectant expression, Lin Hao couldn't refuse and ended up agreeing.

However, even though he agreed, Lin Hao thought he should probably stop by a supermarket after training... As for why, he naturally wanted to buy a stun baton or an iron rod for self-defense!