"how?"
"After I leave here today, I'll tell all my friends not to spend a single penny on sports betting anymore, because it's all a scam. Nine out of ten bets are scams... the ancients were right!" I smiled and took the notebook, carefully flipping through the currently available betting options.
Ten minutes later, we had all chosen the projects we wanted to bet on.
Li Wenjing made the calculations first, choosing a horse racing game in Macau, as did Minister Jin.
Both players had clearly done their calculations carefully; the odds for these two horse races were quite high, at 2 to 6 and 1 to 4 respectively. Not exactly upsets, but both seemed very confident. It looks like they correctly predicted the bookmaker's moves.
Li Wenjing suddenly smiled and asked, "Chen Yang, what did you bet on?"
I was still browsing through the data on my computer when suddenly my eyes lit up. Pointing at the screen, I exclaimed, "You can bet on this too?"
A staff member nearby came over and took a look: "Yes, sir, we can broadcast this game live for you. You can see it on your TV screen."
"Okay, this is it!!" I exclaimed confidently. "But I don't quite understand the odds on this... what does it mean?"
Li Wenjing stared at the data on my computer screen, stunned! He couldn't help but say, "Chen Yang, are you really going to bet on this? The bookmakers don't seem to think it's a good bet... The chances of losing are pretty high... And you don't know how to calculate the bookmakers' odds, I'm afraid..."
Minister Kim also came over and was equally stunned!
Then the two looked at each other. Minister Kim said with difficulty, "Are you really going to bet on this?"
Although Li Wenjing didn't say anything, the way he looked at me made it seem as if I had lost my entire fortune...
The staff member next to me had a very professional expression, showing no disrespect whatsoever, and said calmly, "Sir, this match is calculated according to Asian odds. Today's handicap is the home team giving a two-goal advantage... Are you sure you want to..."
Without hesitation, I pressed my finger on it: "That's it, but I'm not betting on the home team, I'm betting on the away team!"
Asian Cup Qualifiers. South Korea vs. China. (In reality, South Korea won't be played in the qualifiers; it's just for the sake of the story.)
The handicap is set at the home team giving a two-goal advantage.
"I'm betting on China."
As soon as I finished speaking, even the staff next to me looked at me with a "you're dead" expression.
I shook my head, my expression calm: "I didn't bet much. Anyway, you all said that regardless of the amount wagered, only the odds, the odds for betting on China in this match are the most skewed."
Then I snapped my fingers and smiled at the staff member next to me, "Go, turn on the CCTV, I want to watch the live broadcast!" Then I added, "Do you have any beer? How can a man watch a game without beer?"
Li Wenjing glanced at Minister Jin. Minister Jin suddenly smiled: "Alright, let's see if your luck will be this good this time!"
Park Yong-dae spoke up, muttering something under his breath...
Fang Nan had been sitting next to me the whole time, not saying a word during the card game. But when she heard what Park Yong-dae said, she couldn't help but frown slightly and whisper in my ear, "This guy is really annoying." After a pause, she translated for me, "He said he admires your patriotism, but he thinks Chinese football can't possibly be a match for South Korea. So he's decided not to bet on anything else. In this game, you bet on China, and he'll bet on South Korea."
I didn't care at all, and showed no sign of anger: "Great! It's more fun to gamble with someone!"
Just then, the waiter brought out the beer, which turned out to be German dark beer. I was immediately overjoyed and raised my glass to Park Yong-dae in a toast.
Actually, I'm quite disappointed.
Damn, it's a pity I had no luck gambling today, otherwise I would have bet 100,000 or 200,000 and made this Korean lose everything!
Part One: A Man in the Martial World, Unable to Control His Own Fate, Chapter Ninety-Five: The Most Lewd Reversal in History
Everyone on Earth knows what kind of mess our national men's football team is. Basically, it's a bunch of spineless men getting gang-raped on the field, and then they act like they've been raped and are still crying, smearing their bodies and vowing never to let themselves be trampled on again. But they still get their faces slapped repeatedly, left cheek slapped, right cheek slapped, right cheek slapped, left cheek slapped...
In the end, even though they disgusted the entire nation, they still tried to put on a tragic facade, claiming that they had fought on despite repeated defeats...
Every time people watch a men's football match, they can't help but think of Stephen Chow's classic line, "...raped a hundred times, a hundred times..."
Thinking about it carefully, the Chinese national football team was humiliated by the South Koreans, so it's probably close to breaking the 100 mark, right?
I held my beer mug, looking at Park Yong-dae's expression. I thought to myself, no wonder he looked so confident.
Even Li Wenjing said, "Looking at the odds and betting lines, it's obvious this match wasn't manipulated by the bookmakers... When it comes to the China vs. South Korea match, the result is practically guaranteed; there's no need to manipulate it."
Actually, if it weren't for this ring, I would never have had this much confidence in our country's men's football team!
Because I used to work in nightclubs, I've seen a lot of inside stories!
This city has always had a top-tier football team, and I've seen all too many of the scoundrels those players are. Newspapers often criticize them for "going to bars."
Those reporters are idiots! Going to bars is nothing! Some of the players are even VIPs at our nightclub! After the game, they come to Golden Splendor to have some fun with a few girls, and then, since there's a big hotel upstairs, they book a room and have sex—it's commonplace! And… I've overheard some of the girls talking about it privately. Actually, they're not really keen on doing business with these athletes… Athletes are physically stronger than ordinary people, and often… “can't ejaculate for tens of minutes.”
That's similar to how it is during the game... If I'm not going to shoot, I'm not going to shoot! It'll drive you crazy!
A couple of years ago, that particularly famous former national Olympic team goalkeeper, nicknamed "Angel," was accused of rape after bringing a prostitute into a hotel one night. He was taken directly to the police station...
He claimed he was framed… but actually, this guy brought it on himself. The truth is: he took the girl home, but they couldn't agree on a price, and this guy, in his lust, forced himself on her… Those girls are just trying to make a living; they're not going to give you free services, are they? And that establishment has incredibly powerful connections! Don't let that guy's reputation fool you; they can still make you regret it!
The Chinese national football team has been impotent for years, and everyone present knows it. Even Fang Nan, a woman, looked at me with a worried expression.
I stared at the TV screen, completely unconcerned.
...
...The TV broadcast wasn't on CCTV, but on ESPN. Although the commentators on CCTV are pretty silly, and the only one with any real talent, Huang, has already switched jobs, I still feel it's a real shame... Actually, what I'm about to say might be surprising... I really enjoy listening to Han's commentary—it's so funny! Listening to his commentary is like watching a Stephen Chow movie, full of hilarious surprises!
ESPN's commentary has a distinctly European style, with a rapid pace. While their Chinese is a bit stiff, it's generally quite informative...
First, the starting lineups of both teams were introduced. The South Korean Red Devils cheerleaders almost filled the entire stadium stands, their cheers echoing in waves. Five minutes into the game, the South Korean team nearly scored. A Chinese defender accidentally kicked the ball to the South Koreans while clearing it, and the South Koreans immediately fired a shot, eliciting screams from the crowd.
The Chinese goalkeeper did a decent job, not letting anything slip at a crucial moment, and made a diving save.
After twenty minutes, the game was almost entirely one-sided. The Koreans were swarming the Chinese penalty area, causing chaos and disarray. Everyone was on edge, and our rough guys were all panting heavily. But the ball just wouldn't cross the halfway line. Every time it got past the halfway line, it would be tackled away. Every time it got past the halfway line, it would be tackled away.
The most threatening attack by the Chinese team in the first half came from the "great" "Emperor" who "dribbled like Henry".
His Majesty the Emperor had been lingering in the attacking third for half an hour when he finally received a long pass. He immediately unleashed Ronaldo's speed and sprinted forward. Then, amidst the chaos, he calmly looked up and surveyed the area, radiating an unparalleled aura of royalty. The surrounding Korean defenders immediately felt a jolt! Suddenly, the Emperor's eyes flashed. His entire being radiated an aura of dominance… well, I misspoke, an aura of absolute power! He unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area! The ball, whistling through the air, flew like a cannonball directly towards the corner flag…
The referee blew the whistle to end the first half, and the game began its halftime break.
Park Yong-dae seemed quite pleased with himself. His usually indifferent face now held a hint of barely perceptible joy. He had finished his beer and gave me a deep look. I thought for a moment and then remained silent.
The second half saw a dramatic turn of events!
Within two minutes of the start, the South Koreans created space for the Chinese defense with two passes, capitalizing on a mistake by the Chinese defenders to break into the penalty area and score, making the score 1-0 and putting China behind.
Five minutes later, the opposing player got another chance in front of the penalty area and scored with a long-range shot, making it 2-0!
The odds are South Korea giving a two-goal handicap. In other words, if South Korea wins by one more goal, gamblers who bet on South Korea can sit back and count their money.
Judging from the situation, this possibility is extremely high.
Park Yong-dae raised a full glass of beer and gestured to me from afar with a smile on his face.
Without making a sound, I took out a cigarette and lit it for myself.
I firmly believe in the magic of the ring!
Sure enough, five minutes later, the situation changed!
Trailing by two goals in the second half, the rough-around-the-edges Chinese team had already given up and retreated to their own half. However, during a clearance by a Chinese defender, the ball flew straight across the halfway line and landed at the feet of the "Emperor" with Beckham-esque accuracy!
The Emperor immediately dribbled the ball and sprinted away!
The first South Korean defender came up, and the Emperor started to stumble. Somehow, the defender slipped and fell on the grass, and the two collided, sending the ball flying straight out of bounds.
China takes the corner kick!
After the corner kick was taken, the Chinese team sent several of their tallest and best headers into the South Korean area. The South Korean goalkeeper let out a roar and punched the ball away with both fists… right before the eyes of tens of thousands of spectators, the ball accurately struck the Emperor's backside, and then, with a graceful wiggle of his hips, the ball flew into the net…
China wins back a point!
"Holy crap. He can score with his ass, that's so cool!" I took a sip of beer with a satisfied smile.
Two minutes later, the Chinese team launched another attack! The ball drew an eerie arc in mid-air. A South Korean player launched a long pass, which landed squarely on the referee's face with a thud!
The poor referee collapsed to the ground. The ball bounced away and finally landed at the Emperor's feet.
The entire stadium was silent for a full three seconds. The players were stunned, and the referee lay on the ground with no one coming to their aid.
It must be said, the Emperor still maintained his composure! His first reaction was to kick the ball out of bounds with a long kick... but we cannot ignore the Emperor's precise footwork!
Generally speaking, when a Chinese player shoots, if they aim at the opponent's goal, the ball will fly towards the corner flag; but if they aim at the opposite... they aim at the corner flag...
Bang!
Under the silent gaze of tens of thousands of spectators, the ball flew into the net. The South Korean goalkeeper was clearly positioned a little too far forward. Although he made a desperate attempt to save it, the Emperor's kick was nothing short of a divine stroke! It was like a celestial being descending from the heavens!
Imagine this: you clearly see the opponent taking a shot diagonally, but a few seconds later, the ball is heading straight for the goal...
At this moment, the referee finally stood up, looked at the stunned players on both sides, hesitated for a moment, and then blew his whistle—the goal was valid!
The entire audience went wild!
The Koreans have gone mad! The audience has gone mad!
The Chinese coaching staff has gone mad! The players have gone mad!
The only one who hadn't gone mad was His Majesty the Emperor. He looked up at the heavens with an expression on his face, on the verge of collapse, and the television screen even gave him a huge close-up shot...
The South Koreans' tenacity was ignited, and they launched a fierce attack on the Chinese team's penalty area for the next ten minutes. After six consecutive shots, the ball was cleared by a long kick from the Chinese defender.
It must be said that this was purely an unintentional attack; the midfielder casually passed the ball to the Emperor... At that moment, three South Korean players were already closing in on His Majesty, and under these circumstances, the Emperor chose the smartest way to play!
...He almost bent his head and used all his strength to kick the ball haphazardly, then turned around and sprinted back towards his own half.
His actual thought at the time was probably: just kick it out and that would be enough to clear the ball, then he would quickly run over to help with the defense.
But at that moment... a classic goal that will never be surpassed in a hundred years was born!
The Emperor unleashed a powerful kick, and the ball, mid-air… this time without an arc, shot almost straight like a bullet towards the South Korean number one defender, striking him precisely in the face. With a scream, the South Korean number one defender clutched his face and collapsed. The ball bounced off and struck the South Korean number two defender, who unfortunately suffered a severe injury to his groin, crying out and kneeling down, clutching his crotch. The ball, after another deflection, rolled between the goalkeeper's legs and into the goal…
The goalkeeper was almost in tears... a wild kick, two changes of direction, and then...
The outcome of the remaining matches was already a foregone conclusion...
Koreans may have strong wills, but faced with such a bizarre situation that is beyond human comprehension... anyone would break down.
South Koreans have suffered a psychological breakdown!
Five minutes later, the referee blew the final whistle...
In this Asian Cup qualifier, the Chinese team, after conceding two goals, relied on the great Emperor's hat-trick to score three goals in a row and create a great comeback!
These three great goals will all be recorded in history!
Bang!
Bang!