I Just Wanted to Play Soccer, But I Became a Hollywood Heartthrob

Gu Ran stepped up to Watergate and tapped the blue bubble with his foot.

The bubble burst into a dazzling stream of light, which flowed into his body.

Ding!

"Host has picked up a football skill: One-Two Pass +1. Daily collection progress: 10/10."

"Reminder: This skill allows you to execute one-two passes with a teammate. If your teammate also possesses the skill, the success rate of your combination will increase, potentially leading to multiple consecutive one-twos and more intricate passing plays."

Holy crap.

Now this was a solid skill.

A coordination-based technique!

Sure, it wasn't on the level of Beckham's star-tier skills, but as a foundational ability, it was incredibly useful.

With his experience in street football from his past life, Gu Ran was already well-versed in the one-two pass technique.

It was a short-passing combination where two attacking players used two consecutive passes to bypass a defender.

This included direct one-two passes, diagonal one-twos, diagonal-to-direct variations, and even more complex setups like return-cut one-twos.

Executing these at a high level required extensive practice and teamwork.

But now?

Gu Ran had just gotten it for free.

Nice work, Watergate. You actually contributed something useful.

He flashed a grin at Watergate's miserable face. "…Thanks."

Watergate was just about to explode when Coach Carter came running over, excitement written all over his face.

"Hey! Chinese kid!" Carter slapped Gu Ran on the shoulder. "That shot just now was outstanding! You must put in a lot of work, huh?"

Gu Ran smiled. "Not really, Coach. I don't train much at all."

Why work hard when you can just collect skills for free?

Once he upgraded to C-rank, he wouldn't even need to touch the bubbles—he could collect them with pure mental control.

Carter let out a hearty laugh. "You Chinese are so damn modest! But you can't fool me. From my professional perspective, a shot like that? No way you pulled it off without at least five years of training. Sure, you're still a long way from Beckham's Crescent Moon Curve, but you're much younger than him! With that shot alone, you're more than qualified to join the team."

Gu Ran raised an eyebrow. "Seriously, Coach? What about the speed test?"

Carter waved a hand dismissively. "No need. Not only are you officially on the team, but you're also going straight into our national high school tournament roster. The deadline for submission is this afternoon. If we don't finalize the lineup before school ends, you'll miss your chance. So before the day's over, you need to pass a professional medical examination."

Finally!

Gu Ran forced himself to stay calm. "Thank you, Coach."

"You won't find the school medic's office on your own. I'll have someone take you."

Carter glanced toward a bespectacled player collecting stray balls on the other side of the field. "Hey! Drummer boy! Come here for a second!"

The player immediately put down the balls and ran over.

"Coach! Huff… huff… What do you need?"

Carter gestured toward Gu Ran. "Drummer, this is our new team member. Right, kid—what's your name again?"

Gu Ran stood tall. "Coach, my name is Gu Ran."

Carter nodded before turning back to the bespectacled player. "Take Gu Ran to the school medic for his physical. I need that report before the end of the day."

This was already an expedited process.

Normally, a player would have to fill out an application and submit a hospital-issued medical certificate.

But Carter had skipped straight to the in-house professional medical exam, which was a requirement for official tournament registration.

The school's medical office was equipped to conduct basic athlete assessments, so as long as Gu Ran passed, he would be officially part of the team.

"Yes, Coach." Drummer looked at Gu Ran with admiration. "Gu Ran, come with me."

"Alright, let me change my shoes first."

Gu Ran quickly swapped out his Messi edition cleats, tucked them into his bag, and put on his casual sneakers before following Drummer toward the academic building.

As they walked, Drummer struck up a conversation. "That Crescent Moon Curve of yours was incredible. I've been on the team for a year and a half, and I've never seen Coach Carter this eager to register a new player!"

Gu Ran chuckled. "Maybe it's just because the team needs a left-back, and I happen to play that position. Besides, making the squad list doesn't mean I'll actually get playing time."

The full roster had 22 players, the matchday squad had 18, and only 11 made the starting lineup.

Right now, Gu Ran was just on the 22-man list—and only if he submitted the medical report before the deadline.

Drummer adjusted his glasses and sighed with envy. "That's still better than me. I've been with the team for a while now, but I didn't even make the roster for this year's national tournament."

Gu Ran: …

Damn, how am I supposed to respond to that?

If I comfort him, I'll sound arrogant.

If I don't, I'll seem heartless.

Before Gu Ran could decide, Drummer laughed at himself. "But hey, at least I get to be the team's assistant manager. Traveling with the squad is good enough for me."

Gu Ran exhaled in relief. "Oh, so you're the team assistant? I'll be counting on you, then."

Drummer smiled and extended a hand. "Drummer is just my nickname. My real name is Konstantinos Douglas. If you ever need anything team-related, just ask me."

"Got it, Konstant… uh, Drummer." Gu Ran gave him a firm handshake.

Alright, so not everyone on this team is a scumbag.

At least the assistant manager seemed like a decent guy.

Drummer checked the time. "We need to hurry. There's less than an hour before school ends, and we must get this done before the medic leaves—this way."

High school schedules in the UK were different from those in China.

There were only two elective classes in the afternoon, followed by club activities.

Once electives ended, the school medic would be off duty.

So yeah, time was tight.

Under Drummer's guidance, Gu Ran soon arrived at the school medical office on the first floor.

Drummer knocked politely.

A mature female voice came from inside. "Come in."

The two entered the office, which had a nameplate reading 'Dr. Maria.'

The office had a large desk cluttered with anatomical charts and medical documents.

Seated at the desk was a red-haired woman in her early thirties, wearing a white lab coat.

She wasn't just the school medic—she was also the teacher for the 'Medical & Nursing' elective.

Maria didn't even glance up as they walked in.

Under the desk, her legs—wrapped in black stockings—were elegantly crossed, one foot lazily dangling a red high heel.

Drummer cleared his throat nervously. "Miss Maria, this is Gu Ran. He just joined the team, and Coach Carter would like you to conduct his player medical exam."

Maria didn't even look up. "A medical exam at this hour? Hmph, does Carter think he's the principal? I have a class to teach—I don't have time. Come back tomorrow."

Drummer hesitated. "But, uh… Coach Carter specifically requested it. If necessary, we can wait until after your class."

Maria set down her pen and finally looked up, flashing a sarcastic smile. "You want me to work overtime? Sorry, but I'm not obligated to do that."

With that, she went right back to grading papers.

Drummer sighed and turned to Gu Ran. "Sorry, man… Looks like you'll miss the registration deadline. But it's alright—after what you showed today, you'll make the team regardless. And this is just your first year. You'll get to compete next year."

Wait a whole year? Hell no!

Gu Ran ignored the attempted consolation.

Instead, he stepped forward and spoke directly to Maria.

"Miss Maria… I've always been a big fan of your class."

Then, as she lifted her head slightly, Gu Ran flashed his most charming smile.