Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Revenge Blood Battle (5)
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Score: 3-0.
The Manager sitting beside him couldn't bring himself to say another word.
He simply stayed silent, staring out at the pitch.
Lowell was no different. He couldn't even think of issuing any further instructions.
*What the hell is this...?*
Staring at the pitch in bewilderment was the best he could manage.
[Bolton Wanderers!]
[Oh! Wigan Athletic! Pass mistakes are piling up noticeably in their defensive third!]
Thud-!
[Another pass error from Wigan's backline right now!]
[Frank Gerrard intercepts in midfield and launches a counterattack immediately...!]
Wham-!
[Ooooh! A long-range strike from Cole Palmer, subbed on in the second half!]
[It just clears the crossbar by a hair!]
[Ahh! Bolton! The shot misses, but the players are all smiles out there!]
Just as the commentator said, every single Bolton player wore a grin.
Even Palmer, who had whiffed the shot, let out a sigh of regret before flashing a cheeky smile and wrinkling his nose.
In stark contrast, Wigan's players were etched with despair.
Some wore grimaces, others blank expressions of defeat as they went through the motions.
Rahim Strong, face twisted in frustration, went in with a rough challenge and picked up a yellow card.
*I can't believe this...*
Lowell Gardner couldn't accept what he was seeing with his own eyes.
In most games, it was always his side taking the lead.
But at some point in this match, they'd handed complete control to Bolton.
Wigan could barely push forward now.
[Wigan! After sideways passes, they're resorting to back passes again!]
[Ahh...! It looks like the players are scared stiff?]
Even when they tried a forward pass...,
Thwack-!
[Dominic Shield! He heads away Wigan's lofted ball!]
It got blocked every time.
To put it bluntly, Wigan was completely shackled.
The Latics fans who had belted out chants from the away end all first half had dwindled by half.
Most had already left the stands, disillusioned by Wigan's poor showing.
The diehards who remained thrashed about, looking ready to vault the barriers as they unleashed a torrent of abuse.
"You bastard! What the hell is this! What the fuck is this?!"
"Pay for my goddamn ticket! Arrrgh!"
"..."
Lowell slowly turned his head toward the adjacent technical area.
And that's when Gardner saw it.
Second half, 43rd minute.
With two minutes still left in regulation time, Jeong-woo was folding up a portable chair he'd brought himself, tucking it under his arm, and heading for the tunnel.
He was clocking out early.
In that instant, a surge of overwhelming rage boiled up from Lowell's feet.
No one had ever dared leave early like this while he was still on the sidelines.
Trembling with fury, Lowell growled.
"Ma...!"
Just then, his gaze landed on a metal trash bin behind him.
* * * *
When Jeong-woo stepped into the mixed zone, he sensed the reporters' stares had shifted.
The Bolton locals had always looked up to him.
But the others had always been aggressive, lobbing uncomfortable questions his way.
*I've been stirring the pot too much.*
But not today.
"In today's match, Bolton played defensively early in the first half before switching to a high press to overwhelm Wigan! What prompted such an aggressive tactical shift?"
"You deployed Park as a central midfielder. Do you think he performed admirably in that role?"
The reporters firing questions showed genuine warmth toward him.
They didn't hold back on the praise, either.
Jeong-woo answered with a bright smile.
It was some time later when one reporter asked:
"You've pulled off a miracle, leading an underdog team to victory over a superior side. What's your take?"
Jeong-woo's expression turned puzzled at the question.
Even the reporter looked baffled.
*Did I say something wrong...?*
Then Jeong-woo burst out laughing.
"No offense taken, but the phrasing of that question is off."
He straightened up as he spoke.
The gathered reporters still looked confused.
Jeong-woo grinned, curling the corner of his mouth to clear the air.
"How can the team that lost be the strong one? Let's cut the crap: the winner is the strong team, and the loser is the weak one."
* * * *
Bolton's office manager, Donald Victor, was happier than ever.
The pencil sharpener ad had made quite an impression, landing him a new gig.
A pillow commercial this time.
*Side hustle well chosen.*
Just like before, Victor had stayed up all night studying the pillow and crafting his script.
He'd even reviewed his home shopping footage to stoke his enthusiasm.
"You know that feeling when you wake up in the morning? Shoulders and neck all stiff. Know why? This pillow right here."
Donald Victor pressed on, cycling through expressions.
"This pillow doesn't just support your neck—it aligns your spine for truly restful sleep. And it's only about 8cm high. You know this, right? The ideal height for our bodies is 8 to 10cm."
"Honestly, no exaggeration... I've been using this pillow, and my recent insomnia? Gone. See? No more dark circles under my eyes."
As he ran through the ad, Victor swelled with pride.
*I could totally do this home shopping host thing full-time. Heh.*
But soon enough, his eyes narrowed to slits.
*These guys again...?*
Just like déjà vu from before, live viewer numbers plummeted.
Anxious, Victor pulled up Bolton's official YouTube on his phone.
*I knew it!*
And Victor couldn't contain his anger.
They'd timed yet another live stream on the official channel right as he was broadcasting.
*They pulled this during the pencil sharpener one too!*
Was this on purpose now?
Wondering what the hell they were streaming to suck away his audience like the tide going out, he clicked in.
What he saw left him dumbfounded.
On a pristine white bed lay a disheveled man in a rumpled suit, curled up in the fetal position.
Ma Jeong-woo.
He fidgeted for a moment, then let out a massive yawn.
A few seconds later.
[Snrrrrk—! Grraaahhh—!]
He started snoring.
"..."
The close-up camera slowly pulled back.
Donald Victor's cheek twitched uncontrollably.
On the nightstand to the right of the bed, white paper bore a message.
[Beds are science. [3-Second Bed]]
And with that, the live stream ended.
"..."
Stunned for a moment, Victor shook his head slowly in denial.
"No way. This can't be an ad. If it is... it's just scamming the subscribers."
But the real-time comments flooding in only deepened his misery.
- : Whoa, buying this bed right now!
- : Is this the knockout bed you've heard about that puts you to sleep in 3 seconds flat?
- <LifeIsAMarathon> : Bed soccer, now bed soccer ad lolololol
- : Short ad, but packed with info. Sleek design, plush mattress—perfect! Matches any furniture so well, and rounded edges! Ideal for homes with kids! Thanks for the thorough, friendly review!
The last one was obviously from staff.
* * * *
[Bolton Wanderers! 3-0 thrashing of Wigan!]
[Owen bags a brace! Park scores one! Ma's boys dismantle Wigan!]
[Ma Jeong-woo, Bolton owner-manager, now 2-0 in local derbies!]
[Don't call them underdogs! 'The winner is the strong team'—Ma's sharp rebuke!]
Post-match, the press was in a frenzy.
Fans were ecstatic over the 3-0 demolition of local rivals, the Latics.
- : Born and raised in Bolton. Proud as hell of where I'm from right now!
- : Park's insane. Steals from Rahim Strong and then dribbles all the way into the box...!
- : Honestly, lose every other game, just beat Latics, Blackburn, Burnley, Preston and I'm happy! Crying with satisfaction right now!
Koreans caught the highlights via YouTuber channels.
They reveled in the local derby win and the stellar showings from two countrymen.
- <HeungminSuccessorParkStar> : Ma and Park were the stars. Proud Koreans!
- <WhenDoIGetAGF> : Kkuu, national pride overload! Didn't know League One games could be this fun—thanks Bolton YouTube.
- <FootballLife10Yrs> : Park's the real deal. Pace works in EPL too! At 23, sky's the limit!
By now, plenty were hoping.
For a Korean broadcaster to snag League One rights for Bolton.
"Pfft."
Lounging in his executive chair, Jeong-woo smirked smugly.
Lately, searching his name or the players' had become a thrill.
Just punching in a name brought a stream of glowing press and public reactions.
Sure, searching only his name still turned up plenty of hate.
But then.
"What's this now."
Amid the searches, Jeong-woo chuckled.
Beneath a photo of someone kicking a trash bin: [Lowell Gardner suffers broken toe in Bolton match... Second time!]
Lowell had broken his toe last season too.
Jeong-woo clicked his tongue.
"That bin's not just stainless—it's solid iron, bolted to the ground. Tsk."
He was the one who'd ordered it secured.
Creak-!
Jeong-woo soon sprawled back in his executive chair.
"Anyway, snag those broadcast rights already."
Like that one fan, Jeong-woo wished Korea would hurry up and buy Bolton's rights.
"Stop airing fringe league games. Over there, Korean players barely play, teams lose every time."
But the odds were slim.
Not even Championship or EPL—League One.
"Still, you never know."
A few upsets and buzz could change that.
Reason he hadn't given up on the FA Cup.
"Exposure's huge."
Right then.
Knock knock-!
At the knock, Jeong-woo replied curtly.
"Come in."
The visitor was none other than executive director Richard Geers.
Without being asked, he dipped into a light Korean bow, then flashed his signature bright smile.
And said:
"The travel agency reps we invited to the Bolton Citizens' Parish are all here."
Jeong-woo's lips curled into a sly grin.