Chapter 118: Aftermath Tremors

This story is purely fictional.

“What did you say? I don’t understand any of what you’re talking about. What good news haven’t I shared with you, brother? Please explain yourself clearly,” Hao Benshan said, baffled.

“The entire Dahe Club, from top to bottom, knows that the recent match was one Dahe was doomed not to win. You’re telling me, as chairman of Dahe Club, you didn’t know the team had its own agenda? Do I really have to spell it out for you? If you truly knew nothing, then you should step down immediately. Dahe isn’t for you. Go back to your little performances and stop standing there doing nothing, dragging innocent people down in this industry. Our money is earned through sweat and blood, unlike you—for you, money is just a number,” Zhao Beijng fired off like a rapid barrage before abruptly hanging up.

Hao Benshan wanted to say something more, but the other end had already gone silent, replaced by the busy signal’s beeping.

After hearing Zhao Beijng’s words, Hao Benshan finally understood the source of the club’s unrest. It turned out that those scoundrels were once again betraying the team from within. “I, Hao Benshan, will not let this slide. I will root out every one of these traitors and ensure they face the punishment they deserve.”

At MC headquarters, Will was equally stunned by Dahe’s unexpected match result. He had no idea what had transpired or what caused the carefully arranged outcome to unravel. For MC, the pressure borne from such an inconspicuous match was unimaginable. The current situation showed Dahe’s outcome flagged on MC’s terminal server as a warning, with a loss of three hundred million already accepted as fact.

In Dahe Club’s conference room, Hao Benshan convened an emergency meeting of the senior leadership, including the head coach.

Most attendees had arrived, except the head coach was conspicuously absent.

“Where is head coach Nian Weiyi?” someone asked.

The board members present shook their heads, all unaware of the coach’s whereabouts.

“Do you know why I called this emergency meeting?”

No one at the round table spoke; their heads hung low, silent as usual.

“Today the team won a match, yet at first, I couldn’t understand why everyone was so distant from me—as if I had committed some grave offense, afraid to meet or speak with me, treating me like a plague. I was genuinely curious,” Hao Benshan said, taking a sip of bottled water before slamming it heavily on the table.

Water splashed out from the bottle’s neck, scattering everywhere.

Still, the attendees kept their heads lowered, silent.

“It wasn’t until I spoke with my friends in H City that I learned the truth—a truth that chilled and disgusted me. My blindness was such that I couldn’t see the filthy souls among you beneath your polished exteriors. My deafness was such that I couldn’t hear the vile crimes you committed everywhere. I invested in Dahe football with hope and dreams for Chinese football; I paid your salaries with my hard-earned money, yet I raised a pack of ungrateful wolves. It breaks my heart!” Hao Benshan smashed the bottle onto the floor with force.

“Why don’t you lift your heads? When you exploit the club for your own gain, why do you put on such arrogant and ugly faces? Look at yourselves now—grab a mirror and see what kind of people you really are. You hang your heads here, but once you leave, you’re full of swagger. Let me tell you something you don’t want to hear: none of you have the right to strut around outside, and you have no face to claim you’re football men.”

“Just a month ago, I dared to say it—I said it out loud. But now, I can’t anymore. Why? Because I feel ashamed. A person lives by their dignity, a tree by its bark—and I still have a face to keep.”

“You all pretend and deceive, but I know the reasons. The first game was ruined because some players gambled on the side, utterly disregarding my reputation and disgracing themselves on the field. And they call themselves national players? Do you deserve that title? Do you even know the most basic principle you, as footballers, must uphold?” Hao Benshan’s anger grew fiercer.

“The second match? That’s on the club’s senior board members. While engaging in your dirty dealings, you drained the club’s funds to the bottom. To cover your crimes, you manipulated the result at all costs. I’ve seen the books—there’s an income of 30 million yuan, and I know exactly where it came from. That’s the cheese you stole from me to pocket 30 million yuan,” Hao Benshan’s voice thundered.

“Someone told me that when the odds were only 0.3, you used the club’s funds to play the market, betting against yourselves. You’ve got guts, placing a billion-yuan bet for a return of just 30 million. What if you lost? Could you repay a billion? The answer is clear: absolutely not. Because just hours ago, my friend in H City lost exactly that amount. I also learned that nearly all bets placed on Dahe won—but MC lost, losing billions. I believe MC will never just sit back and do nothing. They will take action, and some of you will be in serious trouble.”

“I’m still the number one at this club, and I must take responsibility,” Hao Benshan declared firmly.

Some officials at the table shifted nervously, caught by Hao Benshan’s gaze.

“You’re still moving your heads, thinking I don’t know what you’re plotting? I can read you perfectly—when you twitch, I know whether you’re about to mess up or clean up. You’re wondering how I’ll be held accountable? I’ll tell you now—I’m announcing the following decisions.”

Hao Benshan opened his folder.

All officials craned their necks, eyes fixed on him.

“I hereby announce the dismissal of General Manager Zhang Xu, Deputy GM Huang He, and Head Coach Nian Weiyi.”

“Also, the club players Nian Liang, defender Li Baihan, and goalkeeper Jia Yibing are expelled,” Hao Benshan said, taking a sip of water.

“In addition to these decisions, I have resolved to hand these individuals over to the prosecuting authorities for investigation and to pursue criminal responsibility,” his expression grave.

Prosecutors already waiting outside the conference room entered and escorted Zhang Xu, Huang He, and others away.

“Head Coach Nian Weiyi’s whereabouts are unknown,” the prosecutors informed Hao Benshan.

After the match, Nian Weiyi did not leave the sports center with the team, nor did he attend the press conference. Everyone questioned was clueless about his location.

Fan Wei, who scored as a substitute in the Dahe versus Haima match, was also missing.

After the game, the head coach knew he was in deep trouble for failing to execute MC’s instructions. He understood the gravity—this was no trivial matter.

Judging by the amount involved, it was certainly an astronomical loss. Knowing his end had come, he drove his sports car to another location, switched vehicles, and arrived in Hexi.

At Fan Gu’s home in Hexi, Nian Weiyi closed the door and turned off the lights, leaving the room in complete darkness.

After leaving the sports center, Zhang Chi and Wang Yifa went straight to Hexi Vocational College to discuss how to handle the aftermath of the Dahe-Haima match.

After deliberation, they called Fan Wei.

In truth, before Zhang Chi’s call, Fan Wei had sensed something unusual at the club. The coach had pulled him aside and said, “When you went on the field today, I was about to explain what to watch out for, but before I could, Hao Benshan called me away. You scored the winning goal unknowingly, and now we might be in big trouble. Things are serious—leave the club quickly and find a place to hide. Take anything valuable with you.”

Fan Wei realized things had gone badly. Though naive, he understood the off-field matters. Now he had to hide but didn’t know where.

To be honest, aside from his friend Zhang Chi, he had no one else. After much thought, he felt Zhang Chi’s place was the safest.

Just then, Zhang Chi called, and Fan Wei hurriedly asked where he was.

Zhang Chi replied, “Where am I? I’m on the peak of Guazi Mountain. If you don’t come today, you might never see me again.”

Fan Wei’s heart pounded wildly, unsure what was happening. He didn’t even have time to tell Zhang Chi about his troubles.

“Don’t do anything foolish. I’m coming now—wait for me,” Fan Wei said.

Atop the mountain, Zhang Chi and Wang Yifa sat with two cases of canned beer bought from a small shop. The ground was littered with toppled cans.

They faced away from the city lights, staring at Dahe’s nightscape. Both felt the same—a sense of impending departure from this world they had grown attached to.

“What do you think the news about Dahe will be tomorrow? If we, teacher and student, jump off this cliff together, would it make national headlines? Would people suspect we were lovers committing suicide?” Zhang Chi asked his teacher.

(To be continued.)