Swansea, BARONS nightclub.
The air was mixed with white smoke from the smoke machine.
The carpet was sticky with spilled juice. In the dance floor's air lingered white musk, sweat, and the sll of vomit.
Even so, the music, the bass, and the darkness turned BARONS into sothing like a dream.
The Breeders' "Cannonball," The Stone Roses' "Fools Gold," and Jane's Addiction's "Been Caught Stealing" poured from the speakers.
Amid the noise of n and won shouting and laughing, everyone slowly let themselves go.
At best, this was not exactly a high-class nightclub.
Lynn and Mo Yuan squeezed their way past one hot body after another until they reached the northeast corner of the dance floor.
A short young man dressed in hip-hop style was chatting up a beautiful woman while showing off his nimble dance moves.
Suddenly, soone tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned around and saw Lynn and Mo Yuan, both dressed in suits.
He clearly recognized Lynn.
As long as soone paid even the slightest attention to football and the news, there was no one now who did not know Lynn.
His face filled with surprise.
Lynn simply pointed toward the nightclub exit, then turned and walked outside.
The young man imdiately followed.
They arrived by the roadside outside the club.
Lynn and Mo Yuan looked the slightly nervous young man up and down.
At 171 centitres tall, he looked sowhat short standing in front of Lynn and Mo Yuan, but his muscles were well-built.
Lynn said, "Horatio Nelson, the transfer request you submitted to the club has been rejected. Return to the club tomorrow, sign a new contract, train properly, and prepare for the new season."
Horatio Nelson's expression flickered between shock and uncertainty.
The reason he had wanted a transfer was because his talent had not gone unnoticed.
Many clubs in the Football League Third Division were interested in him.
However, the previous manager, Ray Kennedy, believed that Nelson, who had only just turned eighteen, still needed to wait patiently.
Because Kennedy had delayed giving him opportunities, Nelson's relationship with him had beco very unpleasant.
That was why, after the season ended, he had submitted a transfer request himself.
Nelson stared blankly at Lynn for a long while without speaking.
Lynn grew sowhat impatient.
Or perhaps because he disliked BARONS, his mood was not particularly good.
He frowned and asked, "Do you have a problem?"
Nelson quickly shook his head.
"I'll return to the club tomorrow. But I want to make sure I'll be able to play for the first team next season."
Lynn gave him a guarantee.
"If you train seriously, and if you co to places like this less often, then as both owner and manager, I'll give you a double guarantee: you will get plenty of playing ti.
"Kid, you're at a crucial stage. Don't let things outside your career distract you."
After saying this, Lynn and Mo Yuan turned and got into the car.
Nelson scratched his head and muttered strangely, "Kid? He doesn't seem that many years older than , does he?"
He turned around and was about to go back into the nightclub, but then suddenly stopped.
Shaking his head, he put both hands in his pockets and headed ho instead.
...
North of Walter Road was a mid-range residential area.
At ten in the morning, Lynn's Bentley stopped outside a detached house.
After getting out, he carried his briefcase to the front door and pressed the doorbell.
The door was opened by a middle-aged couple.
They spoke warmly to Lynn, "Sir, please co in."
Lynn entered the house.
The living room on the ground floor had modern-style décor. Beside the coffee table sat two young n who looked very similar.
The older youth was also dressed in a suit, his appearance ticulous.
He walked up to Lynn first and extended his hand.
"Hello, Mr. Lynn. I'm Lance Cook, Jas' older brother."
After shaking hands with him, Lynn simply greeted him.
Then he saw the handso young man, Jas Cook, who was the sa height as Lynn, walk up to him.
The two shook hands.
Jas Cook looked sowhat shy, but he had a smile that made people feel imdiately at ease.
Everyone sat around the coffee table. Lynn sat in a single armchair.
The Cook brothers' parents brought tea and snacks, then sat silently at the side.
Based on what he knew about the family, Lynn understood that the Cook brothers' parents were not highly educated.
However, their eldest son, Lance Cook, was an outstanding student.
He had already graduated three years ago and beco a lawyer.
Jas Cook, seven years younger than him, had also been admitted to Swansea University.
His chosen major was the sa as his brother's; he was studying at the law school.
Lance Cook was currently two years older than Lynn, so the posture he adopted was clearly more mature.
He was also the family's representative in this negotiation.
"Mr. Lynn, after last season ended, my younger brother Jas already chose to give up football. His energy will be focused entirely on his studies. We believe that if he studies while playing football, it will affect his academics. The worst result would be that he accomplishes nothing on either side. So between the two, he chose his studies."
Lynn said calmly, "I know. But I hope Jas can reconsider. He has excellent talent, and many coaches at the club gave very high evaluations of his training performances."
Jas Cook looked as though he wanted to speak, but his brother spoke first.
"But from my point of view, there is no future for him in football. Among players at Third Division level, very few can truly improve their lives through playing. Besides, football itself is a high-risk profession."
"He has very good academic results. If he focuses on university, then after graduation, finding an ideal job should not be difficult."
Lynn understood Lance Cook's position very well.
As the child who had made sothing of himself in the family, Lance had taken on responsibility for the household and was choosing his younger brother's path in life more cautiously.
Perhaps he was overprotective, but this was also a form of sincere care.
Lynn was determined to get Jas Cook.
That was because Jas was one of only two players in the club's scouting system with potential above 80.
The other was Oliver Cromwell.
Lynn took a docunt out of his briefcase and placed it on the table.
"How about this? You can look at the club's offer first."
Lance Cook picked up the docunt Lynn had placed on the table. It was the new contract the club was offering Jas Cook.
A five-year contract.
A weekly wage of 800 pounds.
Bonuses included appearance fees, goals, and assists. Calculated together, an annual inco of 50,000 pounds would not be a problem.
That was higher than Lance Cook's current inco as a lawyer.
After reading the contract, Lance was tempted.
This contract ant Jas would earn at least 250,000 pounds over the next five years.
That was no small amount of money. It would be enough to buy a decent house.
However, as Jas' older brother, once he was tempted, he did not simply accept.
Instead, he calmly said, "Increase the terms by twenty percent, and we'll consider it."
Lynn nodded.
"There's no problem raising the offer a little more, but I need this settled today. I need Jas to return to the club tomorrow for training."
Lance Cook frowned. "But it's the holidays now. Why the rush?"
"To prepare for the new season. If a player goes three weeks without systematic training, although his physical indicators may only drop by around seven percent, his actual performance on the pitch can decline by around twenty percent. I need the team to reach its best condition before next season begins."
Lynn's words made Lance Cook fall into thought.
In the end, Lance turned to look at Jas Cook and asked, "What is your choice?"
A solemn expression appeared on Jas Cook's face.
"I'll go back to training tomorrow."
Lance Cook did not object.
He told Lynn that he would bring his younger brother to the club in the afternoon to sign the contract.
Lynn nodded in agreent, then stood and said goodbye.
...
After lunch, when Lynn went to work at the club in the afternoon, he saw ITV Wales reporter David Livingstone standing outside the training base with a cara, taking pictures.
Lynn stopped his car by the roadside, lowered the window, and called out toward Livingstone's back.
"Hey, Mr. Nosy Peeping Tom, do you need to give you a pass so you can go inside and take pictures?"
David Livingstone turned around.
Seeing Lynn sitting in the car with a mocking look in his eyes, he imdiately sneered.
"So this is Swansea's future? Only six players training?"
"See? You're ddling again. If you don't have God's power, stop worrying about God's business. Speaking of which, can your column write about anything other than attacking ?"
"Hmph! You can fool others, but you can't fool ! Reality will crush you rcilessly. Without players, what are you going to use to play matches?"
Lynn smiled.
"Who told you we don't have players? Tomorrow, ten new players will arrive. But you don't know who they are or where they're coming from. anwhile, your colleagues will be the first to reveal Swansea's transfer results."
After saying that, Lynn started the car and drove through the club's main gate.
David Livingstone's expression changed several tis.
Because his information channels were closed off, he knew nothing about what was happening inside Swansea City.
Even staff mbers within Swansea who had previously had a decent relationship with him could no longer bring Livingstone first-hand information.
That was because matters inside Swansea were being decided only by the club's three giants: Lynn, Mo Yuan, and Tony Benn.
If news of decisions made by those three ever leaked, there would be no need to think about it — Benn would definitely be the source.
Benn was not stupid.
He also understood the stakes involved, so he maintained absolute silence toward the outside world.
The secrecy and traditional closed nature inside the club were difficult for outsiders to imagine.
David Livingstone perhaps thought Lynn had let sothing slip in anger while arguing with him.
So after returning, he imdiately wrote a news article claiming that Swansea were about to welco ten new players.
...
That afternoon, Jas Cook ca to the club and signed his contract.
Swansea City's first team now had seven players beginning training.
The next day, ITV Wales' news did not co true.
Livingstone was severely scolded by his superiors!
Although this would not damage ITV's reputation too much, a failed prediction would still lower ITV's credibility.
David Livingstone discovered that BBC Wales and the South Wales Argus were both completely calm, with no new reports about Swansea City.
Only then did he realize that Lynn had played him.
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