Bai Yu had a long conversation with Lin Kun. Although Lin Kun was a man of few words, each remark he made struck directly at the heart of the issue, always capable of sparking resonance.
Bai Yu couldn’t wait to put the contract away and bring Lin Kun downstairs to introduce him to the team. Just before they entered, the training room was still filled with conversation. But the moment Lin Kun appeared in the doorway, the entire room fell silent.
He removed his mask but left his cap on. Tall and lean, his face remained expressionless, and he gave only a brief nod as he scanned the room, carrying himself with an unmistakable old-school air.
The atmosphere in the training room shifted the moment he stepped in.
Although Bai Yu had always maintained some discipline, he had never been a true authoritarian. He treated everyone kindly, often like a friend, which meant most of them weren’t afraid of him. But now, with Lin Kun standing here, saying nothing at all, the pressure in the room was suffocating.
The moment Xu Bo saw him, he jumped to his feet, nearly swearing out loud. But when he met Lin Kun’s gaze, he swallowed his words and looked visibly tense.
Qi Yi, seeing even Xu Bo go quiet, didn’t dare make a sound, trying his best to shrink into the background.
Even someone like Chen Shi’an, a seasoned player in his own right, greeted him respectfully. “Hello, Kun-ge”
This was clearly someone who had real authority.
Fang Zhixu felt a chill on his scalp. Just by observing the reactions of Chen Shi’an and Xu Bo, he could already guess the kind of pressure this new coach would bring. It was clear that the days ahead were not going to be easy.
Bai Yu introduced Lin Kun to the group and added, “He’s our new coach. Let’s give him a warm welcome.”
But after he said that, no one responded except for Song Bo. Chen Shi’an clapped a few times out of politeness, and Fang Zhixu only joined in belatedly after realizing he was expected to do something.
Bai Yu hadn’t expected immediate acceptance anyway. It would take time. He glanced toward the back of the room. “Where’s Lu Sheng?”
“He said it was too hot, went upstairs to change.”
Bai Yu checked the time. “Alright then. Let’s begin. Keep training as usual for now. The coaching team and I will adjust the training schedule based on your current condition. If you have any issues, speak up.”
Xu Bo quickly raised his hand, then glanced nervously at Lin Kun. Under that sharp gaze, he grew uneasy and put his hand down. “No issues here.”
Bai Yu pretended not to notice and smiled. “Good. I’ve got a few things to take care of. You all get along well.”
He gave Lin Kun a small nod before leaving, signaling that it was his turn to take over. Bai Yu made a swift exit, using his earlier excuse to slip away while he still could.
Who knew what kind of storm was about to break?
Outside, Bai Yu called Zhou Xunwen and filled him in on what had just happened.
Zhou Xunwen was thoroughly entertained. “I wish I could’ve seen their faces. That must’ve been hilarious. They never listen to you, but now they’ve finally got someone they have to obey.”
Bai Yu laughed too, though he still defended the others. “Except for Lu Sheng, most of them are pretty cooperative.”
Mentioning Lu Sheng only made Zhou more satisfied. “Seriously, when I get back, I want a full report. I’d pay good money to watch Lu Sheng get knocked down a peg. Just the thought makes me happy.”
Bai Yu didn’t exactly enjoy it, but he couldn’t deny he was curious too.
For some reason, he found Lu Sheng’s arrogance particularly amusing. He sometimes even provoked him on purpose just to watch his reaction.
As he was talking, Bai Yu saw Lu Sheng coming down the stairs.
Still as relaxed as ever, Lu Sheng had changed out of his uniform into a pair of shorts, claiming the team jersey was too hot. He was casually toweling his hair dry, his movements unhurried, with an air of nonchalance.
Bai Yu lowered his voice. “I’m hanging up. Time to watch the show.”
He ended the call, leaving Zhou Xunwen hanging.
Putting away his phone, Bai Yu watched as Lu Sheng strolled into the third-floor training room, completely unaware of the tension inside. He didn’t notice how quiet it was and walked in as if nothing had changed.
Lin Kun was extremely disciplined, and he expected the same from others. No sooner had Bai Yu left than he issued seven new regulations:
No whispering during training.
No loud talking in the training room.
No off-topic conversations.
No handling of personal matters during practice.
No being out of uniform in team-designated areas.
No treating training as entertainment. Maintain full concentration.
And lastly, no disobeying the coach’s orders. While violations of the first six rules would result in fines, the last one would result in immediate dismissal from the team.
When Lin Kun delivered this list, he didn’t even blink. His cold, emotionless tone made everyone feel uneasy.
They were all teammates who had worked hard to earn their place on this team, yet he said “dismissal” as casually as if it meant nothing.
Under this renewed pressure, Xu Bo felt like he was about to crack. He glanced toward Chen Shi’an, signaling frantically for help.
Chen Shi’an saw him but pretended not to notice. He sat upright like a model student and quickly aligned himself with Lin Kun. “Coach Lin is right. This is exactly what we need.”
Xu Bo’s eyes widened in disbelief. The next second, he was called out.
“Xu Bo. Whispering. Fine of 200.”
Lin Kun never spared anyone. In his eyes, everyone on the team existed for the sake of competition. There was no sentiment, no tolerance for unnecessary emotion. What made him truly terrifying was that no one doubted his ability to follow through. When he said dismissal, he meant it.
What had previously been lighthearted training now felt like a pressure cooker.
Qi Yi, who was especially wary of Lin Kun, hid behind Xu Bo, hoping to let him absorb the fallout. But Xu Bo himself was struggling. Just seeing Lin Kun made him feel faint.
Even Fang Zhixu, someone with strong nerves, was starting to buckle. This new coach did not seem easy to get along with.
Just then, Lu Sheng entered the room.
He walked in casually, completely off guard. He didn’t seem to notice how quiet the room was, and when he glanced at Lin Kun, he merely gave him a passing look before heading to his seat.
But as he reached for his chair, a calm voice came from behind him.
“Lu Sheng. Out of uniform. Fine of 200.”
All eyes turned to him. He spun around abruptly and finally got a clear look at Lin Kun’s face.
The two were of similar height. Lin Kun was thinner, and despite the heat, he was fully covered and completely unaffected. There was something unnervingly cold about him, as if the air around him had frozen solid.
Lu Sheng’s expression changed in an instant, sinking rapidly. “Why are you here?”
Lin Kun stood tall, meeting his gaze without a flicker of emotion. “What, no one told you I’m the new coach?”
New coach. Lin Kun.
The key words hit all at once. Lu Sheng immediately turned to look at Chen Shi’an.
From within the crowd, Chen Shi’an gave him an apologetic look. “Sorry. I did ask if you wanted to know. You didn’t ask, so I didn’t tell you.”
Lu Sheng realized instantly. He’d been set up.
That day, Chen Shi’an had claimed he was going home but stayed behind instead. He had dropped hints about the need to behave but never once revealed the real reason.
Lu Sheng cursed under his breath and turned to leave.
Lin Kun remained where he was, not even stepping aside. His voice was flat and devoid of warmth. “You are handling a personal matter during training and out of uniform. I’ve already been lenient. If you continue to ignore instructions, I am within my rights to remove you from the team.”
Lu Sheng let out a cold laugh and was about to argue when he saw Song Bo frantically signaling to him with his lips: "It’s real."
Lu Sheng’s face darkened instantly. “Bai Yu put you up to this? Where is he? I’m going to find him.”
Lin Kun tilted his head slightly, his voice low but unyielding. “It’s no use. He reports to me.”
The room’s tension peaked. One wrong word could have ignited a full-blown confrontation.
Song Bo froze in fear. Chen Shi’an’s expression turned serious. Fang Zhixu instinctively stepped back.
Xu Bo silently hoped they would start fighting and take one another out. Ideally, Lin Kun would lose. Between the two, he still preferred Lu Sheng to stay.
It was the first time the team had faced such overwhelming tension. Qi Yi closed his eyes and whispered a prayer for Bai Yu to hurry back.
His wish came true.
Just as the conflict was about to erupt, a hand came to rest on Lin Kun’s shoulder. With a light pat, Lin Kun shifted aside.
Bai Yu’s calm face appeared behind him.
He glanced around the room. Though he didn’t say much, his presence alone brought a breath of fresh air to the stifled space. Suddenly, everyone felt like they could breathe again.
The tension finally eased. Except for Lu Sheng, everyone turned their hopeful eyes to Bai Yu, as if waiting for him to restore order.
But Bai Yu had no intention of taking sides. His gaze was composed as it swept across the group.
“If you have any objections, speak up now. This is a team environment. Everyone’s thoughts matter, and we’ll do our best to accommodate. But during training, I hope everyone will listen to the coach. A team without discipline can’t function, and Lin Kun is your senior. His experience is worth learning from.”
His words made it clear. He stood firmly behind Lin Kun.
Xu Bo’s expression shifted several times before he finally muttered under his breath, “Did Lin Kun drug Bai Yu or something?”
Chen Shi’an glanced over and shook his head disapprovingly. It was clear this was the moment Bai Yu was helping Lin Kun establish authority. Anyone who stepped out of line now would be a fool.
But someone still wasn’t afraid to stir things up.
Lu Sheng let out a cold laugh, looked at Bai Yu, then pointed directly at Lin Kun. “I’ve got a problem. I don’t agree with him being our coach.”
For a moment, silence fell over the room. Lin Kun stared at his hand, face unreadable, voice low and steady with an edge that made lightness impossible. “You don’t agree. So what? No team wants a player who refuses to be managed. I don’t care how good you are. If you can’t follow orders, terminate your contract and leave.”
Lu Sheng’s eyes darkened. He was genuinely angry. “Why should I be the one to terminate? Why not you?”
Lin Kun replied, “My contract has priority over yours. I’m part of management. I have the authority to release you. Do you understand?”
That shut Lu Sheng up. He looked toward Song Bo, who nodded frantically to confirm it was true. That only made Lu Sheng angrier.
Damn it. He had forfeited ninety million just to get into this team, all without asking for a single cent in return. And now this bastard could cut him loose with a single sentence?
Lu Sheng turned toward Bai Yu, clearly hoping he would step in.
But when Bai Yu met his gaze, he quickly looked away, showing no intention of intervening.
Lu Sheng let out a dry laugh. So Lin Kun thought he could control him with fines? What a joke. “My contract has no salary. Fine me all you want. Let’s see how much you can actually deduct.”
It felt good to say it. But not even three seconds later, Bai Yu calmly responded, “I did arrange a base salary for you. In theory, it could all be deducted.”
Lu Sheng clenched his teeth. Lin Kun actually could dock his pay.
He was nearly pushed over the edge, ready to blurt out that he was quitting.
But Bai Yu’s hand landed on his shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. “Whatever you want to say, wait until after practice.”
His voice was gentle, with a note of reassurance. He wasn’t abandoning him, but given the situation, he couldn’t publicly take his side.
It was obvious Bai Yu intended to back Lin Kun. If Lu Sheng kept arguing, it would only make Bai Yu look bad and it would hand Lin Kun the perfect excuse to punish him further.
Once Lu Sheng realized this, he cooled down instantly.
He had fought too hard to get into this team. He had chased Bai Yu for too long to give up now.
He scoffed, turned back to his seat, put on his headset, and didn’t say another word.
This reaction caught Chen Shi’an off guard.
Honestly, he had been enjoying the show. Especially the tension between Lin Kun and Lu Sheng. He had been hoping for a little drama, maybe even some fallout in Bai Yu’s heart. But Lu Sheng actually gave in that easily.
Chen Shi’an gave him a thoughtful glance, then looked at Bai Yu, who stood calmly on Lin Kun’s side. Something seemed to click.
If Lu Sheng was willing to swallow his pride, the cost of walking away must have been higher than the cost of staying.
It wasn’t hard to guess why.
He was briefly distracted by the thought, but quickly masked his emotions and gave a warm smile. “Kun-ge, should we resume training now?”
Lin Kun looked over and gave a small nod.
The person with the most authority, Bai Yu, had taken Lin Kun’s side. The smartest one, Chen Shi’an, had too. And now even the most defiant, Lu Sheng, had been brought to heel. The rest of the team had no choice but to fall in line.
They could only train quietly.