Upon disembarking from the plane, everyone was filled with excitement, having returned to the familiar grounds of home. The surroundings, the scents, all were deeply familiar; they had even been to this airport more than once before.
Though they couldn't see what was happening outside, being still a considerable distance from the street, the clamorous sounds reached their ears.
These sounds emanated from their fans, a sea of supporters. At this moment, their emotions of anticipation and elation were surely at an all-time high, eagerly awaiting the players' appearance so they could finally behold their heroes in person.
The cacophony of cheers and shouts seemed to travel from afar, like echoes through the clouds, reflecting off them to reach the airport and their ears.
Impatient, weren't they?
"Later, you will travel along a main road before returning to our destination. That road will be lined entirely with fans, so be prepared for self-protection."
At this moment, they were all still wearing their national team jerseys. However, these were not the same jerseys they had worn after the match yesterday; they were fresh ones, specifically put on early this morning.
As they walked towards the airport exit, the noise grew steadily louder.
In the distance, standing on tall buildings, rows upon rows of fans could be seen. They had already spotted the heroes emerging from the airport.
The instant they came into contact with the fans, the entire venue erupted. The fans, unable to contain their joy, had smiles plastered across their faces.
Perhaps he had been too pessimistic in his expectations. It seemed there was no hint of complaint, only excitement and satisfaction.
He had initially wondered if the fans would truly accept the outcome, especially since the World Cup trophy hadn't been brought home to share with them. Would they blame the players?
The most pessimistic among them had even anticipated that as they paraded down the road, fans might throw things at them, like rotten eggshells or cabbages.
There were indeed bodyguards accompanying them, but the reality of the situation was completely different from what they had imagined.
There wasn't a trace of resentment on the fans' faces; instead, there was overwhelming joy.
Giant portraits and banners lining the road were filled with admiration. The fans genuinely viewed the entire team as heroes.
At this moment, although some objects were indeed flying towards them, they weren't the cabbages and rotten eggs previously feared. Instead, they were plush toys, banknotes, underwear, and even children!
The fans were throwing their most cherished possessions towards them, expressing an unparalleled, fervent love.
They couldn't believe their eyes; tears welled up in an instant.
At this point, Cao Baming couldn't help but think of how ecstatic and wild the fans would have been if they had won the World Cup and were parading it high in the sky on this road.
What they were witnessing now couldn't diminish the regret in their hearts; rather, it amplified it.
While everyone else's expressions grew increasingly excited, Cao Baming remained remarkably calm.
The approximately one hundred meters of the route were quickly traversed.
On this day alone, merchandise sales within the country, specifically jerseys, had reached hundreds of millions. The fans were celebrating this grand occasion in their own ways.
Yet, beneath this glittering surface, a massive storm was brewing, and it had only just begun.
The next day, as the sun rose, Cao Baming awoke from his sleep.
He had just had a dream. In it, the Tangguo team, through a penalty kick by Wu Lei in the final moments, had relegated the Falan team to second place, with Tangguo achieving the last-minute victory.
The fans were cheering ecstatically, shouting that Tangguo football was the best in the world!
However, before the dream could fully unfold, he realized in his slumber that it was just a dream. Even his dreaming mind found it somewhat unrealistic.
He woke up at this point. Even from his window, he could still hear the cheers of the fans below.
A full day had passed. Although the streets were less crowded now, a carnival atmosphere still prevailed.
The day of vacation had ended. For these fans, today was a workday, yet to see so many people still out on the streets in a frenzy was somewhat surprising.
The national team's office building was nearby, and a corner of it was visible from Cao Baming's bedroom window. As he looked out, Cao Baming realized that the fans downstairs weren't entirely celebrating yesterday's triumphant return.
A large banner stretched below did not contain words of praise for the players but instead vented negative emotions.
They were cursing the higher-ups of the national football team, taking advantage of this special time and opportunity to occupy the area below the building. Their chants were not for themselves but for "Li Gang."
Unable to confront the top leadership, Li Gang, standing in the most prominent and visible spot, naturally became the target of the most intense scolding.
Cao Baming's brow furrowed slightly.
Were these the same people who had been cheering and celebrating yesterday, or a different group?
But at this moment, he could no longer afford to ponder it. He needed to understand the current mindset of everyone involved.
He spent a while browsing the internet and, as expected, quickly grasped the general idea.
It turned out that the fans were still incensed about his early substitution, sparking a fierce online debate.
In this verbal battle, some pointed the finger at Li Gang, the head coach sitting on the sidelines, holding him fully responsible. However, others believed that the truly corrupt elements were the utterly wicked high-ranking officials who cared only for profit and not for football.
As a result, the situation escalated in this online feud, and people began to realize that the national football team hadn't changed much; it was merely being propped up by Cao Baming alone, barely managing to save face.
The reasons for Cao Baming's injury, why he played hurt, and why he was substituted off without any apparent issue, increasingly led them to believe that a grand conspiracy was unfolding behind the scenes, with Cao Baming merely becoming a passive pawn in the high officials' pursuit of profit.
Upon reading this, Cao Baming couldn't help but let out a chuckle, the corners of his mouth curling into a slight arc.