The plane flew across, the ocean was crossed, and thousands of kilometers passed through day and night. When the time difference reached Tangguo, it was precisely midnight.
At this moment, the plane slowly landed and finally stopped on the tarmac of the airport. After the plane's engines were shut down, Qilong took the initiative to walk over and led the two of them off the plane.
Seeing everything in Tangguo, it was as if all previous memories flooded back in an instant.
That's right, in at most two days of rest, they would have to return to the team for training, to work hard for their country.
Wu Xue was still immersed in the familiar streets and scenery. Although it was already past midnight, the lights of the city in the distance were still shining brightly.
The feeling of home was wonderful. In an instant, a sense of heartfelt security welled up from within. This was the same for athletes overseas and students studying abroad.
As for Cao Baming, he was not originally from this world, so he had long been accustomed to all of this and did not have much feeling.
After parting ways with the team members, the two of them were sent to a high-end hotel to stay. The high-ranking leaders insisted on personally seeing them check in, and Cao Baming did not refuse at all.
At this moment, since the news had not yet been released to the public, the fans did not know that Cao Baming had already returned to Tangguo. Otherwise, the scene by the plane would probably have been even grander than his previous return.
They didn't even know where Cao Baming had gone after listening to the match against the Wolves. He was nowhere to be seen during the post-match interviews.
Even the team did not mention it, and everyone was unaware of his departure. The only people who saw Cao Baming were a few fans loitering around the perimeter of the stadium.
They had only seen Cao Baming get into an unfamiliar black car, so they didn't think too much of it and were completely bewildered.
For the club, the players had already returned to the training ground.
After this match, the team had lost a true core player, and their tactics would have to be completely changed. The good news was that there were only a few more matches left.
But the bad news also followed. As Artteta had predicted, after seeing Cao Baming leave, Henry and Messi could no longer stay. They didn't want to play for the team for another minute.
Regardless of which of them it was, they were very keen on this World Cup. No matter what, everything had to give way to the World Cup, especially this season, when the training time reserved for this World Cup was already limited. Leaving early had become a matter of course.
Now, the club's top management had already yielded to the two of them. They had nothing to say, and no persuasiveness. Since they were determined to compete for the World Cup championship, then let them do as they pleased.
The remaining 4 league matches were left for Artteta to deal with. Fortunately, he had prepared a tactic in advance.
The effect would certainly not be as good as before, not even half as good as before. He could only pray that even with half of this combat power, he could still win the next few matches by sheer strength.
He was so worried that he could barely sleep. He was dealt such a bad hand, yet the management still had such high expectations of him. He wondered who he had offended in his past life, or if he hadn't lived a good life in the life before that.
With these three people gone from the team, it had become much quieter. The remaining players were not all not participating in the World Cup, but they did not have the same influence as these three. It was unrealistic for them to leave so long in advance.
Most of them knew in their hearts who they were and who they were. Their status was evident.
They were indeed envious, and some had tried, but it was useless. They would most likely have to wait until the normal end of the league season to leave.
Interestingly, these three good teammates from Arsenal, who were from different countries, would face each other as opponents on the World Cup stage.
The spectacular scenes that would unfold then would be a once-in-a-lifetime visual feast.
Everyone knew how formidable and strong Arsenal was, and it was created by the cooperation of these three players. So, what sparks would fly when they became opponents of each other?
This matter had undoubtedly become the most anticipated event in the hearts of all fans.
Especially for those whose countries had no hope of reaching the World Cup finals, or who had little confidence in winning the championship in the finals.
The direct clashes between these three players had become another expectation in the hearts of fans. Apart from watching their own national teams, this was the match they would be watching.
For this reason, not only their own countrymen but also many other fans, such as Arsenal fans, would look forward to France, Brazil, and the team from Tangguo successfully emerging from their respective group stages, and even having the opportunity to face each other directly.
That night, the world slept, and all the fans around the world slept soundly. There were no particularly important matches being held.
In the crucial period before the World Cup, the situation in the five major leagues had not seen any major upsets.
Traditional powerhouses continued to perform well in the league, maintaining their positions. Although some star players had left early to participate in national team training, they could still maintain that dominance on the field.
The next morning, Cao Baming slowly opened his eyes.
The hotel room was softly and warmly lit. The sunlight outside shone through the gaps in the dark curtains, casting a light streak on the duvet, forming a straight beam of light.
This beam of light seemed like a sliver of the gate of heaven, illuminating the entire room with a warm, pale yellow hue.
Beside him, Wu Xue was covered by the duvet, her fair arm exposed. Her smooth, jade-like shoulders appeared even more alluring in the dim light.
Her pure face was still fast asleep.
Cao Baming gently picked up the watch on the bedside table and glanced at it. It was only 6:30 AM, no wonder she was still fast asleep.
The entire world outside should still be asleep at this time, except for those who worked hard from dawn till dusk to make a living. 138 Reading Network
Today, the club had given them a day off.