These people loitered by the stadium because they had no tickets. It wasn't that they lacked money; they simply couldn't get one.
Otherwise, who wouldn't have rushed to pay double the price? They certainly would have!
The certainty stemmed from the evident passion of these individuals. They hadn't stopped for a moment, their inner fire burning continuously.
Cao Baiming shifted his gaze, falling into thought.
If this were over a decade ago, it would have been understandable. Back then, few people played football, even fewer watched it, and the population was smaller.
So much time had passed. Now, the number of people playing and watching football had multiplied severalfold, yet the stadium's size had barely changed.
Even globally, stadiums capable of holding over 100,000 spectators were few and far between, numbering only a handful.
But how could fan enthusiasm be so limited? It was becoming increasingly apparent that the stadium needed expansion, and they were being too stingy about it.
At that moment, for some inexplicable reason, a number suddenly appeared in Cao Baiming's mind: one million!
They said a stadium should accommodate a million fans, so the current football grounds indeed required significant changes. Since no one else was willing to do it, he had to take it upon himself.
Money was no issue. If a plan were to be made, it would undoubtedly start with his own team, Manchester United.
Old Trafford certainly held a lot of sentiment, and demolishing it was out of the question. However, the team might need a new stadium now.
If that were the case, then build one quickly!
The idea had formed, and Cao Baiming felt a surge of excitement. But a match was about to begin, and that was the more pressing matter.
The players were already disembarking and entering the stadium.
As time passed, major platforms began broadcasting the match, and sports reporters started reporting from around the stadium.
The players took to the field for their final warm-up, anticipating the game.
At the appointed time, the players stepped onto the pitch. After the referee completed the pre-match preparations, the whistle blew, signaling the start of the game.
The fans in attendance erupted in cheers. They were the chosen few, lucky enough to have obtained tickets and witness the match up close.
Just then, a system voice suddenly echoed in Cao Baiming's mind.
"Ding! New season quest obtained. Options available: Quest A, Quest B, and Quest C. Host, please make your selection immediately! Ding ding ding."
Cao Baiming was startled. The ball hadn't even been touched yet.
"Seriously? Quests are getting this fancy now?"
As he began to ponder, a ball came flying towards him. The interception was too sudden, a successful tackle by his teammate Mangala. Without a word, he saw Cao Baiming and passed the ball.
In his haste, Cao Baiming received and controlled the ball before sending it in another direction. It appeared to be a casual pass, but it was, in fact, the optimal choice among all possible trajectories on the field.
Just twenty seconds into the match, Nottingham Forest had a good opportunity. With a clear view, Lin Jiade received the ball and continued down the wing.
"Quest A."
Cao Baiming made his choice, his thoughts no longer on the ball that had already been delivered.
After all, he had no idea what the differences between the quests were, so there wasn't much to consider. He just picked one.
Soon, the system's voice returned, having received the information and replied.
"Ding! Quest A content: Score a goal without touching the ball."
Cao Baiming's face darkened.
This was like poking a sore spot. He had just tried something similar, and the ball had almost gone to the moon. How could he possibly score under these conditions?
That attempt had proven one thing: using this talent directly for a shot was nearly impossible, or at least as difficult as climbing to heaven.
Cao Baiming sighed in frustration, regretting his choice. He should have picked Quest B. Why did he forget the simple rule that the first option is never the best?
Scoring wasn't impossible, though. It was akin to using a shot accuracy of thirty percent to attempt a long-range shot from outside the box.
As long as the opportunity was good enough, the distance to the goal was right, and there was minimal interference, preferably a chaotic scramble in front of the net, there might be a chance.
Of course, a sudden burst of luck wasn't out of the question either!
As he thought this, a dull thud echoed from a distance. Just as he predicted, Lin Jiade's cut-in shot hit the post.
It was indeed a decent opportunity, but Cao Baiming hadn't really expected to score anyway.
The fans lamented, having hoped to see a twenty-second rapid strike from Nottingham Forest. The atmosphere had been built up, only for their hopes to be dashed.
Soon, Leicester City also gained a good chance, launching a counter-attack.
The offense was initiated by Castagne from the back, and the ball was then moved to the wing. They intended to bypass the densely defended central area.
The idea was good, but ultimately, the ball was intercepted by Cao Baiming.
Getting past him was proving to be quite difficult. The young and spirited Alves directly challenged Cao Baiming physically, but the result was predictable: he fell to the ground in pain, rolling for about eleven revolutions.
The fans witnessed it and felt sorry for him. No one suspected simulation; he was facing Cao Baiming!
Following closely, Lin Jiade came to receive the ball again. After a pass from Muya, a few more touches sent the ball to the front. Meanwhile, Cao Baiming began to sprint.
At this point, another hulking figure appeared before him, named Sutta. His nearly two-meter height blocked the path, effectively screening the goal.
Compared to Alves, Sutta was on a completely different level.
When it came to physical strength, Cao Baiming had never backed down. Even if Sutta were an extra meter taller, it wouldn't matter; he'd still be able to push him until he questioned his existence.
However, there was a better way to deal with such opponents: dribble around them.
He didn't even bother switching his attribute points. Cao Baiming knew that bypassing such an obstacle would be incredibly simple. His dribbling stats were more than sufficient now.
Next, a wall pass with Johnson, followed by a two-step step-over, and Cao Baiming was directly inside the penalty area!
At this moment, Sutta hadn't even managed to turn his body around.