A couple of these individuals were merely support staff, tidying up the locker room. But where had the rest of the team gone? Cao Baming had no idea; he'd barely seen anyone familiar on his way in.
He shrugged it off. A quiet locker room, in his current state, was precisely what he wanted.
"System! Activate Time Bubble!" Cao Baming exclaimed excitedly.
"Acknowledged. Activating Time Bubble function. Friendly reminder: please lie down or sit comfortably..."
Cao Baming’s brow furrowed. "What the heck??"
Just a second ago, he'd fetched a cup of water from the dispenser and was now sitting on the black suitcase he'd brought. Hardly a stable seat!
He was about to quickly return to his actual seat when a white screen suddenly descended before his eyes.
He'd experienced this before, those two profoundly memorable instances of blackout memory. The sensation was identical. Had he entered a similar simulation system back then?
The world around him vanished. Cao Baming felt a surge of exasperation. He hadn't even managed to find a comfortable seat. He had absolutely no idea what his current situation was.
"System, can't you wait until after you've given your friendly reminder before starting? If you have something to say, say it sooner..."
After a few seconds of silence, he remembered that within the confines of the Time Bubble, the system couldn't respond directly in that manner.
He sighed in resignation. The scene before him gradually regained clarity.
In mere seconds, the screen transitioned from a pure white canvas to a blurry vista with hints of color, then sharpened into a clear image.
Soon, his sense of touch and taste also became vivid. Cao Baming inhaled a familiar scent and felt the pressure of two handles on the black duffel bag he was carrying.
He found himself standing on a football pitch. It wasn't one he recognized. Since this was a football simulation system, appearing on a field made sense.
If he were to interpret this like a dream, he supposed he must be playing.
But the people around him weren't his teammates, and their jerseys weren't Arsenal's. A closer inspection revealed that this wasn't even Arsenal's training ground. It was... Manchester United's home stadium!
"Am I playing for Manchester United?"
Cao Baming's head spun, not from the physical disorientation of time travel, but from the sheer bewilderment of the situation.
Why was he at Old Trafford? If this system could predict the future, did it mean he would actually transfer from Arsenal in two months?
No, that couldn't be right. Even if he transferred, why Manchester United? He'd never considered it before. If he were to move, he'd pick Paris or La Liga, or if he stayed in the Premier League, it would be Manchester City. Never Manchester United!
Cao Baming couldn't believe his eyes. He took another look and noticed several Manchester United jerseys scattered on a table behind him. The players on the field, though their training kits lacked visible team crests, featured faces he recognized.
Wasn't that Maguire? And not far away, Bruno Fernandes, McTominay... Oh, this really seemed to be Manchester United!
Some players on the pitch weren't currently part of Manchester United but were wearing their colors. Perhaps they were future transfers. He spotted Verratti, Mahrez, and... Kane? The man resting on the sidelines in the distance must be Luis Figo!
He searched for Max but couldn't find him anywhere.
This was his first time using the Time Bubble feature, and he had no idea how it worked. He'd have to figure it out himself.
Then it struck him. Wasn't the Time Bubble like a dream? If so, shouldn't his location and the subsequent events be dictated by his own will?
He just hadn't discovered the effective control method yet.
Regardless, to understand what this was all about, he decided to just follow the narrative. After all, this world seemed to operate by real-world rules. Putting aside any potential uncertainties, this could very well be the future.
Perhaps there was a reason he'd become a Manchester United player!
Looking at the unfamiliar faces around him, Cao Baming steeled himself. He had to try and interact with them.
As he stepped forward towards the pitch, he suddenly noticed he was wearing dress shoes!
He'd been so focused on his surroundings that he'd overlooked himself. A closer look revealed he wasn't wearing a jersey but a black suit!
"A suit? This is even more ridiculous!"
Cao Baming was speechless. He couldn't recall wearing a suit more than a few times in his entire life.
Yet, a subtle feeling of unease began to creep in. Just then, a voice spoke from behind him.
"Boss, the meeting time has arrived. Shall we go now?"
Boss? Cao Baming spun around. That voice sounded so familiar. He turned to see... Guardiola!
Guardiola was addressing someone as "Boss." Was he referring to him?
Guardiola's eyes, full of anticipation, were fixed on him. No one else was nearby. Mahrez was at least ten meters away.
Cao Baming instantly understood. He hadn't transferred to Manchester United; he might have bought them!
A wave of excitement washed over him, but he managed to keep his composure.
"Alright," Cao Baming replied calmly.