Chapter 1 The Beginning

Chen Hero, having returned to Naples, didn't have time to fulfill his promise to take his band of revelers out for some serious fun, because the team was soon setting off for an away game.

This time they were flying a long way, not just wandering around Italy, but going to England.

Destination: Liverpool!

This was the first group stage match in Group E of the European Champions League, with Liverpool hosting Naples.

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Liverpool was once a well-known heavy industrial base and port of the British Empire. During the Industrial Revolution, it was a glorious place. As the British Empire expanded its territory overseas, Liverpool became a world-famous city.

After the New World was incorporated into the British explorers' map, many British colonists set off from Liverpool to Africa, South America, and Asia. Ships departing from here were always loaded with various firearms and the special textiles of England, as well as glass products that could be mass-produced in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution. In Africa, while colonizers were opening up territories, they were also heavily engaged in the heinous black slave trade, using these cheap products to exchange for black slaves with local chiefs, and then transporting the looted slaves to the Americas for another transaction with the American colonists, exchanging them for raw materials such as cotton, sugar, and tobacco to return to the European continent as raw materials for large-scale industrial production.

This large-scale triangular trade across the world quickly made Liverpool the second-largest port in Britain, second only to London. In the nineteenth century, the invention of the steam engine changed the way humans transported goods. Steamships doubled the efficiency of maritime transport, and Liverpool's shipping became even busier. Cargo ships carried finished products from Manchester, Birmingham, and Sheffield to all parts of the world, and then brought back black slaves and raw materials from Africa and the Americas. Passenger transport was also very prosperous here. From the beginning of the nineteenth century to the eve of World War II, nearly ten million people departed from Liverpool to various parts of North America and Africa. Many British and Irish people also used this place as a port of departure to settle in North America.

At that time, Liverpool was filled with the roar of machines every day, the sky was covered with black smoke from the chimneys, the mouth of the Mersey River flowed with industrial sewage, Albert Dock was docked with ships from all over the world and ships about to sail to all parts of the world, and the surging crowd was a vibrant scene.

Nowadays, factories have gradually been transformed into museums and concert venues. Many factories have been abandoned. Albert Dock no longer has those busy scenes, but has become Liverpool's tourist center. It is no longer known for its industry, but for its music, culture, and world-shocking football.

This is where the "Beatles," the band that influenced the global cultural trend of the last century, also known as the "Fab Four," was born. Every one of their popular songs can become popular worldwide, breaking through the boundaries of regions, cultures, and races, becoming a universal language.

There are also two teams here that enjoy a high reputation in England and even the world—Liverpool and Everton.

In fact, Chen Hero was no stranger to Liverpool, because when he played for Zenit Saint Petersburg, he had come to Liverpool for a match, but at that time their opponents were Everton, who were not as famous as Liverpool.

This time, he came again, and the opponent was replaced by the more powerful and famous Liverpool.

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Chen Hero was no stranger to the city of Liverpool, and Liverpool was no stranger to him.

As early as when he was playing for Zenit, the match against Everton had already made many Liverpool fans recognize him. After the match, Liverpool's newspapers also wrote articles to introduce this outstanding Chinese player who performed well in the match against Everton.

They told everyone, "Beware, the Bear is Coming!"

Now, this giant bear is back, how could Liverpool remain indifferent?

At the airport, Chen Hero was the Naples player who received the most interviews from the local media, as if in Liverpool, he was Naples' number one star.

Chen Hero first said that he was no stranger to Liverpool.

"Because I've been here before, Liverpool is a very special city, great, I like it here."

These words made many Liverpool reporters smile. Their opponents were impressed by the charm of their city... which made them quite proud.

But how could Chen Hero be the kind of person who did what others wanted him to do?

So, after praising Liverpool, he suddenly changed his tone: "But I won't show any mercy!"

A group of Liverpool reporters were stunned, while the Italian and Chinese reporters next to them were struggling to hold back their laughter.

"Liverpool isn't Everton!" A Liverpool fan reporter finally retorted.

"And I'm not the same person I used to be," Chen Hero replied matter-of-factly.

The Chinese reporters who came with him all laughed.

This sentence was literally correct.

Liverpool is certainly not Everton, and their strength looks stronger than Everton, but Chen Hero is no longer the Chen Hero he used to be. He is now more mature and is getting stronger.

Naples' strength is also stronger than Zenit Saint Petersburg was back then. Arshavin, Cassano, Hamsik, and De Jong are all well-known and powerful stars.

The Liverpool reporters were at a loss for this answer.

Because what he said was very normal. It was impossible for Chen Hero not to have improved in the past two years. Otherwise, he would not have been able to win the Serie A Golden Boot, let alone solve the Russian Premier League Golden Boot in eleven rounds of the league.

But these words still made people feel very uncomfortable!

Too arrogant!

In front of England's century-old giants, what qualifications did a twenty-one-year-old kid have to be so arrogant and reckless?

You need to know that the stadium you are stepping on is different from any other stadium in the world.

Because it's Anfield!

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"This is Anfield!"

Before Chen Hero stepped onto the pitch, he looked up at the plaque above the door, which had this sentence engraved on it.

It is said that this sentence is particularly famous. It was requested by Liverpool's legendary coach Shankly to be installed to remind every visiting player who enters the stadium from here—this is Anfield, and you are fighting against the great Liverpool!

However, Chen Hero just glanced at it and lowered his head—he was afraid of hitting his head.

In the past day, the local Liverpool media had described his arrogance and swagger in great detail, to the fullest extent. His goodwill and praise for the city of Liverpool? That was naturally going to be erased.

Chen Hero believed that he would definitely receive "special treatment" from the opposing fans in this game.

But he was used to it.

Naples' home stadium, the Stadio San Paolo, is known as the most terrifying home stadium in Italy, where countless teams have experienced the taste of hell.

But they only have to experience it once every season, while Chen Hero has been fighting in hell for the entire season of home games. The fervent momentum of the Naples fans has not been able to overwhelm him, let alone Anfield?

When the two teams' players began to enter the stadium, a huge song rang out outside.

This song was not as passionate and full of dynamic rhythm as the songs of other clubs, like good pop music. This song was melodious, low, and majestic.

This is Liverpool's famous anthem, "You'll Never Walk Alone."

"When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high, and don't be afraid of the dark, because after the storm comes a bright sky... You'll never walk alone, you'll never walk alone!"

The match had not yet started, and the Liverpool fans had already created the atmosphere. The entire stadium was filled with their voices. Although Naples had as many as 18,000 fans following the team to the away game, only 5,000 lucky ones were able to enter the stadium. More people could only cheer for the team in the parks and squares outside the stadium.

The Naples players could not hear their cheers, and naturally they could not suppress the Liverpool fans' singing.

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Chen Hero guessed correctly. When he got the ball, he would hear boos from the stands.

Those fans had put down their scarves and stopped singing "You'll Never Walk Alone," and instead used swear words and boos to interfere with Chen Hero and other visiting players.

This is what English fans are like, you can't expect them to be quiet for even a minute during the game. They are always singing, applauding, and shouting non-stop. Because that's how they fight.

In the Kop stand, which can accommodate more than 10,000 people, although all the plastic seats have been installed, the fans here still choose to stand and watch the game. They are the most enthusiastic group of people, and almost all the momentum that leads the Anfield fans is created from here.

Of course, they are also the main force in booing Chen Hero.

When Chen Hero took a shot and missed the goal, a burst of gloating whistles sounded from the stands.

Naples was not performing well in today's game.

Perhaps because it was the first Champions League group stage match, many people were nervous, their bodies were stiff, their minds were blank, and they had no idea what they should do.

This was even worse than their performance in Genoa's home stadium, the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

For the first Champions League match, everyone always wants to perform well, but the more they try, the less they can perform at their normal level.

Chen Hero had no psychological burden, but unfortunately he needed the support of his teammates, so when the whole team could not perform at their normal level, his performance was naturally not much better...

In comparison, Liverpool's performance was much more stable.

Although their performance in the Premier League was not very good, they were still a wealthy team that had won the Champions League a few years ago, and they had a very good tradition in the Champions League, just like Real Madrid. No matter how suppressed they are in the domestic league, those stars get excited when they play in the Champions League.

Liverpool is now the team with the second-most Champions League titles in history, after Real Madrid.

What's more, their coach is the Spanish tactical master Rafael Benitez, who is known as a "cup specialist." Dealing with a group stage is not a difficult task for him.

Playing at home, Liverpool showed a good competitive state from the beginning, and they launched a siege on Naples' goal.

And Naples? They shrank back in their own half, looking pitiful as if they could only hold their heads and take a beating, without any ability to fight back.

The Liverpool commentator sarcastically said: "Yes, yes, Liverpool is certainly not Everton. How can Everton be compared to Liverpool? But in my opinion, Naples is not as good as Zenit Saint Petersburg was back then. As for Chen Hero? Sorry, I didn't see him. Did he even play?"