Four weeks of torment, five weeks of waiting.
When physiotherapist Malcolm finally announced that Lin Feng could take off the heavy protective boot and begin ball-involved rehabilitation training, he felt as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted.
The ankle still felt a hint of stiffness and weakness, but the piercing pain had disappeared.
He cautiously tried to put his full weight on his left foot. A long-lost, grounded feeling spread through him, somewhat unfamiliar, yet it excited him to the point of tears.
Rehabilitation training was slow and tedious.
Initially, it was just simple ankle strength recovery and balance exercises in the gym, followed by slow jogging in the pool, using the buoyancy of the water to reduce joint load.
At every step, Lin Feng strictly followed the plan set by Malcolm, not daring to slack off in the slightest.
He had redeemed and used two portions of the System's "Beginner Injury Repair Ointment." The cool paste seemed to genuinely accelerate the healing of deep tissues, providing extra comfort.
【Strictly adhering to the rehabilitation plan, injury recovery speed exceeds expectations.】
【Left ankle strength gradually recovering, currently at 85% of pre-injury level.】
【Emergency Mission "Resilient Heart" completion: 75%.】
Every day, he could feel the strength in his ankle increasing little by little, and the range of motion expanding.
But the anxiety in his heart did not lessen. The youth league was still ongoing. Antoine occasionally called to update him on the team's recent situation – during his absence, Metz U17's record had been up and down, lacking effective midfield organization. Ivan tried hard, but one man couldn't carry the team.
The starting position would not be vacant forever.
Six weeks and three days later, Lin Feng was finally allowed back on the training ground.
When he put on those familiar, heavily worn cleats again and stepped onto the soft turf of the Metz youth training base, his nose tingled.
His teammates had mixed reactions to his return.
Antoine enthusiastically came up and gave him a hug, "Buddy, you're finally back! If you didn't come back soon, we'd be falling behind!"
Some teammates he was on good terms with also came over and patted his shoulder.
Ivan and a few local players watched from a distance, their expressions complex, and did not approach.
Coach Durand gathered the whole team, his gaze sweeping over Lin Feng, "Welcome back. But don't expect to be in the starting lineup immediately. Your body and condition need reassessment. From today, you will train separately with the rehabilitation group, gradually increasing the intensity."
This was an expected arrangement.
Lin Feng nodded calmly.
The initial recovery training was extremely cautious.
Short-distance jogging, non-contact passing and receiving, simple shooting drills.
With every touch, every exertion, Lin Feng focused intently on the feedback from his ankle.
At first, actions like sudden stops and changes of direction still made him apprehensive, and his movements were subconsciously stiff and conservative.
【Resumption of ball-involved recovery training, ball feel and body coordination gradually recovering.】
【Slight psychological barrier exists, protective tension towards the injured area.】
The System's prompt accurately identified the problem. His body was recovering, but the scars on his mind healed more slowly.
Durand once again played a crucial role. While Lin Feng was training alone, he would observe from the sidelines and occasionally call to a halt, correcting his technical movements that had become distorted due to fear.
"Trust your ankle! It has passed the doctor's examination!" Durand's voice carried an irrefutable force. "If you don't believe in it yourself, it will never regain its former feel! Fear is the athlete's greatest enemy!"
Lin Feng took a deep breath, stomped his left foot hard, trying to shake off that trace of timidity.
He started again, sprinted, received the ball, and this time, he forced himself to make a more drastic change of direction!
He felt a slight pulling sensation in his ankle, but there was no pain! He succeeded!
Confidence, like melting spring water, began to flow back little by little.
As time passed, his training intensity gradually increased, from individual training to non-contact group practice, and finally to low-intensity small-sided games.
In the first small-sided game, when he was matched against Ivan for the first time, he could clearly feel the opponent's hesitation and restraint, as if he was also afraid of provoking another conflict or accident.
Lin Feng ignored it, focused on his own rhythm, and announced his return with accurate passes and active positioning time and again.
His passes were still accurate, and his understanding of lines and timing seemed to have improved even further due to the extensive mental training during his injury.
However, his explosiveness and absolute speed had indeed declined due to the long period of rest and the injury.
An opportunity arrived in the second week after his return.
In a league match against a mid-table team, Metz U17 failed to break through and were instead hit by a counter-attack, falling behind 0:1. In the sixtieth minute of the second half, Coach Durand glanced at Lin Feng, whose eyes were burning with desire on the bench, and made a substitution decision.
"Lin Feng, get ready to come on! You're replacing Ivan!"
As the fourth official held up the substitution board and Lin Feng stood by the sideline, took a deep breath, and pulled off his substitute's bib, the stands of Stade Saint-Symphorien erupted in a smattering of applause that wasn't overwhelming, but clearly audible.
Among them were cheers from some Chinese fans.
Stepping onto the turf, the familiar yet unfamiliar rhythm of the game instantly enveloped him.
Sweat, shouts, the scent of the grass... he was back!
His first touch was receiving the ball with his back to the goal in midfield.
A opposing defender immediately pressed him closely.
Lin Feng could feel the pressure from behind and the subtle pressure on his ankle.
He took a deep breath, recalling the videos he had watched during his injury. Instead of resisting head-on, he used his body to shield the opponent, nudged the ball slightly with the outside of his right foot while nimbly turning halfway, and slipped past the defender!
Clean and swift! The feel of the ball at his feet was even better than in training!
A collective gasp came from the stands.
A few minutes later, he received the ball slightly to his right in the center. He looked up.
Antoine was making a high-speed run on the left, raising his hand for the ball.
But Lin Feng's "Pass Trajectory Prediction" allowed him to see another, more threatening option—a fleeting gap between the opposing center-back and full-back, and a teammate making a run from deep.
Without hesitation! He swung his right leg and sent a low, diagonal through ball!
The ball wasn't fast, but the line was extremely precise, threading through the gap between two defenders and rolling towards that open space!
The teammate making the run understood intuitively, received the ball without stopping, and fired a low shot!
The ball found the back of the net!
1:1! The equalizer!
"Boom!" The stands instantly erupted!
The teammate who scored sprinted frantically towards Lin Feng and hugged him tightly.
Other teammates also crowded around, vigorously ruffling his hair.
"Great pass, Lin!"
"I knew it! Just having you back is enough!"
Surrounded by his teammates, Lin Feng revealed a relaxed and joyful smile.
He looked up at the coaching staff. Coach Durand nodded slightly, and Ivan gave him a thumbs-up.
This assist not only equalized the score but also completely shattered the last shadow of doubt in his heart. His ankle had withstood the test, and his ability remained the team's sharpest weapon.
In the end, Metz U17 drew 1:1 with their opponents. Although they couldn't secure all three points, Lin Feng's performance of contributing an assist immediately upon his return was enough to show everyone his value.
After the match, the atmosphere in the locker room was noticeably different. The subtle barriers and cautious observations from before seemed to have vanished with that crucial assist.
Even Ivan, while washing up, stiffly said to Lin Feng, "Good pass."
Lin Feng calmly replied, "Thanks."
He knew this wasn't the beginning of a friendship, but at least it was a degree of recognition and a truce.
In the evening, Lin Feng stayed alone in the empty locker room and opened the System interface.
【Successfully appeared in the first official match after injury recovery and provided an assist!】
【Emergency Mission "Resilient Heart" completed!】
【Reward received: Random attribute points +3, System Points +500, unlocked passive skill "Damage Resistance (Beginner)".】
【Template fusion rate increased to 16%!】
【Main Mission "Midfield Engine" progress update: Assists (3/5)】
A warm current enveloped his left ankle, and the faint stiffness seemed to dissipate further. The passive effect of "Damage Resistance (Beginner)" began to take effect. While it couldn't completely prevent injuries, it could significantly reduce the risk of injury during daily training and ordinary confrontations.
He allocated the 3 attribute points:
Speed: 60 (+1)
Explosiveness: 57 (+1)
Strength: 48 (+1)
A comprehensive slight increase indicated that his physical functions were steadily returning, even surpassing his previous level.
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the scattered lights of the training base in the night.
Returning is not about going back to the starting point.
It is about embarking on a higher, farther journey, carrying the resilience endowed by scars and the wisdom honed through adversity.
His gaze turned to the distance, where the silhouette of the first team's training facility could be seen.
The next step is to regain the lost time, to steadily advance towards that higher stage.