CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 13: YOUTH ACADEMY

Spain, Valdebebas Training Base.

Standing here again gives Chen Zhong a feeling of returning home in triumph. He has achieved the dream that all youth academy players yearn for, starting from the first building, the yellow locker room in U-5, and moving forward through 11 football fields and countless buildings, passing through the blue and white locker rooms of the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium, and entering the pure white locker rooms of the "Divine Hall" Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

In Real Madrid’s youth academy, the color of the locker rooms is significant. The lower-level camps, for players under 13, use yellow locker rooms, while for those over 13 in the higher-level camps, the locker rooms are painted blue. On reaching Castilla, the locker rooms are blue and white, meaning you’re just one step away from entering Bernabeu.

When Chen Zhong first learned about this, he immediately linked this layout to the Golden Twelve Palaces.

Starting from the Aries Palace all the way to the Pisces Palace, and finally entering the Temple of Athena, isn’t this the real-life version of "Saint Seiya"?

"You are..." A crisp voice pulled Chen Zhong back to reality from his reflections. It was a young man who looked somewhat cute and clumsy, around 14-15 years old. He was wearing a training suit emblazoned with the Real Madrid Team crest, looking at Chen Zhong with a face full of excitement, "You are Chen! That 16-year-old monster who made it to Real Madrid’s first team! Oh my god!"

"My name is Daniel Carvajal Ramos, my friends call me Daniel."

"My idol is Miguel Angel Salgado Fernandez. I have a centennial commemorative manual of the team, and my current goal is to get into the B team and then Castilla."

Carvajal was talking incessantly, looking at Chen Zhong as if his eyes were about to shoot out flames.

Chen Zhong looked at Carvajal, feeling that this person seemed not particularly clever.

"Alright." Breaking Carvajal’s chatter, Chen Zhong said: "I have some things to do. If you need any help from me, you can just say it? Reading out your full name, Daniel, it’s impressive that you remembered it."

Carvajal smiled a bit sheepishly and then spoke, "Could you help me get his autograph? I’d really like to have it."

"I’ll tell him he has a little fan." Chen Zhong did not promise immediately but assured Carvajal he would pass on the message. As to whether Sergado would find the time to meet, it was uncertain.

Originally thinking the matter was over, he didn’t expect Carvajal to still remain, finally saying after a while, "Chen, actually, you are also my idol, a new idol. I really hope to become someone like you, entering the first team at 16, and delivering outstanding performances."

"Since I was little, my dream was to become a member of Real Madrid, so could you autograph something for me and write a blessing too?"

Chen Zhong was somewhat surprised looking at Carvajal. He obviously wasn’t expecting to have a little fan now. Just a pity he didn’t have a pen, and this not-so-smart Carvajal didn’t seem to carry a pen and paper. While Chen Zhong was planning to politely decline, agreeing to "next time,"

not far away, Nacho was leading a group of people enthusiastically over!

"Chen! Chen!" Nacho waved his arms happily, then turned to the people beside him showing off, "That’s the Chen I told you guys about, we are good friends, very good friends."

Nacho looked radiant, and among the people beside him, one looked somewhat like Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story, though not particularly similar in features, at first glance evoking Buzz Lightyear.

Another appeared a bit thin but could be considered to have fine features. He had a head of short hair, looking very spirited, clearly a good hand at breaking through the flanks.

Lastly was an old acquaintance of Chen Zhong.

Daniel Parejo Munoz, recognized as a youth training elite, was personally selected into the youth academy by Real Madrid legend Di Stefano.

If Chen Zhong hadn’t appeared, he would have been the "monster" of Castilla, entering the youth academy and reaching C team within just three months, then moving to Castilla by season’s end. When Chen Zhong entered Castilla in 2007, this curly-haired melancholic man was already the midfield core of Castilla.

The group walked over, surprisingly holding jerseys and pens.

Chen Zhong was somewhat surprised looking at the group, especially Parejo, "What is this, and what about these jerseys?"

"For autographs!" Parejo laughed freely, "After all, you are the first among us to enter Real Madrid, how could we not get an autograph."

"You need to work even harder, Chen! There aren’t many of your jerseys in the shop; we nearly couldn’t buy them."

"Right, you also have to sign for Mata, Negredo, and Granero, they told me to ask."

Hearing Parejo say this, Chen Zhong’s smile appeared on his face, he took the jerseys and signed his name for his few friends, the smile at the corners of his mouth was as hard to suppress as AK.

After signing, Parejo held out his hand, which left Chen Zhong a bit stunned.

"Pay up!" Parejo said matter-of-factly, "As a friend, now that you’re famous shouldn’t you actively autograph and gift jerseys? We’ve prepared in advance, shouldn’t you tally the cost?"

"Get lost!" Chen Zhong slapped Parejo, "Wishful thinking, there’s no money for you! I’m barely making enough for myself! Besides, once you’re in the first team, wouldn’t I be taking care of you."

"Just taking care of me?"

The two laughed heartily, originally Chen Zhong was worried about Parejo’s mentality, since he was in the first team and Parejo stuck in Castilla, but now he swallowed that worry back.

"Chen, Chen!" Nacho saw the two were done talking, and hurriedly introduced, "This is Lucas Vazquez, this is Jose Callejon, they are my friends, once we’re in the first team, could you look out for us?"

"Oh, and he is, ah! Carvajal! Chen, when did you meet him?"

Chen Zhong then remembered, Carvajal was still standing by!

"You were speaking playfully...him? Just met, is he famous?"

"Not really, well, kind of." Nacho gestured dismissively, "He often says he’s willing to do anything to serve Real Madrid, and because of that, many people know him."

"Though I recently heard from the coach, they’re considering calling him up to Castilla."

"Oh, and Chen, I’m not joking, you’re our flag now."