The inspection team wasn’t very large.
There was Contiguglia, the team leader August Martin, head coach Alina, and his assistant coach, Andy Dunbar.
And Chen Yu.
Those five were the core group, not counting their entourage.
The group’s first stop was South Korea.
They flew first class, with Chen Yu seated next to Contiguglia.
After a bit of small talk, Chen Yu asked for a blanket. Just as he was about to doze off, he noticed Contiguglia take out a small notebook and start writing and sketching something.
He leaned over for a peek. It looked like he was trying to predict the group draws.
’How can you even predict that?’
"Robert, it’s useless to think about this. With our team’s strength, it doesn’t matter which group we’re in," Chen Yu couldn’t help but say.
This time, the United States Team had been placed in Pot 4 by the National Football Association.
China was even in Pot 3.
With their level of strength, advancing out of any group would be difficult.
’What’s the point of scribbling and calculating here? You think you’re going to lift the FIFA World Cup or something?’
Contiguglia just smiled, not refuting him.
"By the way, Robert, is it possible to rig the group draw?" Chen Yu asked out of curiosity.
Looking at reports about the World Cup from abroad, especially from Europe, Chen Yu was surprised to find media outlets discussing whether the draw was rigged. They talked about secret dealings and analyzed how the guests drawing the balls could be in on it, or how the balls themselves could have different temperatures, allowing them to know which ball represented which team.
"Why would you think that? That’s completely impossible." Contiguglia gave Chen Yu a strange look and shook his head decisively, then explained, "So many people are at the drawing ceremony, and it involves so many teams. No one wants an unfavorable draw. If a single country wanted to cheat, they wouldn’t just have to get FIFA on board, but a lot of other people too. The difficulty is immense."
"And if it were ever exposed, the fallout would be terrible."
At this, Contiguglia paused, seeming to consider something.
’When it comes down to it, this sort of thing is about two things: money and influence.’
’With the United States’ power, if they were dead set on it, it wouldn’t be impossible.’
But the thought was fleeting.
"Not worth it." Contiguglia shook his head. With the United States Team’s current strength, rigging the draw would be pointless.
Speaking of which, Contiguglia said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, "Chen, and to think you’re an honorary consultant for the anti-doping organization. How could you have such an idea?"
Chen Yu shrugged. "I was just thinking. Purely curious."
Contiguglia smiled and said no more.
The group’s first stop was South Korea.
The plane landed in Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
However, after landing, the flight attendants first asked Chen Yu’s group to deplane.
All other passengers were asked to remain in their seats.
This was a South Korean airline.
"It must be for security reasons," Contiguglia murmured.
That incident had had too great an impact; the whole world was trembling, afraid of becoming a target for the United States.
And Chen Yu’s group could very well become a target for attack.
"Shit, I’d almost forgotten. Doesn’t that make us really vulnerable?" ’If I’d known, I wouldn’t have come.’
Contiguglia gave a wry smile. "It’s probably not that terrifying."
But the level of reception from the South Koreans was truly high. They had the group deplane first, take a dedicated shuttle bus, and use a special VIP channel.
The cars that picked them up even seemed to be bulletproof, and there were special police officers standing guard with guns.
The head of the South Korean Football Association was also a vice president of FIFA.
"Mr. Contiguglia, a pleasure to meet you." Zheng Mengjun was about fifty, with slicked-back hair and dressed in a suit and tie. Upon seeing Contiguglia, he adopted a very deferential attitude, stepping forward early to shake his hand.
He then greeted everyone else one by one.
When it was Chen Yu’s turn, he grasped Chen Yu’s hand with both of his, his face wreathed in a complimentary smile. "Mr. Chen, I’ve long heard of your great name. For you to be the team doctor for the United States National Team is truly well-deserved."
’Overly sycophantic.’
Chen Yu didn’t really like people like this.
But for the sake of appearances, Chen Yu still smiled and exchanged a few pleasantries.
The group got into the cars, led by a police escort, and headed for a five-star hotel in the city.
This was Chen Yu’s first time in South Korea. He looked out the car window at the city skyline in the distance.
It felt a bit cramped.
Up front, Zheng Mengjun was chattering away to Contiguglia, detailing how much money they had invested for this World Cup, improving transportation, renovating stadiums, and how much police manpower they planned to commit for security.
Chen Yu naturally didn’t believe a word of it.
He’d have to see the facilities for himself to know if they were any good.
To ensure their safety, Zheng Mengjun had booked an entire hotel floor for Chen Yu’s group, complete with patrolling police officers. He even assigned security personnel to each person.
After dropping off his luggage and resting for a bit, Chen Yu called Andy to go out for a stroll.
Work was work, but you still had to have some fun.
If he was too scared to go out because of that incident, what would he do when he came back for the draw?
Besides, their security was already very thorough.
After wandering around for a while, however, Andy was the first to complain, saying there was nothing fun to do.
That Gyeongbok Palace place... Chen Yu went, and it just lacked grandeur.
Through his grandfather, Chen Yu was actually quite interested in China and had learned a lot about it.
This so-called ancient architecture before him felt like it wasn’t even in the same league as the ancient Chinese buildings he’d seen in photos.
And Myeongdong, supposedly a haven for big-name brands and a shopper’s paradise, turned out to be full of common brands he’d seen plenty of in the United States. There was nothing much to buy.
"Oh, stop it. You’ve already collected several cards, and I haven’t gotten a single one. Seriously, how are you handsomer than me?" Chen Yu sized up Andy, grumbling.
As they walked, Andy had been incredibly popular, with girls coming up to ask for photos several times.
Meanwhile, he hadn’t gotten a single approach.
’This guy isn’t as handsome as me, not as tall as me... Is it just because he has a Western face?’
’Then again, he’s of mixed American and Mexican heritage, too.’
"You want them? Here." Andy handed the cards over directly, then teased, "Aren’t you afraid Lexi will have your hide when you get back?"
’Trying to provoke me, are you?’
"We’re not... married yet." Chen Yu reached out, took the cards, and then tossed them directly into a nearby trash can.
Andy laughed out loud and threw his into the trash can as well.
Back at the hotel that evening, Zheng Mengjun and several Seoul City officials hosted a reception for the group.
There was even a song and dance performance.
The most eye-catching part was some girl group.
’Mainly because their outfits were so skimpy.’
"Does Mr. Chen like them?" Next to Chen Yu sat one of Zheng Mengjun’s assistants, a man named Kim something, who wore glasses. He suddenly leaned over and asked in a low, smiling voice.
Chen Yu paused for a moment. ’Is it because I stared a little too long and forgot to get food?’
To be honest, there was nothing good to eat. Just a pile of colorful, unidentified leafy greens that looked like vomit. Chen Yu would rather be eating at Burger King.
Chen Yu assumed he was just making polite conversation, so he nodded courteously. "The dancing is quite good. Especially the one in the middle with the long hair."
"Her? Her name is Li Hyori," the Kim guy said with a smile.
Chen Yu just said, "Oh," and didn’t say anything more.
Across from them, Zheng Mengjun was saying something to Contiguglia.
After they got back from their walk, Chen Yu had heard from Alina that the South Koreans were strongly inviting the United States Team to set up their base camp in South Korea.
But that decision would have to wait until they had seen the facilities.
After the reception ended, Chen Yu, having had a bit to drink, said his goodbyes and headed back to the hotel first. The alcohol didn’t seem strong at first, but it had quite a kick.
It seemed Zheng Mengjun had arranged some after-hours entertainment.
Chen Yu had no desire to go anyway.
He returned to his room, took a shower, and was sobering up when someone knocked on the door.
Peeking through the peephole, Chen Yu was surprised to see a woman standing outside.
She looked familiar.
It was that dancer from the reception, Li Hyori.
The knocking came again.
After a moment’s hesitation, Chen Yu opened the door.
"Hello, Mr. Chen."
Li Hyori greeted him with a bow, speaking in English so heavily accented it was like a regional dialect.
"Can I help you?" Chen Yu didn’t move to let her in.
Even though the heat was on, it was November and still quite cold, yet she was wearing a very short dress and carrying a gift bag.
"Mr. Chen, may I come in?" Li Hyori asked with a smile.
Chen Yu still didn’t move.
’I’m in a foreign country. It’s better to be careful.’
And to be honest, Chen Yu didn’t really like to fool around. He was in his thirties now, past that age.
At the same time, Chen Yu loved Lexi very much.
Plus, there was Ewing. Having learned his lesson the hard way, he’d often lecture Chen Yu about that whole mess at the Golden Club, talking about his regrets.
Li Hyori’s expression grew a little awkward. She shivered. "Mr. Chen, it’s very cold out here. May I please come in?"
She put on a pitiful, damsel-in-distress act.
Chen Yu poked his head out and looked down the hall. He realized that at some point, the security guards at both ends of the hallway had disappeared.
"Sorry, we don’t know each other, and I’m about to go to bed."
Chen Yu prepared to close the door.
Li Hyori was clearly stunned. ’Didn’t the person who sent me here say Mr. Chen really liked me?’
Seeing that Chen Yu was actually about to shut the door, Li Hyori quickly blocked it. "Mr. Chen, since you’re going to rest, I won’t come in. This is a souvenir Chairman Zheng prepared for you. Please, you must accept it."
She held out the gift bag.
Seeing Chen Yu look at the bag, Li Hyori explained, "This is our local specialty, red ginseng. It’s good for your health."
’Ginseng?’
Only then did Chen Yu take it, seeing that the gift bag contained several elegantly packaged gift boxes of ginseng.
"Please, you must accept it," Li Hyori bowed again.
’A gift?’
Chen Yu hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
’They probably prepared one for everyone.’
’And it looks like just a souvenir, so there’s no harm in accepting it.’
Most importantly, it seemed that if he didn’t take it, Li Hyori wasn’t planning on leaving.
"Thank you," Chen Yu said as he took the bag.
Li Hyori thanked him profusely in return. As she bowed and was about to leave, she asked cautiously, "Mr. Chen, are you sure you don’t want to invite me in? I can do anything."
WITH A CLICK, Chen Yu shut the door.
He tossed the gift onto the table and was about to lie down on the bed to rest when he sat up again, his gaze falling on the gift bag on the table.
’The weight feels off.’
He picked up the gift bag again.
The rectangular gift boxes contained red ginseng, several of them stacked on top of each other.
Chen Yu lifted the top two and looked underneath. Then he froze.
At the very bottom, there was another black box.
He opened it. Seeing what was inside, Chen Yu was stunned. Cash.
’No wonder it felt so heavy.’
It was all hundred-dollar US bills, crisp and new. It was a thick stack, probably a full one hundred thousand US dollars.
’A bribe?’
’The thing is, one hundred thousand US dollars? Who are they looking down on?’
’Is my integrity only worth a measly hundred thousand US dollars?’

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