The day, the Italian media was sharply divided into ts.

  One side gave Napoli high praise, appuding their 5-2 away victory over Juventus, achieved even during a period wheeam wasn't in peak form. This alohey argued, was enough to prove Napoli's strength.

  In its entary, Gazzetta dello Sport hat pared to the Napoli of the season's start, the team had grown signifitly stronger and more dominant on the field, exuding the presence of a top Serie A team.

  "Ihan two years, Gao Shen has transformed Napoli from a newly promoted Serie B team into a formidable for Serie A!"

  Though Napoli remained in third p the league standings, they were close behind the teams in sed and fourth. Many media outlets suggested that Napoli o further refiheir game and reaal dition as soon as possible.

  As for the Serie A championship?

  Sorry, but that was as good as Inter Min's.

  The other camp, however, was critical of Ranieri.

  After the na sdal, Ranieri's position in the Juventus locker room had clearly been undermined, making him even more desperate to hold on to his role as head coach. This desperation had led him to gamble oing Napoli at home, taking a mgressive approach than usual.

  This resulted in an offetle with Napoli at home.

  But when it came to attack, there were only a few teams in Serie A with the firepower to pete, and Juventus was clearly not among them.

  Even Roma wouldn't dare to py su open game against Napoli.

  In this text, Ranieri's tactical choice was essentially suicide.

  Even Turin Sports Daily, known as Juventus's mouthpiece, called Ranieri's decision foolish and irresponsible.

  As for substitute goalkeeper Berardi, he was heavily criticized.

  It wasn't that all five goals were his fault, but he bore siderable responsibility for the defensive pses.

  Camoranesi's red card was also beled as reckless and irrational.

  After tallying up the performahe media cluded that Juventus had suffered a plete defeat in this match.

  Apart from Del Piero and Iaquinta, who performed reasonably well, the rest of the team had been utterly outcssed.

  This was one of the rare occasions where Gao Shen received widespread reition from the Italian media.

  At the very least, they were starting to aowledge that Napoli had the strength of a top Serie A team, which was a signifit step forward.

  Reading these reports, Gao Shen couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfa.

  "Does this mean I've reached the fourth stage?" he woo himself.

  From a newer, to a demonized figure, to a "thief stealing the try," and now being described as a sophisticated strategist, with the media starting to genuinely aowledge Napoli's strength—it was quite a journey.

  Gao Shen smiled, relishing the shift in perception. He was already looking forward to the day when these same critics would be singing his praises.

  …

  Marino arrived at Napoli's headquarters early that m.

  "Is the boss in?" he asked at the front desk.

  After getting a positive answer, he headed straight to Chairman De Laurentiis's office.

  De Laurentiis was just making himself a cup of Italian coffee. He added a cube of sugar and stirred slowly.

  Every m, when he was in a good mood, he'd make himself a cup of coffee and light up a cigar. That feeling… in two words: pure bliss!

  But Marino's arrival interrupted his peaceful ritual.

  His face darkened, but as Marino expihe situation, he quickly put his annoyance aside, his expression turning serious. He didn't even touch his coffee ar.

  "We inally signed a three-year tract with Gao Shen, but it's an annual rolling tract," Marino reminded him.

  This tract structure actually favao Shen, though it came at the cost of a lower initial sary.

  iation is always about promise, and Gao Shen had chosen autonomy over a higher sary.

  So now, the initiative for renewing the tract y squarely in Gao Shen's hands.

  "Given the current situation, it's highly likely that Ai will be sacked unless he secures Champions League qualification. Acc to reliable sources, Gao Shen is indeed on A's shortlist," Marino expined.

  Although Gao Shen was seen as a divisive figure by some Italian fans, he held a stroation within the professional football unity.

  Public opinion from the media or fans might paint Gao Shen as a troversial figure, but within the football industry, his tactid achievements spoke for themselves. Even coaches like Spalletti were studying his strategies.

  In fact, one of Gao Shen's greatest endorsements came fro Sacchi, who had been publicly praising him for a long time.

  Sacchi wrote ns on nearly every Napoli game, often appuding Gao Shen's tactics.

  For a head coach of Gao Shen's caliber, job security was never a . If he ever wanted a new challenge, opportunities would be abundant.

  The key question was how he wao shape his career.

  There was no doubt that Gao Shen was now a renowned coa Serie A, sidered by some top teams for future appois. However, his influeh elite clubs would still be limited.

  If he wao reach the level, he o achieve eveer success.

  And Napoli was the ideal ptform for that growth.

  "Moreover, this is also a financial opportunity. If he tinues coag Napoli and elevates the team further, the pyers' values will increase. Wheransfer, he'll receive a share of the profits, which is beneficial for him as well."

  Marino tinued his analysis without notig De Laurentiis's face growing increasingly tense.

  Especially when Mariioned Gao Shen's profit-sharing cuse, De Laurentiis felt a pang of bitterness.

  Napoli had spent money, paid saries and bonuses, and provided resources to develop pyers like Gervinho, only to see Gao Shen walk away with a signifit cut wheransferred him for 15 million euros.

  That was three million euros in Gao Shen's pocket!

  Enough to buy a promising pyer in Serie A!

  But De Laurentiis couldn't pin. After all, he was the one who had insisted on including this cuse in Gao Shen's tract. Who could he bme?

  Maybe Marino, for not warning him about this earlier!

  He didn't even dare t up the idea of buying out Gao Shen's profit-sharing cuse anymore.

  Why?

  Because Napoli's pyers were only increasing in value.

  i was now one of the top scorers in Serie A, peting with the likes uet, Del Piero, Ibrahimovid Di Natale. And how old was he?

  There were also Hamsik, Pelle, Di Maria, Sanchez…

  Nearly every Napoli pyer was improving.

  Even Thiago Motta, who had retly shown signifit progress, was catg attention.

  That very m, rumors circuted that Bara was sidering buying back Thiago Motta due to his impressive performances i matches.

  In this situation, De Laurentiis couldn't even bring himself to broach the topic with Gao Shen.

  Of course, viewed from anle, this was actually a good thing.

  The higher the pyers' value, the more Napoli would profit. But De Laurentiis still felt a twinge of paiime he thought about Gao Shen's share of those profits.

  The price of success.

  …

  "Two things."

  After listening to Marino's analysis, De Laurentiis made his decision.

  Though he had a reputation for being trolling and calg, he was ultimately pragmatic when it came to the big picture.

  "First, draft a ren for winning the Coppa Italia and for seg Champions League qualification this season. We should also have a tiered reward structure fher league pts, maybe even winning the title."

  All team iives would be tiered, the better the results, the greater the rewards.

  Of course, this was in addition to the regur performance bohat were already part of the pyers' and staff's tracts.

  "I feel like Gao is aiming for both the Coppa Italia and a strong league finish," De Laurentiis observed, sensing Gao Shen's ambition.

  It had to be said, Gao Shen's ce and drive outmatched even De Laurentiis's own.

  And because of this, he was willing to delegate authority to Gao Shen.

  He khat trying to trol too much would only stifle Gao Shen's creativity and drive him away from Napoli.

  So he chose to hold back.

  He was genuinely looking forward to Gao Shen leading Napoli to eveer success, establishing the team as a formidable for Serie A.

  This was De Laurentiis's primary goal.

  Marino nodded, uanding De Laurentiis's iions. "I'll arra right away."

  "Sed, prepare a new tract proposal fao Shen. Discuss it with the finance department and e up with a sincere offer. Once we have a pn, talk to Gao Shen a his feedback."

  De Laurentiis didn't spell it out, but the implication was clear.

  This tract renewal would be based on Gao Shen's terms, and Napoli would make every effort to keep him.

  If necessary, they would make signifit cessions.

  Anyone could see that Napoli was now exuding the fidence of a strong Serie A team. But this fidence was rgely rooted in Gao Shen's leadership.

  If Gao Sheo leave, it was uain if Napoli could maintain this upward trajectory.

  Therefore, retaining Gao Shen, solidating this foundation, and ying the groundwork for Napoli's future in Serie A was De Laurentiis's top priority.

  "Uood. I'll take care of it ao Castel Volturno tomorrow," Marino replied.

  But De Laurentiis shook his head. "We 't wait until tomorrow. Prepare everything now. We'll go to Castel Volturno this afternoon. I have a dinner pnned with Gao Shen tonight."

  Marino he urgen De Laurentiis's voice.

  Though he often grumbled about Gao Shen's profit-sharing cuse, De Laurentiis uood the real stakes. When it came to the club's long-term is, he knew what o be done.

  Right now, Gao Shen was Napoli's core petitive advantage.

  "I'll get on it right away," Marino said, nodding.

  After Mari, De Laurentiis remained seated on the sofa, lost in thought. The coffee in front of him had gone cold, but he didn't seem to notice. His expression was serious, as if he were pting something signifit.

  After a long pause, he seemed to e to a decision. Taking out his phone, he made a call.

  "Hello, it's me," he said, his voice calm but resolute. "The vil where Maradona lived back then…."

  ****

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