Abraham's remarks brought Gao Nuo a lot of trouble, with various media outlets comparing the two, and the constant interviews made Gao Nuo agitated. The system space became his sanctuary for peace and quiet.
"System, how many levels are there in Challenge Road? After such a long time, I can't even change my teammates. I'm already too familiar with the habits and characteristics of these few people. What's the point of this?"
"host, there are only 60 levels. After passing them, you can freely choose teammates and coaches, and you can play against any team."
"What? Why didn't you say so earlier? Let's go, let's go, Challenge Road."
An hour and a half later, Gao Nuo lay in the virtual space, "System, it's too difficult. It's been three months, and I can't get past it."
"host, keep it up. A carp leaping over the dragon gate will find the sky vast and the sea wide."
"I'll fight again tomorrow."
On March 12, 2025, at Borussia Dortmund's Westfalenstadion, the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16 saw Manchester United face Borussia Dortmund.
Sancho, fueled by resentment, exploded this season. After transferring to Dortmund, he made 30 appearances, scoring 18 goals and providing 8 assists, causing some Manchester United fans, unaware of the truth, to "cordially" greet Erik ten Hag and lament Sancho's departure.
The intense 90-minute match ended with Manchester United 1:1 Borussia Dortmund. Gao Nuo and Sancho each scored a goal, leaving the suspense for the second leg at Old Trafford a week later.
On March 18, 2025, Sancho facing his former club attracted considerable attention.
Before the match, Sancho posted a close-up photo of his goal from the previous game on his social media, with the caption: "Revenge," and people sensed something unusual.
"Mr. Erik ten Hag, was there a hidden reason for Sancho's departure?"
"The transfer happened a long time ago. No comment."
"Mr. Erik ten Hag, are you confident about today's match?"
"No problem. We are in excellent form and will win the match at home."
Waving to stop the media's harassment, Erik ten Hag entered the locker room to begin tactical arrangements.
Before kickoff, Bruno Fernandes pulled Gao Nuo aside for a whispered conversation.
"Gao, we must win today. Run your heart out, and I'll feed you the ball."
"Captain, is it still because of what happened before?"
"Yes, he caused chaos in the locker room and is now creating public opinion. We need to teach him a lesson."
"Okay, I'm in good form. Let's teach them a lesson."
"Gao, you need to find more space behind Hummels. He can't run much."
"Okay."
Receiving the referee's signal, Gao Nuo returned to his position. The whistle blew, and the match began.
In the 6th minute of the match, Gao Nuo suddenly accelerated, and Bruno's pass was perfectly timed. Seeing the defense ripped apart, Hummels reached out and pushed Gao Nuo down, stopping Manchester United's attack with a yellow card.
In the 12th minute of the match, Sancho dribbled and broke through on the wing, with the equally young Vanderson in hot pursuit.
After several failed feints, Sancho became a bit anxious, poking the ball forward, attempting to forcefully beat his opponent with speed.
Vanderson held his position firmly, blocking Sancho behind him, and let the ball go out of bounds.
In the 18th minute of the match, Sancho and Vanderson faced off again. A series of moves looked fierce but the breakthrough was poor. Vanderson once again put the ball out of bounds.
Dortmund's coach Edin Terzić on the sidelines was full of questions, "What's wrong with Sancho? It's one thing if he can't break through, but he's not even passing when he has space. What kind of lone wolf play is this?"
Terzić's thoughts couldn't change the situation on the field. Sancho continuously wasted opportunities, putting Dortmund on the back foot.
In the 25th minute of the match, Sancho's breakthrough failed, and he reluctantly passed the ball to the center. Lisandro Martínez keenly intercepted the ball, and Manchester United launched a quick counter-attack.
A through ball accurately found Bruno Fernandes. Seeing this, Gao Nuo sprinted towards Hummels.
Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck wanted to stick close to Gao Nuo, but seeing Antony also making a rapid run forward, he didn't dare to relax his defense on the left, so he had to focus on the center.
Bruno's over-the-top through ball left Hummels willing but unable. His lack of speed couldn't be compensated by experience, and Gao Nuo easily overtook him.
Nico Schlotterbeck and Gao Nuo had similar builds. He firmly took up a defensive position, preventing Gao Nuo from easily facing the goalkeeper. His cover left a gap on Dortmund's left, and Antony keenly cut into the penalty area from the half-space.
Gao Nuo didn't have the lone wolf habit. He seized the opportunity and passed the ball to the right.
Antony quickly adjusted after receiving the ball. Before Schlotterbeck could react, he shot. The ball flew directly into the bottom right corner of the goal, and the goalkeeper's save didn't touch the ball.
Manchester United took a 1:0 lead.
In the 35th minute of the match, Manchester United organized an attack. Bruno Fernandes and Rice made successive pass-and-run movements, advancing into the attacking third. Facing Emre Can's challenge, Bruno positioned himself well, pulled the ball behind him, and was knocked to the ground.
Manchester United was awarded a free kick 26 meters from the goal.
Bruno stood over the ball, constantly checking the positions of his teammates in the penalty area. Gao Nuo and Pau Torres stood beside the wall, blocking the goalkeeper's view.
Deep breath, run-up, right leg extended backward, "Bang!" The ball flew towards the goal. Gao Nuo and Torres squatted in place, letting the ball pass over their heads.
Goalkeeper Kobel was a bit late to react when he saw the ball. He stretched his body as much as possible, but his hand was still far from the ball.
Bruno scored directly from the free kick, giving Manchester United a 2:0 lead over Borussia Dortmund.
There were no further incidents in the first half, and both teams walked towards the locker room.
In the player tunnel, Bruno Fernandes walked beside Sancho, "Kid, is this all you've got?"
Sancho covered his mouth with his hand, "Don't get cocky, the match isn't over yet."
Bruno didn't say anything more and returned to the locker room.
"Lads, you played very well in the first half. You should know that this season's Champions League is very important to us. Maintain this momentum, rest for a bit, and go back out there to send them home."
Erik ten Hag's talk boosted the team's morale, and after the break, Manchester United's attack became even sharper in the second half.
In the 58th minute of the match, Ward-Prowse's free kick found Gao Nuo, whose header went over the goalkeeper but was cleared off the line by the experienced Hummels.
In the 61st minute of the match, Rashford's breakthrough on the wing was intercepted. He then chased back vigorously, successfully winning the ball back in the center circle. Seeing Gao Nuo's advanced position, he passed the ball behind Hummels.
Dortmund, who had just pushed up, quickly retreated to defend. However, Gao Nuo's speed was even faster. He won possession first at the top of the penalty area, drew his bow and arrow, and curled a left-footed shot. A perfect arc was drawn, and the ball found the top left corner of the goal.
Gao Nuo, who scored, ran towards the stands, tugging at his chest badge, and roared loudly.
Manchester United led Borussia Dortmund 3:0, with only the last 30 minutes of the match remaining. The director turned the camera to Sancho. The former Manchester United player, who had been so confident before the match, now stood with his hands on his hips, his face heavy.