All Chapters of AI Tactics, World Cup Tragedy: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

"Please come to the medical office this afternoon. I need to prepare an examination report for you."After reading the message Theodore Cadogan sent me, I deleted the chat immediately, locked my phone, and put it away.The locker room door at the end of the hallway was left open, so the voices inside drifted out through the gaps between the metal lockers."The forwards need quick movement and sharp finishes! The midfield controls the whole game! The defenders must stay balanced and make the defense airtight!"Captain Tim Caligiuri's booming voice drowned out all the noise around him, and more than 20 players shouted along with him.I slowly walked over and leaned against the doorframe.Head coach Mauricio Hudson stood in the middle of the room, holding up a phone connected to the projector. The tactical diagram projected on the wall was packed with messy arrows crossing over each other.Tim had recommended this app in the beginning. Mauricio was easily persuaded, and at the time the Na

Chapter 2

The next morning, Mauricio set up a projector beside the practice field.The screen played TactiGenie's 3D animation of the Invincible Spiral on repeat.The faceless virtual players in the video glided across the field. Before every pass, they spun in place a full 360 degrees."Everyone, watch carefully!"Mauricio shouted through a megaphone."The spin before the pass is meant to confuse the opponent and ruin their defensive judgment!"He slapped the tactics board as he continued, "This is the optimal solution calculated by AI. The human brain could never come up with this!"Mauricio needed a miracle more than anyone.He had coached for over a decade, yet his results had always been disappointing.TactiGenie had given him a chance to turn his career around.At the back of the team stood assistant coach Miguel Wolff, his brows tightly furrowed. Finally, he couldn't hold back anymore and raised his hand."Coach Hudson, this spinning pass won't work in a real match. Just turning around ta

Chapter 3

On the day of the send-off ceremony, everyone in the plaza except me believed our team would win.The square was packed with fans waving flags, and the giant screen kept playing a promotional video for Team Libertas created by TactiGenie.The video was filled with flashy effects and stirring music.At the end, a line of AI-generated words appeared on the screen. "We will win this World Cup."Mauricio, dressed in a suit, stood on the stage with his arms spread wide, soaking in the cheers from the fans.At the press conference that followed, a reporter asked, "Coach Hudson, we've heard that one of your key players is injured. Will that affect the strength of your starting lineup?"Mauricio picked up the microphone and sneered."Are you talking about Christian Reyna?"He paused on purpose so the cameras could focus on him."He has an old Achilles injury, but it's nothing serious."He leaned back in his chair and continued arrogantly, "Our new tactical system is perfect. It doesn't rely on

Chapter 4

At six o'clock on the morning of match day, I was woken by the constant buzzing of my phone.When I picked it up, the screen was filled with more than a dozen unread text messages.All of them came from unknown numbers."If we lose today, it'll all be your fault, you jinx!""You coward! I hope you really do get seriously injured!"I had no idea who leaked my phone number.But I wasn't surprised at all.The atmosphere in the locker room before the match was heavy.Mauricio stood in front of the tactics board, giving his final instructions.He walked over and slapped my shoulder hard enough to make my collarbone ache.Then he turned to the whole team and announced loudly, "Christian will be on the bench today because he has a problem with his attitude!"The Invincible Spiral requires every player on the field to believe in the system 100 percent."Anyone who doubts it must never be allowed on the field to sabotage it!"The locker room immediately erupted into applause.Tim clapped harder

Chapter 5

Tim shoved me hard against the metal locker.Even then, I could still hear the angry curses of the fans leaving the stadium.Looking at Tim’s twisted face, I suddenly smiled.I calmly reached out and pried his fingers off my collar one by one.Then I pulled a printed document from my pocket, unfolded it, and slapped it against his chest."Take a good look."I stared straight at him."This is a medical evaluation report signed and stamped by all three doctors on the medical staff."I tapped the paper and continued, "My risk of an Achilles tendon rupture is rated at the highest level."According to National Soccer Federation rules, the coaching staff has no right to force me onto the field."I took a step back and straightened the collar he had wrinkled."Whoever signs off on me playing will be personally responsible for the medical consequences."Tim froze.The corner of his eye twitched violently as he lowered his head to read the report.Mauricio's face instantly went pale.He looked

Chapter 6

After suffering that humiliating seven-goal defeat, no one on the team could sleep.The National Soccer Federation held an emergency video conference that lasted from late at night until three in the morning.The final decision was that Mauricio would remain in charge for the remaining two group-stage matches.However, he had to completely abandon all tactics related to AI.At the coaching staff meeting the next morning, Mauricio smashed the cup in his hand against the wall.Shards flew everywhere."This is ridiculous! When I submitted the training plan for approval, all those executives signed off on it! And now they're pushing all the blame onto me!"Before the second match, the atmosphere in the locker room was suffocating.Tim sat alone in the corner, staring at his shoelaces.He no longer shouted slogans or tried to rally the team.An argument suddenly broke out in the hallway.Three starting players blocked Mauricio at the door."Coach Hudson, what formation are we using this aft

Chapter 7

Our opponent in the second match was the semifinalist from the last World Cup.For the first time, Mauricio didn't give any pep talk before the game.I sat on the bench wearing a substitute bib.Mauricio sat motionless in the coaching area.For the entire match, he didn't shout a single tactical instruction.In the 60th minute of the second half, with our team trailing 0-2, I was finally sent onto the field.The moment I stepped onto the pitch, I took control of the midfield."Ricardo, push up another five yards!"Brenden, stop spinning around and give me the ball!"I shouted at my teammates, who still instinctively wanted to spin in place.I yelled until my voice went hoarse.I could even taste blood in my mouth.The final score was 1-2.We still lost.But our successful passing rate jumped from 23 percent in the first match to 61 percent.After the game, FIFA released its technical analysis report.At the end of the report, they added a special comment. "Substitute midfielder Christi

Chapter 8

Less than two hours after our plane landed, the National Soccer Federation posted an official announcement on its website.Mauricio was immediately removed from his position as head coach of the national team.The entire coaching staff was dissolved as well.At the afternoon press conference, the spokesperson for the National Soccer Federation read from a prepared statement with a grim expression."After a thorough investigation, we have confirmed that former head coach Mauricio Hudson adopted an unverified AI-generated tactical system as the team's core strategy during this World Cup training camp without receiving approval from the Tactical Committee. His actions caused extremely negative consequences and damaged the nation's international image."That very night, Mauricio posted a lengthy statement on X through his lawyer.He claimed that the training plan had received verbal approval from senior officials before it was submitted.Therefore, he refused to accept being made the sole

Chapter 9

A month after everything happened, TactiGenie finally started to panic.The company released an official statement across all social media platforms.It said that the product was designed as a general-purpose AI assistant and absolutely didn't have any official function for generating professional sports tactics.Users were responsible for judging the accuracy and practicality of AI-generated content themselves.The platform wouldn't bear any responsibility for losses caused by blindly trusting or misusing its output.The comments section was full of ridicule.Most people couldn't believe anyone would actually use AI-generated tactics in the World Cup.A paparazzo managed to catch Mauricio's wife for an interview.The middle-aged woman's eyes were red from crying."Mauricio can barely use a smartphone," she said."He didn't even download TactiGenie himself. Tim installed the app for him. Tim kept telling him how amazing it was. He said it was better than ten assistant coaches combined.

Chapter 10

When I walked into the national team's locker room again, there was no projector on the wall. There were no ridiculous tactical diagrams either. Only a clean whiteboard.The new head coach, Marko, was a serious and hardworking man. At the team's first meeting, he didn't make grand speeches or shout slogans.He stood in front of the whiteboard and tapped it lightly with a marker."Tactics are meant to be executed by people. Not invented by machines."Marko looked around at everyone."From now on, the coaching staff's decision-making process will be completely transparent. If anyone has doubts about our tactics, speak up immediately. Don't stay silent."Sitting on the bench, I suddenly remembered Miguel. Three months ago, he had raised his hand to question the Invincible Spiral. And he had been humiliated until he stopped speaking altogether.The first training session of the new camp was simple. Marko drew basic movement patterns on the tactics board.The lines were clear. The instructi

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