Free Web Novel“How many have gathered?”
“About a hundred, it seems.”
At the report that fans had gathered, I simply smiled. Seeing that, Han Kyungyeong spoke with a grave expression.
“This isn’t something to laugh off. If football supporters oppose, the chairman won’t easily hand over his shares.”
Han Kyungyeong was right.
If the fans rose up, then Chairman Peter—himself one of them—wouldn’t be able to hand over the club so easily.
But since he already had no other choice, the club would eventually land in my hands.
The real issue was who was leading and instigating this protest.
“Still, the rumor spread fast. Barely hours after negotiations with the club, and word has already spread, right to where we’re staying.”
“Exactly. What do we do? Call the police?”
I shook my head at Han Kyungyeong’s suggestion. Bringing in the police might only escalate things.
“No need. Let’s go out.”
I set down my glass and stood.
“Won’t it be dangerous?”
“Hardly. We’ve got the security team and hotel guards. If this kind of thing seemed dangerous, we wouldn’t be able to do anything at all. Isn’t that right, Manager Ma?”
“Yes. I’ll alert the security team as well.”
With a reluctant look flicking between me and Manager Ma, Han Kyungyeong finally stood too.
Together, we left the suite and took the elevator down.
By the time we reached the lobby on the first floor, the shouting from outside was already audible.
“What loud voices,” Han Kyungyeong muttered under his breath, making me chuckle.
Stepping through the hotel’s main entrance, we saw the protesters.
— We oppose the sale of Leeds United!
— We don’t want a new owner!
— We don’t want Orientals!
Contrary to Manager Ma’s report, there were far more people.
That was the danger of protests: easy to get swept up.
It was hard to gather ten, °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° but from ten to a hundred, from a hundred to a thousand—it could happen in a flash.
“Let’s hear what they’re saying.”
I walked slowly toward them. As soon as I moved, the security team quickly formed a perimeter around me.
Realizing our presence, the protesters raised their voices even louder.
— Boo! Get out of Leeds right now!
We stopped just short of them.
“Prepare a stand I can step on. And a microphone.”
“Yes.”
Manager Ma gave orders to his men, and with the hotel’s help, a small platform and microphone were set up.
I stepped up first, with Han Kyungyeong and Manager Ma following.
The small platform was crowded with just three people, but it couldn’t be helped, it had been put together in a rush.
Testing the microphone with a few taps, I spoke.
“Ah, ah, can you hear me?”
Despite the noise, the crowd kept growing. By now it looked like more than three hundred.
Even children could be seen among them.
That was how much Leeds United meant in their lives.
“Let’s hear it. Why do you oppose our takeover of the club? Is there someone who will speak on your behalf?”
At my question, eyes turned toward one man at the front.
‘So he’s the ringleader.’
I fixed my gaze on him and spoke again.
“Will you take the mic?”
Meeting my eyes, the man cleared his throat a few times, then raised his hand.
“I’ll speak!”
“Give him the mic.”
At my order, one of the guards handed him a microphone.
I addressed him.
“Tell us why you came all this way in the middle of the night. What exactly are your complaints? What do you want from us? Speak freely.”
No sooner had I finished than the man shouted into the mic.
“Leave Leeds! We don’t want foreigners owning our club!”
“This way, there can be no dialogue.”
“We don’t want dialogue. Just leave.”
The way he spoke and the crowd echoed him showed it was an organized protest.
“You don’t want dialogue, just for us to leave? Why should we? Do you hold shares in the club? Are you all shareholders here?”
“······.”
The man fell silent at the unfavorable question. I lifted an eyebrow. freewebnovёl.ƈom
“I’ll take that as a no. Then you’re simply Leeds fans. But if you don’t know how we’ll run the club, how can you demand we leave without even talking?”
“Our opinion is one! We will not let foreigners take our Leeds!”
He parroted the same line like a broken record.
“So what’s the reason, then?”
“The club is ours.”
“And why is the club yours? When the club was struggling financially, what did you do? Even now, do you know how much season ticket revenue was last year? Or the average attendance at Elland Road?”
Leeds was a top-tier club, but its season ticket sales and attendance ranked low.
Not that it lacked fans—its supporter base was nearly as large as Manchester United’s.
But the incompetence of management failed to bring those fans to the stadium.
“That’s······.”
“There were times when even Championship clubs had higher attendance. So tell me—what have you done for the club? What can you do? Anyone can call themselves a fan. But when the club was on the brink of bankruptcy, what did you do?”
I deliberately mocked him, provoking the crowd.
“Hey, go easy. This could turn ugly,” Han Kyungyeong muttered worriedly.
“What! Who are you to say that to us? Ching-chong bastard! Get lost, yellow monkey!”
Someone else—not the man with the mic—shouted a racist insult.
Han Kyungyeong’s brow furrowed. The man, emboldened by our silence, went on.
“A filthy rich yellow monkey thinks he can buy our club? Nonsense! Am I right? We’ll never allow it!”
Even without a mic, his voice carried far.
A few echoed him, but most frowned at his words.
“He’s a racist. Sue him.”
“What? Sue me? Go ahead! You think we’ll stand by?”
“We? You were the one who said it. Why drag others in? What a joke. Arrest him and hand him to the police. No leniency, no settlement.”
In Britain and across Europe, racism was widespread.
But just because individuals thought that way didn’t mean the state turned a blind eye.
Prison sentences were rare, but the fines imposed were crushing. Too much for an ordinary man to pay.
There was no reason to waste words on such trash. Life was about showing reality.
Seized by security, the man thrashed and screamed, but no one helped him.
The flaw of protests was laid bare: though easy to get swept up, responsibility was personal.
“Let go! Let me go!”
Ignoring him being dragged away, I turned back to the man with the mic.
“Our talk got sidetracked. Tell me, what right do you have to deny us when we seek to purchase the club through legitimate means?”
“A football club isn’t run by money alone.”
“If not money, then what?”
There was nothing money couldn’t buy. I smirked as I asked.
“Clubs exist and run because of fans! Without us, the club can’t survive!”
The noise grew as more people gathered—not only protesters but local residents. It was time to share my vision.
“Fans? Good. I agree a club exists because of fans. But I have no intention of letting Leeds remain a small club reigning only in this city. I will make it the club with the most fans in the world.”
“Words are easy.”
The man sneered.
So that’s how it was. Maybe I should tweak their pride.
“You all know Manchester United.”
Manchester United.
No Leeds fan could fail to react to that name.
The crowd’s murmuring grew loud. Faces flushed red. The man’s grip on the crowd weakened.
“They have fans worldwide. What does Leeds lack compared to Manchester?”
The crowd erupted, shouting in anger.
“Don’t compare us to that lot!”
“Compare us to Manchester and you’ll die!”
The mood was heating rapidly. Suddenly, another man pushed forward, snatched the mic, and shouted.
“Fine! Let’s hear it then. If you own the club, how will you change our team?”
“Wha—what are you doing?”
The first man tried to protest, but the newcomer cut him off.
“Peterson! Just listen.”
“Harry, what are you doing talking to them?”
“Let’s just hear them out!”
The fans were splitting in opinion. Just as I wanted.
More citizens of Leeds had joined late, outnumbering the original protesters.
Control shifted naturally to the newcomer—Harry.
“Go on, then. Convince us. But if you spout nonsense, we won’t let it slide.”
Harry’s voice was sharp, but I was unfazed. Instead, I asked him,
“What kind of team do you want?”
No one answered.
“Do you want a Champions League trophy? Or simply a strong club?”
Looking over the sea of people, I declared,
“Our approach is simple. We will spend money to bring in the best players, the best coach. Whatever it costs. Ten million pounds? Twenty million? Name it.”
At the outrageous sums, Peterson seized the chance to whisper to Harry. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
“See? They’re mad. There’s no point talking. We just need to stop them.”
“······.”
Even Harry, hearing such amounts, nodded faintly as though persuaded.
“Seems unbelievable? You think it’s a joke? You must not know who’s standing beside me. There are few men richer in the world. And he’s the one buying this club. He’s the one who will make Leeds great.”
At my words, Han Kyungyeong gave an awkward laugh.
“Any player you want—we’ll bring him. Whatever it takes. Just name him, and if the fans want it, we’ll make it happen.”
The twenty million I’d thrown out could buy several of the world’s most expensive players.
“And as for facilities—you all know how poor they are. We’ll rebuild Elland Road from the ground up.”
That bombshell lit flames in their hearts.
Soon, voices began chanting names of players they wanted.
“When the takeover is confirmed, we’ll hold a vote through the local paper. The top choice you pick—I swear we’ll bring him here, no matter what.”
Fans who had gathered to condemn us were now cheering.
These were true, pure football fans, devoted to Leeds.
My lips curved softly, but my eyes remained cold, fixed on Peterson.
