Chapter 3
Gu Qian kept sending messages.
[NSN-GU]: [He's coming to the warm-up match against your team next Monday. Whether he plays is still undecided.]
[NSN-GU]: [Don't cause any trouble when you see him.]
[NSN-GU]: [You're not a kid anymore.]
[NSN-GU]: [I shouldn't have said this, but I was worried you'd suddenly find out and it would affect your match.]
[NSN-GU]: [Even though the warm-up match results don't affect the team's full-season points, I don't want to win unfairly. Get your mindset straight in advance.]
Shi Luo had laughed enough, staring at the screen in a daze.
He wondered if, right now at the NSN base, Yu Sui was standing right next to Gu Qian's computer.
Was he watching Gu Qian give him this preemptive explanation?
Shi Luo rubbed the back of his neck and typed back: [Straighten up what?]
[NSN-GU]: [?]
[IAC-Evil]: [You really think I'd get into a fight with him at the venue?]
[IAC-Evil]: [Old history. I forgot it all long ago.]
[IAC-Evil]: [By the way, friendly reminder, Captain Gu. You just stirred up a huge controversy for your team. I'm live streaming.]
[NSN-GU]: [...]
[NSN-GU]: [...You.]
Shi Luo smiled as he typed: [Captain Gu's APM is too fast. I couldn't stop it in time.]
After learning Shi Luo was streaming, Gu Qian didn't say anything more. Shi Luo also stayed silent. The two of them pushed through the opposing team in silence, then after the game ended, left the map without even saying goodbye.
Naturally, the various esports forums weren't so peaceful at the same time. Gu Qian had revealed such a huge piece of news, and the forums exploded immediately.
There were too many points for players to discuss. Some fantasized about NSN's chances of winning the World Championship next season. Some regretted that NSN still lacked a sniper to secure mid-map control. Some watched the drama unfold with glee, lamenting that Yu Sui and Shi Luo hadn't ended up on the same team. Others, with old grudges still fresh, kept cursing Yu Sui as a traitor who didn't deserve to return to the league. Rational discussions clashed with personal attacks, and those with ulterior motives took the opportunity to spread rumors and blacklist players. Forum moderators were so busy banning posts that their hands cramped up. It wasn't until four or five in the morning, when the night owls finally couldn't stay awake any longer, that things gradually died down.
After enough arguing and cursing, the remaining people suddenly realized one thing: today was already Saturday.
Saturday!
In other words, there was only one more day until next Monday!
Every year, after the FOG World League ended and before the new season began, there was a three-month adjustment period. During these three months, other teams would be openly or secretly reorganizing their rosters. Last season's teams that failed to avoid relegation had to compete in qualifiers, newly transferred players and coaches had to familiarize themselves with their new teams and teammates... During these chaotic three months, the league, in order to maintain player engagement and loyalty, entered a one-month preseason cycle, which Gu Qian had referred to as the "warm-up matches."
The results of the warm-up matches didn't affect team points. They existed purely for profit, to maintain hype, and to allow transferred players to practice and prepare for the next season.
The warm-up matches used a single round-robin BO1 format, with one match determining the outcome. Excluding the two teams that failed to avoid relegation last season, the ten remaining league teams would all participate, playing against each other once. The preseason opener next Monday was precisely the match between Shi Luo's IAC team and Gu Qian's NSN team.
IAC versus NSN. A match that already had considerable hype suddenly saw its topic value skyrocket due to Yu Sui's addition. Within just two days, fans of both teams and Yu Sui's local fans had scalped the ticket prices for this warm-up match to over ten times the original price. On match day, the venue was completely surrounded by fans outside. Shi Luo's fans and Yu Sui's fans had a bit of a competition going, with support banners on both sides trying to outdo each other in size.
Inside the IAC team's shuttle bus, manager Zhao Feng looked out the passenger window and clicked his tongue: "Scary... Shi Luo, your fan girls are unusually fierce today. This is pretty intense."
Shi Luo didn't say a word, leaning back against the car seat with his eyes closed, wearing earphones, blowing bubbles with his gum loudly.
Zhao Feng turned back to look at Shi Luo and said: "Wearing earphones again. Can you even hear me? Well... I'll be honest, the boss is watching the live stream today too. He's very concerned. He was just texting me. Give me the real deal here—what are our odds of winning today?"
Shi Luo chewed his gum, took off one earphone, and after a pause said: "Twenty percent."
Zhao Feng's face fell. The other players in the vehicle instantly relaxed. If even Shi Luo said the chances of winning were slim, then losing would be normal! No one to blame, no one to criticize!
The other three teammates' expressions relaxed considerably. They started joking around. Zhao Feng wasn't ready to give up: "Come on, don't dispirit us like that. NSN's sniper is mediocre, and their team hasn't had time to gel. I think we still have a decent chance. And, you know... I already told you, the boss is watching."
"The boss watches, it's twenty percent. The boss doesn't watch, it's still twenty percent." Shi Luo had no intention of making promises to please the club owner. "We used to have a fifty percent win rate against NSN. Now..."
Shi Luo paused before continuing: "Now they've replaced their medic, patching the team's weak point. Our win rate necessarily decreases. Isn't that the truth?"
Zhao Feng naturally understood the logic. He laughed: "There's always the chance of exceeding expectations on the field, right? Alright, alright, I won't put pressure on you. Just do your best later."
The fan cheering faded into the distance as the shuttle bus entered the underground parking garage. Shi Luo put on his team uniform to get off: "We'll naturally do our best."
The IAC players and accompanying staff, guided by venue staff, headed toward their rest area. Walking through a long corridor, passing the NSN team rest room marked with their logo, Shi Luo's steps faltered. He glanced sideways at NSN's tightly closed door.
Manager Zhao Feng's heart immediately jumped to his throat.
Even though Shi Luo had been acting normal for the past two days, having worked together for two years, Zhao Feng could clearly sense that the young master had been suppressing his anger since learning Yu Sui had returned to the country. And that anger was definitely considerable.
He was very worried that Shi Luo would, without further ado, suddenly kick open the NSN rest room door and create a scandal.
Fortunately, Shi Luo just took a look.
With earphones on and an impassive expression, Shi Luo blew a large bubble with his gum, shouldered his peripherals bag, and walked into the IAC team rest room.
IAC's coach took the time to emphasize key points for each player and adjust everyone's pre-match mindset. There was usually nothing to instruct Shi Luo on—the coach generally didn't waste time talking to him. But today was different. The coach unusually asked Shi Luo: "Any thoughts, Evil?"
Shi Luo had been looking at his phone the whole time. Upon hearing the question, he looked up: "What thoughts?"
The coach wasn't as careful and thoughtful as Zhao Feng. He got straight to the point: "Our team is all new players. You're the only one familiar with Whisper. Any key points to mention? Anything we should watch out for?"
The coach said: "You should know Whisper's playstyle best, right?"
Shi Luo put away his phone.
No one could possibly know him better.
Shi Luo's medic skills had been taught by Yu Sui, hand by hand, step by step, one detail at a time. Shi Luo had once been called "Little Whisper," not just because he played medic well, but because his in-game style was almost entirely copied from Yu Sui's.
No one understood Yu Sui's habitual playstyle better than Shi Luo.
Shi Luo nodded: "Naturally."
The coach felt relieved: "That's a major advantage of ours. Listen to Shi Luo's calls in the early game. We absolutely must watch Whisper. Don't you dare treat him as just a medic. He can hurt people. Don't let him get kills. In the early game, don't even let him get assist gold. Once this person can use public resources, he's terrifying. If he buys three Photon Shields in the late game, we won't be able to fight him. Pay extra attention, Shi Luo..."
Shi Luo looked up. The coach emphasized: "Today, when playing against NSN, don't put all your focus on Gu Qian anymore. Keep a better eye on their medic. Counter Whisper. No problem, right?"
Zhao Feng watched the coach with a heart-pounding expression, his face screaming "You're not afraid of dying, are you?"
Contrary to Zhao Feng's expectations, Shi Luo's demeanor was normal as he said: "Countering Whisper. No problem."
The coach emphasized a few more points. With ten minutes left before they had to take the stage, venue staff came one last time to confirm player information, then announced: "The opposing NSN team, starting lineup for this match: Sniper ROD, Attacker Gu Qian, Attacker Xinran, Medic Vava."
Shi Luo glanced sideways: "What?"
Everyone in IAC was stunned. Zhao Feng confirmed: "Their medic is Vava? Whisper isn't playing?"
Staff member nodded: "Yes."
Zhao Feng didn't quite understand and pressed further: "Did Whisper come?"
Staff member said: "Yes, I just saw him."
"Well, well." Zhao Feng laughed. "Strange. How much money did NSN spend to get Yu Sui, and now they're just摆着好看不让他上场？难不成是不想在预热赛暴露太多战术？不至于吧，余邃难道不用熟悉一下队友吗？"
Staff member smiled without saying anything. After confirming the information, they left. Zhao Feng cheerfully said to the team: "Come on, come on! Whisper isn't playing. This is much easier. Shi Luo..."
Zhao Feng asked: "What are our odds now?"
Shi Luo's brow furrowed slightly. He wasn't sure what NSN was up to. He said: "Forty percent."
Zhao Feng wasn't satisfied: "Just now on the bus you said our win rate against NSN without Yu Sui was fifty percent. How did it drop to forty percent in just a short while?"
Shi Luo opened his peripherals bag to take out his keyboard and mouse and said: "Momentum bonus."
"Momentum" referred to whom needed no explanation.
Zhao Feng thought that was fair. Having a trump card like Whisper on the team, whether the card was played or not, gave the entire team more confidence. Zhao Feng shrugged with a smile: "Alright, everyone just do your best. This is already good news. The opener of the warm-up matches. Let's go!"
Everyone nodded. Zhao Feng glanced at Shi Luo again, and after confirming his emotions were stable, felt relieved. Zhao Feng self-deprecatingly sighed. Maybe he was overthinking it. Shi Luo clearly looked completely normal.
A few minutes later, when staff came again to notify players to head to the stage, everyone stood up and followed staff toward the front.
Shi Luo walked at the very front, as usual, chatting with the team's other attacker for final preparations as he walked toward the stage. Halfway through the long corridor, Shi Luo's steps slightly faltered, and he stopped in place.
Less than five meters away, the NSN team's rest room door opened.
NSN's coach and players walked out one by one.
NSN's coach walked at the very front. Behind the coach was Gu Qian. Behind Gu Qian were ROD and Xinran, walking arm over shoulder. Behind them was Vava, and behind him... patting Vava on the shoulder, was a person in casual clothes.
Perhaps due to the hurried team transfer, his jersey with his ID printed on it hadn't been finished yet.
This person seemed to have not cut his hair in two years. His brown hair had grown past his shoulders.
The food in Germany probably wasn't good. He had gotten much thinner.
The changes were just too many, too many. So much so that the other IAC members all asked in confusion: "Who's that tall handsome guy behind Vava?"
Only Shi Luo, with one glance at this completely changed figure, recognized his former captain.
Shi Luo stared at Yu Sui's back, frozen in place as if nailed to the ground.
From the moment he'd learned Yu Sui had returned to the country, Shi Luo had thought he was relatively composed. He hadn't lost his composure, hadn't caused any trouble, hadn't added problems for the team, hadn't given black fans anything to laugh about. He wasn't agitated, wasn't violent, wasn't acting out like he had two years ago when he'd been a mess, making a huge scene.
Shi Luo had originally thought this was because he'd grown up, become mature, could now face the past and this person calmly.
Unfortunately, this was merely "what Shi Luo thought."
Shi Luo's chest rose and fell slightly more rapidly. His right hand clenched the mouse so hard it clicked.
"Shi Luo, Shi Luo?" Zhao Feng frowned, gently tapping Shi Luo. "What's wrong?"
Shi Luo took a deep breath and accidentally choked.
Zhao Feng looked confused. He glanced forward: "Who's that?"
Shi Luo's expression gradually returned to normal. He said: "Whisper."
"What the f**k!!"
Everyone in IAC was startled. Zhao Feng was speechless: "This, this..."
Their commotion was noticeable. The NSN players ahead all turned their heads to look, Yu Sui included.
Yu Sui was momentarily stunned when he caught sight of Shi Luo.
Shi Luo's chest heaved more intensely. He glanced sideways to avoid Yu Sui's gaze, unable to bear it, and with eyes fixed forward, grabbed his peripherals and strode past the NSN players.
Shi Luo walked forward without stopping, ignoring staff members telling him to wait for his teammates. He walked through the waiting area and directly into the brightly lit front stage. Outside, the spectator seats instantly erupted into a deafening roar of cheers.