CHAPTER 61 - FANS

Xiao grumbled in part truth. “It’s not. I’m dying from the pain. Captain, let’s return to S City.”

“Mm.”

The group of them took the earliest flight back to S City. The excitement that ran high on their way here had turned into a dull silence.

They landed in S City, alighted the plane, and boarded the van.

The van was Mix battleteam’s private business van, and they first brought everyone to the base to grab their stuff and then headed straight to the hospital. In between, Ji Zhiyao did not leave. Instead, he had followed them to the hospital and accompanied Xiao through the CT scans and consulting the doctor.

However, when the doctor was explaining his condition, Ji Zhiyao silently left the room and did not listen in together.

He did not belong to Mix after all, and Xiao’s injury was part of the team’s privacy. It was not right for him to listen in on the details of his condition.

Feeling a little spaced out, Ji Zhiyao sat on the long bench outside of the doctor’s office and played with his phone.

He waited for a very long time, and had almost gone through every app on his phone and, at last, scrolled to news about today’s tournament on Weibo’s trending search.

[Iamthepasserby: Watched the performance of Mix battleteam against Bug battleteam live today, Although the little older brothers were all very handsome, visuals cannot make up for my disappointment towards Mix battleteam anymore. The difference between their score wasn’t great but I could easily tell that the Mix jungler was struggling towards the end and couldn’t keep up with the pace. Such capability is really worrisome.]

[fruitjuiceinmineralwater: Don’t make me laugh, they were the champion team of the national qualifiers two years ago after all. Are they really planning to participate in the national qualifiers a year later in such conditions?]

[woodenfish123123: I just want to ask a question, will there still be a Chinese eSports team at the international league two years later?]

[I’mnotlisteningtowhatyousay: Really, a jungler has to carry the pace of the game. What had Xiao even done? Didn’t they lose too badly? Who said he was fifty-fifty against Boom? I’m laughing so damn hard my tooth is going to fall out.]

There were many many comments like this, and some were even intolerable to read.

Ji Zhiyao, with a frown, read through all these posts, and he read until his eyes hurt. For countless times, he had tapped opened the text box and wanted to tell all these people that Xiao was still in the hospital, yet he could not reply anything and could only watch the Weibo comments spread at a rate of 10 comments per second.

A few posts contained images of him with a worried frown in the audience. Then claiming to be his fans, the posts tagged him to come out and make clear if Xiao was really such a lousy player.

Ji Zhiyao wanted to hurl his phone onto the faces of “his fans.”

He fell back heavily in the chair, and some strands of loose hair fell before his forehead, blocking a small part of his view.

Ji Zhiyao squinted his eyes, suddenly finding that a part of the light coming from above had dimmed. He looked up a little surprised and realized that Mo Huaifeng had, from not sure when, come out from the doctor’s office. A cigarette was clipped between the joints of his fingers, but it remained unlighted.

His eyes were deep and serene, so dark that he almost could not breathe. Ji Zhiyao stiffened slightly, taking quite a while to come back to his senses. Standing up, he looked towards the empty space behind him. “Fi-god, Brother Xiao..”

Mo Huaifeng cut him off. “I’ll send you back to school first. We’ll talk on the way.”

Ji Zhiyao paused for a second, speaking slowly. “It’s okay, Fi-god, you don’t have to send me. I can just book a ride on an app.”

Mo Huaifeng’s dark brown pupils looked over unblinkingly, making Ji Zhiyao’s sentence break off abruptly, at last nodding reluctantly.

There was no other reason.

Mo Huaifeng seemed to be in a really bad mood.

The two of them did not use the elevator but took to the stairs. It was dinner time right now, so there were not many people at all in the stairways.

The lighting was a little dim, like their depressed moods

CHAPTER 62 - JI ZHIYAO

Going down a few levels, Ji Zhiyao turned his head, slightly looking up at the person beside him.

“Fi-god, what did you want to say?”

Keeping silent for a while, Mo Huaifeng spoke up. “Regarding Xiao’s injury, you don’t have to be too worried. An appointment for a surgery a month later has been made. The doctor said that his condition isn’t considered to be too serious, and there’s a very high chance of recovering.”

Ji Zhiyao’s tensed up nerves eased, and his brows slightly relaxed. “That’s good.”

Both people walked downstairs and went past a mart in front of the hospital entrance. Ji Zhiyao was a little thirsty. Stopping, he asked, “Fi-god, I’m going to get some drinks. What do you want?”

“Cola.”

“Okay, give me a moment.”

As he watched Ji Zhiyao stride with his long legs into the mart, the cigarette that Mo Huaifeng had between his fingers was between his lips in a spin.

Ji Zhiyao came back out with two bottles of Cola and found Mo Huaifeng smoking by the roadside.

His back was broad and firm, and his build was lanky. Clipped between his slender fingers was a spark that was dim now and bright next, as if it would be extinguished by the cold air from his body in the next second.

Similar to a portable refrigerator.

However, Ji Zhiyao had to admit that the image of Mo Huaifeng standing by the roadside and smoking, compared to him lying on his stomach playing Chinese checkers, fitted better with the image of the national idol of the eSports scene which everyone had in their heart.

Ji Zhiyao took a few steps and handed the Cola over.

Mo Huaifeng kept the cigarette in his mouth and mumbled a thanks but did not twist open the bottle cap.

Ji Zhiyao took a few mouthfuls himself and said, “Fi-god, if there’s nothing else, I’ll book a ride back to school.”

Mo Huaifeng took a puff all of a sudden. A moment later, brown pupils stared at him. “I have something I want to discuss with you.”

Ji Zhiyao was dazed, slightly doubting his own ears.

Something to discuss with him?

For Fi-god, other than inviting him to play games, what else would there be for them to discuss?

Opposite of him, Mo Huaifeng recalled the words that Xiao had specially pulled him aside to tell him earlier in the doctor’s office. He did not keep quiet for long and asked, “The posts online, did you see them?”

Although Ji Zhiyao had not figured out how this was related to what Mo Huaifeng had wanted to discuss with him, he still nodded. “Did not sound very nice. Fi-god, tell Brother Xiao to not look at them.”

“He had long guessed that there would be people saying things, so he would not be bothered by these,” Mo Huaifeng said. “Professional players are public figures. In addition, in the eSports scene, people praise and give hate according to the general trend. Everyone has already prepared themselves before stepping into this scene.”

Ji Zhiyao “mhm-ed” in reply, paused for a second, and asked again, “Then you wanted to ask…”

“Your opinion, of this scene.”

Ji Zhiyao frowned slightly. A thought that did not correspond with reality suddenly formed in his heart but vanished in a flash again.

He thought for a while and said honestly, “There’s one line of chicken soup that’s rather cliché, but I must quote it: ‘One who wants to wear the crown must bear its weight.’ Right now, the public’s knowledge about eSports is too little, and there are many times where they force their ignorant and stubborn thinking on professional players… But every professional player has their own goal, and since you wish to strive for it, then you must express the manner of striving. The rules are like this: whatever you want, you must learn to bear.”

Mo Huaifeng laughed lightly. “You are more mature than I thought.”

Ji Zhiyao looked at him with an expression like he had a lot to say. “Fi-god, you don’t need to disguise your tone to be so kind.”

“…” Mo Huaifeng silently gazed at Ji Zhiyao for a moment. “My proposal on the plane, want to consider it?”

Ji Zhiyao thought hard, and after several seconds, his expression became one that was wishing for death as he seemed to recall something. “Fi-god… you really want me to work at Mix base as a janitor?”

“No.”

Mo Huaifeng was left extremely speechless by Ji Zhiyao’s slow reaction and said outrightly, “Are you interested in becoming Mix’s jungler reserve?”

CHAPTER 63 - PROFESSIONAL PLAYER

Ji Zhiyao’s mind instantly shut down as he repeated after him. “Jungler reserve?”

His expression looked slightly off after saying the two words. Even if Mix wanted to recruit a jungler reserve, Xiao was still staying in the hospital. How did Mo Huaifeng have the mood to bring this up now?

And, why was it him?

Ji Zhiyao was very aware of his own limitations. All he was was an amateur gaming broadcaster; his skills were enough to trash the rookies in regular matches but had totally no place amongst the professional players, not to mention his popularity compared to Mix’s…

There were many more people better than him. He was just an ordinary person.

Ji Zhiyao could not understand and looked at Mo Huaifeng.

The cigarette in his hand had burned to the end, and Mo Huaifeng stubbed it out. His porcelain pale fingers looked exceptionally pretty under the slightly dusky daylight.

He seemed to be wording his comment and spoke after a while. “Your technique is not too bad. Your proper conduct, passionate personality, and appearance fit in rather well with Mix’s visuals criterion…”

Once Mo Huaifeng began to speak, Ji Zhiyao could not help but let out a “hey” in his heart. Knowing that this person was talking about his merits, he could not help but be a little proud. After he listened to several lines, the sound by his ear gradually dwindled, and Ji Zhiyao lifted his head, looking discontented, “What else?”

“…”

Mo Huaifeng continued. “Thick-skinned.”

Ji Zhiyao “tsk-ed” in reply. “This is also one of my merits, but you don’t go carelessly spreading it around yeah.”

“… Okay.”

Ji Zhiyao passed his hand over his face, and when he placed his hand down once more, he was already much more clear-headed. He did not give deep thought to Mo Huaifeng’s reason for inviting him and instead said, “To be honest, Fi-god, from getting to know you to knowing all the Mix members subsequently, I’ve always found myself to be especially lucky. But deep down, I know my own worth. I’m still not too bad to be doing livestream and earning some spare cash. To be a professional player, I’m not at that standard.”

Ji Zhiyao lifted his lashes, and some bits of light in his dark pupils made him out to be especially innocent. He spoke honestly. “I’m not suitable.”

For some reason, Mo Huaifeng found this scene to be a little glaring. He turned his head slightly. “You don’t want to be a professional player? You don’t want to accomplish the goal of ‘standing on the podium wearing the red flag with five stars?’”

“I do.”

Perhaps because he had revealed all his thoughts, Ji Zhiyao’s concerns had instead lessened by a lot. He licked the corner of his lips, and his pair of smiling eyes were slightly upturned. “Everyone wants to be somebody, and I’m no exception. But there is always a gap between ideas and reality, not to mention that my personal capabilities aren’t much, my techniques aren’t good enough, and my mentality isn’t strong enough. Just take the point of my being in university, I still have to attend lessons every day. I can’t train every day. Yet from what I know, the base’s training system is full-time.”

He threw the difficult problem to Mo Huaifeng. “I worked hard to enter S University, and the Law major is also something I really like, so I will not easily suspend my schooling to go play eSports.”

Mo Huaifeng frowned.

Every eSports team had its own rules, and there were also clear regulations for the training timings of their professional players. If Ji Zhiyao wanted to balance both schooling and playing eSports, according to the rules, it was basically impossible.

Compared to Mo Huaifeng’s unknown emotions, Ji Zhiyao was much more relaxed. He drank the remaining half of his Cola and leisurely stepped out to throw the bottle into the roadside bin. Then stopping before Mo Huaifeng, he raised his phone. “Fi-god, I still have to return to school to accumulate my livestream duration, I’ll leave first. Contact me if there’s anything.”

“Hold on.”

Ji Zhiyao turned around. Meeting with Mo Huaifeng’s eyes, his imposing manner instantly fell. He touched his nose helplessly. “You can’t bear for me to go?”

“If you do not consider the objective factors, speaking solely from your point of view.” Mo Huaifeng spoke very slowly, but it led to Ji Zhiyao’s heart being lifted bit by bit. “Are you willing to come to Mix battleteam to be a professional player?”

CHAPTER 64 - HANDSOME MAN

Fi-god was not just ordinarily patient…

It must be said that when Ji Zhiyao heard Mo Huaifeng’s serious and solemn tone and felt the gaze on his body that came from Mo Huaifeng, he realized he could only speak truthfully with nothing to lose. “… Yes yes yes!”

“Okay.”

Mo Huaifeng seemed very satisfied. He reached out and patted his shoulder. “Go back.”

Ji Zhiyao looked at him with a puzzled expression. “?”

“The kind of things like rules, you don’t have to worry about them. Since I want you to join the team, I will definitely fight for you.”

“Not that, Fi-god, why do you even do hard selling!”

“The next time we meet, address me as Captain.”

“…”

Mo Huaifeng leaned half of his body out, flagged a cab, and then shoved Ji Zhiyao into the vehicle. Against a gaze of disdain that he “couldn’t understand,” he stuffed 200 yuan to the driver and said, “S University, thank you.”

The driver took the money and moved half of his foot to go on the accelerator. Mo Huaifeng waved slightly. “See you next time, little reserve.”

“…”

Ji Zhiyao said hurriedly, “Fi-god, you! …”

The three words had just left his mouth, and Ji Zhiyao realized that Mo Huaifeng, who was standing outside of the window, had become a blur.

This cab is going rather fast.

…

In the evening, the crowd of little fangirls and fanboys scrolling Weibo amazingly realized that the MelonRind youth they were fans of actually posted a complaint status, which was extremely rare.

[IndefiniteFutureV: Not only does the internet-addicted youth knows dirty tricks, but he also knows how to hard sell strategies in business.]

In reply, his fan club said…

[IndefiniteNoHomo National Hate Fans Assembly: Did someone pimp you? [doghead] ]

…

At night, Ji Zhiyao’s livestream came later.

The onlookers waiting in the “IndefiniteNoHomo” livestream room dumbfoundedly found their soft and innocent MelonRind in a large undershirt, shaking his leg, looking slovenly; there was even a large bag of melon seeds before him, a full two to three kilograms.

Facing a pile of question mark comments, Ji Zhiyao tidied his hair while exclaiming sincerely deep down how handsome his extra large face on the screen looked. “Today, I’m livestreaming for everyone the day-to-day of a bohemian man.

[???]

Ji Zhiyao finished his sentence, minimized the livestream room, and then put on a talent show that had been exceptionally popular recently. He chewed on the melon seeds while watching, even giving comments from time to time.

“Don’t these three people all look the same? Sorry, I can’t differentiate the one you guys are talking about.”

“So out of tune, doesn’t even sound as good as me. You guys want to hear me sing? Sure, have you guys heard of ‘The Taking of Tiger Mountain’ before? I’ll sing a part.”

“For this episode, you could actually cry from the start till the end for four hours… Could all the water on earth be the tears of all the poser young girls from ancient times?”

“Ugly.”

“Even I would look better than them in female wear.”

Yang Bing, Wen Heng, Ning Lichao: …

Yang Bing was facing a closet full of clothes and still had to listen to Ji Zhiyao nagging on with his comments. He was in great despair. Especially when he had wanted to ask for ideas from his dorm mates but saw the pair of flowery oversized pants on him, he felt even more hopeless.

He looked silently towards Ji Zhiyao. After a few seconds, hearing Ji Zhiyao crunching on his melon seeds and not talking, he shouted in a very low voice from a distance, “Old Ji, look at me.”

Ji Zhiyao turned back slowly.

Yang Bing asked, “These two sets I’m holding, which looks better?”

“You closed the windows to my soul.”

“? What are you saying? Make yourself clear.”

“Hurts my eyes.”

CHAPTER 65 

Seeing Yang Bing’s expression that was turning green, Ji Zhiyao lifted his brow. “Why are you picking out clothes?”

“Um that,” A big boy around 1.8 m suddenly became bashful. “Xing Chuxue invited me to go to the library tomorrow.”

“?”

All three of them turned to look at Yang Bing. Ji Zhiyao first spun back to turn off the livestream and then smiled. “Hey, not bad. Good things on the way?”

“Thanks to your generosity.” Yang Bing smiled like a fool.

Ji Zhiyao stood up after switching off the computer. He said while he looked for his items for washing up, “That’s because both of you hit it off well, what has it got to do with me? All the best to you. Strive to settle the goddess.”

“I will!”

Ji Zhiyao “mm-ed” in reply and entered the bathroom.

As he washed up, his entire mind was still thinking about what Mo Huaifeng had said about wanting him to go be a reserve.

Was it possible?

Ji Zhiyao had heard a lot about the happenings of the eSports scene, but he had never heard of the existence any special member in any eSports team who could not train according to schedule. When Mo Huaifeng said that, the biggest possibility was that he did not want to be too harsh with his words and wanted to spare some feelings for both of them.

Ji Zhiyao spit out the toothpaste foam expressionlessly and looked at himself in the mirror.

Hand on his heart, if casting aside the external factors, he did still want to be a professional player.

He wanted to interact with the world that was very close to him but was one that he did not understand.

…

S City, Mix’s base meeting room.

Yuan Wei looked with a constipated expression towards the person opposite him, suppressing for rather long before he said, “Captain, do you still have any bit of principles?”

Mo Huaifeng drank a mouthful of black coffee. The bitter and astringent taste made him frown lightly. He put down the cup. “We must be responsible for what we say.”

“You tell me, what did I say wrong?” Yuan Wei said. “You want the entire team to be a full Chinese team. I have no objections to that, and if you recruit a jungler reserve of an average standard, I have no objections too. But please tell me, with Ji Zhiyao’s techniques and still not properly cooperating with the training timings, where is the possibility of Mix winning the national qualifiers? I’m afraid even a training tournament would be difficult to win!”

Yuan Wei was rarely so agitated, especially when facing Mo Huaifeng. Usually, he was always the party being oppressed. Now that he was suddenly flaring up with no forewarning, he was obviously desperate.

Yes, he did not hate Ji Zhiyao, and he had even taken quite a liking to him. However, this was about the battleteam’s interests, and he had to think for the team.

Wanting to recruit a jungler reserve was not only to work with the team in the midst of Xiao’s treatment period but also to provide new possibilities for the team. In the worst scenario, if Xiao’s standard was affected after the operation… this jungler would have to fill his spot, to play in the national qualifiers and even the international league.

Ji Zhiyao did not have enough capability and did not have enough time either.

What left Yuan Wei most speechless was that Ji Zhiyao had already rejected the offer, but Mo Huaifeng actually insisted on adjusting training timings for him, just so he could successfully join the team.

Was he crazy…

Yuan Wei rubbed his head, calming his voice. “Captain, in Heroes’s hundreds of servers for the entire China, there are more than ten thousand people at Challenger rank, and the number of gaming broadcasters can’t be counted. Why must you make it to be Ji Zhiyao who comes? Besides, he’s said it, he prefers studying over eSports.”

“Do you not really know how to listen to the main points?”

Mo Huaifeng said, “He is very suitable for the team, and everyone has no objections to him joining. Xiao especially told me yesterday to bring him to the base earlier. Yuan Wei, when all of us first came to Mix, we hadn’t even reached the level of professional players. Ji Zhiyao is different, and all he needs is a little guidance and high-level opponents.

The two stared at each other for quite some time. Yuan Wei could not come up with anymore arguments, and his anger subsided. “The club definitely wouldn’t agree.”

“I’m here for that, don’t worry.”

Mo Huaifeng finished the coffee that had turned cold and lifted a smile. “You just have to be responsible for communicating about the contract with the club and prepare to welcome a new member into the team.”

“Damn you, I got it.”

CHAPTER 66 - HOPE AND DESPAIR

For three whole days, Ji Zhiyao was in low spirits. After the conversation that day, he had not heard from Mo Huaifeng at all. Although he had guessed that it was rather impossible to not suspend schooling while playing eSports, he had still secretly kept some hope. Now, the higher his hopes, the greater his disappointment.

He had stopped logging on to Heroes. His livestream every day was about chewing melons and chitchatting, almost becoming an eating broadcast.

This night, Ji Zhiyao had just turned on his livestream camera when the notification light of his phone flashed. He picked up his phone, and there was a new text: [LittleDisciple: Master, are you not going to guide me anymore?]

Since returning from watching the performance tournament, Ji Zhiyao had not contacted his little disciple at all. Seeing the text, he replied: [You haven’t started school?]

[LittleDisciple: I did. I have already done my homework.]

[MelonRind: Let’s not play Heroes. Master will teach how to play something else. Minesweeper? Solitaire? Kartrider Rush?]

[LittleDisciple: … Master, let’s chat for a while.]

[MelonRind: Sure, what do you want to chat about?]

[LittleDisciple: Master, I heard from my Uncle that Mix battleteam is going to recruit a jungler reserve. Brother Xiao will guide him in playing step by step. By the way, there’s more. Their whole team is all quite fond of that person.]

Ji Zhiyao froze, and the traces of a smile at his brows gradually turned faded.

No wonder Mo Huaifeng had not brought up the matter anymore. Turns out they had already found a new person for the spot, and the new member even got along rather well with them…

His eyes focused as he typed.

[MelonRind: Who is it? Have they made an official announcement?]

[LittleDisciple: Not yet, what I’m telling you is insider news~ [pleased] I heard such news can only be announced after the contract is signed. I guess it’s the same for my uncle and the rest.]

[MelonRind: Oh, that’s great. From now on, Mix will not be as passive.]

Replying for the last time, Ji Zhiyao threw his phone aside. While he was reading the comments on the screen, his expression was a little blank.

The comments were still coming in.

[QAQ What happened to my MelonRind? He was still talking and laughing earlier, but after looking at his phone, he became like this… Did he fall out of love?]

[MelonRind hasn’t even been in love.]

[What’s going on? Talk about it?]

[An entire expression of craving to know.]

[Is it really not falling out of love? There are already wrinkles between your brows from all that frowning.]

Not too long, Ji Zhiyao came back to his senses. After he saw the comments all over the screen that even covered up his cursor, his brows that had just smoothened out knitted together once more.

He smiled forcefully. “No girlfriend, stop randomly guessing. I’m not in good condition, so I’ll end the livestream here.”

With that, he unplugged the camera.

Ji Zhiyao did not even take his phone, just threw himself right onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling. He stared and stared and unknowingly fell asleep.

When he woke up again, it was an hour later.

Ji Zhiyao was groggy for long, and he propped himself on his arms and sat up. As he was getting up, he found Wen Heng sitting by the bed, gazing at him with a heated gaze, and that gave him such a scare that he almost lay back down again.

Ji Zhiyao sat properly, not yet recovered from the shock. “You like to secretly watch me sleep?”

“…”

Wen Heng held back forcefully and did not blow up, only asking, “You were sleeping up to now?”

Ji Zhiyao did not understand why he was asking this question. “Yeah, why?”

Wen Heng stayed silent for a moment then said slowly, “It’s chaos outside because of you, but you’re sleeping quite peacefully here.”

Seeing Ji Zhiyao still confused, Wen Heng simply fiddled with his phone and placed it before him.

Ji Zhiyao leaned closer, full of doubt.

[Mix Battleteam OfficialV: Announcement: As the team’s starting jungler @Mix.XiaoV has suffered a relapse of his hand injury and needs to undergo treatment, the team, after long deliberation, has invited @IndefiniteFutureV to be Mix Battleteam’s jungler reserve. New blood, new journey. The journey for the next national qualifiers is about to begin. Mix will definitely live up to everyone’s expectations and put in our utmost efforts to earn a ticket to the international league! Once again, we would like to thank all the team’s fans for their support!]

CHAPTER 67 - NO REFUNDS

Ji Zhiyao, with unblinking eyes, repeatedly read this post by Mix’s official account over ten times, even knowing exactly which punctuation was used where. At last, he threw the phone back to Wen Heng, frantically got out of bed, and brought his phone to the balcony to make a call.

This was his first time calling since saving Mo Huaifeng’s number, and he had not thought that it would be for this matter.

The dialing tone rang twice, and Ji Zhiyao heard Mo Huaifeng’s “hello” and his own uncertain one. “Fi-god, what does this mean? Why did I… suddenly become Mix’s jungler reserve?”

Over the receiver, he heard rustling sounds from the other side like the faint noise of a stool being pushed back and the slapping sound of slippers which then changed to Mo Huaifeng’s voice. “Before the official account published the post, I sent you a WeChat text. Did you not see that?”

Ji Zhiyao paused, recalling the one hour that he had slept for, instantly feeling f*cked.

Mo Huaifeng continued unhurriedly. “Your training timings will go according to your timetable; annual salary of seven hundred thousand without bonus; only a fixed 40 hours of livestream duration monthly. Anymore questions?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“For example, my own opinions.”

“At the entrance of the hospital, didn’t you already agree? ‘Without all these external factors you are very willing to be a professional player,’ did you not say these words?”

Yes yes yes, I did say that! But an opinion and doing it are totally two different things, brother!

Let alone, he had also been forced to say those words…

Ji Zhiyao was extremely aggrieved. “… The club made an official announcement without giving me a call. Are you guys trying to abduct me? I don’t agree.”

Then, he heard a light laugh from the other end, lazily. “Too late, no refunds.”

“…”

After hearing a little more from Mo Huaifeng about training timings, Ji Zhiyao hung up and entered the room.

Welcoming him was the questioning gaze from Wen Heng, who was the only one left in the dorm.

Ji Zhiyao said, “I just found out too, um, do you want an autograph?”

“… It’s okay, thanks.”

Ji Zhiyao sat onto the stool, logging on to Weibo with his own phone, which expectedly lagged badly when he entered.

He did not read both his tags and private messages but went right to Mix’s official account, leisurely tapping on ‘repost’ after entering some words.

[IndefiniteFutureV: Mix.Yao. Cutting to the chase, we will stand together through thick and thin for the journey to come. / /@Mix Battleteam OfficialV: Announcement: As the team’s starting jungler @Mix.XiaoV has suffered a relapse of his hand injury and needs to undergo treatment, the team, after long deliberation, has invited @IndefiniteFutureV to be Mix Battleteam’s jungler reserve. New blood, new journey. The journey for the next national qualifiers is about to begin. Mix will definitely live up to everyone’s expectations and put in our utmost efforts to earn a ticket to the international league! Once again, we would like to thank all the team’s fans for their support!]

Just like this, he peacefully accepted the reality that he was to become a professional player.

Though deep down, he was way less calm than he seemed on the surface.

…

[Title: The story about 818Mix Battleteam that must be told.]

OP ¹ : [I always thought Mix battleteam was considered different, in a good way within the local eSports scene; no scandals, don’t mess with fans or fake their personalities, extremely lowkey. All they are focused on is bringing back the trophy from the international league.

Until I saw Mix Battleteam’s jungler reserve 🙂

Is it a trend now for influencers to cross over to another scene?

I admit that this little broadcaster does have quite a lot of fans, and he’s quite good looking too. But look at his gaming techniques, no matter how it can’t be considered superb. Did Mix get their heads jammed in the door to choose such a reserve?

In addition, the announcement of this news was after his livestream with Fi-god’s alternate account a few days ago. Was this making preparations to admit him into the team?

What bullshit about helping to clear up the scandal? Talking about everlasting friendship, please f*cking have mercy on the eSports scene.

IndefiniteNoHomo? This broadcaster sets himself free and spouts obscenities every day, so good at selling a great fake personality.

Above are the scandals of IndefiniteFuture’s entire life.

If you’re unhappy come at me. 🙂 ]

CHAPTER 68 - WELCOME

[1st comment: Please stop starting things and be a f*cking human. They said he’s a reserve, reserve! Not even part of the starting lineup. If they got someone with good techniques, are people going to hate on Mix battleteam for not cherishing old ties?]

[2nd comment: Wake up, when have you seen Fi-god comply with sensationalizing? In your dreams?]

[3rd comment: You’ve got a point there. Don’t know what Mix is trying to do with this bout of things. Why not place the expectations of getting into the international league for this year on Tall Boots? My heart is also tired of seeing Mix’s manner of trying so hard to ruin themselves.]

[4th comment: Really taking competition as a regular match to trash rookies? Finding a broadcaster to perform, how arrogant is he? Hoho. ]

[5th comment: I suddenly have a bold thought. With a broadcaster at the base, wouldn’t he often livestream Fi-god’s day-to-day in a bid to gain popularity? ]

[6th comment: Do they have to act in accordance to you bunch of drama queen fans when it’s just finding a reserve? Then for this time around, I’m on IndefiniteFuture’s side. What did he do wrong? If Mix battleteam had not taken the initiative in recruiting him, could he have gotten into the team?]

[7th comment: Indeed, someone is friends with Fi-god…]

…

No matter how much he was being hated on outside, Ji Zhiyao did not bother at all.

In addition, his livestream contract had expired. He took into consideration that the livestreams that members were expected to do was with another livestream platform and thus did not renew the contract. For this week, he simply did not even enter the livestream room.

In the eyes of the outside world, his not turning on his livestream was purely to lie low.

Hence, their discussions became even more lively.

On Tuesdays, Ji Zhiyao was done with lessons, and the battleteam manager had contacted him earlier to go report. He boarded the bus and arrived at Mix base.

It was only his third time here, but there was a feeling of familiarity and ease.

Ji Zhiyao looked the contract before him that was a good seven to eight pages long and then glanced towards Yuan Wei and Mo Huaifeng, who were staring fixedly at him as if worried that he would suddenly take off in the middle of signing the contract. Lifting the corner of his lips, he flipped straight to the last page and signed his name.

Yuan Wei said, “Hm? You’re not going to read through again? Not afraid that you will get sold?”

Ji Zhiyao responded. “I personally feel that a living breathing jungler reserve is more valuable than raw pork.”

Mo Huaifeng commented. “Spoken with a lot of depth.”

Yuan Wei kept the contract and brought out another few pieces of papers. “This is the contract with Cateye Livestream: 40 hours of livestream every month. You continue to shine in this post. By the way, can you get them to join you when you livestream? Wanting them to remember to livestream by themselves is more difficult than sh*tting with constipation.”

Ji Zhiyao replied. “Okay, I will do my best to let them fall in love with this recreational activity that benefits both the body and mind.”

Who would have known that Mo Huaifeng would glance at him and say after a few seconds, “Don’t jinx it, it will come back and bite you.”

“…” Ji Zhiyao stared at him blankly.

Yuan Wei checked through the contract and did not find any problems, so he handed a timetable to Ji Zhiyao. “This is a training plan made according to your school timetable. Fortunately, you are a year one and do not have too many classes. Otherwise, there wouldn’t even be time to cooperate with training.”

Ji Zhiyao looked through it in detail. On Thursdays and Fridays when he had no lessons, together with the weekends, would be spent training at the base. For Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, he would have to go online to train with his teammates and must hit a training volume of minimally five hours a day. He is allowed to apply for leave for special occasions, not including periods of approaching examinations.

Overall, it suited his situation.

Ji Zhiyao kept the timetable. “Okay. Then I’ll return to school first.”

Hearing that, Yuan Wei said, “We have a room tidied up for you on the second floor. Take a look at the room before you go. There’s still time. I’ll go over to the club’s side to hand in the contract. Captain, I’m going to trouble you to bring our new teammate to check out his room.”

Leaving that sentence, Yuan Wei left in a hurry.

Mo Huaifeng had both hands in his pocket, and his nonchalant manner was especially handsome. “Come on, little reserve.”

Ji Zhiyao stood up and followed him upstairs while raising an opinion at the same time. “Fi-god, you are only four years older than me, so you really don’t have to keep using an amiable tone.”

Mo Huaifeng’s stopped in his steps going up the stairs. His narrowed eyes peeked over, filled with oppression.

Ji Zhiyao realized what he had done wrong. “… Sorry, Captain.”

“You get into your role pretty quickly.”

Walking to the room at the end of the corridor on the second level, Mo Huaifeng pushed opened the door and said, “The room was just tidied up yesterday and is not big. You’re staying alone, very convenient.”

Ji Zhiyao probed his head in and looked around. The room had a gray and white tone, clean and spacious. Right in the middle was a big bed, its dimensions slightly bigger than a single bed and looked soft and comfortable. There were several decorative articles on the study desk, and there were also decorative wall hangings on the wall. By the door was a bathroom. The space was small but complete.

Ji Zhiyao looked delighted and said with a smile, “Thank you, base. Thank you, Brother Yuan Wei. Thank you, Captain.”

Mo Huaifeng was unmoved by this word of thanks, only looked at him, and asked, “You’re not going to stay for a while more?”

“No, I’ll head back to school. I will pack some clothes by the way too. When classes end tomorrow, I’ll come to the base.” Ji Zhiyao waved. “I’ll go first, Captain.”

“I’ll send you?”

“I think there’s no need for that trouble…”

Mo Huaifeng pulled back his foot that was stretched out midway and nodded seriously. “Okay.”

Ji Zhiyao lifted his head to look at him. As if he recalled something, his expression suddenly became complicated. “Captain, I’ve been deceived by you.”

“What?”

“The first time I came to the base, I also didn’t want to let you send me, but you sent me to the opposite of my school.”

“I must be polite to someone I hardly know.” The corner of Mo Huaifeng’s eyes lifted, and the words he spoke were extremely mean. “Why are you so fussy? Are you a woman?”

“But we aren’t all that close now.”

“Yet, you are already a member of Mix. Welcome to the team dictator’s world.”

Ji Zhiyao very unwillingly became aware of this point. His obscenities were totally unable to outspeak this man with “I’m the team dictator I make the rules” all over his face. Hence, he rolled his eyes and went downstairs.

Mo Huaifeng followed behind, with the corner of his lips lifted.

“NoHomo.”

“Captain, what now?”

“Wait outside. I’m driving you back.”

“…??”

CHAPTER 69 - ADJUSTING

Mix base.

Five people sat adjoined, almost putting on all their ear-mics at the same time.

Nuo could not hold back a restless heart. Poking his head out from beside Mo Huaifeng, he shouted, “Big brother, how’s the touch?”

Similarly, Ji Zhiyao grinningly shouted in reply across a human-sized partition. “Not bad, it’s a better experience than all the cybercafes I’ve been to.”

That seemed to be the last straw for the person in middle, as he lifted his hands and pressed down a head on either side while not forgetting to taunt at the same time. “Half-hearted, if you don’t want to play, just leave. Letting either Xiaofei or Yuan Wei take your place would be better than having you two.”

Despite being forcibly marked by the Captain with animosity, Ji Zhiyao remained in high spirits, locked in an assassin in purple, and then entered the match after waiting for the countdown to end.

Today was Thursday. Counting the Wednesday night when there was no training, this was his second day since coming to stay at the base. Everything here had been great: there was an auntie to take care of them; there was internet speed at a few hundred Mbps per second and screens as clear as original standards. It was virtually a paradise that an internet-addicted youth dreamed of.

Everyone stayed in the rooms on the second level except Ji Zhiyao, and it was two people to a room. For this period of time since Xiao had returned home to recuperate from his hand injury, K, who shared a room with him, upgraded to a VIP single room.

Whereas Ji Zhiyao’s training plan was to first start with integrating into Mix’s current team battle style, and subsequently, it would be supplemented and guided by Xiao. This present stage was the first step.

The match began, and the Heroes valley appeared on the screen.

Unlike the several matches that he had played at Mix base a few weeks ago, this was Ji Zhiyao’s first time playing with the rest as a member since joining the team. Behind him even sat two almighty beings, the stats analyzer and coach. Hence, his expression was extremely fervent, and his mind was completely filled with thoughts like “I want to win I want to grasp the pace and carry the early game well.” His eyes also attentively shifted between the screen and the mini-map for fear that an ambush by any of his opponents would prevent him from developing in the early game.

His intensive concentration with such spirit was obviously very useful. In the earlier stages, their team’s jungler, by means of his strong predicting ability and observational skills, counter-ambushed the opponents who were going for a surprise attack three times, successfully building up an advantage. Though Nuo and Heng would start things together and get themselves killed from time to time, their team did not take long before clinching the victory of the match.

The split second when the sound effects sounded at the end of the match, Ji Zhiyao perked up his ears and heard from behind him the stats analyzer and coach muttering comments such as “the champion that Nuo picked was simply terrible, more practice is needed” and “K is simply too relaxed, he was almost battered to death during the third wave.” From start to the end, his name did not appear even once, and his tensed up nerves then eased as a slightly proud smile hung on his lips.

He had thought that no one could see just how pleased he was at heart, up until the next second when Mo Huaifeng spoke up.

“What you smiling at?”

Ji Zhiyao instinctively turned along the source of the voice to look towards Mo Huaifeng. At this point, his Captain had just twisted open a bottle of mineral water, and his careless manner made it seem like his question earlier was just casually raised.

Ji Zhiyao responded. “Ah, did I smile?”

Mo Huaifeng’s speed of drinking water became a little faster. After he was done, the bottle was placed back onto the table, and his chocolate brown eyes were filled with taunt. “Are you trying to say that I’m blind?”

“… I am not.”

Based on the principle “team dictator has the most power, team dictator is daddy,” Ji Zhiyao was instantly terrified. The smile on his lips fell by half as he said, “Just because we won the match, I’m quite happy.”

Mo Huaifeng seemed a little speechless. “Just a match with regular opponents, what’s there to be proud of?”

He had hit Ji Zhiyao’s sore spot, and he immediately flared up. “So what if it’s an average match? Are the opponents not Challenger ranked in an average match? I was originally just a regular player too.”

“You were a regular player whose skills weren’t as lousy. Don’t put yourself down.”

Ji Zhiyao’s eyes were almost reaching their sky in his eye roll, and when his vision dropped back, he coincidentally saw Nuo secretly laughing silently behind Mo Huaifeng. He suddenly turned his head as if he thought of something and found K and Heng’s expression to be even more exaggerated like they were about to die laughing… Knowing that his unscrupulous teammates had heard every word of the conversation he shared with Mo Huaifeng, Ji Zhiyao’s mentality collapsed right away.

He announced expressionlessly. “Captain, you look down on regular players. I want to upload a post on Weibo to condemn you.”

CHAPTER 70 - ALPHABET SONG

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Mo Huaifeng said, “Stop pinning labels on me. My body isn’t that big. ”

After a pause, he then said meaningfully, “We can see who exactly your fans will believe.”

Ji Zhiyao was about to die from his grievances.

Because he recalled how his close to two million fake fans on his Weibo would frequently comment “Fi-god is so handsome MelonRind you’re just a little step away,” he was very confused who exactly would the fake fans help if he were to be against Mo Huaifeng.

His heart was tired.

Still looking a little heated, he threw his phone aside indignantly. However, he was not angry for long before Heng suddenly brought up another topic.

Out of the blue.

“In these past few days, there’d been quite a lot of dogs starting things on Weibo and Tieba. NoHomo, have you seen them?”

The moment he ended his sentence, Heng received daggers from Mo Huaifeng’s eyes, icy cold. He instantly cursed to himself deep down.

Why had he not held back and spouted it out?

Ji Zhiyao did not see the fierce exchange of looks between the two and did not understand what was so deep about the question, only pausing before saying, “I didn’t see, was pretty busy recently. I had to pack my things and do the homework from tutors. What’s happening on Weibo and Tieba?”

The stats analyzer and coach who were initially about to urge them to continue with training looked at each other and went silent, wanting to let them finish discussing this matter completely before bringing up training.

Heng looked beggingly at Mo Huaifeng, but Mo Huaifeng had no desire to speak up, obviously implying that he should clean up his own mess. And facing Captain’s expression that was as dark as the bottom of a pot, Nuo and K did not even dare to open their mouths…

Hence, Heng could only suck it up, forming his sentences while biting the bullet and speaking. “Just… after you joined the team, there were some things said that weren’t nice. There were many people starting things…”

Ji Zhiyao understood then.

He rubbed his hair, opened his legs, and leaned back in the chair, even looking more relaxed and comfortable than before.

“So you were referring to those. I didn’t see them, but I can roughly guess.”

This answer was different from the one that he had imagined, and Heng froze. “Huh?”

Everyone’s gaze was concentrated on Ji Zhiyao.

Ji Zhiyao thought for a minute and said, “Actually, it’s really simple, just like how the top child in kindergarten who’d just mastered English alphabets invites university students who’d passed grade six English to an English language competition. Seeing this scene, most of the primary school, middle school, and high school students would talk asking if this child had lost his mind and also if the university student was crazy. To the public, I am the child who has lost his mind, and all of you are crazy—”

When he spoke to this point, Ji Zhiyao was hit, and his forehead was stinging with pain. The culprit drew back his hand with an aloof expression while reminding. “Speak properly.”

“…”

Ji Zhiyao seemed to have been hit silly, taking quite some time before remembering what he wanted to carry on, and said, “Same logic, as a person with average techniques, the moment I was personally chosen by you guys, such a situation has already begun. Of course, I am much stronger than a kindergarten child. My standards are at least past grade four English.”

“Online, there are a lot of people who feel utterly terrible when they do not find their sense of existence, and it’s impossible for me to stop them from typing by breaking their hands… Since the state of things is something that I cannot control, I can only practice and master my champions. When the time comes to step onto the tournament stage, to show them, although my English mastery is only at grade four, I will still completely beat you bunch of pigs who only know how to open your mouths and sing the alphabet song.”

With that, Ji Zhiyao stood up under the aghast gazes of everyone and took a bow. “I have completed my speech. Thank you, everyone.”

++++++