WCG Chapter 76

Xie Xu’s simple “I’ll listen to you” had Jiang Shi excited the entire night. During training, he played aggressively and relentlessly, earning MVP in every game.  Jiang Shi’s stellar performance motivated (pressured) the rest of the team.  

What started as extra training for just Jiang Shi and Xie Xu somehow turned into all five team members sitting neatly in the training room late into the night.  

The room was filled only with the sounds of occasional in-team communications and the constant clatter of keyboard keys.  

Yuan Yang, who had finished his tasks and was about to head downstairs to rest, noticed the training room lights were still on.  

His brows furrowed. Who left the lights on again?  

He pushed open the door, and immediately his eyes fell on five neatly aligned backs of heads—all intensely focused on their games, with no sign of slacking.  

Yuan Yang’s gaze swept from left to right and back again several times. Finally, he rubbed his eyes, ensuring he wasn’t dreaming.  

Earlier, he’d told the team they could relax a bit after defeating Lion today, never expecting the training room would still be buzzing at this hour.  

Deeply moved, Yuan Yang took out his phone and snapped a photo, posting it to his WeChat moments. 

[This year’s championship is already TLG’s! fist.jpg ] 

The esports scene, being a night owl’s world, quickly noticed.  

[Lion’s Old Dog: ?]  

[ST’s Manager Baibai: You’re quite arrogant, Lao Yuan.] 

[Sun: I screenshotted and showed this to those little brats, let them learn from it! )Also, don’t post things like this late at night, I was just about to sleep. sad.jpg)]  

[MR-yaowan: Is the second from the left Time? Without that tuft of white hair, I wouldn’t have spotted him.]  

Jiang Shi’s sharp ears caught the buzzing of Yuan Yang’s phone. He turned around, “Yang-ge?”  

Seeing yaowan’s comment, Yuan Yang quickly pocketed his phone and approached, wearing a kind smile. “Still training, huh? Good, keep it up! Today’s win against Lion is just the beginning. To win the championship, we need to work even harder!”  

“Stop the chicken soup, Yang-ge,” Jiang Lele interrupted, waving his own phone. “You’re already boasting in your moments about us winning the championship.”  

Yuan Yang coughed awkwardly, “You don’t understand. That’s a tactic to mislead the enemy.”  

He promised those teams wouldn’t be able to sleep well tonight. 

“Keep at it. I’ll head out soon.” Yuan Yang beamed with satisfaction. “I won’t disturb you.”  He’s old and couldn’t stand to sleep too late.

As he left, he softly shut the door behind him.  

A while later, Jiang Lele, yawning, turned to the person next to him. “T Bao, aren’t you going to sleep?”  

They all ate the same meals, so how was this guy so full of energy?  

Jiang Shi’s mouse hovered over the “Start Game” button, but he didn’t press it. Instead, he countered, “Why aren’t you sleeping?”  

When are these lightbulbs going to leave?  

After speaking, he couldn’t help rubbing his eyes. Hours of focus had made them sore.  

Noticing Jiang Shi’s action, Xie Xu exited their duo queue. “No more playing. Rest early.”  

With Xie Xu stepping away, Jiang Shi had no reason to continue training. He stood up, and the others, relieved, quickly scattered.  

Three minutes later, Yuan Yang reopened the training room door, adding several snacks to his online cart. “What do you want for a midnight snack? My treat. Order whatever you like.”  

But as soon as he asked, there was no response.  

Puzzled, he looked up to find the once-packed training room completely empty. Even Jiang Lele’s computer was still on.  

Yuan Yang: “?”  

Stepping back, he yelled toward the third floor, where faint footsteps echoed, “You stinky brats! How many times do I have to tell you to turn off your computers and lights before leaving?!”  

Meanwhile, Jiang Shi, in the middle of washing up, vaguely heard Yuan Yang’s voice but didn’t pay it much mind. After finishing, he couldn’t resist brushing his teeth a second time and checking his breath in his palm.  

It was refreshingly minty.  

Though he hadn’t managed to secure alone time for their duo queue, Xie Xu had agreed to let him come over.  

Once the others were settled, Jiang Shi tiptoed out.  

Sitting on his bed for ten minutes, he finally heard the footsteps outside quiet. Stifling a yawn, he adjusted his outfit in the mirror.  

His bear-print pajamas were still cute, though the collar and hem had pilled from frequent wear. 

Jiang Shi plucked off a few larger lint balls before sneaking out the door.  

The hallway’s motion sensor lights had dimmed, leaving only the faint glow of floor lights.  

On tiptoe, Jiang Shi approached Xie Xu’s door. Just as he raised his hand to knock, he caught sight of a faint white flash in his peripheral vision.  

His phone buzzed in his pocket—it was the TLG team chat.  

[The Group’s Most Handsome Guy Jiang Lele: Little White Hair really went to knock on Captain’s door! I told you these two are sus!]  

Attached was a grainy, dark photo.  

[The Group’s Most Handsome Guy Jiang Lele: I secretly took this. Didn’t dare use flash, but you can faintly make out Time’s white hair.]  

[Back: Did he go in?]  

[Nine-ge: Didn’t we train for a long time tonight? Maybe Time’s just asking Captain some questions?]  

Zhao Jiu the pure, honest man still refused to believe anything beyond innocence, convinced Jiang Shi was just a hardworking kid. In his view, Jiang Shi’s dedication and Xie Xu’s mentorship formed a purely professional dynamic.  

[Nine-ge: Don’t spy on him. Time’s shy, he’d be embarrassed if caught.]  

[The Group’s Most Handsome Guy Jiang Lele: It’s one thing for Yang-ge to be deceived, but you rank with them every day. You seriously believe their relationship is pure?]  

[The Group’s Most Handsome Guy Jiang Lele: I swear on Back’s national jungler title for this season, Little White Hair’s going in and won’t come out tonight.]  

[The Group’s Most Handsome Guy Jiang Lele: Wait for my news, I’ll continue to wait here.]

But before he could put his phone back, another message pop up in the chat.  

[Obedient Jiangjiang: Jiang Lele, I’m not dead.]  

[Obedient Jiangjiang: slight smile.jpg]  

Jiang Lele stared at the smiling emoji, a chill running down his spine. Slowly, he lifted his gaze to see Jiang Shi’s expressionless face illuminated by his phone screen.  

“Fuck!” Jiang Lele let out a shriek and bolted for his room, but Jiang Shi swiftly shut the door with a sharp click.  

Jiang Lele: “…”  

He kicked off his shoes in a panic, activating every hallway light as he fled.  

Finally, he banged on Yu Hui’s door, wailing, “Back! Save your Baobao[mfn]the same Bao like in T Bao. It means treasure, and in this context, it’s closer to “darling/sweetheart”[/mfn]!” 

Jiang Shi was about to chase after him, but Yu Hui’s door opened just in time for Jiang Lele to dart inside.  

Zhao Jiu, who’d come out to investigate the commotion, chuckled and intervened. “Xiao Shi, don’t make a fuss. Rest up. Whatever it is, it can wait until tomorrow.”  

Zhao Jiu’s fatherly concern left Jiang Shi stuck in an awkward position, ultimately retreating to his room.  

Collapsing onto his bed, he punched the soft covers in frustration before sending Xie Xu a message.  

[Obedient Jiangjiang: Just wait ten more minutes. I’ll come over.]  

[Xu: Mm.]  

Jiang Shi stared at Xie Xu’s brief reply, unable to suppress a smile. He buried his face in the covers for a moment to contain his giddiness.  

Had he started a secret love affair with Xie Xu so early? 

Kind of refreshing, honestly.  

Jiang Shi flipped over, watching the clock count down. His eyes were sore, and he couldn’t resist closing them for just a moment to rest…  

---

When Jiang Shi opened his eyes again, he was greeted by the blinding sunlight outside the window. He pulled the blanket back over his head.  

Damn it! He had forgotten to close the curtains before going to bed last night.  

Three minutes later, Jiang Shi shot up from his bed like a carp flipping out of water, his face blank with shock.  

Crap! He overslept last night and didn’t go to Xie Xu’s room!  

Jiang Shi quickly got out of bed, dressed, and rushed to wash up. As he opened the door to leave, he found Yuan Yang standing there with a cheerful smile.  

“Morning, Xiao Shi. Go downstairs for breakfast, then get ready to review last night’s matches.”  

Standing at Xie Xu’s door, Yuan Yang’s presence blocked any chance Jiang Shi had of sneaking into the room. Under Yuan Yang’s watchful eyes, he had no choice but to head downstairs.  

As soon as Jiang Shi sat at the dining table, Yuan Yang’s booming voice echoed from the third floor: “Get up and come eat, all of you!”  

The others, exhausted from last night’s extra training, dragged themselves downstairs, looking like they had just woken from a long hibernation.  

Jiang Shi nervously glanced at Xie Xu sitting next to him.  

Did Xie Xu wait for him for a long time last night?  

Feeling guilty, Jiang Shi pushed his favorite wontons in front of Xie Xu. “I accidentally fell asleep last night.”  

The intense game against Lion combined with the extended training had completely drained him. The moment his head hit the pillow, he was out like a light.  

Xie Xu accepted the wontons and said calmly, “I didn’t wait for long.”  

Jiang Shi sighed in relief. “That’s good.”  

But Yuan Yang cut into their quiet conversation with a serious tone. “Xu, if you can’t handle it, don’t mess around with them like that. Look at those heavy dark circles under your eyes.”  

He had always been against Xie Xu overtraining, worried that it would lead to injuries like tenosynovitis. It was a career-ending risk for many players, and Yuan Yang didn’t want Xie Xu to meet the same fate.  

“You’re turning 24 this year. Do you think you can keep up with Xiao Shi and the others like before?”  

There was a clatter as Xie Xu’s wonton slipped from his spoon back into the bowl.  

Xie Xu calmly set the spoon down and looked up. “I still have nine months until I turn 24.”  

Yuan Yang raised a brow. “And? Are you saying you’re practically 30? That’s not quite it.”  

Xie Xu: “…”  

After breakfast, the team gathered in the meeting room to review the matches.  

Yuan Yang pointed out each player’s mistakes before using Xie Xu’s first-person perspective to replay key moments.  

Xie Xu’s game sense was top-tier, the best in the league. Watching from his perspective helped the others understand the correct strategies and improved their gameplay.  

Everyone asked Xie Xu questions during the review. Everyone except Jiang Shi. Having played numerous games alongside Xie Xu, Jiang Shi already knew the answers to most of the questions.  

Instead, he tilted his head and stared at the replay, mentally counting the number of times Xie Xu checked on each teammate during the game.  

In three games, Xie Xu looked at Zhao Jiu 15 times, Jiang Lele 20 times, and Yu Hui 23 times.  

But he checked Jiang Shi 30 times.  

One time, Jiang Shi was dived by three opponents under the tower. Xie Xu instinctively moved to help but turned back at the last second to assist Jiang Lele with a turret push, salvaging the situation.  

Xie Xu treated him differently.  

Of course, that might just be because Jiang Shi was the ADC and the core of the team’s strategy.  

Still, Jiang Shi couldn’t help but feel a twinge of joy. But the next moment, he remembered something, and his smile faded.  

During their trio queue last night, Xie Xu had ignored him because of his ex-boyfriend.  

Was it really such a big deal?  

Once the review was over, Yuan Yang announced, “We’ve got three scrims today. The first starts in thirty minutes. Everyone, get ready.”  

Jiang Shi had to set aside his plans to cozy up to Xie Xu and soothe his mood.  

By the time they finished three scrims and the post-game analysis, it was already dark outside.  

Jiang Lele slumped in his chair in the training room, barely holding on. “Back, order me a strawberry milkshake to keep me alive. I’m dying.”  

Yu Hui: “Order it yourself.”  

Just as Jiang Lele was about to drag himself up, Xie Xu spoke.  

“I’ve ordered supper and milk tea. It’ll arrive in half an hour. Good work today, everyone.”  

Jiang Lele’s energy instantly returned. He folded his hands and playfully bowed toward Xie Xu. “Long live the captain!”  

He was about to add something else but noticed Jiang Shi was still watching the replay of their last scrim.  

At the ten-minute mark, Jiang Shi had made a mistake, giving the opponent an opportunity to capitalize.  

When Xie Xu arrived late to the scene and saw Jiang Shi’s body, he turned and left without a word.  

Jiang Lele rolled his chair over to Jiang Shi and patted him on the shoulder. “T Bao, it’s okay. Everyone makes mistakes.”  

Jiang Shi sighed. “I was too impatient at that moment.”  

Jiang Lele gave him a sympathetic look. “I get it. Failing to shine in front of the captain hurts. Don’t worry, I’ll give you an extra drumstick at supper. Cheer up~”  

Jiang Shi shoved Jiang Lele’s chair away. “Go solo queue tonight and lose all your points.”  

Yuan Yang asked Zhao Jiu and Yu Hui to try a new cooperation tactic, and he had already made an appointment with Xie Xu for a double queue. Jiang Lele wanted to tag in their queue. 

Jiang Lele wasn’t fazed. “The captain would never abandon poor little Lele.”  

He turned to Xie Xu with a pleading look.

Jiang Shi couldn’t stand watching Jiang Lele acting spoiled, so he stepped in to block him completely.  

Before Jiang Lele could brush him aside, Xie Xu said, “Jiang Shi is the one who sent the match invite.” 

In other words, Jiang Lele needed to negotiate with Jiang Shi.  

Jiang Lele glanced at Jiang Shi’s smug grin and scoffed. “Pathetic!”  

“Fine, I’ll solo queue. Who wants to listen to your lousy mic anyway?”  

Because of today’s packed schedule, Jiang Shi was too lazy to apply for a new microphone. So Yuan Yang said that he would bring a new one over tomorrow morning.

Jiang Lele muttered, “Only the captain can stand listening to you from that shitty microphone.”

These two children bickering had become a staple for TLG. Zhao Jiu, seeing this, only laughed at them. “Speaking of this, I remember that Xu once queued for a long time with a kid with a strange voice.”

TLG was in chaos during that period. South suddenly transferred out, and TLG couldn’t find an AD with the same strength, so they had to let An take over. However, Xu and An’s playstyles were very different, making their combination hard to polish. 

At that time, some people even predicted that they would not even qualify for the Summer Split.

“The captain duo queued with that kid after training, and he sounded very good.”

At that time, Xu was very depressed. Everyone only knew that he was training all day. One day, Zhao Jiu went to the training room to get something, and there, he heard the vague and strange microphone sound.

 ——Zhao Jiu’s recollection made Jiang Shi’s duo queue with Xie Xu tonight particularly silent.

After a match, Xie Xu finally spoke. “If you have questions, just ask.”  

Jiang Shi tapped a few random keys before blurting out, “It’s nothing serious. I have an ex, you have a late-night duo queue partner. We’re even. Neither of us gets to be jealous.”  

But then he turned to Xie Xu, his tone suddenly tense. “So… who do you like more, me or him?”  

Xie Xu paused. “It’s the same.”  

Jiang Shi: “?”  

He could practically hear the sound of a vinegar jar smashing to pieces.  

Jiang Shi pulled off his headset, gritting his teeth. “Who is he?”  

Xie Xu chuckled at his fiery expression. “Why?”  

Jiang Shi stared at him intently. “I’m going to get rid of him.”