CH 3.2

The sweet feeling that he was going to meet this scene so soon made Xue Lan perk up his ears.

“Nothing.” Duan Wenzheng’s voice was still as casual as before. “Asked if I want to play professionally.”

“Holy shit!” Fatty gasped. “Another team wants you to play professionally!! Zheng-ge, I told you you’re good, these hands of yours are the hands of a king! LGW’s sniper position is weak. Shit, if you went to LGW, then wouldn’t I know a professional player?!”

Xue Lan knew that before Duan Wenzheng joined LGW, a lot of teams had extended an olive branch to him.

This feeling was very nuanced. He knew Duan Wenzheng would join LGW and would become The End’s sniper god. But this story’s lead protagonist, this Reset who made his blood race just by reading the words describing he would be in the arena…was at such a close distance from him.

“Not interested.”

Xue Lan came to his senses. Right, when Wen Yan found Duan Wenzheng after that game, he was refused by Duan Wenzheng who had no interest in esports at the time. Only then did he turn to the manager to contact him, eventually hitting the nail on the head.

“Not interested?!” Fatty’s scream that was like the sound of butchering roared in the headset. As though he had even provoked the other people in the internet cafe, he awkwardly cleared his throat before lowering his voice:

“Go play professionally! Zheng-ge, we don’t really understand your situation, but, you’ve played this game for a month with us in this small internet cafe so this shows that you like this game. You play so well, why should you play in this small internet cafe with us? That’s LGW you’re talking about!”

“Not interested,” Duan Wenzheng said, casually knocking down the two enemy assaulters as he lay in ambush.

Fatty gasped in shock. “Look at your hands, it’s the hands of a professional player no matter how you look at it!!”

Duan Wenzheng’s micromanagement4 was indeed excellent. This map was larger than the previous map which gave snipers the upper hand and had already become Duan Wenzheng’s hunting ground.

“Zheng-ge, I’ve always thought that you’re not the same as us dawdling here, probably came to rest in the internet cafe after running away from home.”

Duan Wenzheng didn’t speak; Fatty persitently continued, “But as a brother5 of course I hope you can have a good life. Since you can play the game and can make it as an official career, you might be able to make a lot of money!

“And look at Wen Yan, he’s caught up with celebrities! Look at how many fans and how many small internet celebrities are chasing him…”

“Cough…” Lao Qi unnaturally cleared his throat, cutting off Fatty.

But Fatty didn’t understand his hint. “What happened to you Lao Qi, is your throat not well?”

“…”

“Zheng-ge, we’re speaking about Wen Yan, The End’s number one assaulter! To play and become like him is truly winning at life, becoming the symbol of the era! I also heard that a lot of small internet celebrities outdo one another to confess…Ey, Lao Qi, which small internet celebrity did you say has always chased after Wen Yan?”

“Cough cough!!” Lao Qi coughed again at the top of his voice.

“Lao Qi what’s wrong?” Fatty stopped talking and said doubtfully, “Go see a doctor if you’re sick, don’t infect me.”

“…” Lao Qi nearly suffered from suffocation.

Xue Lan calmly followed behind Duan Wenzheng. After he contemplated, he explained:

BabyCandy: The person you’re talking about is probably me.

“…”

BabyCandy: But I won’t anymore.

“Right right, there are plenty more fish in the sea. You’re so beautiful, so Wen Yan definitely doesn’t deserve you!” Fatty almost bit his tongue off. “I think Wen Yan is also not that amazing. Sister you’re so awesome, why don’t you play professionally? You can lead the team and eliminate LGW in minutes! Besides, didn’t we make a comeback a while ago? What professional player, didn’t four of us still win!”

“…”

Four…Xue Lan facepalmed.

“What four, don’t go flattering yourself.” Lao Qi laughed as he quipped, “Wasn’t that game because Zheng-ge was awesome, how did it have anything to do with you!”

“Right!” Fatty slapped his thigh. He said in excitement, “That’s right, who’s Wen Yan, it’s our Zheng-ge who’s awesome! The rising star in the esports circle and maybe the future ‘The End’s’ sniper god! I say sister, what do you think, do you want to…consider our Zheng-ge?”

At first, Xue Lan thought this Fatty had the vision of a blind cat that finds a dead mouse6, actually able to hit the title “sniper god”, but the next sentence immediately made his hand shake—he pressed down the purification skill used to temporarily purify radiation area.

Embarrassed, Xue Lan hoped no one noticed, but caught a very low laugh in the headset.

The headset lingered with the clamor of questions and the low laughter that seemed to be near his ears. Despite knowing that Fatty was just trying to change the subject and meant no ill jest, it still made Xue Lan flustered.

But there was a problem. Since Duan Wenzheng was present, he had to explain himself. After all, he didn’t want to be classified as Duan Wenzheng’s “rival in love” later.

BabyCandy: I do want to play professionally, but nothing to do with Wen Yan.

Baby Candy: Also.

Xue Lan’s hands paused. Then typed out—

BabyCandy: I am male.

Footnote:

4 In games, micromanagement, also known as micro, is the selection of gameplay elements by the player to improve combat efficiency.

5 Not necessarily blood-related, familiar term of address for a younger man

6 Blind luck