CH 15.2

Punishment (2)

“Wen Yan?” The training camp manager was surprised. “Why are you here so early…”

“No need to play another game,” Wen Yan repeated. “Reset did not cheat.”

The person next to Wen Yan raised his eyebrows. After hearing what he said, he followed and agreed. “Since the person concerned has said so, are you all convinced now? You also know how much it will harm the career of an e-sports player to be accused of such a label. Since you know, you should apologize for the slander no?”

Everyone did not expect Wen Yan would actually speak up for the sniper who shot him in the live stream.

Everyone looked at one another. The shame of losing the game and the awkwardness being discovered of the remarks made behind his back all this time made them lower their heads in embarrassment.

That person’s voice sounded familiar. Xue Lan couldn’t help but trail his gaze toward the person speaking, only for their eyes to meet and he quite unnaturally looked away.

This person…

Xue Lan remembered.

It was the person who was with Wen Yan when Duan Wenzheng and Wen Yan met before. Seeing him wearing the LGW uniform, acting familiar with Wen Yan, and also speaking for Duan Wenzheng, he should be LGW’s other teammate, Zhou Kanqing.

Before he could think further, he heard Wen Yan speak again.

“Recently there have been some matters with the team, causing untimely handling of the matters on the internet. Soon I will be clearing up this matter.”

Xue Lan’s eyes brightened.

In the original novel, although Wen Yan won the ranked match and tossed an olive branch to Duan Wenzheng, there was a rumor of Duan Wenzheng’s cheating soon after, and after Duan Wenzheng came to the training camp, Wen Yan appeared and cleared up this problem, making new progress between the two’s relationship.

Seeing this, although Duan Wenzheng came to the training camp earlier, everything was still going according to the original work’s direction. Because of this matter, the two slowly got closer and got along in the training camp…

With this thought, Xue Lan’s sparkling eyes turned toward Duan Wenzheng again, but just as his eyes met with Duan Wenzheng’s, he was choked surprised by his gaze.

The corner of Duan Wenzheng’s eyes raised. Being stared at with this kind of look, Xue Lan felt his heart go weak.

Was it because… he just looked at Wen Yan?

They started to catch feelings so early?!

Xue Lan remembered the look of Duan Wenzheng who was provoked because the “Xue Lan” in the original work coveted Wen Yan time and time again, and in the end he suffered from him both in-game and in reality… He quickly retracted his gaze and over cautiously stood properly, determined to clamp both his legs together and behave himself, and assiduously play professionally.

“Everyone knows LGW’s Wind, so I don’t have to give much introduction.”

The training camp manager cleared his throat. “Every year, our training camp will provide the best talents for all professional teams. This place is the only way for players who want to head toward their dream of becoming professional e-sports players. I am your chief examiner, you can call me Manager Ke.

“This time, Wind is here as a special coach. You must already know the influence he has in Dawn of the Apocalypse. I hope you will seize this chance and learn well, and also hope that there will be star players among you in the future who will have the same achievements as Wind and be recorded in the entire e-sports history.”

Manager Ke’s words made Wen Yan frown, but everyone who’s dreamed of becoming a professional player’s eyes were glimmering.

Maybe becoming someone like Wind was the best dream of every person who liked Dawn of the Apocalypse.

But this did not include Xue Lan.

The person he wanted to become was…

“However—” The manager’s raised voice brought everyone back to their senses. “We cannot annul the training camp’s system. The nature of this matter is bad, to those who are involved, everyone’s qualification to take part in the first points match will be revoked.”

“What?!”

Everyone was terrified.

In the training camp, the strengthening training day after day and the daily big and small test matches were routine, but the points match that would be in the assessment results were only four. Through these four games, the training camp would use a comprehensive system evaluation of every player’s progress as an important reference to select players for all teams other than the finals.

At least two-thirds of the new students participated in the solo game earlier. Everyone’s complexion became ghastly pale from hearing Manager Ke’s words.

“I was the one who started the computer first without authorization. If you want to hand punishment, just punish me alone.”

These words made everyone’s attention settle on Xue Lan again. Even Duan Wenzheng’s smiling lips faded. But Xue Lan calmly looked at Manager Ke.

Manager Ke did not bat an eyelid as he sized up the young man before him.

Wen Yan, who was standing on one side, started to speak. “Manager Ke, these are all new trainees, since it’s the first offense…”

“Since Wind interceded, you will be exempted from the punishment this time.”

Seeing Manager Ke follow Wen Yan’s words and drop the punishment, everyone became relieved. But they had not completely relaxed when they heard him continue—

“But the training camp is not a place without rules,” Manager Ke said as he shifted his gaze onto Xue Lan. “Since you started it, you don’t have to join the first points match…”

“What?!”

At this moment, a familiar voice cut off Manager Ke’s words with a cold laugh—

“Since everyone is not punished, why is he the only one punished?”