Captain, I Beg You to Give Me an Official Status [E-sports] - Chapter 2

In the final match of the Grand Finals, Xu Ziqi only remembered the player with the ID “Lifetaker,” who had been on the professional scene for less than a year. When facing an encirclement in the housing area, Lifetaker used the DBS in his hand and a single fragmentation grenade to take down three kills, only to eventually step into flames and fall outside the circle.

Newcomers constantly emerged on the scene, but in recent years, the only one who could truly be called a “descending genius” was the man currently standing on the awards podium.

Xu Ziqi was in no hurry to end his stream; he stayed to watch the FMVP award ceremony.

At that moment, Sheng Huanian stood motionless on the stage, looking like he was in a foul mood. Perhaps it was because he was naturally cold and rarely smiled, or perhaps he simply could not smile because his team had lost the championship by a mere five points.

In the camera frame, the newcomer’s gaze was sharp, the corners of his eyes long and narrow. There was a tiny scar near the corner of his mouth, no larger than a fingernail, which looked to be quite old. His appearance was unique; his eyes were a deep brown, giving him an exotic look at first glance. This was because his grandfather was a foreigner, and those beautiful, deep-set eyes had skipped a generation to be inherited by him.

He was very tall. Standing next to the female host, she had to look up to see his face.

Facing the host’s interview, Sheng Huanian always answered with a single, brief sentence.

Just then, the director cut to a close-up, pushing the lens almost directly into Sheng Huanian’s face. His eyes, which had been naturally looking down, suddenly lifted, revealing a face with immense impact.

Xu Ziqi happened to look up at that moment and once again felt that this person looked familiar. He just could not remember if he had seen him somewhere other than the arena. He thought for a few seconds but still had no clue. His right hand quickly returned to the mouse as he bid farewell to the viewers in a low voice. “Logging off.”

After closing the stream, Xu Ziqi walked out of his room. Passing the training room, he saw two other teammates at their stations practicing their aim and playing ranked matches. Holding his water cup, he walked past them quickly toward the meeting room on the third floor.

When he pushed the door open, two people were sitting inside. The one wearing glasses was the head coach of Team TK, Lot, while the other was the team manager, Qiqi, whom Xu Ziqi had known for many years.

Qiqi looked up and tilted his chin toward Xu Ziqi. “Finished streaming?”

Xu Ziqi sat down directly and nodded. “Yes. I logged off after the match ended.”

Coach Lot looked very refined, but when he criticized the players, his mouth moved like a machine gun and his eyes would bulge. However, he was usually easy to get along with. Xu Ziqi had known him for several years, and this was the first year they were at the same club as player and coach.

The private conversation was informal. Lot looked at Xu Ziqi and said, “I spoke with those two. They intend to transfer.”

The “those two” Lot referred to were the other two starting members besides Paipai.

Xu Ziqi was not surprised at all. He remained perfectly calm and asked, “Is it confirmed?”

“Yes,” Lot nodded. “Since they want to leave, we will not force them to stay. We will just list them for transfer when the window opens.”

“Alright.” Xu Ziqi looked up. “And then? Did you call me here just to say that?”

Qiqi, sitting nearby, spoke up. “You have to play in the exhibition match next week. The club tried to fight it, but there was no way around it. You understand how it is.”

Xu Ziqi accepted the unavoidable arrangement. “Fine.”

“Also, look at this.” Lot handed over a tablet displaying a gameplay video of an unfamiliar player. “His name is Jax, a trainee from 5Stars. He is a flex player. His mechanics and awareness look good, so I plan to talk to them about a loan.”

Xu Ziqi looked at it for a minute before pushing the tablet back. “The coaching staff can decide. I have no objections. I will follow the plan.”

Lot and Qiqi exchanged a glance. Lot took the tablet back and said, “Alright. I will let you know once there is an update. Nothing is settled yet anyway.”

Xu Ziqi stood up. “Fine. Anything else?”

Qiqi stared at him. “No. You can go.”

“Okay.”

Once Xu Ziqi closed the meeting room door, Lot spoke up, his tone sounding a bit dejected. “He has changed.”

Qiqi withdrew his gaze and looked down. “The past year or so has been quite a blow to him. His sharp edges have almost been ground away.” He quickly added, “It is fine, do not worry. He will naturally come to discuss it with us when the transfer window opens.”

Upon leaving the meeting room, Xu Ziqi intended to return to his room for ranked matches, but Paipai called out to him as he walked out of the training room.

“Want to go eat?”

Before the already full Xu Ziqi could utter a word, Paipai grabbed his sleeve and pulled him toward the sofa. “Core called you. He said you would not go, but I want to go. Come with me!”

Xu Ziqi shook his arm but did not use force to break Paipai’s grip. “I am not going. I just ate.”

Paipai acted as if he had not heard him. He gripped Xu Ziqi’s arm with both hands and dragged him into a taxi.

Xu Ziqi sighed and leaned against the back of the seat. “It is their victory celebration. Why are we going?”

Paipai smiled. “It is not a victory banquet, just a casual meal. Their internal team celebration hasn’t happened yet. They said they would wait a few days until SDD’s hand injury is better.”

Xu Ziqi took out his phone and saw a message sent by the 5Stars shot-caller, Core, a few minutes ago.

Core: Hurry up. We are waiting for you guys to start serving the food. I am starving. ZD: Just left. Core: OK OK. I knew Paipai could drag you out. You have to have a few drinks later. ZD: Fine.

As soon as Xu Ziqi put his phone down, Paipai said, “Brother, can you please not go back to your room to play games these next few days? Play duo queue with me in the training room. Otherwise, it is very awkward for me to be left alone with those two.”

“What is there to be awkward about?”

Paipai scowled. “I just feel awkward being with them.”

Xu Ziqi glanced at him and said in a low voice, “I only went back today because of the stream. I will still play in the training room.”

Paipai smiled. “That is good then.”

They arrived at the barbecue shop about ten minutes later. The TK base was close to the arena, and the players who had just finished the Grand Finals had found a nearby shop they frequently visited.

As soon as they pushed the door open, Core, who was sitting near the door, stood up and patted Xu Ziqi’s shoulder. “You are finally here.”

Xu Ziqi scanned the people in the room. They were all familiar faces he could talk to privately. He looked at Core and smiled as he congratulated him. “Champion shot-caller, sorry to keep you waiting.”

Core pulled his arm, clearly in a great mood. “It is worth waiting for you. After all, you are a five-time champion. I have to look up to you.”

These two were the first players each had met on the first day of their professional careers. Their friendship had lasted until today. Once famous as an Assaulter and a Cover-fire specialist, many fans had wanted to see them on the same team. But now that both were shot-callers, it was unlikely they would ever be on the same team again.

The seats next to Core were specifically reserved for them. After Xu Ziqi sat down, Core leaned in and whispered, “Members of Team Wing are also here, in the private room next door.”

Xu Ziqi froze for a second and turned to look at him.

Core frowned, feeling helpless as well. “I just found out. I ran into them when I went out to use the restroom.”

Xu Ziqi turned to unpack his tableware and nodded with a cold reaction. “Okay.”

It was no big deal.

It was just that during the two seasons he was benched, he had argued many times with Wing’s coaching staff and management, and had even gotten into a physical fight with one of their current players. They had vowed never to speak again.

Xu Ziqi did not take it to heart. He chatted happily with the dozen people at the table, and the wine glasses were never empty.

Later, when he walked out of the private room with slightly weak legs, Xu Ziqi’s consciousness was still very clear. He just needed a moment to steady himself after standing up. Just as he pushed the door open and began following the wall to find the restroom, two figures appeared a few steps ahead. They had just walked out of another private room.

That annoying back.

Xu Ziqi felt that even looking at it once was enough to dirty his eyes.

A few steps ahead, the two men were drinking heavily and failed to notice Xu Ziqi behind them. They were still walking with their arms around each other’s shoulders, laughing and talking.

“No matter how badly we played, it is still better than failing to make the finals and spectating from home, right?” one person said with a sharp, giggling voice. “That loser really thought he could play well after transferring. His aim is soft as hell; only that group of female fans treats him like a human being.”

The other man’s lips curled up, yet he spoke words of fake restraint. “Save that talk for now. Do not say it in front of them, or that kid will put on a cold face again.”

“Do I look like I am afraid of him? He is just a pretender who relies on…”

The words stopped there as Pact’s shoulder was slammed hard by someone. The person passing him said in a contemptuous tone, “You are so impressive. Since you love talking behind people’s backs so much, why don’t you focus on bringing your KD up from zero-point-something?”

Pact’s face changed instantly. It was not the embarrassment of being caught, but the impulse to rush up and fight this person. And that is exactly what happened. He had just taken a step forward while cursing when he was held back by his teammate.

Xu Ziqi stopped. When he turned back, a smile played on his lips, carrying a natural sense of provocation. “What is the rush? Aside from playing dirty tricks behind people’s backs, can you only use your fists?”

Pact shouted loudly, “You think you are so great? So great that you can only watch us play from your house!”

Xu Ziqi smiled and said calmly, “I can only see your abstract plays when I am at home. Your KD improves by zero-point-one every season. In another five years, your KD might finally break one. Congratulations in advance.”

Pact stared with wide, vicious eyes, his chest heaving. His shouting grew louder, quickly attracting the waiters and other players from the private rooms.

Core and Paipai were the first to reach Xu Ziqi’s side, separating him from the red-eyed man who looked like he wanted to bite someone.

Xu Ziqi did not care to entangle himself with an idiot, nor did he want to be a spectacle. He suppressed his need to use the restroom. As he walked back toward his room, he passed several people who were familiar but whom he wished he had never known.

Xu Ziqi did not even give them a direct look, but he could feel the many gazes following him.

Behind him, Pact had been surrounded by people. Almost all the Wing players were there. Only a tall man dressed entirely in black stood by the door of their private room, his feet not moving an inch.

Back in their room, the Wing shot-caller, who was a veteran transfer, looked at Pact’s furious state. Sensing that the earlier behavior was dangerous, he immediately asked, “What is the situation? Why did you start a fight?”

Pact was pushed into his seat, panting heavily with eyes red from rage. “That bastard! He just walked up and slammed into me! How the hell am I supposed to know what is going on? He is a total bastard. He can’t even make the finals, yet I still have to run into him here! He is truly brain-dead!”

Just as someone was about to offer comfort, a very cold voice followed, causing the atmosphere to tighten instantly.

“It is not his fault that he didn’t make the finals. Is there any point in using that against him?”

Pact snapped to his feet, pointing a trembling finger at Sheng Huanian standing by the door. He could not choke out a single word for a long time.

Sheng Huanian had no intention of listening to Pact. After leaving that sentence which froze the entire room, he picked up his phone from the table and left the room without saying a word.

Sheng Huanian could hear Pact shouting, “Is this a teammate? He is siding with…”

He could no longer hear it; he left quickly.

In the neighboring room, Xu Ziqi acted as if nothing had happened. Faced with many questions, he only said two words: “It’s fine.”

Core was the only one in the room who knew the specific details of their conflict, so he did not ask more. He just looked angry and said, “Do not bother with that idiot. He has a screw loose.”

Xu Ziqi endured the discomfort in his stomach and downed another glass, the tips of his ears turning slightly red. “I know.”

Their group was the first to leave. When they walked out, the door to the neighboring room was still closed, with voices still coming from within. Xu Ziqi went directly downstairs and pushed the door open. The moment the cool wind hit his face, a familiar voice came from his side.

This person seemed hidden in the darkness, and even his voice carried a chill.

“Can I ask you something?”

Xu Ziqi steadied his steps. As he turned his head to find the source of the voice, the first thing he saw was Sheng Huanian’s eyes.

Unlike the dark night, they were brilliant, like amber.