Desire to Lure [Esports] - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next day, Yu Wenzhi finished grooming himself and headed to Xu Rui’s office.

Upon pushing the door open, he found Xu Rui holding a framed photograph, weeping silently. Every five seconds on average, he would let out a heavy sob, wipe his tears with his sleeve, and add a frail, light cough for effect.

Yu Wenzhi pulled over a chair and sat opposite Xu Rui, elegantly crossing his legs as he watched with a mild expression.

Manager Xu, the famous “crybaby” of the TEA team. It was said that back in the day, he had literally cried Choi Kyung-sung all the way over from South Korea with tears and snot.

The then-flourishing Korean pro had likely never seen someone so honest and passionate. Moved to the point of no return, he had signed a three-year contract with TEA in a moment of heated emotion, moving to China and opening the glorious era of the Tea Team’s “Twin Stars” of the bot lane.

Yu Wenzhi waited for a moment as Xu Rui let out two more sobs.

Yu Wenzhi feigned getting up, saying gently, “Manager, you finish crying first. I’ll come back later.”

Xu Rui snapped the frame face-down on the desk and glared with bloodshot eyes: “Yu Wenzhi, do you have no conscience!”

Yu Wenzhi chuckled, glancing at the photo frame in Xu Rui’s hand. Seeing the familiar photo of the team holding the trophy together, he couldn’t help but rub his brow: “Alright, netizens already say I’m still pining for Choi Kyung-sung; they should really see the state of you.”

“Can’t I be sentimental?” Xu Rui sighed, pointing at the desk in his office. “Back then you were only eighteen, as tender as a little cabbage. You sat here, Choi Kyung-sung sat on your right, Zechuan sat on your left. We played Legends of the Three Kingdoms together, you explained history to Choi, Zechuan fed you cards, and you all teamed up to scam me out of my money…”

Yu Wenzhi reminded him humbly: “I didn’t scam you; it was purely good luck.”

Xu Rui shook his head, his face showing a hint of weariness: “Looking back, the Twin Stars of yesterday have become rivals, representing different regions in a life-and-death struggle. If this were written as a novel, how heartbreaking would it be?”

Yu Wenzhi’s eyelid twitched: “It’s been two and a half years, Rui-ge. Let the past be the past. There are plenty of other fish in the sea.”

“Speaking of fish—” Xu Rui suddenly shifted the topic, swallowing his tears back. “When do you plan to let Sheng Xu join training? I feel that with our current first-team lineup, the outlook against QZ isn’t optimistic. Forget QZ, even V6 from Europe is a headache.”

Yu Wenzhi smiled faintly: “What makes you so sure that Sheng Xu’s arrival gives us hope to win?”

Xu Rui said seriously: “I’m not sure. I only know that Ever has somewhat hit his ceiling. I also know that Sheng Xu has many issues as a player and you aren’t particularly fond of him. Signing him was indeed a risky move.”

Hearing Xu Rui’s words, Yu Wenzhi lowered his eyes slightly, not rushing to answer. Just as Xu Rui was about to lose patience, Yu Wenzhi said unhurriedly: “I didn’t.”

Xu Rui was stunned: “What?”

Yu Wenzhi: “I didn’t ‘not like’ him.”

Xu Rui paused and smiled, clearly not believing it.

There was a reason Yu Wenzhi was loved by everyone. His high emotional intelligence was a recognized strength; he never left an opening for people to criticize or gossip about him.

But it was also true that Sheng Xu was difficult to get along with. Aside from his solid skill and talent, there were almost no positive reviews of him within the industry.

Cold-faced during streams, insulting other players, confronting officials, and challenging viewers to offline fights, he was practically dancing on a high-voltage wire at all times. Xu Rui didn’t know when he might commit a major blunder and ruin himself.

It was only in private, with someone as tight-lipped as Yu Wenzhi, that Xu Rui dared to vent: “Sheng Xu’s file doesn’t mention his family. Anyway, he’s an adult and signed the contract himself. But I’m truly curious what kind of irresponsible parents would raise a kid like this. If he didn’t have talent for gaming, he’d be a total menace to society.”

Yu Wenzhi blinked: “Are you planning to replace Ever?”

Xu Rui hesitated for a second, uncertain: “Not necessarily. If Sheng Xu really can’t blend in, given the current shortage of domestic AD talent, who else can we use besides Ever?”

Yu Wenzhi nodded.

In other words, they were still comparing. If Sheng Xu wasn’t useful, he’d sit on the bench for a season and be sent away; if he was, then they would bid farewell to Ever.

Xu Rui: “You still haven’t said—when will you let Sheng Xu play scrims?”

Yu Wenzhi’s eyes held a smile: “Wait a bit longer.”

He knew Xu Rui wanted Sheng Xu to help with the Mid-Season Invitational.

But Sheng Xu’s contract actually started from the Summer Split. Xu Rui’s move was essentially asking for unpaid overtime, which was somewhat unethical.

Furthermore, letting Sheng Xu join now would affect Ever’s mindset.

“Then wait another three or four days, let him adapt to the environment.” Xu Rui trusted Yu Wenzhi completely and dropped the matter. He stroked the old championship photo and let out a melancholy sigh: “If back then you, my ‘Beauty Yu,’ had spoken up to keep him, perhaps ‘Consort Choi’ wouldn’t have left…”

Thousands of thunderbolts rolled through Yu Wenzhi’s mind, shattering his last shred of pity for Xu Rui. He stood up, patted Xu Rui on the shoulder, and advised before leaving: “Manager, stop shipping us.”

Four days passed in a flash. There was only one week left until MSI.

Sheng Xu had already moved into the training room, his seat right next to Zechuan.

Xu Rui was taking Yu Wenzhi out to record a charity livestream to promote agricultural products from a small border village in Yunnan. Before leaving, Yu Wenzhi instructed Zechuan to duo-queue with Sheng Xu to climb the ladder.

Zechuan was an old teammate who had been through a lot with him; he was steady and reliable. Yu Wenzhi planned to let him be the first to extend an olive branch.

Zechuan agreed readily.

That day, Sheng Xu walked into the training room with a cold face. He didn’t greet anyone, acting as if the room were empty. He put on his headphones, intending to rush for the rank one spot on the Korean server.

Zechuan took the initiative to walk over and pat him: “Duo-queue?”

Sheng Xu didn’t hesitate, his brow furrowing: “No…”

Zechuan: “The Captain assigned it.”

Sheng Xu: “…”

Not far away, Ever’s brow twitched.

The Tea Team’s mid-laner played two rounds of duo-queue with the new AD. They won cleanly and decisively, smooth and painless.

Zechuan truly experienced what it felt like to be completely “carried.” Sheng Xu’s explosiveness and aggression were unrivaled. When the game ended, he couldn’t help but shout: “Nice!”

For pro players, skill transcended everything. Looking at Sheng Xu again, Zechuan found him much more agreeable.

Just as he was about to invite Sheng Xu for another round, Ever suddenly spoke up, smiling: “Chuan-ge, let’s duo-queue one?”

Zechuan was stunned, his expression awkward.

But before he could make a choice, Sheng Xu had already decisively exited the lobby without a hint of lingering.

He didn’t care for fighting over people, and even less for being an option to be chosen.

Zechuan had no choice but to turn and agree to Ever.

When dinner time arrived, Sheng Xu took off his headphones, picked up his phone, and headed out.

Ever glanced at him, flicked through a webpage for a bit with his legs shaking, and followed him out.

Ever cornered Sheng Xu in the hallway.

“Is TEA much better than your DTG? At least the cafeteria is more than one grade better,” Ever said slowly.

Sheng Xu gave him a cold sweep of his eyes, said nothing, and continued walking.

He had been eating takeout for the past few days and had no idea what TEA’s cafeteria was like.

“You paid such a huge termination fee to jump out of DTG. Are you satisfied now?”

Sheng Xu acted as if he hadn’t heard, still refusing to acknowledge him.

Ever kept pace for two steps, his tone suddenly sharpening: “A pity, though. In the manager’s and the captain’s hearts, no one can compare to Choi Kyung-sung. You’re just a second-best replacement!”

Sheng Xu finally stopped and sneered: “The one who can’t compare is you.”

Ever smiled: “Stop lying to yourself. Aren’t you just hoping Captain Yu will carry you? Everyone’s the same, there’s no shame in it.”

Sheng Xu turned back: “D*mb*ss.”

Ever’s smile deepened: “Sheng Xu, do you know why Zechuan duo-queued with you? Because the Captain required it. Actually, everyone hates you; they’re just too embarrassed to refuse.”

Sheng Xu: “None of my business.”

Plenty of people hated him; who did these guys think they were?

Ever: “Knowing that no one wants to be on a team with you, you still insist on squeezing in here. Have you no shame?”

Sheng Xu pressed his knuckles hard, his eyelids folding deeply: “Shut your dog mouth.”

Ever: “Every word is ‘dumbass’ or ‘dog mouth,’ always looking for a fight. You think you’re so hot? People just think you were born but never raised by a mother…”

Before Ever could finish, he felt the world spin. In the next instant, he was slammed heavily onto the ground.

His head was spinning. Just as he tried to crawl up, Sheng Xu’s fist collided with his nose.

Ever felt a sting in his nasal cavity; his entire facial bone went numb. A warm flow spurted from his nostrils. He wiped it with his hand—it was covered in blood.

Ever nearly blacked out.

Sheng Xu’s eyes were pitch black, his face filled with a murderous chill. His fists were trembling slightly, every muscle in his body tense.

Ever shrank back in disbelief, seemingly not expecting Sheng Xu to actually dare to use violence inside the club.

Sheng Xu walked toward Ever step by step, his footsteps carrying a terrifying pressure. He hoisted Ever off the ground with one hand and said chillingly: “If you ever mention my parents again, I’ll ruin your hands.”

Ever was shrinking under Sheng Xu’s threat, but his peripheral vision suddenly shifted to something behind Sheng Xu.

Ever’s eyes suddenly lit up. With his face covered in blood, he cried out shrilly toward the space behind Sheng Xu: “Captain! Sheng Xu said he’s going to ruin my hands! He wants to stop me from going to MSI!”

A summer breeze blew through the hall, bringing a scent of juniper and mint.

In an instant, Sheng Xu’s body went stiff, and his blood ran cold.

Support Desire to Lure [Esports]