Chapter 10 – Enqueue
DCT team’s training base is located on the top floor (fifth floor) of an ordinary residential building in the outskirts of Shanghai. It’s a bit secluded, but the environment is quite nice, with clear starry skies and fresh air.
The most important aspect is that it’s relatively quiet.
And the most important aspect is that the rent is cheap.
Behind this K-team, there is currently no significant capital. To exaggerate a bit, all they have is a router, a few smoothly running devices (and others), five players, a coach, and an assistant coach.
“Now there are three players…”
Being impoverished is their distinctive feature as an organization. To become a member of their team, one must learn a basic skill: finding joy in hardship.
…
They spent some time shopping at the downstairs convenience store, so by the time Cheng Che and Lin Xingling returned with bags in hand, it was almost midnight.
The hallway was pitch black and a bit frightening.
“Cough, cough, cough…” Lin Xingling coughed a few times, but the voice-activated lights didn’t turn on.
“Clap, clap, clap…” Cheng Che clapped his hands, but the voice-activated lights still didn’t turn on.
The two of them hesitated at the entrance of the hallway.
“This shouldn’t be happening…” Lin Xingling rubbed his chin and, a few seconds later, took out his phone. “Wait, let me send a message to ask.”
[DCT-Stars: Are you there? I’m on the first floor now, but why aren’t the lights in the hallway turning on?]
“Hiss…”
While waiting for a reply, a cold wind crawled up Cheng Che’s pant leg. Startled, he shivered and tightly held onto Lin Xingling’s arm, not daring to let go.
Lin Xingling chuckled and asked, “Are you afraid of the dark?”
How could a boy be afraid… even if he was, he shouldn’t show it! Cheng Che shook his head and bravely replied that he wasn’t afraid.
But his arm was still holding onto Lin Xingling’s, showing no intention of letting go.
A little guy who says one thing but means another.
[Don’t have 460: The voice-activated lights broke tonight.]
[Don’t have 460: Should I come down with a flashlight to pick you up?]
Lin Xingling replied to him, “No need, I’ll go up myself,” and then reported the situation to Cheng Che. “The lights are broken, but it’s fine. We can use our phone flashlights to light the way… Let’s go.”
“Okay.” Cheng Che obediently followed, holding onto Lin Xingling’s arm as they walked together.
Carefully, as if afraid of stepping on an empty staircase and falling down.
…Like in their previous life.
They arrived at their destination and opened the door.
“Dad Star is back! (You)” “Welcome home! (Ying)” “…(Pei)” “Lin Xingling, how dare you come back?! (Feng)”
The four guardians of the team stood at the door, waiting, creating a grand scene.
“Hey, Feng, don’t start hitting me yet. Let me tell you, I’ve found a sharpshooter who fits the bill.” Lin Xingling smiled and raised his arm to block the coach’s fist, protecting Cheng Che as they entered amidst the crowd.
“That’s called ‘just what I needed’… What kind of nonsense is ‘fits the bill’?” Brother Feng glanced briefly at the child hidden in Lin Xingling’s embrace, feeling a sense of familiarity but not paying much attention to it.
Cheng Che silently followed Lin Xingling inside, listening to him
announce to everyone that he was the new sharpshooter Lin Xingling had found for the team.
Everyone: Clap, clap, clap.
Although it’s unclear what the situation is, applause is the right response when in doubt.
“Hello, e-e-everyone, I’m C-C-Clear.”
Introducing himself, Cheng Che becomes more nervous, making his words stumble: “Unf-f-fortunately… no, no, I mean, h-h-honored… to meet you all.”
But it doesn’t matter, everyone’s attention is on the first half of the sentence.
“Clear?!”
Is it the rookie marksman who made his debut in tonight’s Eastern Finals and then eliminated the TG team?
Brother Feng quickly examined him from head to toe: a blue-eyed, white-clothed stutterer, still wearing the TG team uniform… it’s indeed Clear, no doubt.
However, Clear doesn’t seem to be in high spirits, like a wilted green onion.
Whether he’s wilted or not is not the issue; the main thing is that he’s here… Brother Feng rubbed his eyes in disbelief and turned to Lin Xingling, asking, “No, where did you pick up this kid from?”
“On the street,” Lin Xingling said.
Brother Feng was speechless for a moment and repeated what Lin Xingling said when they spoke on the phone: “You mean you can pick up a top marksman like picking up a stray kitten by offering it a little biscuit on the roadside?”
Lin Xingling: “Yes.”
“You’re just saying ‘yes’? What the heck does ‘yes’ mean?”
Feng, a middle-aged man, was going crazy online: Do you know that kidnapping children is illegal?!
“No need for a little biscuit, you need AD milk.”
At this point, Lin Xingling remembered something he promised Cheng Che, “Liu Ying, can you help me bring the AD milk from the small table in the room?”
The calm-looking boy in the white jacket responded with an “Okay” and turned to leave.
Liu Ying, Cheng Che was familiar with that name.
ID460, the versatile mid-laner developed by the DCT team, and later the starting mid-laner for the TG team, Cheng Che’s good partner.
Cheng Che watched him go, then his gaze fell on Lin Xingling again.
Lin Xingling smiled and lowered his eyes, “I’ll give you noodles after the coach and the others finish talking.”
His tone was like coaxing a child.
Brother Feng: “…”
Brother Feng: “Clear, if you’ve been tricked into coming here, you tell me, I’ll kill him before sending you back home.”
“Senior Stars has been very, very good… I, I volunteered,” Cheng Che defended Lin Xingling first, then spoke about himself, “I’ll terminate the contract with TG tomorrow… and come for a trial…”
A thousand words pale in comparison to this one sentence.
This sentence is a reassurance pill for everyone on the team, meaning: I, Clear, have chosen to stay here with all of you.
“Great!”
Led by Brother Feng, everyone applauded again, “Welcome Clear to join our team!”
“Welcome, welcome, warm welcome~”
“Our dream ship is about to set sail!!!”
Cheng Che was a bit puzzled, “D-Don’t we… need a trial?”
Don’t you usually try on clothes to see if they fit… how can a team be so casual when looking for a starting player, it’s not following the rules…
“After your amazing performance tonight, why would we need a trial? We’ll just develop tactics centered around you during training.” Feng brother shrugged, suddenly realizing that he sounded too absolute, and quickly changed his tone,
“Well… mostly because your abilities are beyond doubt.”
When a talented rookie player comes, don’t even think about leaving haha.
So happy~
…Well, now he has officially stepped into the DCT team, one foot in the door, smoothly and simply.
Just wait until tomorrow to go to TG, terminate the contract in person, sign with DCT, and bring the other foot in… thinking of this, Cheng Che happily replied, “You’re overpraising me.”
In the semifinals, he secured the three-to-four comeback, three kills, four kills, five kills, carrying the whole game… that’s not overpraise, it can only be considered a fair evaluation.
The jungle player of the team made a “six” gesture to him: “Clear is super impressive.”
“Ah…”
…
While the crowd was talking, Liu Ying emerged from the inner room carrying a string of AD milk. He walked over to Lin Xingling’s side and handed it to him with both hands, displaying great politeness.
Upon receiving it, Lin Xingling said, “Thanks.”
He then turned to Cheng Che and remarked, “Here, as promised to the little kid, not a single bottle less.”
“Ah…” Cheng Che had yet to react when the string of AD milk was already thrust into his arms. He held the four bottles in a dazed state, looking at Lin Xingling.
His expression seemed to convey, “What about the promised noodles…”
Having gone without food all day, his current mood could be encapsulated by the lyrics of a song: “So hungry, so hungry, so hungry, I’m really hungry~”
He was starving.
Understanding Cheng Che’s desire, Lin Xingling suggested, “Shall we first get acquainted with everyone before we cook and eat noodles?”
Cheng Che nodded.
In truth, he had some knowledge about everyone present, making it not too difficult to recognize them. After all, with memories from a previous life, his biggest advantage lay in his recollection and understanding of the game.
Truly obedient… Lin Xingling pointed to the man who had been speaking and asking questions and introduced him, “This is our team’s head coach, Brother Feng.”
Brother Feng looked kindly at Cheng Che and smiled, “Hello, Clear. I’m Liang Feng, ID sharp. I’m glad to meet you, and I’m delighted that you joined the DCT team. We are teammates now… Blah blah blah…”
Words like treating the team as a family, and feel free to ask if you need anything… such expressions were never heard in TG.
Cheng Che nodded and expressed his gratitude, “Okay, thank you, Brother Feng.”
“This is our top laner, Xiao Pei.” (Star)
“Phantom, nice to meet you.”
The blond boy spoke concisely, creating a stark contrast to the talkative Brother Feng.
He appeared aloof… Cheng Che couldn’t help but sneeze and apologized, “Sorry, Phantom, nice to meet you.”
“This is our jungler, Xiao You.” (Star)
The boy with braided hair winked at Cheng Che, saying, “I’m Wu You, ID Uu, nice to meet you~”
He had a playful and cute demeanor.
This is Peppa, and this is George… (interruption)
“This is our mid-laner.” (Star)
Liu Ying chuckled, “Hello, Clear. I’m Liu Ying, ID 460. Nice to meet you.”
Gentle with a touch of conformity, he still retained the qualities of the champion mid-laner that Cheng Che was familiar with. Cheng Che extended his right hand and said loudly, “Hello, Liu Ying. I’m also pleased to meet you.”
“When I drew the Tarot cards today, I predicted the arrival of an esteemed guest, and it appears to be true.” Liu Ying softly extended his hand, shaking Cheng Che’s hand and speaking somewhat incoherently, “The Two of Cups, is the genius young man everyone is talking about you?”
Cheng Che looked puzzled, “Huh?”
What nonsense was he speaking?
How could my golden partner be like this now? I remember him being quite normal in the future, right?
Regardless, it was something that ordinary people wouldn’t understand. Adjusting his glasses that were on the verge of sliding down, Lin Xingling said, “Liu Ying enjoys studying Tarot cards. It’s a specialized field, so it’s alright if you
don’t understand. I don’t understand it either.”
Jungler Wu You nodded, “That’s fine, we can not understand it together.”
Top laner Phantom: “…”
He understood but remained silent.
Author’s Note:
I suddenly developed an interest in Tarot cards and am considering buying a set to study.
[Note: In the story, Liu Ying’s Tarot card reading is quite exaggerated, but it doesn’t correspond to reality… After all, many things were written after I searched on the browser, so it’s just for show. Please don’t take it seriously haha (/*￣︶￣)/ ]
When I become a Tarot card reading master in the future, I’ll offer free readings in the comments section.
(Joking face)
Trust me.