Chapter 11 – Dragged to death
Faced with the white-haired figure, Lulu suddenly fell silent.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to respond— it was as if something had gripped his throat.
The tension grew thick. One of the teammates, pretending to check his phone, cleared his throat and said to Lulu, “The coach is waiting for us. Let’s go.”
Lulu acted like he hadn’t heard, still standing there with his neck stiff, locking eyes with Sang Ye, a defiant look that screamed, “Go ahead, try to take me down.”
Sang Ye’s expression remained calm, not even blinking.
Suddenly—
“Bang!”
The sound startled Lulu like a lit firecracker, causing him to jump.
Upon looking again, it was just the white-haired boy closing the cover of his tablet.
Lulu’s face faltered for a moment, but since he was already standing, he turned to glare at Sang Ye even more viciously, rolling up his sleeves as if ready for a fight.
Everyone thought it was about to escalate.
But instead, Lulu whipped his head around and, fuming, said, “Let’s go!”
Sang Ye scoffed behind him.
Lulu heard it, and his face instantly turned beet red.
Even though NSN had cursed out Talk’s “wife fan” thousands of times, every single one of them knew deep down:
—If you’re going to pick a fight, don’t pick one with a “wife fan.”
Lu Qikai was the bloody example of this. After getting humiliated in a previous match, he’d been nailed to the pillar of shame, making excuses not to stream ever since.
That random match? It was the same three players. They had tried to teach the white-haired boy a lesson, but their whole team had been wiped out, and they were utterly humiliated.
Now that they were facing him in person, they had no desire for a confrontation. So they found any excuse to leave, slinking away in defeat.
“Man, that was awesome!” Xiao Pai offered a handshake to the boy next to him, eyes glowing with admiration. “Hey, I’m Pai!”
Sang Ye didn’t even spare him a glance, flipping his tablet back open. “I don’t shake hands with people who let themselves get humiliated.”
“!” Xiao Pai nearly stumbled in shock.
Shine glanced curiously at Sang Ye, frowning slightly.
Hu Fu was laughing so hard his chair shook, his joy as boundless as if he weighed 200 pounds.
Xiao Pai, trembling, withdrew his hand, took a deep breath, and pulled out his phone.
[Hotpot and Skewers HQ (6)]
3.1415926: [I will never forgive Gen Z!!!!]
NotChangingMyNameUntilILose10kg: [You two are probably the same age, no need to get so mad.]
3.1415926: [Think I’m a coward? I actually thought he was a sweet little cutie! Turns out he’s just like that new team member!]
NotChangingMyNameUntilILose10kg: [I don’t think he’s calling you a coward. He’s saying everyone here is.[grinning emoji]]
Shine: [Why is he so aggressive? Not clapping back means we’re just taking the insult? We’re just trying to avoid conflict! [sweating emoji]]
NotChangingMyNameUntilILose10kg: [It’s mainly because NSN was dissing Talk, and we didn’t step up to defend Tan Shen’s honor. He wasn’t happy about that.]
YuNiHuanXi: [What are you all talking about?]
3.1415926: [I’m at the venue, sitting next to @T. His wife is so arrogant!]
YuNiHuanXi: [Whose wife?]
NotChangingMyNameUntilILose10kg: [?]
Shine: [??]
WLG Gold Coach: [???]
3.1415926:[ -_-|| Accidental slip.]
At that moment.
The venue was completely darkened, with only the electronic screens of the devices still glowing among the rows of seats.
Knowing that the match was about to start, Xiao Pai put away his phone and glanced to the side, only to find that the white-haired person was drawing on a tablet.
The drawing was zoomed in, so it was unclear what was being depicted—only two winding lines were visible.
Just then, Sang Ye exited the canvas, and a list of thumbnails for several artworks appeared.
Xiao Pai couldn’t see much clearly but noticed a photo of a man among them.
Just as he was about to take a closer look, the tablet cover snapped shut.
Xiao Pai quickly glanced at the person next to him, feeling a bit suspicious.
With a top-of-the-line iPad Pro and a second-generation Pencil, it seemed that he might be quite the artist.
In the dim light, a faint glow highlighted the contours of the young man’s brow and nose. He lifted his hand to brush away the stray hairs from his forehead, his fingers long and their joints gleaming with a translucent light.
— With that face and those hands, he must be an art student.
The venue was filled with the sound of grand opening music.
Xiao Pai leaned closer to Hu Fu and subtly pointed at Sang Ye. “He can actually draw. He might be a well-known artist in the circle.”
“Huh?” Hu Fu leaned in closer, as if deaf, and shouted, “What did you say?”
“I said,” Xiao Pai repeated slowly, “that Tan Shen’s fan can draw and might be a notable artist!”
Hu Fu responded with a couple of “Oh, oh” sounds and nodded.
Shine, on the other side, asked curiously, “What are they saying?”
“He said,” Hu Fu leaned over and shouted, “that Tan Shen’s fan can draw!”
Shine leaned back, his expression one of utter shock.
…
The Blue Whale Invitational is an offline chicken dinner tournament jointly hosted by several major platforms, including Maoya. Most of the participants are from second teams and training squads.
Since this event is a great place to spot emerging talent, coaches and managers from various top teams are present to scout for new players ahead of the upcoming transfer period.
After thanking a long list of sponsors, the host flipped over a card: “The commentators for this event are Talk from the WLG team, and…”
At this point, the excitement in the venue had drowned out the host’s voice.
As soon as the big screen lit up, the audience erupted in what can only be described as a frenzy of screams.
“Ahhhhhhhhh——Talk! Master Tan! I love you!!! So handsome, so handsome, so handsome…”
The air was filled with shouts like “so handsome,” “hubby,” and “love you.”
Sang Ye watched the studio footage on the big screen, his shoulders slightly tensed. He gripped the edge of his tablet tightly, his fingertips turning white from the pressure.
Today, Talk really did look handsome.
His hair appeared casually tousled but had the telltale signs of hair gel. The suit fit his model-like physique perfectly—broad shoulders and a straight back. He was adjusting his earpiece, with the white shirt sleeves neatly pressed, revealing a prominent wrist bone.
Aside from annual galas, it’s rare to see him dressed so formally.
Possibly having finally heard the host’s voice clearly, Tan Mo looked up, instinctively raising an eyebrow at the camera, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly:
“Long time no see, I’m Talk.”
The screams escalated to another level, causing Sang Ye’s ears to hurt, and he could hear several voices breaking.
Xiao Pai had to admit, giving a thumbs up: “My dad is truly the esports sorcerer.”
Earlier this week, the spring season’s event organizer and league both issued announcements online, stating that WLG player Talk was not involved in any drug use. After verification, the scattered pills at the scene were identified as vitamin C tablets.
An NSN player received a league warning and punishment for inappropriate remarks and misleading images.
With the drug controversy finally settled, Tan Mo was officially back in the public eye.
Having been through the ups and downs, fans were even more excited to see Tan Mo again. Even as the game began, they still struggled to calm down.
The flight path for the island map was displayed in the game.
Sang Ye put his tablet back in his bag and looked at the big screen.
Xia Huang casually threw out a question: “Tan Shen, I saw a new face in the WLG team, ID [Elan]. You must be familiar with him, right?”
“Yes, he is an external aid brought in by WLG this time.” Tan Mo’s deep voice resonated in the venue. “I’ve watched his game recordings. He excels in close-quarters combat. His awareness, positioning, and pre-aiming are all very impressive.”
Sang Ye’s hand froze as he was putting away his bag. At the mention of “impressive,” his palm tightened momentarily before he took out his tablet again.
He pressed his lips together and wrote “Elan” meticulously in his notes.
Xia Huang said: “To receive such recognition from Tan Shen at such a young age is impressive. We can look forward to this young player’s performance… Oh? They’re already fighting right after landing!”
WLG’s drop point was in the P City school district, with another team scattered in adjacent buildings, avoiding each other’s territory.
However, Elan played against expectations, picking up a shotgun and rushing into the building. Before the commentator’s voice had even faded, he had already knocked one player down and quickly eliminated another.
His swift reactions elicited a round of applause from the audience.
Xia Huang kept praising: “Young and formidable! Young and formidable! This playstyle is incredibly fierce!”
Tan Mo didn’t respond.
“Not bad!” Xiao Pai’s attention was fully focused on the new player, his eyes lighting up. “Fast and ruthless, a real gunner!”
“Is he the new recruit you guys brought in?” A sudden question came from beside him.
Xiao Pai turned his head and saw the white-haired streamer sitting casually, leaning back with a relaxed posture, looking straight ahead. He was holding a second-generation stylus, propping up his pale chin.
“No, no… he’s not,” Xiao Pai stammered, clearly surprised that the aloof streamer had initiated conversation. “I already said he’s an external aid.”
Earlier in the entryway, Sang Ye had overheard their conversation and deduced that the “new player” they mentioned was this unfamiliar ID on the field. He didn’t press further.
Xiao Pai was puzzled, wondering why the question had come up.
Shifting uncomfortably, Xiao Pai glanced at the white-haired streamer’s tablet and noticed a simple coordinate sketch on his notepad, with a few IDs and symbols he didn’t understand. However, there was a big X drawn over the ID [Elan].
Xiao Pai shot a knowing look at the person beside him, suddenly feeling inspired as he bombarded him with questions:
“Are you jealous?”
“You heard my brother praising him just now, didn’t you?”
“You’re salty, right?”
“You can’t take it, huh?”
“Or do you think this new guy’s close-quarters combat is better than yours?”
Sang Ye’s gaze shifted slightly to the side as he licked his lips. “Not better than me, and he can’t surpass me.”
Xiao Pai was momentarily stunned, almost laughing out loud. “Oh, come on! You wouldn’t have the guts to grab a gun right off the start and rush in for a 1v2, would you?”
Sang Ye replied, “I wouldn’t.”
“Hey!” Xiao Pai’s eyebrows shot up in delight, seizing the opportunity to counter. “Aren’t you supposed to be fearless? Then why—”
Sang Ye finished the sentence for him: “I wouldn’t do something that ignores my teammates’ safety.”
“………”
In the backstage WLG lounge.
The coach watched the live broadcast on the TV, feeling both pleased and frustrated. “I spent half an hour talking to him before the match, and it was all for nothing.”
Yu Haotian looked up. “What happened?”
“He rushed into the firefight without fully developing, didn’t listen to the captain’s orders. Even though he got two kills, it made things difficult for the second position player who was trying to coordinate with him. Looking at their current positioning, they’re exposed from all sides. If the enemy reacts even a bit faster, our second position could be taken out.” The coach frowned helplessly. “The kid’s talent is undeniable, but he’s way too individualistic.”
“I’ll translate that,” Yu Haotian said. “You mean he doesn’t work well with the team.”
The coach slapped his thigh and braced himself. “We’ll gradually work on that. This is just a trial. Can’t have too many expectations yet.”
Yu Haotian asked, “Have you checked out that little streamer A-Mo recommended?”
The coach paused for a moment, remembering who he meant. “Since Tan Mo vouched for his credibility and believes he wasn’t cheating, there’s no issue. But… go ahead and send him the trial notice. Set the location at the base.”
“They’re both promising talents. I’d love to sign them both,” Yu Haotian said regretfully, sighing. “But it won’t work this year. Between him and Elan, only one can stay.”
…
After two rounds of the match, the intermission began.
Tan Mo removed the microphone from his waist and glanced at his phone, seeing a notification from the WLG group tagging him.
3.1415926: [I’m at the venue, sitting next to @T. His wife is so arrogant!]
Tan Mo remained seated, holding his phone as he read the message.
“Let’s go, Tan Shen,” Xia Huang called as he passed by, “Take a break backstage.”
Tan Mo turned back, “You go ahead.”
He pressed the power button on his phone, resting his other hand on his palm.
“I’m going downstairs to find someone.”
The audience seating was just downstairs from the studio.