Chapter 37 – First Bow to Heaven and Earth
“White really knows his stuff.” As if he hadn’t noticed the other’s intention to leave, Shao Zhan continued the previous topic with a light tone.
Of course, his outward calm didn’t mean he actually felt that way. Inwardly, he harshly despised himself—using the tricks he’d picked up from years of working with his uncle in the business world… on this person, of all people.
“Back then, when China was helping build infrastructure in South Africa, the local kids got introduced to games through the staff there. They even formed a team. White was among the first batch of players.”
Shao Zhan sharply picked up on the past-tense phrase ‘back then’ and asked, “What happened afterward? Why didn’t he keep playing?”
“That,” Yang Sa tapped the dark red wine glass lightly with his long fingers, “is a long story.”
“I’ve got all the time in the world,” Shao Zhan nearly said, but held himself back. He casually pointed in a direction, though his eyes never left the man in front of him. “That guy in blue…”
“He’s a die-hard Avatar fan. He’s one-quarter Native American and firmly believes he’s a descendant of indigenous people. Back when American colonizers carried out mass slaughter against Native Americans, the survivors were forcibly relocated to the barren western deserts. Blue believes that Pandora represents the former Americas. Sadly, there’s no kind-hearted Jake Sully in the real world.”
“So… he painted himself blue?” Shao Zhan gestured as he asked.
“Not exactly,” Yang Sa’s lips curved into a smile. “He had dermatitis for a while and needed to avoid the sun. Turned out, painting himself blue worked better.”
On the field, throwing a teammate under the bus was a tactical move. Off the field, Yang Sa had never once betrayed a friend. He had never shared these things with anyone else before. And yet—strangely—when it came to this person, he just couldn’t hold it in.
Shao Zhan took the opportunity to bring up another member. “That tall guy—he seems really into radio calisthenics.”
“Calligraphy, qigong, radio calisthenics… he thinks everything in the mysterious East holds some kind of inexplicable power.”
A trace of a smile still lingered on Yang Sa’s face. But when he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the glass, he withdrew the emotion. A cool light shimmered in his eyes as he turned slightly, preparing to leave.
Shao Zhan quickly followed beside him, speaking with a hint of urgency, afraid the man in front of him might slip away like the wind. “What about you?”
“Me?”
What kind of food do you like? What books do you read? Who’s your favorite director? How many sugars do you take in your coffee? What do you do when you’re not gaming…
He wanted to know it all.
But he also knew—he couldn’t rush it.
Shao Zhan deliberately changed to a more casual tone. “Yeah, you… are you planning to go pro?”
Yang Sa lifted his eyelids, faint blue veins showing beneath his skin. “That’s a trade secret.” With that, he turned to leave.
Shao Zhan’s heart skipped. He lowered his voice and asked the retreating figure, “Did you… cover your tracks?”
He had thrown down several teams’ offers right on the spot. To fans, it looked like a refusal to associate with Silver Emperor’s shady dealings.
Shao Zhan had only grabbed his wrist—he knew how messy the club’s inner workings were. If it got investigated, things could get serious.
He didn’t care about himself. He only asked whether he had taken care of everything.
Yang Sa clenched his fist and slowly pulled his hand back. The sharp line of his jaw lifted, his features cold and distant like they were covered in frost. “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.” He turned again, but two wide, pudgy figures stepped in his way.
Tangyuan one shook his head like a rattle drum. “No, no, no. That’s not it. That’s not how it goes.”
The slightly smaller blue-haired one blinked his big, innocent eyes and tugged on the other’s hand, eagerly calling out, “Bow to Heaven and Earth! Let’s bow together!”
“No!” Tangyuan fumed, stomping his foot. “That’s not it! That’s called sworn brotherhood! We’re becoming sworn brothers!” He shot a pleading look at Yang Sa, silently begging him to explain and clarify things.
The blue-haired guy nodded with the utmost seriousness, joyfully calling out to his newly sworn brother, “Bow to Heaven and Earth! Bow to Heaven and Earth!” His sparkling eyes gleamed with a pure and innocent kind of stupidity.
“I’m speaking proper Northeastern dialect—we’re sworn brothers!” Tangyuan, red with frustration, jumped three feet high on the spot and pointed at Shao Zhan and Yang Sa. “They’re the ones doing the ‘Bow to Heaven and Earth’ thing…”