Chapter 7 – That Night’s…
Despite NewbieMercy’s best efforts, Luan Feng was ultimately revived by his approaching fan teammates.
Watching the two figures sprinting side by side, Shao Zhan couldn’t help but miss his previous act.
A sigh came through the team comms. Shao Zhan reassured them, saying, “It’s fine.”
In truth, the rookie teammate’s performance had already earned his respect. He had never expected her to take down a professional player. In fact, when Luan Feng fell earlier, he hadn’t accounted for the unexpected variable she brought to the battlefield.
After swiftly mowing down the enemies on his right with a light machine gun, Shao Zhan picked up a scavenged M24 and took out Storm’s teammate, who had been trailing closely behind him.
He had initially kept that player alive to give the fans more time to participate and to serve as a distraction against Storm. Turns out, all that supposed innocence had just been an act.
Just as he was about to pursue his targets, Shao Zhan caught sight of flickering movements among the buildings on his right. Though he was eager to chase them down, eliminating nearby threats took priority.
Meanwhile, Luan Feng—who had been unexpectedly knocked down by the rookie fan—was now revived thanks to his teammates’ quick response. Now, he was out for revenge.
After disappearing from Shao Zhan’s line of sight, Storm swiftly flipped into a building that could serve as cover. With precise movement, he seized the opportunity to shred the rookie fan’s helmet and armor.
[Arrogance—Storm used SCAR-L to knock down NewbieMercy]
“I’m down! I’m down!” The girl’s anxious voice crackled over the comms.
She had already witnessed the terrifying skill of this “Storm.” From her elevated position, she should have been providing cover fire, giving Mars enough time to reposition. But her aim was terrible, she didn’t know how to switch angles, and all she could do was watch helplessly as her in-game character crumpled to the ground.
She could have done better.
She should have done better.
Frustration surged within her.
This was such a rare opportunity—a match fans would kill to be part of—and yet, she had ruined it with her noob mistakes.
“You did great. Stay put.” Shao Zhan’s voice was calm. “I’ll be there soon.”
Even though he knew countless enemies lurked behind walls, waiting for their chance, even though he knew Storm had already set up his trap, he still drove a car he had picked up along the way, ramming it straight into the low building where Storm was hiding.
Leaping onto the balcony, he threw down three smokes in quick succession, using precise movement, bushes, and trees as makeshift cover to force Storm into a defensive stance.
[Starcraft—Mars used M416 to knock down Arrogance—Storm]
He followed up with two grenades—one through the window, flushing the weakened enemy out and forcing him to vault, the other landing exactly where Storm would drop, detonating on impact and crushing the last sliver of Arrogance’s hope.
The crowd outside erupted with excitement.
The commentator clutched the microphone, speaking at a rapid-fire pace:
“Absolutely incredible! That was absolutely incredible! Especially that final grenade placement—there was no escape, no mercy! This is why God Shao is the king of the battlefield, the undisputed champion of PUBG, the number one player in the league!”
No matter how loud the praise from the crowd was, the battlefield was always a place where only strength spoke.
Yet, Shao Zhan was the rare exception—a player who excelled in both skill and looks, forcing others to look up to him in awe through sheer, terrifying personal ability.
The match was still ongoing, but for Shao Zhan, the moment Luan Feng—the league’s infamous tactician—hit the ground, it was already over.
Facing an opponent who had fought his way out of a brutal encirclement, Shao Zhan no longer held back. He unleashed his full firepower, raining down relentless attacks, igniting wave after wave of cheers from the audience.
However, amidst the barrage of kill notifications flashing across the screen, one particularly jarring message stood out.
[LittlePumpkin123 used M416 to kill NewbieMercy]
Someone had taken advantage of his intense battle with Storm, sneaking into the rookie’s location to finish her off while he was too occupied to intervene.
A wave of guilt washed over Shao Zhan. He had entered this match with the goal of helping fans enjoy the game, yet he had gotten too caught up in his duel with Luan Feng, dragging the fight out longer than necessary. Even after his narrow victory, he had failed to secure an escape route immediately.
His teammates, however, were unaware of his thoughts. Instead, the rookie let out a regretful sigh and reported over comms, “I’m dead. I’m dead.”
Shao Zhan was just about to console her when the girl suddenly spoke at lightning speed, “Behind you! Behind you! The one who just killed me is about to ambush you!”
Before she could even finish speaking, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, Shao Zhan had already sniped the enemy who had taken out his teammate.
“Sorry, I couldn’t protect you.” Shao Zhan said calmly. Even in the midst of a brutal battlefield, he always maintained an unnervingly serene composure.
“No, it’s not that.” The girl adjusted her glasses, stole a glance at the person beside her, then lowered her head and murmured softly, “I was just too bad… I dragged you down.”
“You knocked down Luan Feng, the player known as the ‘Eye of the Storm’ in the Arrogance squad. If you’re ‘bad,’ then we professional players might as well bury our heads in shame.” Shao Zhan reassured his temporary teammate while finishing up looting the battlefield.
The girl fell silent. She knew he was just comforting a newbie, but still, she was happy. She had no regrets about trying out this game—because both the game itself and the people in it had made her feel a warmth she hadn’t expected.
Inside the operation room, only the sound of Shao Zhan’s keyboard and mouse clicking remained. The girl beside him didn’t want to disturb her teammate and kept her head down, silent, though her bright eyes never left the screen.
“I-I-I… I’m alive?!”
To her surprise, she saw her in-game character parachuting down from the plane—a privilege reserved for the final winning team in PUBG.
Shao Zhan took off his headset and habitually started packing up his gear. Halfway through, he remembered that the equipment belonged to the tournament organizers.
Beside him, the girl—almost completely sunk into the oversized gaming chair—was bouncing excitedly, unable to contain her joy. Shao Zhan couldn’t help but smile at her infectious energy.
“You’re this happy?”
The radiant look on her face was the best possible answer.
“Sorry, I didn’t let you play the full match.”
Bringing up the topic again, Shao Zhan sounded almost apologetic. But the girl quickly waved her hands and pointed at the screen. “This is already more than enough!”
The familiar post-match results screen triggered a wave of nostalgia in Shao Zhan. It reminded him of a moment from the past—of a boy who had once stormed into a team’s training room, brimming with uncontainable energy. Even in his memories, that reckless brilliance still shone dazzlingly.
What had he said back then?
He had called himself a Godslayer.
He had said he’d been searching for Shao Zhan for a long time.
That night, he had snuck into…
…
“Beast!”
Amid the roaring atmosphere of the venue, there was only one small corner that remained eerily calm—the seating area of the Xinghai team.
“That was a trainee! Do you know how young they are?!” Tangyuan’s eyes were bloodshot with anger, his fists clenched tightly. The vacuum-sealed snack bag in his hands burst open with a loud pop.
The surrounding teammates were also immersed in the same shared fury, their eyes cold as ice as they glared at the person being interviewed on stage.
A passing player from the Arrogance team sensed the unusually tense atmosphere. His small, puzzled eyes darted between the Xinghai team members and their captain, trying to make sense of the situation.
No matter how lively the outside world was, the four seated players took turns hurling idioms one after another.
“Shameless scoundrel.”
“A beast in human clothing.”
“Looks human, acts like a dog…”
When it was Tangyuan’s turn, he suddenly froze. The others shot him disdainful looks. “Don’t insult dogs.”
“Then should I change it?” Tangyuan’s round eyes darted around anxiously. “How about… ‘a beast at heart’?”
Considering he had little book knowledge and a stomach full of nothing but fat, they reluctantly approved.
Then, everyone’s eyes turned toward the youngest member of the team, Jiang Ranan.
“I… I don’t know how to curse people.” At that moment, the boy—still as pure as a river in spring—pulled a distressed face, pleading for mercy.
“That won’t do. We all said something, and you’re the only exception? What if the ‘old bastard’ finds out and reports us?” Qin Chuan said with an air of authority, putting on his manager persona. “Come on, just say something. Anything will do…”
So focused was Qin Chuan on tricking the newbie into joining their rant that he completely missed the frantic signals being sent by Tangyuan Sweet and Zhuang Bai.
It wasn’t until a cool hand landed on his shoulder that a voice—so familiar it sent shivers down his spine—whispered right in his ear:
“Say what?”
Qin Chuan trembled as he turned around. “Bo-bo-bo…” He instinctively sought help, until a chubby hand grasped his firmly in solidarity. That tiny ounce of camaraderie brought him back from the dead.
“Boss is back! Boss, you’ve worked hard!” He jumped up, quickly vacating his seat and making room for Shao Zhan.
Whether out of guilt or sheer terror, the other three members instantly lined up beside him, bowing in perfect synchronization as if they had rehearsed it a hundred times.
“Boss, you’ve worked hard! Boss, wishing you peace and prosperity!”
A player from the Weiguang team happened to be passing by and was overjoyed at the sight. He immediately opened his communication device and sent a mass message:
“Xinghai is doomed…”
“You were cursing me again, weren’t you?” Shao Zhan’s cold face bore an expression of complete understanding.
“Nope.” Qin Chuan shook his head so fast it was a blur.
“Absolutely not.” Zhuang Bai followed suit, nodding furiously.
“Really, we didn’t.” Tangyuan’s chubby cheeks wobbled as he spoke.
In the end, all eyes landed on the rookie team member.
Jiang Ranan, who didn’t know how to lie, turned bright red. “Whoever insults someone is calling them their dad…”
In an instant, a barrage of fists rained down on his head like a post-storm bamboo shoot surge.
The brutality of the scene was so shocking that players from the neighboring team scooted over two rows in silent retreat.
Arrogance team’s captain, Zhou Heng – ZHOU – , nodded at Shao Zhan and gestured toward the chaotic brawl in front of them. “Uh… this… is it fine?”
Shao Zhan smirked. “A little fighting is good for health.”
The sharp-eared players instantly halted their punches. At the center of the chaos, Qin Chuan lifted his bruised, grief-stricken face. “Are you even human? Couldn’t you have at least tried to stop us?”
Beside him, Tangyuan Sweet stomped his feet, shaking all his excess flesh as he whined, “Captain, how could you be like this? Aren’t you the least bit heartbroken that we got beaten up? Hmph hmph hmph!”
With his sheer weight, Tangyuan’s tantrum always triggered an earthquake-level reaction.
Shao Zhan remained calm, seated in his chair, and gestured toward the battlefield below the stage. “It’s your turn.”
Jiang Ranan was dragged onto the stage while still dazed from the beating—his confusion so intense that even his own parents wouldn’t have recognized him. His usually neat and handsome hair now resembled a bird’s nest that had been built and then abandoned.
Hearing the concerned inquiries from his fangirls in the audience, Tangyuan thoughtfully spat twice into his palms before forcibly smoothing Jiang Ranan’s hair down.
After a “helpful” reminder from the event staff, Jiang Ranan checked the team’s Weibo account while heading backstage. Within a single minute, thousands of new comments had flooded in:
[“It’s over. Ranran’s head is done for.”]
[“Agreed. Can’t be salvaged +1.”]
[“Fat Tangyuan is so gross! Get away from our Ranbao!”]
[“Yuan it up, it’s basically like he got licked—Ranran is done for.”]
[“Can’t be salvaged +1…”]
Just as Jiang Ranan was about to turn around, a fleshy abyss-like hand shoved him into the operations room.