Chapter 19

The OLG official account also swiftly posted the trio’s dance video an hour later.

Huarong angrily accused Bai Wei, “You leaked pre-release content! My video had just been filmed and wasn’t even edited yet, and you put it out there. You posted it yourself. When the official account releases it, where will the traffic go? The fans already saw the video on your TikTok. How many people are still going to watch the official account?”

Bai Wei hung his head and, giving a lot of face, gave an “mm.” “My mistake.”

Jack came to mediate. “Alright, alright. Danger’s popularity is there. His TikTok has over five million followers. The official account’s only got one million. It’s practically a traffic boost.”

Qin Baotian also said, “The video Danger posted was blurry, the angle was skewed. Basically, it was just filming Show alone. This is like a teaser trailer. Fans who want the full version will definitely still go to our official account. For example, my fans, wanting to see me, will definitely go to OLG to watch. Also, I just checked, Sister Hua. The video on the official account now already has 80,000 likes.”

Huarong took her phone in surprise and opened the video. “It really is 80,000 now.”

She opened the comments section. The comments were all uniform.

[Why didn’t God D film it???]

[You said OLG’s first team has FOUR people. There are only three here. Only three!]

[One person’s blood-written petition begging CEO Bai to film a knife-horse dance!]

[Two people’s blood-written petition begging CEO Bai to film a knife-horse dance!]

[…]

Huarong once again emphasized that leaking pre-release content was not allowed. Yan Xiu returned to the training room. Qin Baotian was sitting in his gaming chair holding his phone, giggling non-stop.

Seeing Yan Xiu enter, he instantly stood up and mysteriously beckoned him over.

Yan Xiu walked over. Qin Baotian burst out laughing. “Look at this Xiaohongshu post. It’s only been a few hours, and the comments are all shipping the CP between you and Young Master Bai. They’re so into it, I’d think you two were actually dating.”

Yan Xiu abruptly stopped walking.

Qin Baotian: “I’ll send it to you.” A few seconds later, he slapped his forehead. “Damn, I haven’t added you on WeChat yet, have I?”

The two added each other on WeChat.

Qin Baotian directly forwarded the Xiaohongshu post to Yan Xiu, conveniently also forwarding it to Bai Wei.

Yan Xiu sat back at his computer and stared at his phone. His expression was composed, but he’d even forgotten to launch the game. Facing the idle screen, he just clicked on the post Qin Baotian had forwarded.

[Title: What’s so good-looking, God D? Chat about it, do tell.]

[What else could be good-looking? Of course, it’s our beautiful little Xiu, hehe [First comment]]

[Last week, when God D duoed with the new guy in the middle of the night, I already felt something was off. He only had 10 hours left for streaming, with several days left in the month. He definitely would’ve dragged it out till the last few days. Why would he suddenly duo with Show, and live stream it too?]

[Something fishy, something fishy, something fishy [pointing fingers]]

[Little Gun was at OLG for eight months. God Bai never duoed with him once. How come as soon as Show arrives, they’re duo streaming?]

[Hahahaha, sister spitting straight facts! Little Gun: Hey, pass me some peanuts!]

Qin Baotian loudly contributed his commentary. “Your CP with him? You two are OLG’s first CP with real heat. When Sister Hua finds out about this later, she’ll be over the moon. Can produce another batch of CP merch.”

The fact that “OLG had no shippers” had always been a running joke in the DFL fandom.

Of the three on OLG’s first team, Bai Wei was exceptionally good-looking, a magnet for shippers, practically a CP fan’s dream. But helplessly, his two teammates… One was Qin Baotian—maybe not 200 jin heavy, but definitely over 170. The fans truly couldn’t ship that.

Liu Jianfeng was even more impossible.

Rose had long had a public non-esports girlfriend. Last year, he officially announced their marriage, flexing the marriage certificate all over his social media.

To pair Bai Wei with someone, the shippers’ hands reached toward other teams. The Wolves’ ZMJ and Weibo’s Strike were the most commonly paired. But ZMJ and Strike themselves had CPs within their own teams—and they were hugely popular CPs.

Last year, OLG brought in a substitute, Little Gun. He was considered decent-looking, a bit simple and honest. But Danger and Little Gun had zero interaction. When walking into the venue, one was always at the very front, the other at the very back. When the broadcast director cut to OLG’s lounge, Little Gun would be huddled entirely in the corner of the sofa, not daring to even glance at Bai Wei.

Qin Baotian wailed mournfully. “I also want to have shippers. Strike, that kid, isn’t even as good as me, and his personal popularity is lower than mine. But the league’s official blind-box photocards sell for double the price of mine. I heard it’s all shippers buying them, trying to pull the duo photo of him and their recon player!” Touching on money, he ground his teeth. “At least earning a hundred thousand more than me.”

Yan Xiu browsed a few more Xiaohongshu posts, then clicked into Bai Wei’s TikTok.

This TikTok already had six hundred thousand likes. The comment count kept rising with every click. Yan Xiu lowered his eyes and stared at that caption for a long time. Rose came up from behind and patted his shoulder. “Jack wants you, me, and Qin Baotian to trio for a bit. Practice synergy.”

Yan Xiu instantly snapped back to reality. He immediately turned off his phone and started logging into the game.

After a few rounds of trio to warm up, the three wreaked havoc across the Aerospace Base.

Besides the officially organized formal scrims, pro players typically chose solo queue for practice, to increase the game’s difficulty. Trioing was just to build synergy with teammates. The skill gap between pro squads and random squads was too vast; trioing had no real training effect.

Jack entered the training room and said to Yan Xiu, “In a few days, you can start streaming. I’ll have Guo Qiang set up an OBS for you then.”

Yan Xiu nodded. While waiting for extraction, he opened his own TikTok.

Yan Xiu’s TikTok originally had very few followers. He’d gained a wave when OLG officially announced the roster, and another when Bai Wei followed him back and fans stalked him.

But none matched the follower surge from the fan-service video Bai Wei posted tonight.

In one night, Yan Xiu directly gained two hundred thousand followers. His TikTok only had one video: last year at the Aerospace Base, he’d simultaneously pulled a Heart of Africa and a Resuscitation Ventilator in a single game—a flexing-RNG video. Originally, its metrics were terrible, just a few hundred likes. Today, it soared past ten thousand likes.

The comment section was unanimous.

[This Heart of Africa really is good-looking~]

[Resuscitation Ventilator? Oh, that’s very good-looking then.]

[Very good-looking [Milk Dragon heehee]]

“…”

Yan Xiu slept late and didn’t dare toss and turn in bed and disturb Rose. The next morning, his complexion was slightly haggard.

Seeing him like this, Qin Baotian asked in surprise, “What did you do last night? Did your roommate get up in the middle of the night and beat you?”

Rose scolded him angrily. “Even if I fing beat you, I wouldn’t beat Show. Your feet stink and you love to snore. How did Little Gun ever room with you?”

Qin Baotian gave a thumbs up. “You’re really fing dedicated!”

Rose also nodded approvingly, his gaze at Yan Xiu filled with paternal affection. “With a sub like you, I can retire in peace.”

After the DFL Autumn Split’s opening day, the first day of matches was the much-anticipated showdown between Group A and Group B.

Group A had the Spring Split champions, BOX. Group B had the powerhouse team Shenzhen Wolves and the Saudi Cup champions, ROC. The three teams had collectively won five championships. All were major favorites. Plus, it was the Autumn Split’s first day. Yesterday, the venue was packed to capacity, and the DFL official stream’s viewership broke ten million.

Jack entered the training room. Seeing Yan Xiu’s state, he also jumped. “What did you do last night?”

Yan Xiu: “…”

Hearing that Yan Xiu couldn’t sleep and had gone to review the A and B group matches, Jack expressed praise, but also cautioned, “Get a good night’s rest today. Tomorrow is our C and D group’s match. You need to maintain your condition.”

Yan Xiu suddenly understood his meaning.

Rose asked directly, “Are you planning to let Show play tomorrow?”

Jack: “Depends on the specific situation. Not certain yet.”

The next day, during the match, everyone was mentally prepared. Yan Xiu was afraid he’d lose sleep again the night before and affect his performance, so he specifically took two melatonin gummies. However, Rose was still the starter. The first team walked onto the stage. The packed stadium erupted in tidal cheers.

Besides OLG, Group C had no strong teams. Group D had one old, established strong team, B7. The remaining four teams were average in skill and had modest popularity.

The tickets for Day 2 of the Autumn Split’s first week were supported single-handedly by OLG.

OLG successfully decrypted the MandelBrick in the third match, unlocking Match Point, with a total extracted value reaching 25M—twenty-five million.

B7 decrypted a brick in the fourth match, unlocking their Match Point, with a total extracted value of 16M.

Just as the fourth match ended, Yan Xiu was sitting in the lounge, mentally replaying the positioning of each team during B7’s brick capture.

Originally, in the fourth match, OLG had a very high chance of directly decrypting another brick and ending the game. But after OLG got the MandelBrick, B7 and Chaoge immediately figured out that the brick-holding squad was OLG.

OLG had already unlocked Match Point. If they successfully decrypted again, today’s match would be over. The two teams threw themselves at OLG with reckless abandon, as if their lives depended on it.

Especially Chaoge.

Chaoge had made a critical error in the first match, dying early. Luckily, in the second match, they played like rats, ambushing VE and stealing their gear, making a fortune. But their total extracted value was still second-to-last among the six teams.

If OLG ended the match in the fourth game, their ranking would be locked at fifth place, only earning one point.

Chaoge initiated the attack first, teaming up with VE to eliminate Qingbao, reducing OLG to a broken squad.

Bai Wei decisively chose to abandon the brick decryption. But Rose, forced by the approaching B7, was pushed to the Blue Room Ramp. He was then sniped and killed by Chaoge’s Little Gun in one shot. In the end, Bai Wei chose a drop-backpack extraction, ending the match.

The fourth match concluded. The players returned to the lounge. The arena echoed with the casters’ excited voices.

“From the Centrifuge Room’s containers, looking across to the Blue Room Ramp, Chaoge-Little Gun used a single M700 shot to snipe out Rose, proving his skill!”

“He is not the college tournament killer, the DFL discard!”

“He is not a wasted talent, a fallen prodigy!”

“Neither is he a water-dispenser assassin destined to never start!”

“He is the strongest rookie from the college tournaments. He is—Chaoge-Little Gun!”

“Give him a chance to play, and his gun is the sharpened spear of Delta Force, the death-god gun hanging over the enemy’s head!”

Qin Baotian was disgusted enough to down an entire bottle of water. “That dumbass Fers. Old Liu died, and he’s happy enough to set off fireworks. That bastard. Not a single day goes by without him stirring drama for OLG.”

Rose: “Three years ago, a single A-Max shot from Little Bai stole the championship right out of ROC’s hands. He hates Little Bai so much, he wishes Little Bai would drop dead on the spot so he could dance at his funeral and send flowers. Thank god it was me Little Gun sniped today and not Little Bai. Otherwise, he would’ve disgusted Little Bai to death.”

Qin Baotian: “DFL’s full of people who hate our God D. The bodies of the people he’s killed would fill up the Aerospace Base and still need a Bakesh to cram the rest.”

Bai Wei gave a cold, mocking laugh. “Don’t mind that dumbass.”

Jack interrupted. “Alright, let’s look at the bans for the fifth match.”

A DFL match had six games. Each squad could only select the same operator twice in total.

Jack arranged the bans for the fifth match and then confirmed the strategy with Bai Wei. He turned to Yan Xiu. “Show, you’re up for the next two games.”

The lounge was silent for an instant.

Yan Xiu: “Okay.”

~

“Everyone, welcome back to the second round of the first week of the 2029 DFL Pro League Autumn Split! I’m your caster, Fers.”

“And I’m your caster, Ideal.”

“In the first four matches, OLG successfully decrypted a brick in the third match, unlocking Match Point. B7 followed closely behind, decrypting a brick in the fourth match and unlocking their Match Point. Ideal, what’s your take? Do you think in this fifth match, one of these two teams—OLG or B7—can decrypt another brick and end the game directly? Or will the suspense carry on to the very end, and we play all six matches today?”

“I believe, with OLG’s current form, they’ll ride the momentum. OLG has always been a team that dares to fight fiercely. When given the chance to double-decrypt bricks and end the game, they’ve never chosen the slower method of accumulating value advantage and winning through Haf Coins.”

“Then I’ll have to disagree with you.”

“Oh? How so?”

“In today’s first match, it was also the DFL debut of Chaoge-Little Gun. It’s normal for a young person to be nervous on their first offline stage performance; a momentary stumble is expected. But immediately after, Little Gun proved his strength to the fans with his brilliant play. B7’s steady and solid tactical deployment is also not to be underestimated. A grueling, drawn-out battle is definitely on the cards tonight.”

Ideal suddenly interrupted. “What?! We’ve just received notice from the broadcast director: OLG has chosen to substitute! OLG’s mysterious newcomer, Show, is about to sub in for Rose, making his professional career debut!”

Yan Xiu took his mouse and keyboard and walked from the backstage tunnel toward the stage.

Just as Caster Ideal finished speaking, the front audience erupted in thunderous cheers, mixed with incessant skeptical murmurs.

“Match Point’s active, and they’re suddenly subbing in the new guy?”

“Even if you have a big lead, you can’t waste it like this. The rookie’s first match is a Match Point game, and B7 has also unlocked their Match Point.”

“Why not let the rookie play in the fourth match? What if B7 successfully decrypts and takes first place this game?”

“Show!!!”

“OLG must win!!!”

“Danger!!”

At the end of the backstage tunnel, ahead was an endless field of blinding spotlights. The moment the young man’s handsome face appeared on the giant screen, all the screams and doubts in the arena momentarily stagnated for half a beat.

Yan Xiu kept his eyes lowered. His expression was calm to the point of seeming indifferent. As if hearing none of it, he strode towards the OLG team’s soundproof booth.

Huarong rushed from the lounge to the backstage tunnel. “Show forgot his mousepad!”

Yan Xiu had already walked under the cameras. Huarong could no longer follow him.

Hearing this, Qin Baotian muttered under his breath, “And I thought Show wasn’t nervous,” and reached out to grab the mousepad. A slender hand beat him to it, taking the mousepad.

Without another word, Bai Wei, under the full gaze of the entire arena, holding that red mousepad, walked into the soundproof booth.

The moment Yan Xiu sat down, he realized he’d forgotten his mousepad.

Every player had their preferred gaming peripherals. After learning of the rotation, Rose’s gear had already been taken away by the staff.

Yan Xiu’s face held no expression whatsoever. Yet his cool, clear eyes looked toward the referee, who hadn’t yet entered the booth and was still far away. He planned to wait until the referee came in to ask them to help fetch his mousepad.

The glass door of the soundproof booth opened. Yan Xiu looked up at the sound.

Bai Wei walked on long legs past his own seat, stopping right in front of Yan Xiu. He gently placed the mousepad onto Yan Xiu’s desk. Head lowered, he was dressed in OLG’s black-and-white team uniform, which contrasted with his white hair, exuding a hint of cold austerity.

Yan Xiu’s breath caught. He just looked at him.

Bai Wei couldn’t help but curl his lips. “Don’t forget it, Little Xiu.”

Outside the soundproof booth, a towering wave of shrieks erupted, so loud that even the five-figure soundproof glass couldn’t block the fans’ screams.

Qin Baotian entered the soundproof booth from behind. Looking at his teammate’s tall and slender, devastatingly handsome silhouette, one hand tucked casually in his pocket… he froze for a long time before muttering a curse. “Isn’t this just deadly charming? If I were a fan, I’d go crazy too!”