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Chapter 42 – Old Friends, Old Rivals
Faced with Xu Yiming’s speechlessness, Lin Xiao just laughed it off indifferently, while the onlookers in the audience were blown away.
He walked off the podium under various gazes from all directions and received a warm hug from Xiao Li upon his triumphant return. On the other hand, Zou Qiguan looked at him with bright, worshipful eyes and excitedly swayed around him: “Brother Lin, you are very good, wow!”
Lin Xiao usually ignored the gazes of others in the past, but under Zou Qiguan’s bright eyes, he seemed to see a small tail wagging happily behind him. Finally, he couldn’t help but reach out and stroke his curly brown hair. Well, it must be said, it felt really good.
In the midst of the chaos, Liu Zesheng quietly dragged Xu Yiming away.
Liu Jinxuan opened his notebook to record the analysis of the game just now. When his gaze flicked over that figure on the map, he paused meaningfully, his expression became a little more thoughtful, and he added a few words after a pause.
The match just now was not long, but it was enough for him to determine the skills of this newcomer who was already above the training camp level. But, for some reason, he had an inexplicable feeling that this person was a little restrained during the battle, and didn’t fully reveal the pace he actually had.
Throughout the afternoon, until the end of the training activity, all the topics and discussions revolved around the identity of Xiao Li, the wanderer king, and Lin Xiao’s explosive operation.
When he returned to the dormitory after dinner, Lin Xiao just fell on the bed when he received a call from Shen Changyu and said jokingly: “What, I only beat an official player, and even the vice-captain is alarmed so quickly?”
“What official player did you beat?” Shen Changyu was at a loss. Then he remembered the event that Liu Jinxuan had applied for and realized, “Did you fight with them this afternoon?”
“Yeah, I played a game with the juniors.” Lin Xiao said curiously, “So that’s not why you called me, huh?”
Shen Changyu was silent for a moment, but he was not in the mood to continue the topic, so he brought back the focus: “I called you about the next game against the Apocalypse team.”
Lin Xiao didn’t need to think too much and said: “It seems that with that tight score, You Jing doesn’t want to change the lineup, does he?”
Shen Changyu indeed wanted to talk to Lin Xiao about this matter, so he sighed helplessly and recapped the entire daytime negotiation process in detail. With that, he said, “If we play in accordance with the originally planned lineup, I am afraid it will put a heavier burden on the captain’s hand.”
Lin Xiao listened quietly, and then said: “So the scenario you want to replace is Qin Lei, Liu Zeshen, and you in the individual tournament, and then Er Xu and You Jing in the team competition? If this formation is used against the Apocalypse team, although the probability of winning the team competition will be higher and easier, if there are no accidents in the individual competition, it is likely that they will only be able to score one point.”
Shen Changyu nodded, “So Captain You insisted on using the original lineup so that he could win two points in the individual competition and at the same time try for victory in the team competition. If the situation is good, we could have four points before the team game.”
“I have to say that in this case, if it were me, I would have made the same choice as You Jing.” Lin Xiao smiled leisurely and said, “The Apocalypse team led by old Yan is no pushover. As the team competition win rate cannot be guaranteed, they should try to get more points in the early stages. According to the current points leaderboard, it will be really difficult for the team to qualify if they lose points in the next few rounds.”
Shen Changyu was at a loss for words: “Captain Lin, you
”
“From an emotional point of view, I really don’t approve of this kind of risky behavior that may aggravate the injury. But from a rational point of view, facing a team that may lose qualification at any time, such a risk is indeed imperative.” Lin Xiao said, somewhat emotionally, “It is undeniable that You Jing is very conscious and responsible as a pillar of the team. In this regard, I really can’t find any reason to stop him.”
Shen Changyu asked grimly, “Then we let him continue like this?”
“In the current situation, there’s nothing we can do. We can only hope it doesn’t get worse.” Lin Xiao also felt helpless, “When the time comes, you have to pay more attention to his situation.”
Shen Changyu resignedly replied, “I will.”
“It’s not convenient for You Jing to say it, but you can stop it if necessary, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Regardless of how many points we score against the Apocalypse , it is vital that the team makes the playoffs.” Lin Xiao looked at the stars outside the house with a smirk in his eyes, “Don’t worry, I will find a way to officially join the team before the next round. By then, the previous two rounds will total 20 points, not a single point less.”
Shen Changyu’s tone fluctuated slightly: “Have you thought of a way to enter the team?”
“When the time comes, the situation will be compelling; therefore, it won’t be hard to get in. But then, Vice Captain Shen, you will have to make your contribution as well!” Lin Xiao said with a smile, “Let’s not talk about it for now. You’d better try to finish the next game, go fight.”
Although on the other side of the phone, Sheng Changyu still seemed to be touched by the smile in his voice and shivered. However, after this conversation, he felt inexplicably at ease, his impetuous mood calmed down, and finally, a smile appeared on his face: “Well, I will do my best.”


Two days later, according to the schedule, the Black Rose team’s current round match happened to be held in the Rainbow Gaming Hall in H City .
Liu Jinxuan entered the training camp early in the morning and chose a few people to go to the secondary arena to watch the battle together. This list also reflected the importance that the head coach placed on some people, so when the two new members, Lin Xiao and Xiao Li, were chosen, they inevitably received a lot of envious glances.
As the start of the battle approached, the arena was gradually filled with people.
The host had already warmed up the atmosphere as the commentators were giving brief introductions to the players on both sides. Occasionally they teased each other with a few jokes, which caused a lot of laughter in the audience.
Fans from both sides held up posters and neon signs of the team members and shouted their names. Somehow, the shouts of this game were more enthusiastic than usual.
Wave after wave of shouts made it seem like the fans were already facing each other with drawn swords, even though the two teams had not yet started the fight.
Commentator Xiao Wu interacted with her partner, “Both teams are very popular, and the fans are very passionate today!”
Mao Dou smiled and said, “It’s true. After all, both Apocalypse and Black Rose could be said to be among the most popular teams in the league at the moment, and today’s match was highly anticipated.”
Xiao Wu looked at the information about the players appearing on the big screen, sorted out the documents in her hand, and said: “Judging by the current roster of players, the overall lineups of the two sides haven’t changed much. I don’t know if there will be any new strategies in the actual battle.”
Mao Dou glanced at the current time and said: “It’s 15:29, and the game is about to start, I can’t wait.”
As soon as his words fell, the light in the arena suddenly dimmed, and when it came back on, the players from both teams entered the stage one by one through the side doors.
As the camera focus switched, the contestants’ profiles were broadcast one after the other on the big screen, and the sweeping close-ups caused another explosion of screams in the arena.
At the end, the two close-ups of the captains of both teams were shown simultaneously on the big screen, one on the left and one on the right, bringing the atmosphere to a new climax.
Lin Xiao hadn’t seen You Jing for several days, so he couldn’t help but take a second look at that face that looked perfect from any angle.
It had to be said that the team uniform on this man, looked really fit, brought out his cold and reserved personality, and also concealed his particular sharpness.
Thinking this way after a glance, his eyes turned to the other man’s face.
He still had the same frown and angular profile, but five years had brought him a more mature and stable air. Even when he was simply standing on the stage, he exuded an indescribable sense of oppression.
This was the most experienced veteran of the Glory League and also the longest-standing professional player in the e-sports circle. He dedicated himself completely to the Apocalypse team, regardless of the consequences, and it was enough to earn the respect of everyone who loved e-sports. He was Yan Duzhou, known as the “ King of Hell .”
If the e-sports circle was also a microcosm of the entertainment circle, in this era of rampant anti-fans, where no matter the player, it was inevitable to be controversial, this was the only person who was never questioned.
Regardless of victory or defeat, his existence was like a milestone in the league, and the end of each game left a strong mark in the history of e-sports.
When this familiar figure fell into his eyes, Lin Xiao automatically straightened his posture, paying a silent tribute to this old friend and rival.
If he had to say who he totally admired in the entire league, maybe Yan Duzhou was the only one.
He knew very well the reason why this man did not choose to retire, and it was precisely because he knew that he respected him even more.
Whether this man won the world trophy or not, he was the irreplaceable uncrowned king in his mind.