Chapter 51
Since the establishment of Team Free, Zhou Huo has been very conservative in managing the external image of the team. Aside from unyieldingly clarifying the rumors of Yu Sui’s selling off his teammates at the beginning of the team’s establishment, he was usually so low-key, he couldn’t be any more low-key. After winning their first game of the regular season against Bison last week, he didn’t say much. He only posted a templated message on Weibo explaining the results of the game; completely average, mediocre and ordinary.
Low-key was humble but not without character.
“This really is the first time I’ve ever seen a team set up a practice match and once they see they couldn’t win claim a power outage cut their network connection.” Zhou Huo was at the end of his patience as he edited his Weibo post. “Weren’t they just afraid that if they lost the next match it would affect their players’ mentality? F*ck! After they sent medics from two teams in our region cycling through the resurrection stone?! Didn’t they think that would affect those people’s mentalities? What the hell!”
“Do they really regard our region as pushovers? They haven’t even won the championship yet and they already couldn’t wait their turn, coming here to step on people’s faces.” Even Old Qiao, who has never liked inviting trouble said, “Post it, post it. Is only their mentality valuable? Others’ are worthless?”
“Exactly!” Chen Huo was indignant. “Although I don’t like teaming up with Wawa very much, I say it as it is and he’s not a bad kid. After being abused by them like that, I don’t even know if he’s managed to recover yet.”
“Not yet.” Shi Luo held his mobile phone in one hand and slowly swiped through his circle of friends. He said in a low voice, “He’s been abused into a confused daze.”
Chen Huo looked at Shi Luo. “Why do you say that? How is he?”
Shi Luo looked down at Wawa’s friends only posts. He read without a trace of emotion, “After waking up at noon, I took a very long shower, letting the water of the Yangtze River wash over my body as best as possible. But Sacred Sword’s stink doesn’t seem to wash away from my body. I still feel so dirty, so dirty. Crying emoji, crying emoji, crying emoji.”
Chen Huo sighed, “Look, just take a look at that. Sigh. I feel sorry for my baby.”
Puppy shook his head. “Such evil people… His ability to withstand pressure definitely isn’t strong enough. But Shi Luo, I have a question that I’m really curious about and I can’t help but want to interview the victim.”
Shi Luo looked up at Puppy.
Puppy’s face was full of curiosity and desire to learn. “Are we too shameless, or are you too rigid? Will you medics die if you try to be more flexible? In that kind of game, you know you can’t turn the situation around, you know the opposing team has malicious intentions, so you guys should just surrender.”
“Yeah!” Chen Huo said thoughtlessly. He let go and said, “In that first game, if you had just kept up with our hand speed and was as quick as we were to surrender then you wouldn’t have lost one more head. Sigh…”
Shi Luo glanced at Chen Huo, and a moment later said, “The stubbornness of youth.”
To the side, Yu Sui looked at Shi Luo.
After speaking, Shi Luo shook his head and quickly changed the subject. “Let’s do the game review.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Chen Huo smiled guiltily and went to watch the game replay by himself.
Old Qiao nodded and said, “I’ll have to watch these two practice game videos a couple of times before I can conduct a game review. Else, I might not be able to catch all the problems in one go. You can look at the video recording and focus on your own situation first. To be honest, even if we really played that third game, our chances of winning weren’t all that big. There are still a lot of problems. The strong enemy is out, so pay attention.”
“Yes, we have to make the best use of our time. You have a regular season game against Ten Thousand Mountains tomorrow. It’s a home game for Ten Thousand Mountains.” Zhou Huo felt much more refreshed after he scolded Sacred Sword on Weibo. He clapped his hands and said, “We have to fly to Chongqing in the morning so go to bed early tonight.”
Ten Thousand Mountains was one of the few teams whose bases weren’t in Shanghai. Their base was in Chongqing. Because the match tomorrow afternoon would be played in their home court, Free would need to arrive in Chongqing at noon to report at the competition venue. They were in for an early start tomorrow.
“Okay…” Puppy had a headache at the thought of getting up early tomorrow. He went back to reviewing the game with a bitter expression.
Old Qiao photocopied his notes from the practice matches and handed them to everyone. He then went to the next door meeting room to review the game. The players busied themselves reviewing tape or playing the game.
Sacred Sword’s approach playing against Free today was very obvious. They used Free’s aggressive style to play with their economy, seeing who would spend their money first. In the second game, Yu Sui already did his best, but without the use of that clever scheme, they still used more of their economy than Sacred Sword did. Yu Sui logged onto the custom server to do economic deductions. It took two hours and afterwards, he marked down the peak economic consumption points and saved them as a file.
Yu Sui rubbed his eyes, got up and left the training room.
On the small terrace on the second floor of the base, Shi Luo was lying against the railing, smoking.
Yu Sui looked at Shi Luo from a distance, and remembered when Puppy asked Shi Luo just now why he didn’t surrender immediately. Shi Luo said that it was the stubbornness of youth.
Yu Sui looked at Shi Luo’s back. Just then, there was a moment when Yu Sui suspected that Shi Luo had deliberately said those words, alluding to their past.
Shi Luo never liked mentioning the past, but Yu Sui has recently had a vague realization that as long as he was present, Shi Luo wouldn’t be so avoidant about it.
It wasn’t that Yu Sui was sensitive. As early as two years ago, when it comes to making his heart ache, Shi Luo was never one to disappoint.
But thinking this way was unavoidably too malicious. It was obviously himself who had killed Shi Luo so many times back then.
Yu Sui sneered at himself. It was obviously he who committed the crime, and now he dared to suspect others of deliberately unearthing old matters.
Shi Luo sensed someone behind him and turned around to see Yu Sui.
The two looked at each other for a second. Yu Sui didn’t try to avoid it and simply walked over to the terrace.
For some reason Shi Luo was reluctant to face Yu Sui. He avoided looking at him by lowering his head and fiddling with the thorns of the cactus on the terrace. He had nothing he wanted to talk about but tried to find something to fill the awkward silence, “I…didn’t play very well today.”
Shi Luo lowered his head and said to himself, “Although Chen Huo unavoidably makes mistakes, he can keep up. I still can’t fully integrate into the team’s overall rhythm. But this is something that can only be broken in gradually. I already talked to Puppy. After our match with Ten Thousand Mountains we’ll start teaming up, try to work on our cooperation as much as possible, then…”
Shi Luo’s words went in Yu Sui’s left ear and out through his right. Yu Sui looked at Shi Luo and was almost certain. What Shi Luo said just then was said for him to hear.
What’s more, he regretted saying it.
That’s why he was so embarrassed now, trying his best to avoid talking about it.
Yu Sui acquiesced that right now, Shi Luo was trying to keep the peace by changing the subject. Inwardly, he warned himself to accept this kindness. He mustn’t cause trouble for himself by mentioning past matters.
Right now, everything was proceeding smoothly. Sometimes, it was necessary to feign ignorance. Not to mention, everything that happened then had been his fault. Bringing it up and rehashing the matter was of absolutely no benefit to himself.
“Then I should also practice a lot with Chen Huo.” Shi Luo was practically just talking to himself out loud. “Then, I’ll try as much as possible to fix this problem of going out of sync with your three before the payoffs. Of course, that’s assuming we’re able to enter the playoffs, but this problem shouldn’t be that bad…”
Yu Sui watched Shi Luo trying his best to find a graceful exit from this awkward situation. Inwardly, Yu Sui said to himself, ‘to fuck with keeping the peace’.
“Shi Luo.” Yu Sui looked at Shi Luo, “During that practice match two years ago, when I killed you so many times, why didn’t you surrender?”
Yu Sui frowned slightly, “The stubbornness of youth…what did you mean by that?”
Shi Luo pursed his lips tightly and stopped talking.
“I originally…” Yu Sui paused, “I originally thought that you and Gu Gan were the same, stubborn to the point of obstinacy and would rather break than bend. But you also surrendered in that first game just now.”
Shi Luo put out his cigarette. He continued to tug the thorns of the cactus. After a while, he whispered. “… I did that on purpose.”
“At first, I wanted you to recognize that it was me, so I kept at it and kept at it. Although I changed my usual military uniform skin and changed my ID, I felt that you would definitely recognize me. Shi Luo looked down at the cactus, “After all, I was the medic you personally taught. We were teammates for a few months. I didn’t believe you wouldn’t recognize me.”
Shi Luo paused and continued, “Unexpectedly, you really didn’t recognize me. Right?”
Yu Sui didn’t want to lie to Shi Luo and didn’t feel inclined to explain how bad his state was at that time. He simply admitted it, “Yes, I didn’t recognize you at all.”
“I realized that. So I competed with myself at first. I kept getting up, thinking that if I could just go two meters forward. I had to make it in front of your character to let you take a good look at who it was. I wanted you to recognize me.” Shi Luo stubbornly said, “But you cut me down until I couldn’t move. At that time, I was competing with myself as well as with you. I couldn’t understand. How could you not recognize even me?”
Shi Luo laughed at himself: “F*ck, it was so unreasonable.”
“But I quickly stopped being unreasonable. If you couldn’t recognize me then you couldn’t recognize me. By the twentieth time that you killed me, I had already accepted that fact. But I still kept getting up, letting you kill me.”
“Twenty times still wasn’t enough. I let you kill me a few more times.” Shi Luo raised his head and looked at Yu Sui, his black eyes looked the same as they were two years ago, “If I didn’t die so many times, when you find out later that Evil was actually me, it wouldn’t hurt as much.”
“I did it on purpose.”
“That’s how messed up I am.”
“I told you about how my cousin’s family schemed against me. I made you blame yourself about inadvertently helping them in their plan. I did that on purpose.”
“I let you know how unreliable my dad is, and told you that I would continue being an anchor if you didn’t let me play professionally. I did that on purpose.”
“I told you about how my mother abandoned me and showed me not the least bit of concern for so many years. I did that on purpose too.”
“You have too many friends around you. You’re so powerful and too busy every day. It would be the same to you whether I was in your life or not… Back then I was such an idiot and I was too inexperienced. I couldn’t think of any other way to attract your attention, to get you to care about me.”
“Of course, this method might not work very well.”
Shi Luo looked at Yu Sui, his eyes were clearly provocative, but the redness around its rim ruined that effect. “Yu Sui, did I succeed?”
Shi Luo asked, “Did you feel distressed when you were in Germany and you found out that I was Evil?”
“I…” Yu Sui took a deep breath, his voice a little hoarse, “After I went to Germany, I only had a stomach problem once.”
“It was on that day I found out your new ID.”
Shi Luo’s eyes trembled slightly. After a while, he whispered, “Then I won, huh.”
Shi Luo cleared his throat and tried to calm himself down, “When Puppy asked me that today, I fell back onto old habits and said that. I was using that method to try to get your attention once again. Don’t worry, I know I’m not a child anymore. Later, I’ll try my best to pay attention and not…”
“No need to change. Just do as you want. You haven’t done anything wrong.” Yu Sui looked at Shi Luo, “I’ve already accepted this.”
“I have since two years ago.”
OMG THIS SENT A CRITICAL ATTACK STRAIGHT TO MY HEART! I LOVE IT!
Thanks for the chapter! 🙂
Awwwwww communication time!!
I understand Shi Luo’s mentality. He was young and he didn’t have much experience with relationship. And love lowers IQ especially when you’re experiencing it for the first time. I got my cringy moment which I regret when I grew up too cough
Thank you for the chapter~
Kyaaaaaa!!!! this hit home hard 😭😭😭😭 when I think back to my first time, it’s not the dog blood drama or the cute moments i remember but the cringe😭😭🤣
Shi Luo is a little trashy, huh. But Yu Sui is willing to accept this messed up person and Shi Luo himself knows how Bad was his attitude, so I hope they can be better People together.
Thanks for the chapter!
Trashy lol, your so narrow-minded af
👎👎👎
Nope, just childish, mostly babies do this thing where they show old and already healed injuries to get attention, MC is just doing to ML what he couldn’t to his parents
Aahhh Luoluo, you don’t have to seek Yu Sui’s attention, you already have it! Don’t get upset!
Thank you for the chapter~
uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
wuwuwuwu
I’m crying, Shi Luoooooooooooooo
finally they had a conversation about that time WITHOUT INTERUPTIONS!
I think it was Shi Lou’s way of making Yu Sui remember him. He was afraid that after 2 years, it was only him who was still clinging to the past so he tried various measures so Yu Sui won’t forget about him too. Because he lacked love from his childhood.
But, doesn’t that count as confession from Yu Sui?!!! asdfghkhlh
MY HEART!
Thanks for the chapter!!
I can understand SL….he never had love and once he caught a glimmer of it, he wants to keep it by any means. Moreover he was only 17. And YS has always known SL was a brat.
Thanks for the chapter.
IS THIS A LOWKEY CONFESSION
I think it was Shi Lou’s way of making Yu Sui remember him. He was afraid that after 2 years, it was only him who was still clinging to the past so he tried various measures so Yu Sui won’t forget about him too. Because he lacked love from his childhood.
But, doesn’t that count as confession from Yu Sui?!!! asdfghkhlh
Thank you for the chapter ❤
Remember, everyone around who he loves abandoned him and break his heart at an early age where they depend on the people around. Also, let’s not be fake. If this happened irl and to you, you who have lost all trust and was abandon by people u considered family, friends and etc. would cling to the first person who showed you care and love. He was young, it was normal he would be vocal with his emotions and would want attention.
Yu Sui also, shouldn’t have spoiled him but he was still 19 when he faced hardships. He was thinking more of others and would forget about his own SEVERE problem, his health.
Ji Yanhan fcker really deserved a beating.
Basically the good thing is that they matured and are talking about it and would slowly fix their mistakes and misunderstanding. They were both too young and the adults around took advantage of them.
AHHHHHHHHH \^o^/
Honestly, I don’t think the things Shi Luo did are counted as scheming. Because the pain he felt in all those moments were real and not in any way was exaggerated. Maybe at most I’d say he was testing how much Yu Sui cared for him.
I can’t imagine his heartbreak, disappointment, and desperation he felt in the first 20 cycles. And I believe in the last 20 cycles he was killing his own hopes and youth bit by bit in the process too.
Thank you for translating this beautiful novel 💙
ʘ‿ʘ what… uh
the last lines went straight to my heart
tbh I don’t blame either of them. they made a very messed up mistake with each other but that time was very messed up as well… sometimes you need experience to mature about some aspects. no, you definetely need.
I don’t blame either of them. But I badly want to see SL taking care of YS everytime he’s blaming himself. Both of them need some comfort😭
Why do I keep picturing Wang An Yu as Shi Luo in my head?!? (=
the name seems familiar, but may I ask what novel he’s from??
AIYAAAAAA FINALLY and i knew it has something to do with that hmm
SHI LUO MY BABY!!!!! Keep looking for YS attention, he won’t mind babe. He like uuuuuuuuu. UGH, just date already!!!!! Hopefuly after this, no one gonna interrupt them like CH and ZZ before😬
Hurting the person you love so they can remember you out of guilt if nothing? Man have you ever heard of emotional manipulation?
It’s fine because it’s fiction, but in real life if someone pulled this stunt, trust me Shi Luo you’d be the one killing a person alive.
Lol, hurting the person? is now communication and answering what you would ask for is harming? if you have already read this novel, I bet you won’t be saying that. 😂 , Also he was saying all of this because shi luo was greatly disappointed to. expecting too much on person. we can’t blame shi luo here because It was Yu sui who brought him into this their industry so he has to take responsibility of it. even it was partly (shi luo cousins fault).
trust me this is a very realistic behavior 😂
JUST KISS NOW WHHSHSHSJAKAKWIWJS
Lol, hurting the person? is now communication and answering what you would ask for is harming? if you have already read this novel, I bet you won’t be saying that.😂 , Also he was saying all of this because shi luo was greatly disappointed to. expecting too much on person. we can’t blame shi luo here because It was Yu sui who brought him into this their industry so he has to take responsibility of it. even it was partly (shi luo cousins fault).
**aw, sorry wrong reply, it was supposed to be the upper one😆
Waittttt Shi Louuuu Ohhmyyghaddd!!!!! The flow of their conversation (//∇//)….I thought he was going to confess but isnt it like a confession already aghhhh,!!(≧∇≦)
Shi Lou being an awkward cutie and basically talking to himself
Meanwhile Yu Sui: 🕴️🕴️
Luo luo 😭
You already have his attention. YS is so direct, i swear if SL still didn’t get the message, I’ll riot (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Thanks for the chapter
agghhh, I can relate to Shi Luo doing those things on purpose though, just unconsciously knowing how to do that. It’s understandable but I am still crying wuwuwuwuwuwu
YS resembles a little like 2ha’s Chu Wanning . No matter what their love did, they will both say “you didn’t do anything wrong, it’s my fault”
Shi Luooooo Sonnnnnnnn Mama can understand you. You’re really a another copy of me. 👍🏻
oh my god….from that sentence alone, yu sui is Down Bad y’all… Down. Bad.
also i LOOOVE the angst of this chapter thank you so much for the pain 😩🥵
Ok, I know this should be making me scream in kilig (butterflies in stomach over the romance), but I got stressed when I read that they have an early morning flight and a match on the same day. 😂 I must be an old auntie. I get jetlagged even if the flight is just to somewhere near, like Singapore, and back.
Personally I like Shi Luo’s trashiness hahah 😂 others may curse him but for me it’s so very refreshing to have a main character that’s not entirely ‘morally right’ like him! He’s not a white lotus nor is he completely black bellied either, he’s just a shade of grey. His selfishness adds a layer onto his characterization that makes him very human 👏👏👏 especialy bc he was so young, and boi are young people stupid and emotionally reckless indeed 😂
This scene gave me the vibe of
“Do-you-love-me???!!!?”
“I LOVE YOU!! FROM THE MOMENT WHEN I SAW YOU CLIMBING… (YK THE REST, I’M TIRED)”