SITS CH36

Chapter 36: Forward

The quarterfinals were about to begin.

The opening matchup pitted ACE against FA. FA was another wildcard team with ordinary firepower; though nervous, the boys didn’t feel overwhelmed with pressure.

Unlike the earlier stages, the quarterfinals drew massive crowds of spectators.

Beyond domestic supporters, countless overseas fans arrived at the venue one after another. Naturally, most were there for the grand finals, catching the knockout stage along the way.

Over the past few days, UN had been fretting endlessly about their upcoming clash with TKR. TKR’s raw caliber was undeniable, leaving UN with a thirty-seventy win rate at best.

Still, there was no dodging it; even if they didn’t collide now, they were bound to cross paths sooner or later. The players maintained a surprisingly resilient mindset, cracking jokes on Weibo asking fans to study ocean currents so they could map out the fastest swimming route home.

On the day of the first match, the morning drizzle cleared up quickly. Sunlight broke through the thick cloud blanket, radiating comfortable warmth against the skin.

The venue was roughly a thirty-minute drive from their accommodations, not too far off.

Upon arrival, a cluster of ACE fans was already waiting outside the arena holding cheering banners. Spotting the players step off the bus, they swarmed over in sheer excitement.

“ACE, keep fighting!” Those passionate smiles felt remarkably comforting in an unfamiliar foreign land. The crowd wasn’t massive, but the energy was fantastic. Shen Man gave them a slight nod: “Thank you. Stay safe.”

He rarely conversed with fans. It wasn’t that he disliked speaking; back home, the environment was so intense people worried he would be instantly swallowed by the crowd the second he opened his mouth.

“AHHHH! SLOW SPOKE!” An ecstatic cry rippled through the gathering, with someone yelling at the top of their lungs: “SLOW! Make it to the grand finals! I already bought my finals ticket!”

Zhao Rui muttered under his breath, “Like that even needs to be said.”

“Move, move, head inside,” the coach hurried them along.

Slicing through the crowd, the squad filed into the venue one by one.

The series against FA was a best-of-five. Visibly rattled by nerves, FA dropped Game 1 without any surprise, their players wearing grim, bitter expressions.

ACE, on the other hand, loosened up considerably after locking down the opening game. Realizing the massive gulf in overall execution between both sides, they knew that merely playing to their standard level would effortlessly secure the win.

The online viewers found it rather dry:

[Knew it would be boring, breaching high ground by twenty minutes…]

[Basically playing against bots, nothing to see here.]

[ACE’s form looks legitimately sharp. I think they have a real shot this year.]

[Sharp form? Which team here isn’t in sharp form? 3B is looking cracked this year too. That Marksman inner seems pretty much on par with SLOW.]

[Give me a break, what does inner have to compare against SLOW?]

[Why can’t he be compared? Didn’t inner hoist the trophy last year too!]

And just like that, the comments descended into an argument. It wasn’t surprising; online discourse frequently flared up over bizarre debates, where people could wage war over sweet versus savory rice dumplings for years on end…

Regardless, the players on stage couldn’t see the chat, so their mentality remained entirely unaffected.

Given the stark disparity in caliber, the series unfolded without twists. ACE locked down the sweep at blistering speed, sending FA packing for home.

Moving to the post-match handshake segment, Shen Man walked at the front of the line. Zhao Rui noticed that every single member of FA lingered to say a few words while clasping Shen Man’s hand.

The issue was that they were speaking Portuguese, making it impossible to comprehend a word.

What else could Shen Man do? He simply nodded in acknowledgment down the line.

Backstage, Zhao Rui wondered aloud, asking why Shen Man’s popularity was this absurdly high when there were plenty of cracked players around.

Organizing data sheets, the coach didn’t even look up: “Because he’s handsome.”

Zhao Rui: “…” He couldn’t even refute that.

Shen Man’s looks stood out not just in the esports scene, but could easily hold their own in the entertainment industry. Adding in his tall stature, anyone watching him stand there giving interviews might mistake him for a newly debuted idol.

The coach said, “Alright, finally got that out of the way. Tomorrow is TKR versus UN; let’s see which unlucky squad gets to swim home.”

With their own business settled, everyone was in soaring spirits, ready to watch the drama unfold for the other teams.

The clash between UN and TKR kicked off amidst the collective wails of domestic fans.

UN had been no match for TKR during the summer split, and on the international stage, no miracle occurred.

TKR’s dominance was an immovable wall. After UN stubbornly pulled back a single game, TKR closed out the series 3-1.

The results of both quarterfinals lined up with widespread predictions, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the semifinals.

Judging by the current trajectory, the semifinal bracket would likely feature ACE, TKR, 3B, and the winner of the final quarterfinal.

“Who do you think takes it between GC and KTO?” Zhao Rui asked.

“Probably GC,” Xu Zhouye said. “Watched their match against TKR; that squad isn’t weak.”

GC was that Korean squad plagued by the team bullying scandal, while KTO was a European roster whose raw ceiling was slightly lower. For GC to topple TKR, they definitely possessed real teeth.

“I reviewed GC’s replays again over the past few days. Their top laner is remarkably skilled,” the coach noted. “Didn’t pay much attention to them before. Dark horses truly only emerge at the final stretch.”

Entering as a third seed, it was natural for everyone to fixate on 3B while overlooking them.

“We’ll see. Wait for their match to finish, then look at the draw,” the coach calculated. “As long as we dodge 3B, it’s a favorable draw.”

Nobody wanted to collide with 3B prior to the grand finals.

“Never imagined we’d make it all the way to top four. Feels like a dream,” Zhao Rui remarked, still slightly dazed. “Can we actually take the championship?”

“Of course we’re aiming for the championship! Look around, who even remembers who took second place last year!” the coach declared.

Xu Zhouye raised his hand: “It was TKR.”

The coach snapped, “Then who was the runner-up the year before that?”

Xu Zhouye: “That was KTO.”

Coach: “Then three years ago…”

Xu Zhouye stated with absolute certainty: “It was 3B!”

Coach: “…”

Everyone burst out laughing.

Even the coach broke into a grin, exasperated by Xu Zhouye’s quick tongue: “So young, yet you have quite the memory, don’t you?”

Xu Zhouye grinned like a happy fool: “Not at all, Coach. If you asked about one more year back, I genuinely wouldn’t know.”

The coach thought to himself: Wasn’t I just intimidated by your know-it-all swagger? If I kept asking and you knew every answer, where would my face go?

“Alright, jokes aside. Even if we end up drawing 3B, nobody loses heart!” the coach rallied his squad. “If we want to stand atop the peak, they are a mountain that must be crossed.”

That was the stone-cold truth: hoisting that trophy meant staring down one’s greatest fears head-on.

Just as they predicted, GC locked down the final semifinal slot.

That evening brought the much-anticipated draw ceremony.

The guest drawing the matchups was a retired pro, reportedly blessed with lucky hands.

The team was more anxious than during the previous draw. Even Shen Man stopped eating, watching the host stand beside the clear glass container delivering opening remarks.

The former pro stepped onto the stage, reached into the container, stirred the contents, and pulled out a ball.

Cracking it open, the letters “BBB” displayed on the slip instantly electrified the room.

The crowd cheered, eagerly anticipating the next… unlucky victim.

“Not us, not us, please not us,” Zhao Rui chanted like a shaman, repeatedly tracing crosses over his chest. “Jade Emperor protect us, Queen Mother show mercy, anyone but 3B, literally any other team…”

Whether his prayers genuinely carried weight or not, when the second ball opened and the text was revealed, a cheer erupted across their room.

Sure enough, that unlucky victim was TKR.

Beaming smiles broke out across ACE.

In stark contrast, dead silence descended upon TKR’s camp.

“I think we should’ve prayed at a temple before leaving the country,” Yang Shanhe groaned. “What kind of rotten luck is this?”

Qin Yixing said, “Doesn’t make a difference. It’s the semifinals, we have to play them eventually.”

Yang Shanhe countered, “Drawing either of the other two squads would still be better than 3B.”

Qin Yixing: “Cut the useless chatter. It’s not like we drew them.”

Yang Shanhe: “Fuck!”

The semifinal bracket was set: TKR versus BBB, ACE versus GC.

The best-case scenario would see both TKR and ACE triumph to meet in the grand finals. The worst-case scenario meant both squads getting eliminated to contest third place, before catching the ocean currents to swim home alongside the fourth-place team.

“Hope TKR puts up a massive fight!” Zhao Rui rooted for TKR. “Believe in them!”

“Alright, stop fretting over other people’s affairs,” the coach instructed. “Before UN flies home, book a few more scrims with them, line up TKR as well. And GC—I’m not overly familiar with this roster, so let’s seize the time to dissect their match VODs.”

The semifinals were scheduled for next Friday and Saturday, leaving seven days on the clock.

Staying here for nearly half a month, everyone was sick of hotel food. Fortunately, they had prudently packed instant noodles—Shen Man had never found instant noodles so divine in his life.

Sitting before Shen Man was a bowl of pickled pepper beef flavor, smelling intensely pungent and spicy. Yet he relished every bite, making the spice-intolerant coach wince just watching.

“We’ll finish morning practice, then take the afternoon off before reconvening tonight for meetings.” Grinding through high-intensity training since their arrival, humans weren’t machines; a breather was needed occasionally. Since they made the top four, the coach waved his hand generously, granting a half-day break. “Just wander around the area, don’t stray too far, safety first.”

The players cheered.

“Isn’t there a famous park nearby?” Zhao Rui suggested. “Want to stroll over?”

“Sounds good,” Liu Shishi agreed.

Over the past two weeks, their lives had been a rigid loop between the hotel and the practice room, with evenings eaten up by the coach’s analytical briefings. There was zero time for anything else.

With half a day of leisure, everyone was delighted.

Since museums and cathedrals generally required advance reservations, wandering through a scenic spot without bookings was their best bet.

“Captain, coming along?” Zhao Rui asked Shen Man.

After a brief silence, Shen Man actually nodded in agreement.

Zhao Rui felt flattered: “You’re actually willing to step outside?”

Shen Man said, “Nobody recognizes me here anyway.”

That was true. Without stalkers lurking at the gates, taking a walk was refreshing.

With clear skies overhead, the group set off in high spirits.

Lush green lawns bordered a crystal-clear lake, with fallen maple leaves scattered across the grass matching the warm hue of the sunlight.

Finding a comfortable spot, they sat basking under the sun. Noticing an ice cream truck parked nearby, Xu Zhouye waved toward Zhao Rui. Catching the hint instantly, Zhao Rui jogged over alongside him.

Returning shortly after, they carried five ice creams, Xu Zhouye handing a green one to Shen Man.

“What flavor?” Shen Man asked, not caring much for matcha.

“Pistachio!” Xu Zhouye said. “Not matcha.”

Shen Man took a lick; it was indeed pistachio.

Perched on the lawn enjoying their ice cream under the warm sun, Xu Xiaochong sighed, “Eating this bland Western food every day, I’m practically starving thin.”

Xu Zhouye eyed his round belly, shaking his head: “You can’t be doing that, it’s bad for the baby.”

Everyone roared with laughter.

“Isn’t it because the manager won’t let us order takeout or dine out,” Liu Shishi remarked. “Just hold out a bit longer. Once we take the championship…”

He trailed off, leaving the sentence unfinished.

Nobody spoke up either.

Looking back now, the word “champion” felt somewhat distant. Before Xu Zhouye arrived, their squad relied entirely on the bot lane to hold the fort, failing to even reach playoffs. Now standing on the precipice of the top four carried an almost surreal air.

“Once we win the championship,” Shen Man said softly, “I’ll treat everyone to a vacation. You guys pick the destination.”

Zhao Rui gasped in delight: “For real?!”

Shen Man nodded.

“Then I’m taking my girlfriend to the beach!” Zhao Rui was already daydreaming of a blissful future. “The championship prize pool this year is in the tens of millions… After taxes, each person gets a couple million at least, hehe…”

“Can we really take the championship?” Liu Shishi’s voice sounded somewhat airy, lacking certainty. “The other teams are all so cracked.”

Shen Man said, “To stand on the exact same stage with them means you have no reason to belittle yourself.” Understanding what his teammates were feeling, his serene cadence diluted the anxiety and dread bred by the unknown. “You are all formidable. Every single player, every single lane—making it here today means you are elite. Face the fear head-on, and give it everything.”

“This ice cream is delicious,” Xu Zhouye chimed in, smiling radiantly. “The taste of victory will definitely be a hundred times sweeter.”

Hearing those words, everyone took a fierce bite out of their ice cream.

Filled with surging ambition, Zhao Rui instantly regretted his massive bite: “Oww, my tooth…”

“Not even old, yet your teeth are giving out,” Liu Shishi mocked him. “Planning on living off soft food already?”

Zhao Rui rolled up his sleeves: “Come on then, let’s throw down!”

Liu Shishi: “Abusing single dogs is against the law!”

The two bickered back and forth, keeping the atmosphere lively and light.

Finishing the last bite of his waffle cone, Shen Man lay back onto the grass. The sun was pleasantly warm, making him feel drowsy and comfortably dazed. Shielding his eyes with an arm, he murmured, “Zhao Rui, you’re way too loud.”

Zhao Rui said, “Hehe, I’m gonna be loud, I’m gonna—ow, Xu Zhouye, stop choking my neck…!”

Whether slipping into sleep or lingering on the edge of waking, in that hazy boundary, Shen Man seemed to drift into a dream.

He dreamed of flying high into the sky, surrounded on all sides by pristine white clouds. The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky black. His body lost all weight, becoming a solitary star suspended high across the vault of heaven.

Rumbling thunder rolled in succession. A sudden, violent wave of weightlessness surged beneath his feet—as if stepping into empty air, about to plummet straight from the celestial heights. Just at that moment, a hand caught his arm, anchoring him firmly in place.

The weightless terror vanished. Shen Man opened his eyes, meeting Xu Zhouye’s face.

“Ge, it’s about to rain,” Xu Zhouye called softly.

Shen Man woke up. Lately, he seemed perpetually prone to drowsiness, capable of dozing off wherever he sat.

Rain was indeed coming. The previously bright sky was now cloaked in dark, heavy clouds, with distant thunder rumbling faintly.

“Where are Zhao Rui and the others?” Shen Man asked.

“Said they craved fried chicken and ran to the nearby mall to grab some. Saw you sleeping, so they didn’t wake you,” Xu Zhouye explained. “Nightmare?”

A nightmare? Not quite. Shen Man shook his head.

A stray raindrop landed on his cheek. Shen Man looked up toward the sky: “Let’s go.”