SITS Ch3

Chapter 3: The Second Match

The match against TKR was scheduled for Saturday evening at 7 PM, the prime time slot, guaranteeing the largest audience and the harshest scrutiny from the barrage of comments.

As one of the most popular players in Heart of the Wasteland right now, any match involving Shen Man’s team would see tickets snatched up in an instant, let alone with an opponent as dominant as TKR.

Even before the match began, one could already imagine the explosive atmosphere of the day.

On the coach bus, Shen Man sat by the window, wearing earphones and resting with his eyes closed. Beside him sat Zhao Rui, who was scrolling through Weibo on his phone.

When the bus stopped, enthusiastic shouts erupted from outside. Shen Man, already accustomed to this, was the first to get off, walking ahead.

Although the security guards held the fans back, their excited voices filled the air. Raising his eyes, Shen Man could see countless light signs and banners bearing the name of their team. The noisy crowd and the oppressive atmosphere made the early summer heat feel even more stifling. Shen Man led the way without looking back or showing any expression.

This indifference did not dampen the fans’ passion. Cries of “ACE! ACE! ACE!” surged like a tidal wave, threatening to overwhelm. And this was only the tip of the iceberg; only when sitting on the stage would one truly understand the suffocating pressure of a packed audience.

Even with noise-canceling headphones turned up to full volume, the chilling sound of boos after a misstep could still be heard.

Suddenly, someone appeared at his side. Shen Man paused briefly and glanced sideways.

Xu Zhouye had walked up beside him. His expression was calm, showing no signs of nervousness or irritation, as he extended a hand to shield Shen Man from someone trying to push through from the side.

“Captain.” Noticing Shen Man’s gaze, Xu Zhouye spoke softly. “Let’s go. I’ll cover for you.”

Shen Man nodded in thanks and quickened his pace.

Once inside the venue, the fans were blocked outside.

The tension finally eased, and everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

“Good heavens,” Zhao Rui said, drenched in sweat. “Why are there so many people today?”

“If we lose badly, will we even make it out of here alive?” Top laner Liu Shishi was also nervous.

As they spoke, everyone turned their gaze to Xu Zhouye. After all, he had a history of slip-ups. If he messed up again today, especially against jungle monsters, it could well be his “death anniversary” a year from now—no doubt the fans outside would lose their minds.

Xu Zhouye, however, seemed unfazed. Faced with their stares, he asked, puzzled, “Why are you all looking at me? Killing people is illegal, you know.”

Zhao Rui sighed. “Let’s hope your mindset stays this calm during the match.”

“Alright,” Shen Man interjected. “Let’s head to the break room first.”

The break room was spacious and stocked with fruit and snacks. The coach began pre-match preparations, reminding players of easily overlooked details.

Shen Man listened for a while before standing up. “I’m going to the restroom.”

Coach: “Go ahead.”

Turning right out the door, after addressing his biological needs, Shen Man was washing his hands when a familiar voice came from beside him: “Long time no see.”

The voice was so recognizable that Shen Man didn’t even bother turning around. “Long?”

The person chuckled. “For me, yes. I heard your team has a new jungler who can’t even handle jungle monsters?”

Shen Man pulled out a paper towel and leisurely dried the water from his fingers. His hands were as beautiful as the rest of him—slender, straight, with clearly defined joints. Even the act of drying his hands was aesthetically pleasing. However, his words sharply contrasted his appearance: “None of your business.”

“How is it not my business?” the person replied. “I’m just worried I might go too hard and make someone cry again.”

In the last match of the previous season, ACE’s opposing jungler had been utterly dominated. Knowing his career was likely over, he left the stage with red eyes, on the verge of tears, earning TKR fans’ mockery for a long time.

Shen Man was visibly annoyed. “Qin Yixing, you talk too much.”

Qin Yixing was Shen Man’s former teammate, now TKR’s jungler and the league’s top jungler.

Qin Yixing laughed. “It’s been so long since I saw you. I couldn’t resist saying a few more words.”

Shen Man couldn’t be bothered with him and turned to leave, only to have his shoulder pressed down.

Qin Yixing said, “Shen Man, I’m inviting you to join TKR again.”

Shen Man stared at him, his gaze so icy it seemed tangible.

Qin Yixing was stung by that look and let go.

“Let go,” Shen Man said coldly. “What kind of nonsense are you spouting in broad daylight?”

Qin Yixing: “…”

Shen Man walked away. Watching his retreating figure, Qin Yixing clenched his fists tightly at his sides. He couldn’t understand what Shen Man was holding onto. Why insist on staying with the broken remnants of ACE when joining him could easily lead to another world championship? Why was Shen Man so stubborn?

After the preparations, the players took their seats in front of their computers as the host introduced them.

The audience was packed. ACE and TKR’s light signs shone brightly, alongside banners bearing Shen Man’s real name or gaming ID.

Xu Zhouye quickly adjusted his equipment, then glanced at Shen Man, sitting to his right.

Shen Man, wearing headphones, was plugging in his keyboard’s USB. His focused expression and the clean lines of his nose and jaw made him look less like a player and more like a model advertising peripherals. His ridiculously long lashes fluttered, softening his usual cold demeanor.

So good-looking.

Xu Zhouye quickly looked away, thinking he shouldn’t stare any longer.

Shen Man remained oblivious to Xu Zhouye’s gaze. Once he focused, he was entirely indifferent to his surroundings. When the game started, it was as if he was in a world of his own.

The match was a best-of-three format.

Three maps were randomly chosen: Lava, Iceberg, and Jungle. The Lava map featured two volcanic pits that had to be contested. The Iceberg map had rugged terrain with many obstacles. The Jungle map was dense with trees and shrouded in mist, often leading to situations where three people could be ambushed in a bush without realizing it.

The first game entered the ban/pick phase (banning and selecting heroes).

TKR showed respect by banning three of Shen Man’s signature heroes right off the bat. This was standard practice against ACE. ACE relied heavily on a single carry shooter strategy. By banning the meta-strong duo combinations and Shen Man’s key heroes, it was like cutting off one of ACE’s limbs, leaving the rest of the team much less threatening.

“Xu Zhouye, pick Earth Tank,” the coach suggested—a hero with high durability and strong crowd control.

Xu Zhouye hovered his mouse over the option but didn’t lock it in. After a moment of silence, he said softly, “Coach, can I try my own hero?”

The coach asked, “What do you want to play?”

Xu Zhouye replied, “Insect Queen, Black Snake, or Male Demon, anything is fine.”

The coach hesitated for a moment before agreeing.

Xu Zhouye ultimately locked in the Male Demon, a character with a messy noodle-head hairstyle, which at first glance looked a bit like Medusa, a seductive snake demon.

“Don’t overthink it,” Shen Man said. “Just play well.”

Playing well is the key that opens the door to greatness; playing poorly is the rope that strangles your career.

Destiny is in your own hands; there’s no need for further words.

Xu Zhouye smiled and said, “Thanks for the concern, Captain.”

—The game began.

There was already some tension between the two teams, whether among the players or the fans, and the atmosphere was charged with hostility.

Both the streamers on stage and the audience below gasped when they saw Xu Zhouye’s final pick was the Male Demon.

“A Male Demon? This champion has been strong this season, but it’s the first time we’ve seen it in a match,” the commentator remarked. “Could ACE be changing its strategy?”

ACE’s previous team composition was based on a classic ADC (Attack Damage Carry) setup, where all four teammates’ first items were gold generation blades. However, the Male Demon was not that kind of champion; he was a jungle carry who needed good equipment to carry the game rather than functioning as a support. He would be an independent carry for this match.

He was the true master of this game.

These two types of team compositions—single or double carries—were common in the Heart of Wasteland Professional League, and the playstyle of each team varied. Each time a lineup was selected, you had to guess what kind of strategy the opponent would employ.

“Picking a Male Demon, huh?” The TKR players laughed when they saw Xu Zhouye’s choice. “Did he get knocked out during practice? ACE isn’t the same without Slow; it’s just a second-rate team without him.”

Qin Yixing added, “Exactly.”

“Qin-ge, don’t you want to give him a lesson?” joked TKR’s mage, Yang Shanhe, already feeling confident of victory. “Go full throttle and let him see how brutal the real world is.”

Qin Yixing finally picked the Mountain Crusher, a standard jungler with devastating power, not the strongest in this patch, but enough to deal with ACE.

The game began on the Jungle map, the one where the difference in skill would most easily show.

Everyone assumed it would be a fast match. Based on Xu Zhouye’s performance in past games, if he could just secure his jungle, they would be grateful.

Under normal circumstances, the game would end by the 25-minute mark.

Even the pre-game win rate predictions had TKR far ahead.

But the appeal of esports lies in its unpredictability.

Twenty minutes into the game, the high ground tower’s last bit of health was knocked down—but it wasn’t ACE losing it, it was TKR.

Xu Zhouye’s Male Demon displayed terrifying control, boasting a 9-0-5 record, wearing the game’s most extravagant gear, and appearing as an omnipresent ghost. In the dark jungle, he threw a steel cable, which precisely pierced TKR’s mage, instantly reducing two-thirds of his health. The audience gasped in unison.

“Shit!” Yang Shanhe, drenched in sweat, had died three times, all at the hands of the opposing jungler. When he fell a fourth time, he knew the game was lost. “This guy’s a Male Demon pro? Ban him next game!”

Looking at the giant “defeat” on the screen, Qin Yixing rubbed his wrist.

During halftime, Xu Zhouye went to the bathroom.

When he returned, he found his teammates, except for Shen Man, staring at him with a look of disbelief.

“What’s with that expression?” Xu Zhouye asked as he sat down.

“You’ve been hiding your abilities,” Zhao Rui exclaimed. “I didn’t know your Male Demon was this strong.”

Xu Zhouye smiled but didn’t respond. He turned his gaze to Shen Man.

Shen Man was drinking from a bottle, tilting his head back. His long, fair neck exposed, and his Adam’s apple moved with each swallow. Xu Zhouye felt his gaze and turned to meet his eyes.

“What’s up?” Shen Man asked nonchalantly after drinking. “Anything?”

He thought Xu Zhouye wanted to discuss strategy.

But Xu Zhouye grinned, his eyes narrowing, showing a smile that looked as innocent as a puppy’s. “Hmm, next round, I want to be Captain’s dog.”

Shen Man: “…”

The other teammates burst into laughter at their exchange.

Shen Man furrowed his brow. “Don’t say things like that, or people will think I’m bullying you.”

Xu Zhouye replied, “Then I’ll have to create a Weibo.”

Shen Man: “What’s the point of creating a Weibo?”

Xu Zhouye said seriously, “I’ll tell them I volunteered.”

Shen Man: “…”

Knowing Xu Zhouye was just joking, Shen Man didn’t respond and put his headphones back on.

But Xu Zhouye noticed the faint red hue beneath Shen Man’s ears. Was he blushing?

Xu Zhouye suppressed his gaze and smiled again.

In the second game, Xu Zhouye’s Male Demon was banned, so he chose a functional jungler, ready to play ACE’s typical jungle carry strategy.

This map, the Ice Mountain, was particularly unfriendly to ADCs.

TKR was used to ACE’s playstyle by now. Qin Yixing’s jungler settled into Shen Man’s lane, purchasing a Potion of Fury after clearing the jungle, and took a dominant position on the duo lane.

Shen Man was like Tang Seng from Journey to the West—everyone wanted a piece of him, but he was accustomed to it. Even when ganked, his expression didn’t change.

Zhao Rui cursed loudly, “Damn Qin Yixing, that bastard is such a piece of shit, buying potions even though it’s a loss! If anyone knew Shen Man used to be his teammate, they’d think he killed his whole family!”

“It’s fine,” Xu Zhouye murmured. “They’ll come again. I’ll be there next time.”

Zhao Rui sighed. “Even if they do, it’s not going to help.”

Mage Xu Xiaochong wiped cold sweat off his face, saying, “My bad, my bad.”

The mage players on their team were at a huge disadvantage. Every time the enemy mage cleared the waves and came to their side, their mage was always a step too slow, causing them to lose one player every time a team fight broke out.

In the previous wave, they were dove under the tower by four people. Although Shen Man executed a critical play and got one kill, it didn’t change the situation.

“It’s okay,” Xu Zhouye said. “Don’t rush, take your time.”

Although they managed to execute some spectacular plays in the following team fights, the gap from the early game was too large, and they still lost.

The score was 1-1, and it was time for the deciding game.

TKR’s Qin Yixing seemed to want to provoke ACE, picking the Male Demon hero right from the start.

“What are you playing?” Shen Man asked Xu Zhouye.

With a obedient smile on his face, Xu Zhouye moved his mouse to a certain hero icon. “Of course, this one.”

“Crush their dreams to dust” – Every hero has a line of dialogue when selected, and this line came from the first-round hero, “Mountain Crusher,” which Qin Yixing had picked.

This was a standard example of a counter-pick, and it was full of tension on both sides.

Picking this hero basically sent a message to the opponent: “I think you’re playing poorly, and I’ll show you how to play this hero properly.”

The atmosphere in the venue exploded, with fans screaming and ACE’s name echoing through everyone’s headphones, rattling each player’s eardrums.

“Let’s go,” Shen Man said. “Final game.”

When the huge “Victory” flashed on the screen, Shen Man was the last to remove his headset.

His teammates walked ahead, passing by the huge stage to shake hands with the TKR players, as part of the post-match etiquette.

Shen Man walked slowly. When he reached Qin Yixing, neither of them extended their hands.

“Good game,” Qin Yixing said.

“Thanks for the compliment,” Shen Man replied.

Qin Yixing asked, “Was last week’s performance meant to make us let our guard down?”

Shen Man thought about Xu Zhouye’s performance in the first game and figured that if he had used his career to trick them into lowering their guard, it was an overestimation of his abilities. But he didn’t feel like debating, so he said nothing and moved on to shake the next player’s hand.

“This jungler is crazy,” Yang Shanhe muttered. “What happened? How’s he so different from last week?”

Qin Yixing glanced at him. “We were too careless.”

Yang Shanhe agreed. “Yeah…”

It was hard for them to connect the jungler who had dominated the field with the one who had been killed by jungle monsters last week.

With a 2-1 victory, ACE finally managed to survive and return to the bus.

Outside, there were so many fans, each holding gifts, except for Shen Man, whose arms were empty.

“Captain, aren’t you accepting any gifts?” Xu Zhouye asked.

Shen Man shook his head.

“Why?” Xu Zhouye was a little curious.

“Because the captain has too many obsessive fans,” Zhao Rui explained. “He has a lot of male and female fans. The girls are fine, but the guys get really creepy when they get obsessive.”

Xu Zhouye asked, “What do you mean?”

Zhao Rui continued, “Let me tell you about the last time…”

“Why do you talk so much?” Shen Man interrupted Zhao Rui.

Zhao Rui obediently stopped talking. “Fine, I won’t say anything.”

Xu Zhouye gave Shen Man a thoughtful glance.

ACE’s 2-1 win over TKR marked their first victory against TKR since last year.

Meanwhile, Twitter was buzzing, with ACE, TKR, and Xu Zhouye all trending. People were surprised, comparing his performance from last week to this week.

[What happened? Did this guy get possessed by jungle monsters? He’s so strong now!]

[Looks like they’ve fixed his treatment. He doesn’t seem drooly anymore.]

[Where’s his Weibo? Who is this guy? How does he not even have a Weibo?]

[Seems like he treats the jungle map like his home. He’s everywhere, like a ghost.]

After the win, the team manager was all smiles and wanted to treat them to a meal. He looked at Xu Zhouye with a kindly gaze that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. “Xu Zhouye, what would you like to eat?”

Just a few days ago, Xu Zhouye was still “Xu Zhouye,” but today, he was “Xiao Zhouye.” If they won two more games, he’d probably become “Jungle God.”

Xu Zhouye replied, “Manager, don’t look at me like that. I’m scared.”

The manager chuckled. “Then what do you want to eat?”

Xu Zhouye looked over at Shen Man, who was playing with his phone.

Shen Man, feeling oddly singled out, said, “Isn’t the manager asking you?”

“The captain’s choice is mine,” Xu Zhouye said with a bright smile.

The remark sounded a little strange, but perhaps Xu Zhouye’s smile was so sincere that Shen Man felt like he was overthinking it. “Let’s go for barbecue,” he suggested.

He remembered that day when Xu Zhouye wanted barbecue but was rejected by him, and now it was time to make up for that.

“By the way, Xu Zhouye, you remember to open a Weibo account,” the manager said. “The team has some promotional tasks that need player participation.”

“Okay,” Xu Zhouye nodded.

“Some people on there might say some harsh things, so don’t pay too much attention to it. Don’t take it to heart,” the manager cautioned.

Xu Zhouye asked, “How harsh?”

The manager replied, “Well… If you’re curious, you can go check out your Weibo trending from last week.”

Xu Zhouye responded, “…Never mind. Who wants to look for trouble?”

The barbecue place was right next to their base.

After the victory against TKR, everyone was in a great mood. They scrolled through Twitter, watching TKR get roasted online, and their mood only improved.

They were all young, so it didn’t take long for them to warm up to Xu Zhouye. Before, they had been hesitant to get close because they were scared of his poor performance—who knew if he’d ever play again? If they got too close and he didn’t perform, it’d be awkward.

Shen Man sat in a dim corner. Xu Zhouye had originally intended for him to sit in the main seat, but Shen Man refused, saying it was inconvenient.

“What’s inconvenient about it?” Xu Zhouye didn’t understand.

“It’s inconvenient,” Zhao Rui explained. “If he sits in your seat, someone will come over.”

“Who will come?” Xu Zhouye asked.

“Fans,” Zhao Rui laughed, “What, haven’t you gotten used to the fact that your team captain is a big celebrity?”

It was only then that Xu Zhouye realized.

He indeed knew that Shen Man was very popular, but he hadn’t truly experienced it firsthand.

Only when Zhao Rui said this did he understand why Shen Man chose that spot.

“If I’d known, I’d have booked a private room in advance,” Xu Zhouye sighed. The decision to eat out had come suddenly, and when they arrived at the restaurant, all the rooms were already taken.

“It’s fine,” Shen Man said. “Just in case. I’m not that popular.”

Not that popular? When Xu Zhouye heard this, his mind drifted to a memory from three years ago.

That year, Shen Man was eighteen and joined ACE as an ADC (Attack Damage Carry).

That year, Shen Man won fourteen MVPs in the HCC (Heart of Wastelands Champions China) Summer Tournament, and ACE made history with an undefeated season, qualifying for the Global Championship.

That year, Shen Man fought his way to the top and lifted his first global championship trophy.

That year, on every street corner, even people who didn’t play games had heard of the ID “Slow.”

Media outlets were flooded with coverage, and countless people became loyal fans of Shen Man.

Xu Zhouye was one of them, though he was just one of the many.

He clearly remembered the shock of seeing Shen Man’s beautiful face on the big screen.

The host handed him the microphone, and his lips parted slightly as he casually introduced himself: “Hello, I’m Slow from ACE, and my Chinese name is Shen Man.”

It was a moment that felt like it lasted a lifetime, the beginning of a dream.

“Captain, a toast to you,” Xu Zhouye sat next to Shen Man, lifting his glass.

Xu Zhouye said seriously, “Please take care of me from now on.”

Shen Man replied, “We’ll look after each other.”

The glasses clinked, and the atmosphere grew livelier. Shen Man didn’t like to drink and sat in a corner playing with his phone. The others in the team knew his personality and didn’t disturb him. Suddenly, he remembered something and looked up at Xu Zhouye sitting next to him.

At first glance, this kid seemed shy, but once you got to know him, you’d realize he wasn’t as awkward as he appeared. Whether it was being scolded by the coach after a game loss or socializing with others at this moment, he was calm and composed, his movements graceful. That shyness seemed more like an intentionally displayed harmless signal…

Shen Man thought this person was quite interesting.

As everyone grew more excited, the table became chaotic, with some playing drinking games and others chatting.

They were all in their twenties, full of youthful energy, so it was normal for them to make some noise.

Shen Man looked at his phone, stood up, and prepared to go outside. But suddenly, someone grabbed his arm. The hot palm firmly grasped his wrist with an irresistible force, and the voice was pitiful and pleading, “Captain, where are you going? Don’t leave yet.”

Shen Man froze for a moment and explained, “I’m going out for a smoke.”

The grip tightened before loosening again. Xu Zhouye smiled and said, “Alright, just don’t go too far.”

Shen Man responded, “Okay.”

Xu Zhouye watched him walk out until his figure disappeared before shifting his gaze.

The early summer weather was still cool. Shen Man found an empty corner and lit a cigarette. The night was falling, and people hurried along the street. He smoked absently, feeling that the outdoors were more comfortable than inside.

The cool wind of the night, combined with the smoke, entered his lungs and made him shiver slightly.

“Captain,” a deep voice suddenly came from behind.

Shen Man turned around and saw Xu Zhouye standing behind him. “Why did you come out?”

Xu Zhouye smiled and said, “I saw you hadn’t come back for a while.”

As soon as he came outside, he saw Shen Man standing in the dim corner, his long fingers holding the glowing cigarette. Shen Man’s face remained expressionless, and from the angle, he could see the small, delicate tip of his ear… very cute.

Xu Zhouye walked over.

“Oh, I’m going back inside now,” Shen Man extinguished the cigarette.

“It’s fine, no rush,” Xu Zhouye said. “Give me one too.”

Shen Man handed him one.

Xu Zhouye put it in his mouth, lowered his head, and made a gesture to ask for a light. Shen Man took out his lighter and lit it for him. Their proximity was a bit too close for comfort, and Shen Man felt a little awkward. However, he couldn’t quite explain why it felt strange, so he decided to endure it.

Fortunately, it didn’t last long and was within Shen Man’s tolerance.

Xu Zhouye took a puff, but before he could exhale, he started coughing loudly.

Shen Man was surprised. “You don’t know how to smoke?”

Xu Zhouye coughed and said, “Cough cough cough, I’m learning.”

“If you don’t know, don’t learn,” Shen Man frowned. “Smoking’s not a good thing, why bother learning it?”

Xu Zhouye said, “If it’s not a good thing, why did you learn it, Captain?”

Shen Man smiled and said, “The others smoked a lot, so I learned.”

The pressure of being a professional player was huge, and there had to be a way to relieve it. The simplest way was smoking. Their team was pretty good; when they went to other team bases, the air was thick with smoke, like a boiler room. They joked that if they could smoke during the matches, who would really be the champion…

“Don’t learn it,” Shen Man repeated.

But Xu Zhouye was stubborn. He coughed so hard that his entire face turned red, yet he still wanted to try again. Shen Man glanced at him, reached out, and took the cigarette from his mouth, crushing it and throwing it in the trash.

“Stop being stubborn,” Shen Man said. “Let’s go back inside.”

Xu Zhouye recalled the sensation of Shen Man’s fingers brushing past his lips just now and lightly inhaled.