I'll Show You

by Invidia_Envy

Summary:

Ye Qiu just couldn't understand why Ye Xiu was really stubborn over this game, so stubborn to the point he never even attempt to contact his own younger twin brother? It's just a game! What's so good about it?!

“I’ll show him. I’ll tell him,” Ye Qiu murmured begrudgingly as he struggled to set up the card reader. “This sucks. This is no good. It’s not in any way enjoyable.”

Little Dot watched as his owner kept on muttering to himself while setting up the thing Little Dot was barred to touch when he tried to chew it.

It was certainly a petty and spiteful start, but a legend was born that day.

Chapter 1

Ye Qiu scowled heavily as he cuddled the sleeping Little Dot, who was not so little anymore, on his lap as he watched a certain E-Sport match’s recording replay on stream.

Nineteen, in college, and suffering. At least the house was empty sans for him and Little Dot.

The black-haired avatar on the screen advanced bravely despite his opponent’s attempts to stop him. With one last fancy swipe, the black-haired avatar killed his enemy and the audience went crazy.

Ye Qiu rolled his hard so hard that he almost fall back. “Ugh, it’s just a game! What’s so special about it?!”

Little Dot perked up and looked at Ye Qiu curiously.

“You think so too, right? It’s just a game, what’s so exhilarating about it? It’s just some fancy move designed by developers and chains of codes!” Ye Qiu complained and complained, stacking up his dissatisfaction of not having his twin brother by his side to the whole gaming community.

“Arf!” Little Dot answered.

Ye Qiu gazed down at his dog adoringly. “Only you understand me, Little Dot. You agree with me, right? Right?”

“Arf!”

“Good boy,” Ye Qiu cooed. He returned watching the show and scoffed. “So stupid.”

---

So naturally, because it was so stupid, Ye Qiu had to buy a card reader and an account card for the specific game to experience it the very next day so he could tell his brother that his game is stupid.

“I’ll show him. I’ll tell him,” Ye Qiu murmured begrudgingly as he struggled to set up the card reader. “This sucks. This is no good. It’s not in any way enjoyable.”

Little Dot watched as his owner kept on muttering to himself while setting up the thing Little Dot was barred to touch when he tried to chew it.

Ye Qiu finally set up the card reader and dropped down to his seat, breathing heavily in relief. He looked at the guidebook and tossed it aside right in front of Little Dot who perked up at the new toy.

“Instal the application,” Ye Qiu murmured as he installed it. “Then, insert the card.” Ye Qiu picked up the box he bought along with the card reader and opened it. “Which one...?” he blankly stared at rows of cards in the box. There should be about a dozen of them.

Ye Qiu randomly chose one. After appraising that, yes, they all looked the same, he carelessly inserted the card.

The screen loaded and he was immediately presented with the avatar creation menu.

Male.

Dark hair? Sure.

Eye colour? Blue. Ye Qiu likes blue.

Skin tone.

Height......

Yada.

Yada.

After spending half an hour designing his avatar, in which Ye Qiu’s perfectionist side suddenly kicked in and took over, Ye Qiu was ready to play. He clicked enter.

Class.

Ye Qiu blankly stared at his screen. Right. Class. Something like a job and the ability of your avatar, right? Ye Qiu hesitated.

“Where’s the guidebook?” Ye Qiu turned around to retrieve the guidebook he had tossed aside only to find it was in tatter and Little Dot rolling happily on its remains.

“...”

Ye Qiu turned back to his screen and clicked Battle Mage. In the meanwhile, let’s feed Little Dot first.

---

Done feeding Little Dot, Ye Qiu washed off his good mood after interacting with the dog and back to his disdainful pride as he started the game.

Name? Ye Qiu faltered again as his perfectionist side refused to fill in a random name.

Ye Qiu. [Denied. Someone Already Used That Name.]

“Okay...” Ye Qiu murmured quietly. His name was no rare name, it was featured in many poems, naturally it would be a popular name’s choice... Added with a certain someone using his identity too.

Qiu Ye. [Denied. Someone Already Used That Name.]

Little Dot. [Denied. Someone Already Used That Name.]

“...Someone used a dog’s name?” Ye Qiu said in disbelief as if he was not one about to use his dog’s name too a second ago.

Leaf Heralds Autumn. [Denied. Someone Already Used That Name.]

Ye Qiu was getting more and more annoyed.

This Is A Mistake. [Successful Registration!]

“...” Ye Qiu pulled out the card and tossed it away before picking up another card from the box.

---

He played in the newest server, Fourth Server. It had been open for two weeks, many people were already high-levelled compared to Ye Qiu’s Fallen Autumn Leaves, he was already in a foul mood after having to spend minutes recreating a character to his liking, he breezed past the beginner missions as he diligently noted down several flaws in the game and his own opinion to mail to his brother later so he could see how stupid it was.

It had been days since he started and Ye Qiu was also surprised at how far his spite could take him.

“You have retrieved the Silver Badge of Liten! Thank you so much!”

Ye Qiu rolled his eyes and pressed skip.

“Eh? You met a strange man—“

Skip.

“Gather ten Herb of—“

Skip.

“I-“

“The Queen—“

“There are only selected few knowing this including you—“

“The consort—“

“Lay low, traveller—“

[System: The prince consort is suspected to have impregnated a demon and your next objective is to search for the Holy Tears of Goddess Of Mercy.]

Ye Qiu blinked incredulously as he gawked at his latest mission’s log. “Holy-- What?!”

What kind of forsaken plot he had skipped so far?! How did they get here?!

Ye Qiu reached for a new account card.

---

On his second run, Ye Qiu paid more attention to the mission and the lore, he initially wanted to skip them off and search for the key stories instead but he was unwittingly enraptured as he began to find more and more clues about the realm. Those clues even pointed out to a problem or a solution. Even side missions had their own charm.

For one, Ye Qiu saw no boon in helping a kid finding his brothers who hid across the plain for their stupid game of hide and seek, but when finding out the kid was actually a triplet, he set out exploring the map, finding several secret passages that led to the isolated part of the map. When all of them were found the eldest gave him a cheap torn ribbon that he decided to sell to a ribbon-maker NPC who then recognized the ribbon as a lost artifact, finding out that the triplets turned out to be the Princes Lost In Time which actually got referenced in the main story—he didn’t know yet if they’d play a bigger role.

On his second month, Ye Qiu was decidedly invested in the story. Ye Qiu ended up dedicating a lot of time to learn the mechanics deeper and levelled up for the sake of unlocking more quests. Ye Qiu tried to browse online for guides to the missions, he found some, but nothing on the rest. In fear of spoiling himself of the lore, Ye Qiu opted to do it all himself. The in-game log only recorded the summary of the missions too, so Ye Qiu ended up recording all his playtime from start to finish to analyze and re-watch when he was free.

It’s just had to be done. Ye Qiu rationalized that if there was a plothole, that would be a point he’d point out to his brother too.

While the quests were interesting, the one that Ye Qiu struggled with was the... grinding EXP part. Ye Qiu was no adept at interacting online so he often struggled to find a party to conquer a dungeon with. Luckily, although he started off late, there were many people who were like him so he could find one as long as he tried hard.

His relationships with the guild in the fourth server were not good due to some unspoken disagreement, but that was okay.

Ye Qiu was very determined on his goal.

And thus’, Fourth Server’s Legend was born.

---

With new quests and new domain in mind, Ye Qiu immediately applied for Heavenly Domain Challenge the moment it was available. He breezed through the mechanic test part after failing only once. He went and carefully chose his opponents in the Arena test part.

It was done in the span of five days, with real-life and other quests in between, so it was not really eye-catching.

Prior to this, Ye Qiu indeed never lost a battle on nick chance he visited the arena, but his track record was few and far in between. However, with the Heavenly Domain Challenge, Ye Qiu began to enjoy PvP more and became more comfortable with it.

However, without Ye Qiu realizing it, other people began to notice someone else with a flawless track record on the arena leader board.

A hundred battles. A hundred victories.

The number was really eye-catching.

“That is Ye Qiu, right?” A group of pro players guessed when they saw the track record and the class of the person who had made it.

“Cool Autumn Breeze?”

“Yeah, definitely Ye Qiu.” They all unanimously agreed.

---

Ye Xiu gazed at the screenshot of the leaderboard and tilted his head. “That’s not me, though?”

It took a few months till the pro players realized that... Yes, Ye Qiu was telling the truth. Because it can’t be possible that two avatars were online at the same time while Ye Qiu was playing in the tournament, right?

Then... Who is this Cool Autumn Breeze?

---

“Hey, thanks for helping me gathering materials,” the Warlock came up to Cool Autumn Breeze and sincerely thanked Ye Qiu for his help, very different from his usual shameless and unscrupulous behavior.

“It’s fine. You also helped me with my quests,” Ye Qiu said.

“Of course, I have. Had to. That’s just, what are you guys call it again? Proper?”

Ye Qiu couldn’t resist smiling at that. “Yeah. Proper. Anything you aren’t.”

“Fuck you too.”

“I wonder why I stand you,” Ye Qiu sighed.

“You don’t have friends, that’s why.” The Warlock snorted. “You got any quest you wanted to do? While I’m good, I’ll help you more. Better be quick or I’ll change my mind.”

“No, thank. That’s enough for a while,” Ye Qiu said. “What are you going to do with all those materials anyway? You make weapons?” Ye Qiu knew Glory allowed self-made weapons, but he never delved there. He was too busy analyzing the plots and side-missions. It had been over a year since he played, but he had yet to finish all the missions. A very splendid work from the developers. Heavenly Domain’s creation just made Ye Qiu’s ‘to-do’ list getting longer.

“Well... Half right,” The warlock sighed. “I’d be lying if I said I never have an idea to get it for myself. But my main objective is to gather up materials for a kid I know.”

“A kid?” Ye Qiu turned curious.

“Yeah. He’s going to need it for his avatar. It’s my way to atone,” The warlock said bitterly. “I left without saying much, y’know? Just ditching like a coward, a sore loser. I brought that kid and nurture him playing Glory, had his growth in my mind for a long time, but things were not looking up. Can only do this much.”

“I see... You must have cared about this kid so much,” Ye Qiu remarked.

“Cared? As fucking if. The brat is the very definition of a breathing annoyance, change him and a neverending emergency sirene, you won’t notice a damn difference,” The Warlock said.

“You know the kid you’re speaking of is not here, right? Just confess your real feeling,” Ye Qiu said bluntly.

“What real feeling?!”

“You sound like a broken-hearted dad,” Ye Qiu pointed out.

“Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting! Me? That brat’s dad?! I’m fucking young, mind you!”

Ye Qiu chuckled. He loved meeting people like this. What an open book. Ye Qiu didn’t even see the face and he already could see no malice in this person’s intention. Very different from real life.

“Ugh,” The Warlock groaned. “You know what? You reminded me of someone I know. Even the ‘Autumn’ in your name brings back bitter memory. Thought you were him, that’s why I attacked you the first time we met.”

Ye Qiu paused. He never expected the sudden confession. The first time Ye Qiu met the Warlock, he did get attacked by him and his band of friends. It had been a bloody pursuit, but around the end of the day, the guy seemed to finally realize something and stopped his hostility, half-heartedly apologized, and told Ye Qiu he got the wrong person.

Ye Qiu didn’t forgive easily, however. He killed the Warlock after a burst of fury and then they became friends. It was actually much more complicated than that, but no need to get detailed.

“Who’s your friend?” Ye Qiu asked.

“Ye Qiu.”

Ye Qiu’s heart skipped a beat. “I see...” He smiled.

“You believe me?” His Warlock friend, Windward Formation, turned towards Cool Autumn Breeze. “Huh? You’re really trusting, you know that?”

“Why? Should I accuse you of lying right now?” Ye Qiu inquired.

“Most will do that,” Windward Formation replied. “And when they did that, I’ll pretend to get offended and kill them.”

“As if you can kill me with you alone,” Ye Qiu said. “But no, I believe you.”

“A rare one, you are. Could it be, you can notice my greatness and recognize me as Blue Rain’s great god, Wei Chen?”

“Wei-who?”

“FUCK!” Windward Formation cursed. “Now, you’ve done it. You’ve shamed me and my family, prepare to die!”

Cool Autumn Breeze side-stepped Windward Formation’s furious attempt to attack him and pounced instead.

---

“Brother, are you interested in joining a professional league?” A Sharpshooter approached him and sincerely asked.

“Who are you?” Ye Qiu replied while chewing his Grapes.

“I’m Zhang Yiwei, from Samsara. Have you heard?” The Sharpshooter said nervously.

“Little Dot, no. Grapes cause kidney failures for dogs,” Ye Qiu struggled to push off his dogs’ mouth before it could get close and warned him. “Bad boy. No grapes. Bad boy.” He pointed at the guilty dog. He put his bowl of grapes out of Little Dog’s reach and resumed his conversation. “Sorry, I don’t think I catch that.”

“I’m Zhang Yiwei from team Samsara,” The Sharpshooter repeated patiently. “We’re in need of a talent, would you consider joining?” he asked hopefully.

“Sorry, I’m not interested in joining any professional team,” Ye Qiu said calmly as he had dozens of times before. “I really am flattered, but I’m sure your team will find a better person,” he sincerely wished.

“I can’t change your mind?” Zhang Yiwei asked hopefully.

“I’m really sorry,” Ye Qiu expressed sympathy as much as he could after showing it so much towards the same offer.

“There he is!”

Ye Qiu’s ears twitched as he controlled Cool Autumn Breeze to turn around to find a few familiar avatars that had been pestering him nonstop in the recent months. Ugh. “I’m not joining your guild!”

Suddenly, the crowd parted to make ways for a certain Striker to walk through. “Cool Autumn Breeze?” The Striker asked cordially.

Ye Qiu had a bad feeling about this, he noticed even Sharpshooter that belonged to Zhang Yiwei guy, Cloud Piercer, stepped back when he saw the Striker.

“Yes?” Ye Qiu answered cautiously as he seized the Striker. He looks.... familiar. Where did Ye Qiu see him again?

“Care for a PK?”

“Why?” Ye Qiu asked, puzzled.

“For no other reason aside for testing our power,” The Striker said seriously.

“...” Ye Qiu scanned the Striker some more before his brain immediately registered him. “Desert Dust...” he looked at the name above the avatar. “What brings a professional here?” He asked, puzzled.

Cloud Piercer turned to Cool Autumn Breeze as if in shock. Was Zhang Yiwei not counted as ‘professional’?! Zhang Yiwei held his chest and coughed slightly in his heartache. However, he answered Ye Qiu’s question. “Since it’s Summer Transfer, of course the professional accounts are going to be quite free...”

“Do you accept or not?” Desert Dust demanded.

“But why? Are you avenging your guild’s members who I pushed into the Death River last week? I’m telling you, that’s not entirely my fault,” Ye Qiu defended himself. If it wasn’t because those guys being so pushy and disturbing his quests, would he be cornered to push them all off of a cliff and into Death River where many aquatic monsters were lying in wait?

“No, I seek revenge for no one,” Desert Dust said calmly. “If they died, that’s their responsibility.”

Several Tyrannical Ambition’s members winced in guilt.

“Oh...” Ye Qiu hummed for a bit. “Okay, let’s go to the Arena.” This guy, Desert Dust, was his brother’s frequent opponent. Might as well test his might himself.

“Here is fine,” Desert Dust proposed.

“Eh? Are you sure?” Ye Qiu asked.

“If any of us dropped anything, my guild members will fetch it and return it, I can promise you this,” Desert Dust vowed honorably.

Cool Autumn Breeze spun his Orange Battle Spear idly as its master was weighing his decisions while staring at the spear. The spear itself, while he was sure not as prized as Desert Dust’s countless Silver equips, was Ye Qiu’s favorite one. This was his trophy after defeating the evil king of the western plain just a month ago and proof that he was the chosen hero. Level 60 Orange Battle Spear.

Ye Qiu made up his mind.

“Alright. I’ll take your words on it.” Cool Autumn Breeze slammed his Battle Spear to the ground and brandished it.

Desert Dust got into a horse-stance and readied himself.

The two seemed to be in a tacit understanding and dashed forward in a flash and met in the middle.

Clang!

---

Han Wenqing narrowed his eyes when Cool Autumn Breeze side-stepped his attack and dove down on his low left, he had Desert Dust retreated to the right and raised his leg to kick the Battle Mage away. Cool Autumn Breeze raised his spear and the two were in a deadlock.

Han Wenqing didn’t run out of ideas, Desert Dust pushed through and that seemed to take him off guard slightly but the Battle Mage amended by using his spear to change the trajectory of the push and circled behind Desert Dust.

Desert Dust struck him with his elbow while Cool Autumn Breeze swept his spear down his legs.

Cool Autumn Breeze staggered back while Desert Dust was knocked down but quickly recovered with a roll.

Han Wenqing got more and more serious as the fight continued on, his blood screamed in excitement. It was like facing One Autumn Leaf back in first server where they didn’t have to think about their team or points. Just a simple brawl.

Cool Autumn Breeze got into the red zone first but Desert Dust followed not long after. They fought ferociously and thoughtlessly until--

“ONE AUTUMN LEAF SIGHTED!!!”

Han Wenqing’s eyes sharpened, his resolve to finish this fight as soon as possible and immediately challenge One Autumn Leaf was at its peak. It had been five minutes since he started fighting Cool Autumn Breeze, but no one had been declared the winner yet. They were almost equal. However, there were some raw edges to Cool Autumn Breeze’s move that, while unseen to most people, could be seen by professional eyes.

Han Wenqing felt ridiculous of the suspicion the others spread a few months ago. While this Battle Mage was good, he was certainly not Ye Qiu. Their playstyle quite differed from each other. Although indeed, Cool Autumn Breeze seemed to learn a thing or two from Ye Qiu’s One Autumn Leaf, it was nothing strange since every Battle Mage learned from Ye Qiu’s games.

However, Cool Autumn Breeze suddenly dove down low and caught Han Wenqing off guard by throwing him away. Just when Han Wenqing was prepared to counter him, Cool Autumn Breeze turned tail and ran away.

Han Wenqing was not one to just let an unfinished fight unfinished, so he took a chase. However a wall of ice suddenly prevented him from chasing after the Battle Mage and Han Wenqing immediately knew Cool Autumn Breeze had friends ready. He stopped chasing. In any case, he already knew the level of that Battle Mage’s skill.

It was really great, suitable to be cultivated further to be a pro player.

Now, for Ye Qiu and his One Autumn Leaf.

Desert Dust led his guild members to meet One Autumn Leaf and Excellent Dynasty not far away.

“Old Han, hello. Fancy seeing you here,” Han Wenqing heard that familiar overly friendly way of his. “Can’t talk long, I’m scouting the Wild Boss.”

“Tyrannical Ambition also aims for that boss,” Han Wenqing said.

A sigh of helplessness mixed with exasperated fondness. “Of course, you are,” Was the only thing said as One Autumn Leaf brandished his spear and Desert Dust readied himself.

Notes:

This is going to be a very short series because I couldn't make this into a freaking one-shot for the life of me.

Me, naive and just starting: This is going to be a 5k oneshot.
**A few too much ideas later**
Me: This is going to be a 7k oneshot.
**Fluff bunnies jumping up and down**
Me: 8k words.
*Exceeding 9k words**
Me: 10k words. I'm sure of it.
**Nearing 10k words with no sign of smooth connection to the ending decided**
Me: Forget it, let's make it a mini series.

Chapter 2: The Kid and Windward's Previous Team

Summary:

“Urgh,” Ye Qiu groaned as he readied Cool Autumn Breeze.

“Don’t let him escape!” Troubling Rain cackled.

This kid is crazy. Ye Qiu frowned. What did Windward Formation help raising? Why is everyone obeying him!? he watched as the people of Blue Brook began to move to secure any opening for him to escape.

“I’m so sorry, but please bear with us,” The Warlock, Swoksaar, said in the fakest apologetic tone Ye Qiu ever heard. Coming from him, that was a feat. “I will make sure anything you happen to drop will be returned asap.”

Ye Qiu got a sense of dejavu.

“Shit! Why did you get involved with Han Wenqing?” Windward Formation demanded as soon as Ye Qiu got Cool Autumn Breeze over and drank some potion.

“I don’t know. He just came to me and asked for a PK.”

“And you accepted? Out in the wild?” Windward Formation said in disbelief. “Shit, you have no self-preservation.”

“He said if either of us dropped anything, it will be returned. He sounded like a dependable guy. If it’s you, I wouldn’t believe,” Ye Qiu said bluntly.

“A wise thing to say,” Windward Formation assented.

“You, yourself, if you really think I’m in trouble, why didn’t you help me?” Ye Qiu asked.

“And face off against that army? Nah, I only have a few brothers, can’t take on an army,” Windward Formation gestured to his wide circle of friends. There were dozens of them. Ye Qiu rolled his eyes. “Besides, it’s Han Wenqing, as much as I don’t like saying it, that guy is pretty fair. If it was One Autumn Leaf, I would have jumped there without a thought, believe me,” Windward Formation said seriously. “That guy is shameless, underhanded, and a damn bastard, I have many bones to pick with him.”

“One Autumn Leaf is nearby,” Ye Qiu mentioned.

“Fuck, really?” Windward Formation looked on more seriously. “You’re right. Seems like Han Wenqing got him. Tch, that bastard is lucky, if it isn’t because Han Wenqing’s grudge to him is bigger, I would have beat him up!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Ye Qiu said. “Why are there so many professional avatars online today?”

“Summer breaks, they’re always in the game when they got a vacation,” Windward Formation mentioned lazily. “When Heavenly Domain was created last winter, they were everywhere, competing furiously. You didn’t see or are you that dense?”

“No, I was a bit busy around winter,” Ye Qiu frowned. Winter was when he submitted all his assignments and extra tests to get himself more free time for other things. Since his parents didn’t even make an effort to gather together last winter, he had more free time to do his assignments.

“No wonder. Well, since Heavenly Domain is still pretty new. Summer is going to be full of them too. I’m steering clear from them, too much competition,” Windward Formation said honestly.

“Me too,” Ye Qiu said. He didn’t really want to meet his brother’s avatar. He was a bit afraid that he’d pounce forward and then Ye Xiu would realize that it was Ye Qiu and when Ye Xiu realized that he would question why Ye Qiu played Glory which would then led to Ye Xiu making fun of Ye Qiu for liking his stupid game. That can’t happen. No matter what, Ye Qiu didn’t want to get make fun of. He had to be the one who made fun of Ye Xiu, not the other way around.

“Then, come with us,” Windward Formation said. “Little Bai is sick today, we have a free slot. Let’s steer clear from these crazy fucks and go to the south.”

Ye Qiu followed Windward Formation with his band of brothers for a bit before Windward Formation stopped abruptly. In the distance, Ye Qiu could see a very eye-catching sight of a group from Blue Brook guild and what seemed like an endless stream of speechbubbles.

“Change of plan, let’s head north. Let’s stay the fuck away from Blue Brook today,” Windward Formation turned around and led his friends off to the north.

“What’s wrong with the south? I just have a quest in mind,” Ye Qiu protested.

Windward Formation paused for a bit before a dark hood appeared over his head and a full dark cloak replaced his open blue one. His face was obscured. “Look, either north or nothing. I’ll accompany you to your damn quest later on, but first, let’s go north.”

“Boss Wei is probably avoiding his ex-teammates,” One of Windward Formation’s friends spoke up lazily.

“He did that a lot.”

“A guilty conscience, no doubt.”

“He always dragged us along with his fugitive way of life in Glory.”

“Fuck off! Shut the hell up. Am I your boss or not?!” Windward Formation cursed his friends.

“Oh? Is the kid you were gathering materials for in that bunch?” Ye Qiu said sharply.

“No, no, no, what makes you think so?” Windward Formation snorted aggressively.

“So, he is, huh,” Ye Qiu mumbled.

“He is,” several of Windward Formation’s friends mumbled.

“Listen here, you little shits—“

“Is his weapon done yet?” Ye Qiu asked curiously. “Have you seen the end product?”

“No,” Windward Formation said honestly.

“Don’t you want to see it?”

“I can fucking see it once the new season started,” Windward Formation said.

“Heheh, Boss Wei is eager for sure.”

“How about I go over and look at it for you, boss?”

“Yeah, yeah! I can take a screenshot!”

“Shut up!”

Ye Qiu watched as they bickered and noticed the sky had turned orange-ish colour. He gasped, “The quest!”

“Oi! Autumn Breeze!” Windward Formation called out from behind but Ye Qiu couldn’t answer him right now. If his deduction was right from the NPCs’ dialogues about the fae queen, she should be appearing on the grass field nearby around the time the sunset!

Ye Qiu glided through the field, his spear extended far as he swept through the grass. A kid NPC mentioned there was a part of this field that looked trampled and a fae once appeared there. There!

Suddenly a dialogue box appeared and Ye Qiu saw the image of an elegant woman with a wistful face and short green hair.

“The chosen champion...?” A question appeared fleetingly before the NPC disappeared as if she wasn’t there in the first place.

What??? Ye Qiu blinked several times. ‘No!’ that was a random encounter with no meanings?! He expected more quests or more clues about the next quests!

‘What did she mean by ‘chosen champion’?’ Ye Qiu thought hard to find a possible hidden meaning in it. Obviously, Ye Qiu was the chosen champion. But, what else?

‘Not even an item clue?’ Ye Qiu despaired. He waited here for a long time he even got himself a bowl of grapes to snack on while he waited, he even got into a fight with Desert Dust while waiting!

‘No, maybe... there’s another quest that would refer to this place but I got here before that? Then, why did it trigger? Wait, it could be an A-B-A quest. Find the place- leave in disappointment, search a way to communicate further-, back to the place.’ Ye Qiu carefully considered his option and decided to note the place down.

“Hey, brother over there.”

Ye Qiu turned Cool Autumn Breeze around to have him face a whole party of people with Blue Brook guild symbol above their heads.

“Yes?” Ye Qiu answered calmly.

“Are you THAT Cool Autumn Breeze?” A Blade Master, the foremost in the group, questioned. “The one who has no loss track record in the arena leaderboard? Fourth Server’s legend? A Hundred Battle, A Hundred Victories? That Battle Mage? Said to be the second to One Autumn Leaf? The one who refused to join any guild because he can’t be tied down?”

“I think you should give him a chance to reply, Shaotian,” a Warlock spoke up, and finally, finally, the Blade Master shut up.

“Yes,” Ye Qiu answered simply.

“Holy shit, I’m right!? PK WITH ME!” The Blade Master, Troubling Rain, jumped forward and brandished his sword.

Ye Qiu eyed the Blade Master. He didn’t know which one was Windward Formation’s ‘kid’ but he once mentioned the kid was a chatterbox. He could see this kid was not really reserved, this must be the one. He eyed the sword, it gleamed coldly, beautiful and elegant, but hiding an indescribable feeling of ruthlessness.

Beautiful. Ye Qiu felt at ease knowing the materials he helped gathering were used wisely.

Too bad it didn’t have lore.

His orange battle spear had lore, so it was better.

“Hey! HellooooooooOoO! Why aren’t you answering me? Are you buffering? Can I kill you? Just kidding, I don’t kill stranger on purpose anymore. I’m just asking for a PK? Pretty please? Just for a bit, I promise it will be fast. I need to test out my might here. Hey, are you listening?” Troubling Rain kept on rambling.

“You are really noisy,” Ye Qiu commented and several people from the kid’s group snorted.

“You’re the one who didn’t answer when being questioned!” Troubling Rain accused. “Do you dare for a PK or not!?”

“I have a plan,” Ye Qiu said bluntly. “If you want to train, go ahead. Over this hill, Excellent Dynasty and Tyrannical Ambition are battling it out with Desert Dust and One Autumn Leaf as the leaders.”

“They are?” Troubling Rain asked.

“Yes.”

“That place is taken, then. Excellent Dynasty and Tyrannical Ambition are really relentless in their rivalry in-game,” someone from the group said.

“Then we should change our route for a bit,” The Warlock said. “Come on.”

“So, you’re really not Ye Qiu, huh?” Troubling Rain said in disappointment.

Ye Qiu’s eyes twitched.

“No. I must excuse myself now,” Ye Qiu said.

“Wait!” out of nowhere, Troubling Rain lunged.

Ye Qiu was equally fast in reacting, however, he swung his Battle Spear and parried the icy gleaming sword. Troubling Rain skidded and dove down low, pulling his sword back as he prepared himself for another attack.

Cool Autumn Breeze jumped smoothly over Troubling Rain’s slash, he landed, rolled down, recovered, turned around, and once again parried Troubling Rain’s sword. Ye Qiu glanced at Troubling Rain’s team members. None of them moved as expected, not even to stop Troubling Rain.

Cool Autumn Breeze gripped his spear tighter and swung it further to the left, Troubling Rain’s sword followed the spear’s trajectory and Troubling Rain was pulled inside.

“Ah—“ a gasp sounded from Troubling Rain but Ye Qiu paid it no heed.

Cool Autumn Breeze raised his leg and kicked the Blade Master on the chest, Troubling Rain staggered back and Cool Autumn Breeze delivered a heavy slam into his shoulder with his spear, with it, he pulled Troubling Rain once again and swung him in a circular arc before slamming him down to the ground.

Cool Autumn Breeze pulled back his spear and a Paladin jumped in front of Troubling Rain, once again, Ye Qiu paid it no heed.

Draconic Crusher!

Both the Paladin and Troubling Rain were knocked back.

Ye Qiu once again glanced at the group, aside from the Paladin, no one else moved. He relaxed slightly.

“Friend, let our youngest’s recklessness be bygone,” someone from the group said.

“Next time, don’t randomly run to people with a blade.” Ye Qiu reminded.

“Fuck, you’re strong. No wonder you have no loss track,” Troubling Rain exclaimed. “PK with me till death,” he said with dark excitement.

“With that Paladin backing you? No,” Ye Qiu said.

“Come on! Are you afraid?! I’m not going to get help, truly.” Troubling Rain once again brandished his sword.

“Are you going to bully me? A guild-less person?” Ye Qiu said sharply.

Everyone fell silent.

Troubling Rain then snorted. “Meh, didn’t we do worse under Boss Wei?”

That was Windward Formation, right? Yes, that man would bully anyone regardless in-game as long as they pissed him off. His moral ground can be described as ‘I’m right, everybody else can go home’ Ye Qiu phrased that much nicer than Windward would ever will.

“Urgh,” Ye Qiu groaned as he readied Cool Autumn Breeze.

“Don’t let him escape!” Troubling Rain cackled.

This kid is crazy. Ye Qiu frowned. What did Windward Formation help raising? Why is everyone obeying him!? he watched as the people of Blue Brook began to move to secure any opening for him to escape.

“I’m so sorry, but please bear with us,” The Warlock, Swoksaar, said in the fakest apologetic tone Ye Qiu ever heard. Coming from him, that was a feat. “I will make sure anything you happen to drop will be returned asap.”

Ye Qiu got a sense of dejavu.

No matter, Ye Qiu once fend off over a dozen people led by Windward Formation for half a day. Maybe he could... No, curses, this is too close and the people are too well-coordinated.

'Where are those guys?’ Ye Qiu turned Cool Autumn Breeze to look over but he didn’t find Windward Formation and his band of friends. So, he was deserted.

Ye Qiu was not surprised.

“Come on, PK with me and we’re going to be done, no more bugging you,” Troubling Rain said in a persuasive tone.

“I don’t believe,” Ye Qiu said bluntly as he swung his spear and swat aside Troubling Rain’s sword, he then released Falling Flower Palm to a point in formation to loosen it up.

Cool Autumn Breeze immediately dashed towards it, swinging his spear.

Tyrant’s Destruction!

He sent countless people flying over his head to open up a path.

Troubling Rain was hot in his trail.

Ye Qiu soon had his hands full in moving through the formation of people and Troubling Rain attacking him. No one else was attacking him, but he still felt that this was uncalled for.

‘Someone is coordinating them...’ Ye Qiu thought grimly. ‘The Warlock?’ Ye Qiu’s eyes immediately found Swoksaar. Ye Qiu had few encounters with tactical commanders, the only one he knew well enough was a Warlock, Windward Formation, so he immediately thought the Warlock. And looking closer, it seemed to be about right.

“Damn! You are fast!”

“Are you a pro player?”

“I don’t think you’re in any team. I would have heard of you that way.”

“Why aren’t you in any guild?”

“Hey, interested in Blue Rain?”

“Watch my sword!”

This living annoyance never stopped speaking and producing speech bubbles, Ye Qiu was getting fed up.

Repeated metal clang rang in Ye Qiu’s ears as he used his eyes to do two things; see where Troubling Rain was attacking, and a point where he could break through. He couldn’t bring Troubling Rain on as he navigated, the Warlock would notice and hold him tighter.

There!

Troubling Rain went it to stab Cool Autumn Breeze, but a spear was longer than a sword. The Battle Mage slammed his spear to his side and swung him towards a line of avatars nearby. He then blew them away with Falling Flower Palm as he lurched forward and swiped anyone who got in his way.

Chasers gleamed on him as he once again raised his spear.

Draconic Crusher!

Another set of people were sent flying, this is why Ye Qiu loved playing Battle Mage.

They made it easy.’ Ye Qiu thought. No one attacked him, just defending. Their roles seemed to be a fence rather than a line of defense.

“Catch him, but don’t hurt him!” Troubling Rain yelled out to his guild members.

‘What kind of cheesy line is that?!’ Ye Qiu criticized. However, it turned more serious for Ye Qiu as everyone began to run towards him, preparing to attack with low-level skills. The Grapplers and Qi Masters seemed to be the most eager.

Circle Swing!

Cool Autumn Breeze waved his spear and cleaned up the area around him, preventing anyone from coming close. Everyone was almost helpless against him.

This was why there was a saying, once a great Battle Mage wants to get out, he will get out.

Cool Autumn Breeze followed a zig-zag pattern to brush off the enemies when he noticed a Qi Master coming his way from the left. He pulled back his spear, preparing to attack. However, the Qi Master was much faster, before Ye Qiu was halfway done with his command, the Qi Master already lurched forward, hit his acupoint, grabbed him by his lapel, and turned his around to hold him securely.

“NICE, FANG RUI!” Troubling Rain yelled out his compliment. “Wait for me!”

The Qi Master was about to bring Cool Autumn Breeze back to the encirclement when a Dark Missile came out of nowhere and hit him.

Cool Autumn Breeze was instantly freed but didn’t sustain any damage. Ye Qiu’s eyes lit up when he realized that it meant his party member was the one who sent that missile, so they were only hiding around and didn’t desert him.

The Battle Mage recovered and kicked the Qi Master back and dashed on, continuing his escape.

“Who the hell--?!” The Qi Master cursed out.

Cool Autumn Breeze slid through the path once again, this time, when the people wanted to prevent him, a wall of ice prevented them from coming close. Another Elementalist’s spell. He really should thank the Elementalist, Northern Road, later.

The wall of ice didn’t last long indeed, but it held them back for a second and that split second was more than enough for Ye Qiu.

“Goodbye!” Ye Qiu couldn’t resist bidding goodbye to those antagonists.

“Not so fast!” out of nowhere, Troubling Rain jumped through, he leaped so high in the air and his sword gleamed a wicked light. He had been sneaking around amongst his guild members to ambush Cool Autumn Breeze.

A symbol appeared in the sky, painted out of nowhere by an invisible brush, right over Troubling Rain’s head. Hexagram Prison fell right onto Troubling Rain’s head and trapped him completely. The Blade Master landed on the ground without hitting anything, he didn’t move as though in shock.

Cool Autumn Breeze turned around and resumed his run uncaringly.

“Hey!”

“Cool Autumn Breeze!”

“Stop there!” Blue Brook’s members all yelled out indignantly.

[Friend] Windward Formation: We split up for a bit.

Ye Qiu saw the PM and understood, so he immediately steered in a different direction.

“After him!”

Ye Qiu’s other friends immediately scattered from their hiding place in a subtle yet not-that-subtle manner, a few people noticed them but ignored them as they focused on Cool Autumn Breeze until Troubling Rain yelled.

“Ignore Cool Autumn Breeze! The Warlock! Search for the Warlock!” Troubling Rain could be heard hollering out orders to his guild members in the back. An agitated voice left him as he helplessly stood in Hexagram Prison, trapped, “BOSS WEI!!!!!”

Swoksaar also raised his staff, but it only simmered in dark purple tendrils for a bit before he lowered it as if acknowledging the enemies were already outside his range and it would be useless to use his skill.

Ye Qiu escaped without any guilty conscience along with dozens of other avatars, after five minutes of circling around, making sure no one tailed him, he finally met up with the rest.

“You bastard, you truly can’t make it easy for me, don’t you?!” Windward Formation scolded furiously.

“I thought you left,” Ye Qiu remarked.

“I wanted to leave! But Little Bai is sick and no one else could possibly replace him!” Windward Formation said in agitation. “Ah, fuck. Autumn Breeze, you motherfucker--!”

“By the way, that Troubling Rain kid was calling for you,” Ye Qiu mentioned.

“You think I’m fucking deaf? I’m especially avoiding him!” Wei Chen exclaimed. “Fuck, let’s get outta here. He might sic the whole guild to search for me. Shitfuck, it’s not easy to live an awesome life like this. Truly destroys my damn freedom.”

Cool Autumn Breeze followed him silently before speaking up. “Oh right, I took some screenshots earlier. The sword turned out great, by the way. It looked pretty good.”

Windward Formation snorted. “Of course it looked good, I helped them drawing the initial blueprint.”

Ye Qiu wondered why he was so focused on the game’s lore when even this non-NPC seemed like to have quite a story himself. Yet, all Ye Qiu had was that he was the identical twin brother of the League’s champion who also happens to use Ye Qiu’s name instead of his real name.

---

Ye Xiu sneezed violently, making Han Wenqing, who heard the distortion of his mic, frowned a bit.

"Excuse me," Ye Xiu said as he readjusted his mic. "It might be summer fever. Or someone is thinking about me."

"Cursing you, you mean?!" Tyranny's Ji Leng yelled.

"Who knows?" Ye Xiu shrugged.

Notes:

Me, surreptitiously sliding Blue Rain's drama in the twins' supposed comedic-drama story: Ahh, damn. I really can't move on from their drama, didn't I?

Chapter 3

Notes:

Timeline: After Season 4's championship. Summer before Fifth Season.

Ye Qiu looked at his notes thoughtfully as he nibbled on his honey biscuit. Several had been checklisted, but it was still too far to go to finish every single mission in this plane called Heavenly Domain.

Not to mention, Ye Qiu just realized a few months ago that he was too focused on Heavenly Domain’s quests that he forgot that the normal server also had updated and probably had dozens of new quests too.

Back to Fourth Server or stay in Heavenly Domain for today?

Ye Qiu put aside his plate of honey biscuits and moved Cool Autumn Breeze, turning around, he was immediately greeted by a Sharpshooter and nearly had a heart attack.

“I almost stab you,” Ye Qiu said as he had Cool Autumn Breeze retreated a few steps. “What are you doing there?” he eyed the Sharpshooter and found he seemed to recognize this sharpshooter.

“Cloud Piercer?” Ye Qiu read the name. “Here to recruit me again? The answer is the same, I’m not interested to join any team even if you pay me ten million per season.”

Cloud Piercer shifted slightly. “Um, no.”

“Yes, no,” Ye Qiu lazily replied.

“I’m not him,” Cloud Piercer corrected.

“What?” Ye Qiu arched an eyebrow.

Silence fell in between them for a solid few seconds, just when Ye Qiu wanted to leave, Cloud Piercer spoke up again.

“That was Captain Zhang. Not me.”

“What do you mean?” Ye Qiu furrowed his brows. The name Zhang associated with Cloud Piercer seemed to nudge something in Ye Qiu’s memory. “Wait, the name’s Zhang Yiwei, right? You’re not Zhang Yiwei? Then... Oh! You’re the replacement!” Ye Qiu snapped his fingers when he realized that. “That’s how the Pro Scene operated, right?”

He had heard that from Windward Formation who told him he had given off his First Avatar to get passed on for Blue Rain’s future generation to get an admiration from Ye Qiu, but Ye Qiu never really cared.

What First Avatar? What’s so special about it? Ye Qiu’s First Avatar was a mistake.

“Successor,” Cloud Piercer corrected. He sounded a bit bothered with the term ‘replacement.’

“Alright,” Ye Qiu easily agreed. “Welcome to Glory, good luck on your debut.” Cool Autumn Breeze handsomely turned around, intending to leave, when Cloud Piercer spoke up again.

“PK?”

The question mark behind that two letters had been very clear, too clear, in fact. Ye Qiu paused.

“No.” Ye Qiu easily dropped that reply and resumed his idle walk happily.

Not for long, though.

“How long are you going to follow me, Cloud Piercer?” Ye Qiu asked lightly to his little stalker.

“PK?” Cloud Piercer slowly enuciated his wish once again in a careful and considerate manner.

However, all Ye Qiu heard was two letters out of his mouth and nothing else, that couldn’t be considered as ‘considerate manner’ for the second young master. “What?” Ye Qiu asked strictly to get him to say more.

“PK?” Cloud Piercer repeated.

“Are you a pokemon?” Ye Qiu’s eyes went wide in astonishment as he recalled a certain lightning pokemon.

“No,” Cloud Piercer said sulkily.

“Why do you want to PK me?” Ye Qiu interrogated.

“You’re strong,” Cloud Piercer said simply.

“I’m sure you have teammates, right?”

“You’re really strong.”

‘He just added ‘really’ into the sentence...’ Ye Qiu stared in disbelief.

“I’m busy,” Ye Qiu snapped and had Cool Autumn Breeze to run but Cloud Piercer still followed him stubbornly. He grew annoyed. “Listen, stubborn newbies are hated by seniors!” he scolded.

“Ah...” Cloud Piercer stopped. “Sorry...”

Ye Qiu calmed down hearing the remorseful tone. Now, he felt bad. But after feeling bad, he started to feel annoyed. Why should he feel bad? He was just minding his own business, this guy was the one who stalked him! He wasn’t in the wrong, Ye Family’s sons are never in the wrong except when it comes to each other.

“Just go away, I have somewhere to go,” Ye Qiu said as Cool Autumn Breeze immediately ran headfirst to the nearby cliff and jumped off, he did a maneuver, stepping to the protruding rocks of the cliff and landed safely down below. Cloud Piercer jumped after him and had a reasonably easier time with his Aerial Fire.

“...”

“...”

“I have a feeling you’re going to be hated by some,” Ye Qiu said blandly to Cloud Piercer.

Cloud Piercer did not say anything for a while as if wallowing in guilt. “Join Samsara?” he asked hopefully.

“Did your predecessor passed off the duty to recruit me to you?” Ye Qiu asked in disbelief.

“Captain suggested so,” Cloud Piercer said.

“I already answered, didn’t I? The answer remains the same,” Ye Qiu said.

“Won’t change mind?” Cloud Piercer asked.

“Won’t,” Ye Qiu mimicked his way of speaking.

“Even for the championship?” Cloud Piercer insisted.

“Not interested,” Ye Qiu said bluntly. “I’ve said that I won’t be interested even if you paid me ten million a year. Now, shoo, you’re disturbing me!”

Cool Autumn Breeze moved.

Cloud Piercer also moved.

“...” Ye Qiu stopped and crossed his arms. “You’re really asking for a fight, aren’t you?”

Cloud Piercer didn’t say anything.

“Fine. Ready yourself.” Ye Qiu was beyond annoyed, but since this man didn’t want to stop stalking him, he could only kill him. “Don’t blame me if you dropped something precious.”

---

“Hey, bro. How’s that Level 65 Orange Scythe?”

“I can show you the stats,” Ye Qiu replied boredly as he groomed Little Dot on the floor, he wasn’t even looking at the screen of his computer.

“Sure, sure, let me see,” the potential buyer said. “I’ve never seen this one before.”

Ye Qiu got up and sat back down on his chair, gazing at the potential buyer critically before showing him the stat of his Cursed Holy Scythe of Dean Turhg that he recently got and despised because it wasn’t a Battle Spear and his Exorcist account already got a cooler one.

Ye Qiu moved to pet Little Dot some more as he waited for the guy to either start a transaction or leave.

“Holy shit, this one’s sick. I’ve never seen such perfect stats for Orange Weapon, where did you get this?” The Exorcist, Peaceful Sleep, said.

“A quest,” Ye Qiu answered distractedly.

“What kind of quest?”

“Are you going to buy or not?” Ye Qiu said unhappily. He was never happy to share the intelligence of his quests with others, especially if they only asked out of empty interest. Search for it yourself, sloth. That, or help him. Windward Formation helped him and Ye Qiu was more than happy to share some quests with him.

“What? Some kind of trade secret?” Peaceful Sleep said. “How much for this?” he asked.

Ye Qiu had put a max money value for it so it was obvious that he didn’t want money but a deal.

“Get me forty Magic Crystals, twenty Pixie Dust, and fifty vials of Hot Blood. Also one million,” Ye Qiu said disinterestedly.

“...”

“...”

“That’s it?” Peaceful Sleep asked.

“Yes, why?” Ye Qiu asked.

“That’s just common drops. That’s it for an Orange Weapon? It worth more than that!”

“I’m the seller, I decide the price. Mind your own business. Your business here is to buy,” Ye Qiu scolded.

“Right, right. But still, what a ridiculous price. Back when this game just began, even if you die, you can’t get an orange weapon that easily.”

“Sir, I’m not here for your reminisce,” Ye Qiu said bluntly.

“...You reminded me of someone...” Peaceful Sleep said, certainly not in a fond way.

“Since the price is so stupid low, you can buy it now,” Ye Qiu said. “Right?”

“Wh-wha? Do I look like someone who goes around with all those trashes in my inventory?!”

“You have it in your bank?”

“Why would I want to store trash in MY bank?”

“So you can’t buy this,” Ye Qiu said expressionlessly.

“Well, I have money—“

“Not interested.”

“Real money.”

“Not interested,” Ye Qiu repeated with the same deadpan tone.

“...”

“...”

“You really only will take what you proposed?”

“Yes.”

“...I can’t change your mind?”

“No.” Ye Qiu sighed. “Look, I know the items are easy to find, but like you, I don’t have it. I don’t have the patience in grinding for it. So here I am, my orange collection can come in handy to avoid unnecessary spending of energy.”

“I suppose you have a point...” Peaceful Sleep said quietly. “Sigh, can you give me another price? I don’t feel like going around collecting them.”

“Too bad.”

“...”

“...”

“How could I find someone more annoying in the game after I retired?” Peaceful Sleep murmured begrudgingly. Ye Qiu heard him but did not respond. “You don’t accept negotiation?”

“This is already the most reasonable price, what negotiation are you going to conduct?” Ye Qiu disdained.

“How about materials? I have materials.”

“I have them too,” Ye Qiu stated.

“...”

“...”

Silence once again fell as the conversation was once again murdered ruthlessly by Ye Qiu.

“Hey, are you in any way related to Ye Qiu?” Peaceful Sleep asked suspiciously in a tone that sounded like he was talking through gritted teeth.

“Sir, I told you I’m not interested in your story,” Ye Qiu eyed the avatar and didn’t find it familiar at all. Must be one of his brother’s friends, or his brother was just that annoying to some fans.

Peaceful Sleep left without any more attempt of negotiation, Ye Qiu could feel silent anger in his movement but he didn’t care.

Ye Qiu leaned back and picked a book to read as Cool Autumn Breeze stood idly in his stall while waiting for the next person to negotiate. It was a long wait, people who came always left in disbelief as if Ye Qiu was scamming them.

In the end, Ye Qiu distracted himself with the new cat that he rescued from the nearby shelter to accompany Little Dot when Ye Qiu was busy gaming. Of course, Ye Qiu noticed Little Dot getting lonely when he was getting more and more invested with the lore of Glory. Even though Ye Qiu walked him every day, the dog still looked lonely when he didn’t have anyone to follow or play with.

Little Smudge was a very good cat, cheerful, and had an attitude. Ye Qiu liked her a lot and Little Dot also adored her. The cat had come demanding attention and Ye Qiu absently ran his hand through her soft fur.

“You’re on a strict diet, Little Smudge. You’ll be having surgery to spay you in three days,” Ye Qiu said when the cat complained for food. “After the surgery and your recovery, I’ll give you the most expensive tuna. You’ll get turkey, Little Dot.” He reassured his dog who seemed to be concerned that he wouldn’t be included in the mentioned feast.

“Excuse me?”

Ye Qiu perked up when he heard the voice in his headset and turned his chair to look at his screen. “Yeah?” he replied before getting a clear look at his customers. When he did, he groaned. “I’m not interested in joining a guild.”

There was a Cleric in front of his stall, surrounded by five other avatars. All of them from the same guild, Tyrannical Ambition.

“I understand where you come from,” The Cleric said respectfully. Immovable Rock, Ye Qiu peered. “But I’m here to ask you to seriously consider joining a professional team.”

“You’re the third one this week.”

“Pardon?”

“I’ve had three people offering the same thing. I had to kill one of them,” Ye Qiu sighed. “I really don’t have any intention of joining any team, I have a life and planned career ahead. I’m not so free for an E-Sport career.”

“I see, may I ask how old are you?” Immovable Rock asked politely.

Ye Qiu frowned. “I don’t make it a habit telling my personal information online. And didn’t Tyranny already have a Striker? Didn’t you guys ban Battle Mage or something?”

“No, we don’t,” Immovable Rock said calmly. “It just happens we never find a good Battle Mage for the team, you can change that.”

“Nice try,” Ye Qiu deadpanned. “Just nurture your own Battle Mage, I’m not interested. I’m here for a good time.”

“You can have a good time in the Pro’s League too,” Another person beside Immovable Rock spoke up.

“Can I only play when I want in Pro’s League? No. That’s what I thought,” Ye Qiu said blandly.

“You’re so good at Glory but it never occurs to you to play professionally?” Immovable Rock asked.

“It’s not like it never occurs,” Ye Qiu said. “It always occurs to me that I’m really great, at pro’s level, and that I could try a professional career, but I just don’t want to.”

“You have a really great self-awareness,” Immovable Rock said nonchalantly.

“Thank you,” Ye Qiu nodded.

“How about joining the guild, then? We could use more manpower,” Immovable Rock inquired.

“You want to cushy me up with guild first?” Ye Qiu arched an eyebrow.

“If you don’t mind.”

Ye Qiu chuckled. “No, thanks. I’ve tried it once, never again.”

“But, why?!” Other guild members of Tyrannical Ambition demanded.

“I had quite a grudge against all the guilds from the fourth server,” Ye Qiu said.

“But that was in the fourth server, this is Heavenly Domain,” someone argued.

“Yes, but I’m a really petty person, you see?” Ye Qiu said calmly. “Since none of you is willing to reach out to me at my worst, why should I give myself to you in my best?”

“...”

“...”

“What happened?” Immovable Rock asked curiously.

“I used to join and exit guilds a lot in fourth server, mainly because all of them promised sham promise such as everyone helps everyone. No one helps me when I asked repeatedly, so I get out,” Ye Qiu said blankly.

“...You held a grudge because no one is willing to form a party with you when you needed it?” Immovable Rock asked seriously.

“Precisely,” Ye Qiu replied. “The argument is always that I’m low-leveled, more so than anyone else.” He couldn’t help it. He had a life, he only played Glory three hours a day back then and most of those time was spent doing quests instead of grinding experience. But still, Ye Qiu did his part as a guild member, he donated, he joined a siege when he had the time, but only a few people were grateful.

It made him feel bitter that the people who took his Orange Weapons donation from the guild bank walking around with the said weapon but refused Ye Qiu’s invitation to run a dungeon because Ye Qiu was too low-leveled.

“That’s it?” Another asked.

“There are others, but that’s the main reason.”

---

“Have you find out about Cool Autumn Breeze from the fourth server’s guild leader?” Zhang Xinjie readjusted his glasses as he looked at the leader of the guild department.

“This is the fourth server’s guild leader,” the guy gestured and a tall man with a nervous delicate face stepped up.

“Good afternoon, vice-captain,” the fourth server’s guild leader greeted. “I’m Chang Su, the guild leader from the fourth server.”

Zhang Xinjie nodded. “I just want to ask about Cool Autumn Breeze, you know him, right?”

Chang Su’s lips twitched. Within the fourth server, who didn’t know Cool Autumn Breeze? He made quite troubles in the server. “I do.”

“The club is searching for more talent, and Cool Autumn Breeze happens to be the best one available in the game. However, we have a difficulty in negotiating with him, so I was thinking of letting him enter the guild, first,” Zhang Xinjie explained. “However, it seems like he has a problem in joining guilds, and it stemmed from his experience in the fourth server. Has he joined Tyrannical Ambition at one point?”

“He did join at one point,” Chang Su nodded. “But then he left the guild after a week.”

“Why?” Zhang Xinjie asked.

“I- I think he has some problems with a few members, at that time I tried to de-escalate the situation as fairly as possible, but... I think he took offense on something that I said and left the guild, a few days later he joined Misty Castle but left again in two weeks,” Chang Su explained.

“What kind of conflict it is? Does it have anything to do with no one want to form a party with him?” Zhang Xinjie asked.

Chang Su’s face twisted. “Yes... Because he had a problem against a few high-level people at that time, I tried to tell him that he needed to level up more if he wants to recruit people into the party.”

“How would he level up if no one wants to form a party with him?” Zhang Xinjie asked.

“...He sometimes found ragtag team outside the guild.” Ragtag, meaning that it was a mix of people from other guilds who had the same fate of being too low-leveled.

“What’s the point of being in a guild, then?” Zhang Xinjie asked blankly. “I heard from him that he did a fair lot of donation and received nothing back.”

“We- we already gave him a lot of contribution points, but he never used it!” Chang Su hastily defended himself.

“Because nothing in the guild bank caught his attention,” Zhang Xinjie stated. “So why not pay him back with some supports?”

“I’m sorry, vice-captain,” Chang Su lowered his head. It was a funny sight to see a tall older man lowering his head apologetically to a young man like Zhang Xinjie.

Zhang Xinjie might be a rookie from last year, but his contribution to Tyranny’s ground-breaking victory against Excellent Era cannot be denied. After all, he helped Tyranny soothe the grudge and break Excellent Era’s domination. No one dared to slight this young man in the club.

“Never mind, what happened has happened. I’m not the one you need to apologize to,” Zhang Xinjie remarked. “So his grudge against all guilds started from there?”

“Vice-captain, his grudge started there, but our grudge is more than that,” Chang Su said. “After his level was catching up with everybody else’s. He began to create troubles here and there.”

Chang Su began to narrate all of the Battle Mage’s sins that caused all guilds to be fed up and teamed up against him if given the chance. Not happy about it, Cool Autumn Breeze always countered with his own way of revenge. The two sides kept on annoying each other to the death until Cool Autumn Breeze left for Heavenly Domain.

Zhang Xinjie frowned when he took everything in, he then sighed. “If he’s that petty, getting him to join a guild might be harder than anything to be expected.”

---

[Friend] Windward Formation: What are you doing rn?

[Friend] Cool Autumn Breeze: Searching for the fae queen’s whereabout.

[Friend] Windward Formation: Oh, the Endless Mist Prairie?

[Friend] Cool Autumn Breeze: No, Underground Teres Tomb.

[Friend] Windward Formation: The fuck?

Ye Qiu ignored Windward Formation’s exclamation and closed the friend’s dm window. He carefully avoided all the monster’s aggro range and attacks as he slipped through to explore the underground maze. Whoever made this map was a sadist, Ye Qiu was sure of that. Underground maps were usually ‘map-less’ meaning, there wasn’t any map on the corner of the screen to lead the players through it.

Underground Teres Tomb was one of the few map-less dungeons in Glory and the monsters here was no joke either. It was designed for twenty people to run, meanwhile, Ye Qiu was alone. A single swipe from a monster here was enough to devastate a quarter of his health bar so he had to be careful while avoiding them.

It had been half an hour since he started exploring the caves and floor of this tomb and he still couldn’t find her.

A few days ago, he had learned that the fae queen had fled to the place unthinkable of a fae. Just a day ago, an NPC hinted to this tomb as the perfect place for ‘isolation’ so he was very sure the fae queen had fled here.

Why, Ye Qiu didn’t know.

He had spent a lot of potions to not make a mess here since he’d die if he did so. As powerful as he was, each monster in this place was still a monster designed for the twenty-people team, their health was too dense to be penetrated by one avatar.

Just when Ye Qiu’s head throbbed for the third time when he saw the familiar turn, he entered another dead turn but this time, there were plants grew here. He straightened. The dungeon had been endless dark underground caves with rocks and stones and dark red walls all over the place. Seeing green here was a rare sight.

Cool Autumn Breeze moved in deeper and there it was.

Ye Qiu grinned. “I got you now.” Cool Autumn Breeze walked up towards the three NPCs, the middle one was unmistakably the fae queen and he went straight for her.

“So, you have come, traveler.”

Ye Qiu let out a sigh of relief. She was waiting for him, so that meant she had something for him. It was not in vain.

“Have you come to me bearing a message?” The fae queen asked.

What message? Ye Qiu narrowed his eyes. Was he supposed to get a message for her? Ye Qiu looked at his option and could only see negatives.

He clicked on ‘Message?’

Ye Qiu was mulling about rewatching the recording of his travel in this dungeon later to find her quicker once he got the quest about the ‘message’ when bells resounded in his ears as the fae queen chuckled.

“You’re not aware, traveler. It’s just so like him,” The fae said bitterly.

[You Have Lost Flower Badge]

Ye Qiu blinked.

“I understand of his struggles, I will no longer involve myself with the worries of humans. People called forth to me regarding their anxiety, I was but a naive child fae. I have chosen to isolate myself here, no longer will I be used. Take this.”

[You Have Gained Ring Of Nature]

Ye Qiu pursed his lips happily when he saw he could answer. ‘What happened?’

The fae queen shook her head. “That’s not something I could disclose.”

Ye Qiu chewed his lips and clicked another option. ‘What are you going to do now? Isolate yourself forever?’

“I have come a long way to this decision. But fear not, as long as children’s innocence still flourished in the world, I will always protect them.”

The fae queen herself looked barely left her ‘child’ age. She looked like a young lady, a sad young lady.

‘Do you have any other wishes?’ Ye Qiu picked an option.

“How new. Humans are usually the ones telling me their wishes.”

It seemed like Ye Qiu picked the right option.

“Here, you have come a long way here. It will take you long to return, take this map.”

[Map to Underground Teres Tomb is Now Available]

Ye Qiu paused, his fingers twitched.

“I have a feeling that we’ll meet again, chosen champion.”

A map immediately appeared at the corner of Ye Qiu’s screen after the cutscene ended and he looked at how beautiful it was. He didn’t have to blindly go here and there to find a way out or kill himself for an easy exit!*

Heck yeah!

Ye Qiu was eager to get out, but he still looked at the two NPCs behind the fae queen. He clicked on them.

[The young fae eyed the Ring of Nature in your hand and looked back to you, flustered. “Safe journey, respected champion.]

Hm? Oh yeah, the Ring of Nature. Ye Qiu opened his inventory but didn’t find anything new. He then opened his stats window. His full 4000 status points had a plus sign (+100 Ring of Nature), so it was 4100 now essentially. So it wasn’t an item that could be used manually, just like numerous badges Ye Qiu had along with his mission. He eyed the place where the Flower Badges used to be.

He had to admit the Ring of Nature was really a top mandatory stat item. All the badges he had only added about ten points to each stat like STR, INT, or WIS. A nice addition, but neglectable. However, the fae queen’s gift gave him 100 status points.

Well, at least now it increased. Ye Qiu was getting frustrated that he kept getting Skill Books without being able to use them with his full Status points.

Ye Qiu clicked another NPCs.

[The little fae smiled at you like a blooming flower. “The queen’s favor is with you. You will not be treated as a stranger by our kind with that ring.”]

Ye Qiu was intrigued. Don’t tell him this ring was like an engagement ring. Was he also the fae queen’s consort now after being the chosen champion? Ye Qiu had no romantic feeling for the fae queen character. But being a prince consort to the fae race sounded like a neat title.

Ye Qiu shook his head as he chuckled. There was no way the developer made the playable character having a romantic relationship with the NPCs, because if someone else did this mission too in the future, there would be way too many consorts for the fae race.

Cool Autumn Breeze walked out of the sanctuary of the fae, slipping through several slim turns and then back to the track with monsters. He glanced at his map proudly and saw the exit to return to the upper floor. He was currently on the fourth floor of the dungeon, it would be a long way to go indeed. But he didn’t want to die to return. The risk of dropping something was too big, Ye Qiu was too lazy to replace his get-up if he lost it.

Just when Ye Qiu was strolling to the exit, he noticed the number of monsters had decreased by a lot.

“Aaaah!! Where’s the damn exit?!”

Ye Qiu paused.

“Now I know why no one had snatched the first clear of this damn dungeon.”

“We have explored this place, again and again, I don’t think there’s a fifth floor!”

“Calm down, let’s search more carefully.”

Ye Qiu watched blankly as a group of twenty people huddled together, complaining. The guild symbol above their heads told Ye Qiu they were from Herb Garden.

Hm.

Ye Qiu didn’t care. He was about to take a rounding route when someone exclaimed.

“Who’s there!”

“An NPC?”

“Halt,” A commanding voice sighed.

“Hey, hold up! Wait!”

Ye Qiu was deaf, he didn’t hear anything. He didn’t hear anything. He didn’t see anything.

Groar!!!

In his focus to getting away from the people’s sights, Ye Qiu missed a monster’s presence and accidentally stepped into its aggro’s zone.

The monster raised its club high and slammed down just as Cool Autumn Breeze jumped away to dodge. It attacked again and Cool Autumn Breeze could only roll away in between its legs. Ye Qiu suppressed his fight instinct to boost his flight one. He couldn’t kill this monster. It would be a futile fight, he’ll just tire himself out.

Just when Ye Qiu was desperately trying to escape from the monster, a Witch flashed out of nowhere and attacked it to gain its attention. Not long after, a Knight unleashed Provoke to and tanked the monster before it could attack the Witch.

Ye Qiu paused.

Under Ye Qiu’s watch, the team of twenty people took down the monster easily in under half a minute. If Ye Qiu wanted to leave, it would be easy. But his pride refused to let him leave after being ‘saved’.

Ah, curses, he didn’t want to thank them either. Ye Qiu could handle it, he truly could. He didn’t anyone’s saving.

“Eh? It’s indeed a lone avatar.”

“Wait...” A Paladin strode forward, Wind Guard. “Cool Autumn Breeze?” He called out in surprise.

“Ehh? The second Battle Mage?!”

“Ssshh!”

“Is that the one from the fourth server or a copy?”

“Stupid, he’s here alone in a twenty-people dungeon, do you really think he’s a cheap copy?”

“I am Cool Autumn Breeze,” Ye Qiu stated. “The real one.”

“What are you doing here?” Wind Guard asked sharply.

“What are you doing here?” Ye Qiu returned the question back. He didn’t appreciate it when people tried to corner him.

“Obviously, clearing the dungeon. You, on the other hand, what are you doing here alone?” Wind Guard demanded.

“Enough,” The Witch, Vaccaria, spoke up commandingly. “He doesn’t bother us, leave him alone.”

Ye Qiu saw as the team retreated under the Witch’s words. “I didn’t need your help,” Ye Qiu bluntly said.

“We didn’t want to help you too,“ Wind Guard said sarcastically.

“Enough. It’s okay,” Vaccaria said. “Let’s just stop the conflict here.”

Ye Qiu watched as they began to regroup under Vaccaria and was about to leave when he had a change of heart.

“You guys are searching for the next door to the lower floor, right?”

Vaccaria paused. “You know where it is?” he asked curiously.

“Yeah. Follow me.”

No one moved for a while, but Vaccaria calmly picked up his broom and languidly glided along. Everyone immediately followed his lead.

They went through the maze, the more they walked the more unfamiliarly familiar the places were.

Ye Qiu paused for a while as he analyzed the map. ‘It should be around here...’ Cool Autumn Breeze looked around for a bit before walking up towards a tall rugged wall. He could see an outline of doors tainted by the dark soils.

Vaccaria glided over and stopped beside him. “Here?”

“Yeah, it should be. The map said so.”

“The map?” Wind Guard parroted in bewilderment.

“Try attacking it,” Ye Qiu remarked as Cool Autumn Breeze moved first. Spinning his Battle Spear, the Battle Mage hacked at the door while Vaccaria moved a step later to summon an ice drill.

Bam!

BAM!!!

The door was open.

“There you go,” Ye Qiu stated. “Good luck.”

“Wait, where did you get the map?” Wind Guard stopped him. “You said something about the map earlier. Has anyone explored this far and made the map?” no matter how much they tried to search the internet, nothing was found about this dungeon. They were even thinking about compiling their recording later to make the outline of the map themselves by giving it to the RnD team to analyze.

After all, this dungeon was still considered new. Not even the guild’s elites could explore it past the third floor.

“Quest,” Ye Qiu answered simply. “I’m heading back.”

“What are you doing here alone?” Wind Guard asked again.

“Quest.”

“Is he being serious?”

“If you guys can’t finish the boss, you can die to get out,” Ye Qiu mentioned.

“As if we won’t be able to defeat the boss!” Someone exclaimed in frustration.

“You know your way out?” Vaccaria asked calmly.

“If I can get in and show you the door to the fifth floor, I would know the way out,” Ye Qiu said mysteriously and quickened Cool Autumn Breeze’s step.

Notes:

*I always wondered, did Glory have fast-travel? Or like, teleportation device that teleport you to a nearby spawn point? I don’t think so, because YX wouldn’t need to run here and there when he’s being chased by his pursuers in tenth server. So the only way to repeat a dungeon is to head back to the starting point and started it again, what an exhausting endeavor. Or? Maybe after you finished a dungeon, you have the option to go back to the entrance? Idk. But I like to play with this vague rule. The latter seemed plausible, but isn’t that mean if you can’t finish a dungeon you’ll be trapped unless you died or walk back? Again, I love playing with this vague rule.

Chapter 4

Summary:

Cool Autumn Breeze looked around and Ye Qiu’s mood plunged when he noticed he was in the middle of a conflict. A few professional avatars that he recognized stood around him as if ready to attack each other and he was the middle man.

“I’m going out,” Ye Qiu announced.

“Uhh... You can’t,” Someone said.

“Yeah, look down.”

Ye Qiu looked down and saw the familiar Hexagram Prison.

“We meet again,” Immovable Rock moved closer to him and Ye Qiu noticed he was also in Hexagram Prison. “How are you?”

“Not good.”

“I really can’t wait until summer ends and every pesky pros stop stopping by to scout me,” Ye Qiu stated dreamily.

“I...” Sobbing Ghost had yet even said anything when the Battle Mage already expressed his dislike for him. “Did you treat others like this too?” he asked in a fluster.

“No, you’re the last straw,” Ye Qiu replied.

“Damn it...” Sobbing Ghost murmured. “Look, let’s just cut into the case, you sure you don’t want to be a pro player?”

“At this rate, I’m already tired replying to that.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Do I look brain dead to you?”

“You will be an asset to us. Void really needs a breaker... since the recent transfer wants to be a Ghostblade too...” Sobbing Ghost murmured darkly.

“I don’t even know what Void is.”

“You know you can just say no nicely without spitting out painful lies like that, right?”

“...Is Void the team with Assassin?”

“...Fuck, you really don’t know?” Sobbing Ghost asked in disbelief.

“It’s not?”

“Fuck...” Sobbing Ghost actually sounded wounded, writhing in pain as if he just received a stab to the heart. “I- I can’t even... You must be lying.”

“I only know four teams. Excellent Era, Tyranny, Blue Rain, and Tiny Herb.” Excellent Era for obvious reason, Tyranny because it was Excellent Era’s greatest enemy and just won championship, Blue Rain because it was Windward’s former team, and Tiny Herb because it was in B City... Also because Herb Garden had embedded itself as a special memory in Ye Qiu’s mind as the number one guild he swore to never even look at.

Now, Ye Qiu always got irrationally angry when he saw an avatar with chinese herbs as its name. It always took him back to the discrimination he faced as a non-chinese herb/non-plant based member in the fourth server’s Herb Garden.

“...Wow, you really have no interest in the Pro’s League,” Sobbing Ghost murmured in astonishment.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to convey,” Ye Qiu sighed. “Now, please leave me alone. I need to investigate the truth regarding the twin dragons’ disappearance.”

“Fine, you do you,” Sobbing Ghost said with a resigned tone and left with his guild members.

Ye Qiu took that advice and did what he wanted to do. To do his quest.

With that, the Summer Transfer to Season 5 ended and Ye Qiu built fame for himself amongst many pros as that stubborn guy who just refused to cooperate.

Ye Xiu heard of the stories passed by the newbies who tried to recruit him and simply chuckled at his juniors’ simplicity.

---

Ye Qiu could only lament his luck as he kept on letting Cool Autumn Breeze a brief time to digest his potions before frantically back to dodging the Boss’ insistent attempt to kill him.

[Party] Cool Autumn Breeze: Windward Formation, where are you? I can’t keep holding off the Boss’ aggro alone like this, I’m not your VIP reserver!

[Party] Windward Formation: Almost there, stop bitching.

Ye Qiu knew he should have known better than to trust Windward Formation in this kind of thing. This was the second time he tanked the boss alone while his supposed party was still dilly-dallying somewhere.

They sure took their sweet time. Ye Qiu had half a mind to just let some other troops getting it.

Just when Ye Qiu was thinking of that, explosions started, he barely managed to dodge to not get dragged along to eat some damage with the Boss. Ye Qiu frowned as he looked over.

Blossoms Valley.

Not a powerhouse guild. What gives them the guts to steal from him?

“You okay over there?!” A Spitfire named Dazzling Hundred Blossoms yelled at him.

“No,” Ye Qiu answered bluntly. Cool Autumn Breeze once again attacked the boss ferociously.

“Hey! If you do that, the aggro will—“

“I think that’s what he wants,” a Berserker named Blossoming Chaos stepped up to stop Dazzling Hundred Blossoms from interfering.

“What? Huh, you can’t kill a boss alone!” Dazzling Hundred Blossoms yelled incredulously.

Blossoming Chaos said nothing else as he brought up his broadsword and dashed towards the boss, attacking it ferociously. “Knight!” He ordered.

With a great synergy, the guild troops immediately worked to steal the aggro from the lone Battle Mage.

Ye Qiu could do nothing in the face of a guild’s collaboration, he was only a lone man after all. His Battle Mage couldn’t pull aggro as well as the Knights in Blossoms Valley’s rank.

“That’s mine!” Ye Qiu exclaimed.

“You can’t kill a boss by soloing it,” Blossoming Chaos snorted.

“I was saving it for my own team!” Ye Qiu retorted.

“Then, blame your team,” Blossoming Chaos said haughtily.

The Battle Mage flashed over, luckily, Blossoming Chaos reacted quickly too.

Clang!

The two clashed fiercely in the midst of the battle for Boss, seeing that, the members of Blossoms Valley moved to try and help Blossoming Chaos but Blossoming Chaos yelled. “Don’t! Focus on the boss!”

“Big Sun!” Dazzling Hundred Blossoms yelled after him.

“You go oversee them!” Blossoming Chaos yelled back. “I’ll kill him.”

“Big Sun, that—“

“I know,” Blossoming Chaos snapped and Cool Autumn Breeze kicked him back, swinging his spear.

Clang!

They once again got caught in a deadlock.

“Cool Autumn Breeze,” Blossoming Chaos said. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Not quite from the way you act,” Ye Qiu said in annoyance. “Kill me?” he snorted.

“Killing you won’t be hard,” Blossoming Chaos said seriously.

“What an arrogance, let me guess, you’re a pro player?” Ye Qiu snorted. “I’ve seen people come and going.”

Cool Autumn Breeze moved forward ferociously with Dragon Breaks The Rank, Blossoming Chaos countered with Collapsing Mountain. Cool Autumn Breeze cancelled Dragon Breaks The Rank right before he reached the area of Collapsing Mountain and used the momentum to jump forward.

[Party] Windward Formation: Yo, what the hell happened?

Ye Qiu had his avatar jump away to scan the surroundings and found his usual team not far away, crouching down, watching the fight silently.

[Party] Cool Autumn Breeze: You are late, that’s what.

Cool Autumn Breeze parried a heavy attack from the Berserker and side-stepped to impale him with Dragon Tooth. Blossoming Chaos stepped back, the Dragon Tooth missed him by a hairbreadth. The Berserker brought up his broadsword and slammed on Cool Autumn Breeze who used his weapon to hit it and changed its trajectory as he side-stepped and swung his spear from outside.

The duel was always on a deadlock more often than not, the Berserker kept him to keep him at bay and to kill him while Ye Qiu was more concerned about the Boss getting stolen. A minute passed just like that and Ye Qiu lost hope of ever stealing the boss back.

[Party] Windward Formation: Let’s just retreat, Zhang Jiale and Sun Zheping are there.

[Party] Cool Autumn Breeze: Shut up. This Blossoming Chaos said he wanted to kill me, I’ll kill him.

[Party] Windward Formation: That’s obviously Sun Zheping! You can’t win a fight against Sun Zheping in the middle of Blossoms Valley’s troops. Don’t be stupid!

[Party] World Domination: Brother Autumn Breeze, Sun Zheping is the number one Berserker, ah!

[Party] Wave of Sadness: Yes, yes, listen to Boss Wei!

[Party] Cool Autumn Breeze: What of him as number one Berserker? Has he won any championship?

[Party] Windward Formation: Fuck! The only two teams ever win were the greatest rivals, Excellent Era and Tyranny! And in four seasons so far, Excellent Era won three of them! Of course he’s not a champion!

[Party] Cool Autumn Breeze: Then, what good about him? I fought Desert Dust once, why would I be afraid of him?

[Party] Windward Formation: Didn’t you run before you finished the fight with Desert Dust?

[Party] Cool Autumn Breeze: Situation called for it.

[Party] Windward Formation: Bullshit. If it wasn’t because of Little Song’s Ice Wall, you would have been mauled by him the moment you turned tail and ran!

[Party] You Don’t See Me: COUGH COUGH!

[Party] Windward Formation: You know, you actually have the potential of being really shameless.

[Party] Windward Formation: OI! LET’S GO!

[Party] Windward Formation: BITCH! Don’t pretend to be blind! I know you see this chat!!!

The situation between Cool Autumn Breeze and Blossoming Chaos escalated dramatically, Cool Autumn Breeze seemed to have abandoned defense and came at his opponent murderously. It was reckless, if he was a normal player, it would be easy to kill him, but he wasn’t.

Blossoming Chaos found himself getting pushed back the more he tried to defend himself so he switched to all-offense too, but since Cool Autumn Breeze had started it first, he had a difficulty in keeping up with Cool Autumn Breeze’s increasing tempo.

Seeing one of their leaders was getting pushed, several members wanted to help but Dazzling Hundred Blossoms hastily shouted.

“Don’t interrupt them!”

The two avatars’ health kept on declining, no Cleric healed Blossoming Chaos under his order and also Dazzling Hundred Blossoms’ order. Everyone was in a tacit understanding that it was a fair duel and no one should help them.

Cool Autumn Breeze was initially at a disadvantage because he started the duel with lesser health, but after his explosion, he put them back in an equal ground.

However...

[Party] Windward Formation: You won’t win. He has silver equips and weapon.

And he was right. Despite his explosive attacks, Ye Qiu still couldn’t possibly fight him to the equal ground forever. This wasn’t Fixed Field.

But...

Cool Autumn Breeze suddenly skidded slightly to the left after parrying Blossoming Chaos’ attack. Petals of flowers gathered in his palm as he eyed the boss behind Blossoming Chaos.

Falling Flower Palm!

Blossoming Chaos couldn’t dodge so he could only be blown by the wind, he was prepared to recover mid-air when a fierce tendril slammed onto him out of nowhere as the Boss shrieked furiously.

Blossoming Chaos’ health bar turned grey as he fell onto the ground lifelessly.

Almost as if it was on cue, everyone from Blossoms Valley paused in absolute shock.

“Haha,” Ye Qiu couldn’t resist a chuckle when he saw his defiant opponent’s death.

“Big Sun!” Dazzling Hundred Blossoms yelled in surprise before guffawing. “What the heck was that?!” Dazzling Hundred Blossoms suppressed his laughter.

Cool Autumn Breeze snatched a locket that dropped when Blossoming Chaos died, when he saw that, Dazzling Hundred Blossoms’ attitude changed.

“Ah! Hey!” Dazzling Hundred Blossoms yelled and immediately left his post as the leader, intending to kill Cool Autumn Breeze for it.

With Cool Autumn Breeze’s current health, it would be impossible for him to win against another professional.

However, large doors suddenly appeared nearby and distracted the Spitfire.

Death’s Door. Warlock’s new high-level skill.

With the distraction, Cool Autumn Breeze immediately raised his spear and broke through the throng of avatars that got in his way.

“Hey!”

Ye Qiu ignored the shouts in his back as he escaped.

When he was a safe distance away and had shaken off all the people who tried to follow him, he reunited with Windward Formation and the rest.

“You shameless fucker, I’m so proud of you!” Windward Formation hollered in laughter. “You really did just push him the boss! Fuck! That was beautiful! I want to see that Sun Zheping’s face when he saw that he died because of the boss’ lash out!”

“Brother! I salute you! I never expected I could see that amount of shamelessness from any other person but Boss Wei!”

“That was genius!”

“Damn! It feels good seeing Blossoming Chaos killed like that. God knows how that fucker fucked me in the Season two’s playoff,” Windward Formation snickered violently. “It’s so pleasant to see him get fucked! It’s even better than when I see them getting royally fucked by One Autumn Leaf in Season 3’s final because you’re not even a pro player!” Windward Formation let out one last menacing cackle.

“Well, I can’t possibly win against him,” Ye Qiu said calmly. “But the nature of a fight, if you can’t use yourself, use your surrounding. It’s his fault for not paying attention.”

“Right, right, that’s Sun Zheping’s fault. By the way, brother, what did you snatch to get Zhang Jiale so mad?” You Don’t See Me asked curiously.

“That’s right? What did he drop?” Windward Formation asked seriously. “A Silver Equip?” he asked in excitement.

“No, it’s not a Silver Equip. Just an Orange accessory level 70,” Ye Qiu eyed the locket in his inventory. To tell the truth, Level 70 equips or weapons were still quite rare since the update had just been implemented a week ago.

“Oh,” Windward Formation hummed. “Well, that’s still valuable. It’s hard to find one and the second part of the normal season is going to start soon. Maybe Zhang Jiale was frustrated that you got something they had worked hard for and wanted to kill you for that.”

“Or maybe he didn’t see and thought it was a Silver Equip that fell?” another suggested.

“Could be. But regardless, that was one hell of a trophy you got there, keep it,” Windward Formation cackled. “Let’s go, since we can’t have the Wild Boss, let’s clear a dungeon or something.”

Ye Qiu closed his inventory. Thinking for a while, he wanted to just sell it, but then he felt that it was a bit too good too since he almost died for it. He’d just store it in his personal bank later along with several other things he couldn’t bear to part with.

---

Doubtful Demon: Was I seeing things or it was indeed Senior Sun’s Blossoming Chaos that got screwed over by the boss?

Sobbing Ghost: Screwed over?

Doubtful Demon: Yeah, our guild was passing by and saw Blossom Valley’s troops were fighting a Wild Boss. Saw Blossoming Chaos got blown over and nailed by the boss.

One Autumn Leaf: Oh?

Windy Rain: Seriously?

Screen Killer: What shame that would be?

Wind Guard: Lmao, what? @Blossoming Chaos @Dazzling Hundred Blossoms

Dazzling Hundred Blossoms: You see things wrong...

Demon Subduer: Really? I was there too and saw it clearly. I’m pretty sure it’s Blossoming Chaos.

Doubtful Demon: Just watch the recording from Old Lin’s point of view. I’m pretty sure that was Senior Sun’s Blossoming Chaos.

Dazzling Hundred Blossoms: Yeah, you’re right.

Vaccaria: Quick to admit and retract a lie, huh?

One Autumn Leaf: @Blossoming Chaos You should be ashamed.

Blossoming Chaos: Fuck off.

Blossoming Chaos: Bastard is crafty, I’ll give him that.

Troubling Rain: Who? You spoke like your death was actually schemed by someone in the middle of Blossom Valley troops? That’s impossible, right?

Blossoming Chaos: Would I die if I actually fight the boss?

Immovable Rock: Senior Sun is right.

Troubling Rain: I mean, could be. Everything is possible. No one is invincible after all. A pro player could die in PvE, Excellent Era’s record was broken last season, Boss Wei could go back to Blue Rain right in this instant. Everything has its chance.

Blossoming Chaos: Yeah, those chances would be bigger than having you shut up.

Doubtful Demon: Lmao!

Vaccaria: So, who is it that could make a pro player die in PvE?

Blossoming Chaos: That damn Cool Autumn Breeze.

Desert Dust: You got into a duel with him?

Dazzling Hundred Blossoms: A stupid disagreement at first. He was playing around with a Wild Boss we were hunting, he got mad that we stole it, and Big Sun over here just have to be a cocky asshole he was and challenged him into a fight.

Wind Guard: You LOST to HIM? Shame! Shame! Shame on you, Sun Zheping!

Blossoming Chaos: I was winning!

One Autumn Leaf: Tsk, you know our priority is the result, not the progress.

Boundless Sea: How did he kill you?

Dazzling Hundred Blossoms: Timed his Falling Flower Palm with the boss’ enrage attack.

Demon Subduer: So that’s why Blossoming Chaos was in the air?

Dazzling Hundred Blossoms: Yeah, the boss swiped at him and he died just like that. He even snatched an orange accessory that Big Sun dropped. Sigh, Big Sun, you’re such a klutz.

Troubling Rain: Lol, what? Senior Sun lost his wealth to him?! Ahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! GG Senior Sun.

Peaceful Hermit: GG Senior Sun +1

Windy Rain: GG Senior Sun +2

Dancing Rain: GG Senior Sun +3

Demon Subduer: GG +4

Vaccaria: GG+5

One Autumn Leaf: GG +6

Desert Dust: Hopefully you learned from that.

Blossoming Chaos: Thanks, I hate it.

---

Christmas was a riot. Every year, it never failed to be a riot. Ye Qiu personally always tried to steer clear from it. He went out with his friends on Christmas to avoid his mother’s attempt to send him on a blind date, he stayed out the whole night and possibly the entire day and usually would return by being hauled by his group of family friends because he accidentally drank a glass of alcoholic drink.

Afterward, he’d spend the rest of the holiday, playing with Little Dot. Now he got Little Smudge to spend some time with this year too. The female cat’s winter coat was absolutely gorgeous and he spent some time being her personal photographer. His social media account was full of Little Dot and Little Smudge’s pictures that all his friends called him a hopeless single pet dad.

Even in Glory, christmas was a riot.

Competitive aura reached its peak, pro accounts were online to compete for the leaderboard and do missions in the event.

Personally, Ye Qiu didn’t like it. Mainly because the events usually didn’t have a good story. Yeah, who cares if grandma Hong’s sugar packs were stolen by bandits who wanted to research its magical component to have christmas to themselves? Not Ye Qiu. Certainly not Ye Qiu.

Yeah, events were when you got the chance to get limited weapons and equipments, or whatever everyone wanted. But Ye Qiu already had too many things to collect so collecting those was useless. Ye Qiu didn’t need new equipments or weapons. He can search for it at his own pace, without the competitive nature of events.

Unless santa knew the secret behind the twin dragons’ disappearance or confirm Ye Qiu’s suspicion regarding the prince consort being possessed, Ye Qiu didn’t see the importance of santa nor the event.

So Ye Qiu spent the majority of christmas passed out on his bed with Little Smudge on his chest and Little Dot on his side.

He got woken up by Little Smudge trying to suffocate him by sitting on his face and Little Dot peeling his socks off to rip them apart. Ye Qiu survived, the socks didn’t.

Ye Qiu finally decided to go to Glory to see if the hype had come down a little bit for him to do his quests in peace.

His parents had went out of the city for a new year party with their friends already after christmas, so Ye Qiu felt more at ease because no one would drag him to a social party where he would need to cater to everyone especially the ladies his mother would throw at him.

Ye Qiu sat on his desk, turned on his computer, tried and failed to get rid of Little Smudge who claimed his lap as her throne, logged into Glory, and...

Ye Qiu’s languid eyes widened in alarm when he was blasted just when he logged in.

Cool Autumn Breeze slid helplessly on the ground, having been caught off guard. Ye Qiu sweated a little when he saw his health bar was in the red zone.

“What the...” Ye Qiu murmured as he controlled Cool Autumn Breeze to get up.

“What was that?”

“Something just appeared just now?”

Ye Qiu had Cool Autumn Breeze to look over to where he spawned after going online and his head throb. There were way too many people here with a Wild Boss he never saw before in the background. A few avatars were looking his way as though shocked.

“Fuck, Cool Autumn Breeze?”

“Oh! You just got online?”

“Holy shit. Good evening, sleeping beauty!”

“Damn, he spawned in the most unfortunate place.”

Cool Autumn Breeze looked around and Ye Qiu’s mood plunged when he noticed he was in the middle of a conflict. A few professional avatars that he recognized stood around him as if ready to attack each other and he was the middle man.

“I’m going out,” Ye Qiu announced.

“Uhh... You can’t,” Someone said.

“Yeah, look down.”

Ye Qiu looked down and saw the familiar Hexagram Prison.

“We meet again,” Immovable Rock moved closer to him and Ye Qiu noticed he was also in Hexagram Prison. “How are you?”

“Not good.”

“Understandable,” Immovable Rock replied. “Sorry you got into this mess just when you got online.”

Ye Qiu inhaled deeply and exhaled long-sufferingly. He didn’t reply.

“Hey, Zhang Xinjie, don’t get chummy with another. Your life is forfeit!” Troubling Rain exclaimed.

Immovable Rock tilted his head.

“Hey!” Ye Qiu jolted up. “I’m right here!” he was essentially Immovable Rock’s cellmate!

“Sacrifices are needed in everything, I’m willing to sacrifice you,” Troubling Rain cackled. Yup, this kid was mental. “It’s not even a sacrifice for me, just another Tuesday. Everyone, head’s up!”

“Protect God Zhang!”

Ye Qiu watched in disbelief as countless Tyrannical Ambition’s guild members jumped willingly into the Hexagram Prison.

“Attack!” Troubling Rain yelled.

At that moment, Ye Qiu apologized to Windward Formation, because the friendship they had forged was just not enough to let this annoying chatterbox off. Forget Windward, even if Ye Xiu himself ask Ye Qiu to let it go right at this moment, Ye Qiu would show him the finger anyway.

The screen went grey and Ye Qiu immediately picked respawn at the nearest spawn point. He picked up Little Smudge off of his lap and gently tossed her to the bed because he couldn’t allow any distraction now.

Dare to kill him? Very good.

That day, many people who were not from the fourth server finally learned how petty the fourth server’s legend was.

---

Ye Xiu accidentally kicked someone else’s leg while he was walking to his chair and stopped a moment to apologize. “Oh, sorry. What’s wrong with you?” He blinked when he saw the lifeless Huang Shaotian.

“Leave him. He’s being a drama queen again,” Su Mucheng rolled her eyes at the chatterbox.

“Fuck off, Mucheng,” Huang Shaotian glared at her. “Urgh... I’m not in the mood for this meeting before All-Stars. Urgh, argh, urrrgggghhh...” Huang Shaotian let out a variety of groans to express his dissatisfaction.

“Would you shut up? Others are trying to catch some rest here,” Li Xuan glared at Huang Shaotian.

Ye Xiu then noticed that half of the All-Stars population were in a low spirit. “What’s going on with you guys?”

“Christmas was a whack...” Zhang Jiale murmured.

“Is that even a secret?” Ye Xiu shook his head. This year’s christmas was also very deadly with all pro players descending to level up and catch up with the new cap level and hunting or materials. Seriously if Glory kept on updating, people should stop expecting a good All-Stars weekend.

“You think it’s whack for you? That bastard Cool Autumn Breeze interrupted ninety percent of Blue Brook’s exploit! We usually had an eighty percent chance of winning a Wild Boss, but with him butting in as he pleased out of three Wild Bosses with me and Captain Yu, we didn’t even get ONE!” Huang Shaotian raged.

“Who told you to kill him unfairly?” Zhang Xinjie said calmly.

“I was trying to kill you!” Huang Shaotian jumped. “He was just happened to be in the way! What am I supposed to do? Wait for him to go with the risk of letting you go too? Fuck that.”

“But seriously, this is my first time seeing a Blue Brook troop with both Shaotian and Wenzhou leading it rendered speechless and hopeless facing ONE avatar,” Chu Yunxiu chuckled charmingly as she waved Su Mucheng over.

“Shut up, Yunxiu. Just because you managed to snatch ONE Wild Boss from Blue Brook, it didn’t mean anything,” Huang Shaotian growled.

“They’re rendered that hopeless?” Su Mucheng sat down beside Chu Yunxiu.

“Completely. You should see how Cool Autumn Breeze shut them up real quick,” Chu Yunxiu giggled.

“I didn’t expect him to come to you, Yunxiu,” Yu Wenzhou smiled helplessly.

“It’s just business, Wenzhou. How could I refuse a help especially to deal with you, a master tactician,” Chu Yunxiu smiled.

“To get rendered hopeless by a casual, Yu Wenzhou, maybe you should hand over your Master Tactician title.” Ye Xiu teased as he also took a seat. “Blue Brook didn’t have it easy, the rest of you also didn’t?”

“I helped Huang Shaotian to keep Cool Autumn Breeze away... Apparently, that offended him...” Tian Sen said in depression.

“Same here,” Li Xuan grumbled.

“He’s only bringing bad luck...” Xiao Shiqin smiled hopelessly.

“Thanks for making me aware that your loyalty toward a friend only amounts to as much,” Huang Shaotian grumbled.

“If you can’t even handle one person, you should ask yourself what’s wrong with you,” Han Wenqing said blankly as he kept on looking at an E-Sport magazine. He didn’t like reading this kind of thing but it was better than to be swept away by the gloomy mood of other All-Stars.

“Tyrannical Ambition did not get troubles?” Ye Xiu asked playfully.

“We minded our own business,” Han Wenqing snorted.

“Captain Yu and I had to work together to kill him,” Xiao Shiqin rubbed his head.

“That’s so shameful of you two, Little Xiao, Little Yu,” Ye Xiu commented.

“What shame? Blue Rain knows no shame! That guy is the one who’s shameless! I only killed him once and he came back repeatedly just to the hell out of me!” Huang Shaotian raged.

“For some reason, all of Blue Brook’s traditional tactics and entrapment didn’t work for him too,” Yu Wenzhou said helplessly. “It’s really hard to trap a Battle Mage who knew his way.”

“Indeed,” Ye Xiu smiled.

“How’s Excellent Dynasty’s progress?” Sun Zheping suddenly asked.

“That’s a trade secret, but we’re doing fine,” Ye Xiu said.

“So he indeed only targets people who associated with Blue Brook...” Sun Zheping groaned.

“This is all your fault, Big Sun,” Zhang Jiale said unhappily. “I told you, shouldn’t have annoyed him especially with the stupid chatterbox’s suggestion.”

“Hey!” Huang Shaotian exclaimed.

“He’s so petty!” Li Xuan exclaimed hopelessly. “I only helped Huang Shaotian once In the name of friendship and suddenly the wild boss my guild worked so hard for belonged to Tyrannical Ambition!”

“I did warn you he’s really petty,” Zhang Xinjie remarked.

“I heard you clashed with him once, Old Han. Did he really have the ability to annoy a pro player?” Ye Xiu turned to the guy beside him.

“He has,” Han Wenqing nodded.

Ye Xiu chuckled. “Well, at least now you guys learn to not mess around with a Battle Mage.”

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m flying a white flag the next time I encounter him,” Tian Sen told his peers.

“You know what? That’s a really good idea,” Zhang Jiale looked up.

“You guys are a bunch of pushovers,” Fang Shiqian’s lips twisted in a mocking smirk.

“Pussies!” Huang Shaotian cursed.

“Captain Yu, you should consider negotiation also. Don’t let Huang Shaotian led the guild around to bully people,” Xiao Shiqin said as he pushed back his glasses.

---

“Little Dot, how many times do I have to tell you socks are not snacks,” Ye Qiu scolded as he tried to snatch back his new sock in a tug-o-war with his dog which he was losing in. “Look, look, Ye Xiu’s match is going to start. Look at the tv! Don’t look at me!”

The new sock didn’t survive and Ye Qiu ended up giving a time-out to Little Dot in the corner of the room.

“Little Smudge, wanna see your deadbeat uncle?” Ye Qiu called out for the cat. “Little Smudge.” No answer. “Snacks.”

The cat turned around and meowed.

“Your name is not snacks...” Ye Qiu said helplessly as he beckoned her.

“Excellent Era is your deadbeat uncle’s team,” Ye Qiu informed her. “Your deadbeat uncle lost last season, let’s see if he can turn things around this season.”

Halfway through the match, Ye Qiu finally couldn’t handle Little Dot’s silent puppy stare and beckoned him over to watch with him.

He leisurely ate his popcorns and cuddled with his pets as he watched the match. While Ye Qiu was getting distracted with his phone, the sound from the tv became really exciting and he looked over just as Rising Dragon Soars The Sky turned its head and clamped down on an opponent.

Ye Qiu dropped his phone in surprise. “What?” He furrowed his brows. He had gotten to level 70 a few months ago, slower than others but still reached the level cap nonetheless. He had used Rising Dragon Soars The Sky countless of times, he never saw that extra tidbit where it could turn its head!

Ye Qiu gasped. “Which quest did he get that from?” he cried out in disbelief.

---

And so, driven by strong competitiveness over it, Ye Qiu set out with his research on how that could be done. If it was given by an NPC, he needed to know which NPC told that secret. If it wasn’t... He still wanted to know, he needed to. What his brother could do, he also could do.

It took a while, but after harassing Excellent Era’s website with countless other braindead fans under fake names, Ye Qiu finally found out that Ye Xiu found out about it first and it was his signature move now but the club had yet to open up about how to do it.

But this casual was not about to be stopped.

Eventually, Ye Qiu found out from piecing pieces of hints that no one else would bother piecing. It took a while to master it too and for the first time Ye Qiu felt that he strained his hand and fingers so much from playing a game.

So after learning about it, Ye Qiu decided that it might be much easier to just aim Rising Dragon Soars The Sky better than to show off with it turning its head. In either case, he needed to explore the normal server for new quests first before anything else.

He didn’t think he’d need to use Dragon Raises Its Head at all inside the game.

---

He used Dragon Raises Its Head inside the game.

Ye Qiu’s lips twitched awkwardly as Tyrannical Ambition’s Desert Dust fell and the battlefield turned silent.

Well...

“I have to go now, continue on,” Ye Qiu said nervously as Cool Autumn Breeze turned around.

“Halt,” Immovable Rock said and the whole Tyrannical Ambition moved as though ready for the next order.

Who would halt after being told to? Ye Qiu was not Little Dot. Cool Autumn Breeze flashed off, dodging people on his escape.

Immovable Rock began ordering his guild’s members.

“What are you doing?!” Ye Qiu exclaimed. “It wasn’t entirely my fault!” he claimed.

“You’re Ye Qiu, aren’t you?!” many angry Tyrannical Ambition’s members cried out.

“I am...” Dear God. “NOT YE QIU!!!” his conscience was hurt.

“Only Ye Qiu could do Dragon Raises Its Head!”

“YE QIU, YOU BASTARD!!!”

Ye Qiu patted his chest slightly. ‘Brother, so this is why you actually use my name. No wonder in the recent years my luck is really bad...’ How many people had been cursing him like this without him knowing?

“How are you sure no one else could do it?!” Ye Qiu exclaimed angrily. “Just because you can’t, doesn’t mean I can’t either.”

“Doesn’t matter, you killed God Han, prepare to die!”

“KILL HIM! KILL HIM!!! Zhang Xinjie, kill him!” somebody screamed in excitement.

“What’s going on here? Seems like a very rowdy party.”

“ONE AUTUMN LEAF!” The aggro of the entire Tyrannical Ambition shifted almost in a blink of an eye.

“It’s Ye Qiu!”

“Hm? Why is everyone so excited? Where’s Old Han?” One Autumn Leaf stood in the middle of the newly arrived Excellent Dynasty, he seemed confused that there was no Striker who immediately parted the crowd and greeted him with a punch in the face.

“Guys! GUYS! Cool Autumn Breeze is getting away!”

“Wait, so who’s the real Ye Qiu?”

Ye Qiu picked up his pace when he saw the people were getting quite distracted with his brother’s presence. With that, he successfully retreated.

Unknown to him, his retreating back was watched by not only one but two Master Tactician.

In Excellent Era’s training room, Ye Xiu tilted his head in mild curiousity.

---

The news of the second Battle Mage who could execute Dragon Raises Its Head spread like a wildfire. By the end of the day, the entirety of pro scene knew about it. How could they not? Especially when The King of Fighting himself fell under the second Battle Mage’s shameless trickery—Tyranny’s fans' words.

Every team’s captains let out a disappointed exhale because they experienced it themselves how stubborn as a mule that casual was. He wasn’t even interested in fame or money or glory as a champion. So no matter what the clubs tried to offer, they always got turned down coldly.

Everyone clamored to Han Wenqing on how he could fell and Han Wenqing’s answer was curt as always.

“I underestimated him and let him have a handicap to balance the fight. It was my arrogance.”

Everyone could only go silent after that. They knew the captain of Tyranny always preached about fairness, so it was not surprising to give a normal player handicap. After all, they were pro players with pro accounts, what normal account could compare to their shining silver avatars? That Cool Autumn Breeze might be clad in Orange, but how could it compare to the Silver ones? Yet, Han Wenqing’s fairness turned into arrogance in his words and shame for looking down on his opponent.

No, actually, everyone would do the same if they were looking for a fair fight. That wasn’t arrogance exactly... But no one dared to contradict Han Wenqing’s firm words, well, there was one, Han Wenqing’s own lifelong rival, but that guy only used the opportunity to tease Han Wenqing shamelessly.

Every club had learned of this story, felt regret, and moved on. However, there was one club that never once tried to recruit Cool Autumn Breeze in the game but because of the recent internal problems, they began to change their mind.

Excellent Era’s performance began to deteriorate halfway through Season 6 and the blame seemed to slowly get shifted to the captain, while doing so, their eyes were trained on another Battle Mage who could defeat Desert Dust in-game.

Notes:

Season 5’s Winter Transfer (/Break) was where the new update was implemented and the level cap was raised to 70. So... Battle God ‘Ye Qiu’ actually showed his staggering Dragon Turned Its Head was around Season 5 or Season 6. I made it Season 5’s play off.

EE is moving their unsexy eyes to a possible future captain when the current captain is still stubbornly refusing to show his face, what will happen next? A shitstorm! Tune in next for it. Invidia out!

Chapter 5: The Breeze That Brings The Autumn Leaf

Summary:

“Disgraceful brother, what makes you think I want your position?”

Ye Xiu’s heart almost skipped a beat.

Ye Qiu felt that if one day he ever had a child, he’d make sure they get their own pet cat and teach them how to take care of it themselves. After all, there was nothing more humbling than collecting your cat’s dumps twice every day. Ye Qiu was already thinking of adding more litterbox just in case.

“The youngest CEO of Ye corps is nothing but a poop collector in his own home. Funny isn’t it, Little Smudge?” Ye Qiu murmured to his ever indifferent cat. He sighed and looked to the right to Little Dot who watched him devotedly. “Don’t pretend to look innocent like that, you’re the reason why I can’t slack off. Seriously what’s so delicious about cat’s poop?” Ye Qiu glared at his dog whom he caught red-handed stealing from Little Smudge’s litterbox a week ago.

Needless to say, Ye Qiu was mortified. He fed him properly on time every time and even snacks in between yet Little Dot acted like he never sees food in his life.

Ye Qiu was seriously considering potty-training Little Smudge to be done with it.

“Meoww~”

Ye Qiu wrapped the waste in several layers, put it on his trash, and washed his hands clean with soap before he walked back to the common room. He furrowed his brows.

“Ugh, they’re losing again!” Ye Qiu said in disbelief as he sat down on the sofa. “Seriously, brother, you can’t even tie up that loose team of yours? It’s better to face a wolf rather than having a pig teammate.”

Ye Qiu faithfully watched it till the end even till the post-match interview and ran a hand through his hair in frustration when the topic became ‘Ye Qiu’ and his subtle mistakes and calculation. “Oh, his calculation is wrong alright, he didn’t calculate how much of a pig pen the whole lot you are. Only Dancing Rain followed through faithfully!”

This always happened lately and Ye Qiu didn’t understand what was going on. His brother’s ability was still at the peak. He was still young, after all. Only twenty-three years old, his previous partner held out even longer than that! His brother’s tactic was still as polished as always, after all, there was no way the twins could go rusty in that topic after getting hammered with so many lessons from their grandfather as children.

“Uh, I can’t watch this,” Ye Qiu complained as he turned off the tv. “Time to sleep, everyone!”

---

“Hello, Cool Autumn Breeze.”

“No,” Ye Qiu answered as a trained response to anyone calling him that way. From his experience, the people who started to greet him with “Hello/hey/good day, Cool Autumn Breeze,” were there to annoy Ye Qiu. The people who meant business usually started with “Autumn Breeze-bro, Boss Wei is searching for you.” Either that or some other avatars who Ye Qiu actually was familiar with.

“Eh?”

“Please hold on, we haven’t said anything yet.”

Ye Qiu glanced at them and the symbol above their heads.

Excellent Dynasty.

Ye Qiu narrowed his eyes. What on earth Excellent Dynasty want from him? They had been the quietest guild. Sure Ye Qiu got into a spat with them too in the fourth server and they tried to recruit him several times in the past but they were not as persistent as any other team. Ye Qiu presumed it was because they already had the number one Battle Mage as their figurehead and captain.

 

“I don’t need to hear it,” Ye Qiu said calmly.

“Please, can we talk amicably first?”

No. But the other side already started talking before Ye Qiu could respond.

“We are here to speak about possible recruitment of you into our team.”

Wow, that was so unexpected. Ye Qiu never saw that coming at all. This was certainly the first time ever.

“Would you be willing to negotiate?”

“Why? You have Ye Qiu in your team,” Ye Qiu replied.

“Well, as you can see Excellent Era’s performance this season was getting bad because the captain is actually declining.”

‘No, I don’t see that at all.’ Ye Qiu mentally responded. ‘What’s declining again?’

“So, we’ve been thinking of a replacement.”

“Ye Qiu is twenty-three, he’s still at the peak of his ability...” Right? Well, Windward did once mention he retired at around twenty-four/five... Hmm... But that was Windward, his brother certainly could last longer than that.

“Well, as a matter of fact, no. Heh, behind the scene of the pro’s league is a bit complicated you see—“

“What did I hear back there?!” Ye Qiu yelled as he pulled the headset off his ear. “Little Dot, did you break the food container again?!” he took off his headset and ran to the kitchen. The people of Excellent Dynasty stood there blankly as the owner of Cool Autumn Breeze went afk completely for the next half-an-hour and disappeared afterward.

---

Cool Autumn Breeze finished the monster with a ruthless swipe and stood there as its owner was mulling about what dungeon he should explore for extra quests next.

“Bravo, brother!”

Cool Autumn Breeze turned around and saw several people approaching. Excellent Dynasty again.

“Your technique is flawless!”

“I never see someone doing such a clean swipe before.”

Who are these clowns? Ye Qiu eyed the names. They weren’t the previous scouting team. “What do you want?” Ye Qiu asked.

“Brother, let me introduce myself. I’m Excellent Era’s Liu Hao.” The Spellblade introduced himself.

“...” Ye Qiu didn’t even hum to respond.

“I play Total Darkness,” The Spellblade said.

That rang a bell.

Ye Qiu tilted his head. “You’re here to recruit me?”

“I’m here to witness the possible replacement for One Autumn Leaf, I must say the higher-ups are putting their mind seriously on this.” Liu Hao said appreciatively. “I’m sure you can be a better One Autumn Leaf than Ye Qiu.”

“I wonder where you have this confidence to claim that,” Ye Qiu smiled thinly. “I never even claim I’m better than One Autumn Leaf. Nor do I want to be compared to him,” Ye Qiu’s voice dropped a little bit at the end.

“Haha, brother, don’t be shy. You’re really a great Battle Mage, comparable to Ye Qiu, I can attest to this,” Liu Hao didn’t seem to sense Ye Qiu’s hostility.

Ye Qiu’s biggest pet peeve was to be compared to his own brother. They were twins, they got compared a lot. Be it good or bad, Ye Qiu hated all comparison regardless who won in that comparison. Ye Xiu is more social than Ye Qiu? Ye Qiu didn’t like that comparison. Ye Qiu is more diligent and polite than Ye Xiu? Ye Qiu still didn’t like that.

Ye Qiu held back his intention to say something scathing and gave in to his curiousity. He didn’t get his answer previously, and now he was really curious why they wanted to replace his brother? If anything, this Liu Hao guy should be the one getting replaced because he messed up the strategy and tactic a lot.

“You tell me why Excellent Era wants to replace Ye Qiu,” Ye Qiu beamed.

“Well, if you watch the season’s match, you can see how he declined since last season. Not to mention his personality brings a lot of tension in the team and made the atmosphere within the team... how do I say this? Not healthy.”

Ye Qiu twitched.

“Really?” He asked curiously.

“Why would I lie? Right?” Liu Hao sought support from his friends who all confirmed what he said. “Well, what can be said? Many may think his trash-talking was on point in the match, but no one knew how toxic he could behind the screen.”

“Oh, is that so?” Ye Qiu gritted his teeth.

“Yes, he suppressed a few members, we couldn’t improve the way we like.” Liu Hao claimed again. “He’s overbearing and selfish, he never put the team in his mind and continues on selfishly making up his own rules. I pity our boss for having to deal with him all this time.”

“Interesting.” Ye Qiu’s hand twitched.

“If it wasn’t because he had helped Excellent Era winning three championships, we would have laid him down more coarsely.” Liu Hao said confidently. “So, how about it, brother? You want to join us? Help us to get back our glory, I’m sure you can replace Ye Qiu perfectly. Don’t worry, the club had full control over this, Ye Qiu won’t be able to refuse. You can play One Autumn Leaf.”

Just when Ye Qiu was ready to explode, Little Smudge jumped onto his desk and covered his screen. She then sat there, staring dead straight at him. Seeing the ragdoll’s clear blue eyes that slowly blinked at him in greeting, Ye Qiu calmed down. He couldn’t just be hostile while his cat was staring straight into his eyes.

Ye Qiu smiled as he petted Little Smudge. “What makes you think I will give up my Cool Autumn Breeze for One Autumn Leaf?” he asked in dark amusement instead.

---

Season 6’s second half was not looking good for Excellent Era, the few defeats they received in a row made it feel like getting into the playoff was a faraway chance. Su Mucheng had been really vocal about it to Ye Xiu on how the harmony within the team was slowly rotting from inside because of a few people.

There was a reason why Su Mucheng couldn’t be in sync with anyone within the team with the exception of Ye Xiu’s One Autumn Leaf. Su Mucheng had pestered Ye Xiu several times about switching out Liu Hao and bringing it up to Tao Xuan but lately, Ye Xiu couldn’t read Tao Xuan’s mood at all.

Putting aside Tao Xuan, Liu Hao was not a bad player per se, he just needed more discipline, but it was proven to be impossible for him to discipline him with Liu Hao’s ego.

Ye Xiu was truly in a tight place. His peers had been pestering him about the sudden decline of the team, even Han Wenqing had DM-ed him with a ‘What the hell is wrong with your team?’ that was really serious. For Han Wenqing who disdained to get in others’ business to get in his business.

Ye Xiu scratched his head as he walked through the corridors leading to Tao Xuan’s office. His steps were, as always, like a cat, so it didn’t surprise him that no one caught him coming.

“He doesn’t want to play One Autumn Leaf but want to stick with his own avatar?”

“Yes, that’s what he said.”

Ye Xiu paused before the door, he raised his head and furrowed his brows. His hand, which was already reaching to knock, fell back to his side.

“That would be hard, One Autumn Leaf is our figurehead.” Tao Xuan said.

“Have you convince him to change?” Cui Li asked.

“He sounded very firm, manager,” Liu Hao said.

“Well, at least he sounds interested now. We just have to convince him to change avatar, it would be an easy task.”

“But he is equal to Ye Qiu, right?” Tao Xuan asked.

“From all the data, he is. He could defeat Desert Dust in orange equips and weapon after all.”

“So, how can we make him give up his avatar?”

---

“Ye Qiu, want to accompany me buying some bubble tea? I won’t shop, I promise,” Su Mucheng popped her head in after getting permission from the owner of the room. She found him in front of his computer as always. She wondered why Tao Xuan let Ye Xiu have his own computer in his room. “Ye Qiu, let’s go out~” Su Mucheng playfully invited.

“Later, Mucheng.”

Su Mucheng pouted but paused when seeing a serious look on Ye Xiu’s face. “What are you doing?” she stepped into the room and blinked when she saw Ye Xiu was online with One Autumn Leaf in Heavenly Domain.

“I want to get to know this second Battle Mage everyone is talking about,” Ye Xiu said leisurely.

“Really? You never seem to be interested previously,” Su Mucheng tilted her head.

“Naturally, I couldn’t help to be interested in my possible replacement,” Ye Xiu said.

“What do you mean?” Su Mucheng frowned.

A pregnant silence passed in between them and doubt descended on Su Mucheng.

“It can’t be, right?”

---

Ye Qiu nearly teared up when he finally found the ruins of Dragon Temple in an isolated part of the Dragon’s Nestings Safe. After activating a hidden trigger in the woods he fought the guardian viciously where he almost died repeatedly.

He found an altar with a small pond there, he sat down and light incense to pay respect. He received a cutscene then.

“It was all my fault that everything becomes like this... Thousands of years ago, I started a battle with the Demon King of Conquest, Galasectra. I emerged victorious but I sustain internal damage. However, it meant nothing. I had to stop Galasectra from devastating the upper realm. However, I could never tell my real condition to anyone. Not even to my younger brother. My dear younger brother...”

Ye Qiu straightened in his seat when he read the last line. So the one in front of him was the elder brother...

“He was concerned about me. Always wanting to do more. I ended up diving into the low realm to search a way out to heal my body. I told him to wait. He waited. However, in the low realm, the tribulations I have to pass through were not jokes. Not even as the famed War Dragon could I breeze through it.”

“I lost my ways repeatedly. Ten years became a hundred years, a hundred years became a thousand years. Galasectra clawed his way back and sought me for revenge. My brother faced him... I returned way too late... He perished body and soul while trying to hold Galasectra back and holding the Heavenly Beacon of Homeward Lost Soul for me to return to.”

Ye Qiu slumped to his seat in disbelief. Not the younger brother! As a younger brother himself, Ye Qiu had a strong bias towards younger brothers.

“I don’t want to live, traveler. But I must. For Tianqiu, I, Tingye, will live forever in his name.”

“His name is Tianqiu?” Ye Qiu was even more devastated. The relatability is too strong! He was feeling too strongly for this NPC who he hadn’t even seen in action!

“Now you have found out why we disappeared. I’m still here. But my younger brother indeed has perished.”

“I wish you well, then,” Ye Qiu chose the option.

“Thank you. It’s been a while since I talk to someone, and thank you for worshipping my brother and me with your incenses. I will give you this.”

[You Have Received The Dragon’s Reverse Scale]

Ye Qiu immediately checked his inventory and read the description.

[The Dragon’s Reverse Scale: Don’t touch the dragon’s reverse scale or you’ll incur its wrath. But the grief the older brother Dragon emitted tells you enough that his metaphorical reverse scale has long been touched and eradicated that his physical one no longer means anything.

Is there anything you can do to return the spirit of one of the greatest protectors of the realm?

A Legendary Material. Extremely Rare. Keep it in your pocket or make it into an accessory for good luck. Fragile.]

If someone from RnD of any other clubs saw this, they would rack their brain to include this in their Silver Weapons or Equipments. But Ye Qiu was different. Seeing the description, his heart ached and decided that he would keep this forever and ever in his bank. It was just so poetic.

Ye Qiu wondered if it was possible to revive the younger brother or at least end this quest on a happier note. Or maybe a dramatic note. Or any note that didn’t leave Ye Qiu feeling empty like this. That would be his complaint.

Now, that was one of the major quests nearing its end (if Ye Qiu couldn’t find any more clue). Ye Qiu wondered if there was going to be new quests again and when would Glory update again.

At this rate, if Ye Qiu couldn’t find more content to obsess over by the next winter, he’d run out of fuel and would stop playing. And then after that, he’d tell his brother that his game never even get an update and would surely fall dead in no time, also the fact that the matter with prince consort was still unfinished, that was one of the main stories, how could Ye Qiu let that one go? The writer should be responsible.

When this ended, what would Ye Qiu do next? Cool Autumn Breeze paused and stood there in the wild as its owner reflected.

Ye Qiu recounted back it had been years since he started playing Glory, time indeed passed so quickly. It had been years yet he never met the person who made him play this out of sheer spite, granted, Ye Qiu did avoid him every time they were about to meet.

How surprised Ye Xiu would be when Ye Qiu tossed him an essay worth of complaints about Glory?

“Friend.”

Ye Qiu blinked.

Cool Autumn Breeze turned around to see another Battle Mage clad in black armor stood behind him, a very familiar Battle Mage.

“Mind for a PK?”

Ye Qiu indeed could avoid him smoothly all these years, but that was under the condition Ye Xiu was not searching for him in the first place.

---

Ye Qiu didn’t know how this crap happened to him all the time.

‘Has he heard about it? Is he angry that his team tries to pull in a random guy to replace him? Why me?’

They were in an arena room, Fixed Field.

“With this, there shouldn’t be questions about fairness, right?” Ye Xiu asked.

[“Yes...”] Ye Qiu answered guiltily with a speech bubble.

Suddenly, an avatar entered their passworded room, a female avatar that Ye Qiu recognized. Dancing Rain. “Excuse me, I’m here to watch,” she said with a light tone, very pleasant to hear.

Ye Qiu thought that was it. Maybe this girl here also wanted to see how good Ye Qiu was to replace ‘Ye Qiu’??? Ye Qiu was not sure. If he wasn’t wrong her name is Su Mucheng, right? The one girl that his brother seemed to be really close to.

If it was her, then, Ye Qiu couldn’t exactly kick her out.

But it wasn’t just her. After Dancing Rain. Several other avatars also entered and they certainly weren’t from Excellent Dynasty if the guild symbols above their heads say anything.

“Good day.”

“Yo, how are you.”

“Really an unexpected day to be online together, right?”

“We’re here to watch.”

“Just here stopping by to see which avatar will lose their flawless arena track record.”

“Go, Old Ye! You show him what you’re made of!”

“Whoever wins this match will still be my pleasure.”

“...”

Ye Qiu blankly watched as the horde of avatars made themselves comfortable around the stage.

One Autumn Leaf also turned towards them, particularly Dancing Rain.

“Sorry, I invited them. Didn’t expect they all would agree to come,” Su Mucheng stated.

For some reason Ye Qiu had a feeling that the young lady was lying with her eyes open.

“Of course we’d agree to come. After all, this is between the number one Battle Mage and the number two Battle Mage. It might be interesting, y’know?” Troubling Rain idly swung his sword by his side. “Whoever wins, PK me.”

“Now, now, this match is only between me and Cool Autumn Breeze,” Ye Xiu laid down the rule. “Watch it if you want, but don’t disturb us.”

“Awww.”

“Guess, we’ll just have to be satisfied with just watching.”

“Put on a good fight then!”

“Okay, okay, my body is ready.”

“Ignore them,” Ye Xiu said to Cool Autumn Breeze. “Once the match started, you can’t hear them anyway.”

Ye Qiu didn’t answer.

“I didn’t actually want to do this, but we’re actually tied by fate,” Ye Xiu remarked as he started the fight.

Ye Qiu received the invite to agree with starting the fight and simply clicked yes.

“To kill Old Han, I have no doubt you’re not just any normal player,” Ye Xiu stated. “But I need to see where your level stays.”

The countdown started.

“Are you deserving to stand at the top?” Ye Xiu stated gravely.

---

Su Mucheng watched the match while biting her nail. That Cool Autumn Breeze was good, almost the same as Ye Xiu, his style emphasized effectivity instead of beauty, and just like Ye Xiu when he was solo, the style emphasized strongly on his individualism. A trait of a top-tier god.

“Old Ye is pushing him back,” Zhang Jiale mentioned.

“Without a shadow of a doubt,” Lin Jingyan agreed.

“He’s at a disadvantage,” Yu Wenzhou observed.

“You guys have faced him before, right?” Su Mucheng asked.

“Of course!” Huang Shaotian snorted. “You think why I still bitched about him in the chatroom?”

“All this time, the pros who faced Cool Autumn Breeze faced him in the wild where we have to take in the surroundings into account. He’s a master at using his surroundings as his weapon and shield, he knew his shortcomings and knew how to enhance it,” Zhang Xinjie said. “But in a complete focus one-on-one like this, his shortcomings can be seen quite clearly.”

“That’s right,” Han Wenqing agreed with his vice-captain. “Distractions and misdirection have been his strongest arsenal.”

“But he’s pretty good for a non-pro,” Wang Jiexi stated. “If he has the same amount of training time as average pros, he could have put more fight.”

“Now, that I think about it, there are always annoyances whenever I wanted to grab that guy out to have a wild PK one-on-one,” Huang Shaotian said. “I could never get him to a focused one-on-one.”

“That’s because you also used your guild strength to bully him,” Chu Yunxiu commented. “His ability to take the rein in tactics and strategics is quite good also. Dare I say, it’s the same degree to you guys, the Master Tacticians.”

“Bold of you to say that Sis Chu,” Fang Rui snickered.

“Why? I’m telling the truth. The only difference was you guys have troops, he doesn’t,” Chu Yunxiu teased.

“Tsk, if only he doesn’t have that casual’s mindset,” Li Xuan complained.

“Indeed, what a pity...”

Su Mucheng clenched her hands and pursed her lips when she listened in to the others’ analysis as the fight went on. Her heart only calmed down when Ye Xiu was obviously pushing Cool Autumn Breeze back. She didn’t care if the stranger could be trained to be greater, if he was to replace Ye Xiu, he could never be good enough.

No one should de-throne Ye Xiu until he himself decides to step down.

The very reason why Su Mucheng invited the others here was to see the things the club tried to sell. Ye Xiu was in no way declining. If they really pushed through with this nonsense of replacing the captain for a better person, Su Mucheng could only hope the other pros could see through that lie.

“But hey, that guy is strangely silent,” Huang Shaotian mentioned. “When he’s with me, he spoke a line or two to annoy me.”

“With your chatty personality, no one could resist snapping a ‘shut up’ or two,” Yang Cong pointed out.

---

‘He’s good.’ Ye Xiu thought as he kept on attacking and defending the other’s attack. ‘But is it good enough?’

While Ye Xiu was focused on his goal, Ye Qiu was suffering in frustration.

This was Fixed Field and he was pushed around like this by his own brother! He couldn’t even complain about it since that would expose him!

“Friend, I heard you can do Dragon Raises Its Head too, why didn’t you use it?” Ye Xiu suddenly asked.

Ye Qiu twitched.

“Please, show me what you can do. All of it,” Ye Xiu said. Low, as if he sincerely wanted to see all of it. Ye Qiu wanted to hit him.

“Please show me, so I can be sure you’ll be a good new owner to One Autumn Leaf,” Ye Xiu said with a low voice, unheard to anyone by the two of them.

Ye Qiu’s eyes widened.

One Autumn Leaf blasted Cool Autumn Breeze.

Rising Dragon Soars The Sky!

Not good! Ye Qiu quickly moved.

Cool Autumn Breeze held the base of his spear with his right hand while his left hand supported the front. A spear-like bolt of lightning shot out, it hit no one, but Cool Autumn Breeze’s position in the air moved ever so slightly because of the recoil and avoided the dragon.

‘Not enough,’ Ye Qiu’s bit his lips.

Ye Xiu’s APM increased as his two hands worked in tandem.

‘No, I got it’ Ye Qiu narrowed his eyes.

The soaring dragon turned its head, jaws opened wide, and clamped down on Cool Autumn Breeze.

Groar!

Crash!

The dragon disappeared but nothing fell through. “What?” Ye Xiu blurted out. the moment he blurted that out, his vision shook and the view on the screen became disoriented. ‘Behind me?!’

If Ye Xiu was shocked, the audience was even more so.

“Ye Qiu!” Su Mucheng exclaimed in surprise.

“Wah!” Chu Yunxiu gasped. “Impossible!”

“Teleport?!” Nearly everyone exclaimed so at the same time.

Huang Shaotian exploded. “Impossible! Impossible! Impossible! IMPOSSIBLE!!! A bonus skill?! He’s wearing all Orange, there’s no silver in there, Captain Yu, your eyes are sharper, tell me there’s no silver weapon there right? Only Silver Weapons could have bonus skill!”

 “No silver weapons,” Everyone confirmed after looking at Cool Autumn Breeze carefully.

“Then why the fuck--?!” Huang Shaotian couldn’t believe it.

“Yes... the Teleport?” Wang Jiexi murmured doubtfully. Teleport was Elementalist’s high-level skill, level 70 precisely. Aside from Elementalist, no one could have it except for the mage class who had Silver Weapon that can have a bonus skill slot.

Ye Xiu barked up a laugh. “Friend, you’re truly worthy of being someone who made lives difficult to my colleagues,” he said sincerely.

One Autumn Leaf laid on his back with Cool Autumn Breeze holding him down with a spear through his shoulder.

“Not bad...” Ye Xiu complimented. He couldn’t resist so after carefully looking at Cool Autumn Breeze’s gear. No Silver Weapon, yet how...? Ye Xiu didn’t know. For the first time, Glory’s Textbook was completely clueless.

However, still. Even with Cool Autumn Breeze’s sudden attack, One Autumn Leaf still held the advantage.

Ye Xiu could not give up, he was the Battle God, how could he give up on this? If this man was indeed the person Excellent Era was eyeing, he wanted to see how strong and how far he could go against him, the three-time champion. The previous action was interesting, but the battle had yet to wrap up.

One Autumn Leaf raised Evil Annihilation and was about to devastatingly injure Cool Autumn Breeze when Cool Autumn Breeze leaned down closer instead of dodging.

Evil Annihilation’s tip was already so close to Cool Autumn Breeze to push him off when Ye Xiu finally heard the voice of his opponent for the first time.

“Disgraceful brother, what makes you think I want your position?”

Ye Xiu’s heart almost skipped a beat.

That whisper, that tone, that familiar voice...

Ye Xiu’s eyes widened.

“Ye Qiu?” Ye Xiu whispered in disbelief.

One Autumn Leaf didn’t continue his attack with his spear but instead kicked off the ground and flipped their position, now, it was One Autumn Leaf who pinned Cool Autumn Breeze to the ground. Cool Autumn Breeze didn’t fight back.

“Are you serious?” Ye Xiu said incredulously.

“That’s what I want to ask,” Ye Qiu replied blankly. “Seriously? You come to me instead of confronting those bullies? Seriously, brother?”

.

.

.

“Hey, what’s going on? Why did they stop fighting?” Li Xuan asked from the audience seat.

“Hey! Move you two!” Zhang Jiale yelled.

“They can’t hear us,” Lin Jingyan said helplessly.

“Hey, it’s been half a minute, are they lagging?” Li Xuan frowned.

“Impossible.”

“Are we lagging?”

“Are you guys my reality check? My monthly existential crisis is scheduled tomorrow not today.”

“Old Ye! Why stopping?!”

“What’s going on?”

“If you guys don’t move, then at least kiss!” Chu Yunxiu yelled encouragingly.

“Yunxiu, please—“

“I was just testing.”

“Old Ye, what are you waiting for?! Slay that damn bastard! Do it! If you don’t want to do it for yourself, then at least do it for me! Kill him! Kill him! Kill him, kill him, kill him, kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him kill him!!!”

One Autumn Leaf straightened and... stepped aside from Cool Autumn Breeze.

What?

[System: Cool Autumn Breeze forfeited. One Autumn Leaf has won the fight.]

What???

The partition dome was lifted and the others could step into the stage, they immediately walked up to them incredulously.

“That’s it?”

“You guys don’t want to kill each other?!”

“Fuck! I have dropped my pants and you guys refuse to let me see the climax?!”

“Why?” Han Wenqing simply questioned.

“I couldn’t bear to kill him,” Ye Xiu stated bluntly.

“What????” Everyone blurted out at the same time. Not even Zhou Zekai could hold it back.

“So I told him to surrender,” Ye Xiu said.

“And you surrendered just like that?” Zhang Jiale demanded at Cool Autumn Breeze.

“My will to fight him has evaporated to the smoke,” Ye Qiu replied. “Without ever being able to make the fire.”

“...???” Everyone stared at them, speechless.

“Huh, sounds dubious...” Chu Yunxiu said slowly. What’s with smoke and fire? That sounded like an affair. Chu Yunxiu shook her head, she was overthinking again.

“We decided to make peace with each other and coexist in harmony as people of Autumn,” Ye Xiu stated.

“Let me be the cool breeze that carries the autumn leaf to tell the coming of autumn,” Ye Qiu said.

Chu Yunxiu shook her head, turned out she was underthinking. This ship could do.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Huang Shaotian blurted out incredulously. “What smoke, what fire. What breeze, what autumn leaf? The fuck, you guys are not making any sense!”

Su Mucheng hurried to DM Ye Xiu.

Dancing Rain: What’s going on...?

One Autumn Leaf: Guess who this is.

Dancing Rain: ???

Dancing Rain: We know him?

One Autumn Leaf: Yup. My twin brother.

Su Mucheng almost slumped over her keyboard when she read it. Twin brother? The real Ye Qiu?

Her erratic heartbeat finally calmed down. She turned off her mic and giggled to her heart content when she finally registered what situation they were currently in.

While Su Mucheng was giggling endlessly in real life. The in-game discussion had turned heated. Han Wenqing had challenged Ye Xiu to a fight because he didn’t like the end result, Huang Shaotian was bitching up a storm, Wang Jiexi and Zhou Zekai approached Cool Autumn Breeze to see if they could change his mind to join their team somehow, Zhang Jiale was moaning how the show was not satisfying. Everyone was making noises to express their disapproval.

“By the way, how did you get to use Teleport?” Chu Yunxiu, as the Elementalist, was still quite astute regarding the Teleport and brought it up first.

“That’s right!” Li Xuan exclaimed frantically. “HOW?!”

Everyone’s attention immediately centered on Cool Autumn Breeze, even Han Wenqing stopped chiding Ye Xiu to look over and wait for an answer.

“I’ve been meaning to ask that too,” Ye Xiu shook his head. He had been a bit too preoccupied in the shock of knowing his little brother played Glory too. “The only thing with bonus skill slot is a Silver Weapon. You only have Oranges on you.”

Hearing so many people demanding how, Ye Qiu’s head began to throb.

.

“Cursed sword, come to me,” Ye Qiu hummed giddily as he finally returned to the isolated settlement where he accepted a quest thirty-four real days ago. It had been a long chain of quests, but it was interesting and the story was well-expressed.

In the end, Ye Qiu got the cursed sword which he was going to bring to another NPC in the other part of Heavenly Domain to see if he could trigger another quest with it. He talked to the NPC again one last time to make sure he didn’t leave any loose ends.

However, he was forced into a long conversation indeed.

[The old dwarven smith looked at you dazedly, as if he was seeing someone else through you.

“What?” You asked.

The smith shook his head with an old benign smile. “You are so young, traveller. Reminding me of my youth. But even in my youth, I could never achieve half as much as you did. Don’t pretend that you’re not young, to me, an eight-hundred-years-old dwarf, you are young.”

“That can’t be compared.” You replied.

“Indeed. Young one, have you ever feel like the weapon in your hand is not enough?”

“Have you heard about Silver Weapon? It’s a weapon created by the sincerest and most pure-hearted of a creature, legend said the creature could not be from this land, but a land from far away that see our world as nothing but a game. I often wondered, just how great of a world they live in?”

“Must be really great.” You replied.

“Yes, yes. Do you know? A Great Silver Weapon usually has a magic slot in it. You can fill in a magic that was not in your subclass but still within your class into it, adding more surprises to your arsenal. Aren’t that curious?”

“Yes.” You replied.

“Do you think you’ll ever have a Silver Weapon, son?”

“Are you interested in it?”

“I’ve always fascinated myself with the fantasy of holding a silver weapon. But I know that’s impossible. Legend said only chosen Silver Weapons could have an extra magic slot, but I actually have found and developed something that would make every weapon it was merged with able to have an extra magic slot.”

“Take this to younger smiths in towns, they’ll do the job for you.”

[[You Have Received The Legendary Void Crystal]]

“If you put that in your weapon, regardless how weak it is, it will be able to hold an extra spell, but only a spell with the same level as the weapon. Careful. If one day you find the same crystal like this, though I doubt it, don’t put it in the same weapon. You’ll destroy it. On a happier note, you can even peel this crystal off if you want to put it on another weapon, although the price might not be kind.”]

Ye Qiu nearly fell asleep waiting for the old smith to finish talking, the only saving grace was the new item he got. He had heard about a bonus skill slot from Windward who had a big dream of having one on his Death’s Hand, but he wasn’t really interested in it.

“Bonus skill slot, huh...?” Ye Qiu murmured and then shrugged. “Why not? Let’s put Teleport.”

However, after putting Teleport in his Level 70 Orange Battle Spear, Ye Qiu found out he couldn’t travel that far with it anyway so he abandoned it and stopped paying attention to the skill slot and his new Teleport skill.

He would use it one day if he ever needed it.

.

“...”

“Hello?”

“Earth to Cool Autumn Breeze?”

“Are you afk?”

Ye Qiu cleared his throat. “It’s from a quest.”

“What kind of quest?” Ye Xiu asked.

“Quest of The Smith Legend’s One Last Wish in Bricksaw Settlement from Mount Wind Bell, after you got the cursed sword.”

“...”

“...”

“... Now, it might be rude for me to say this. But what kind of forsaken quests have you been doing?” Fang Shiqian blurted out.

Notes:

YQ and YX tacitly agreed to put aside any personal grudge first. YQ wanted to see who bullied his brother before HE could bully him with his well-written graduation papers about Glory's shortcomings and flaws.

Chapter 6

Summary:

“Why the FUCK are you in Excellent Dynasty?!” Windward rudely pointed at the symbol above Cool Autumn Breeze’s head. “Holy hell, why did you join them? If you want to join a guild, Blue Brook is also open, y’know?!”

“I got a second phase grudge against Blue Brook, you don’t remember?” Ye Qiu said blankly.

“But why Excellent Dynasty, bro?” Northern Road asked.

Ye Qiu smiled. “It’s a bet.”

Windward Formation paused as well as the others.

After chatting for a few minutes, Ye Qiu was essentially coerced to accept everyone’s friend invites. One had to say Ye Qiu was the only person in all Glory who had to be coerced to be friends with professional avatars.

Being pros, they were naturally busy with their schedules and training, so after talking for a bit, most of them quickly say goodbye and sent a private message to Cool Autumn Breeze regarding their clubs’ contact information, all given in some audacious way with a parting message like “Call me ;)” “Available at all time >.>” “Use at your discretion ;d” “In case you change your mind :)” “In case you get lonely with your solo way *smirks*”

Gamers really like to play games, don’t they? Ye Qiu ignored them all.

“Hey,” Troubling Rain approached him. “Can I have a minute?” He didn’t wait for Ye Qiu’s answer. “Are you familiar with a really good Warlock, particularly one that helped you escaped me and my people over two years ago?”

“No,” Ye Qiu said bluntly.

“...Tsk, you won’t cooperate, will you?” Huang Shaotian clicked his tongue.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ye Qiu stated. “Do you want to recruit another warlock despite already having one?”

Huang Shaotian exploded. “I’m not! That old guy is the one who recruited me, why the fuck I’m recruiting him back?! Gahhh--!!”

“What old guy?” Ye Qiu asked innocently.

“Never mind! You do you, damn it,” Troubling Rain turned away and stomped off.

“What’s going on with him?” Ye Xiu asked as he watched Troubling Rain leaving.

“I don’t know, presumably a son wanting his deadbeat dad to come back,” Ye Qiu remarked with a low voice. “Now, you tell me again. What’s going on with your team and why are they so insistent that you’re making a toxic working environment?”

Ye Xiu sighed gravely. “I truly don’t know... But maybe I understand...”

“What?”

Ye Xiu leaned back. “The first time this field started, our mindset is only one, victory and championship. It slowly changed since then as it got more popular. As you know, the more popular something was, the more you need to sacrifice.”

Ye Qiu crossed his arms. “Yes.”

“Eventually my gimmick in not wanting to show my face seems to annoy people,” Ye Xiu sighed. “It’s hard to explain to them that I used another’s name and a twin at that.”

“Sooo, it’s money?” Ye Qiu tilted his head.

“It always comes back to that,” Ye Xiu nodded.

“Tsk,” Ye Qiu rolled his eyes. “They sabotaged themselves because you won’t give them what they want and they dared to accuse you of making a toxic working environment. Truly a whole circus.”

“It wasn’t always like this,” Ye Xiu said. “We were decently fine until the start of Season 6. I think precisely around the time you felled Desert Dust.”

“Then, they are eager to get rid of you because they have found a possible great replacement?” Ye Qiu hummed. “So, in a way, if only I didn’t manage to kill Desert Dust or actually played another class, they wouldn’t try to sabotage you?”

“...I have a feeling you’re twisting—“

“You’re blaming me?” Ye Qiu narrowed his eyes.

“You know I didn’t,” Ye Xiu sighed. “I was ready to give up my place if you could defeat me. After all, only the best can stand at the top. If you’re better, then I can only give my One Autumn Leaf.”

“Why would I want your broken avatar?” Ye Qiu said, offended.

“Yeah, I heard that too. So I came to see your worth and also to convince you to bring One Autumn Leaf if you’re good enough. One Autumn Leaf deserves to stand on the stage,” Ye Xiu said wistfully.

“Even if you beg me, I still won’t play that. My avatar is much better,” Ye Qiu disdained. There was no way he’d ditch his chosen champion for another one. No matter if it was the ‘Battle God’.

Heresy.

“Does that matter? It has passed now, you don’t want to be a pro, do you?” Ye Xiu challenged.

“Why would I want to play for your broken league?” Ye Qiu snapped back.

“Now, now, both of you, don’t fight amongst each other like that,” Su Mucheng came forward. “Oh, someone’s coming. Talk nicely, I’m going offline.”

With that, Dancing Rain disappeared, leaving the twins alone once again.

“Hey, I don’t think I see anyone from Excellent Dynasty just now,” Ye Qiu murmured. “Except for two.”

“The ones Su Mucheng invited were all top-tier avatars and pro-players who held some power,” Ye Xiu sighed. He figured out what Su Mucheng wanted, she was so easy to read. “The captains, vice-captains, All-Stars...”

“Oh. Anyway, back to the problem,” Ye Qiu dragged them back to the main topic. “From what you’re saying, it seems like your boss is aware of the others sabotaging you and did nothing because he hoped you could look sloppy so he could switch you out, right?”

“We had some disagreements about revealing my face, yes,” Ye Xiu sighed. “But since you don’t want to replace me, now they won’t have any possible replacement anymore, things will smoothen down again.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re excused,” Ye Xiu said bluntly.

Ye Qiu bristled. “Was it just me or did you just say ‘We fought, but we’re fine now and I’m going to stay in this toxic relationship till it gets better’????”

“Who said that?” Ye Xiu asked in confusion.

“YOU! You just said you wanted to stay in that toxic workplace because no one else could replace you now and they would surely come back to their right minds after trying to sabotage you!” Ye Qiu snapped. “You stupid bastard!”

“What else can I do? I’m a player, not the boss. Besides, I’ve been friends with the boss for long, I’m sure things will revert back,” Ye Xiu said.

“Get out of there.”

“Excuse me?” Ye Xiu blinked.

“You’re excused,” Ye Qiu nodded absently. “Get out of there. It’s a toxic environment. Do you know how many bad things that... Liu Gao—“

“Hao?”

“Liu Hao guy told me about you? All slanders, I know that. Just break your contract or something. Make a new team, I’ll even pay you... and then you’ll pay me back because nothing is free in this world,” Ye Qiu said sternly.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I have my own reason to stay here,” Ye Xiu shook his head.

“The girl? When is the deadline for her contract? I heard standard contract is usually a year to three for normal pros,” Ye Qiu said.

“...She’s going to renew her contract this summer.” Ye Xiu answered.

“Don’t let her renew it, then,” Ye Qiu said calmly.

Ye Xiu tapped his desk thoughtfully. “But One Autumn Leaf and Dancing Rain...” he murmured.

“Uh, I’ll buy it?” Ye Qiu offered. “But you have to pay me back,” he said sternly.

“Don’t be ridiculous. One Autumn Leaf and Dancing Rain had won Best Partner twice. One Autumn Leaf’s price alone would be really pricey. I can’t pay anything back if you bought it.”

“Then, just let Excellent Era figures it out themselves. What? You’re afraid One Autumn Leaf will fall?” Ye Qiu said boredly.

“Yes.”

“I’d rather seeing it fall than seeing you fall,” Ye Qiu said seriously, snapping Ye Xiu out of his reluctance. “Do you really think you can win another championship like this?”

“The nature of competition is always ever-changing, I couldn’t be completely sure of victory,” Ye Xiu said seriously.

“Then, let’s have a bet,” Ye Qiu smiled. “I will pretend that I’m interested,” he said. “If Excellent Era could be in the play-off in spite of that. Go renew your contract or whatever. But if your team can’t, then don’t waste your time anymore.”

---

Ye Xiu told Su Mucheng of Ye Qiu’s proposal and she looked seriously helpless. He knew she was very attached to him and very torn on the decision, but she did say it was a good idea.

“I mean, if they really will go that far to replace you... Then, we’re not really wanted here,” Su Mucheng said.

“I’m not really wanted here. You’re going to be very welcomed,” Ye Xiu corrected.

Su Mucheng scowled. “If they don’t welcome you, they don’t welcome me. End of question.” She then tilted her head in worry, “But, Ye... umn, your brother is really going to tell them that he’s interested?”

“Yes,” Ye Xiu sighed. “He has no interest but he feels strongly about convincing me to break off my contract. He even told me to tell you to not renew your contract next summer.”

“Then, I won’t,” Su Mucheng said.

“Are you sure?” Ye Xiu looked at her.

Su Mucheng smiled. “I have a lot of debt to Uncle Tao, but you’re much more important than anyone else. I owe you the most.”

Ye Xiu patted her head. “You owe me nothing.”

---

“I’m willing to rethink about Excellent Era’s proposal and play as One Autumn Leaf,” Ye Qiu said angrily with a blank face as he stroke Little Smudge gently.

“You change your mind?” Liu Hao sounded surprised. “You’re willing to play One Autumn Leaf now?”

“Obviously,” Ye Qiu snorted. “Have you seen my track record in arena leaderboard?”

“Uh, yes! We’re going to ask you about that, you lost one fight?” Another asked.

“Yes, I was minding my own business in arena and One Autumn Leaf came out of nowhere and challenged me,” Ye Qiu’s smile grew wider. “He suppressed me with One Autumn Leaf and even mocked me to do Dragon Raises Its Head.” His smile narrowed in delight. “What an audacity from a pro player bullying my normal character.”

“He did that?!” The clowns began to jump up and down, feeling offended for Ye Qiu.

“I’ll show him that I could do more if I actually play One Autumn Leaf,” Ye Qiu said. “Say, what will happen to Ye Qiu if I’m there?”

---

“What the fuck?!”

“Windward, I’ll appreciate it if you greet me normally,” Ye Qiu said serenely.

“Why the FUCK are you in Excellent Dynasty?!” Windward rudely pointed at the symbol above Cool Autumn Breeze’s head. “Holy hell, why did you join them? If you want to join a guild, Blue Brook is also open, y’know?!”

“I got a second phase grudge against Blue Brook, you don’t remember?” Ye Qiu said blankly.

“Holy hell, you’re petty. Fucking petty. Damn, Shaotian, you can’t fucking keep your fingers to yourself to anger this forsaken ancestor...” Windward continued on to shout off profanity.

“But why Excellent Dynasty, bro?” Northern Road asked.

Ye Qiu smiled. “It’s a bet.”

Windward Formation paused as well as the others.

“Did you lose or are you on the bet?” Windward asked curiously.

“This is the process,” Ye Qiu remarked.

Windward Formation went silent for a bit before snorting. “Who offended you?” he asked speechlessly.

---

“What do you mean he’s in Excellent Dynasty?” Han Wenqing frowned as he dropped the weight he was holding.

“The literal meaning,” Zhang Xinjie said as he pushed back his glasses. He was also confused at first because with Cool Autumn Breeze’s stubborn pettiness, the chance of successfully recruiting him was pretty low. “I have my suspicion.”

“He started in the fourth server, based on our interaction, he can’t be over two years younger than me,” Han Wenqing pointed out. He confronted Cool Autumn Breeze for the first time in Heavenly Domain in summer. He was twenty-two back then. The man didn’t sound like anyone under twenty.

Zhang Xinjie tilted his head. “Even if he’s younger than expected, say, twenty now- around my age. It’s still a bit too old to be a possible heir to Ye Qiu. And bringing another Battle Mage with the current line-up seems a bit...”

“So, it can only be that?”

“A replacement,” Zhang Xinjie nodded.

“Does Ye Qiu know?” Han Wenqing glanced at him.

“He should,” Zhang Xinjie said.

“What are they thinking?”

“I have no idea,” Zhang Xinjie looked down. He raised his phone as he gazed at the screen blankly. “But everyone is watching.”

Indeed. Everyone was watching the show Excellent Era was putting and they disdained it.

---

Ye Qiu proceeded his life as usual while Ye Xiu was stressing about his team, Su Mucheng was mulling about the future, and the entire pro scene was turned upside down in confusion regarding Excellent Era’s inner conflict. Truly, the root of all problems did not even feel it at all.

If Ye Qiu won the bet, he’d get his brother out. If his brother was good enough to drag the Excellent Era into the play-off by scraps, well, he could do nothing aside for shrugging and went back to his life.

He truly had nothing to lose, different from many people who took this game seriously since the very start. Maybe that was his flaw and also advantage.

---

“Senior...” Zhou Zekai couldn’t stop himself from calling out before closing his mouth again in shyness. Beside him, Jiang Botao, the season’s rookie, walked up to Ye Xiu and nodded politely.

“Senior, it was a great match. You let us win.” Jiang Botao glanced at Zhou Zekai who nodded rapidly at Jiang Botao’s second sentence.

“I didn’t let you win,” Ye Xiu shook his head. “Congrats. Good luck on the play-off.”

“Mm,” Zhou Zekai nodded. “You too.”

“Hope to see you again next season, senior,” Jiang Botao nodded with a light smile.

“Mm,” Ye Xiu nodded with a smile. “We’ll see about that.”

Zhou Zekai and Jiang Botao looked at each other and an understanding passed between them.

Zhou Zekai lowered his head. “Good luck.”

“We’ll see you around, senior. Best of luck,” Jiang Botao said.

That was the last round of the regular season. Samsara defeated Excellent Era who hung dry in the ninth rank. The powerhouse’s fanbase was naturally really disappointed and desperate. This was the first time Excellent Era didn’t advance to the play-off.

What does this mean?

Ye Xiu felt a hand locked his arm and he looked down to see Su Mucheng.

The young lady smiled. Maybe because she was already expecting it, but there was no heavy disappointment in her eyes. “Let’s go.” She pulled Ye Xiu and he followed.

The normal people looked on in disappointment at the powerhouse’s fall. The top-tier pros witnessed in disgust at the below-the-belt play.

---

The brothers didn’t contact each other more even after Excellent Era’s failure to advance to the play-off. It was almost like they agreed to leave each other alone first to digest it.

In reality, Ye Qiu was speeding through various quests and was too distracted to mock his brother of his team’s disloyalty, whereas Ye Xiu was busy rearranging the team, though his mind was not in it.

A month passed and Blue Rain was announced the winner of the sixth season. The pros congratulated and celebrated for Blue Rain, whereas Ye Qiu had to deal with a drunk Windward who insisted to play Glory after drinking for his former team’s victory. The twins’ private lives continued on.

---

The summer transfer window started and the pros began to be a little bit more active online again, although not as explosive as last year.

Blue Brook was in a full mood of celebration with their team’s victory.

“BOSS WEI!!! BLUE RAIN WINS! COME BACK!!!” Troubling Rain held a megaphone in front of his mouth and shouted for the whole Heavenly Domain to hear. That was an expensive Domain-wide megaphone, one megaphone cost 50 yuan and not the game’s currency, real money. It can only be used for ten seconds message. Most people wouldn’t deem it worth that much even for trolling, but Huang Shaotian was not one to care about money being a top-tier pro.

“BOSS WEI! ARE YOU ONLINE?! YOU’RE STILL PLAYING GLORY, RIGHT?! COME TO BLUE BROOK’S HEADQUARTER! I KNOW YOU—“

“FUCK THIS TEN SECONDS LIMIT! BOSS WEI!!! I WIN MVP!”

.

“You know, it might be easier if you just drop by and say hello to him,” Ye Qiu said blankly. “I’m not saying this because his screams annoy me and I’m willing to sell you out, no.”

“Fuck off, Autumn Breeze,” Windward Formation snapped.

“Who gave the dev the idea that domain-wide megaphone is a good idea?” Ye Qiu complained. “I can’t even block it.”

“Not even the GM use it this frequently...”

“Boss Wei, you should see the kid and congratulate him to his face.”

“Yeah, yeah, we know you want to.”

“Fuck off, fuck off, fuck off you fuckwits. Like hell I’m falling for such an obvious trap,” Windward Formation said. “Let’s just go to the regular server.”

“Are you kidding me?” Ye Qiu said.

“Yeah, we can’t hear him if we do,” Windward Formation said.

“You’re letting everyone suffer in your place,” Ye Qiu pointed out.

“Cry me a river,” Windward Formation said carelessly.

“I have a very interesting quest, y’know?”

“Doesn’t matter. I’m heading off!” Windward Formation headed off with his group of friends and Ye Qiu sighed.

He looked at his friend’s list and see One Autumn Leaf was not online. He shrugged. Well, he could just do his quest while he waited.

“Tingye, just wait until I reunite you with Tianqiu’s memory,” Ye Qiu murmured in determination and headed off while the domain-wide’s exclamations still continued on.

“BOSS WEI! COME TO THE DINNER PARTY! YOU’RE ALWAYS INVITED!”

“Is he going to continue screaming like that?”

“Someone, report him to the GM.”

“This is a domain-wide message, if everyone has to hear him chattering, they would all quit Glory altogether and stock for this game would plummet. Just tell the GM that.”

In fifteen minutes, because of the serious concern about players quitting Glory because of Huang Shaotian’s persistent yellings, Troubling Rain was banned to use any more megaphone for the day and in a few months, Glory would issue one-day maintenance to limit the amount of megaphone can be used in one day.

Yet again, He Who Changed The Alliance’s Rules struck the people speechless by also changing a rule inside the game without meaning to.

“Good God, I thought he wouldn’t stop...”

“The GM is useful for once.”

Around this time, One Autumn Leaf went online and everyone was once again distracted.

---

“Ye Qiu.”

Ye Xiu paused and turned around to see Desert Dust running towards him. He sighed. “Old Han, let’s not fight today. I have something to do.”

“What are you planning with Cool Autumn Breeze?” Han Wenqing asked bluntly,

“Planning?” Ye Xiu asked innocently.

“Anyone with a brain and a pair of eyes can see that Excellent Era is having some thoughts regarding you.” Han Wenqing bluntly pointed out, leaving Ye Xiu no way out to slither away with ‘innocent cluelessness’.

“Well, everyone always has a thought regarding me,” Ye Xiu said shamelessly.

“You’re letting yourself be replaced?” Han Wenqing accused. “Even though he forfeited last time?”

Ye Xiu paused. “You sound pissed, Old Han.”

Han Wenqing only became more upset at that.

“But, yeah. I think it is upsetting if I turn out to be willingly getting myself into this situation to let other people have their ways, huh?” Ye Xiu said understandingly. “But, no. It’s not what you think.”

“Cool Autumn Breeze is in Excellent Dynasty,” Han Wenqing pointed out.

Ye Xiu chuckled. “He’s just in the guild. He never even see the contract yet.”

Han Wenqing frowned. “You do you,” he sighed. He was already meddling too far into this internal problem of another team.

“Thanks,” Ye Xiu replied.

“Are we interrupting something?”

The two looked over to see two avatars walking up to them. “Mucheng, Yunxiu,” Ye Xiu sighed.

“Hehe,” the two girls snickered slightly.

“What are you two doing here?” Ye Xiu asked.

“Playing around, exploring, gossiping,” Chu Yunxiu answered. “I got bored leading my guild’s troops and they told me to rest when Su Mucheng came over to see me.”

“I can’t lead a troop, so I got bored. Since I couldn’t find you, I went and found Yunxiu,” Su Mucheng confirmed.

“I’m going off,” Han Wenqing said bluntly. While he respected all three of them, Han Wenqing was not that close with the two girls who were close with Ye Xiu. Their playful personalities just didn’t bode well with his serious one. And them being together with Ye Xiu usually mixed into something real mischievous quickly.

“Ah?” Ye Xiu blinked.

Just when Desert Dust was about to leave, another avatar stumbled out and into the clearing. Han Wenqing paused for a double-take when he realized who it was.

“Cool Autumn Breeze,” Ye Xiu called out. “I was just looking for you.”

“...”

“Cool Autumn—“

“Thetwindragonswereinsuspiciousrelationshipthatsprobablyincestual.”

“Huh?” Was the most intelligent answer Ye Xiu could manage.

“Thetwindragon&%$%$((*@!#”

“That’s even more gibberish than before,” Ye Xiu furrowed his brows.

“He said the twin dragons had an incestual relationship,” Chu Yunxiu informed. “I’m a pro at this, trust me.”

“Wait, what?” Ye Xiu blinked.

“They’re in love with each other!” Ye Qiu sobbed.

“Wait a second,” Ye Xiu rubbed his head as headache settled in. “I don’t understand. Why incest suddenly?”

“So, the younger twin died thousands of years ago, right?”

“I honestly don’t kno—“

“The elder twin returned too late from his recovery and there was nothing remains. After that, he disappeared too and protected the realm from behind the scene. But in Dragon’s Memoirs, it’s revealed that the elder twin loves the younger twin and the younger twin had some feeling for the elder twin and the elder twin—“

“Breath,” Ye Xiu ordered when Ye Qiu’s voice was getting fainter.

“Tingye only realized he loved Tianqiu after he died.”

“Which is which again?” Su Mucheng asked.

“Tianqiu is the younger brother.”

“Aaah,” Chu Yunxiu hummed. “Do continue.”

“Their biggest defense is that dragon-kind is used to incest!” Ye Qiu exclaimed.

“Uh-huh,” Chu Yunxiu hummed wisely.

“I have to log a complaint,” Ye Qiu sniffed.

“What...” Han Wenqing inhaled. “-Exactly are you on about?”

“So, how did it end again?” Su Mucheng asked in interest instead.

“I brought the remains of Tianqiu’s memory to Tingye and watched it with him. It was subtle but also quite obvious...” Ye Qiu sniffed. “I lost my Dragon’s Reverse Scale for it. But I got Ring Of Earth and Sky.”

“Okay, enough. We need to talk,” Ye Xiu sighed.

Ye Qiu and the others paused. “Oooh, yeah. You lost the bet. How’s it?” he asked mischievously, not minding the viewers. Lost all the grievance, replaced by cheekiness.

Su Mucheng already knew about it so she didn’t really react much about it. It was between them, brothers, she knew she just had to watch. However, when Chu Yunxiu and Han Wenqing heard that they froze in their track.

Bet???

Both were captains of their own team and were very astute, if not, there was no way one of them could win a championship and the other could shoulder her originally mid-tier team to be a proper top-tier team for the last two seasons. When they both heard that word, their minds were sent spinning on every different scenario.

“It was pretty close, though. I thought you’d won,” Ye Qiu continued.

“Not here. Come on,” Ye Xiu cut him off and his One Autumn Leaf walked past Cool Autumn Breeze, signaling him to come in a cold manner.

Cool Autumn Breeze turned around and followed after him.

---

“So, what do you think?” Ye Qiu asked. “Ninth place, huh? I was just about to think you’ll get to the eighth place at least.”

“I’m flattered you think that way,” Ye Xiu said.

“Oh, no. Not at all. They just contacted me that if I’m interested, the soonest I could get in is on the Winter Transfer.”

Ye Xiu paused. “They already think that far?” Ye Xiu snorted, but he felt bitter and despairing inside. Winter Transfer was the time where teams wouldn’t risk much because the amount of time given to adjust in winter was too short. If Ye Xiu was to transfer out in winter without One Autumn Leaf, no one would risk taking him. That way, Ye Xiu could only stay in the team, break his contract, or retire.

But even if he retired, he’d only be available winter the next season, which, again, not an ideal time for any team to search for a new member except he already had a team offering first for months prior.

How could Tao Xuan do this?

“Yeah, I’d imagine they wanted to suppress you some more, you know?” Ye Qiu said. “They’re surprisingly meticulous to make sure you’re rendered unmoving and they still could retain the fanbase’s favor.”

Ye Xiu tilted his head up to the ceilings rubbed the bridge of his nose as he released a long sigh. Had he really pushed this team to that point of no return for them to attempt to push him to that point?

“Am I wrong not wanting to show my face?” Ye Xiu asked bitterly.

“You’re wrong for not cooperating to let them have more money,” Ye Qiu said. “There’s an easy way out of this, though.”

Ye Xiu perked up.

“Do a face reveal, I’m sure the management will take care of those rebellious clowns by your side if you have some kind of value,” Ye Qiu said calmly. “After all, that’s business. If you want to advance, you have to play with the businessman’s rule. Your boss’ rule,” he smiled. “Isn’t he your old friend? Maybe he’ll forgive you for that,” he said innocently.

Ye Xiu looked down.

“I’m breaking my contract.”

Ye Qiu smiled.

“If that’s one thing they want me to do to give me the bare minimum I deserve, I don’t want to do it.” Ye Xiu said.

They were both were the same, after all. They wouldn’t play by anyone’s rule, especially if it was against their own self-rules.

Notes:

YQ out here gaslighting, but really for YX's own good. I had to split the chapter when it reached 8k wordcount. So the next update would probably be faster than usual, depends on my mood ;p

Is it me or YQ actually dealt so much damage despite not even moving a finger irl? Lmao, the twins had too much power, really.

Chapter 7

Summary:

Currently, Excellent Era didn’t even have an All-Star. Not even one. Not to mention the two who had left were the very heart of it. Say, if either Su Mucheng or Ye Qiu was still there, the other high-tier pro would surely be interested to transfer over, but there was no one there.

Moreover, everyone knew Ye Qiu was in charge of the line-up and strategy in Excellent Era. He was essentially a one-man team. If someone was to transfer over, they would need to be ready to take up all those responsibilities to prop things back to place. But anyone who could do that already had a very stable position in their own team, so why bother?

Notes:

(*For the first part. Ye Xiu is described as Ye Qiu.)

The summer towards Season 7, Glory’s Pro League was shaken with Ye Qiu’s face reveal. Excellent Era held a press conference for everyone and the elusive pro finally showed his face.

No one knew what went through Ye Qiu’s mind, Excellent Era’s management was just delighted that the stubborn captain was finally willing to show his face, the fans were hyped, the pro players watched in interest.

Some people behind the scene seethed. Some people celebrated.

Fans already crowded on the press hall, separated from the group of reporters, and could only stand outside, hoping they could catch a glimpse of their idol.

Haters mocked that it was Ye Qiu’s desperate attempt to stay relevant after Excellent Era’s embarrassing result last season which... was hard to deflect.

What made Ye Qiu finally agree to show his face after refusing to do so even after attaining victories for three times in a row? Excellent Era’s management felt at a loss at how to respond at first, but luckily the fans took care of it. They were all loyal to a fault, so what if there was no real special reason for Ye Qiu to show his face? They still wanted to see anyway.

When an unfamiliar man showed up with Su Mucheng close beside him, everyone scrutinized him for a bit before finally guessed that the man was Ye Qiu, One Autumn Leaf’s owner and three-time champion.

He was... handsome by standard. Everyone agreed to that. A bit ruffled but there was some kind of charm in that.

The fans began to cheer for him, disturbing the harmony in the hall for a bit as the security tried and failed to shut them down.

Everyone was excited about what Ye Qiu was going to say, but before anyone could gather themselves together, Ye Qiu already spoke up first.

“I thank you for everyone to come here. I also want to thank the fans for all the supports and the sponsors that made everything possible. It’s been a great pleasure to know you all from behind the scene,” Ye Qiu said. “I have an announcement to make. From henceforth, I’ll break my contract with Excellent Era and no longer become a member.”

It was so quick, there was no hesitation nor building up to the shocking declaration. Everyone stood there in a daze, wondering if they were dreaming.

Excellent Era’s staff looked at Ye Qiu in horror and disbelief.

Tao Xuan had come himself to witness it, he was all smile since this morning, but now his lips couldn’t move at all, frozen in a weird condition that looked like a smile but was not a smile.

“Ye Qiu...” Cui Li whisper-yelled at Ye Qiu in disbelief.

“I also want to make my own announcement,” Su Mucheng directed the mic to herself. “My time with Excellent Era also ends here. My contract just expired last season and I will not renew it. Thank you for all of your supports so far, everyone. I couldn’t have made it this far without you,” she bowed down properly. She was more adept in dealing with fans and reporters so her fake tone didn’t feel fake at all. She sounded grateful and sincere. She was anything but sincere and grateful right now.

Not only Ye Qiu but Su Mucheng too?

All the fans were frozen in shock.

“Ye Qiu! What makes you break your contract with Excellent Era?!”

“Ye Qiu, what is your plan after leaving the team?!”

“Is there any internal conflict in Excellent Era?!”

“Ye Qiu--!”

“God Ye! Why?!”

“Su Mucheng is not going to renew her contract?!”

“Excellent Era’s Best Partners are stepping out of the team, WHY!?”

“Why those two?!”

“Goddess Su! Don’t leave!”

“Please re-think, Su Mucheng, Ye Qiu!”

“Who the fuck will replace them?”

“Can anyone just replace the Best Partners for THREE seasons???”

The staff began to panic as the reporters began firing questions and the fans began to rebel, yelling for answers.

Tao Xuan stood up and felt a numbing feeling on his temples at the chaos before him, yet when he looked at the source of the chaos, Ye Qiu was very calm.

“Ye Qiu,” Tao Xuan grabbed his old friend’s shoulder and Ye Qiu turned his head. Tao Xuan paused when he saw the serene smile on his face.

“Thanks for all this time, Old Tao,” Ye Qiu’s smile hit something in Tao Xuan’s chest. It was as if he knew everything and finally gave up to even try to hold Excellent Era.

The chaos became even more uncontrollable, everyone was quickly evacuated and all the securities worked together to push back the crowd of fans and held back the reporters.

The staff immediately headed back.

“Ye Qiu, what are you thinking?!” Cui Li snapped angrily when they were out of the public’s eyes. He couldn’t believe the mess today. He thought that Ye Qiu finally turned obedient after the pressure they exerted, but he made this mess and scandal instead.

Liu Hao sneered. “Making this kind of mess as a tantrum, are you a kid, great god?”

“Ye Qiu...” Tao Xuan said solemnly. “Why are you doing this?” he asked seriously.

Ye Qiu turned to Tao Xuan. “Didn’t you want to replace me? I’m willing to make the first move to make it easy for you and the team.”

Everyone was startled, they didn’t know Ye Qiu was already aware of that. But honestly, everyone who had seen some bits and pieces, like the All-Stars and other captains-vice captains, all of them already could guess what Excellent Era had in mind, it was just that they never speak of it out loud and were content to just watch it go down.

“What are you talking about?” Tao Xuan asked, deep inside he was feeling a bit guilty. “We can talk about this first. Don’t just jump to conclusions because of gossips!” He glared at Liu Hao and the others, assuming they let Ye Qiu know to mock him.

If he let Ye Qiu go like this, there would be hell to clean up with the fans and reporters. He needed to do something to hold Ye Qiu back and clean up this mess.

“That’s right. How could you throw a tantrum over gossips?” Cui Li shamed Ye Qiu for his action. “Breaking a contract is a serious thing, do you even know what you’re talking about? You even drag Su Mucheng along with you, don’t you have any conscience at all for her future?” he criticized.

Ye Qiu’s eyes sharpened. “I’m thinking of Su Mucheng’s future more than my own future.” He said strictly. There was only one reverse scale he had in the entire Pro League and that was Su Mucheng. “She’ll only be halted if she stayed here. I’d rather send her to Misty Rain to be with Chu Yunxiu as possible dual-core, away from me, rather than letting her stay stunted here with irresponsible management.”

Cui Li stepped back. He never imagined Ye Qiu would use his captain voice while talking to him.

Su Mucheng tugged on Ye Qiu’s sleeve. “Ye Qiu,” she murmured as she handed her phone over.

Ye Qiu looked at it and turned away, answering the call.

“Uncle Tao,” Su Mucheng turned to Tao Xuan and nodded.

“Little Mucheng...” Tao Xuan’s heart softened. “You should rethink your choice. It’s better to renew your contract. Dancing Rain can only be played by you,” He said gently.

Su Mucheng tilted her head. “Sorry, but no. Uncle Tao, I thank you for your consideration. But I play Glory because of Ye Qiu. He trained me and taught me all he knew about Launcher. I can be the number one Launcher of the Alliance, all thanks to him. So... If he’s not there, I can’t stay.”

“Su Mucheng, please rethink. At least convince Ye Qiu to stay and negotiate about it,” Cui Li frowned. Su Mucheng was Excellent Era’s sweetheart. In Ye Qiu’s place, she did a lot of commercial advertisements. Though, her value was not at full potential because the captain and head figure refused to pitch in to help.

Su Mucheng beamed and ignored Cui Li. “You have been a really big help to me and Ye Qiu. I hoped I’ve helped you enough these three years,” she bowed. “Let’s stop hurting each other now...” she said as she straightened. “Any more than this, I might hate you.”

Tao Xuan paused. The smile this young lady wore on her face was so unfamiliar. For a split second, Tao Xuan saw the fifteen-year-old Su Mucheng there, frowning at him. Something felt like it had been severed and Tao Xuan felt a tug of guilt in his heart. “Su Mucheng...”

“Ye Qiu! You can’t break your contract!” Cui Li exclaimed.

“Why not?” Ye Qiu asked calmly.

“Can you even pay for the penalty?” Cui Li stated aggressively.

“Yes, I could.” Ye Qiu turned off the call and looked at Cui Li. “Manager, you don’t have to worry about the monetary compensation. I have my way.”

---

“Captain!”

Ye Xiu turned around to see a young teenager running up at him. His serious brows furrowed and beads of sweat rolled down his temples. “Little Qiu.” He recalled the new member of Excellent Era’s training camp. He was a young one and very aspiring, a determined hard worker, Ye Qiu had a mind of having him as his heir.

But fate said another, it seemed.

Qiu Fei was simply too young and Ye Qiu could no longer hold the fort for him. It was a pity.

“Are... Are you really going off?” Qiu Fei stopped in front of Ye Xiu. He looked unwilling.

“Yeah,” Ye Xiu said sadly.

“When something makes you unhappy, you should break yourself away from it,” Su Mucheng nodded. “But Little Qiu, this has nothing to do with you. Keep working hard, okay?”

“But... what happened?” Qiu Fei frowned. He was young, naturally he couldn’t hold in his curiousity. “Was it... Was it because of the loss?”

Ye Xiu chuckled. “You think I, Ye Qiu, can’t handle a loss?”

“This is the first time Excellent Era couldn’t go to the play off after all,” Qiu Fei pointed out. “Are you upset because of that?”

“Not at all, no,” Ye Xiu said. “Things just didn’t work out and if we continue like this, it wouldn’t bode the team well. So I chose to leave for the betterment of the team. A loss is just a loss, I don’t care about it. We all aimed for Glory, losing is simply the consequence of trying. But the team’s condition? I cannot be selfish.”

Qiu Fei did not understand but he knew anything that made his captain look that upset can’t be petty nor unimportant. He can only nod. “I understand. I’ll train hard.”

“Good luck,” Ye Xiu nodded and patted his head once again.

“Here,” Su Mucheng shoved her phone number into the young teen’s hand. “See you later, Little Qiu~!” she cooed as she ruffled his hair.

---

Captains-Vice Captains and All Stars

Troubling Rain: FUCK IT HAPPENS!!!

Troubling Rain: EXCELLENT ERA IS ROYALLY FUCKED!

Troubling Rain: Sis Su refused to renew the contract and Old Ye is breaking off? That’s the two best people there and they lost BOTH.

Screen Killer: It seems like the next season’s competition for play-off would be far easier and looser.

Sobbing Ghost: I was so sure that they would fix the relationship behind the scene.

Life Extinguisher: Seems like it’s just not meant to be.

Aweto: Excellent Era is a fool.

Demon Subduer: What are they going to do next, I wonder?

Swoksaar: Recruiting Cool Autumn Breeze to replace One Autumn Leaf is the most likely.

Troubling Rain: Agree.

Dazzling Hundred Blossoms: It’s just so obvious, isn’t it? I wonder if anyone else picked it up.

Doubtful Demon: Well, we knew the inside story, they didn’t. It’s a bit hard, i think? Unless Old Ye just aired all the dirty laundry.

Troubling Rain: Cool Autumn Breeze is obviously worse than Old Ye, has Excellent Era gone blind or what? The other one clearly forfeited after being pushed to the corner by Old Ye! Why is Old Ye letting this happen?! @One Autumn Leaf need your answer ASAP.

Windy Rain: I think it’s because Old Ye lost a bet?

Troubling Rain: What?

Immovable Rock: What?

Dazzling Hundred Blossoms: What?

Screen Killer: What?

Carving Ghost: What?

Cloud Piercer: What?

Demon Subduer: What?

Boundless Sea: What?

Vaccaria: What?

Life Extinguisher: What?

Aweto: What?

Sobbing Ghost: What?

Windy Rain: I was playing with Mucheng and were teasing Old Ye when Cool Autumn Breeze stumbled over us and then told us about a quest where twin dragons fell in love with each other and ended in angst that I’m still researching about.

Immovable Rock: You’re sidetracked.

Windy Rain: Sry.

Windy Rain: Anyway, after telling us that, Old Ye asked him to step out for a little bit for a talk. Cool Autumn Breeze then cheekily teased Old Ye by saying “Oh, yeah. You lost the bet.” Old Ye seemed pretty upset as they left.

Windy Rain: From what I get from their brief conversation. Cool Autumn Breeze mentioned that it ‘was close’ and he thought that Old Ye would win, leading me to believe, they might have bet if Old Ye could bring Excellent Era to the play-off. Which, as we all know, didn’t happen.

Troubling Rain: Holy fuck, and the plot thickens!

Troubling Rain: Holy shit, there’s that kind of exchange?! Are you serious, Yunxiu? This is high-level underhanded shit I’ve ever heard this year, that’s a feat!

Windy Rain: Mucheng and Senior Han were also there.

Immovable Rock: Captain Han was?

Desert Dust: I was.

Demon Subduer: What do you think? Did Chu Yunxiu say the truth or overthinking?

Desert Dust: They did heavily implied they bet about the play-off.

Dazzling Hundred Blossoms: Goodness! Does that mean that the loser steps back? Old Ye couldn’t bring EE to play-off so now he breaks off his contract?

Troubling Rain: Despicable! This Cool Autumn Breeze is despicable!

Sobbing Ghost: And here I thought he was an okay guy from our last interaction that didn’t end in bloodshed!

Troubling Rain: I say, let’s hunt him down and kill him for daring to do that. That punk always whined about not wanting to go professional and now he’s robbing position in a broad daylight!

Aweto: ngl, I feel a bit upset that he actually accepted EE’s invite and not ours.

Doubtful Demon: Uuh, idk if this is relevant. But I’m playing in Heavenly Domain rn and just saw Cool Autumn Breeze.

Troubling Rain: Kill him, Fang Rui! Kill him! Spit on his corpse and tell him that this father will go to harass him myself too!

Doubtful Demon: Calm down.

Doubtful Demon: I didn’t see any guild insignia above his head.

Windy Rain: huh?

Doubtful Demon: I checked with our spy in Excellent Dynasty. Cool Autumn Breeze has quit the guild by himself.

Doubtful Demon: Hang on, let me approach him to ask...

Carving Ghost: Come back safely.

Doubtful Demon: Always, sis Wu <3~~ >w<

Life Extinguisher: How is it?

Peaceful Hermit: Hey, I’m late for the convo. What’s up?

Windy Rain: Back-read, SenSen, don’t disturb the still water for a bit.

Peaceful Hermit: Oh... wow.

Peaceful Hermit: This whole conflict just escalated so quickly.

Sobbing Ghost: Ikr?

Troubling Rain: Damn it! Where’s Fang Rui?! Did he go and strike a conversation or solving world’s hunger?!

Doubtful Demon: I’m back, guys.

Troubling Rain: What took you so long!? I have almost gone old and die from waiting!

Doubtful Demon: Stfu.

Doubtful Demon: Anyway. He said he exit the guild out of his own volition. Being solo is more of his style from his words.

Swoksaar: You didn’t ask him anything about replacing Ye Qiu.

Doubtful Demon: I did. He laughed and said that he didn’t have any interest in the professional league.

Doubtful Demon: Anyway, I just learned fourteen new dog food brands and grooming tools, also their pluses and minuses. Who wants to hear how to take care of an un-neutered dog properly until you make enough money to neuter it or how to cat-proof your house?

Demon Subduer: What???

---

Excellent Era was in shambles. Ye Qiu went through his statement and broke off his contract. He transferred the money over, much to everyone’s surprise, a few days later. So now Excellent Era lacked two players.

They tried to mend everything back by looking at their back-up that they wanted to replace Ye Qiu with, Cool Autumn Breeze. But out of nowhere, Cool Autumn Breeze quit Excellent Dynasty, making them unable to contact him at all.

When they could finally track him down with all the sources they could get, Cool Autumn Breeze told them a chilling statement.

“Hm? I’m quitting Glory, though? I just need to tie some loose ends and I’ll quit playing it in a few weeks.” Ye Qiu tilted his head as his smile grew wider, not even Little Smudge pushing off a wine glass off the table on the side could ruin his mood.

The people from Excellent Era were all dumbstruck when they hear that.

“B-brother, you can’t be playing around, right?” Liu Hao demanded.

Ye Qiu tapped his lap to signal Little Smudge to come before he replied. “Why would I play around? Also, didn’t Ye Qiu already showed his face from what I heard?”

“He’s breaking off contract! We no longer have a responsible core now!”

“Fun,” Ye Qiu remarked carelessly. “What’s that got anything to do with me, though?” he glanced at the clock on the wall, in an hour he’d have an international video conference.

“But, didn’t you want to replace Ye Qiu?” Chen Yehui asked in disbelief.

“It’s a whim. Besides, I couldn’t wait till your proposed time in winter, so let’s just forget about that,” Ye Qiu said.

“Cool Autumn Breeze, we’re asking you to transfer in right now in summer!”

“But I already moved on. You guys should too,” Ye Qiu said blankly.

Excellent Era was panicking, one avatar even talked for a few people as every high-ranking staff crowded over anxiously to see the negotiation inside the game. They tried hard to convince him to join, promising all sort of things. Cool Autumn Breeze was not fazed at all, his answer remained the same. This went on and on for half an hour, it was a real sight to see so many avatars begging to someone.

“I don’t want to. Stop wasting my time, I have something to do in half an hour and I haven’t even wrapped up my latest quest in my quest chain. Go away.”

“Are you really going to go like this? Where’s your integrity?!” Someone exploded.

“My integrity? Funny. I don’t remember ever agreeing to join Excellent Era definitely. There’s not even a contract to speak off. So what commitment did my integrity failed?” Ye Qiu criticized. “You all, on the other hand, are brimming with so much integrity that you sabotaged yourself,” he chuckled.

Everyone was startled.

“You... What the hell are you talking about?”

“It’s fine. You know what I know,” Ye Qiu said. “Good luck on searching for the next best Battle Mage. I’ll nominate Sixth Server’s Bloating Ego, he sounds like he’ll fit in with you just fine.”

“Cool Autumn Breeze!” They all restrained themselves to not attack their best way out of the mess.

“You think you can play with us like this?” Liu Hao growled.

“You’re the one playing with me first,” Ye Qiu said. “Say, Ye Qiu is ‘declining’ but could you defeat him? I can’t defeat him in Fixed Field, didn’t you basically just admitted that I’m in the worse shape?” he asked darkly.

“What?” Liu Hao flushed. “You said he oppressed you with One Autumn Leaf’s silver set!”

“Enough to say about you, huh?” Ye Qiu said. “Can you defeat him? You’re nothing but a rookie who knows nothing.”

Liu Hao couldn’t handle it, despite Cui Li and the others yelling at him to not attack, he still attacked. He was using Total Darkness right now, clad in many silver equips, he’d show this arrogant bastard to know his limit!

Cool Autumn Breeze seemed to have been waiting for that. He raised his Battle Spear and switched to battle mode really quick, he thrust out his Battle Spear in a lightning speed manner, he reacted way too fast that it was Liu Hao who actually got caught off guard.

Cool Autumn Breeze stabbed forward with Dragon Tooth and swung Total Darkness away from the bunch, slamming him to a rock nearby. With the first initiative, Cool Autumn Breeze started to spam a barrage of attacks. Liu Hao tried to recover several times but Ye Qiu just suppressed him more with his speed.

“Brother Liu!” When they saw Liu Hao was at a disadvantage, the other people from Excellent Era wanted to jump in to help, but out of nowhere, a dozen or so avatars jumped out and attacked them, separating them from Total Darkness further.

“Hey! Duel is a duel! How shameless of you trying to break it up?!”

“Shameless Era, you’ve done it now! Stop bothering Cool Autumn Breeze-bro!”

“Now, now, children, settle down and let me tell them a piece of my mind!” Windward Formation exclaimed. “Excellent Era, you’ve done fucked up!” he yelled at the top of his lungs.

Excellent Era’s people sweated a little when they saw the avatars that separated them from Total Darkness. “What the hell is this?!” they exclaimed.

Liu Hao also wondered the same as his face was hurt with how helpless Cool Autumn Breeze rendered him.

Total Darkness finally fell, but he had yet to die, hanging by a small chunk of health left.

“You think you can actually beat me in a wild PK, that’s hilarious.” Ye Qiu simply laughed in their faces, pointed his Battle Spear at Total Darkness and mocked. “What can you do to me?”

Windward Formation laughed harder. “Young people nowadays really thought they could exceed the previous wave. Hey, is Han Wenqing that approachable nowadays? You can dream of beating the one that killed Desert Dust in a wild PK. Fluke or not, it still means Autumn Breeze here has the ability to kill a top-tier pro. Who the hell are you?”

“Pfft, Boss Wei, didn’t you hear from Breeze-bro? That guy even thought that Ye Qiu was declining. Not only Han Wenqing, I bet he even think he could beat Ye Qiu.”

“Hahahahahaha! What a joke. I don’t even know who he is!”

Windward Formation and his band of friends were the best knife-inserting group around. The more they mocked, the more humiliated Excellent Era felt.

Ye Qiu simply smiled at his friend’s liveliness. It was indeed baffling. He was the one who managed to kill Blossoming Chaos and Desert Dust in a wild PK. Both of those people were top-gods with Han Wenqing still remaining at the top. As long as he seized the initiative and there was even a little distraction around, beating him was but a distant dream for a mid-tier pro like Liu Hao. Yet he actually attacked Ye Qiu.

“Truly the calf is losing its mind,” Ye Qiu chuckled.

Liu Hao felt he just got slapped.

“Cool Autumn Breeze!!!” Liu Hao yelled. “You—“

Slash!

Cool Autumn Breeze simply swung down his spear and the last chunk of Total Darkness’s health was reduced to nothing.

“Cool Autumn Breeze!” Another one screamed. “You’ll pay for this!”

“What do you think, Autumn Breeze?” Windward Formation chuckled at that.

“Feel free to come at any time,” Ye Qiu replied. “But you should think about replacement instead of hunting me.”

Excellent Era felt helpless, the negotiation had hit an absolute dead-end.

Cui Li furrowed his brows tightly as he rubbed his head. “Return. You stupid fools can’t even do a simple thing.” He looked down on the people before him who all lowered their heads.

Excellent Era was helpless, with Windward and his many band of brothers, they wouldn’t be able to touch Cool Autumn Breeze as easily. They returned with bitter humiliation.

---

They were at wit’s end. Luckily summer lasted for a few months so they looked hard for replacements. Not just for Ye Qiu, but also for Su Mucheng. Dancing Rain was still an All-Star account, after all. They started to contact every possible Launcher in the league and even looked at their own training camp several times.

However, an offer came from someone to sell Dancing Rain for a good price. They initially didn’t want to sell her, but thinking back, Dancing Rain was Su Mucheng’s shadow, after all. Even after looking far and wide for a replacement, they would never be as good as Su Mucheng. In the hands of a new owner, Dancing Rain could possibly decline in value...

So, rather than having her value decline the next time they tried to sell her, Excellent Era picked a difficult choice and decided to sell Dancing Rain at an appropriate price. The other side was also clever, Excellent Era couldn’t sell Dancing Rain at a price higher than it supposedly was.

The management tried frantically to change the line-up now that the Launcher was gone. They made many phone calls to many high-tier players such as Zhou Zekai, Xiao Shiqin, and many more. But most of them didn’t just feel positive about Excellent Era. The team was a mess, who would want to inherit that hot mess when they had stability in their own teams?

Currently, Excellent Era didn’t even have an All-Star. Not even one. Not to mention the two who had left were the very heart of it. Say, if either Su Mucheng or Ye Qiu was still there, the other high-tier pro would surely be interested to transfer over, but there was no one there.

Moreover, everyone knew Ye Qiu was in charge of the line-up and strategy in Excellent Era. He was essentially a one-man team. If someone was to transfer over, they would need to be ready to take up all those responsibilities to prop things back to place. But anyone who could do that already had a very stable position in their own team, so why bother?

The search for Su Mucheng’s replacement was hard, but Ye Qiu’s replacement was even harder. The pro players realized that Excellent Era had been duped when they were still searching for One Autumn Leaf’s new owner.

So, Cool Autumn Breeze indeed didn’t want to join at all.

The All-Stars looked at Excellent Era in both pity and hilarity. When you had your eyes on both preys, you lost both. Everyone could learn from this.

Windy Rain: So Cool Autumn Breeze didn’t bet regarding the play-off then??? What kind of bet they have to have him in Excellent Dynasty too?

Troubling Rain: There are still many things we don’t know behind the scene here. I need to know. I’m already too invested in this. This is the only thing I care about now except for getting a certain person to come back to Blue Rain.

Swoksaar: Maybe it was still that bet regarding the play-off but the stake was different than we expected.

Windy Rain: Like... the stake was instead of quitting and Cool Autumn Breeze replace him, Old Ye quit and marry Cool Autumn Breeze, completely retiring from professional league to create a harmonious home and family?

Peaceful Hermit: Chu Yunxiu...

Windy Rain: That was just an example. Ofc I didn’t think that was the truth. Maybe.

Windy Rain: I’m worried about Mucheng, though.

Dancing Rain: What is it?

Windy Rain: MUCHENG!!! <3

Swoksaar: We were just talking about you.

Troubling Rain: Sis Su, do you know anything regarding Old Ye’s ‘bet’ with Cool Autumn Breeze???

Dancing Rain: Bet? How do you guys know about that?

Desert Dust: You’re aware of it, right?

Dancing Rain: Ofc, I heard it from them. I’m also involved.

Immovable Rock: Involved? Don’t tell me your decision to not renew your contract...

Dancing Rain: Yupp.

Life Extinguisher: What’s the bet and what’s the stake?

Dancing Rain: Cool Autumn Breeze bet that Ye Qiu couldn’t rein Excellent Era well enough to get to the playoff if he as much as showing interest to replace him to EE’s staff. Ye Qiu accepted the bet. The stake was to leave EE if he couldn’t make it to the playoff, but it was only a superficial bet. The decision still left to Ye Qiu’s hand.

Dancing Rain: Turned out, it’s really getting out of hand towards the end of the season and we failed to bring EE to the playoff. So Ye Qiu lost the bet essentially and chose to break off his contract.

Dancing Rain: Meanwhile, me, I follow him everywhere.

Troubling Rain: Wait, what will happen if Old Ye wins the bet? I didn’t see any stake against Cool Autumn Breeze there.

Dancing Rain: That’s why I say it’s a superficial stake. They’re just trying to prove a point to each other. Obv, Cool Autumn Breeze’s point was stronger.

Sobbing Ghost: And here I thought he was a manipulative devil, Cool Autumn Breeze I mean.

Dancing Rain: haha. He’s not interested to be a pro player, really :<

Windy Rain: What are you and Old Ye planning to do now?

Dancing Rain: hard to say, he said he wanted a new start.

Vaccaria: He’s making a new team?

Dazzling Hundred Blossoms: Are you fucking serious? The Challenger League will start in a few months. How can you make a team and get a steady resource in just a few months.

Dancing Rain: *Shrugs* We got a financial back-up that we’ll pay someday.

Desert Dust: You’re borrowing money?

Dancing Rain: Yeah.

Troubling Rain: Fuck, sis Su. I’m very worried for you and Old Ye now! Call me if anything happens or if you need help!

---

“Brother, I can’t get them to sell One Autumn Leaf at all,” Ye Qiu complained to the phone.

“As expected, huh? I’m not surprised.” Ye Xiu answered. “One Autumn Leaf is their brand. The symbol of Excellent Era is even based on it. That’s like selling Excellent Era itself. That would be like Tiny Herb selling Vaccaria, or Tyranny selling Desert Dust... only much, much, worse.”

“Sooo, last resort?”

“No, no blackmailing.” Ye Xiu said.

“But how can I get them to sell it without a little bit of blackmailing???” Ye Qiu said incredulously.

“Anything but blackmailing- what is it? Mucheng asked if buying the two avatars and breaking off my contract are too expensive for you. Is it?” Ye Xiu sounded a bit concerned for a while.

“Breaking off your contract is just a cheap price, that’s like, half of my monthly allowance back when I was seventeen. Dancing Rain was no trouble. It’s One Autumn Leaf that’s a problem,” Ye Qiu said. “I can’t get them to sell it on its deserving price.”

“You can’t just notch it up?”

“NO!” Ye Qiu exclaimed. “If I offer more, they’ll get cocky! I don’t want them to get more money they deserved after what they have done!! You want me to give them over twenty million when I get Dancing Rain for four million after fighting tooth and nail for it? I manipulated my way to that price, and I’m not giving over twenty million for One Autumn Leaf!”*

“Twenty million is already considered very cheap for One Autumn Leaf.”

“Don’t contradict me. Either Excellent Era is willing to part with it with ten million or I’m not paying them a damn dime.” Ye Qiu snorted. “With twenty million, I can just buy several helicopters or tanks and crash it there to steal One Autumn Leaf.”

“Let’s not buy any helicopters or tanks for a violent heist.”

“You’re right. I already have some waiting around, why should I bother buying more?”

“Ye Qiu, you’re freaking out Su Mucheng.”

“Okay, I’m not mad enough to crash my tank anywhere,” Ye Qiu said calmly. “But I’m still not buying it for over ten million price. Five, if possible, I don’t want all the Silver equips anyway.”

Ye Xiu sighed, he was grateful for Ye Qiu’s headstrong ability in negotiation. They got Dancing Rain at a relatively cheap price although she missed a few pieces of Silver equipment. But Su Mucheng was happy as long as Dancing Rain and Devouring Sun were still with her. All other silver equips were nothing to her, it was replaceable with Oranges. Devouring Sun, however, was priceless.

“Even if you paid over thirty million, I don’t think they’d want to sell One Autumn Leaf either. As I said, he’s the soul of Excellent Era, if he’s gone, that’s basically the end of it for Excellent Era,” Ye Xiu said. “I think it’s fine. You don’t have to buy him,” he smiled helplessly.

“What? No—“

“One Autumn Leaf has won three times under my wings. It’s fine. Dancing Rain, on the other hand, she has yet to win...” Ye Xiu smiled at Su Mucheng. “It’s a shame that One Autumn was left without a good new owner, but I’m sure one day someone will step up and bring him to the new height... Just not now.”

“Brother...” Ye Qiu pursed his lips. “How about you use my Cool Autumn Breeze?” he eyed his own account card. “He’s the next best Battle Mage if not the best, trust me. Strip down the equipments, I’m sure he’s as good as One Autumn Leaf too. At least give me till next year to get One Autumn Leaf's price down..."

“You’re very kind, Xiao Qiu,” Ye Xiu smiled fondly.

“I’m serious! My Cool Autumn Breeze’s attacks are really heavy, you know? Of course, I won’t give it for free,” Ye Qiu said strictly.

“That’s right,” Ye Xiu paused. “Cool Autumn Breeze’s attacks are quite heavy. How many skill points do you have?”

“Skill points? 5400.”

“Pardon?” Ye Xiu furrowed his brows.

“5400.”

“Five what?”

“5400. Is the connection alright there?”

“The max cap is 5000 skill points,” Ye Xiu pointed out.

“Yes? But I got buff accessories. It added 400 points.”

“Buff- what? Moreover, your skill points are maxed?” Ye Xiu asked incredulously.

“Don’t everyone?”

“No!”

“Really? Didn’t we always get that after a quest?”

“Not every quest!”

“But most of them.”

“Not most of them either. The highest number of skill points record in the Pro League belongs to Desert Dust at 4880!”

“Did you guys even do any quest?! It’s been over a year since the last update. I got into that number in the first month of update not counting my Ring of Nature!”

“Send me a screenshot.”

Ye Xiu waited for about five minutes.

Ding!

Ye Xiu stared blankly.

Skill Points: 5000 (+100 Ring of Nature) (+300 Ring of Earth and Sky)

What the fuck is this? Ye Xiu couldn’t explain what the hell he was seeing.

Notes:

If I recall right, SX and OAL’s price to transfer to Samsara was 28 millions. As everyone could know. Players were usually cheaper than their iconic avatars. So... let’s say OAL is over 15 millions, possibly 20 millions, then SX is the rest, which was still considered VERY cheap because their value had declined. At this point, OAL is very much still a shiny avatar, to buy it, you’d probably need over 25 million. YQ was too petty to pay that much when he could buy a hundred million mansion for his brother without batting an eye probably. But not for Excellent Era. At this point, EE could burn and crash to the ground for YQ to care but absolutely not with his money.

Unfortunately, the twins' personalities made it almost impossible for me to snatch OAL. OAL is very essential to EE, I doubt they'd sell him easily. YX has a non-confrontational personality, especially towards his old team that he loved, he was the type to go with the flow. YQ's personality was more overbearing, but YX was his weak point, I doubt he'd go against YX's words if he seriously told him to leave it be.

Chapter 8

“So, what about your new team? You’ll join the Challenge- whatever tournament to get into the league- right? How many have you gathered?” Ye Qiu asked curiously in their next call.

Ye Xiu tilted his head. “It’s a bit hard. I’m trying to find more members, but it’s a bit hard. There are not many talented people around to be scouted around here. Currently, there are only Su Mucheng and me. We need six members at least.”

“You’re still in H City, right?” Ye Qiu tilted his head. “Maybe you could go ahead and convince my fake fiancee to join. She’s pretty good. I’ll give you the address.”

“... Fiancee? You have a fiancée?” Ye Xiu froze. “I never heard about this,” He narrowed his eyes.

“Fake fiancée.” Ye Qiu rolled his eyes.

“How did you get a fiancée?” Ye Xiu asked in disbelief.

Ye Qiu looked up to the ceilings. “Uhh...”

.

“Aha! I knew you’re here!” Madam Ye slammed open Ye Qiu’s door, startling him.

“M-mom?!”

“Luckily you’re here, huh. I thought you’ll escape out of town again, I was so ready to scold you again. Come on, meet my friend’s daughter.”

Ye Qiu blanched. “Wait, wait, wait, what do you mean?”

“Didn’t I tell you? You’re going to meet my friend’s daughter on a blind date. Now, get up and get ready. Why are you still playing games? Goodness, I thought I only have to deal with A’Xiu being addicted to games, not you too now!”

“Isn’t that next Sunday?!” Ye Qiu exclaimed as Madam Ye dragged him out of his chair.

“This is Sunday, my dear. Have you forgotten the day?” Madam Ye laughed.

Ye Qiu blanched. Dang, he got too sucked into Glory’s quests again. Even though he already prepared a suitcase to run and hide in one of his safe houses!

After a series of inconvenience with faking stomachache didn’t work for his mother, Ye Qiu was seated at a high-end restaurant in front of a short-haired elegant beauty.

The short-haired elegant beauty was the heiress of Tang Enterprise.

She was eighteen.

Ye Qiu’s lips twitched. He didn’t date a teenager in his twenty-three years of age. Nope. After spamming his mother about this with his hands below the table. Ye Qiu smiled radiantly at the beauty.

“So, how have you been, Mr Ye?” Young Miss Tang Rou asked with a radiant elegant smile on her face.

“Not so much, Miss Tang.”

“Have you been busy with work? I heard you’ve become a CEO at a young age,” Tang Rou said.

“I’m merely holding onto it, the real heir is still in a journey to find himself,” Ye Qiu chuckled.

Tang Rou blinked and covered her lips delicately to chuckle. “Mr. Ye is full of humor.”

“I’m flattered to make a fair young lady like you smile,” Ye Qiu said gently.

They looked into each other eyes’ gently. There was no emotion past the falsity.

Still, Tang Rou seemed to have been coached through this so she swirled her wine. She was about to say something when Ye Qiu interjected.

“Miss Tang, you’re eighteen and just started to drink. Don’t force yourself if you can’t handle alcohol,” Ye Qiu reminded.

Tang Rou blinked. “I’ve heard a lot about Ye family’s young master and now I’ve seen him myself. You’re truly a gentleman.”

“You flatter me.”

“I heard you’re twenty-three, any intention of branching somewhere else beside business?” Tang Rou asked, Ye Qiu could see she was asking with her back teeth gritting. She was still a young lady, after all, she couldn’t fake things through. “Your home, probably?” Tang Rou’s smile dropped, it seemed like saying that question was too much for her.

Ye Qiu sympathized. “My home is pretty lively. I have a dog and a cat, they’re very energetic and have such a personality,” he started.

“A dog and a cat? They don’t fight?” Tang Rou blinked.

“Not at all. My dog is very obedient and he loves my cat’s companion. My cat, on the other hand, has limit to everything. When she got fed up with my dog, she sat at the highest perch of her personal cat tree and looked down on everything including me,” Ye Qiu chuckled when he recalled the two at home.

“I see, must be nice,” Tang Rou smiled. “Did you take care of them yourself?”

“Yes, I do. It’s the greatest part of owning a pet, after all. I took my dog out twice to thrice a week in between my schedule, if I couldn’t, I let him out in the yard. I think people should take care of their own pets. Taking my dogs out for a walk makes me meet many people and give me an excuse to go out. Meanwhile, taking care of cats humbling you down.”

Tang Rou smiled. “This is the first time someone comes to a blind date with me and talked about their beloved pets instead of boasting about their business and work,” she said. “Mr. Ye, I admire you.”

Ye Qiu smiled. “Well, talking about business is boring, isn’t it? Let’s just face it, will you pay attention to what I’ll say if I talk about business?” he looked at Tang Rou playfully.

“You got me,” Tang Rou nodded. Her tone of voice changed from a proper high-class young lady to your normal confident young woman. “I take it you don’t really want to be here?”

“Neither are you,” Ye Qiu pointed out.

“Yeah,” Tang Rou nodded. “But my mom can be really overbearing, you see? Until my father could convince her otherwise, I don’t think I could escape her blind dates.”

“Same here, minus the father part. Your father sounds very doting to you,” Ye Qiu said.

“He does,” Tang Rou nodded. “I honestly just want to explore for a while. Finish an associate degree and then travel to see the world from normal people’s eyes. Being an heiress is too much to do,” she said.

“Ah, a woman after my own heart,” Ye Qiu smiled at her and she returned the smile.

“You don’t seem thrilled either when I mentioned my age,” Tang Rou said. “Even though five years difference is not that far off.”

“I don’t want to tie a teenager in a commitment like engagement,” Ye Qiu said. “You are young, you will change your mind a lot.”

“Admirable,” Tang Rou smiled. “But I won’t mind being engaged if it’s with you.”

Ye Qiu caught on. “You want a fake relationship, Miss Tang?”

“Let’s skip the ring and just pretend we’re good,” Tang Rou beamed.

“A gentleman can’t possibly refuse a lady, now, can I?” Ye Qiu smiled.

.

“Don’t tell mom about this,” Ye Qiu said after he finished recounting.

“You’re really a handful, Qiu...” Ye Xiu muttered. “Okay, where does my fake future sister-in-law live?”

---

Chen Guo closed the door to the backroom firmly and wiped away a bead of sweats. “All clear.”

“Thank you, but you don’t need to—“

“I can’t believe my idol Su Mucheng and Ye Qiu came to my internet cafe,” Chen Guo rambled. “I thought I wouldn’t see you guys around after you stepped out of Excellent Era,” she looked at Su Mucheng in heartache.

“Haha, yeah, we’re going to move to B City in the near future,” Ye Xiu sweated a little.

“Really?” Chen Guo looked disappointed. “Many people are talking, but I’m on your side, guys! Little Tang, why did you never tell me that you’re friends with Ye Qiu.”

Tang Rou’s eyes twitched. “This... I just never put a connection to it... You didn’t look...”

Ye Xiu felt bad and Su Mucheng smiled.

“Actually, I am Ye Qiu but not Ye Qiu you know, Miss Tang,” Ye Xiu now was sure that she was really a nominal fiancee. Tang Rou didn’t even notice a difference between them after talking this long. “My little brother told me about you so I came here to ask you if you’re willing to join our team,” Ye Xiu pulled out his ID card and gave it to Tang Rou.

Tang Rou confusedly took it and read the name. She gasped. “Oh!” she looked back to Ye Xiu. “So you’re first young master Ye,” she smiled in amusement.

Ye Xiu smiled. “Yes. Sorry for the confusion, Miss Tang.”

Chen Guo looked at the two and tilted her head. “Eh?”

---

“Huh, could never guess a powerhouse that had won three championships could be like a headless chicken like this one day,” Windward Formation said as he stood beside Cool Autumn Breeze, having to help him to fend off another wave of attacks from desperate people who saw the chance and wouldn’t give up.

“Yeah, that’s the power of greed, I guess,” Ye Qiu commented.

“But I gotta say, what did they do to piss you off? You even worked with Ye Qiu to push them like this,” Windward Formation said.

“I didn’t work with Ye Qiu. I made a bet, I won the bet, I didn’t have to do anything for the bet,” Ye Qiu said calmly. “Well, it was fun while it lasted.”

“Are you really going to quit?” Windward Formation asked.

“Eh? Isn’t that only a joke, though?” All Blue perked.

“No, I do want to quit,” Ye Qiu.

“Ehh?”

“Bro?!”

“But you’re really good, tho?!”

“I’m not even half as good as you, and I still can’t quit!”

“What can I do? No more interesting quests to do,” Ye Qiu said in annoyance. “Unless Glory updated again, I won’t play.”

“Seriously?!”

“Autumn Breeze-bro!!! Who would help us beating up people and bosses again?!”

Windward Formation sighed. “Well, I have a feeling you’ll say that.”

“Oh, but before that, Windward...” Ye Qiu started. “I want to respectfully invite you to my brother’s team.”

“Huh?” Windward Formations and the others made a noise of confusion.

“My brother is creating a new team, you see. He’s doing a quick speedrun right now. The Challenger League started in a few months, right? He’s in need of a teammate.”

“What the fuck? That’s out of fucking nowhere from you, Autumn Breeze,” Windward Formation exclaimed. “I fucking retired and that’s for a reason!”

“Yeah, you lost three PKs with the handicap, right?” Ye Qiu recalled.

“Fuck. Must you spell it that cruelly?”

“But do you really want to quit, though? You’re still here, frequently online, always trying to be involved. In fact, you’re more suitable to be a pro player, again, rather than me trying to be a pro player.”

“I retired FOUR years ago! I’m twenty-eight right now, I’m fucking ancient!”

“Isn’t it fine?!” Ye Qiu snapped. “You kept on complaining about the youths not knowing anything and growing up too fast. It’s honestly pathetic. Go back and show them how the old-timers are still doing it!”

Windward Formation seemed to be taken aback with Ye Qiu’s explosion. “What the...”

“Come on, do it. My brother is pretty good, you know?” Ye Qiu said.

“Why don’t YOU do it?”

“I have a life. This is not for me.”

“Tsk, then don’t shove people to things you don’t want to do!”

“Either join or I’ll go to Blue Brook right now and tell the guild master that I want to talk to Troubling Rain and tell him that I know where’s the whereabouts of his “Boss Wei”,” Ye Qiu threatened.

“You wouldn’t...” Windward Formation gasped. “You would....”

“He got you there.”

“What will you do, boss?”

Windward Formation growled.

“Choose. Join or be harassed by that chatterbox.”

“If I show up again, I’ll get harassed by him anyway.”

“Yeah, but you have time before then.”

“FINE! FINE! Ah, you son of a bitch. I’ll join your brother’s broken team, okay?! Give me the address.”

Ye Qiu beamed, he knew if Windward Formation truly didn’t want to do it, even till death, he wouldn’t be able to convince him. But he easily surrendered and asked for the address, so Ye Qiu read him right... He still longed for the stage. “Come to B City, then. I’ll see you there too with my brother.”

---

“But where should I find more people that will be willing to be in my team, without them being a complete noob?” Ye Xiu complained to Ye Qiu.

“Don’t you guys have, like, an organized attempt to recruit talents or something? Like agency?” Ye Qiu asked.

“We’re not that fancy. Though, we do have training camp...” Ye Xiu mulled. “If only Qiu Fei is not too young...” he sighed. He’d ask that kid to come with him if only he wasn’t thirteen and was still quite attached to Excellent Era... However, Qiu Fei was also a beginner trainee, he only came to the camp while he was free from school. It would be too much to ask him to play full time right away for a new team.

“Can’t you go to other team’s training camp and recruit people they don’t want?” Ye Qiu asked.

“...As a matter of fact, yes. Yes, I can. Wait for me in B City.”

“Great. I can’t wait to introduce you to your niece.”

“I have a niece?”

“Yes, Little Smudge. She’s a ragdoll.”

“Aww,” Ye Xiu crooned. “Can’t wait to meet her too.”

.

“Today is a beautiful day, isn’t it, Old Wang, Old Fang? Mind if I take a look at your team’s camp?”

“What the fuck?!” Fang Shiqian cursed out incredulously.

“Senior?” Wang Jiexi was speechless.

“The hell are you doing here?!”

“I want to take a look at your camp and scout a possible talent for my new team, can I? Or should I take care of the adoption fee first?” Ye Xiu asked.

“Do you think this is a shelter for abandoned pets?” Fang Shiqian’s eyes twitched as he also looked down at the dog beside Ye Xiu.

“Well, after all you’re the one gathering them here,” Ye Xiu said. “So how much if I adopt one?”

“Stay the fuck away from the kids!”

“Fang Shiqian...” Wang Jiexi sighed as he rubbed his temple. “Of course, senior. You’re welcome to take a look, but we’ll also have a say. We might have a plan for the talent you’re eyeing too.”

“Of course, of course,” Ye Xiu said carelessly as he rolled the leash in his hand. “Shush, Little Dot. I’m talking to my friend right now. We’ll run later,” he looked down at the dog beside him who started to get restless. “Alright, show me the way.”

---

Wei Chen cursed to the heavens when he saw a pair of twins welcoming him along with two beautiful girls behind them. Wei Chen was familiar with the long-haired beauty and knew her as Ye Qiu’s partner, Dancing Rain’s owner, the short-haired one- Wei Chen was not sure.

The one he was sure as Ye Qiu grabbed his hand and told him how happy he was for Wei Chen to join his new team while puffing out smokes to his face in a sarcastic manner. The other one was...

“Windward,” the look-alike beamed.

“HOLY FUCKING HELL! AM I CURSED OR WHAT?!?!?!?!” Wei Chen screamed.

---

“Ye Qiu, what are these?” Ye Xiu blinked as he picked up a few account cards. This looked like the fourth edition of Glory’s account cards, the same edition as Cool Autumn Breeze.

“Oh, some avatars I used before. I didn’t play them long enough.” Ye Qiu replied distractedly. “Oh yeah! There’s a Cleric in there. I played it because there’s chain quests that have a branch on whether you’re a fighter or a healer.”

“What about the skill points?” Ye Xiu smiled gently.

“I don’t really focus on that. but should be above 4900?” Ye Qiu tilted his head. “This one is the cleric.”

Ye Xiu put the card on the card reader and logged in.

[Cursed Mistake Lv.66] {Cleric}

“Why?” Ye Xiu asked.

“That’s the name of the mission,” Ye Qiu replied simply.

Ye Xiu opened the stat window and covered his mouth, touched.

Skill Points: 5000

Never mind a cursed mistake. Though he was named so, he’s clearly a blessing in disguise. “I’ll take him. Now to just find a player who will be willing to play this.”

He then blinked. “But wait, if there’s a specific path for healers to a mission, that’s a bit unfair to the fighter classes, right?”

Ye Qiu shrugged. “I’ve checked every subclass. It’s relatively the same.”

“Okay, alright, never mind.”

Ye Qiu peered over. "Do you want me to help you find Ring of Nature for him too? It should only take a week with my notes." For Ring of Earth and Sky, it'd take months...

"The one that add 100 Skill Points?"

"Yes."

"Ye Qiu, you're the love of my life."

Wei Chen chose the wrong time to enter the room and immediately had his ears assaulted with those words.

"..."

"..."

"Continue on," Wei Chen deadpanned and walked out.

The twins blankly stared as he closed the door and then turned to look at each other. Ye Xiu shrugged, "So about the ring..."

---

While Ye Xiu was recruiting his future teammates and only lacked a Cleric now, Excellent Era still tried hard to replace Ye Qiu. They managed to recruit a mid-tier Sharpshooter player from a mid-tier team, but they still struggled to find a good enough replacement to play One Autumn Leaf.

Everyone else could be mediocre, but One Autumn Leaf was Excellent Era’s face, they couldn’t slack off on him.

While Excellent Era was in deep trouble, pulling their hair out to find a suitable replacement, ‘Ye Qiu’ announced that he’s making a new team and only needed a Cleric player in his main line-up, shocking everyone.

Ye Qiu V: Asking for everyone’s cooperation to not let this avatar be wasted. [Picture]

• Fang Shiqian V: Holy fuck, where did you get that?! Max Skill points?! You don’t play around, I like it!

 

• Zhang Xinjie V: Such a rare avatar, which researcher sold it to you?

 

• Xu Jingxi V: I play Paladin, but damn if I don’t feel jealous seeing this.

 

• Fang Minghua V: Such a tempting offer.

 

• Fang Shiqian V: How about selling this, Old Ye?

 

• Feng Xiangming V: Everything is perfect but the name. Why name it that when it’s obviously such a beautiful blessing?

 

• Li Xuan V: All the clerics are quacking and salivating rn. What a solid skill points.

 

• Feline In Trashcan: Hey! That’s Cursed Mistake from fifth server?!

 

• Oh My Darling: Holy shit, Cursed Mistake-bro sold his account to God Ye?! He’s making it big!

---

“As expected of Ye Qiu, the Battle God of Glory. He actually found an avatar that has max skill points.”

Glory’s headquarter’s Developers Wing was still quite lively despite being in summer. Although there were not that many jobs to do since the higher-ups gave them less things to do around the season, there were still many people loitering around, discussing the game’s developments and gossiping about the latest juicy gossips in or outside the circle.

“He can sell it and it’ll certainly fetch a high price,” Han Yu, a member of the map-making team, remarked sincerely.

“Dang! Those Orange Level 65 equips are the rarest few available!” Yuan Qing, a member of 'Weapons, Equips, and Items' team, exclaimed in astonishment. “Sigh, I still remember that elven crown, holy shit.”

“There are a lot of limited rare equips there.” another member of the Weapons&Equips team, Ling Xin, observed seriously. “His level is not maxed, who would abandon this gem avatar?”

“That Holy Nine-Gems Elven Crown, Angel’s Tears Brooch, The Messiah’s Boots, Nine-Heavens Treasure Cross, aren’t all of those are gained through a chain of quests?” another mentioned. “Sis Sis Shui, someone actually goes that far.”

Shui Yan, a leading member of Quests & Plotline team, turned her head and frowned. “God, you’re right. If that’s the case, that’s not really surprising that they have maxed skill points...”

“Look at that. Someone actually read your story that far,” Han Yu smirked teasingly.

“Not bad, not bad,” Shui Yan shrugged.

“Uuh, Shui Yan? Would you come here, please?” A guy from the maintenance and control team called out. “I have an e-mail addressed to you.”

“Me?” Shui Yan blinked. She walked over with a cup of coffee in hand and sat down beside him. She took a sip as she started reading, the more she read, the more she blanched.

“Fuck...”

“What’s wrong?” the others blinked.

“S-someone cleared the twin dragons' storyline!” Shui Yan exclaimed, almost spilling her coffee.

“Huh?” Ling Xin tilted her head in confusion.

Meanwhile, Yuan Qing, who had worked with Shui Yan since the start of Glory, blanched. “You mean THAT quest? The one where you put the Ring of Earth and Sky as the reward to!?” he shrieked.

“Fuck yes!” Shui Yan snapped.

“Holy fuck!”

“What’s going on?” the others stared at the two weirdly, slowly freaking out.

“What twin dragons quest?”

“My masterpiece!” Shui Yan groaned. “Twin Dragons’ Disappearance was one of the longest and side-quests from the collection of Protectors of The Realms! To get into the mission, you’ll have to finish five chain quests that had nothing to do with each other to compile enough informations to trigger it. After you triggered the quest, you’ll start by doing simple things to search for the information regarding the dragons that could lead to several dead-ends. Basically, the first ending of the quest would be when you meet the elder brother and finally learned the real reason behind their disappearances, here you’ll find that the younger brother had died a long time ago which was why they ‘disappeared’. Afterward, you’ll be rewarded with the precious Dragons’ Reverse Scale which will dramatically enhance your luck when using it as one of your upgrade materials.”

Yuan Qing dropped to his knees and sobbed. “That was the rarest material in the whole game. Dragon’s Reverse Scale has no level, so it’s not bound to a certain level. If you want to upgrade your weapon to a new level cap after Glory updated in the future, it can still be used!”

“That’s an OP material.” Fan Ning from the NPC designs team was impressed.

“But hearing from the requirement to get that material, it is worth the troubles,” Lan Zhi’er from the Animation team nodded in satisfaction.

“That’s not all. There’s a second part of the quest,” Shui Yan narrowed her eyes. “The trigger chance is extremely low and you have to sacrifice the Dragon’s Reverse Scale to do it.”

Everyone inhaled sharply.

“So... If you lost the Dragon’s scale or if you used it for an upgrade, you can’t advance?” Ling Xin gawked.

Shui Yan chuckled darkly. “Yes, not at all. Only by sacrificing a great thing you can achieve a greater thing... The second ending could be achieved by sacrificing Dragon’s Reverse Scale and attaining Dragon’s Memoirs. After attaining Dragon’s Memoirs, you’ll have to do another chain of quests to attain The Dragon’s Memory. Only after that you’ll unlock the secret ending and get Ring of Earth and Sky.”

“W-what does the Ring of Earth and Sky do?”

“It added 300 Skill points,” Yuan Qing murmured weakly.

“What?!”

“That much?!”

“Well, you did have to waste so much time and sacrifice a rare material to finish the quest!” Yuan Qing exclaimed. “When I saw Little Shui’s scheme for the quest, I know it was simply bizarre for someone to finish it. I certainly won’t be able to. So I gave her permission to let that OP stat accessory be the reward. I can’t believe...”

“Fuck...” Shui Yan bit her lips. “They saw the incest ending...” she rubbed her face depressedly.

“In- what?”

“Incest???” Someone choked.

“Well, I thought no one could possibly be curious enough to search for the second ending, you know?! Moreover, the first ending already felt quite dramatic enough with answers been said and Tingye never ask you anything about helping him reuniting with his brother. The second phase can only be achieved by players’ own initiative and curiousity! You have to be a hardcore, determined casual to be this invested on a quest!”

“That’s an oxymoron...”

“Exactly! How could I know that kind of oxymoron do exist?!” Shui Yan slumped. “Damn! Mom, such emperor actually played Glory! Have mercy on me! What kind of monster this guy is?!”

"You know what, if he could go that far, I'd say he's the chosen one indeed." Shui Yan's co-worker stated in fascination.

---

“Have you find a Cleric?” Ye Qiu asked as he trimmed Little Smudge’s claws.

“It’s a bit hard,” Ye Xiu hummed. “I’m half-thinking of getting a normal Cleric for the Challenger League only and then scout a real Cleric while at it... Better something than nothing.”

“Oh...” Ye Qiu nodded.

“...”

“...”

“Ye Qiu, you played Cleric too, right—“

“No,” Ye Qiu resolutely replied. “If you want to recruit a normal Cleric while scouting for a real one, why don’t ask Wei Chen for his friend?”

“’Sup, heard my name, need me?” Wei Chen sauntered in and glared at Ye Xiu.

“Old Wei, you got any Cleric I can use?” Ye Xiu asked innocently.

“He’s not a pro,” Wei Chen furrowed his brows.

“Doesn’t matter. I just need a substitute in as I search for someone to be the real cleric later on after we win Challenger League.”

Wei Chen nodded. “Oh. I can talk him to this. But you better find the real cleric soon,” he said as he took out his phone.

“What’s the team going to be called?” Tang Rou asked. “We have yet to decide on that.”

“I’m in favor of DoubleYe,” Su Mucheng voted.

“No, let’s not add anything narcissistic into the team’s name,” Ye Xiu rejected immediately.

“Twins Creating Havoc?” Tang Rou suggested.

“Nothing that refers to any of the people here.”

“You’ve All Been Duped sounds good to me,” Wei Chen said.

“Please.” Ye Xiu rubbed his head.

“Dot and Smudge?” Ye Qiu suggested.

“I’m not naming this team based on them who did no contribution here,” Wei Chen frowned. “Did they play Glory? No.”

“Let’s name it Fleeting Cloud or something.” Ye Xiu decided.

“Your sense of naming is simple as always,” Su Mucheng smiled helplessly.

“Yifan, do you have a suggestion?” Tang Rou turned to the youngest member.

Qiao Yifan scratched his head sheepishly. “I don’t have a great naming sense...”

“Nonsense, One-Inch Ash is a genius sense,” Ye Qiu pointed out.

“Senior is flattering...” Qiao Yifan blushed.

“How about you too? Dot and Smudge are out of the question. But you have a great naming sense for your brands,” Tang Rou eyed her fake fiancé.

“I didn’t name those. I opened a large copy of Tang Dynasty Poem, let a fan blew it to a certain page and let Little Smudge choose her favored phrase by sitting on it,” Ye Qiu confessed. “I would let Little Dot do it too, but he ate a part of the page the last time I tried it with him, while his naming sense is great based on what I could snatch before he swallowed, paper is not exactly on a dog’s proper diet list.”

They chose to not comment on Ye Qiu’s decision to leave some company’s decisions to his cat and moved on.

“Fleeting Cloud sounds weak.”

“Lasting Cloud, then?”

“Your naming sense is a mess.”

“That’s it. I hereby name this team Sweeping Wind, may you all sweep all your opponents off their feet and attain victory,” Ye Qiu announced.

“Wow!” Su Mucheng supportively clapped her hands.

“Sweeping Wind? Like Cool Autumn Breeze? You know if we name it that Cool Autumn Breeze would be the icon, right?” Ye Xiu pointed.

“It’s actually from Wind Sweeping Away the Fallen Leaves,” Ye Qiu commented.

“Irresistible,” Tang Rou smiled in amusement at the meaning of the idiom. “So that we’ll get a new member soon?”

“Maybe,” Ye Qiu shrugged.

“Sure.”

“Whatever.”

“Love it!”

“I like it.”

Thus’ Sweeping Wind was officially born that day.

“Wait, what about your name?” Tang Rou asked the important question.

Ye Qiu let out a heavy sigh.

---

Excellent Era can’t find a magnificent replacement, so they didn’t have any choice but to pick one from the training camp. Li Rui, as one of the eye-catching trainees in the camp, was chosen to be the heir and new captain. They could only train Li Rui seriously to make sure he made the cut and forget about their previous captain.

Just when Excellent Era thought they really wouldn’t have any connection to Ye Qiu whatsoever, but it was proven wrong when Chairman Feng and the previous captain came to Excellent Era.

Chairman Feng looked upset so Tao Xuan felt dread rising in him.

What did Ye Qiu tell Chairman Feng? Was he so petty to accuse Excellent Era of unfair dealings? But even if Ye Qiu said thaat, Chairman Feng himself wouldn’t come here since that was an internal problem.

“Old Tao,” Ye Xiu smiled.

“Director Tao,” Chairman Feng nodded. “We have some problems and I need you to help me.” He glared at Ye Xiu.

“You see, Old Tao. I have a twin brother...” Ye Xiu started.

---

 

Excellent Era V: We congratulate our former captain on his start of his journey to Captain Ye Xiu, we wish you nothing but good things. We’ll watch with interest your new team’s growth.

 

Ye Xiu V: Thank you for everyone's support. Sweeping Wind will win Challenger League.

 

---

“Ye Qiu’s real name is actually Ye Xiu!”

“Holy shit, what?!”

“It’s been over six years and this is the first time I heard about this?”

“I heard from a cousin that is an inside person, Ye Xiu opted to use the name Ye Qiu to match One Autumn Leaf, now he broke off with Excellent Era and could no longer play One Autumn Leaf, he returned to his real name since that stage name will bring some discomfort.”

“Make sense! Make sense!”

“Well, it WILL be awkward to continue using that name if that’s really a stage name. After all, One Autumn Leaf is not his’ anymore.”

“The Alliance also confirmed that it was true.”

“Who cares of his real name or fake name? Excellent Era is so kind to wish him well after his sudden leave like that. But it’s good that I don’t have to look at his name and remembered One Autumn Leaf that he abandoned.”

“You speak that again, I dare you. Obviously, it’s Excellent Era who has some disagreement with God Ye, why are you blaming him for wanting a better environment!? Even Su Mucheng followed Ye Qiu- I mean, Ye Xiu, if Excellent Era is good, why didn’t Su Mucheng stay?”

“Let me tell you a secret, Su Mucheng is secretly God Ye’s girlfriend.”

“What bullshit is that?! Su Mucheng is like a sister to Ye Xiu, that’s why she followed him!” Chen Guo finally snapped to the gossipers in her internet cafe. “It’s obviously Excellent Era who’s halting them from growing!”

“Sis Chen, what do you know about it?!”

“I don’t care what other people said, Ye Qiu or Ye Xiu is a traitor to the team that has made him big!”

“You got it backward, it’s obviously Ye Xiu who made Excellent Era big! Without him would we even know Excellent Era at all? Look, once Ye Xiu left, they became frantic over a replacement. What a shame!”

Excellent Era’s fanbase cracked even more.

With that, the previous captain of Excellent Era slowly got alienated from the team’s name. In the future, people would recall Ye Qiu as the three-time champion and Excellent Era’s first captain, whereas Ye Xiu was Sweeping Wind’s first captain.

But wait.

“Why does he play Cool Autumn Breeze?” Asked everyone who had met both in-game.

---

Everyone watched in disbelief and incredulity as Ye Xiu used Cool Autumn Breeze and swept through several rounds of Challenger League with ease.

Excellent Era could feel their brain cracking.

Everybody else was confused.

But no matter how much they pressed, Ye Xiu wouldn’t break out the truth behind the scene. So the existence of Cool Autumn Breeze once again became more mysterious and intriguing for months to come.

“What is this?!” Li Yibo exclaimed when he checked Cool Autumn Breeze’s stats once the semi-final of the Challenger League’s start. “C-Cool Autumn Breeze’s skill points...”

“I’ve never seen this before in my life...” Pan Lin was speechless.

Cool Autumn Breeze [Battle Mage] Lv.70

Skill Points: 5000/5000 (+100 Ring of Nature) (+300 Ring of Earth and Sky) (=5400p)

Glory's Developers all exclaimed when they saw it. "God Ye got the chosen one!" "We found the Chosen One!" 

Meanwhile, different from the devs, every pro player who happened to watch the stream or the recording afterward almost fell from their seats in absolute shock.

“YE XIU, WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!”

Notes:

*Li Rui is that guy who’s the oldest of six Battle Mages that challenged Happy under the order of Cui Li and Chen Yehui. He’s envious of Qiu Fei who was thought of highly by ‘Ye Qiu’ and had a big dream of being the team’s savior. Guess, he did it in this fic. But we all know he’ll just be mediocre.

Hm, maybe the reveal of YQ will be next chapter. Hopefully I can wrap it up in the next chapter and my muses wouldn't bother me with more plotline (Do you have the slightest idea of how many words I have to transfer to "Outtake" because it makes this story longer than I want? I'm actually proud of my self-restraint! :D)

Chapter 9

Summary:

Chu Yunxiu let out a shuddering breath. “I knew it...”

“Huh?” Su Mucheng blinked.

“That financial backer you guys got... It’s Cool Autumn Breeze’s real owner, right?” Chu Yunxiu asked seriously.

“Oh, Yunxiu! You’re really sharp, how do you know that?” Su Mucheng beamed brilliantly, genuinely proud and astonished that her best friend could reach that conclusion.

“W-what?!” Xiao Shiqin’s glasses almost slid off his nose and fell to the ground in his shock.

Now, even Han Wenqing looked over seriously.

Liu Hao watched begrudgingly as Ye Xiu and his new team were welcomed cheerfully to Tiny Herb’s celebration party.

Excellent Era ended in fourteenth place, mediocre by standard, dashing their fans’ hope for a good comeback. They even had voted for One Autumn Leaf’s player, Li Rui, to be an All-Star that year but he was completely mediocre. On the other hand, a rookie from Conquering Cloud- a low-tier team, barged into the rank of All-Stars and league of god-players level in his debut season, completely overshadowing everyone. Compared to him, Li Rui was nothing, especially behind Hundred Blossoms’ Tang Hao, Tiny Herb’s Liu Xiaobie, Misty Rain’s Li Hua, and many more. Excellent Era had fallen from the rank of powerhouses.

Liu Hao hated and hated. He also clashed a lot with the new owner of One Autumn Leaf, both of them have their ego and always disagreed with each other. Li Rui, the camp member who got pushed to be the new owner of One Autumn Leaf, was not a senior-pleaser, being the heir to One Autumn Leaf made him cocky. Meanwhile, Liu Hao looked down on him because he was nothing but a rookie. The team’s dynamic was a mess because of them.

Liu Hao spent the entire time blaming Ye Xiu on it, when he learned Ye Xiu also played Cool Autumn Breeze for the Challenger’s League, his hatred and resentment for Ye Xiu soared to a new height. He somehow believed every disaster in his career was connected to Ye Xiu. He felt set up and he was unwilling.

Ye Xiu had fallen to the point he had to crawl up Challenger’s League, yet many people still remembered him and even welcomed him back this nicely. He didn’t understand.

“Where’s Boss Wei? You don’t bring him? Why don’t you bring him?”

“He’s gathering with the others somewhere else, he said that it’d be annoying to celebrate other team’s victory when he’s not even in the league.”

“Too bad, I was waiting for him, actually.”

“Lin Jie? You’re here?”

“Why wouldn’t he be? Unlike a certain someone, Captain Lin always came to celebrate with us when we became the champion.”

“Cough! Cough! Cough! Senior Fang, please shut the fuck up, thank you.”

“Brat, I’m your fucking senior.”

Everyone laughed as Huang Shaotian and Fang Shiqian bickered again.

Ye Xiu brought two girls and a teenage boy with him but the teen boy- One Inch Ash’s player- soon walked away with a friend, leaving Ye Xiu surrounded by the two girls, he looked like a winner of life. None of the people in Excellent Era dared to look his way, only Liu Hao who tossed a disdainful look time after time.

“Lele really didn’t come?” Ye Xiu easily moved on and turned to talk to Fang Shiqian.

“Can’t exactly force him now, can I?”

“Really too bad.”

“Ye Xiu.”

“Oh, Old Han. How are you?”

“I’ll go out for a bit,” Liu Hao snorted and got up with a bottle of yellow wine. He stepped outside to the hotel’s lobby. As a powerhouse, Tiny Herb was quite generous in throwing a party, the place they chose was not shabby either.

Liu Hao didn’t understand why Ye Xiu of all people could have other teams’ powerhouses flutter around him like butterflies to a flower. Did that old news really worth to? Liu Hao was envious, no matter how hard he tried to prove himself, it was never enough. All Ye Xiu could do was to put him down, suppressing him.

Those who stood at the top always did that, suppressing people shamelessly.

Liu Hao threw his head back and downed his beverage. When he straightened, a dizzy spell caught him off guard and he staggered slightly. He shook his head.

“Sir, I must ask you to stop drinking if you’re already drunk.” A cold voice said.

Liu Hao flushed, thinking it must have been the hotel’s staff and he wanted to tell him to shut the hell up. But when his vision finally settled a familiar face looked back at him.

“Eh- ah?” Liu Hao blinked.

The man no longer cared about Liu Hao and walked past him. Liu Hao couldn’t believe his eyes, why did Ye Xiu suddenly stood before him? Wasn’t the door to the party was on the other way?

However, Liu Hao’s tipsy brain pushed aside his confusion and replaced it with resentment. “If you want to laugh, then laugh. You must be feeling very happy that Excellent Era fell this low, right? Well, don’t get cocky with me!” he accused.

The man stopped and turned to Liu Hao with a furrowed eyebrows. He then smirked. “I must advise you to drink no more alcohol, not only drunk you’re also delusional.”

Liu Hao sneered. “You’re always so cocky, you think you are still at the top? You have fallen to the dirt. Just because you and your ragtag team won Challenger’s League, it doesn’t mean you can return to your former glory!”

“You are nothing.”

“Just a washed-up old news holding on desperately!”

“Always acting like you’re better than anyone else. Even the boss is fed up with you, isn’t it?”

“Let’s see how you advance without Excellent Era’s resource in the real professional league.”

“You’re talking like I haven’t been at the top of the said league.”

Liu Hao froze when he heard a familiar voice from behind him. His drunken brain sobered up slightly as he turned around and found Ye Xiu standing there, he didn’t look all that happy as he gazed straight at Liu Hao.

“Ye...?” Liu Hao murmured in shock.

Ye Xiu walked past Liu Hao and stood in front of his little brother whose eyes already had layers of frost. “Being drunk an hour to the party when none of the host team’s members even got tipsy yet, your manner is still deplorable,” Ye Xiu said strictly.

It had been a while since Liu Hao was attacked by Ye Xiu’s ‘Captain’s reprimands’, his face flushed in both anger and embarrassment.

“Truly an example of a character,” Ye Qiu said after his brother. “I would think he’s from a champion team from the way he talked,” he sneered coldly.

---

“Hey, where is Old Ye going?” Fang Rui asked curiously to Su Mucheng when he saw Ye Xiu leaving.

“Just...” Su Mucheng paused and got an idea. She smiled. “He went to talk with Cool Autumn Breeze’s real owner nearby.”

“Huh?! Cool Autumn Breeze’s real owner is here too?!” Fang Rui exclaimed, earning the attention of several people nearby.

Chu Yunxiu practically glided to them with her speed. “What? Did I hear that right? Cool Autumn Breeze is here???”

“I’m smelling a hot topic,” Wu Yuce also gravitated over and slung his arm around Fang Rui’s shoulders.

“What did you just say? Old Ye is meeting who?” Huang Shaotian slid closer with a disbelieving face.

“If there’s any gossip you’re willing to share in Tiny Herb’s celebration party, at least a member of Tiny Herb also has to hear it,” Fang Shiqian snuck closer with a serious look.

Su Mucheng giggled when she saw a lot of people’s attention was directed at her. “It’s true. We came together earlier, it just happens Cool Autumn Breeze’s real owner also has a meeting in this hotel but it’s on a different floor. He just called me to tell Ye Xiu to go and talk with him for a bit.”

Everyone was dying of curiosity.

Only Chu Yunxiu let out a shuddering breath. “I knew it...”

“Huh?” Su Mucheng blinked.

“That financial backer you guys got... It’s Cool Autumn Breeze’s real owner, right?” Chu Yunxiu asked seriously.

“Oh, Yunxiu! You’re really sharp, how do you know that?” Su Mucheng beamed brilliantly, genuinely proud and astonished that her best friend could reach that conclusion.

“W-what?!” Xiao Shiqin’s glasses almost slid off his nose and fell to the ground in his shock.

Now, even Han Wenqing looked over seriously.

“He- He’s the one that lent YOU money for all of that?” Huang Shaotian choked.

“Dancing Rain, the team’s admission, the money for contracts, even several pieces of Silver equips...?” Wang Jiexi listed off.

“Yup.” Su Mucheng nodded rapidly like a bubbly bird.

“And I take you guys haven’t paid it back?” Chu Yunxiu said grimly.

Su Mucheng chuckled nervously. They had a plan to pay it back, but it was impossible to pay it now. And although Ye Qiu had repeatedly said that he didn’t do everything for free and they needed to pay him in the future, he never even set a deadline to pay all of those back, so they were not in a rush.

Chu Yunxiu nodded. “So, now Old Ye has become Cool Autumn Breeze’s nominal boyfriend who got enslaved by his whim because of the debt?”

Su Mucheng backtracked. “What?” her jaw dropped.

“I mean, Cool Autumn Breeze asked him to come and he goes easily?” Chu Yunxiu said. Ye Xiu was not a people-pleaser, after all, if someone needed him, that someone better come to him unless it was an emergency or something that both sides were in need of.

“Oh... my God,” Li Xuan exhaled.

“What the... What did I just hear?” Yang Cong’s jaw dropped.

“Is that true?!” Huang Shaotian gasped. “Then, we must save him!”

“No, wait—“ Su Mucheng exclaimed.”It’s nothing like that at all!” What the hell??! “It’s just a normal relationship, okay?”

Tang Rou chuckled from behind Su Mucheng. “That was quite creative, though...”

“But you are still in a debt?” Han Wenqing asked.

‘Well, it’s unrealistic to expect us paying it all off now, though?” Su Mucheng said.

“I want to see this Cool Autumn Breeze guy,” Fang Shiqian said. “That’s what Wang Jiexi’s face was saying,” He pointed to his own captain’s face bluntly.

“Then let’s see him,” Fang Rui said.

“That’s... not going to be proper, isn’t it?” Lin Jingyan’s lips twitched.

“Let’s go,” Huang Shaotian nodded to Fang Rui.

Jiang Botao watched helplessly as Zhou Zekai silently followed the two’s lead. “Well, just looking will be fine?”

“I mean, I don’t know about you guys. But after roughing me up so badly back then, I deserve to know his face,” Li Xuan said confidently.

“If they’re not doing anything immoral, it’s fine to sneak up and meet them, right?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Sure,” Su Mucheng shrugged. “Just not everyone and don’t be too obvious that it alerts the others.”

“How could a bunch of All-Stars just sneak out without alarming everyone in the ballroom?” Zhang Xinjie asked.

“Fuck that, I don’t care. I’m going, if you guys don’t, I’ll describe the meeting later, complete with typed essay later, let’s go Fang Rui,” Huang Shaotian slung his arm around Fang Rui’s shoulders and they skipped away in a gigglish manner. Typical.

“Okay, but don’t get surprised,” Su Mucheng said meaningfully.

“Are we going to walk in on a pair of lovers or what?” Wu Yuce asked with a frown.

“You’re coming, Xinjie?” Yu Wenzhou asked with a smile.

Zhang Xinjie furrowed his brows and shook his head reluctantly. “Too many people will pull others’ attention.

“I’ll go—“

“You stay here,” Wang Jiexi cut Fang Shiqian off. “As the captain, I’ll lead them around. You watch other guests,” he said dignifiedly.

Fang Shiqian’s lips twitched. “Lying hypocrite.”

“You better stop your childish game before you go too far,” Han Wenqing advised sternly.

“Will do,” Huang Shaotian and Fang Rui gave a thumb up and a wink.

Han Wenqing’s face turned darker. He meant for them to stop now, not later. He sighed harshly but made no more move.

So the group of a few people who wanted to see all walked out. They pulled a few people’s attention, after all, they were all the popular players plus the captain of the celebrating team, but they made no move to follow them when Han Wenqing’s gaze promised a hell if they made as much as a move to do it.

The group consisted of several top-tier players like Huang Shaotian, Fang Rui, Wang Jiexi, Su Mucheng, Chu Yunxiu, Li Xuan, Yu Wenzhou, Zhou Zekai.

“Sis Su, where is this gathering Boss Wei is attending? Let’s go there after this,” Huang Shaotian started.

“It’s a bit far away from here. It’s a guild-only gathering, though.”

“Heh, a people-person as always, huh? Boss Wei is always like that,” Huang Shaotian chuckled. “Playing with random people, mingling with others, befriending people so easily... leaving people for soda so easily too...” His eyes twitched furiously.

“Haha,” Su Mucheng laughed.

“It will be nice to meet Captain Wei again,” Yu Wenzhou mentioned with a smile.

“How about we piss off of this party and go kidnap Boss Wei? Let it be team-bonding time, you’re also invited Fang Rui,” Huang Shaotian pulled Fang Rui closer.

“You’re drunk, Liu Hao. Go back and ask Wang Jiexi or Fang Shiqian to get you a room.”

Su Mucheng heard Ye Xiu’s voice and her face darkened when he heard Liu Hao’s name.

“Shut up! Don’t order me around!”

Everyone grew uneasy. They walked past a turn and saw the scene in front of them.

Wang Jiexi frowned. “What’s going on here?” he asked.

Liu Hao winced and turned around to look at the group of people behind him.

Meanwhile, Ye Qiu, who was facing the other way because he couldn’t restrain his anger if he was to look at Liu Hao, turned around to look at them. When they saw his face, they all paused and then looked at Ye Xiu, growing more incredulous.

Su Mucheng stepped up past Liu Hao, ignoring him like air, and beamed to the twins. “There are some people who want to meet you and I brought them over, is that alright?”

Tang Rou followed her steps and walked past Liu Hao as if he was dirt, she tilted her head with an elegant smile. “They’re pretty eager too.”

Liu Hao sneered and stepped back, walking through the group to return to the party.

“This is...?” Yu Wenzhou was smart enough to receive the girls’ signal to ignore the conflict that was happening before they came and instead gazed at Ye Qiu in confusion.

“Cool Autumn Breeze, duh,” Su Mucheng rolled her eyes as she gestured simply.

Liu Hao paused.

Ye Qiu gazed helplessly at the two girls. “I called my brother over so as to not disturb the party.” Yet they went and brought several guests out of the party to look for him.

“You can’t hold back curiosity,” Tang Rou said.

Everyone finally registered the information and all gaped, with Chu Yunxiu gasping loudly.

Liu Hao stared in shock when he heard the news.

“You- y- you-you-you, You guys are brothers?!” Huang Shaotian exclaimed dumbly. Suddenly, it became way clearer that Ye Xiu had his hands on Cool Autumn Breeze so easily and it suddenly made sense that it felt somewhat natural when it changed hands.

“That much is obvious,” Ye Xiu sighed he put an unlit cigarette in between his lips.

“Hold me,” Chu Yunxiu whispered softly to the person next to her as she swayed. Li Xuan panicked and quickly hugged her, hissing for her to get herself together.

“Holy fuck, you hid deep, Old Ye,” Fang Rui was speechless.

“It’s nice to meet you. I apologize for interrupting your private time,” Wang Jiexi bowed curtly as his gaze alternate between Ye Xiu and Ye Qiu.

“It’s fine,” Ye Qiu nodded.

“You guys still can’t let go of the fixation in knowing Cool Autumn Breeze’s owner, huh?” Ye Xiu clicked his tongue.

“You...”

Everyone paused again when they heard Liu Hao growling.

“You set us up?!” Liu Hao accused as he glared at the two brothers.

Su Mucheng gazed disdainfully at him. “Projecting again, aren’t you?” she sneered.

Ye Xiu sighed while Ye Qiu sneered. “You set the stage, I played my part and beyond it. Who sets up who, I wonder?” he said.

Liu Hao gritted his teeth, snorted harshly, and then stomped off. Everyone opted to ignore him.

Fang Rui and Zhou Zekai gave a sideways glance to their peer, not saying anything. Meanwhile, Wang Jiexi shook his head, it was obvious from a mile away how dishonest Liu Hao was in his eyes. He was sure that he was a part of the reason why Ye Xiu and Su Mucheng left Excellent Era.

“Hey, hey, we finally got to meet!” Fang Rui switched the topic pretty quick. “Oh, wow, I would never guess you’re Old Ye’s twin brother. Thanks for your tip on which dog food brand is the best back then, it was quite helpful.”

“You’re welcome,” Ye Qiu’s lips quirked up.

“Soooo, introduction in order?” Li Xuan asked. “I’m Li Xuan, by the way. Sobbing Ghost.”

“Right. This is Ye Qiu,” Ye Xiu smiled playfully at them who all blinked and shook their heads.

“Nice to meet you, Ye Qiu. I’m Wang Jiexi.”

“Yu Wenzhou. Pleased to meet you.”

“Zhou Zekai...”

Everyone introduced themselves and Ye Qiu nodded curtly.

“Pleased to meet you all,” Ye Qiu said politely.

“So, what’s wrong with that Liu Hao?” Fang Rui grinned.

---

They didn’t return immediately, Fang Shiqian ranted non-stop about not having the captain hosting the party and asked Han Wenqing to fetch them if possible.

Han Wenqing had nothing to do in his hands and sympathized with Fang Shiqian so he left the ballroom and walked around the floor to look for those fools. He found them on an open-air lounge on the same floor.

Their laughter really could make people jealous. They didn’t seem to have less fun outside.

Someone was standing near the closed door leading to the outside area.

"What are you doing here?" Han Wenqing asked when he saw the season's rookie.

Sun Xiang jumped when he heard his voice and whirled around, clearing his throat. "Nothing..." He said and shuffled past Han Wenqing.

Han Wenqing frowned slightly but opted to ignore that. he pushed open the glass door.

“Wait, really?! You helped Boss Wei to gather materials for my Ice Rain?!” Huang Shaotian exclaimed.

“Yes. We were in a mutually benefited friendship back then. He mentioned you as this annoying kid that he couldn’t just leave behind.”

“Hmph! What a stubborn old man, rather than coming to me himself and told the old guys that he gathered it himself, he chose to pretend to be a hidden hero. For what?!” Huang Shaotian exclaimed angrily, but his gesture lacked real anger.

“Isn’t it clear so that people wouldn’t mistake him as a soft-hearted guy?” Ye Xiu commented and took a drag of his cigarette when he noticed Han Wenqing. “Hey, Old Han. Here for fresh air too?” Ye Xiu puffed out a cloud of smoke and tilted his head with a smirk.

“The vice-host of the party is wondering where you are at,” Han Wenqing stated.

“Ah.” Wang Jiexi nodded and made a noise of acknowledgment, but he didn’t move from his seat.

Ye Xiu smiled and beckoned to Han Wenqing. “Since you’re already here, why don’t you come over. Let me introduce you to my brother,” Ye Xiu nudged a person beside him that had his back to Han Wenqing.

The person turned his head and nodded politely to Han Wenqing.

“This is Ye Qiu, he played Cool Autumn Breeze, I don’t know if you remember the guy who killed you once in a wild PK,” Ye Xiu said airily.

“Your brother?”

“It’s not obvious enough?” Ye Xiu took another drag of his cigarette. “You’re out of luck, Old Han. Two people who had killed you in a wild PK are brothers. Tsk, tsk, sorry you gotta go through that.”

Ye Qiu elbowed Ye Xiu’s side. “Nice to meet you, Han Wenqing. Don’t listen to my brother, I’m not that great in a one-on-one confrontation, you let me win.”

“My brother is too humble, but let me just say you’re really too arrogant to challenge my brother with a handicap,” Ye Xiu pointed his cigarette at Han Wenqing.

“Don’t listen to him.”

“Don’t you know Cool Autumn Breeze’s heavy attacks are the result of 5400 Skill Points?”

“It was only 5100 at that time.”

“I will ignore that,” Han Wenqing glanced at Ye Xiu. “So, you’re Cool Autumn Breeze’s owner, correct?” he walked towards the two brothers.

“Yes.”

“If your next line is a question about how Cool Autumn Breeze got 5400 Skill Points, forget it. That’s a trade secret,” Ye Xiu said quickly.

Han Wenqing let out a sigh at Ye Xiu’s words. “Nice to meet you,” He said to Ye Qiu. “I do hope one day you’ll play Glory again. Let’s have a rematch then.”

“I don’t know what to say about that,” Ye Qiu’s lips quirked slightly.

“My brother is a casual, Old Han. He rarely even touched Glory lately,” Ye Xiu said.

Chu Yunxiu took a drag of her cigarette and released a sigh. “Old Ye is gatekeeping again,” she pointed out with a smirk.

Su Mucheng giggled.

A buzzing sound resounded and Ye Qiu frowned as he took out his phone.

“I have to go now,” Ye Qiu stood up. “It’s a pleasure talking with you all.”

Everyone also stood up to bid him goodbye.

“Hopefully we can meet again someday.”

“Best of luck.”

“Thanks, man.”

Ye Qiu smiled gently through them all, by the end of it he had a hand full of name cards that the others had slipped in with their handshake. He was about to keep them all out of politeness when Ye Xiu snatched them all and put them in an ashtray blatantly.

"Keep your funny ideas to yourself," Ye Xiu said.

"There's no sin in trying," Wang Jiexi responded calmly.

Ye Qiu then beckoned Tang Rou over to return together for their show as fake couples.

“We’re going. Brother, return safely.”

“Here,” Ye Xiu stood up and handed over a card. Everyone recognized the card, no it was not a name card. “Thanks.”

“Always,” Ye Qiu replied softly.

With that, Tang Rou and Ye Qiu were gone.

“What was that?” Fang Rui blinked. “That looked like an account card.”

“Because it is. It’s Cool Autumn Breeze.” Ye Xiu clutched his neck and stretched.

“Huh?”

“I’m not going to play Cool Autumn Breeze for the tournament,” Ye Xiu said. “One Battle Mage is enough. Little Tang is very stubborn regarding her choice.”

“Wait, what?”

“You’re not going to play Battle Mage for the tournament?” Yu Wenzhou found that baffling.

“Yeah, I’m playing Unspecialized.”

Han Wenqing and Wang Jiexi furrowed their brows.

“Unspecialized?”

“Don’t tell me... Lord Grim from the eighth server?” Wang Jiexi narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah, I leveled him up when I have the time. But it’s just a hassle to speedrun through it after I just broke off with Excellent Era, so I played Cool Autumn Breeze instead.”

“You mean we won’t see Cool Autumn Breeze in the tournament?” Fang Rui asked in disbelief. “I don’t know if I should be happy or disappointed.”

“Cool Autumn Breeze has 5400 Skill points and you opted to abandon him? Old Ye, you’re really wasteful,” Li Xuan commented.

“What can I do? He only let me borrow it for a year. Besides, who told you my Lord Grim’s Skill Points will lose out?” Ye Xiu smiled when all of them narrowed their eyes.

“Ye Qiu manned Lord Grim too?” Han Wenqing frowned.

“Old Ye, does your brother accept orders?” Huang Shaotian said bluntly. “Can Blue Rain borrows him?”

"I'll offer a higher price if that's the case," Wang Jiexi said.

"Haha, over my dead body," Ye Xiu smiled.

---

“Li Hua, I’m in dilemma.”

Li Hua furrowed his brows at his captain. “What is it, captain?”

“Should I delete my entire file worth of self-indulgent fanfics or not?”

“Pardon?”

“You see, it turned out the two people who I thought would be hot together are brothers.”

“...I... Don’t know how to answer that...”

“Me too. My logic and mind say no, but my body says yes,” Chu Yunxiu said seriously. “I need you to be the judge.”

Li Hua rubbed his chin. The young man looked at his beautiful captain and smiled dotingly. “Will you be listless for months after you delete them?”

“...It will be hard to move on,” Chu Yunxiu admitted.

“Then, don’t.” Li Hua beamed. To hell with morale, Chu Yunxiu’s state of mind for the tournament was much more important.

Chu Yunxiu looked at Li Hua, touched. “Thanks, I need that. Do you want to read them?”

“Pardon?”

---

Life returned as usual. In Season 8, Sweeping Wind made a debut with additional team members, with the exception of Ye Xiu, Su Mucheng, and obviously Wei Chen, the rest were rookies. They also had changed their Cleric to another one Ye Xiu scouted from Tyrannical Ambition’s branch guild, An Wenyi. He’s not the best, but after being trained by Ye Xiu for a few months, he was good enough. There was another guy that Ye Xiu coerced to join, the infamous scrap-picker in Heavenly Domain that Ye Xiu caught in action, Mo Fan. And another guy.

Still, what made people baffled was Ye Xiu changing his avatar when he rejoined the league. Rather than the Battle Mage that had been anticipated, he joined with an Unspecialized that had recently created havoc in Heavenly Domain after making its own bad fame in the eighth server.

But this was Ye Xiu, so everyone could only sit back and wait for the result. No one dared to criticize him even though abandoning a character like Cool Autumn Breeze could be considered as a case of stupidity for most people. But Ye Xiu was not most people.

Meanwhile, Excellent Era descended into more disappointment. Last season’s result had been the worst yet and they had no intention of staying that way. If in Season 8, they still failed to get to the playoff, they’d be kicked off of the rank of powerhouse officially.

They had contacted Conquering Cloud for Sun Xiang but who knew the teen actually held disdaining grudge after being rejected back then? It was a shame for losing Sun Xiang to another team, but it was even more humiliating when you see which team they lost him to.

That’s right.

Sweeping Wind welcomed Season 7’s Best Rookie and the second Unhindered Rookie into their line-up.

It was a long story. Ye Xiu did search for another person just to make sure he had enough people for variation of tactics. He was actually eyeing Blue Rain’s Song Xiao, or any other Qi Master since Ye Xiu was familiar with teaming up with Qi Masters. But after making a few calls, he was rejected, one time he got a call, it was from Conquering Cloud’s player who said he wanted to join if possible.

Sun Xiang was a rare talent. Out of all shining rookies in Season 7, he came up on top in a domineering manner. No one questioned his legibility despite his rivals being Hundred Blossoms’ Tang Hao and Tiny Herb’s Liu Xiaobie. He was the greatest and Ye Xiu completely agreed with that. It was like seeing the birth of The Magician back in Season 3 all over again. So bright that it cast a long shadow.

But with his talent, he should have plenty of powerhouses coming for him. So why Sweeping Wind?

But Sun Xiang sounded sincere in his request- albeit in a haughty manner- so Ye Xiu mulled over it for some time and accepted him after seeing how much other teams made a bid for him. In comparison, Sweeping Wind got him cheap.

It was only when Sun Xiang arrived that Ye Xiu learned why he was so interested in Sweeping Wind.

He was not interested in the team but the avatar Ye Xiu had stopped playing with. Cool Autumn Breeze. Also the real owner of Cool Autumn Breeze.

“You defeated me several times back then in Heavenly Domain, don’t you remember?”

Ye Qiu sat there, gazing blankly at the youth in front of him with a bowl of salad on his lap. “I defeated many people in Heavenly Domain. One of them is Desert Dust.”

“Yes, I was there too,” Sun Xiang nodded with difficulty. “Just so you know, I was young back then. You beat me only because you’re more experienced. But I’ve formed reluctant respect for people who can defeat me.”

“Thank you?”

“You also helped me a lot and you’re never on anyone’s side, so I gotta give it to you, you won fair and square.” Sun Xiang snorted. “But it’s a disappointment that Cool Autumn Breeze stops playing just like that. So if this team wins with my help, let me play Cool Autumn Breeze!” he proposed.

“Why?!” Ye Qiu exclaimed incredulously.

“He doesn’t deserve to be forgotten like this!” Sun Xiang insisted.

“What a fucking fanboy,” Wei Chen murmured.

“If you’re searching for a legendary avatar, why not accept Excellent Era’s offer? You’ll be the captain there and inherit One Autumn Leaf,” Ye Xiu said.

Sun Xiang turned his head away and pouted. “They rejected me so bluntly back then when I applied, told me that I’m a Berserker and they’re searching for a true Battle Mage.”

What a fragile heart!? Everyone in the team felt incredulous.

“If One Autumn Leaf is in any other team except for Excellent Era, I will gladly accept the offer,” Sun Xiang said.

“Your grudge runs quite deep,” Wei Chen murmured. “Remind me of someone...” He glanced at Ye Qiu. “I like it!” he grinned.

“Things seem to easily go our way,” An Wenyi said.

“It’s good, isn’t it?” Tang Rou smiled.

“Welcome to the team, senior Sun,” Qiao Yifan congratulated.

So that day, the team earned a fanboy—an irreplaceable talent that could keep up with Tang Rou’s thirst for an exhilarating fight.

---

When the tenth server was created, Ye Xiu also explored there to scout possible talent. There, he met an endearingly weird guy called Steamed Bun Invasion, after assessing that yes, he was worth cultivating, Ye Xiu sent him an invitation to come. Steamed Bun became a member of Sweeping Wind’s makeshift training camp.

Life went on great. There was a friendly rivalry between Tang Rou and Sun Xiang which stemmed from their own ambition of beating Ye Qiu first before the other could, which made Ye Qiu feel a sense of danger every time he came to visit so he stopped visiting much to their disappointment.

As everyone would expect, Qiao Yifan was the sanest one of the bunch. His popularity shot up really quickly and he was Tang Rou’s rival for Best Rookie award. Fang Shiqian, that retired trash- in Ye Xiu’s words, called once in a while, congratulating Ye Xiu for his vision as well as cursing him for snatching Qiao Yifan away. If Fang Shiqian noticed where Qiao Yifan’s talent lied in the past, would he give such a perfectly good and kindhearted boy to a shameless devil like Ye Xiu?

With surprisingly good coordination as a team, Sweeping Wind actually managed to get into the playoff and even the final making a record of being the first new team who managed to do so in their first year.

Their opponent was Blue Rain in the final and after quite a struggle, Sweeping Wind won the eighth season, and sadly lost Wei Chen in the process.

“HEYYY!!! HEYY!!!” Wei Chen screamed at the top of his lungs as he was dragged backstage by the prepared Blue Rain’s staff.

“We got’im, boys! We got him!”

“That bounty is mine!”

“Careful there!”

“Lock him in the cafeteria or something!” Huang Shaotian yelled. “Also seal the windows, we need to talk real properly now.”

Ye Xiu waved readily to Wei Chen. “Don’t get overboard! You may return him in three days.”

“YE XIU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!”

One side was celebrating, the other was certainly not.

Excellent Era fell to the relegated zone. Unexpectedly, the pressure of the season weight heavily for Excellent Era, not only they met a humiliating complete defeat in the two times they faced their ex-captain’s new team, they also couldn’t adjust properly at all. Suffice to say they didn’t grow and the other teams began to exploit that, causing them to be eliminated.

The negative outlook continued on as one by one, the better members decided to abandon the ship and looked seriously into transferring.

The absence of any promising player within the team made other players also reluctant to transfer over and when Excellent Era had sunk to the relegated zone, there were even fewer people who wanted to join.

Excellent Era had many regrets, if only they could manage to convince Sun Xiang to join and had him play One Autumn Leaf, their results would be much better. Not to mention Sun Xiang’s presence might entice other talented people to join. However, they failed their bet with Sun Xiang and could only helplessly watch as the team deteriorate.

Tao Xuan seriously had a hard time seeing a way out of this. His love for Glory was limited to it being a business, he seriously wouldn’t have the patience of doing it all over again with what he had left so he decided to disband Excellent Era promptly.

There was a big sale at the end of Season 8... It was painful to watch for Ye Xiu but he still booked a flight to H City to say one last goodbye to his old friend with Su Mucheng. It only took three days for them to go and return, when they returned, they managed to drag Guan Rongfei with them to join their team’s ragtag RnD team that consisted of the people Ye Qiu randomly picked up and Wei Chen’s distant acquaintances.

With Excellent Era’s disbandment, everything was sold at a relatively cheaper price than when if they were still a powerhouse.

Samsara won the bid to One Autumn Leaf by a slight margin. It seemed like their passion for the championship after their loss against Sweeping Wind was still burning as fiercely as ever.

Sun Xiang regretfully had to say goodbye to his teammates that he liked and detested at the same time because Samsara gave him a call to transfer over and try to play One Autumn Leaf after Sun Xiang’s previous show in showing off his ability to play Battle Mage to get Ye Qiu to admit he was deserving of Cool Autumn Breeze. Since One Autumn Leaf was no longer in Excellent Era, Sun Xiang was willing to go, Ye Xiu understood and let him go with a celebration.

One had to know Ye Xiu started to feel a bit complicated at how much Sun Xiang was interested with Cool Autumn Breeze’s original owner. He thought it was pure admiration at first, but then Ye Xiu had to wonder just what did Ye Qiu use to defeat this kid repeatedly back then and how he could be really attached to Ye Qiu every time he visited.

However, it all went down for the team’s betterment. After all, Samsara offered twice the price Sweeping Wind got Sun Xiang for. No, no matter what Wei Chen said about it was just Ye Xiu’s brother complex playing a card, it was not that. They were really in need of money to pay back their debt to Ye Qiu, after all.

“Go chase your dream,” Ye Qiu said to Sun Xiang at their goodbye party.

“If you let me play Cool Autumn Breeze, I won’t transfer to Samsara,” Sun Xiang proposed seriously.

Ye Xiu pushed Sun Xiang back to his room. “You’re drunk. Your plane to S City is going to take off at nine tomorrow. Sleep early.”

Ye Xiu sighed as he turned around to find Ye Qiu scowling at him. “We won’t lose him like this if you let me buy One Autumn Leaf back.”

“Ye Qiu, Samsara’s price for him is over thirty million when they only bought him for seventeen million.”

“Yeah, but they’re not Excellent Era,” Ye Qiu argued. “I can use more money.”

“Let’s not argue about this,” Ye Xiu shook his head. “How could I pay back that much debt, really?”

---

The latest update of Glory had become a real hectic business for everybody. Everyone is allying with everyone. Everyone is betraying anyone. It was a spicy drama in every corner.

“Don’t be so stingy, just give this one up for Fallen Leaves,” Ye Xiu scolded.

“Fuck you! We’re also in search of suitable materials, oi! This boss is new!” Zhang Jiale cursed out.

“Shut the fuck up, everyone! This boss is BLUE BROOK’S!” Huang Shaotian howled.

“Samsara will not lose!” Sun Xiang exclaimed.

“Tch, you guys really never got hit by a heavy attack?” Ye Xiu said arrogantly.

“Would you stop flexing that already?” Zhang Jiale said jealously. “But who cares? With this update, your advantage will get smaller.”

Lord Grim spun his umbrella and parried a punch from Desert Dust. “You really think so too, Old Han?”

“What do you mean?” Han Wenqing frowned.

“There’s an update after so long, it’s worth a celebration,” Ye Xiu said. “That guy should be awake now.”

Ding! [System Notification: Your Friend Cool Autumn Breeze is Online!]

In contrast with his name, that name didn't bring any cool autumn breeze that could calm people out at all.

"He's playing again?!" Everyone gawked.

Notes:

"Please, don't get out of hands. Please, don't go over 6k. Pleaseeeee"
So the person YX failed to recruit in this is Luo Ji since they don't dwell in the tenth server long enough to meet him. But I'm sure if they're fated, they'll meet.

As for SX, I want to write more about him especially how YQ humbled him down when they were still playing casually, but I can't. This fic is already not-so-mini anymore, I need to be more strict to myself. I have deleted 2k words of this chapter alone to compress it tighter.
I have to admit, though. EE's ruin is one of the reasons why I have SX transfer over to Sweeping Wind. Because if he DID transfer to EE, EE will get back on their feet and I dislike that idea of prolonged conflict. But since SX didn't transfer over, EE will be hard-pressed to search for a more talented figurehead and eventually fell back.