Two days before the exhibition match, Yan Yibing went to the WeChat group for the “League Professional Players” and tagged all the team captains.
“Hello, comrades! Have the rosters been finalized yet? Please share them quickly.”
Although officially, the league had stated that some matches would involve randomly selected players on-site, behind the scenes, they had already grouped together the players who could bring excitement to the audience.
These rosters had been coordinated by various teams.
TZS-Ming Lang: “We’ve already sent ours. You can make adjustments as needed.”
Lie Hu-Fang Shuo: “Check the attachment. We’ve decided on ours. Just to inform you in advance, we’re only sending two players for the custom match; our other players have urgent family matters.”
Mofang-Xu Chang: “Our roster is the same as last year, with minimal changes. Oh, for the free-snipe match, I’ll participate.”
AXE-Chen Chi: “We’ve finalized ours as well.”
CNG-Yu Yan: “Tsk, you all decide first, and we’ll follow your lead. After all, CNG has no weaknesses; everyone’s a god.”
Zero-Yan Yibing: “Stop being shameless. Zero can beat CNG.”
Prince-Xiao Nuo (Captain Han Mo’s dedicated spokesperson): “Hahaha, hello to all the team captains. Our captain was busy grinding ranks in the past few days. You guys decide first; we’ll definitely send ours tonight.”
CNG-Yu Yan: “Tsk, just say that Han Mo doesn’t want to compete against Yan Yibing, Vice-Captain Xiao is quite smooth.”
Prince-Xiao Nuo (Captain Han Mo’s dedicated spokesperson): “Yu Shen, don’t tease. It’s not like that. Our Captain Han is genuinely tired, and besides, we’re bound to meet Yan Yibing in the four-man squad anyway, hahaha.”
Yan Yibing let out a light snort as he read the chat log.
He placed his phone down, pressed his temple, and looked up at the members of his first and second teams, saying, “Alright, let Manager Song read out our roster, and let’s see if anyone has any objections.”
Song Tang, with a touch of helplessness, shot him a glance before turning to address everyone, “For the four-man squad matches, all of the first team will participate. In the two-man squad matches, it will be me and Captain. For the custom matches, both the first and second teams will have two players each. It’s provisionally set as Fu Haifeng and the Captain. In the assault-defense matches, it’s all the second team members. For the free-for-all rush, we have Xu Rui and Fu Haifeng. As for the free-sniping, it’s the Captain. Any objections?”
As Song Tang listed the roster, Yan Yibing put his hands in his pockets and tilted his head down. He swayed on his chair, his ears perked, absorbing every word.
He was in good spirits today, gathering his slightly long and curly hair and tying it into a small ponytail at the back of his head. Strands of hair fell across his forehead as he lowered his head.
The warm, gentle orange glow of the setting sun streamed in, giving his hair a soft and tender hue.
This roster had been thoughtfully considered and finalized.
The Free Sniper category was a newly added competition this year, and it involved individual combat, which was excellent for showcasing individual skills.
Sniping had always been Yan Yibing’s forte. Although it was an exhibition match, Zero also wanted to use this opportunity to attract potential talents to the base’s youth training program.
Xu Rui and Fu Haifeng nodded in agreement.
Both of them were simple and honest, not pushy or assertive, and were accustomed to following Yan Yibing’s arrangements.
Moreover, this year’s focus was on recruiting talent, a point emphasized by Song Tang in advance.
The members of the first team remained silent, and those of the second team dared not speak up even more.
Despite Yan Yibing’s usual laid-back and easygoing demeanor, without airs, when it came to training, he had a particularly intimidating presence.
No one in the room had escaped being scolded to tears by him during their time as youth trainees.
Cheng Bin spoke softly, “Then, Captain, let’s practice according to this roster.”
Cheng Bin held a deep admiration for Yan Yibing, to the extent that he only dared to admire from afar.
He had joined Zero because of Yan Yibing, and although he had always been in the second team, he had never complained.
Yan Yibing raised his head, surveyed the room, and said with an easygoing smile, “Alright, then let Song Tang send it.”
Song Tang replied with a simple “Mmm” and shared the roster with the group.
Zero-Song Tang (Vice-Captain): “Our roster is also ready, and it doesn’t conflict with any of yours.”
CNG-Yu Yan: “Gou Bing is participating in four matches, is there really no one left in Zero?”
Zero-Song Tang (Vice-Captain): “Sigh, that’s because our captain is in great shape. Besides, the free-snipe match is our captain’s specialty.”
CNG-Yu Yan: “Brothers, did you see this? This is the current situation of Team Sunset Glory. Pathetic, isn’t it? Painful, isn’t it?”
Zero-Song Tang (Vice-Captain): “…”
Zero-Yan Yibing: “Which son is worrying for their daddy again?”
CNG-Yu Yan: “Your daddy is concerned about you.”
Zero-Yan Yibing: “Daddy hasn’t consoled you after being dumped by a beauty yet.”
Prince Esports Club.
Xiao Nuo turned to look at Han Mo and asked, “Captain, most teams have already revealed their rosters. Are we going to release ours or not?”
Han Mo lowered his gaze, opened the roster sent by Song Tang on his phone, and fell silent.
He stared at the short list of names for a long time.
Muttering to himself, Xiao Nuo said, “I didn’t expect Bing Shen to choose Free Sniper. He must want to show off. Bing Shen is indeed strong in the sniper position.”
Han Mo gave a faint sneer and looked up at Xiao Nuo, saying, “I won’t participate in the four-man squad. I’ll switch to Free Sniper.”
Xiao Nuo jolted upright in his seat. “If you don’t participate, who will fill our lineup? Are we going to find someone from the second team?”
Han Mo was the first entry fragger, and even if he wanted to showcase individual combat skills, he should have chosen Free Rush, not Free Snipe.
“You’re the commander; you can choose whoever you want.”
Xiao Nuo mumbled softly, “Just because of Bing Shen?”
Han Mo’s eyes narrowed for a moment, and after a long pause, he openly admitted, “Mmm.”
In his memories, he was still in Zero’s youth training camp.
Back when he was very young, he displayed exceptional talent, making him the standout player in the At that time, he was very young but exceptionally talented, one of the most outstanding in the Youth Training Camp.
Before joining Zero, many small eSports teams were eager to sign him, praising him as if signing a contract with him would guarantee an instant world championship.
But Han Mo had great ambitions. He wanted a more professional club and better teammates.
At that time, the most famous player in the PUBG scene was Yan Yibing.
Yan Yibing was not only handsome but also highly skilled. With his exceptional abilities, he had secured Zero’s position as a top-tier team single-handedly.
Back then, live streaming wasn’t as popular, and Yan Yibing seldom bothered to participate. He only made occasional appearances at the most prestigious eSports magazines and international tournaments.
When Han Mo was holed up in a small internet café, four out of the five guys around him were Yan Yibing’s fans.
All he wanted was to be a member of Yan Yibing’s team.
However, upon entering Zero, things didn’t go as smoothly as he had imagined.
Elite teams like Zero had strict selection processes, and all newcomers had to spend three months in the youth training camp. Due to his young age, Han Mo, who was only seventeen years old in terms of nominal age, was expected to stay even longer.
But at least now he could frequently see Yan Yibing because Yan Yibing visited the youth training camp eight times a day.
What should have been the most relaxed and carefree place on the entire base turned highly vigilant due to Yan Yibing’s constant surprise inspections. These young, energetic lads couldn’t even sneak a break.
Han Mo was even more diligent, training for over ten hours every day, and he had climbed into the top five on the Korean server’s leaderboard.
That was the standard level for a professional player.
The entire team knew it, and of course, Han Mo knew it as well.
Within the youth training camp, everyone assumed that Han Mo would be directly promoted to the first team, playing alongside Yan Yibing in official matches.
But…
Yan Yibing had never praised him.
The harshest scolding happened on the day Han Mo reached the top five in the Korean server.
As usual, Han Mo activated his game accelerator, connected to the server, and entered a solo match on the Erangel map.
While he was sniping on the hillside, engaging in a long-range standoff with another player, Yan Yibing entered the room and headed straight for him.
Han Mo’s instinctive reaction made his back tense up.
Without overthinking it, he knew that every time Yan Yibing came, he always watched him first.
He immediately tightened his lips, straightened his back, and stared at the screen. He could feel Yan Yibing standing behind him.
Yan Yibing didn’t leave; he just silently observed, emanating a faint, dry scent of laundry detergent.
Han Mo struggled to keep his focus from drifting and couldn’t help but search his mind, wondering what fragrance could smell so good.
Players in the building across from him peeked out briefly and then quickly withdrew.
When Han Mo snapped back to attention, he sidestepped, aimed down the scope, and attempted quick shots, but he missed five shots in a row, shattering the glass on the second floor of the small building.
Seizing the opportunity, his opponent suddenly leaned out and hit him with two shots, depleting his health.
The screen displayed his rank: 32nd place, and his KD ratio had dropped significantly.
It was an unfortunate encounter for him. The opponent was a professional player from a South Korean team, with strong skills, at least stronger than him.
He ran into this player too early in the game, and before he could even secure any kills, he was taken down.
Before he quit the game, the opponent had even greeted him enthusiastically in Korean with a choice phrase: “Idiot.”
Han Mo couldn’t understand it and was about to exit the game when his chair received a sudden kick from Yan Yibing.
The kick wasn’t heavy, but it was enough to jolt anyone’s focus. As a result, his hands remained still, and the computer screen displayed his pitiful defeat.
Turning around, he saw Yan Yibing, whose expression was icy, exuding an aura of coldness.
Just as he had expected.
In the next moment, Yan Yibing leaned over, rested one hand on the back of his chair, and pretended to be friendly as he whispered in his ear, “Han Mo, maybe you should quit eSports and try your hand at cross-stitching? You seem to be exceptionally skilled at outlining.”
As he leaned in, the scent of the laundry detergent became even stronger, and it carried a hint of warmth from his neck.
Han Mo lowered his eyes and apologized in a low voice, “Captain, I’m sorry, I didn’t play well.”
Yan Yibing blinked his almond-shaped eyes, chuckled lightly, and said, “It’s not that you didn’t play well, it’s that your sniping was just too subtle. What were you thinking? Didn’t like the color of the building? Planning to knock down a wall and rebuild it with a sniper rifle?”
Han Mo fell silent.
He knew that Yan Yibing’s mockery was far from over.
Yan Yibing suppressed his laughter, and his expression turned serious. “If you don’t like the rifle, just give it to a cop in need. Don’t make us, the future stars of the entry fragger, feel wronged by tossing away the sniper rifle. What’s the use of a sniper? It’s the aggressive ones who are truly powerful. Besides, in the future, someone will cover you with a rifle, and you won’t have to change your role even if your teammates die. Just keep being aggressive all the way.”
Han Mo bit his lower lip, tasting the metallic tang of blood, and feeling the sharp pain on his delicate, fragile skin.
“I don’t think like that.”
Yan Yibing stood up straight, hands in his pockets, and said casually, “I heard you made it into the top five on the Korean server. Do you want me to praise you?”
Han Mo’s throat tightened, and he whispered, “No…”
Yan Yibing said coldly, “You better not.”
Suddenly, Han Mo raised his gaze, looking at Yan Yibing with the eyes of a hawk assessing its prey.
In a deep voice, he made a promise, “I’ll improve my sniper skills, to the point where I can handle rifles just like the former team captain did, so I can assist you with them.”
So that you can be like you used to be, playing the entry fragger position as you please.
So that you don’t have to work so hard, changing your role and sacrificing for the entire team.
So that you don’t have to endure people’s insults, saying your playstyle is becoming more and more timid, and your courage is dwindling.
Yan Yibing smiled slightly, his almond-shaped eyes curved, and his gaze was bright and clean.
“You want to play alongside me, huh, little guy?”
“I came here for you,” Han Mo responded confidently, not hiding his ambitions.
Yan Yibing was slightly taken aback for a moment, then smiled faintly, responding with vague words, “Got it.”
But Han Mo didn’t wait for Yan Yibing to acknowledge his sniping skills.
A week before his transfer to Team One, Han Mo left Zero.
Han Mo reached for a cup and lifted it to his lips, sipping the Blue Mountain coffee a friend had brought back from Jamaica. The coffee was unsweetened and without milk, extremely bitter. The bitterness and the rich aroma mingled together, making one exceptionally alert.
“Send it to the group,” he told Xiao Nuo.
Xiao Nuo reluctantly complied, manually edited the roster, and then sent the new list to the group.
Prince-Xiao Nuo (Captain Han Mo’s dedicated spokesperson): “Sorry for the wait, captains. Our roster is out as well.”
On Zero’s side, the meeting had already disbanded, and Yan Yibing returned to his dormitory on the base.
He lay down on his bed, holding his phone, and ordered two boxes of bird’s nest from a shopping platform.
As soon as he completed the payment, a message popped up in the group chat, sent by Xiao Nuo.
He raised an eyebrow, propped himself up on the pillows, and opened the attachment.
When he saw the last name on the list, Yan Yibing’s gaze froze.
【Free Sniper: Han Mo】
Yan Yibing tugged at his lips, lazily smiled, and quickly typed a message —
“Captain Han, are you planning to crush me on the sniper arena?”
Prince-Xiao Nuo (Captain Han Mo’s dedicated spokesperson): “Hahaha, Bing Shen, don’t make fun of me. This wasn’t decided by our captain alone; it was the result of internal discussions.”
Yan Yibing replied with a meaningful “Oh.”
He exited the group, glanced at the shopping platform, confirmed the delivery address, and tossed his phone onto the bed.
He stretched out, resting his head on the panda-shaped pillow. His clothes had rolled up slightly due to friction with the bedsheets, revealing a section of his fair and toned abdomen.
Yan Yibing wasn’t a fan of working out. He had a hint of abs, but you could only feel it if you touched it with some force.
Even this slight definition was because his mother thought girls liked it and forced him into exercising.
He tugged at his shirt, covering his abdomen, and murmured to the ceiling, “Does he hate me that much?”
There was a knock on the door, twice, and someone outside asked, “Captain, I’d like to talk to you about something.”
Yan Yibing furrowed his brow and sat up from the bed.
He put on his slippers, patted his slightly wrinkled clothes, and reached for the doorknob.
Outside the door stood the captain of Team Two, Lei Ming.
Lei Ming was twenty years old, with a buzz cut and glasses. He had a slight hunchback and resembled Xiong Er from the animated series “Boonie Bears.”
Yan Yibing remembered that he hadn’t seen him in a long time. Although they were on the same base, Yan Yibing couldn’t be bothered to wander around the training camp and Team Two anymore.
Lei Ming was one of the veterans, having been on the team for two years, and he had joined the team along with Han Mo and Song Tang during their youth training.
Back then, Team One had two vacant positions, and the youth training camp had also reserved one or two positions. Originally, it should have been Han Mo and Song Tang who were chosen, but due to Han Mo’s departure, Lei Ming was retained instead.
Even though he stayed, Yan Yibing didn’t promote him to Team One. Lei Ming’s skill level was a step below Han Mo and Song Tang’s. Having witnessed the talent of Han Mo, Yan Yibing couldn’t possibly let Lei Ming replace him.
Instead, he promoted Xu Rui from Team Two to fill the vacancy in Team One.
Over the past two years, Team One has developed a stable and harmonious synergy without any openings. Lei Ming had been lingering in Team Two.
Some of the former Team Two members had already moved to smaller teams as they couldn’t wait for a promotion opportunity, but they remained friends with Yan Yibing because they had parted ways amicably.
Lei Ming didn’t leave.
Yan Yibing leaned against the door, arms crossed, and asked softly, “What’s the matter?”
Lei Ming clenched his fists, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, “Captain, I want to play as the Free Sniper.”
Yan Yibing was slightly surprised and chuckled lightly, “Ah, why?”
Lei Ming took a deep breath, gathered his courage, and said in a low voice, “I think I can do it. I haven’t slacked off in the past two years, and my sniper skills have improved a lot. The coaches know it, though you might not have heard much about Team Two since you don’t visit often.”
Yan Yibing’s gaze flickered, and he paused, “Do you know who the Free Snipers are?”
Lei Ming replied, “I know, Prince’s Han Mo.”
Yan Yibing nodded, “Then you still…”
Lei Ming raised his eyes, determined, “Captain, I believe I can beat Han Mo. Let me do it.”
Yan Yibing furrowed his brow.
Confidence in one’s abilities wasn’t enough in this case.
He didn’t even have the confidence that he could definitely beat Han Mo, so what had driven Lei Ming to say this?
“Han Mo’s skills aren’t what they were two years ago. Are you sure?”
Lei Ming gritted his teeth, suddenly lowered his head, and said somewhat defiantly, “Captain, you can’t always favor Han Mo. He’s our opponent now.”
Yan Yibing was taken aback and felt a bit annoyed.
He turned cold, “How am I favoring Han Mo?”
Lei Ming muttered, “This is something the whole team knows, at least those who were here back then.”
Yan Yibing’s heart skipped a beat, and his eyes narrowed.
Lei Ming continued, “You used to visit the youth training camp all the time. Although you coached all of us, you spent the most time with Han Mo. Every time you came, you went to see him first. Sometimes, you’d watch him for so long that you forgot about us and just left. Although you scolded him a lot, weren’t your expectations high for him? Although you didn’t say it outright, if it weren’t for Han Mo’s mistake back then, he would have definitely been promoted to Team One. And you even planned to make him the entry fragger and personally help him become a god.”
Yan Yibing grew impatient, “What are you trying to say?”
Lei Ming’s words made it sound like he had nurtured a bunch of lambs, pouring his heart and soul into it, only to have them devoured by wolves overnight, rendering all his previous efforts in vain.
Yan Yibing really didn’t want to admit that his affection for Han Mo had been in vain.
Lei Ming muttered, “I just wanted to say, Captain, even you can misjudge people. Back in the youth training camp, there were… there were people with even more potential than Han Mo.”
Yan Yibing lifted his eyelids, his gaze calm, “Are you referring to yourself?”
Lei Ming stiffened his neck, “I don’t think I’m inferior to Han Mo. If you had given me a bit of the attention you gave him back then, I would have definitely surpassed him.”
Yan Yibing fell silent for a moment and finally understood, “Over these years, you’ve always felt that I favored Han Mo?”
Lei Ming swallowed hard, “If I win against Han Mo this time, can I be promoted to Team One, Captain?”
“Team One doesn’t need more members.”
“I’m still young.” He was twenty years old, and in Team One, Xu Rui was twenty-three, and Yan Yibing was twenty-five. They were all close to retirement age.
Yan Yibing lazily smiled, “Alright, you can play as the Free Sniper. If you win against Han Mo, you can join Team One as a substitute.”
Yan Yibing finished speaking and closed the door.
Outside the door, there was a low voice, “Thank you, Captain.”
Yan Yibing stood on the carpet, his gaze falling on the scar removal cream on the table.
The scab on his left wrist had fallen off, leaving behind faint marks.
The scar removal cream worked well, and in a few days, the marks would completely disappear.
He rubbed his wrist and closed his eyes.
When Lei Ming came to argue his case just now, there was only one thought in his mind.
—How can you compare to Han Mo?
Author’s Message:
Yan Yibing: What were you thinking when I scolded you back then?
Han Mo: The captain speaks fast, he must be very good at using his tongue.
Thank you for reading! 
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