Lin Lan emerged from the corner, inexplicably holding a tube of ointment.
Lu Shi asked him, “Where did you get that from?”
“Found it,” Lin Lan replied.
Lu Shi said, “Do you think I’m a three-year-old? Go find another one and show me.”
“Right? You also find it absurd, don’t you?” Lin Lan couldn’t help but comment, “The captain told me he found it, how could that be possible…”
Upon hearing that it was Xiao Shengjing who said that, Lu Shi immediately changed the subject, “Hmm… why not? Maybe it was secretly brought by a fan, accidentally dropped on the ground, and happened to be picked up by him. Or maybe it fell out of a medication box provided by a staff member carelessly. See, doesn’t it make sense?”
Lin Lan: ?
How could he come up with such a far-fetched explanation?
But the ointment was indeed effective. After applying it, the soreness disappeared.
He put the ointment in his backpack. When he boarded the car, he deliberately sat next to Xiao Shengjing and said, “Thanks for the ointment.”
While teammates were joking around, Xiao Shengjing remained quiet, reading his book. He only glanced up when Lin Lan approached and said, “Hmm.”
“However, Captain, after the game, it’s best to take off your contact lenses. It’ll be more comfortable,” Lin Lan suggested, then leaned closer to him suddenly, carefully examining his eyes, “Oh, Captain, did you use the one I recommended? Do you feel much more comfortable?”
He suddenly approached, causing Xiao Shengjing’s throat to involuntarily tighten. He tried to maintain a distance and stay calm, “Hmm.”
“But you still need to take them off in time,” Lin Lan suddenly thought of the captain’s sensitive eyes, often struggling to remove them, “Captain, is it difficult for you to do it alone?”
Xiao Shengjing’s eyelashes finally moved, and he looked up at him.
Lin Lan could tell from his reaction that he guessed right. Immediately, he half-knelt on the chair, eager to help, “Captain, lift your head, I’ll help you.”
In the car, besides Lin Lan, there were a bunch of teammates and staff. Xiao Shengjing, who usually didn’t like to show personal matters in front of others, politely refused, “No need.”
“Captain, don’t worry, I’m a professional,” Lin Lan said as he began to approach. He held onto Xiao Shengjing’s shoulder, “Really, trust me. I’m quite skilled at removing these…”
Xiao Shengjing initially continued to politely decline but later realized that Lin Lan was serious. His hands were already on his eyelids, and his pupils instantly widened in horror, “Lin Lan, put your hands down!”
“Captain, trust me.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“This one is easy to remove, just look to the side…”
“This one is not easy to remove!”
“It won’t hurt at all, very quick.”
“This one hurts a lot! Hiss!”
“Oh, look, it’s off.”
Lin Lan effortlessly removed it with a pull. Holding the thin lens, he proudly boasted, “Wasn’t that quick?”
Xiao Shengjing, covering his eyes, looked at Lin Lan with shocked and dilated pupils. He rarely had physical contact with people, especially concerning something as private as contact lenses. Not even his family knew about it, and here was Lin Lan, in public, pulling it off for him.
“Lin Lan,” Xiao Shengjing’s forehead veins pulsated, his ears and neck turning red, “Go sit at the back.”
“Eh?” Lin Lan innocently scratched his head, not understanding why Xiao Shengjing suddenly got angry. Holding the lens in his hand, he hesitated, “Um, should I put this back for you?”
Xiao Shengjing: “…”
Being speechless had become his native language.
…
Lin Lan genuinely didn’t know why Xiao Shengjing was upset. He just wanted to return the ointment, sensing that Xiao Shengjing had some trouble but hesitated to speak up. Lin Lan took the initiative to help him out. How did it end up making him angry?
He asked Lu Shi, “Was I too much just now?”
Lu Shi nodded, with a serious tone, “Very much so. I told you the captain has a cleanliness obsession, and you still went over, even touched his face. How could he not be angry?”
But the captain doesn’t have a cleanliness obsession.
Lin Lan scratched his head, “Should I go apologize?”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
Lin Lan brought a bottle of cola and went to apologize.
In the room, Xiao Shengjing was struggling to remove the other lens.
His previous habit was to find the center point and forcefully tear it off, but this method was challenging, always leaving his eyes red for a long time.
Looking at his face in the mirror, Xiao Shengjing couldn’t help but recall when Lin Lan removed the lens for him. He didn’t know how Lin Lan did it, but with a simple pull, the lens came off effortlessly.
The two methods intertwined in Xiao Shengjing’s mind, and no matter which one he tried, it didn’t work. The result was that he couldn’t remove it at all.
Suddenly, a knock on the door sounded from outside, “Captain, can I come in?”
Xiao Shengjing, who had finally calmed his emotions, felt disturbed again. He could only helplessly put down his hands, “Come in.”
Lin Lan opened the door, cautiously peeking in to ensure the atmosphere was okay before entering, “Captain, I’ve come to apologize. After thinking it over, I realized I shouldn’t have removed your lens in front of so many people.”
He took out a bottle of cola and placed it on the table, then noticed Xiao Shengjing’s eyes, “Still not removed? Let me help you.”
Xiao Shengjing wasn’t accustomed to exposing his vulnerabilities. He was about to refuse when Lin Lan had already reached out and removed his lens.
When Lin Lan was silent, there was a very focused seriousness about him, like the radiant glow when he played games, making it hard to look away.
His hand covered Xiao Shengjing’s face, fingers touching his eyelashes. The unusual sensation made the eyelashes tremble uneasily, held gently by Lin Lan’s fingers.
“Look to the side and blink, yes, you see, it’s off, right?” Lin Lan pinched the thin lens and suddenly smiled at him.
The world after removing the lens became a bit blurry, and Lin Lan’s smile took on an indistinct quality.
Suddenly, Xiao Shengjing felt a warmth around him, his throat drying up. He involuntarily swallowed.
The person in front of him seemed completely unaware, finishing the task and withdrawing his hand.
While putting the lens back into its case, Lin Lan said to him, “We’re all part of the same team. Captain, you don’t need to keep such a distance from them. If your eyes are uncomfortable, you should take them off in time; prolonged wear can harm your eyes.”
He continued, “If the captain needs anything, you can find me. Don’t worry; I won’t make fun of you…”
A person who was so arrogant on the gaming stage appeared harmless and gentle before him. Xiao Shengjing inexplicably felt an urge to tease him, but quickly dismissed the thought.
“Ahem, well, let’s get back to training,” he said and then felt it wasn’t quite right, “You can also rest your hands.”
“Huh?” Was there such a good thing?
Lin Lan immediately decided that he should pay more attention to the captain in the future. It wasn’t for any other reason; he simply wanted to express his sincere admiration for the captain.
Not needing to train, Lin Lan held his coffee and watched his teammates being tortured during training, comfortably squinting his eyes.
Lu Shi, tortured to the brink of madness, wailed and asked him, “Why can you skip training?”
Lin Lan proudly raised his hand, “The captain said my hand isn’t comfortable, so I can take more breaks.”
Was this fair?
Lu Shi continued his training with more howls.
Unintentionally, but sounding intentional, Jiang Jin collected 36 tips for hand protection that evening. He also provided a set of the most comprehensive hand recovery exercises in history, sending them all to Lin Lan. After sending it, he eagerly messaged him, “I’ve tried them all, and I find them very useful.”
Then the next day, he asked, “Have you been practicing?”
Lin Lan looked confused, “I just saw a dense pile of words, felt sleepy, and went to bed. This hypnotic technique is indeed very effective.”
Jiang Jin: “QAQ Lin Lan…”
That day, Lin Lan went back and took another look at what Jiang Jin had sent him. It was indeed helpful for sleep. After taking a shower and lying down, he felt extremely drowsy after just a glance, blinking a few times and nearly falling asleep…
The phone rang, and Lin Lan answered in a daze, “Hello?”
A burst of light laughter came through the phone, carrying a relaxed and pleasant scent, “Miss me?”
Lin Lan was startled awake. He checked the phone number, which was unfamiliar, and confirmed, “Xie Zilu?”
“Heh, you recognized my voice so quickly?” There was wind on his end; even through the phone, the whistling wind could be felt. Then came the noisy sound of footsteps. It seemed like he was standing at a high place, and his voice echoed emptily in that space. “Guess what I’m doing?”
Lin Lan summed it up, “You’re jumping off a building.”
“Hahaha…” Xie Zilu’s laughter came through, “Lin Lan, I find that I’m starting to like you more and more.”
He stopped, and there was the sound of steel colliding beneath his feet. “I’m on top of the tallest lighthouse in S City. I made a bet with them, daring to come up here. I did, and they all lost. Tonight, I’m the only one who’s the biggest winner, but it’s strange. At this moment, the person I most want to share this with is unexpectedly you.”
In addition to the collision sounds, there was even the rusty sound of neglected iron.
If Lin Lan remembered correctly, the lighthouse Xie Zilu mentioned had long been abandoned, including the factory below. The entire area had become a restricted zone after the explosion.
If he hadn’t stood firmly and fallen from above, no one would have found him, even if he died.
Lin Lan felt that only someone with a malfunctioning brain would go to such a place. “Climb up, and then what? Jump down?”
Xie Zilu laughed again, but it wasn’t the cold laughter of annoyance. Instead, it carried a soothing and free tone. “Lin Lan, how much do you want me to die? Honestly, I’ve lived a boring life these years. I can only find interesting things everywhere. Now that I’ve finally found one, do you think I’d be willing to jump down?”
Lin Lan listened quietly as he finished speaking. “Young Master Xie, I think the one who might have a problem is not me but you. Have you ever let Wu Ming check your brain?”
“Heh,” Xie Zilu’s mood sounded quite good, “I’m just pretending to be crazy, not actually crazy. If I were truly crazy, you’d shiver at the sight of me.”
There were footsteps again on the other end, and he seemed to still be climbing. Suddenly, there was a sharp “crackle” sound, something seemed to have fallen, and after a long time, a muffled sound followed.
After the deathly silence, there was finally a faint gasping sound, vaguely mixed with excitement. “Lin Lan, almost, just almost, you wouldn’t have seen me, but too bad.”
Lin Lan felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. He was somewhat uncertain, “Have you been drinking?”
“Half a bottle of vodka, that’s all.” He stood up, seemingly still continuing to climb. The frame was making unbearable sounds, “No ice. I don’t like ice. I like that throat-slitting feeling. The stronger, the better. Every time they see my expression, it’s like they’re looking at a lunatic. Haha, too bad, I am not.”
He let out a “whoosh” of breath, “Lin Lan, I’ve reached the top.”
Even through the phone, Lin Lan could feel the precariousness on the other side. The wind blew freely by his ears, and at this moment, Xie Zilu seemed like a person standing on the edge of a knife.
Lin Lan didn’t really understand why Xie Zilu was so crazy. Didn’t he have everything from the moment he was born?
Not caring about others’ lives would have been bad enough, but he seemed to care even less about his own.
“Xie Zilu,” Lin Lan clenched the phone and slowly activated the recording function, “How did the previous Lin Lan die? Did you threaten him?”
Xie Zilu sat down, and the frame made another strained sound. He chuckled lightly on the other end, “I’m not even drunk, and you’re trying to trap me with words? Lin Lan, if you want to know, come out with me tonight. I’m in a good mood today; I might tell you everything I know.”
If he were truly a murderer, he would never tell him everything.
Lin Lan concluded that he was lying to himself. “I have a competition tomorrow.”
Suddenly, Xie Zilu became quiet again, as if he had thought of something. His tone also became strange, “Lin Lan, I want to watch your competition live. Let’s meet.”
Lin Lan replied, “Why should I meet you?”
He laughed again on the other end, stood up from the frame, and the chilling wind swept past his ears. Every moment seemed to be in a confrontation with death. “Okay, let’s play it this way. I’ll allow you to ask me three questions. I can answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Go find the truth yourself. Isn’t this game interesting? Tomorrow, I’ll book the restaurant in the open area. Whether you come or not is up to you.”
Lin Lan pondered for a moment but didn’t make a decision, “Then I hope you can survive until tomorrow.”
“Hehehe…” Xie Zilu emitted that eerie, chilling low laughter again. Surprisingly, he had come down from the frame, “For such an interesting game, of course, I have to be there. Lin Lan, looking forward to meeting you.”
The call ended, and Lin Lan felt wide awake.
He didn’t expect a killer to play such a bold game with him. What went wrong?
He got up again, retrieved the class photo, and pondered.
Lin Lan didn’t have much impression of Xie Zilu, but it was deep. Whether it was his eye-catching luxury brands or his arrogant personality, it was hard to forget.
And the phone call tonight, that feeling teetering on the edge of madness, made Lin Lan inexplicably think of the masked man.
With these thoughts, Lin Lan had made a decision.
The next day, DT’s third match officially began. They were up against a bottom-tier team from the LPL, and DT only needed to secure their growth. With Lin Lan’s excellent performance in the late game, they easily won two rounds.
This victory was within expectations. Before the match, everyone was relaxed, and after the game, they were even more so.
At this point, DT has already secured three consecutive victories, temporarily ranking third. At first glance, their performance looks quite impressive.
Liu Shi boasted shamelessly, “DT will definitely make it to the playoffs.”
Coach Zhang scolded him for being talkative but smiled happily, looking genuinely pleased.
It must be said that he has been really happy lately, as well as Brother Mu.
Although the two of them didn’t show much in front of everyone, they often drank together privately, and they were overjoyed.
DT’s performance is outstanding, exceeding their expectations entirely. The money from those investors keeps pouring in, making Brother Mu unable to close his mouth with joy.
Coach Zhang confidentially revealed, “I have good news to share when we get back.”
Liu Shi asked, “What good news? Is it a salary raise?”
“Something like that. You’ll know when you get back.”
“Wow! That’s awesome! Where’s Lin Lan? Where did he go? If he finds out about the salary raise, he’ll be ecstatic!”
“Oh, where’s Lin Lan?”
Just then, the team leader came back from outside. “Lin Lan asked for leave with me, saying his distant cousin came to visit him.”
“Distant cousin?” They’ve known Lin Lan for so long, and they didn’t even know he had a cousin.
At this moment, Lin Lan is meeting his “distant cousin.” After thinking about it for a long time yesterday, he decided to come.
Playing games? That’s something he’s not afraid of at all. Since Xie Zilu wants to play, then let’s play properly.
Xie Zilu keeps his promises. Just as he said, he reserved the restaurant in an open area. The pleasant balcony allows them to feel the sea breeze. All around are couples enjoying double meals, including the set that Xie Zilu himself ordered, which is also a double meal.
After ordering, he casually sat across from Lin Lan, not knowing if it was intentional, “To avoid looking strange, I ordered a couple’s set. Hope you don’t mind.”
Lin Lan looked around, “If Young Master Xie doesn’t mind, why should I mind?”
Xie Zilu laughed again. His facial features were very sharp, giving him a chilling and arrogant feeling even when smiling, “This is the first time I’ve officially seen you like this. This hairstyle suits you, and your eyes are beautiful; they should always be revealed.”
“Thank you for the compliment.” Lin Lan squinted and looked towards the sea. He didn’t have that much patience, “Can we start the questioning now?”
“Of course.”
Xie Zilu habitually leaned back. He wore a purple suit today with a black tie. Despite being formally dressed, his distinctly rebellious movements added tension.
He liked wearing suits, seemingly trying to conceal his true nature with this attire. Paradoxically, due to his overwhelming nature, the suit seemed to exude a sense of a rebel.
Lin Lan’s gaze fell on his hands, adorned with three or four rings of various sizes.
His knuckles were long and slender, reminiscent of the Masked Man. But Xie Zilu’s hands were evidently those of an adult male, rebellious and strong, with visible veins on the surface, lacking the delicate feel of the Masked Man.
However, it could also be due to the passage of many years.
So Lin Lan wasn’t entirely sure.
The waiter brought them water, but Lin Lan didn’t drink. He asked the first question, “The words and handprint on the treatment plan for dissociative identity disorder, did I sign them under your coercion?”
Xie Zilu chuckled; the first question was indeed sharp, “Yes.”
“Did he die because of your coercion?”
“No.” Xie Zilu answered bluntly, “You have one more question.”
Lin Lan furrowed his brows; evidently, Xie Zilu’s response was beyond his expectations. “As a side note, can you guarantee that all your answers are true?”
“Of course, while I set the rules for the game, I also need to abide by them; otherwise, it wouldn’t be fun, right?” Xie Zilu laughed again, playful and full of implications. He seemed to have already treated Lin Lan as his prey, propping up his chin with interest, watching him, “Lin Lan, you have one more question.”
Lin Lan wasn’t in a hurry. He took out his phone, filled with messages from teammates. One of them was from Xiao Shengjing: Where did you go?
He typed back: Having dinner outside.
Xiao Shengjing: With your distant cousin?
Lin Lan: No, it’s Xie Zilu.
Immediately, the response came: Where? Address?
Lin Lan didn’t hesitate and sent his location.
Xie Zilu on the opposite side took a sip of red wine, looking at him meaningfully, “Calling for reinforcements?”
Lin Lan put away his phone, “More like being cautious. After all, there’s nothing you, Young Master Xie, can’t do. It’s normal to be concerned about my safety, isn’t it?”
Xie Zilu didn’t get angry; instead, he laughed.
Leaning on the table, twirling the rings on his fingers, he looked at Lin Lan with an increasingly fascinated gaze, “I hope this game can last a lifetime.”
Lin Lan showed a clear disdain, “No thanks, let’s just end it quickly.”
Xie Zilu gestured, “What’s in your cup is a soft drink, not alcohol. You can drink it.”
“No, drinking beverages is not healthy,” he said as he took out an unopened bottle of mineral water from his bag, opened it, took a sip, and placed it on the table. Calmly, he looked at him, “I like drinking mineral water.”
This move genuinely amused Xie Zilu. Ignoring the curious glances from people around, he burst into laughter like a lunatic.
After laughing, he stood up, took the drink from Lin Lan’s table, and drank half of it in one gulp. He placed it down heavily, “Lin Lan, you underestimated me too much.”
With a wave of his hand, a waiter came to remove the glass, and then they brought over the couple’s set menu.
Xie Zilu “considerately” informed him, “I can help you taste the dishes if you’re worried.”
Lin Lan didn’t want to take that risk. He waited for the waiter to leave, then suddenly asked his final question, “Is the clown with the mask in the school the same person as you?”
The Xie Zilu in front of him suddenly paused. His gaze toward Lin Lan instantly became sharp and aggressive.
It was evident that this question exceeded his cognitive boundaries. He moved the corners of his mouth, but remained silent, looking at Lin Lan with a cold, probing gaze.
“I can’t answer that question,” he said.
“Why?”
“I know you’re recording,” Xie Zilu stated bluntly, “I can’t answer this question.”
Lin Lan probably understood. He didn’t say anything, just packed up and stood up to leave.
“You’re leaving?” Xie Zilu stood up to block his way, and frowned, “You’re not asking the last question?”
“No need, you’ve already answered it,” Lin Lan said, picked up his belongings, including the bottle of mineral water, and left on his own.
If Xie Zilu wasn’t the clown-masked man, he would deny it. If he dared not answer, it meant he must be the one. So, Lin Lan didn’t need to ask anymore.
By deliberately leaving, he wanted to create an illusion for Xie Zilu that he was in control of the situation. The more competitive a person was, the more likely they were to reveal their flaws.
Xie Zilu stood still, emitting an incredulous laughter.
Was he played by Lin Lan?
Even though he was the creator of the rules of this game, why did it feel like Lin Lan was dominating the situation with a face-ride strategy?
![The Strongest Auxiliary[Holographic]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/The-Strongest-Auxiliary.jpg "The Strongest Auxiliary[Holographic]")
