The E-Sports Circle’s Toxic Assembly Camp

Chapter 5

In the last two days of training games, Jing Yuanzhou didn’t play. He sat on the sofa next to the training room, his eyes on the big screen of the match. The thing that came to mind were the words Lin Yan had said in the hotel.

In recent years, the BK team had performed well in the league. The addition of several new members made the new battle mode seem to operate very smoothly. Even the media said that if it wasn’t for the team battle error in the final round of the finals, it might be possible to win another championship trophy. Many people regretted it but few people knew that this seemingly accidental mistake was the huge danger hidden inside BK.

The rapid growth of young players meant the current BK coaching staff gradually couldn’t keep up. In fact, there were already huge mistakes in the BP link of that game. First was the failure to pre-empt the core hero that would restrict the opponent’s tactical system and second was the key hero taken by the other side in the middle of the selection. It was destined to be a very tough game before the game even started.

Everyone only saw the glowing players in front of the stage but often overlooked the importance of the coaching staff. Once the balance between the light in front of the stage and the shadow behind the scenes was completely broken, it was tantamount to pushing a team to the edge of a steep and crumbling cliff.

It was precisely due to this that the originally hesitant BK management finally made a decision after the match. They would promote the second team player Lan Min to the first time and he would jointly take the side lane position with Jing Yuanzhou.

Lan Min was promoted from the youth training team by Jing Yuanzhou himself. In nominal terms, it was a mentor-student relationship. The teenager who just turned 18 was at the peak of his career and it was the best age to become famous in one fell swoop.

Jing Yuanzhou was a professional side lane player with a reputation in the league. His personal strength was naturally beyond doubt but at the age of 23, he was destined to be unable to fight too long in this arena.

One was the near-retired god of war and the other was a rising star. After repeated calculations, BK’s management decided to put their bargaining chip on Lan Min to fight for a bright future for the club.

As for Jing Yuanzhou, these were the original words of Manager Wang. “Titans, you have obtained the highest glory that all professional players envy. You should consider your future. After all, the physical consumption of a professional career on the body is huge. Appropriately reducing the number of appearances is also conducive to maintaining the best condition. Now there are so many sunspots on the Internet and an occasional mistake in the game can be amplified in various ways. It isn’t worth it if it leaves a stain on your career. Now Lan Min has been promoted as a main candidate and it is just to share more of the burden with you. In this way, once the time comes to officially bid farewell to the game, you can leave the fans with a perfect Titans. It is good for everyone.”

The words were very euphemistic and the implicit meaning was also clear.

Obviously, the club’s executives were determined to raise Lan Min up. On the other hand, they didn’t want to list Jing Yuanzhou for a transfer. The best result was for him to stay and escort Lan Min’s road to fame while continuing to be a strong backing for BK at the critical moment. This would consume the rest of his career.

To put it bluntly, it was to play on the side bench.

BK’s management had started the countdown ahead of time for his retirement. Jing Yuanzhou knew how much of a disturbance he would cause if he was listed to be transferred but there was one thing BK got really wrong about him.

The glory and fame accumulated over the years were worthless to him. The thing he really loved was the bloody, competitive battlefield.

Jing Yuanzhou leaned against the sofa for a while and felt an uncomfortable feeling in his mouth. He saw that the first training match was officially over so he pulled out a cigarette from his trouser pocket, opened the door and walked out.

He leaned against the wall of the corridor and the cigarette smoke spread out. The man’s black eyes seemed deeper than ever in the midst of the smoke.

The door of the training room suddenly opened and a light gold head appeared. He saw Jing Yuanzhou and froze for a moment. Then after some hesitation, he walked over.

Lan Min’s eyes were a bit red. He stared at Jing Yuanzhou and looked like he wanted to speak but didn’t know where to start. Jing Yuanzhou glanced at him and sighed in his heart. “Do you know?”

Such words entered his eyes and Lan Min instantly tensed. “Master, tell me that what they said isn’t true!”

Jing Yuanzhou had reminded him many times not to call himself ‘Master’ but the teenager attached great importance to the person who recognized his worth and taught him. Lan Min always looked to follow behind Jing Yuanzhou like a tail and this title couldn’t be changed.

For Lan Min, the existence of Titans was faith and the only light on his career path. The moment he learned he would be promoted to an official player, he was so excited that he couldn’t sleep for several days. Even though there was a high probability that he would continue to be a substitute for Jing Yuanzhou when entering the team, this was a matter of supreme honor for Lan Min.

However, just now, someone actually told him that they wanted to make him the starting side lane player of BK in the next game If he became the starter then what about Titans? Would he be on the bench?

Lan Min felt it was completely unacceptable. He knew his strength very well. He wasn’t worthy nor was he qualified.

Jing Yuanzhou looked down at the young man who might cry at any time and felt a bit of a headache. There was silence for a moment and he quietly extinguished the cigarette butt.

Seeing that Jing Yuanzhou didn’t deny it, Lan Min’s eyes became completely wet. “Something must be wrong! How can Master be my substitute? I’ll go to Manager Wang and tell him that I don’t have this strength. I’ll be transferred back to the second team! I know very well my value. You can’t because of me…”

He was too anxious to speak and turned around in a daze, only to be pulled back by the collar.

Jing Yuanzhou directly brought the teenager back like he was a chicken and watched this boy speechlessly. “When will you change this temperament? How can you fight in the side lane if you hold back so much?”

Lan Min pressed his lips together tightly and controlled his sobbing. “H-However, I really can’t accept it!”

He reached out and wiped his face. Then he stared at Jing Yuanzhou. “Master, you are so strong. Being in a substitute position is simply… like a flower stuck in cow dung!”

Jing Yuanzhou’s mouth twitched slightly.

He didn’t correct this lame metaphor. He just raised his fingers to signal for Lan Min to stand still and leaned back against the wall. “In short, you should do whatever the club arranges. You don’t need to care about other things. It isn’t something that you can control. Get rid of your bad emotions. You are the one I picked out from the youth training team. Showing such a bad appearance to others is shameful.”

Lan Min’s face completely twisted and screwed up as he tried to control his mood. “But…”

“It’s nothing.” Jing Yuanzhou didn’t like to coax children and he frowned slightly. “In addition, when did I say I would be a substitute for you?”

Lan Min suddenly looked up, a complicated emotion flashing in his eyes. He vaguely captured the deep meaning of this sentence but he couldn’t ask. He couldn’t say that he had never thought of the possibility of Jing Yuanzhou transferring. However, once he heard it personally, it gave off an entirely different feeling.

It was undeniable that transferring to another club to continue sweeping through the league was better than staying as a substitute for this yellow-haired teenager. Then Lan Min thought about how he was ‘squeezing away’ Jing Yuanzhou and his mentality instantly collapsed. “Or should I go back to the second team? In fact, I really don’t want to be a starter at all!”

It had to be said that this young man’s lie was really too clumsy. Jing Yuanzhou heard it and couldn’t help chuckling. Soldiers who said they didn’t want to go to the battlefield weren’t good soldiers. Similarly, what professional player didn’t want to start?

BK’s management might be a bit unkind but there was one thing that was true. If he continued to occupy this starting position, wouldn’t Lan Min have to wait until he retired? The career of a professional player might not be able to withstand these two years.

He had seen Lan Min come up from the youth training time with his own eyes. Lan Min was skilled enough for the management to take such a big risk to promote him to the first time. This was enough to show that the potential of this teenager was unlimited.

“Didn’t you say that I was strong and wherever I go is just dealing out abuse?” Jing Yuanzhou reached out to touch the golden hair and joked. “You are different. You finally got such a good opportunity. There is no store if you don’t pass this village. Don’t cry if you regret it in the future.”

Lan Min’s mouth was stiff. “I won’t regret it and I won’t cry!”

Jing Yuanzhou smiled without saying anything.

After such a conversation, the heart knot in Lan Min was loosened a lot. He was still reluctant but after a moment of silence, he hesitantly asked, “So Master, are you… have you already figured out where you are going?”

A figure emerged in Jing Yuanzhou’s mind and his mouth curved up higher. “Probably.”

Before Lan Min could say anything, he straightened up slowly. “Okay, the training match isn’t over yet. Don’t pester me outside and go back in.”

Lan Min immediately stood in a military posture. “Yes, Master!”

The two of them returned to the training room and found the other players gathered around a table and looking at something. Just now, Lan Min ran out with red eyes. Everyone knew it was because of what was happening. They were relieved to see him come back a lot calmer and tacitly didn’t mention it.

Ku Tianlu beckoned to them, “Captain, Mini, come and see. Our e-sports league actually wants to do a variety show! Do you think the official people of the league are crazy? They dare to do anything. Are they ready to drive e-sports into the entertainment industry?”

Lan Min had already jumped over and he was stunned when he clearly saw the content on the page. “E-sports show? What is this?”

Ku Tianlu replied, “Who knows?”

The support laughed. “Didn’t you read the comments below? It is said that the league wants to form an e-sports team. When it comes to the game, there is no need to play. Instead, they will rely on their face to dominate the league fans.”

The marksman looked disapproving. “E-sports should always speak with strength. Isn’t it funny to choose a team of fancy vases?”

Lan Min retorted, “No one stipulates that you can’t look good and be strong? Look at Master! He is a handsome and talented man standing at the top of the e-sports field!”

Everyone was used to Lan Min’s exaggerated praise of Titans and after a moment of silence, they all clapped cooperatively. “This wave of speech is brilliant!”

Ku Tianlu smiled as he watched the kids playing around. Then he noticed that Jing Yuanzhou hadn’t spoken and asked half-jokingly, “What’s the matter? Are you interested in this type of variety show?”

“It’s quite interesting.”

Ku Tianlu had been following Jing Yuanzhou for so long, causing him to choke after hearing this sentence. “?”

This wasn’t like the Titans he knew. Fuck, there was definitely a situation!

Terms