Chapter 187

Dong Jianguo didn’t answer his phone. Unable to enter the base, Ye Chi could only send Mo Yin a WeChat message, asking how much longer it would take. He waited at the entrance of the ADT base.

About five minutes after sending the message, someone came out from ADT. Dong Jianguo’s expression was peculiar as if he were constipated. He waved his hand dismissively and said stiffly, “Come in.”

Ye Chi asked, “You didn’t answer my call. How did you know I was at your base entrance?”

Dong Jianguo’s constipated expression worsened. “Take it or leave it. If you don’t want to come in, I’m leaving.”

Ye Chi followed Dong Jianguo, who muttered incomprehensible things under his breath and walked quickly. Ye Chi asked, “Have you finished your training matches?”

“Yes.”

Ye Chi found an excuse, “Oh, I just wanted to see how you’re doing.”

Dong Jianguo: “…”

Enough already.

Dong Jianguo led him to the break room, handed him a phone, and said, “You can rest here. MY will be done in about half an hour.” With that, he slammed the door shut, clearly irritated.

Standing in the room, Ye Chi pondered for two full minutes before figuring out what had happened.

So it wasn’t Dong Jianguo who knew he was at the door and let him in, but Mo Yin, who knew Ye Chi was at ADT’s entrance and told Dong Jianguo to let him in?

So Mo Yin had openly revealed their relationship in front of others?

The dizzying feeling of euphoria washed over Ye Chi again. He stood there and laughed quietly for a while. He tried to stop smiling but couldn’t control the upward curve of his lips. Smiling, he floated to the sofa and sat down, lightly resting his face on his hand, his eyes dreamy and faraway.

Time seemed to move strangely fast and slow.

When Ye Chi came back to reality, he realized ten minutes had passed.

He had been lost in a strange sweet fantasy for that long without noticing.

The next period of waiting felt longer. Every two or three minutes, Ye Chi would check the time, glance at the door, then look at his phone. He suppressed the urge to message Mo Yin, instead imagining the scene when Mo Yin had ADT’s people let him in.

Given Mo Yin’s personality, he would have said it nonchalantly and casually.

Just imagining Mo Yin’s expression and tone made Ye Chi feel like he was falling for him all over again.

He really, really wanted to see him.

Wanted to hold hands, hug, kiss.

When the break room door opened, Ye Chi quickly stood up. Seeing Dong Jianguo, his smile faded instantly.

Dong Jianguo looked like he was eating something unpleasant. “What’s with that face?”

Ye Chi replied, “It’s my face when I see you.”

Dong Jianguo gritted his teeth. “When did you add MY on WeChat?”

“Not telling.”

Dong Jianguo: “…” He wanted to kick him to death.

“MY is dueling with Kiki, three more minutes,” Dong Jianguo said irritably.

“With Kiki?”

“Yeah, we invited a coach. What’s it to you?”

Ye Chi understood. “You’re having MY help you at the last minute?”

Dong Jianguo snorted, “What else?”

Ye Chi hadn’t thought about why Mo Yin was at the ADT base. Now it made sense: he was helping ADT prepare to face them…

“Why are you smiling?” Dong Jianguo asked irritably. “Don’t act like you’ve got us figured out. Just because we lost in the regular season doesn’t mean we’ll lose in the playoffs.”

Ye Chi suppressed his laughter. “I’m not.”

He just found the thought of Mo Yin teaching a few people to play quite adorable.

The break room door opened again.

Mo Yin stood there in casual athletic wear, a black T-shirt and light-colored joggers, looking relaxed and fresh. He held the door handle, his gaze fixed on Ye Chi.

Ye Chi’s face reflexively broke into a smile—the uncontrollable expression he wore whenever he saw Mo Yin.

“Let’s go,” Mo Yin said.

It was unclear if he was inviting Ye Chi to leave or saying goodbye to Dong Jianguo.

Dong Jianguo smiled and said, “Thank you, thank you. I’ll see you off.” He hadn’t moved yet, but someone already couldn’t wait to take three steps in two to reach Mo Yin.

Dong Jianguo cursed inwardly and followed to see them off. “Thank you so much today,” he continued to express his gratitude.

“Mm.”

Talking to Mo Yin was difficult; even the host couldn’t manage it. Dong Jianguo chose to keep quiet. He glanced sideways at Ye Chi, who was separated from him by Mo Yin. Ye Chi seemed quite at ease, which made Dong Jianguo feel like he was the unnamed extra in a three-person movie, feeling a bit redundant.

Finally, he escorted them to the base entrance. Dong Jianguo pretended, “MY, should I see you back to your base?”

“No need.”

Ye Chi added, “He’s going for a run.”

Dong Jianguo: “…” Like he didn’t already know that MY was going for a run. Watching the two jog off together, Dong Jianguo scratched his head. It seemed Ye Chi hadn’t come to see him but to find MY. What for? To learn from him? Or to run? Damn, this situation was so bizarre.

“Did you tell Dong Jianguo to let me in?” Ye Chi asked as they ran, his voice low, already knowing the answer.

“Mm.”

Ye Chi smiled.

He looked around, saw no one, and quickly leaned in to kiss Mo Yin on the cheek.

Mo Yin turned to look at him.

Ye Chi grinned from ear to ear.

“Idiot.”

Ye Chi laughed, “A bit, yeah.”

It was Ye Chi’s first time running with Mo Yin, and it felt a bit like a date. He couldn’t stop smiling.

“Want to know what I taught them?” Mo Yin asked, his breath steady as they ran.

“No,” Ye Chi’s smile remained, “No matter what you taught them, I’m confident we can win.”

“I can tell you,” Mo Yin’s voice sounded somewhat nonchalant, “That way you can strategize against it.”

Ye Chi pursed his lips to stifle a laugh, “Are you teasing me?”

“Who knows.”

Ye Chi held back, then said, “Can we pause for a second?”

“What?”

Ye Chi sped up to run in front of Mo Yin, running backward, “Just stop for a moment.”

“Why?”

Ye Chi didn’t say anything more. He reached out to hold Mo Yin’s shoulder, stopping him as he stopped, and leaned in to kiss Mo Yin’s lips. He looked into Mo Yin’s eyes and whispered, “Because I really want to kiss you.”

They stopped in the middle of the track, lips touching as they slowly extended their tongues, the wet sensation intertwining. The intimate pleasure spread through their bodies, a sweetness only understood by those truly in love.

Ye Chi was completely immersed in this wonderful feeling. He felt that at this moment, he and Mo Yin were in perfect sync. Mo Yin’s hand found its way to his waist at some point, and they gently rubbed each other’s waists, the touch light and ambiguous.

When their lips parted, they looked into each other’s eyes. Ye Chi placed his hand on Mo Yin’s face, which was a bit warm. Ye Chi’s lips moved, the urge to confess welling up in his throat. Despite all the intimate things they had done, saying “I like you” still seemed so difficult, as if the timing wasn’t right or the setting was inappropriate.

“Let’s run a little less today,” Ye Chi whispered.

His other hand grasped Mo Yin’s, and they stood close, their breaths mingling.

Mo Yin agreed.

Not only did he agree, but as Ye Chi was helping him pull up his pants and taking deep breaths to calm down, Mo Yin tugged at the hem of Ye Chi’s T-shirt, pulling him back when Ye Chi tried to distance himself to recover quickly.

Mo Yin’s eyelashes drooped, his flushed face still held the same haughty and indifferent expression. His hands, which had created legendary feats, played nimbly and teasingly.

Mo Yin looked up, watching Ye Chi’s expression.

That look of barely contained restraint, muscles tense as if about to explode.

Mo Yin couldn’t help but kiss Ye Chi’s lips.

That kiss ignited a wildfire.

Ye Chi kissed Mo Yin passionately, his tongue delving deep. Mo Yin responded, and they held each other tightly, like lovers stealing a moment in the woods, wrapped in an intense embrace.

“They are considered lovers now?

On the way back, Ye Chi once again found himself in that floating feeling. He had the urge to send a WeChat message or a text to confirm their relationship.

The old question arose again.

This seems informal.

But considering they usually only communicate online, solo, collide in games, and meet offline for such short half-hour intervals, there hasn’t been any suitable moment for a confession.

It’ll have to wait for the holidays.

After the World Championship ends, in a place abroad where nobody knows them, holding hands under the sunset, with the sky painted in romantic hues, that’s when he’ll confess his feelings.

Ye Chi imagined the scene of the sunset warming Mo Yin’s eyes, thinking it would be very beautiful.

The Upper Zone’s semifinals began first.

On Saturday afternoon, DSG faced off against KU.

DSG, who had shattered the myth of being undefeated in the regular season, didn’t seem as terrifying as they did in the spring split. The odds weren’t as exaggerated as they were then, though most still favored DSG to win. However, many also believed KU might have a chance to take a game.

Unfortunately, whether for the gambling fans hoping to hit it big or for those hoping to see the undefeated myth shattered again, both were disappointed.

DSG swiftly won 3:0 against KU, showcasing a dominance comparable to their performance in the spring split, astonishing audiences worldwide once again.

“They truly dominate… so strong…”

“KU spent a fortune on their Galacticos, only to be toyed with by DSG.”

“They’re just toying with them, it’s terrifying.”

“Who was saying DSG wouldn’t perform after the summer split update? Maybe ask KU’s players if DSG is still not performing.”

“They cried as if their father had died just because they lost one small game in the regular season. Why so silent now?”

“Don’t rush, wait for REAL.”

“Are the Panties fans starting to acknowledge their father?”

“Brother is indeed anxious, anxious to see those who brag get crushed when they come up.”

…

REAL, anticipated by fans and critics alike, faced ADT the next day, Sunday.

Against all expectations, REAL lost the first game.

ADT pulled a surprise move with Pantheon mid and Kiki in mid lane, controlling the pace of the game entirely. REAL clearly hadn’t anticipated this move and quickly fell behind.

Hundreds of new posts instantly appeared on the forum, the activity level soaring.

Inside the REAL lounge, everyone looked bewildered, caught off guard.

Only Ye Chi remained calm, even managing a smile as he said to everyone, “It’s okay, let’s play better next game.”

He knew they weren’t just facing ADT but also the strategist behind ADT.

Every match for him was a challenge.

He wouldn’t disappoint them, nor would he disappoint himself.

In the following three games, Ye Chi unleashed his full potential, leading REAL in a 3:1 comeback against ADT, advancing to the semifinals and preparing to face DSG next!

The forum quickly changed its tune again, REAL fans triumphantly walking tall while DSG fans ruthlessly cleared out the detractors: “Didn’t they lose a small game already? Losing one game means losing; wasn’t that what you said in the regular season?”

Both sides’ fans had already started their verbal sparring, with skills and solos leaving blood on the screen.

It wasn’t until Ye Chi’s solo interview video surfaced that both sides of the audience fell silent.

Reporter: “You lost the first game today. What were your feelings at that moment?”

Ye Chi: “The opponents were quite strong. We need to play well and not underestimate them.”

Reporter: “You won 3:1 against ADT today and will face DSG next week. What are your expectations for the playoffs?”

Ye Chi: “I still hope to win the next game.”

Reporter: “Facing MY, the strong mid laner of DSG, do you feel pressured?”

Ye Chi: “There’s a lot of pressure, but I’m also very happy because playing against MY has always been my dream. So win or lose, I’m really happy.”

Reporter: “So you’re a fan of MY?”

Ye Chi: “Yes, even before I started playing professionally, I’ve been following MY. He’s my most… admired professional player.”

The interview was conducted fairly standardly; Ye Chi’s responses were mostly diplomatic, although some might interpret them as flattering. Reading the text, it might seem that way, but watching the video, both fans and detractors were truly silenced.

Ye Chi kept smiling.

It wasn’t the joyous smile of winning a game, but rather something…

Fans commented sharply.

“Crazy Bro’s smile is so creepy, it’s giving me chills.”

“Yeah… I’m getting goosebumps…”

“Did you guys feel Crazy Bro’s tone when he said ‘MY’ was particularly disgusting?”

“It’s a bit like that ‘Mai Bao Ma’ vibe… Creepy… Crazy Bro, we thought you were faking it, turns out you’re for real?”

“So bizarre, this is the first interview I’ve watched and couldn’t bear to finish.”

Initially, DSG fans wanted to come and criticize Ye Chi, but after watching Ye Chi’s entire interview where he was smiling throughout, they couldn’t find the words anymore.

It was unsettling.

Not just fans from both sides, even teammates felt something off about Ye Chi from head to toe. It was satisfying to win against ADT for revenge in the spring split, but was it necessary to smile so strangely?

After finishing the interview, while everyone was in the restroom, Ye Chi slipped into a secure corridor to make a phone call.

“Was that Pantheon today your idea for them?”

“Yeah.”

“What will you do when you play against them later? You’ve already given away all your tricks.”

“I don’t need tricks, I’ll still crush you.”

Ye Chi chuckled. He really liked how Mo Yin calmly talked tough. Perhaps for Mo Yin, it wasn’t talking tough at all, just stating facts. Thinking like this, Ye Chi found Mo Yin even more attractive.

“When I was playing against them today, I could see your shadow on the field,” he said softly. Some people on the forums said his interview tone was disgusting, but they hadn’t heard the tone he was using on the phone, gentle to the point of melting. “I had a great time.”

Mo Yin didn’t say anything, but his breathing sounded even and steady. Ye Chi’s smile widened even more.

“Looking forward to meeting on the battlefield.”

“See you on the battlefield.”

Maybe it was Ye Chi’s own romanticized perception, but he felt Mo Yin’s voice sounded very gentle.

“Outside of the battlefield, can we meet tonight?” Ye Chi asked with a smile.

There was a faint laugh on the other end of the phone.

“Whatever.”