Chapter 192

When the golden streamers gracefully fell, Ye Chi removed his headphones and looked up at the shimmering ribbons.

The color of victory wasn’t his, but it was theirs.

Teammates also took off their headphones, exchanging glances with resigned yet warm smiles on their faces.

They lost, but they had given their all.

Like winners, the losers stood up and embraced each other.

“You did really well today,” Ye Chi tightened his arm, squeezing his teammates’ shoulders. “Let’s keep it up for the Bubble Tournament.”

“Let’s do it.”

They comforted each other, not falling into emotional lows due to defeat. In esports, climbing upwards meant facing difficulties and setbacks—it was just part of the journey.

After a brief hug, the REAL players parted ways, facing towards the direction of the DSG team, waiting for them to come over for fist bumps.

DSG’s players remained in a huddle. Coaches, managers, and substitutes rushed onto the stage, forming a circle around the center of the five gaming chairs.

Today, Mo Yin’s performance was truly astounding.

Ye Chi had always known Mo Yin was strong. He followed him, trying to make himself stronger, trying to get closer to him. Today’s match told him that the path he followed was still long.

Ye Chi looked in Mo Yin’s direction, waiting for him to fist bump again, and he would never give up the opportunity to approach Mo Yin for a fist bump.

Two minutes after the match ended, DSG’s people still surrounded their seats, encircling the central figure. At first, the cameraman vigorously shot at DSG’s side, but after no response for a while, the camera swept over REAL.

All five members of REAL stood still.

The barrage burst into laughter.

“Why are they standing there like they’re being punished?”

“Public execution.”

“They’re probably cursing in their hearts.”

Chen Dong poked the back of Zhang Hanyu, the support in front of him. “Isn’t this a bit too much celebration for winning against us? Can’t you put us down first before celebrating? The trophy is waiting to be lifted.”

Zhang Hanyu whispered, “Just stand there, it should be quick.”

Chen Dong thought he couldn’t wait to harass “ex-wife” Tang Qi when he came over to fist bump. He tilted his head to the side to get a clearer view but accidentally bumped into someone. He jerked his head around and saw Ye Chi.

Chen Dong was stunned for two seconds, then grabbed the hem of Ye Chi’s jersey. In front of him, Zhang Hanyu also turned around and, seeing the situation between the two, instinctively blocked Ye Chi’s chest with his hand.

“Captain.”

Chen Dong and Zhang Hanyu said in unison.

Ye Chi glanced at Zhang Hanyu blocking him.

Zhang Hanyu’s expression was surprised and puzzled.

“Captain, what are you doing?”

Chen Dong held Ye Chi’s jersey. “Wait for them to fist bump. Why are you going over there?”

The jungle also came over.

“What’s going on?”

Ye Chi was suddenly surrounded by his teammates. He looked at the crowd not far away, feeling uncomfortable, his chest feeling stuffy, something pulling and tearing inside him.

Ye Chi stared fixedly across.

The cheers from the fans below, teammates’ inquiries, the commentators’ cliché wrapping up… all the waves of cheers disappeared from his ears.

He heard breathing, heavy, labored breathing.

As if right next to his ear, hot breath, struggling to breathe.

“Captain—”

Chen Dong and several teammates blocked Ye Chi, but Ye Chi was determined to move forward.

At that moment, the crowd surrounding DSG finally dispersed.

The person sitting in the gaming chair slowly stood up.

His movements were slow.

It seemed tired, exhausted. Just standing up took all his strength.

DSG’s white summer jersey clung wetly to his body from sweat. He gradually straightened up, standing proudly among the surrounded crowd.

Separated by a few meters and surrounded by many people, golden streamers continued to fall. Ye Chi locked eyes with Mo Yin.

Mo Yin’s eyes were like a blue lake, calm and unfathomable.

People from DSG came over for fist bumps.

Ye Chi was pushed back by his teammates.

Everyone reluctantly lined up again to greet DSG with fist bumps.

A fist bump only took a second—just a light touch before moving on to the next.

When Mo Yin’s fist extended, in that brief second of contact, Ye Chi felt the astonishing warmth of Mo Yin’s skin. He turned back and said directly, “MY.”

After Mo Yin bumped fists with the last top laner, he turned around at the sound.

Ye Chi’s lips moved slightly. He didn’t know what to say; he just looked at Mo Yin, at his sweaty face, flushed cheeks, and pale lips.

Mo Yin averted his gaze.

Ye Chi’s gaze remained firmly fixed on Mo Yin.

He felt like something was wrong, but couldn’t pinpoint what.

The DSG team walked back towards the center stage with the trophy. They didn’t rush but walked slowly, matching Mo Yin’s pace.

A strange feeling.

Ye Chi’s heart was pounding.

Mo Yin walked slowly, his posture still upright, each step steady and sure. Ye Chi stared at his back, watching him walk towards the shining trophy. Suddenly, some strange images flashed through his mind.

A pitch-black sky, dilapidated buildings, two boys sitting on a balcony, dust swirling around, holding hands.

“Don’t… stop…”

Stop what?

What did he tell him not to do?

The world shook.

Mo Yin’s figure in his shaky vision seemed to be teetering.

His shoulder was bumped.

Chen Dong looked puzzled, “Why aren’t you packing up?”

Ye Chi looked back at the center stage.

The DSG members were holding the trophy. Mo Yin returned to the crowd, and Ye Chi couldn’t see him clearly anymore.

“…It’s okay.”

Ye Chi turned back to pack up his mouse and keyboard. As he did so, he glanced once again at the center stage where his teammates were all packed up, waiting for him to come down.

Their gazes repeatedly turned to the center stage. They thought Ye Chi was regretting not winning the championship.

“This is just our first season. It’s okay; we’ll have another chance.”

“Let’s go, the world is vast, and eating is the most important. Let’s go have hot pot.”

“The losers’ bracket still needs interviews. I can’t believe it.”

The teammates chattered away. Ye Chi coiled up his mouse and keyboard. The DSG members were taking turns lifting the trophy for photos. Mo Yin stepped out of the crowd and stood on the edge, his expression indifferent.

He seemed to sense Ye Chi’s gaze and turned his head towards REAL’s side.

Their eyes met again.

Ye Chi seemed as if he was about to walk over.

Mo Yin smiled slightly at Ye Chi.

Ye Chi was stunned for a moment.

Mo Yin’s smile was still cool yet gentle. Blocked by a teammate holding the trophy in front, he stood in the corner’s edge, revealing this subtle smile only to Ye Chi.

For some reason, Ye Chi’s heart was again gripped by that strange, somewhat painful feeling.

He smiled back.

Mo Yin’s gaze felt gentle to him.

It was so strange.

Ye Chi couldn’t explain his feelings at this moment. With a teammate pushing him on one shoulder, Ye Chi’s gaze stubbornly refused to leave Mo Yin’s direction. Mo Yin also kept looking at him. When they were nearing the exit behind the stage, Ye Chi felt a strong urge to return to the stage and find Mo Yin.

“Chen Dong,” teased, “were you just on stage thinking about going over to bump fists with DSG? Are you really crazy, or just too lost after losing?”

Sun Yuanyang also joked, “There must be a lot of criticism about you on the forums now. I advise you not to look for a few days.”

“The captain has a big heart and doesn’t care about those things,” Zhang Hanyu said to Ye Chi, “right?”

Ye Chi looked tense, head down. He didn’t respond to the assistant’s well-intended comfort, seemingly immersed in his own thoughts.

During the interview in the losers’ bracket, Ye Chi was also absent-minded. When the Reporter named him and asked questions, he was daydreaming. Chen Dong quietly kicked his foot under the table, and he snapped out of it, “What?”

Reporter: “Today, the opponent’s mid laner performed exceptionally well again and won the FMVP. Do you think this loss was your fault?”

Ye Chi’s lips moved. He didn’t answer the question directly and said, “MY won FMVP again?”

This scene was posted by a marketing account, and the comments below were all saying “memory loss” and “broken through” and “this person is really dizzy.”

REAL left the venue earlier than DSG, and it was already past 11 o’clock at night.

Ye Chi and the others got on the bus. Sun Yuanyang said his brother had prepared a hot pot and was waiting for them to come over.

Ye Chi sat in the car, scrolling through forum posts.

The winners’ bracket interview came out.

Mo Yin wasn’t in the video preview thumbnail.

His heart was very uncomfortable, thumping painfully in his chest—thump, thump, thump—it was unbearable.

In the comments section, the media conducting the interview added a note: MY player missed the interview due to illness.

Ye Chi immediately opened WeChat.

— [What happened? Are you running a fever?]

He didn’t know how long passed.

Looking at the time on his phone, it seemed only about three minutes had passed.

But Ye Chi felt like it had been a long, long time. He didn’t know why he felt so restless, as if a part of him inside couldn’t be held back.

— [Hmm]

The moment he received the reply, Ye Chi finally felt reassured.

— [Is it serious? Your hand was really warm when we bumped fists.]

Another few long minutes passed.

— [It’s okay]

The feeling of his heart being squeezed grew more intense.

Ye Chi’s breathing became rapid, almost wanting to get off the bus immediately and return.

He remembered waiting for Mo Yin at the venue once. He thought Mo Yin wouldn’t show up, but Mo Yin did.

His heart beat faster and faster. The strong desire to see Mo Yin swelled infinitely in his chest.

Just a glimpse.

“Just a look.”

“Master.”

Ye Chi stood up.

“Stop the bus.”

The coach stopped by the side. Ye Chi jumped out of the open door. A few minutes after the bus drove away, there were not two cars in the suburbs at night. Ye Chi didn’t think about it. He ran towards the direction of the venue on the sidewalk.

The wind roared in his ears.

Strange sounds appeared in Ye Chi’s ears again.

It was still the sound of breathing.

Slowly, slowly, breathing.

Ye Chi ran faster and faster, and when he ran to the entrance of the venue, he almost couldn’t breathe. The pain in his chest was almost tearing apart, and the fast or slow breathing made people confused about whether it was his or not.

Ye Chi paused for a few seconds, took out his phone and walked towards the north gate.

— [I’m back, waiting at the north gate…]

Before the message was finished, in a large number of screams, Ye Chi saw in the opposite direction that a car was leaving the venue. He looked far away.

It’s DSG’s car.

The atmosphere inside the bus was quiet.

Mo Yin was still the same as before, sitting in his own separate seat. He didn’t listen to music today. The light and shadow outside hit his face.

Humans are very tough creatures, almost without pain.

And now, every drop of blood in his body seemed to be bursting, and every breath was accompanied by tearing pain.

A strange experience.

How long can this body hold on?

Mo Yin couldn’t be sure.

Humans focus on the exploration and use of mental strength. Mo Yin hadn’t studied the body’s maximum endurance capacity. He looked at his hand.

His palm was shaking finely, hot and sweaty.

Today he almost couldn’t stand up.

Fortunately, he stood up in the end.

In the world of Landes, he suspected that the Alliance was using him to break the world and steal energy, and also wanted to return his affection. He chose to leave before formally ascending to the position of pope.

After that, he overturned the speculation that breaking the world was good for the league.

In the last world, the world collapsed with the return of his memory module.

He hadn’t heard the chaotic scream and desperate howl of the real world collapse for a long time.

“System.”

Mo Yin called in his mind, tempting him.

“How about we make peace?”