Chapter 9

The moment Bian Yan locked in Curse Star, Pei Yun Chang knew what it meant.

He flipped through the hero interface and decisively locked in the marksman he hadn’t played all afternoon—Flower God Bow.

Game start—

Unlike Pei Yun Chang’s Curse Star, Bian Yan had his own understanding of this hero. For example, he liked to use precise basic attacks to target the backline minions to clear the wave backward, and he skillfully used the minion attack priority to supplement damage—these were things Pei Yun Chang didn’t have.

Pei Yun Chang had experienced the power of Bian Yan’s Curse Star on the first day, so he was prepared in advance. But after all, this was Bian Yan’s signature hero, and when it was time to take a beating, he still had to take it. Pei Yun Chang kept replenishing his state while looking for opportunities.

Until the opponent’s health reached the execution line, Curse Star flashed in for a desperate fight!

Flower God Bow also prepped his bow, set a recall point, and prepared to engage!

Two seconds later, both of them fell.

“Tsk.” Pei Yun Chang lightly clicked his tongue.

For the first time, he experienced the feeling of being traded in a 1v1 laning phase while playing Flower God Bow, and the opponent was just a sixteen-year-old kid.

Curse Star and Flower God Bow were both strong heroes of the season, equally powerful, with complex mechanics that tested operational skills, and both of them handled it very well.

But essentially, this was still a tower-pushing game.

Bian Yan’s laning suppression was fierce, but he couldn’t withstand Pei Yun Chang’s excellent game management, precisely utilizing every minion.

Twenty minutes later, Bian Yan’s crystal exploded again.

The thirty-first match, Curse Star vs. Flower God Bow, score 1-1.

Bian Yan lost, Pei Yun Chang won.

In all thirty-one matches, Bian Yan didn’t win a single one, completely shut out by Pei Yun Chang.

Although his skills were slightly inferior to Pei Yun Chang’s, in the practice match when he first joined the team, as a marksman against Pei Yun Chang, he wasn’t completely dominated. In fact, with team coordination, he could even go toe-to-toe with Pei Yun Chang.

It’s just that Pei Yun Chang’s understanding of the entire Sacred Domain Clash game was too advanced. He knew what needed to be done to win.

For example, bringing healing, execution, or even interference in duels were all black tricks based on hero mechanics that caught the opponent off guard.

He would manage every wave of minions, even precisely where each minion’s basic attack would land.

Skill is greater than mechanics, but understanding is greater than skill.

Based on the chances of solo kills and overall performance, Pei Yun Chang might not always be able to suppress Bian Yan.

But as long as this game was a tower-pushing game, Pei Yun Chang was the eternal winner in duels at this stage.

After the match, Bian Yan uncharacteristically left the room.

Pei Yun Chang flipped through his string of victories and suddenly realized he wasn’t as happy as he thought he would be.

At least not as happy as he initially imagined.

Across from him.

Bian Yan clenched and then released his fist, the lines of his arm slightly bulging from the force. He pursed his lips, said nothing, lowered his eyes, and began packing his things.

Pei Yun Chang took off his headphones, sat still, and tilted his head to watch Bian Yan pack up. From his angle, he could only see the sharp lower half of Bian Yan’s face and the shadow cast by his long eyelashes.

After a bit of commotion, Bian Yan finished packing and didn’t even spare a glance at the person across from him before walking out.

“My signature marksman is Flower God Bow.”

Pei Yun Chang’s voice suddenly sounded from behind.

Bian Yan’s footsteps paused for a moment, but he didn’t respond and walked straight out the door.

Pei Yun Chang still couldn’t bring himself to say the second half of the sentence.

—Signature against signature, you’re strong, but you didn’t lose unjustly.

The training room suddenly became very quiet.

Pei Yun Chang closed his eyes, wanting to rest in his chair for a while, but his mind was filled with Bian Yan’s operations just now and that cold face when he left.

He opened his eyes irritably, blew a breath upward, causing the tips of his hair to sway with the airflow, and a trace of melancholy flashed across his face.

He also began to pack his things.

Just as Pei Yun Chang was about to turn off the lights with his backpack on, he glanced over and suddenly noticed a scarf draped over Bian Yan’s chair…

“Tch.”

“Forgetful, and yet he has a girlfriend?”

The next second—

The training room door closed, and a white scarf was draped over someone’s arm.

——

[Dormitory]

Pan Shi had just finished washing up and lay down on the bed, noticing a certain empty bed. He kicked Lu Chang Kong, who was lying like a corpse on the bed.

“Hey, where’s Nova? Why isn’t he back yet?”

“Damn, try kicking me with your foot again!” Lu Chang Kong jumped up from the bed, vigorously patting the spot where he was kicked, and rolled his eyes. “How would I know? I texted him during dinner, but he hasn’t replied yet.”

“Still practicing?”

Pan Shi sat up, looking through the dormitory door at the single room opposite.

“Probably.” Lu Chang Kong flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling and sighing. “Those two are crazy. Luckily, I play support.”

Pan Shi gave him a disdainful look. “You talk as if you’re so bad. Xiao Zi was the king of support before joining the youth training camp, and you still managed to beat him.”

Lu Chang Kong rarely heard a few compliments from Pan Shi, so he grinned and started a mutual praise session.

“When I was leaving today, I saw PP looking like he had lost the will to live. You’re both top laners, what did you do to him to hammer him like that, and you still talk about me?”

Pan Shi and Lu Chang Kong’s understanding of their respective professions was already advanced, and their comprehensive strength could rank among the top few, so getting out of their respective groups was a given.

Pei Yun Chang originally didn’t need to duel to advance directly, but who knew Bian Yan would appear out of nowhere. Although he didn’t directly lift him, he did cause some trouble for Pei Yun Chang’s advancement.

“Guess who won between them?” Lu Chang Kong raised an eyebrow.

Pan Shi frowned, thought for a while, and although he didn’t want to admit it, he still spoke the truth: “Pei Yun Chang, after all, he’s more than a year older. He can’t have eaten for nothing for a year.”

“That’s true, but didn’t they play all afternoon? Bian Yan must have won a few games~” Lu Chang Kong speculated, rubbing his chin. “Arrow losing a duel, just thinking about it is fun.”

Talking about Pei Yun Chang getting a setback excited Pan Shi too, his raisin-like eyes lighting up.

“Hahaha, the WIN youth training story of who teaches whom a lesson.”

The two were happily chatting when the door suddenly opened.

Bian Yan had returned.

“Back already? Did you eat, baby?” Lu Chang Kong jumped off the bed and handed the takeout on the table to Bian Yan. “I saved it just for you, and the grapes on the table are from your brother PP and brother Xiao Zi.”

Bian Yan took it, muttered a low thanks, and wore a cold expression.

Pan Shi’s eyes rolled around, and he quietly pointed at Bian Yan.

Lu Chang Kong mouthed, “How would I know?”

The dormitory atmosphere was a bit cold for a moment.

Bian Yan sat on his bed, just put down his bag, and suddenly looked up, breaking the silence.

“Brother Lu, Brother Shi, what time does the training room close at night?”

Lu Chang Kong almost choked on his own saliva when he heard Bian Yan’s new nickname for him.

He’d rather be called Brother Huang Mao.

Pan Shi held back his laughter and answered Bian Yan’s question.

“Originally, the training room was open 24 hours, but there are too many workaholics in our camp, often training until three or four in the morning. So, under the famous ‘Permission Uprising,’ the youth training camp successfully turned into a military camp with lights out and internet cut off at eleven at night.”

“Damn!!!”

Mentioning the power cut, Lu Chang Kong realized he hadn’t charged his phone tonight.

“There’s only half an hour left until the power cut. The sky is falling, how will I survive the night without my phone!”

Tonight, dorm 305 had another heartbroken redhead.

Bian Yan’s Adam’s apple bobbed, wanting to say something but not saying it.

“Nova, why are you asking this?” Pan Shi inquired.

“Nothing, thanks, bro. I’ll eat the takeout later.” Bian Yan suddenly stood up, slung his bag over his shoulder, and left.

“Hey, where are you going?” Lu Chang Kong couldn’t stop him. “Come back early! The base has an eleven o’clock curfew, and if you’re late, you’ll have to write a review!!!”

Pan Shi added, “Don’t stay out all night! If you get caught, it’ll be a big deal!!”

Bian Yan had already walked far away, and it was unclear if he heard them.

The two exchanged glances, shook their heads, and focused on their own things. It was quiet for less than ten minutes when the dormitory door sounded again.

“Why are you running around without eating dinner? Hurry up, I heated it up for you in the microwave on the first floor.” Lu Chang Kong went to open the door. “You didn’t bring your key… Pei Ge?!”

The person who came was actually Pei Yun Chang, which was quite a surprise.

Except for the first day Pei Yun Chang came to see the dormitory, Pan Shi hadn’t seen him come in here again.

“Where’s Bian Yan?”

Pei Yun Chang directly stated his purpose.

Lu Chang Kong shrugged, “No idea, he just came back for two minutes and left again. It’s almost curfew, this kid…”

Pan Shi looked at the scarf hanging on Pei Yun Chang’s arm, puzzled, “Why are you looking for him? And a scarf? Just give it to me.”

Pei Yun Chang didn’t find the person, so he naturally wouldn’t stay long.

“No, you guys go to bed early.” He pulled back the arm with the scarf.

Why were they all acting weird tonight? What exactly happened in the afternoon duel? It was driving Lu Chang Kong crazy.

Seeing Pei Yun Chang about to leave, Lu Chang Kong couldn’t hold back and asked the question in his heart.

“Pei Ge, who won between you two this afternoon?” Lu Chang Kong asked expectantly, eyes sparkling.

Pei Yun Chang thought of his string of victories.

Although Pan Shi still couldn’t bring himself to be friendly with Pei Yun Chang, he was also very interested in this question, eavesdropping with his ears perked up.

The two waited for a long time but didn’t hear Pei Yun Chang speak, thinking they wouldn’t get an answer.

“Sixty-forty.” Pei Yun Chang threw out three words and left.

“Sixty-forty? Who’s sixty, who’s forty?” Lu Chang Kong was confused. “He didn’t even say how many matches they played.”

“Idiot.”

Pan Shi gave Lu Chang Kong a sideways glance, happily lying down, “I didn’t expect Bian Yan to be quite impressive. If they were the same age, who knows who would have the upper hand.”

“So, does that mean out of every five matches, Nova could win two? Damn, that’s awesome!” Lu Chang Kong discovered a new continent. “Including Bian Yan, I declare that our dorm 305 is the strongest dorm in the entire youth training camp!”

Pan Shi: …

Adding gold to themselves again.

Lu Chang Kong didn’t even bother charging his phone, eagerly opening it and clicking on his chat with Xiao Zi, excitedly sharing this information.

——

Pei Yun Chang wandered around the base but couldn’t find Bian Yan, so he returned to his room.

“Did he go to cry to his girlfriend?”

This was the only possibility Pei Yun Chang could think of.

He raised his hand and hung Bian Yan’s white scarf on his coat rack, the tag at the bottom of the scarf brushing against his face, making it itch.

“This girlfriend has terrible taste in perfume.”

Pei Yun Chang rubbed his nose, muttered, and even turned the coat rack to hide the side with the scarf.

After doing all this, Pei Yun Chang walked to the table to charge his phone and turned on the screen.

——23:05

Curfew time had passed.