“Love is inherently laughable,” Wang Shenmu said, looking at the river of lights in the distance, his voice emotionless. Despite his words, he was also surprised that this bold couple who had taken over his bed could also experience heartbreak. In his memory, Hong Yao Tang in the game was a good person — skilled, principled, and low-key, only sharing in-game video clips.
There were countless scoundrels in the world who deceived innocent girls. Being a few years older than Su Yao and having seen more of life, Wang Shenmu felt a bit of sympathy for her pain, yet his usual demeanor prevented him from offering any comforting words to a young woman, only saying like an elder, “Life is long, be yourself, you are Hong Yao Tang, there’s nothing you can’t get over.”
“Love isn’t laughable. What’s laughable is that I thought I knew him, but I can’t find him anymore.”
“Then don’t look for him.”
“Uncle, you really don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“…” Wang Shenmu wondered how he had inadvertently become an emotional counselor. “If you can’t find him, or if he doesn’t want to be found, what’s the point of looking? By the time you find him, your hair will be gray, your teeth will be gone, your vision will be blurred, and you’ll barely be able to walk. You’ll still be looking into the murky air with your cloudy eyes, mumbling with your dry lips, ‘Looking, looking’ — do you want to live like this for the rest of your life?”
Su Yao glanced at him, unable to retort, and could only say irritably, “I thought the designer who came up with so many side quests and touching stories in the game would be a warm-hearted person.” Wang Shenmu let out a light laugh, neither confirming nor denying, his cold brows and eyes like a solitary rock from a thousand years ago in a snowy mountain.
Gu Chaoyan stepped onto the rooftop and saw Wang Shenmu and Hongyao Hall standing with their backs to him, facing the railing and the cold wind. He walked over and stood beside Wang Shenmu. “I’m sorry, I lost.” Just as Wang Shenmu was about to ask, Gu Chaoyan spoke up first, “Also, I deceived you; I’m not from Changsheng Palace.” “The one you said not to look for is the real one,” Su Yao said with a bitter smile.
Qin Chuan stood under a streetlamp, unaware of where to go. Home? His home was probably besieged by reporters. Su Yao’s home? He didn’t want to disrupt her life. Now, he had been left homeless by Luo Zishang. In the icy winter night, he fled aimlessly. Lights, rivers of light, traffic, crowds—he despised the bustling world; his world, always cold and solitary, shouldn’t have these.
Warmth was for others; love, perhaps since Gu Xuan’s death, he no longer deserved it, and he certainly couldn’t let his old, unresolved issues harm the innocent Yao Yao.
Qin Chuan stood in the shadow of the neon lights, with Luo Zishang following him. “Are you still not over it?” Qin Chuan’s voice was devoid of any warmth. “Haha,” Luo Zishang laughed, lazily leaning against a bus stop sign. “Over it? I’ve never been angry, only hateful. Qin Chuan, do you know? Hate.” “Stop hating.” Once a world champion, the fiery soul of a generation, now he could barely hide his exhaustion. “How can I not hate? Qin Chuan, have you ever regretted? Regretted rejecting Xuan Yan back then? Fine, that was your emotion, but why couldn’t you tell her that I loved her?” “I forgot.” “Oh, you forgot.” Qin Chuan shook his head weakly; he had never liked arguing, and no amount of argument would change anything. The only memory he had was of that summer when he was busy making the final training plan for both himself and Luo Zishang, the year they were about to compete in WCG. The regional selection was about to begin, and his life was filled with nothing but coffee, computers, and staying up late.
Qin Chuan remembered an afternoon ten years ago when, as the captain of the training team, he was overwhelmed with tactical analysis for Luo Zishang. Suddenly, Gu Xuan, the only girl in their school’s training team, burst into the computer room, asking frantically if he could take her away. Qin Chuan was baffled; take her away? What did she mean? He was just her senior, not some savior; where could he take her? He couldn’t remember what he said to brush her off then; he had always disagreed with her joining their tough training regime, especially since her skills were the weakest. He had coached her for a long time with little improvement. Talent was there or it wasn’t; hard work could compensate for lack of talent, but one needed to have some aptitude. He had advised her multiple times to go back to school and study for university, but she wouldn’t listen. Naturally, rumors began to circulate about her, some saying she liked him, others saying she liked Luo Zishang. All these rumors reached Qin Chuan’s ears, leaving him indifferent. Love was something he had never considered; his world was only about competition and battles. After dismissing Gu Xuan that afternoon, Qin Chuan continued working on Luo Zishang’s tactical analysis. Luo Zishang was the most talented yet the most troublesome person he had ever met.
He remembered meeting Luo Zishang for the first time at an arcade. At that time, Luo Zishang was just beginning to grow, with delicate features and a smile that curved his lips, looking like a delinquent with his dyed hair. The noisy environment helped him temper his mental state, and there, he noticed Luo Zishang, always selling game tokens. Luo Zishang sold them for half the price, right under the owner’s nose, causing the owner pain and reluctance to drive him away, as Luo Zishang attracted a crowd of young admirers which brought in business. Despite his young age, still in elementary school, Luo Zishang had a knack for business. Qin Chuan found this kid both amusing and impressive. He was adept at every game and would proudly show off his skills. Yet, no matter how much he earned or how flashy he was, no one dared to mess with him. Not only was he a skilled fighter, but he also had connections with local toughs who protected him.
Qin Chuan had seen Luo Zishang get into trouble with some high school students, only for Luo Zishang to call in some thugs to beat them up, leaving him standing amidst the blood, counting his tokens with an innocent smile. Qin Chuan saw him many times after that, but then he disappeared. When he asked the arcade owner, he was told that Luo Zishang’s gang leader had been imprisoned, and his parents had beaten him and forced him back home to study.
It was autumn when Qin Chuan saw Luo Zishang again, at the junior high school. He was admitted with the top score, the most flamboyant new student. At that time, Qin Chuan was already the captain of the school’s competitive team. Upon returning to school, he heard reports from his subordinates about a new student from the junior high who insisted on joining their team. The competitive team typically only recruited from the high school, but Qin Chuan, intrigued, went to see, and it was Luo Zishang. That day, the youngest genius was exceptionally recruited. Qin Chuan’s only condition was that he must not skip classes or fight anymore. Luo Zishang readily agreed. True to his word, Luo Zishang did not disappoint Qin Chuan with his talent. Despite never having touched a computer before, within just two months, he had mastered the Windows system and all the competitive games, his skill level rivaling his prowess with slot machines.
In no time, this youngest and most flamboyant newcomer had become the second most skilled player in the team after Qin Chuan.