Ye Xiu put down his headset and turned toward Chen Guo.
"What's up, boss? " he asked.
Chen Guo was startled; she slapped her flushed cheeks lightly, then grabbed Ye Xiu's shoulder.
"Hey, who in the world was that? " she demanded. There was a sense of nostalgia in her voice, though she couldn't clearly recall why his opponent looked familiar.
Chen Guo was actually reminded when the player Cold Season assassinated One Autumn Leaf during the Season 4 finals, ending the Excellent Era three-year championship streak. The comparison might've been exaggerated, but she could see traces of Ji Leng and even Yang Cong in Ron—perhaps an even better version. If Ye Xiu knew what she was thinking, he would've laughed.
Faced with her question, Ye Xiu simply replied, "An expert."
"…"
Guo Guo strangled him playfully. "I know he's an expert! I'm asking who you were fighting!? "
"Haha…" Ye Xiu chuckled, which only irritated her more. Seeing her change in expression, he quickly raised his hands in surrender. "Boss, I honestly have no idea…"
"Really? " She didn't quite believe him but reluctantly let go, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"Yes," Ye Xiu said with a faint smile, still looking at the screen where Ron had already left the room. "Actually, shouldn't *you* be the one who knows him? "
"Huh? What do you mean? " she asked.
"Well, that guy came into the café and challenged me. I thought you knew him since he's one of your customers," he said.
Guo Guo cast him a disdainful glare. "Would you remember every single piece of bread you've ever eaten? "
Ye Xiu, being Ye Xiu, replied smoothly, "Of course—if I've been eating the same brand all this time."
"This guy…" Guo Guo wanted to be angry, but realizing he was teasing her on purpose, she restrained herself. *It's not worth it…*
Meanwhile, Tang Rou was laughing quietly on the sidelines. Hearing Guo Guo's flustered reaction piqued her interest. This girl hadn't learned her lesson yet.
"The guy you fought… was he good? " Tang Rou asked.
Ye Xiu smiled and said, "He was a little worse than me." Then his gaze shifted behind them. "Oh, he's coming now."
The two turned around and saw Tang Ron approaching in eSports gear. Guo Guo's first impression was, "This guy must be a pro player like Ye Xiu—maybe someone who just came out of retirement." She couldn't see his face clearly, so she wasn't sure.
Tang Rou, on the other hand, was excited. Though she had lost to Ye Xiu countless times, another strong opponent appearing reignited her fighting spirit. Her instincts screamed, *Challenge him.*
Ron walked past the two women and handed 100 yuan to Ye Xiu. "That was an impressive match," he said, offering a handshake.
Ye Xiu accepted the money gladly. Compared to fighting a novice like Tang Rou, facing Ron had been satisfying—a genuine contest. The match was worth every coin.
"You played well," Ye Xiu said, taking the handshake.
Ron nodded, but as he turned to leave, Tang Rou stopped him.
Little Tang looked him over from head to toe. There was something strangely familiar about him, though she couldn't quite place it. Still, that didn't matter—all that mattered now was fighting.
"Do you have time? " she asked.
Ron simply nodded. He already knew what she wanted. No matter where he went, someone would always challenge him to "compare notes." Sometimes it was the other way around. Over time, he'd grown used to it. For him, this was just another day—but for Tang Rou, it was a battle she had to win.
"Then, can you go to the arena with me? " she asked.
"Okay," he said. "Create a room, and I'll head up to the second floor."
"Thank you, sorry for the trouble," Tang Rou said politely.
Ron gave a small nod. While Tang Rou logged back into her account, Chen Guo studied Ron closely. According to Ye Xiu, he was a regular customer—but this was her first time seeing him.
"Hey, are you new around here? " Chen Guo asked. It wasn't a random question; she was trying to figure out whether he was a new recruit from Excellent Era who had just stopped by her café.
"Yes… I just happened to pass by," he replied.
Chen Guo's eyes widened. *I knew it!* she thought. *He must be a recruit from Excellent Era—that's the only explanation.*
"Which area are you using? " she asked.
"I'm in Area B on the second floor," he answered.
*Second floor? Then I can't watch the match from there…* she thought. Suddenly, an idea struck her. She lightly tapped his shoulder. "Do you mind playing here instead? "
Ron didn't even think longer. "I guess I don't," he said flatly.
"Then play next to Little Tang! " she exclaimed, inwardly cheering. *Yes! I'll get to see a pro in action up close!*
Although Ye Xiu was already retired, he had been a top pro, and now this young man could fight evenly with him. *If he's just starting his career, how strong will he become later? Definitely someone worth keeping an eye on.*
Unaware of her thoughts, Ron asked, "Really? I already registered upstairs. Is that okay? "
"Of course! I'm the boss here," she said proudly, puffing out her chest.
Ron glanced past her, catching Ye Xiu's approving nod. Reluctantly, he agreed. "Alright…"
Tang Rou had overheard their conversation and quickly opened the computer next to hers. She turned around and tapped the seat. "Here, I saved this spot for you," she said with a smile.
"Okay. Thanks," Ron replied, sitting down beside her.
"I created the room. You can join now," Tang Rou said.
"Alright."
Seeing the match about to begin, Ye Xiu and Chen Guo stood behind them.
Unable to contain her curiosity, Chen Guo whispered, "Hey, who do you think will win? "
Ye Xiu looked at her as if she'd asked the dumbest question in the world. *Didn't you already know?* Still, he humored her. "He'll win—and it'll take less than ten seconds."
Chen Guo's jaw dropped. "Less than ten seconds!? How's that possible? " she asked, although it's not surprising to beat someone in 30 seconds, but 10? Chen Guo was hoping for an answer, but Ye Xiu didn't answer. She clicked her tongue and focused on the screen.
The map they chose was the same as before—the Heavenly Domain Arena, a free field where stats weren't restricted.
Unlike earlier, Ron's character was now fully equipped. This was what Ye Xiu had been waiting for. As he suspected, Ron's character, *No Name*, was wearing a full set of silver equipment, specializing in stamina.
Ye Xiu's deduction was spot on. The reason Ron hadn't equipped armor earlier was because he had no low-level spares and they'd been fighting in a fixed field. Now, in a free-field match, all his equipment was visible—all silver. Only Ye Xiu noticed this; Chen Guo didn't. But what truly caught Ye Xiu's attention was the dagger Ron was holding.
"Are you ready? Or do you want to raise the stakes? " Tang Rou asked.
"No need. I'm not short on money," he replied.
"Alright, then."
Tang Rou attacked first. Since she didn't have her own account, she borrowed Chasing Haze from Chen Guo—which turned out to be the biggest mistake of her life. A Launcher versus an Assassin on a small map with no cover and limited mobility? Clearly a terrible decision. Being a novice, no one bothered to care about her choices.
Tang Rou opened with Aerial Fire, shooting while using the recoil to gain distance.
Ron, who could dodge attacks from Ye Xiu, wasn't going to get hit by a beginner's gunfire. He sidestepped easily, avoiding the bullets. Tang Rou wasn't surprised; she'd have been more shocked if he *had* gotten hit.
Trying to keep him at bay, Tang Rou launched a heat-seeking missile, followed by a grenade at what she believed was his most probable landing spot.
Contrary to her expectations, Ron didn't dodge—he struck the missile midair with an Assassin skill, changing its trajectory before rushing forward. The explosion hit nearby, damaging him slightly, but he used the knockback to propel himself closer.
"What—?"
Tang Rou froze, stunned by the micro-control. It was the first time she'd seen such precision. She knew that letting an Assassin close was dangerous, but her hands were uncoordinated, and her decision-making was poor. Panicking, she made things worse—using Aerial Fire again to gain distance, but her speed was slow.
Ron didn't miss the opening. He shook his character rapidly in a move known as Z-Shake, dodging her shots, then activated Shadow Clone to confuse her. The sequence happened so quickly that only Ye Xiu could follow it.
Identical copies appeared, each performing hand signs—a testament to his blazing APM. The clones mimicked his movements so perfectly that Tang Rou couldn't tell which was real.
Frozen in confusion, she didn't notice Ron already beside her, activating Vital Strike—an instant-kill skill that targets the enemy's weak points. In exchange for some of his own HP, the damage was devastating since it ignores armor. With his silver equipment and stamina-based gear, Chasing Haze never stood a chance.
Tang Rou had picked the wrong opponent, in the wrong place, at the wrong time. The fight was over before it even began.
The "Glory—Defeat" logo flashed across her screen. Tang Rou sat dumbfounded.
"What just happened…? " she whispered.