FOG [e-sports] Chapter 120

Chapter 120:

The team tyrant forcibly went to take the interview and the others went back to the lounge to wait for s.h.i.+ Luo to finish the interview and return to the hotel. The friends.h.i.+p within Team Free was very touching. Absolutely no one helped Yu Sui as he somewhat laboriously carried two people’s peripherals bags back to the lounge. Zhou Huo didn’t know about the subst.i.tution for the interview and he looked at Yu Sui with a frown, “What are you doing back here? Why didn’t you go represent the team and take the interview?”

Chen Huo shrugged, “There was a subst.i.tution. Evil went instead.”

The league’s official tag-along camera crew as well as their own club’s tag-along camera crew were in the lounge. The league’s camera crew and other staff were all German locals. They didn’t quite understand Free’s internal situation. They were at a loss. Seeing Yu Sui holding two peripherals bags, they asked curiously to whom the other one belonged to.

Yu Sui put both peripherals bags on the table. While bringing back the peripherals bag for s.h.i.+ Luo, he said casually, “This? It’s my boyfriend’s.”

The league’s people didn’t understand Mandarin and they didn’t understand why Yu Sui burst out laughing after speaking. Old Qiao was up to some mischief. He used gestures and his broken English to emphasize this to the league’s camera crew. It didn’t matter if you didn’t understand but this statement was very important. If you’ve already taken a video of it, they you should use your own discretion and consider including it into the official video.

“Tsk.” Zhou Huo couldn’t stand Yu Sui, “Every time, you only mess mess around when s.h.i.+ Luo’s not here…what’s so fun about teasing him?”

“It’s very fun. Besides, you call this messing around?” Yu Sui set his and s.h.i.+ Luo’s bags to one side. He sat down and looked at the live broadcast screen in the lounge, “The one who’s really going to be messing around is just about to begin…”

Chen Huo and Puppy also sat down, settling in for a good show. After a while, the live broadcast interface cut to the backstage interview booth. In the live broadcast screen, s.h.i.+ Luo took off his cap and threw it on the interview table. He himself was standing in front of the interview seat with both arms extended. He raised his head and without any expression on his face, he let the staff attach the portable microphone on him.

The young man who was attaching s.h.i.+ Luo’s portable mic did not seem very skilled in his work. Even after a long time, installing this and pressing that, he still wasn’t able to attach it well. The young man was also very anxious. He kept touching here and nudging that to make adjustments. From the live camera’s angle, it looked as though this person was hugging s.h.i.+ Luo’s waist. Yu Sui looked at it for a while and couldn’t help but turn his head to the league staff inside the lounge, “Can’t you find a girl to do this for him?”

The staff was baffled. Old Qiao held back a smile and said, “That’s enough. It’s not as though anyone can intentionally take advantage of him.”

After fumbling around for a while, the portable mic was finally successfully installed. s.h.i.+ Luo pulled over the chair and sat down. He had both hands in the pockets of his uniform, his expression calm.

Only s.h.i.+ Luo was on the interview seat. Behind a narrow row of tables, was a crowd full of reporters and countless cameramen.

Zhou Huo looked at s.h.i.+ Luo on the live screen and sighed in a low voice, “This level of attractiveness, this kind of temperament, he’s just like a little celebrity…”

Puppy looked at s.h.i.+ Luo, and clicked his tongue. “Looking at his expression and att.i.tude, anyone would think that this newcomer to the World Champions.h.i.+ps had done so much more than just qualify to the next round through stinking Group A.”

Chen Huo sighed as well. “If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought he’d just won the champions.h.i.+p.”

Yu Sui stared fixedly at the screen, “Shut up.”

Although the interviewee had been changed to s.h.i.+ Luo at the last minute, the reporters weren’t at all dissatisfied. Rather, they were very happy.

Yu Sui, this superstar player, was a bigger star but interviews with such an old player were always super airtight. Unless he himself was willing, it was highly unlikely that he would reveal anything explosive.

s.h.i.+ Luo, this rookie player, was a lot better to interview. They just need to lay out a little trap and during a moment of carelessness, these newcomers would jump.

Naturally, this was just what these reporters thought before the interview.

The domestic reporters took the lead in asking questions. When competing against other regions, the domestic reporters would generally s.h.i.+eld their players’ shortcomings. Completely unlike how they normally were in China, the questions they asked couldn’t be any gentler. They were mainly there to congratulate Free on qualifying to the next stage. All their questions centered around the situation in the group stage. s.h.i.+ Luo was also very friendly to the reporters from his own region. He answered all questions and gave detailed answers to even the most placid and average of questions.

The foreign reporters then started asking questions.

The questions asked by foreign journalists weren’t quite so friendly, especially when it came the turn of the local European journalists. The questions started turning sharp.

A European reporter asked, “As the only newcomer in the team, what would you say is the reason that you were able to win several MVP t.i.tles in a row in your first World Champions.h.i.+ps? Is it because you played a little too well or has the level of the veteran players in the team undergone a drastic decline?”

s.h.i.+ Luo said, “It’s because I have a little more dirty kills.”

A European reporter asked, “As we all know, three of the players in Team Free used to be players for the Sacred Sword Club in the European Division. All three players have an old club and it is possible that they will run into them here at the World Champions.h.i.+ps. Do you think the players would be embarra.s.sed? ?”

s.h.i.+ Luo said, “I bet a lot of players could name Sacred Sword as their old club. In the entire league, I think Sacred Sword has the most number of previous players. I think their players played very well. They won’t be embarra.s.sed and our players won’t be either.”

Sacred Sword never trains newcomers. They were notorious for thinking up of all sorts of ways to s.n.a.t.c.h up strong players. Several of the domestic reporters were already laughing even before s.h.i.+ Luo finished.

In the Free Lounge, Zhou Huo couldn’t bear it.

“What do they mean by these?” Zhou Huo got up, completely dissatisfied, “Nowadays, the manager also has to be present for this kind of interview, right? I’ve had enough. I’m going to stop this. What sort of questions are these…”

“No need.” Yu Sui looked at the live broadcast screen, “Besides, you can’t stop it even if you went there.”

Zhou Huo’s spirit rose in an instant. His eyes sharpened, “What do you mean I can’t stop these reporters?”

Yu Sui smiled, “It’s s.h.i.+ Luo who you won’t be able to stop.”

Zhou Huo was struck speechless.

“Sit down.” Yu Sui calmly said. “We’re just short of having an actual face-to-face fight with Sacred Sword. The players online are already having a long-distance catfight. Given the situation, did you still expect the reporters from their region to be nice to us? A few days later, when the qualifying teams for Group D are announced, the reporters from our region won’t be posing any friendly questions either. We’re all the same.”

“How…how can that possibly be the same?” Zhou Huo frowned as he looked at s.h.i.+ Luo on the live broadcast screen, “Our player is only 19 years old, okay…”

Zhou Huo couldn’t help complaining to Yu Sui, “Tell me what you sent him to do out there.”

Yu Sui smiled, “You think I would have taken the initiative to have him handle this kind of thing? He himself wanted to go.”

“And you agreed just because he wanted to?” Zhou Huo cast a look at the outsiders in the lounge. He whispered angrily, “s.h.i.+ Luo’s answers really…really aren’t any good. It’s too real. Later, if Sacred Sword does beat us…”

Zhou Huo slapped himself lightly and continued, “Later, if that does happen…with how c.o.c.ky s.h.i.+ Luo is being, the sprayers on the national server are going to take what he said now and slap him back with it in the face. When that time comes …”

“Stop talking.” Without waiting for Yu Sui to speak, Chen Huo stared at the live screen and impatiently cut off Zhou Huo. “I can’t hear clearly!”

Zhou Huo had been feeding the dog with the best of intentions. He was about to have a fit of anger when Puppy smiled, “Stop being so fussy. Don’t you know how much Yu Shen dotes on the little whelp? If you’ve thought about it, don’t you think he’s thought about it too?”

“How long has s.h.i.+ Luo been holding all this back? If we don’t let him stir a little bit of trouble, he’s going to break.” Puppy rested his head on his hand and looked leisurely at the live broadcast. “Moreover, you should treasure s.h.i.+ Shen’s interview. It’s not everyday you get to watch such an honest interview.”

Puppy laughed at himself, “Afraid of being sprayed, afraid of being slapped in the face, afraid of being the target of issues…I hate having to talk in interviews. You have to do Taichi all the time time… I really can’t remember the last time I did such a blunt interview.”

“I used to be like s.h.i.+ Luo. Whenever there was something that I couldn’t accept, I had to immediately find a way to call it out…” Chen Huo looked fixedly at s.h.i.+ Luo on the live screen. There was a faint look of admiration in his eyes. He sighed, “Later, I was sprayed into behaving. I was tired. It felt too much of a bother to be so sincere…F*ck it. d.a.m.n it, I’m not afraid. Next interview, let me go. I’ll tell it to them straight too. I’ll scold whoever I want. Who cares?”

The interview continued.

The European reporter asked again, “Usually, it’s the captain who comes to the solo interview after the game. Was this last minute change to Evil Xuanshou because Whisper Xuanshou doesn’t want to face the reporters from the region he used to serve?”

s.h.i.+ Luo said, “No. As the only player who hasn’t played in the European division, I especially want to face the reporters.”

The reporter asked, “What does Evil Xuanshou think of the prospective qualifying teams from the other groups? Especially from groups C and D.”

s.h.i.+ Luo said, “My old club is in Group C and I hope they make it through. I’m not familiar with Group D, so I’m not clear with their situation.”

The reporter asked, “Group D has the previous year’s World Champions.h.i.+ps winner, Sacred Sword. Are you still saying you’re unfamiliar?”

s.h.i.+ Luo said, “I am a newcomer. Most everyone is unfamiliar to me.”

The whispering voices of the reporters were getting louder and louder. All of the interview topics have basically revolved around Sacred Sword. The reporters were choking from s.h.i.+ Luo’s responses. Their questions became trickier and trickier.

“What expectations does Evil Xuanshou have for this World Champions.h.i.+ps? What results do you think you can get?”

s.h.i.+ Luo said, “Of course, the higher the better.”

“This is your first World Champions.h.i.+ps and there are still so many strong teams ahead of you. Don’t you think setting such a high goal would be too much pressure on you?”

s.h.i.+ Luo said, “Other teams have said that the all the matches before the finals were meaningless. I think I’m being pretty conservative.”

“You said before that you were unfamiliar with Sacred Sword. However, it was said that Sacred Sword had arranged a practice match with Free before. Given this, are you still unfamiliar with them?”

s.h.i.+ Luo said, “After only two rounds, Sacred Sword said they had a power outage. We weren’t able to finish even one best of three match. I think unfamiliar is the only way I can consider them.”

The scent of gunpowder during this interview was getting a bit too strong. The reporters from the European side were already about to be choked to death by s.h.i.+ Luo. The official person in charge of the interview was afraid someone really would choke and so he hurriedly signaled that the interview could now be brought to a close. A reporter did not give up and asked permission for one more question. The staff member was left with no choice but to nod.

The reporter asked, “You have just said that you think you can win the champions.h.i.+p. And Sacred Sword, as last season’s champion, said in a previous interview that they came here for the finals. Does Evil Xuanshou have anything to say to this in response? ”

The reporter hurriedly added, “After all, we all know the situation of that training match. There is no need to confuse the audience. Sacred Sword was first to win a game.”

“We did lose a game to Sacred Sword before, I admit it.” s.h.i.+ Luo got up, “My response is…”

Someone as smart as s.h.i.+ Luo, of course, he knew that the other party was just goading him into making a military pledge so that should his team lose in the future, they were going to dredge up this video to slap him in the face.

At this time, he should just not say anything.

He should exercise more restraint.

s.h.i.+ Luo slowly removed the portable microphone from around his waist. He suddenly raised his eyes and looked at the live broadcasting camera in the room.

His teammates and all accompanying staff were watching him.

Sacred Sword, with how s.h.i.+tty and scheming they were, were certainly also watching him.

Yu Sui was also watching him.

Thinking of Yu Sui, the light in s.h.i.+ Luo’s eyes took on a sharp glint.

His mind couldn’t help going back to what they were talking about a few days ago in the hotel training room. His teammates were joking around, reenacting how Yu Sui had a business dispute with Sacred Sword’s manager because of some stupid cat ears.

s.h.i.+ Luo knew very well that Yu Sui, Chen Huo and Puppy were trying to console him.

That’s why s.h.i.+ Luo continued training with everyone and chose not to question Yu Sui closely.

So, where’s that watch?

How much did you sell that watch that was worth millions of yuan to pay for how many fines that they imposed on you?

Back then, Yu Sui had just arrived here. He shouldn’t have had that much money anymore.

Those beasts…

There were many things that he couldn’t stand to think about. s.h.i.+ Luo returned to his senses and said in his heart: Like h.e.l.l am I afraid.

s.h.i.+ Luo looked at the reporters from the European division, “My response is, before the end of this World Champions.h.i.+ps, no matter which team we encounter, I , won’t, lose, again.”

s.h.i.+ Luo picked up his portable microphone and put it on the table. He then grabbed his baseball cap, put it on his head and left.

In the Free lounge, Chen Huo let out a wolf howl. He kept slapping the table and said bitterly, “Why didn’t I take the initiative to go?! Why?! d.a.m.n! That line was so cool! It must have felt amazing to say it. I want to go and say it too!”

Puppy smiled, “As if you’d gone if we made you go earlier.”

Zhou Huo had originally been worried that s.h.i.+ Luo saying these things would result in him getting cursed at by the sprayers should they lose later on. But now, the couldn’t care less. “d.a.m.n, just f*ck them! Like h.e.l.l am I afraid. Say what you want first and we’ll talk about the rest later. In any case, regardless whether you win or lose, it’s not like Sacred Sword isn’t going to try and mess with our morale. Even if we give politically correct answers, it’s not like they’re going to let us go, now, are they? We might as well just declare war. s.h.i.+t. Go, go, go… next time whoever wants to run rampant, then go. If in case we run into any difficulties, I’ll just go and do a tell all!”

“Hire a water army! Buy the hot search! Seal the forums!” s.h.i.+ Luo’s display inexplicably also got Zhou Huo blood surging. He suddenly roared, “Come on! Just try and match management skills with Laozi! What am I afraid of? Isn’t it just spending money? What’s my job as a manager? Isn’t it to deal with the aftermath for you?! I’d like to see just who would dare mess with my players! Aaaahhhh!!!”

Yu Sui: “……”

The people in the room, including s.h.i.+ Luo who had just returned, were frightened by Zhou Huo. s.h.i.+ Luo looked Zhou Huo up and down and said hesitantly, “What’s the matter with you?”

“I feel my blood burning with righteousness! I finally feel young!!!” Zhou Huo who wore a restrictive western suit, wished he were ten years younger so that he too could go on the field and fight. “Was this the cool feeling you get fighting against strong teams that Yu Sui said before? I feel it!!!”

Old Qiao looked at Zhou Huo, who was suddenly filled with spirit. He couldn’t help ridiculing “NSN manager… Also went crazy a couple of days ago. He suddenly burst in anger and ran to the Internet to spray… …Is this f*cking contagious…?”

“You don’t understand.” Zhou Huo was itching for a fight. His expression grew a little bit serious, “Do you know why we adults understand s.h.i.+t about the game but still really like watching your games?”

“It’s certainly not to learn techniques. That’s absolutely s.h.i.+t useless for us. Normally, we’re all too careful and too repressed and what we want to see is this kind of unrestrained display!” Zhou Huo took out his mobile phone and gritted his teeth. “That’s why I like watching you young people on the field stubbornly refusing to give up to anyone… It’s exhilarating! This is bad. This has gone to my head! Old Qiao, come help me call the owner of the Chinese restaurant. I’m afraid I’ll howl at him if I’m the one who calls!”

Everyone didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Old Qiao took Zhou Huo’s cell phone to contact the Chinese restaurant. The rest of the people set about their own business, changing into their personal clothes or grabbing their peripherals bags.

s.h.i.+ Luo had gone to act all cool by himself. By the time he came back, he was already feeling a bit embarra.s.sed. While the others were minding their own business, he walked to Yu Sui and said, “I…those things I said…”

“Were excellent.”

Yu Sui had already changed into his casual clothes. He carried his and s.h.i.+ Luo’s peripherals bags on one shoulder. He put his other arm around s.h.i.+ Luo. He leaned in and whispered softly into s.h.i.+ Luo’s ear, “Listening to you has already got me hard.”

s.h.i.+ Luo coughed. He wanted to take his own peripherals bag but Yu Sui dodged his hand. “Change your clothes. We’ll go home after you change.”