What? The Boss Wants Me to Throw the Match?

"No way. Do you really think you're some kind of prodigy, the hope of Chinese CSGO?"

"Qin Feng, let me tell you something."

"I'm not going to stop you from chasing your dream."

"But don't act like you're above all this."

"In tomorrow's match against Wings Up, you have to lose 0–2."

"We've already agreed on the score for the first map: 14–16."

"You'll go into halftime down 2–13, then you can fight back to 14."

"Don't worry. No one will flame you for losing."

"People in the Perfect APP comments will defend you, saying you lost with honor because the team hadn't had time to gel."

"If you won't throw the match, plenty of people are eager to do it."

"Cross me, and I'll make sure no one in the entire Chinese CSGO scene will take you."

"If you won't do as I say, you'll have to deal with the consequences."

Parallel World, Magic City.

Inside the TBD Club practice room.

Watching the club owner storm out and slam the door, Qin Feng couldn't help but give a bitter smile.

He'd started playing CSGO at fifteen, and with nothing but the spare time he had during three years of high school, he'd become a regular in the top ten of 5E Ladder.

In his first year of college, he'd led his team straight to victory in the Perfect CSGO National Collegiate League.

With that kind of achievement behind him, it hadn't taken long for a manager from a second-tier domestic team to approach him.

He'd never forget the message the team manager sent him on the gaming platform that day:

"Add our team leader. He'll tell you more."

Qin Feng had thought it was the beginning of his dream.

The beginning of his journey to the Major.

The beginning of China's rise in CS.

But reality had soon doused him with cold water.

In his first month after taking a leave of absence from school to join the team, TBD hadn't won a single BO3.

They'd even held a 13–2 lead at halftime on Vertigo.

And yet they'd still lost the match 20–22.

After that match, Qin Feng had blamed himself terribly.

As the team's AWPer, maybe if he'd missed one fewer shot, he could have secured TBD's first win of the league.

So he'd gone out of his way to download the match replay and review it from every player's perspective.

But once he started reviewing it, he found something suspicious.

After the first half ended 13–2 and they switched sides, his teammates had acted as if they'd lost their souls.

Throwing incendiaries at themselves, blowing up teammates with grenades, flashing their own team, all dry-peeking together...

They'd been no different from low-ranked players in a Public Match.

At the time, Qin Feng had thought his teammates were getting cocky because they were ahead.

But after reviewing the match, he realized they hadn't wanted to win at all.

Because he trusted his teammates, Qin Feng hadn't said much back then.

After all, they were already last in the league. Winning or losing didn't really matter anymore.

But the club owner's words today had poured cold water over him.

They'd shattered his faith in TBD and his teammates.

His teammates had been throwing matches behind his back for a long time.

And to make sure tomorrow's Major Qualifier loss was a sure thing, the club manager had even come clean to him.

"0–2."

"14–16."

Muttering the score that had already been decided for tomorrow, Qin Feng gave a bitter smile.

He'd thought tomorrow afternoon's Major Qualifier would be the start of TBD's journey onto the world stage.

But...

"Bang!"

Qin Feng slammed his fist down on the Cherry Keyboard glowing blue and white on the desk.

No matter what, he wouldn't cave in to match-fixing or corruption.

He knew that no matter how he played tomorrow, there was no escaping a 16–14 score in the first map.

If his teammates threw the opening rounds, could he really 1v5?

Even if the opponents were just another second-tier domestic team.

A 1v5 was still too hard.

It wouldn't just be too hard for Qin Feng. Even s1mple, Zywoo, or Niko would have almost no chance of turning things around.

Report the team to the tournament organizers?

Intentionally throw tomorrow's match?

Alone in the empty practice room, Qin Feng stared at the 5E Matchmaking Platform interface in confusion.

As someone with no influence, there was no way he could get the organizers to take him seriously.

He might even end up being made the scapegoat.

As for actually winning the match 1v9?

That was even more absurd.

Staring at the harsh fluorescent light on the ceiling, Qin Feng gave himself a wry smile.

"Looks like it's time to work on my English. Maybe I'll be playing FPL in a couple of days."

"If some second-tier team overseas wanted me, I wouldn't be against it."

"I can't keep communicating with my teammates in broken English every day."

"Can you flash Red Stairs?"

With a gloomy look on his face, Qin Feng opened his livestream on Dou Sha Platform.

He casually changed the title of the Livestream Room to: Four of Us Don't Want to Win!

Qin Feng was good-looking and pretty skilled at the game.

Even in the afternoon, when viewership was low, plenty of viewers poured into his Livestream Room as soon as he started streaming.

["I'm not gay, but I watched the streamer tonight and, honestly, I think I kind of like him. But I really am not gay, okay? I'll say it again."]

["Hey, isn't this God A? You're streaming the day before the Major Qualifier? Isn't that a bad idea?"]

["There's discord on the team. Confirmed!"]

["Does the streamer know he can't win tomorrow, so he's already given up? Hope you have the same attitude toward your life."]

The chat messages drifting across the Livestream Room eased Qin Feng's bitter mood a little.

"Just messing around."

After briefly replying to a few comments, Qin Feng started matchmaking.

But the moment he clicked the button to start matchmaking—

"Ding."

A cold voice suddenly sounded in Qin Feng's mind.

The Major Qualifier is about to begin. The Persistence and Effort 1.0 System has been activated.

You can now claim your initial mission. Would you like to claim it?

At the first sound of the voice, Qin Feng froze for a moment.

His handsome face lit up with unmistakable delight.

Did getting a system mean he could cheat?

I, Qin Feng, never cheat.

I rely on my persistence and effort.

Besides, only the system could give him a chance to turn things around in tomorrow's desperate situation.

With that thought, he paused the matchmaking queue.

"Claim the initial mission."

Qin Feng eagerly spoke to the system in his mind.

"Congratulations, Host. You have claimed the initial mission: Like Reborn."

"Like Reborn: A fresh start begins with changing your in-game nickname and platform avatar. Once you've changed them, you'll receive your first gift from the system."

"Friendly reminder: You might get a better gift if you choose a nickname or avatar with a strong 2D vibe."

"Note: Your avatar and nickname during matches will not be affected."

Looking at the mission requirements, Qin Feng took a deep breath.

2D?

That was familiar!

He'd heard that CSGO players with 2D avatars were all really good.

Now he could give it a try too.

He saw a name-change card in his gaming platform inventory.

Without hesitation, he changed his avatar to Yae Miko.

And as for the platform nickname...

I will always like Kamisato Ayaka!