Looking at the 8–13 result screen, Su Zhe couldn't help feeling a little disappointed.
His sudden burst of brilliance had been like a flash of inspiration, gone in the blink of an eye.
Though Su Zhe had managed to pull off an ACE under immense pressure and help his team scrape out a point, Nip had given them very few chances after that.
With his teammates letting him down as well, their score had gradually been overtaken by Nip until they lost the Ladder match.
The whole thing had been like an old man playing with a child.
"You gave it everything you had." Fat Brother tried to comfort him from the side. Even just watching, he could feel the pressure of the match. If he had been the one playing, he would probably have given up long ago.
It wasn't the pressure of losing gunfights. It was the pressure of not even being given a chance to take one.
"It's fine. We really couldn't beat them." Su Zhe quickly got his mindset back on track. He had felt that same helplessness once before, during his Tianlu tryout, though the pressure back then hadn't been nearly as intense.
"Hey? Someone sent you a friend request." Xiao Guang reminded him from the side.
Su Zhe turned his attention back to the computer screen. When he opened the requests list, he saw that it was k0nfig again. K0nfig had also been the one to add him first on Perfect World Platform last time.
After accepting the request, k0nfig sent him a message: "What brings you to Faceit?"
Su Zhe thought it over, then turned off his stream before answering honestly. "I'm planning to look for a chance to play professionally."
K0nfig: ?
Come on, man. When I asked you in Shanghai if you were interested in playing professionally in Europe, you said no.
But now you show up on Faceit saying you want a chance to go pro. Do you think we're not good enough for you at Nip?
But since they'd already gotten this far, k0nfig had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask, "Are there any teams you'd like to join? Maybe I could put in a good word for you."
Su Zhe: "Not at the moment."
He was being honest. There were teams he wanted to join, like G2, Team Vitality, and Faze—top-tier powerhouses like those. But he'd also have to be wanted by them.
K0nfig: Do you have any requirements for a team?
Su Zhe: Not really. A higher salary would be nice, as long as it covers my daily expenses.
K0nfig: ?
Come on, man. You really think that little of our team? You have no requirements at all, and you still don't even consider Nip?
K0nfig felt like there was no hope, so he planned to end the conversation quickly. To his surprise, the other guy sent another message right after.
Su Zhe: "Is your team still recruiting?"
K0nfig's eyes lit up. Of course they'd recruit someone like this!
Though the four of them on Nip had won the match with ease, he couldn't help thinking more highly of Su Zhe.
The kid was stronger than when k0nfig had run into him on the Perfect World server. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had to rely on professional strategies to deal with him.
K0nfig immediately replied, "Of course we are! What, are you thinking of joining our team?"
Su Zhe: "I am, but I have one condition."
K0nfig: ?
Come on, man. You just said you had no requirements for a team, and now you suddenly have one? What's with the double standard?
He patiently asked, "What condition?"
Su Zhe: "If I pass the tryout and get into the youth team, I want to be promoted to the main team within six months."
K0nfig: ...
He'd expected some difficult demand, but this was a pretty bold ask, wasn't it?
He glanced at his teammates gathered behind him. They exchanged looks, then couldn't help laughing.
They'd come here this time intending to recruit someone for their main team.
CSGO had always been a game that demanded a lot of experience, but with the changes in CS2, most of the old strategies no longer worked.
That didn't matter much to ordinary players, but professional players were all about the details.
That was why Faze had managed to win three S-rank tournament titles in a row after the changes to CS2.
It wasn't just that their players were in better form. They'd also adapted to the new version more quickly.
The launch of CS2 was not only the best time for new players to get into the game, but also the best time for teams to recruit.
K0nfig replied at once, "As long as your tryout results meet our expectations, I can personally guarantee that condition."
Su Zhe had no idea what the Nip players were thinking. Once he got a definite answer, he finally unclenched his fist.
He didn't know how the tryout would go, but at least he had a chance.
"Holy crap! You're really going pro!?" Xiao Guang shouted after translating their conversation.
He'd always known Su Zhe wanted to play professionally, but it still felt unreal.
How could someone improve so quickly? Right before his eyes, his roommate and duo partner was suddenly about to become a professional player.
Su Zhe was excited, but he didn't let it go to his head. "It's not certain yet. I still need to pass the tryout."
Fat Brother encouraged him, "Anyway, good luck! I believe you can do it. If you give it your best, passing Nip's tryout shouldn't be a problem."
"I just didn't expect Nip to have fallen so far in just a few years. Still, it's a huge stage for you."
Su Zhe understood what Fat Brother meant. He'd spent some time learning about the various teams lately.
When it came to the history of professional CSGO teams, Nip was the first team that came to mind.
They were the first team in CSGO to build a dynasty. The record of 87 consecutive wins that the team's legendary captain had led them to remained unbroken to this day.
They had even won a Major, the game's highest honor.
But as CSGO developed, they gradually began to decline. By now, even second-tier teams could step on them without a second thought.
But no matter how far a powerhouse team fell, it was still a powerhouse. They still qualified for all the major tournaments, which was why Fat Brother said the stage was so big.
Su Zhe then arranged a tryout with k0nfig for two weeks later. Since he would be going to Sweden, he still needed to sort out a visa and a bunch of other things.
After they finished talking, Su Zhe held back his excitement and reopened the stream.
[What did you talk about? Did he come all this way to mock you because you crushed him back home last time?]
[Judging by Xiao Zhe's expression, it doesn't look like it. Did he praise your play?]
[Say something! Cryptic streamers are the worst!]
Su Zhe smiled as he read the comments in his stream. He had no plans to reveal that he'd been invited to Nip's tryout just yet. Nothing was certain.
There was no telling whether he'd pass the tryout. He'd wait until everything was settled before saying anything...
When k0nfig closed the chat window, he let out a long breath too.
REZ said thoughtfully, "Was it really okay for us to make that decision on our own? We haven't even talked to management."
"Besides, no Chinese player has ever joined a European CSGO team. Would management really agree?"
His concerns weren't unfounded. CNCS had been notorious for its poor results in recent years.
If a Chinese player really joined the team, it would make European CSGO history—like having a foreigner join China's table tennis team.
Es3tag thought it over and said, "There's no reason to reject him. You've all seen his skill, and we've already become an international team. Communication shouldn't be a problem either."
"Besides, our biggest shareholder is Chinese. Management will most likely agree."
Nip had originally been a Swedish team through and through. At the beginning of 2023, it had been acquired and merged with a Chinese company.
REZ nodded when he heard that. As long as the player's skill was good enough and basic communication wasn't an issue, management really didn't have much reason to refuse.
K0nfig sighed. "If he passes the tryout, we can focus on building the lineup instead. The Major isn't far off."
The others felt the same way. How could anyone settle down and train properly with a lineup that was one player short?
Before you continue