Fans of the major clubs were arguing nonstop in various livestreams, trading blows and rubbing salt in one another's wounds.
Meanwhile, the news that Data Monster, who had supposedly "quit gaming," had suddenly appeared at the Official Commentator Cup event spread across the entire Esports Circle at lightning speed after Xu Cheng showed up.
The Passerby Kings, who had spent days searching for their "big brother" without success, were thrilled. The major esports media outlets were like sharks catching the scent of blood, sharpening their knives and churning out articles like crazy.
Amid the uproar, the Official Commentator Cup finally began.
But—
The grand opening of the Commentator Cup, which should have drawn attention from the entire internet, had already lost most of its spotlight to someone else.
The participants in the Commentator Cup were all listless and preoccupied.
After getting distracted yet again and being solo-killed, Factory Director finally couldn't take it anymore.
First, he privately messaged his teammates.
A few seconds later.
"Let's surrender. It's about time, and we don't have an advantage anyway."
Ah Shui pretended to be bored. "Kai, I've voted. What about you?"
Factory Director gave him a mysterious smile. "?"
"I started the surrender vote!"
"...!"
Then Ah Shui and the others cooperatively surrendered.
The match ended, leaving both the viewers watching from outside and the officials completely dumbfounded. Factory Director was already on his feet in a flash. He didn't even have time to say goodbye, leaving only a message behind: [Big brother, wait for me!]
Then he threw on his clothes and headed straight for the address Xu Cheng had sent him—
That was right. He couldn't wait any longer!
Once Xu Cheng's identity had been exposed, the major clubs had already sprung into action. Naturally, EDG was no exception.
But he couldn't trust them to handle things properly!
He was afraid they'd mess up and let another club snatch Xu Cheng first.
It wasn't impossible.
Because at this moment, nearly every club in the LPL had its eyes on Xu Cheng!
Among them were several prestigious powerhouses, and IG was famous for being willing to spend big. He was genuinely afraid something might go wrong again!
Even if surrendering this time might offend the officials, he didn't dare hesitate any longer.
Factory Director had left. Xu Cheng, still bewildered, had finished the first "match" of his life, and he felt it had ended a little too soon.
"Um... the event's over, so I'll head out too?"
After leaving the room, Xu Cheng spoke with the young women.
"Cheng Cheng, Cheng Cheng, you still haven't told us what's going on! How did you suddenly become Data Monster...?"
Rita's boundless curiosity had been impossible to hold back.
But as soon as she started talking, Yu Shuang facepalmed in exasperation. "Use your head, you silly woman."
Then she turned to Xu Cheng. "You should go take care of things. I'm guessing you'll be pretty busy from here on out..."
Xu Cheng knew what she meant. He shrugged helplessly. "It's fine. I just have to choose a club."
"..."
What a way to put it: "I just have to choose a club."
It made it sound as if he could just go wherever he wanted.
Of course, Yu Shuang knew that for someone like Xu Cheng, no club in the LPL would be stupid enough to turn him down.
Still—
"We don't know much about clubs, so we can't give you much advice... But it's always good to be cautious. You'd be better off finding an established club, like EDG... RNG is pretty good too... And you should probably find a lawyer."
"IG would work too." Xiao Yu put aside their past differences and sincerely offered Xu Cheng her advice.
Xu Cheng suddenly shivered, then laughed awkwardly. "Uh, right... I know. RNG really is pretty good... It's just that lawyers are too expensive... Well, I'll log off first, then?"
"Hey, wait! Cheng Cheng, when are you going to play with us again?"
Rita hurriedly asked, "You've been taking such a long break this time, and now I have nobody to play games with. Those Silvers keep bullying me. It's so annoying..."
"Girl, did all your meat go straight to your chest?"
Even Tuozijie couldn't take it anymore. "Just let him log off first. You can talk about whatever you need later. Cheng Cheng's probably going to be crazy busy..."
"Oh... Oh, right. Okay, you can log off first."
Rita nodded, seeming a bit clueless, but she understood perfectly well that for a long time after this... and perhaps forever if he really went pro, Xu Cheng probably wouldn't be able to hang out with them as freely as before.
But even though she knew that, she still had to ask. It wasn't just what she wanted to know; it was also what Yu Shuang, Xiao Yu, and the others were too embarrassed to ask.
After learning that Xu Cheng was the Data Monster who had "shaken the world," everything... had changed from the way it used to be.
Just today, how much attention and how many gifts had they gotten thanks to Xu Cheng?
"Ah, I wonder if this is a good thing or a bad thing for him..."
"Once he logs off, he'll be a pro player from now on."
"Let's just wish him... a bright future and success in all his endeavors!"
Xu Cheng had no idea how complicated a woman's thoughts could be, especially when there was a whole group of women.
At that moment, after he logged off, his phone rang nonstop like it had gone haywire.
It wasn't until he'd spoken briefly with several well-known LPL clubs that things finally quieted down for a little while.
Sitting in his chair, he glanced at the empty living room outside his bedroom. For once, Xu Cheng's expression was dim and uncertain—
During this time, besides preparing for the competition, he'd also looked for a chance to come clean to his parents, telling them some of his thoughts and what he was considering for the future.
The conversation had gone smoothly, at least—
Xu Cheng's parents, who had always encouraged him to make his own choices, hadn't voiced any objections.
But that very lack of objection was what made him feel the most dejected.
Because sometimes, saying nothing was itself a form of refusal, resistance, and disapproval.
Clearly, no matter how open-minded Xu Cheng's parents were, long-held conventional views still made it hard for them to accept that their child, an excellent student, would suddenly go off to play video games.
And then make a living from playing them.
That was what troubled Xu Cheng. If his parents kept taking this attitude, then even if he really went pro, he probably wouldn't be happy.
Besides, there was the school's position, as well as the question of his education if he went pro. That was another knot he couldn't untie.
If he didn't resolve that, Xu Cheng himself would feel he was letting his parents down.
"I shouldn't dwell on it. Now that I've made my decision, I should try to work hard. Otherwise... I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
Xu Cheng shook his head, casting those thoughts aside.
Then he sighed. "I hope... these clubs can convince them..."
There were advantages to having open-minded parents.
No matter how opposed they were deep down, once they saw how determined their child was, they would still cautiously take a step forward, breaking away from their entrenched conventional views and comfort zone.
This time, almost all of the country's top clubs had come.
They didn't actually need to win Xu Cheng over. As long as they could convince his parents, Xu Cheng would be theirs.
Achoo!
Just after getting off the plane, Factory Director was speeding over in a car when he suddenly sneezed.
"Who's thinking about me? Could it be Big brother... Ahem! Could it be that Little Xu is thinking about me?!"
"Right... Right, Little Xu, Little Xu. Not Big brother, Little Xu..."
Factory Director silently repeated the name "Little Xu" to himself a few times. A strange, mysterious smile gradually appeared on his face.
Heh.
Big brother?
We're about to meet in person, and you still think you can make me call you big brother again?
I hereby declare that from this moment on, the tables have turned!
Little Xu! Know your place!
Now standing before you is—
LPL001, the LPL's former poster boy, a legendary star player of the LPL, the head of the Country's Electricity, the one who'd even been courted by the officials, former MSI champion, and FMVP jungler—
Ke Li Er La Wu, Sai Wen!!
Sai Wen! Sai Wen! Sai Wen!!
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Thanks to the four big shots, [A Good Person Reads Without Commenting], [Su Mobai], [Liuxing], and [Shiyin Zhikong], for their donations!
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