The two months at the youth training camp were like a centrifuge spinning at full speed, stripping away the confidence Lu Yubai had built on winning streaks at internet cafés and praise from streamers, leaving his true abilities exposed.
He really was good at gaming. His reaction speed, hand-eye coordination, and even his flashes of inspiration in the heat of a match were far beyond those of an ordinary person.
In his old circle, he had been an undisputed god-tier player. But here, among teenagers with truly exceptional talent, "god-tier" became merely "pretty good." Everyone possessed monstrous focus, terrifying precision, and an almost ruthless desire to win.
Training consisted of grueling repetition, match reviews, and tactical drills. It was boring enough to drive anyone mad, nothing like the easy fun of playing games in his everyday life.
Lu Yubai genuinely worked hard. He had practically given it everything he had.
He always stayed the latest for extra practice, studied the match reviews carefully, and tried to engrave every piece of advice from the coaches into his mind. That was how he made it through round after round of eliminations.
Through those sweat-soaked nights, he had sometimes believed he was truly standing on the threshold of his dream.
Until the final selection round.
-The live matches were even more intense, and his opponents were suffocatingly strong.
Lu Yubai made a mistake. In a crucial team fight, one tiny hesitation in his judgment threw away their advantage for the entire match.
The moment his screen turned gray, he heard his own heart sink.
The result came as no surprise. His name was not on the list the coach announced.
The coach patted his shoulder, regretful but objective. "Lu Yubai, you have a lot of potential, and your game sense is good. But