Someone Wants to Duel Me

The hospital's observation period was so short it was almost like an interlude.

After confirming that Luo Li was physically fine, only somewhat mentally exhausted, the guild approved his discharge from the hospital to recuperate at home.

A detailed battle report was scheduled for a few days later, as the guild clearly needed time to process the shocking news that "a B-rank ability user single-handedly killed an A-rank vampire."

Returning to her familiar rented apartment, Luo Li felt as if she had been transported to another world.

Outside the window, the sky was still a dark red, but inside the room was filled with the unique, cool fragrance of Castorice, and a sense of security called "home".

"Home is still the most comfortable place."

Luo Li slumped onto the sofa and sighed contentedly.

Castorice poured him a glass of water, sat down beside him, picked up her tablet, and habitually opened Luo Li's live streaming platform backend, wanting to see if there was any important news while he was away.

However, as soon as she entered the streamer's personal center, the explosive number of red dots in the private messages and comment section made her pause.

"What's wrong?" Luo Li noticed her unusual behavior and leaned closer to look.

His inbox was flooded with all sorts of comments: some were from fans expressing concern and well wishes, some were from passersby speculating about his "disappearance" for several days, but most of them were extremely glaring doubts and ridicule.

[Where's Li Dog? Did he brag too much last time and now he's too scared to show his face?]

[Hilarious! The top laner in the peak? I think it's the one with terminal illness Yuan Ge. Can you play anything else without Yuan Ge?]

[Exactly! If you're so capable, try getting to number one with another hero! What kind of skill is it to only play the Puppeteer?]

[I bet all those top rankings for his other heroes were done by smurfs, right? Just bluffing!]

[If you're chickening out, just say so. Don't play dead!]

These comments, like sewage, stood out conspicuously amidst normal discussions.

Luo Li frowned.

Was he being manipulated by someone during his disappearance these past few days?

He says he only knows how to play Yuan Ge?

This was the most outrageous joke he had ever heard.

Yes, he has the highest Yuan Ge combat power, plays the most skillfully, and has the best live stream effect.

But that doesn't mean his other heroes are weak!

Ma Chao, Charlotte, Lü Bu, Li Xin, Yang Jian... he's worked hard on each of them, played them in the national server, and carried high-level matches in the peak tournament. It's just that Yuan Ge has a higher pick rate during live streams for better performance and consistency.

Unexpectedly, this became an excuse for his haters to attack him.

"These people..."

Castorice looked at the offensive comments, a hint of displeasure flashing in her purple eyes. She didn't like seeing anyone slander Luo Li.

Luo Li quickly calmed down, and even a carefree smile appeared on her lips.

He'd seen plenty of trolls online.

He used to be too lazy to bother with them, simply ignoring them or giving them a piece of his mind.

But this time, looking at the comments questioning his champion pool and his skill level, and then looking at his shining title of "Top Laner of the Peak," he suddenly felt... a little annoyed.

This "first place" is earned through his skill, primarily using Yuan Ge, but his other heroes also hold their own in crucial moments, earning him victory game after game. Now, being called a "one-trick pony" or a "hero-challenged player"—where does that leave his pride?

Doesn't Luo Li have any pride?

And, Castorice was watching from the side!

"Tsk, looks like it's been too long since it was cleaned up. Now even the most insignificant cats and dogs dare to jump out and bark."

Luo Li flexed his wrists, and the familiar sharpness of a top player in the peak competition rekindled in his eyes.

He picked up the tablet, logged into his live streaming account, ignored the barrage of private messages, and opened the long-unused live streaming app.

"You're going to do a live stream?" Castorice, somewhat surprised.

"Um..."

Luo Li answered without looking up as she adjusted the equipment.

"Since I'm just killing time anyway, I might as well stretch my fingers and, while I'm at it... teach some people how to talk."

His tone was calm, but Castorice could hear the confidence and a hint of... excitement that he was about to cause trouble.

The moment the live stream started, fans who had been waiting for a long time and haters who had come after hearing the news flooded into the live stream room, and the barrage of comments was like a waterfall.

[Holy crap! The Li Dog is alive!]

[Missing person returns!]

[Li Dog Li Dog! What have you been up to these past few days? I've missed you so much!]

[Heh, finally dared to show your face? I thought you chickened out!]

[Enough with the nonsense! If you're so capable, don't play Yuan Ge! Pick another hero and let's see!]

[Exactly! Pick Ma Chao! Charlotte! If you can't, you're a smurf!]

Luo Li glanced at the rapidly scrolling comments, a signature, slightly roguish smile spreading across his face. He spoke into the microphone, "Family, haven't seen me in days, missed me? As for those asking where I've been... of course, I've been contributing to the survival and development of humanity. Details are confidential, those who know, know."

He casually made up a sentence, then abruptly changed the subject, getting straight to the point. "Also, I think I saw someone say that I only know how to play Yuan Ge? That I can't play games without Yuan Ge?"

He scoffed, his tone laced with undisguised mockery:

"No way? What era are we living in? People still judge a streamer's skill based on their hero pool? Am I, Luo Li, too old to fight anymore, or are you haters just getting arrogant?"

The comments section immediately split into two camps: fans fervently supported the statement, while haters spammed even more enthusiastically.

[Stubborn to the end! Prove it if you dare!]

[Using other heroes to climb the ranks! All talk and no action!]

[Seriously! The top-ranked top laner? You could still be number one with a different hero?]

Luo Li looked at the comments and laughed instead of getting angry; this was exactly the effect he wanted.

He cleared his throat and, in an extremely arrogant yet irrefutable tone, announced to the camera:

"Alright, since you guys are so eager to see... then I'll play along."

"From today onwards, I will ban my main hero, Yuan Ge, from this account in the peak matches."

He paused, watching the barrage of comments explode in an instant, a smug smile curving his lips, and added:

"And I can tell you with absolute certainty—"

"I can still reach the top spot without Yuan Ge."

"If I can't do that... I'll do a handstand while washing my hair on live stream, and I'll also kowtow to all of you haters here, how about that?"

These words caused an uproar in the live stream!

[Crazy! Li Dog is still the same Li Dog!]

[Holy crap! Banning his signature hero to try and get first place?! Is he really going for this?!]

[Haha! The haters are dumbfounded now!]

[Waiting for Li Dog to do a handstand while washing his hair!]

Go Li Dog! Smash their faces!

Fans were ecstatic, while haters were stunned by this sudden gamble, and the comments section became noticeably quieter for a moment.

Luo Li was very satisfied with the result.

This kind of attention and pressure is exactly what he needs.

This is not only to refute the critics, but also to prove and challenge his own abilities.

Castorice, who had been sitting quietly to the side, watched Luo Li's spirited and confident demeanor in front of the camera, and a gentle smile flashed in her purple eyes.

Luo Li is both dazzling and reliable.

She gently picked up a bottle of mineral water next to her, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to him.

Luo Li took the drink, smiled at Castorice, then looked back at the screen, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"Enough with the chit-chat, the betting has started! If you believe I, Luo Li, can hold my own at the top without Yuan Ge, type ' God Li is awesome' in the chat! If you think I can't do it, hurry up and get your screen recording software ready, and get ready to collect this precious video of me washing my hair upside down!"

"For our first match today, let's start with something special... um, Ma Chao! I'll show you what a 'lightning-fast girl' and a 'rice-planting king' really are!"

He skillfully entered the game, and during the ban/pick phase, he unhesitatingly banned Yuan Ge, then immediately locked in Ma Chao.

The atmosphere in the live stream room was completely ignited.

Luo Li, too, was completely in the zone.

His fingers flew across the screen and keyboard, his eyes focused, and he kept commentating. "Watch my gun's position... Hey, he dares to come up? One shot! Two shots! Turn around, pick up the gun, and stab again! Pull and pull! See that? That detail, that pulling! Can he even touch me? No way!"

"Reinforcements have arrived? No problem! Unleash the ultimate move, Myriad Spears Return to the Source! Activate Sprint, and I feel like I've reached the pinnacle of life! Stab them all to death! Not a single one will escape!"

His Ma Chao remains at an extremely high level; his entry timing, maneuvering, and finishing ability are all top-notch.

Some viewers who were initially skeptical had to shut up after seeing his fluid and menacing Ma Chao.

After a resounding victory, Luo Li looked at the "victory" icon popping up on the screen and the rising peak score, raising an eyebrow smugly. "How about it? Is this Ma Chao qualified to be number one?"

The live chat was instantly flooded with comments like "God Li is awesome" and various gift effects.

In the following games, Luo Li showcased Charlotte's Swift Light Triangle Sword, Lü Bu's Demon God Descends, Li Xin's light and dark form switching, and even pulled out his signature Yang Jian, carrying the team in every game and steadily increasing his score.

The haters' voices grew softer, while the fans' cheers grew louder.

Just as Luo Li was preparing to start the next game and considering whether to play Arthur for fun, a friend request from within the game, accompanied by a server-wide announcement, caught everyone's attention.

[Server-wide announcement][ID: Peerless Sword Princess]: Luo Li? The top-ranked top laner? The one who doesn't use Yuan Ge? Dare to solo her? Right now! The loser, in front of the entire live stream audience, has to admit the other is your daddy! Dare to accept?

The loudspeaker was broadcast three times in a row, making it extremely eye-catching.

The live stream chat exploded again!

Holy crap! Someone actually challenged me to a one-on-one fight?!

[The Peerless Sword Princess? That ID looks familiar... Doesn't she seem to be a top-tier sidelane streamer on another platform?]

[It's him! The top-ranked player in the Chinese server for Hua Mulan, Ma Chao, and Guan Yu! His skill level is incredibly high!]

[This guy's got bad intentions! Li Dog just said he didn't need Yuan Ge, and now he's here to challenge us?]

[Catch it! Li Dog, catch it! Let him see what you're made of!]

Luo Li stared at the provocative loudspeaker for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Oh? There really are some fearless people coming to offer help?"

He stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

I just finished a few games and I'm in high spirits, so I'm looking for a worthy opponent to test my skills.

This "Peerless Sword Princess" is quite famous and widely recognized for her strength; she's a good whetstone for honing one's skills.

"Castorice..." Luo Li turned to look at Castorice beside her, blinked, and said, "Someone wants to challenge me to a duel, and they even bet on whether I'll call them 'Daddy.' What do you think, should I accept?"

Looking at his eager, mischievous expression, Castorice sighed softly, her tone tinged with indulgence. "Whatever you want."

"Okay!"

Luo Li perked up immediately after receiving "approval".

He clicked on the friend request, accepted [Peerless Sword Princess]'s friend request, and then immediately created a 1v1 Mohist Mechaneer Path room and invited her in.

"Family members! The betting has started! The ultimate showdown for the best side laner! A father-son match! Place your bets now!"

Luo Li shouted loudly into the microphone, instantly bringing the atmosphere in the live stream to a climax.

He looked at the familiar ID in the game room, a battle-ready smile spreading across his face.

"The Peerless Sword Princess, is that it?"

"Ready..."

Did you call him "Dad"?