On Douyin, in Citong's livestream.
Comments packed the chat, blotting out the sky and covering the earth.
"You're Citong? Then who am I? (Photo of Citong at 200 jin)"
"Honestly, Citong, if you'd looked like this back then, the first marksman FMVP skin would definitely have been yours!"
"Damn, have we stumbled into a nest of fitness transformations these past few days? First Yun Shu transformed into a sweet, cool mature beauty, and now you, Citong, have turned into a male model!"
Gemini-Grandpa Ge-was visiting Citong's livestream. He studied the Farm Lane King beside him, once one of the QG Five Tigers, in amazement. "Holy crap, Tongzi, you really did transform into a heartthrob?"
"You went from 200 jin down to 120?"
Compared with Grandpa Ge, Cat-Maoshen-was the most shocked of all. He stared fixedly at Citong beside him and even lifted his shirt. Those full, defined six-pack abs practically blinded his titanium-alloy cat eyes!
"You even got yourself a damn six-pack."
Maoshen looked as if this hurt worse than killing him. "Seriously, Citong, how the hell did you lose the weight?"
Holding his phone, Citong smiled playfully. "Eat more, move less. Keep it up for six months and you can be as skinny as me."
"Yeah, and I'm supposed to believe that?"
Black lines filled Maoshen's face. Even if Citong wouldn't tell the truth, he knew that losing 80 jin had to mean pumping iron like crazy at the gym.
"What suddenly made you want to lose weight?" Grandpa Ge asked, puzzled.
"Well." Citong opened the King of Glory Peak Tournament screen and said evasively, "That's a secret for now."
"I know even if you won't say it." Maoshen nudged Citong and half-teasingly asked, "Was it to pursue Tianyun?"
Fans in the livestream frantically spammed Tianyun's name.
Tianyun was a gold-medal commentator for the KPL League, a fair-skinned, beautiful succubus with long legs. She was the dream goddess of who knew how many KPL pros.
Citong's old face reddened. He neither admitted nor denied it.
"Tongzi likes Tianyun?" Grandpa Ge was completely baffled.
"The whole internet knows Citong likes Tianyun," Maoshen said with a click of his tongue. "Oh, great coach Ge, you're the only one who didn't know."
Grandpa Ge said in disbelief, "I really never saw any signs. Is there any actual proof?"
Maoshen smiled. "Do you know why Citong turned down our AG Super Play's invitation after retiring and joined the amateur team Tiger Roars in the Mountain Forest?"
A puzzled look appeared on Grandpa Ge's face.
"Because Tianyun is a member of Tiger Roars in the Mountain Forest." Maoshen raised his eyebrows. "He bowed his head for a beauty. Get it now?"
Grandpa Ge was even more confused.
"Isn't Tianyun a member of Imperial Crown?"
"Oh, come on." Maoshen pressed a hand to his forehead, black lines covering his face. "Great coach Ge, and you call yourself a major King of Glory streamer on Douyu? I think all that unofficial commentary for the KPL League has made you stupid. That was ages ago. Tianyun left Imperial Crown a long time ago."
Grandpa Ge coughed twice to cover his embarrassment.
Ever since stepping down as QG's head coach in 2019 and leaving the KPL front line behind-the team was now the Wolves-he had devoted himself to unofficial commentary. He knew everything about the pro scene, but not much about things outside it.
"I called you two over to build hype for my return to streaming, not to gossip about my love life," Citong said, rolling his eyes. "Pay attention while I carry the whole match in the Peak Tournament, and behave yourselves as background props."
"Got it." Maoshen hooked an arm around Citong's neck and made faces. "With the silver-tongued great coach Ge here, we'll shower your high-octane moments with praise when you carry the whole match."
Citong beamed with satisfaction.
The Peak Tournament matchmaking succeeded. They had only just entered the ban-and-pick screen when the chat suddenly began scrolling at a frantic pace!
"Tongshen, the enemy's first pick is Exalted Emperor!"
"Exalted Emperor?"
Citong was stunned.
"Citong, your luck really is something else." Maoshen widened his eyes, quite surprised. "You even managed to run into the demon ball that turned the King of Glory streaming scene upside down."
"Great coach Ge, do you know Exalted Emperor?"
"I just don't pay much attention to things outside the pro scene. I'm not a caveman," Grandpa Ge sighed helplessly. "I do know a thing or two about Exalted Emperor."
Maoshen said with utmost seriousness, "Give us your blunt assessment of Exalted Emperor's skills."
"You're not thinking of bringing Exalted Emperor into your Chengdu AG Super Play Club, are you?" Grandpa Ge asked, shooting him a sidelong glance.
"Of course I am." Maoshen grinned. "An eighteen-year-old who reached the top at a hundred stars with an all-win, all-MVP record-that alone shows how talented he is. With a little polishing, he could definitely become a powerhouse who carries the team!"
"If you can actually bring Exalted Emperor into AG," Grandpa Ge said, his gaze sharp, "then AG will definitely have found a treasure."
Maoshen's breath caught. Grandpa Ge had an exceptionally sharp eye for talent. During his time at QG, he had recognized the gems Fly and Citong and brought them to light. Before long, the first Clash of Kings was held.
Fly and Citong defeated a host of formidable opponents and prodigies to claim King Titles. The following year, they began the QG dynasty that dominated the KPL League!
Maoshen hurriedly pressed him. "Grandpa Ge, what do you mean by that?"
"Exalted Emperor's talent is beyond your imagination," Grandpa Ge said gravely. "In fact, even I can't see the full extent of his gaming talent right now."
Maoshen's heart trembled violently.
"You mean Exalted Emperor is the same kind of player as the Grinding Overlord?"
Grandpa Ge nodded.
As one of the Seven Great Overlords and one of the two special Overlords, the Grinding Overlord was far more famous than King-Titled Players, nearly rivaling Champion Emperor players!
Anyone who had played King of Glory for a few years knew the Grinding Overlord.
He was famous because he had somehow been stuck in the Diamond tier for ten whole years! After ten thousand matches, his highest rank was still only Diamond!
Of course, what had truly made him famous beyond the game was his wildly fluctuating skill-or rather, his gaming talent.
Matched against a national-server player, he could go fifty-fifty.
Matched against an Overlord, he could go fifty-fifty.
Even when he ran into a King-Titled Player, he could still go fifty-fifty!
That was why no one could judge the Grinding Overlord's gaming talent. Call him untalented, and he could go fifty-fifty against Overlords and King-Titled Players. Call him talented, and after ten years of playing, his highest rank was Eternal Diamond.
I have to do everything I can to bring Exalted Emperor into AG. Maoshen's heart bloomed with joy. Even Grandpa Ge couldn't see the limits of Exalted Emperor's talent, which meant there was still room to develop it.
Perhaps he could grow into a King-Titled Player someday!
Citong looked at the excited Maoshen and hesitated to speak. Earlier, Pei Qian, the manager of AG's recruitment department, had contacted him and offered him a handsome payment, hoping he could snipe Exalted Emperor in the Peak Tournament.
Although he didn't know exactly what had happened within AG, there was no doubt that Exalted Emperor was now AG's enemy!
I'll tell Maoshen about it after the stream, Citong thought.
He returned his attention to the game.
"Huh? I remember Exalted Emperor was aiming for Gan & Mo's top national badge, right?" Looking at the ban results, Citong said in surprise, "Why the hell did he put Gan & Mo on the ban list himself?"
He looked up at the livestream chat and finally understood. One of Exalted Emperor's teammates had banned Gan & Mo by mistake.
"Now that he's lost his main, Gan & Mo, which mage will Exalted Emperor pick?"
Citong wasn't the only one curious.
Maoshen and Grandpa Ge were also very curious.
When the enemy mid-lane hero was revealed,
Citong and Grandpa Ge both froze.
Then they turned in unison to look at the astonished Maoshen.
"Diaochan?"