Chapter 82. Nan Zhiyi's smile froze on her lips...
The day before the finals began, Nan Zhiyi finally learned the results of the report from the official technical staff: the current problem in the map was due to a special "Easter egg" mechanism in the new version, rather than a game bug, and triggering it during the match was not considered a violation.
This is just an official statement, and the truth is more likely that "the finals are about to begin, and we can't patch the map right away. We also can't ban any of the five maps, otherwise all our efforts to launch new maps this year will be wasted. So you guys figure it out yourselves."
The neutral creature damage in the [Inside Out] map is unparalleled among all maps. The issue this time involves poisonous plants that spawn during map transitions. According to Lemon's feedback, OTG seems to have discovered this bug early on and had personnel test the map, thus finding the optimal time to trigger it, allowing the poisonous creatures to appear at their will, creating considerable trouble for their opponents.
With less than two days left until the finals, and the bug discovered relatively late with a lack of corresponding test data, the HYG training team will have to spend almost all their remaining time testing to be prepared for any tricks OTG might use in the finals.
HYG reacted quickly, bringing back all the hard-working players they could find. The youth training players who had already gone on vacation also returned to test according to their own wishes, all hoping to contribute to the championship trophy that was within reach.
Ultimately, however, the focus of the testing still rests with the analysts.
From the moment the problem was discovered at 10 a.m., Nan Zhiyi immediately began working without paying attention to anything else.
During this time, I received several WeChat messages from Song Baiyu, who subtly inquired about my busy schedule. In the end, I didn't get a reply, so I honestly suppressed my gossipy feelings.
He was initially a little uneasy about the escalation of the live-streaming incident, but now he couldn't spare a single thought to pay attention to the outside world's opinions.
HYG's players naturally continued with their regular training and maintained their form, without participating in any additional testing tasks.
But when Nan Zhiyi pushed open the training room door at two in the morning, she found that half of the lights were still on, and Lemon was sitting alone in the corner, concentrating on operating the character on the screen, so focused that she didn't even notice that there was someone behind her.
Nan Zhiyi patted his shoulder, startling him: "Aren't you going to rest?"
Lemon shook and took off half of the earphone.
“I want to see the damage again,” he said honestly, turning around.
Everyone else had gone to bed early. Nan Zhiyi looked around, then turned his gaze back to the screen in front of him.
Lemon is the youngest among all the team members, while the rest have a long list of honors. Rock and Milk have won the highest championships early on and are highly regarded. However, all this noise and glory have nothing to do with him. Instead, it has put a heavy burden on him.
And now, he is closest to the trophy of his dreams.
Nan Zhiyi sighed inwardly.
“Go and rest,” he said to Lemon. “How much do you have left to test? I’ll do it for you.”
Lemon opened her mouth: "But..."
“There are no buts.” Nan Zhiyi made the final decision. “You have a game tomorrow. What if it affects your performance? I’ll just go on the field and give you some pointers. You can sleep in the locker room afterwards. Go rest now, immediately.”
Lemon was jerked from her seat and walked out, glancing back every few steps, watching him sit down in his place and resume his role.
Finally, he stopped at the doorway, and after a long pause, whispered, "Thank you."
The training room door closed behind me.
Looking at the various custom settings on the screen, Nan Zhiyi thought to himself, "Isn't this the closest I've ever been to that trophy?"
Back when we were still in the youth training base, every young athlete dreamed of standing on this stage and holding their own trophy.
Whether for his own sake or for the sake of his teammates who have sacrificed so much to reach the finish line, he has no reason to stop at this moment.
Three hours later, the clock in the room pointed to the number "5".
Nan Zhiyi looked away from the game screen and then at the document that was already full of notes. Finally, she leaned back in her chair and let out a long sigh.
it's over.
But when he habitually interlocked his fingers and tried to move them around, he suddenly felt a dense, persistent soreness in his wrist that he couldn't ignore.
Nan Zhiyi's movements suddenly stopped.
-
"Do you know how scared I was when my phone rang at five in the morning, and I saw it was you on the caller ID?"
Old Xu stood by the bed, hands on his hips, his face showing a pained expression of wanting to get angry but being unable to.
In the hotel room, Nan Zhiyi sat obediently on the bed, bowing her head like a well-behaved quail, while her eyes darted around on the floor.
Next to him was an open medical kit, and his hands were wrapped in bandages for applying medicine, with an additional layer of gloves for securing the wound.
After the translator finished speaking with the private doctor, he came over a moment later and said, "He said the symptoms aren't very serious right now, but because it's a recurrence, the future progression is uncertain. He suggested that you rest well for the next month and avoid using this hand."
"I'll definitely get a good rest as soon as the competition is over," Nan Zhiyi immediately promised. "Brother, I'll rest for as long as you give me a break."
Old Xu's brows were furrowed so deeply they looked like a knot: "You're going to wait until the game is over?"
“The testing is all done…time waits for no one.” Nan Zhiyi forced a smile. “Anyway, there won’t be any more problems during today’s match.”
He was still thinking about the competition. Old Xu slapped himself in the face.
"Can't you just... never mind, I don't think I can handle you!" he said, taking out his phone to check. "But Xiao You already knows, and he's coming downstairs right now. You can talk to him yourself."
Nan Zhiyi's smile froze on her lips.
When You Xin entered the room, the air pressure seemed to drop a degree.
He seemed to have some kind of built-in clearing function; as soon as he arrived, everyone else in the room would automatically back out. When Lao Xu left, he even turned back and gave him a "let's see what you do" look before slamming the door shut without any hesitation.
The room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Nan Zhiyi had just been able to argue with Lao Xu, but now he was incredibly guilty. He didn't dare look at the other man's expression, just coughed, and then quickly said, "It's nothing serious, just a minor recurrence. The doctor said I just need some rest. Anyway, I don't need to go on the operating table..."
You Xin's movements interrupted him.
He knelt down beside Nan Zhiyi's bed and stared at her bandaged hand.
After a moment, he asked, "Does it hurt?"
“Uh,” Nan Zhiyi hesitated for a moment when he asked, “It doesn’t hurt.”
You Xin raised her eyes, her face expressionless: "You lied to me."
"Hmm... Hahahaha." Nan Zhiyi rubbed his nose with his free hand and honestly confessed, "A little bit."
Noticing the other person's expression, he quickly added, "It's really only a little bit."
He was telling the truth. Based on his own physical sensations and the doctor's assessment, the recurrence of his old wrist injury wasn't serious, but Lao Xu made a big fuss as soon as he received the call, and it's unclear how he relayed that to You Xin.
You Xin remained in a half-squatting position, silent.
The match was this afternoon, and Nan Zhiyi's top priority was naturally to keep his opponent in a stable state. He glanced around furtively to make sure no one would suddenly break in, then patted You Xin with his good hand, gesturing for him to sit down next to him. He then carefully leaned in and kissed him on the lips.
You Xin remained unresponsive, simply staring at him without moving.
"...?"
Nan Zhiyi couldn't help but wonder if her "bribery" methods were a bit outdated.
But the next moment, the other party took the initiative and kissed her back.
You Xin bit his lips several times in a bad mood, then covered the teeth marks with her lips and tongue.
When the two separated again, Nan Zhiyi was almost out of breath, feeling even more tired than when she had practiced at the training ground until 5 a.m. that morning.
Just as he was about to speak, You Xin turned to the side and buried her head in his body.
"You can't do that again," You Xin said sullenly.
Nan Zhiyi chuckled: "No, I promise."
"Not for anyone."
"...?" Nan Zhiyi blinked. "Can't I also be doing it for my own trophy?"
You Xin insisted, "You're not. You did it all for me."
"I know."
“I know…you want me to win this championship,” he said. “I will. I definitely will.”
Nan Zhiyi remained quiet for a while.
"I know," he said with a smile after a moment.
-
By the afternoon, anyone with eyes could see that You Xin was in a very bad mood.
He remained almost completely silent on the way from the hotel to the venue, only responding when Nan Zhiyi struck up a conversation with him, except for a few exchanges of competition information.
To accommodate the schedules of global viewers, especially those in China, the finals are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m., while the domestic live stream will start at 7:30 p.m.
Before the official competition began, as usual, there were a lot of fancy performances. Apart from a few fans of the artists, almost no one in the live chat cared about the specific content of the performances.
【HYG3 to 0 HYG3 to 0 HYG3 to 0】
OTG is aiming for a double championship!
Is Yux's performance today considered the strongest main carry in history?
So they're really dating? And they're gay?
Once this topic was brought up, the comments section exploded.
There's still no clarification to this day. What do you think?
[HYG's PR statements clearly indicate that they are admitting it.]
Whether they've actually talked or not is unknown, but it seems to make no difference whatsoever.
Yux carried Angel's bag again today.
[That's because Angel Yi injured his hand, okay? Can you please stop spreading rumors? You've blown up a simple positioning trick like this. Can you please respect a player who's about to play in the finals?]
[? I was momentarily confused. Isn't Angel Yi the coach? How come he injured his hand?]
[It looks pretty serious; their team manager walked right next to him like a bodyguard, preventing fans from touching him.]
After dragging on for half an hour, the pre-match performance finally came to an end.
As both players took to the stage, the viewership in the live stream jumped another number.
Yu Xin was the second to last to appear, walking behind Milk. His expression was in stark contrast to his teammates, who were all smiles, relaxed, and busy greeting the audience.
Yux is under a lot of pressure today; she's been wearing a sour face the whole time.
[Someone spotted HYG leaving a hotel today, and this was her expression at that moment.]
[That can't be right, can it? I didn't see him this nervous last year either. Isn't he always known for his strong mentality and excellent mental fortitude?]
This doesn't seem like nervousness at all.
In the screen covered by bullet comments, the host is announcing that the two players should shake hands.
Across from You Xin was Hust, the grinning OTG main carry. You Xin glanced at him and extended his hand expressionlessly.
When their hands clasped together, Hust visibly grimaced, then gave a surprised look, glanced at his teammates, shrugged, and looked somewhat innocent.
【？？？？】
Was this a handshake done too forcefully? A new tactic?
[Hust: Not a buddy]
What did OTG do to him? His expression looks like he's about to have a real one-on-one fight with the opponent.
I've been watching his matches for three years now, this really isn't just nervousness... If you ask me, OTG has better not mess with him today :)
-----------------------
Author's Note: Updates have become extremely fragmented... I've been so stuck on this lately, writing and deleting, rewriting and deleting again [crying emoji]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com