In the post-match lounge, the roar of the crowd was almost deafening. The team members surrounded Su Nian, chattering away, their faces beaming with the excitement of surviving a close call and a newfound respect for her.
"Sister Nian! Your team fight initiation was amazing!"
"How do you know there are no eyes there? That's outrageous!"
"From now on, you're like my own sister! Your commands are so clear!"
Surrounded by her teammates, Su Nian wore a polite smile, responding to their enthusiasm. But only she knew that a wave of exhaustion was washing over her, her fingertips trembling almost imperceptibly. That last, extreme maneuver had not only drained half of her body's energy but also seemed to have triggered some deeper…limitation? Her Ice Soul Power was firmly suppressed by the rules of this world; forcibly mobilizing even the smallest auxiliary nerve responses and calculations had backfired considerably.
She excused herself to go to the restroom, escaping the crowd. Only when she stepped into the quiet corridor and leaned against the cold wall did she allow herself to breathe slightly, a fine layer of cold sweat beading on her forehead.
Just then—
[Buzz... Host's soul fluctuations are stabilizing... Environmental rule resolution increased to 5%...]
[Burst... Attempting to reconnect to the main database... Failed... Permissions restricted...]
[Warning: Unknown high-dimensional observational fluctuations detected... Host advised to keep a low profile... *sizzle*]
A faint, intermittent electronic voice, as if from a faulty signal, suddenly rang out from the depths of her mind!
System 088?!
It's still there? Although its condition is extremely poor and it can hardly provide any substantial help, it seems to have regained a very faint trace of activity as her soul stabilizes and she begins to adapt to the rules of this world!
Su Nian's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately tried to communicate in her mind: "088? Can you hear me? Where are we now? What's happening in the Main God Space?"
[Data missing... World identifier: T-734... Low magic... Technological side... Rule suppression... Extremely strong...]
[Main God...movement...unknown...'Scavenger' Protocol...activation record...confirmed as highest priority...recommendation...hide...]
[Energy...insufficient...About to enter...hibernation...Host...be careful...]
The sound grew fainter and fainter until it disappeared completely. No matter how Su Nian called out, there was no response. It was as if that brief awakening had merely drained the last bit of power from a battery.
Information is limited, but crucial! They did indeed escape the direct pursuit of the Supreme God, landing in a low-magic, technologically advanced world designated T-734, and the Supreme God still considers them the highest threat. "Hide" is the only advice the system offers.
Just as Su Nian was processing the information from this brief system interaction, a deep voice sounded behind her.
"uncomfortable?"
Su Nian snapped back to reality, only to find Xie Chen standing behind her. He had changed out of his team uniform and was wearing a simple black t-shirt. He was tall and straight, and the dim light of the corridor cast a faint shadow on his sharply defined face. His gaze fell on her still somewhat pale face and slightly trembling fingers, his eyes filled with inquiry, and a hint of... concern that even he himself didn't realize.
"It's nothing, I'm just a little tired." Su Nian quickly composed herself, straightened up, and didn't want him to notice anything unusual.
Xie Chen didn't look away. He took a step forward, closing the distance. The faint scent of his shower gel, typical of e-sports boys, mixed with a hint of post-match excitement, invaded Su Nian's senses.
"The match just now," he began, his voice low but carrying an undeniable seriousness, "your command and execution were unlike your usual style."
Su Nian's heart skipped a beat, but she remained calm on the surface: "When people are pushed to the brink, they always unleash some potential. Besides, I don't want to hold you back."
"Holding everyone back?" Xie Chen repeated, a faint, ambiguous smile playing on his lips. "Are you sure it's not... a 'cheat code'?"
He spoke the last two words very softly, yet they exploded in Su Nian's ears like a thunderclap! He noticed? He noticed her extraordinary awareness and subtle actions?
Just as Su Nian's brain was racing, trying to figure out how to respond, Xie Chen suddenly reached out his hand.
His hands were well-defined, with long, strong fingers—typical of an esports player, except for the thin calluses on his fingertips from years of typing. He did nothing more than gently touch her still slightly trembling right index finger with his fingertip.
A cool touch came through, carrying the unique, dry temperature of his fingertips.
Su Nian's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
“Your hands are shaking like this,” his fingertips slowly traced her knuckles upwards, stopping at her wrist, as if feeling her disordered pulse, “Is this the ‘price’ for your outburst?”
His actions weren't exactly ambiguous; they were more like a calm scrutiny and confirmation. But that undeniable closeness, and the focused attention transmitted through his fingertips that seemed to penetrate the skin and reach the soul, made Su Nian's heart beat uncontrollably faster. The sense of alienation from "God Lin" belonging to this world was fading, and something deeper, belonging to the essence of "Xie Chen," with a touch of obsessive inquiry, was slowly awakening.
“This price is worth it.” Su Nian did not back down. Instead, she raised her eyes and looked directly into his eyes, which were so close to hers. “As long as we can win.”
Her eyes were clear and firm, without the slightest hint of guilt, only a calmness that came from experiencing true life and death.
Xie Chen stared into her eyes, as if trying to find even the slightest hint of pretense. The corridor was silent, save for the faint sounds of distant noise and the subtle, tense tension that flowed silently between the two of them.
After a long while, he slowly withdrew his hand and put it back in his pocket. The oppressive pressure subsided slightly.
“The club has arranged a post-match interview and fan meeting,” he said, shifting his gaze and returning to his usual indifferent tone, but Su Nian keenly noticed a faint blush creeping up his ears. “You… get ready.”
After speaking, he turned around and walked towards the lounge first. His back was still upright and aloof, but it seemed to have lost some of the previous coldness and distance.
Su Nian watched his retreating figure, gently clenching her wrist where he had just touched her; a lingering warmth seemed to remain there. She took a deep breath, suppressing the strange emotions surging within her.
The atmosphere at the fan meeting was more enthusiastic than I could have imagined.
Originally, most of the fans who came for Xie Chen had a subtle change in their attitude towards Su Nian after the stunning comeback in the fourth game. Although a few people were still holding signs with malicious words, most were curious, observing, and some even started cheering for her.
When it was Su Nian and Xie Chen's turn to go on stage together, the screams almost lifted the entire venue.
The host, clearly wanting to create buzz, focused on them: "We all know that Lin and Su Nian went through some... controversies before. Isn't today's victory, especially Su Nian's amazing performance, the most powerful response to external criticism?"
The question was posed to Su Nian.
Su Nian took the microphone and calmly scanned the audience. She saw expectations, doubts, and also a few reporters hiding in the corner of the crowd with unfriendly expressions, who seemed to be the ones pushing the "dirt" on the original owner.
She did not choose the official, evasive answer.
"The innocent will be proven innocent," she said, her voice carrying clearly through the microphone throughout the arena. "Time will tell. And I will let my performance on the field speak for itself. Gods has always had only one goal—"
She paused, turned her head, and looked at Xie Chen beside her, who had been silent but whose gaze had always been fixed on her. A confident and dazzling smile appeared on her lips.
"That is to stand on the highest podium with him."
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent for a moment, then erupted into even more enthusiastic cheers and applause! This speech, delivered with neither arrogance nor servility, yet brimming with strong confidence and a clear goal, instantly won over countless fans!
Xie Chen stood beside her, watching her stand under the spotlight, composed and radiant. Hearing her say "together with him," and seeing the familiar yet unfamiliar smile on her lips, he felt a slight jolt in a corner of his heart.
Under the watchful eyes of countless cameras and fans, he inexplicably reached out and gently grasped her hand, which was hanging by her side and still slightly cool.
Su Nian was slightly taken aback and turned to look at him.
Xie Chen didn't look at her. His gaze was fixed straight ahead, his face expressionless. He simply held her hand and tightened his grip, as if confirming something, or perhaps it was just a silent declaration.
[Snap! Snap!]
The stage lights went off like crazy! This moment was instantly captured by countless cameras!
"Lin and Su Nian hold hands!", "Breaking the ice? Refuting breakup rumors!"... Headlines like these instantly became trending topics on social media!
The fan meeting ended in a subtle yet enthusiastic atmosphere.
Back at the temporary accommodations arranged by the team's base, Su Nian finally relaxed, feeling waves of exhaustion wash over her. Lying on the unfamiliar bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind replayed the day's events—the reversal of the match, the system's whispers, Xie Chen's probing gaze, and… that sudden hand-holding.
She could sense that Xie Chen was being influenced by the identity and memories of "Lin" in this world, but his original consciousness, that star-like core, was gradually awakening. His attitude towards her had also changed from initial coldness and aloofness to something complex and…possessive. That hand-holding, rather than being tender, felt more like a subconscious marking of possession.
Just then, my phone started vibrating incessantly. It was my manager calling.
"Su Nian! Have you seen the news?! You and Lin are trending at number one on Weibo for holding hands! That's great! This reversal of public opinion is so timely! The club has decided to strike while the iron is hot, and your duo queue streams and commercial activities with Lin will be increased! You two must maintain this image of 'overcoming difficulties together and fighting side by side'! Understand?"
As Su Nian listened to the excited voice on the other end of the phone, her eyes gradually turned cold.
Exploitation? Hype?
She didn't care. As long as she could achieve her goal, gain a foothold with the help of public opinion, help Xie Chong return to his peak more quickly, and secretly search for anomalies in this world and possible clues related to the main god, she didn't mind playing along with them in this charade.
But... what about Xie Chen? Is he willing?
She hung up the phone, walked to the window, and looked down at the city's dazzling neon lights. In this seemingly ordinary modern world, the rules were so oppressive, System 088 was in hibernation, and the threat of the Supreme God hung over her like the Sword of Damocles.
She and Xie Chen, one with a reshaped soul and the other with a newly awakened origin, were forced to be bound together, starting from the small stage of e-sports, struggling to survive anew.
The road ahead remains shrouded in mist.
She gently stroked her right wrist, where the warmth of his fingertips seemed to still linger.
"Xie Chen..." she murmured to herself, "Where will we go this time?"
As night deepened, the city lights flickered in her eyes, like the first piece placed on an unknown chessboard of fate.
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