Sometimes, the slightest difference in some things would cause people to sigh with regret.
For Mu Qiu, that was the case.
Back then …
Even if it was just a little earlier, or if the various teams and clubs had approached him a little earlier, he wouldn't have rejected them without hesitation.
Because if it was at the time when S1 had just ended, a lot of things hadn't happened.
There should have been room for redemption.
If he had received such an invitation back then, he could have directly persuaded his past bottom lane partner to leave with him. The two of them could have continued to play as the ADC and support partner in the new team, and continued to sweep the national server and even the international professional scene.
Unfortunately.
At the time when the S1 finals ended, there weren't many established teams or clubs on the national server, and they didn't immediately receive an invitation or a lucrative contract after the team disbanded.
They relied on their own efforts to support S1 for half a year … At that time, everyone in the team was almost out of ammunition and food.
In a situation where there was no other hope, it was really difficult to persevere any longer.
So at that time, his bottom lane partner chose to leave.
Mu Qiu still clearly remembered the words his partner said to him in a low and sad tone before the two of them parted.
"Qiu, I'm leaving."
"This is a big city … The cost is too high, and there's no way to make money. I can't keep going."
"My parents and grandma aren't in good health, I can't be stubborn anymore. I should go back."
At that time, he tried to persuade him to stay.
But the words were stuck in his throat, and he found that he couldn't form any persuasive words. It was as if in the face of the cruel and cold reality, all words seemed pale and powerless.
And that word … was really heart-wrenching.
"Stubborn."
That's right.
To them, or perhaps to most people at that time, choosing to spend more than half a year fighting for a so-called esports dream that had no way out and no value at all … was really just a willful choice.
And stubbornness had to come to an end.
No matter how beautiful the dream was, it would eventually wake up.
None of them could be blamed for this, because no one, not even the entire professional eSports circle, would have thought that in just a year after S1, the domestic eSports scene would suddenly usher in a wave of explosive growth.
All of a sudden...
Professional esports became the hottest topic.
Back then, pro players who could only rely on their meager savings to barely make ends meet eating instant noodles in Internet cafes, playing mock competitions, and taking the bus or subway to participate in competitions suddenly became highly sought after commodities that could easily earn high salaries.
Later on, there were even team contracts worth millions and tens of millions. A game streamer could earn an annual salary of tens of millions and open a Taobao shop to make a fortune.
Mu Qiu, who had witnessed all of this, couldn't help but feel inexplicable anger.
It was not because of envy or jealousy.
Pure …
It was a kind of grievance and unwillingness.
He felt indignant for himself and his companions from back then, as well as the few peers in the circle back then.
Because … why did such a great era of esports arrive so late? Why did it only arrive so late after all of them were forced to dejectedly choose to leave?
A little earlier.
If only it was a little earlier.
He had fantasized countless times in the middle of the night, if only the domestic eSports had risen a little earlier, if only the teams and clubs had come to him a little earlier, perhaps everything wouldn't have turned out this way.
His companion wouldn't have been forced to leave because of reality.
The heavy tragedy that followed wouldn't have happened.
Everything would have developed in a better direction after the end of the S1 season.
He and his companion … could have continued to fight side by side on the field and shine. At that time, Autumn, the so-called god of support in the esports circle, wouldn't have dominated. The title of the strongest bottom lane was destined to belong to the two of them.
But there were no ifs in reality.
Only the cruelest and coldest ending was placed in front of them. It was already destined and couldn't be changed.
Mu Qiu also knew that this matter couldn't be blamed on anyone. He couldn't force the rise of the Esports Era to suddenly come earlier and faster because of his own will. Naturally … he also couldn't blame the local teams and clubs that appeared after the rise of the Esports Era for coming too late.
It was all fate.
It could be said that his luck was bad, or that he didn't have the good fortune, it was all the same.
However, he had never truly felt at ease.
Because …
Perhaps he couldn't blame anything else.
But the captain of his team, the guy who caused everything to fall apart … could never get rid of the blame, he would always be the culprit of everything.
Mu Qiu subconsciously clenched his fists, his nails almost digging into his palms to draw blood. He didn't even notice that the cigarette in his hand burned out and almost burned his fingers. A cold light flashed in his eyes —
That guy.
No matter what, he absolutely couldn't forgive him.
Even though his partner had sincerely persuaded him several times, saying things like "Lin Feng also has his own knot in his heart" … he still wouldn't be able to get over it.
You're under a lot of pressure?
You're under a lot of pressure to make such a rash and irresponsible choice?
Why?
What right do you have to make that kind of decision so casually, even implicating your close comrades who fought side by side with you in the past to be hurt?
One must know that even in the end, even though his partner had suffered such a grievous injury, leading to an irreversible and painful outcome, he still spoke up for him.
How can you do that?
On your conscience … don't you feel the slightest bit of suffering and guilt?
Thinking of his companion, Mu Qiu unconsciously loosened his clenched fists. Thinking about how the last time he contacted his companion seemed to be a long time ago, he couldn't help but lower his head again.
It wasn't that he slowly became estranged from his companion.
It was purely because he didn't know how to face his former companion.
Especially …
It was when he saw his companion's hands with his own eyes.
It was as if from then on, even a simple sentence or a glance could cause damage to his silent and sensitive companion's self-esteem.
Then, the only thing he could do now was to leave and not disturb him anymore.
Let that old friend of the past forget everything in the past, quietly and peacefully live a new life.
Just that —
Even if he knew this, he still had worries and longing in his heart.
Mu Qiu raised his head and looked at the night sky again.
Under the same night sky.
He didn't know … what his friend was doing now.
Was he living well?
*****
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