Late at night in Manchester City, it was destined that too many people would not be able to fall asleep.
Even for the players participating in this year's World Finals, although the entire day's high-intensity training had exhausted most of their stamina, and the team meeting at night to review and analyze what was left of their energy, when they really went back to their rooms, took a shower, and laid down on their beds, all of them tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep no matter how hard they tried.
Some people were thinking about their performance in the training matches today, trying hard to recall how many mistakes they had made. After reviewing themselves, they were determined to perform better tomorrow.
Some of them, on the other hand, were thinking about God's match with SSK tomorrow morning. They were analyzing and guessing the outcome of the match between the two first seeds of the Korean and Chinese divisions. Some of them even sat up from their beds and pulled their teammates in the same room to discuss the match.
The coaches, team leaders, and analysts of the various clubs could not rest either.
Even after they finished the review meeting with their respective team members and let them go home, they still had to continue with small meetings. Their faces were tired, but they still tried to persevere and discuss the problems listed in their notebooks one by one —
Throughout the year, this was the only time the finals would be held.
It would be fine if they put in a little more effort.
As long as their team could achieve good results in this S Tournament, all their efforts would be worth it.
On the eleventh floor of the Hilton Hotel.
Number One leaned leisurely on the sofa beside the floor-to-ceiling window in the room. The phone beside him rang. He picked it up and looked at the screen, as if he had seen something interesting. He smiled, and Number Two, who was standing in front of the window with his hands behind his back, turned to look at him.
"What's wrong?"
The corner of Number One's mouth lifted slightly.
"Nothing, I just heard something interesting."
Number Two frowned. "Interesting?"
No. 1 shrugged. "Ol 'Four has been dragged to the training room downstairs by Lin Feng. That guy is really miserable. He's been busy the whole day and can't even rest. Right now, he's helping that kid watch the video and do data analysis."
Video?
Number Two reacted.
"That Han kid's video?"
Number One smiled. "Apart from that kid, who else could make Lin Feng stay up at night and drag Old Four to help?"
Regarding this statement, No. 2 nodded and showed a rare look of approval.
"You should have done this long ago."
As a senior, Number Two always had the highest standards for Lin Feng and the others. He was also the strictest one, especially since Lin Feng was the inheritor of Number Two's legacy. Without a doubt, the strictest standards he had for Lin Feng and the others couldn't be too excessive.
He was the companion of Li Daozai's master, but he didn't seem to act like a master at all. He was already quite dissatisfied with this, not to mention that after he found out about the strength of the successor of Lee Dao-jae's inheritance, his sense of crisis began to grow stronger.
"If that kid doesn't work harder, he won't even be able to see that Han brat's back."
Number Two commented coldly,
"When that time comes … As his disciple, he will lose face, and as his master, you won't be able to look too good either."
However, Number One did not seem to care about what his companion said. He shrugged and looked relaxed.
"I don't think so."
"Besides, a master is a master, and a disciple is a disciple. No matter how high that Han brat reaches in the future, it's all his own achievements. It has nothing to do with that old thing, Li Daozai."
"Back then, he didn't beat me. That's enough."
Number Two sneered, "That's what you think, but Lee Daozai might not think so. In any case, I can't bear to see that guy's arrogant face. Every time I see it, I feel disgusted."
Number One couldn't help but laugh.
"That temper of yours … You won't be able to change it for the rest of your life."
"However, we can look forward to it tomorrow. When that guy finds out the truth, his expression will probably be very interesting, right?"
Number Two casually mentioned a certain event that would happen the next day, and a hint of joy appeared on his face.
"Of course."
"If it wasn't for this, do you think I would have agreed to help you so easily?"
Number One laughed heartily.
"Is that so? It's rare for us to have the same hobby, so tomorrow … I'm looking forward to it as well. I reckon that Lee Daozai hasn't slept yet, and he's smugly thinking about his plans for tomorrow."
Speaking up to this point, Number One paused, and a hint of regret appeared on his face, "But I'm a little sorry for that guy, M. This time, I have to make him lose some face."
After all, compared to Lee Daozai, he always had a lot of admiration for the other gentle and low-key legendary opponent of the previous generation in Korea.
Number Two's expression was cold and emotionless.
"This time, it has risen to the level of the division and even the level of the country. Personal relationships are not worth mentioning."
Number One was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"That's right."
He looked out of the window, and his eyes narrowed slightly.
"Things have come to this."
"And they took the initiative to stir up trouble."
"Then … let's play with them."
…
When he walked to the balcony outside the hotel floor to get some fresh air, M was surprised to find that his old friend happened to be there.
"Still awake?"
The night breeze was cool. Li Daozai was wearing a black trench coat, and his whole person seemed to blend into the night. When he heard M's question, he turned to look at him.
"Aren't you the same?"
M smiled gently. "I'm a little older, and I'm used to going to bed early and getting up early. But I'm still not used to it here in Manchester City. Maybe it's because I haven't adjusted to the jet lag yet. I've been lying in bed for a while, but I still can't fall asleep."
Li Daozai grunted and turned to look at the night in the distance again.
M adjusted the old-fashioned black-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose.
"Thinking about tomorrow?"
Li Daozai nodded and glanced at his old friend. "I've sent you the time and place. Don't be late."
M smiled. "Don't worry, this is a rare formal occasion … I won't forget."
And as he spoke, the top legend of the previous generation of Korea seemed to be evoked in some of his thoughts. He sighed with emotion.
"It's rare for us old guys to get together … It's been a long time."
An entire generation had already passed by.
Even these legends, who used to shine like stars in the night sky of E-Sports, were now scattered all over the place. An occasion like tomorrow, where almost everyone could gather, was already extremely rare and precious.
Unfortunately —
For such a grand and rare occasion, the participants came with their respective "weapons."
It was destined not to be a warm and happy reminiscence.
There was bound to be the smell of gunpowder in the air.
"When can everyone just sit down and have a good chat." M sighed.
This was really his biggest wish now.
Li Daozai was silent for a moment, then responded coldly to his old friend.
"Yes."
"As long as …"
"When China's eSports is completely unable to make a comeback."
*****
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
