FOG [e-sports]

Chapter 8

Half the private room grew quiet in an instant.

The people who were farther away didn’t actually hear the conversation at their table, but it was as if the heavy atmosphere spread in an instant. Everyone noticed something was up and they all looked over, one after the other.

For a while, the private room was as quiet as a library.

No one was clear on the details of Yu Sui and Shi Luo’s relationship. Their matters — their debts of gratitude and grievances — were just those which could be seen on the surface. Their actual thoughts were never made public.

To say that these two got along about as well as fire and water would be understating their relationship.

If Shi Luo were to take out a watermelon knife this instant to have it out with Yu Sui, no one would be too surprised.

From the moment they learned that Yu Sui had returned to China, everyone had the vague feeling that this would happen sooner or later.

One by one, the people who were singing, drinking, and playing dice stopped and looked surreptitiously at them with bated breaths, their nerves somewhat keyed up.

Shi Luo was already half drunk. The redness on his neck had spread all the way into the low neckline of his T-shirt, enhancing the wicked air about him. Shi Luo raised his hand and rubbed his neck. He reached out with his long leg to bring over a low stool. With legs bent, he sat in front of Yu Sui, facing across from him with the table between them.

“You’ve already been back for so long.” Shi Luo stared at Yu Sui intently. He slowly pulled open the tab on his can of beer while saying, “I haven’t been able to properly greet Yu Shen.”

Without waiting for Yu Sui to speak, Chen Huo interrupted with a smile. “Well, aren’t we all greeting each other now? Hey, your game last week was absolutely ruthless! I replayed the game from your perspective, it was clear that you were going for Wawa, I’m telling you … ”

Shi Luo refused to be distracted and treated Chen Huo as if he wasn’t even there. He looked at Yu Sui and asked, “Is Yu Shen forming a new club?”

Yu Sui looked at Shi Luo. He was surprised but then dismissed it.

Shi Luo really was too smart.

Gu Gan vigilantly watched the already intoxicated Shi Luo. He asked quietly, “Shi Luo, I think you’ve had a bit too much to drink. Maybe I should call your team assistant for you? Or I could take you back. You can talk about this some other day…”

Gu Gan had once looked after Shi Luo. Although Shi Luo had become even more reclusive in the past two years, he has always respected Gu Gan. This time though, Shi Luo couldn’t attend to him. Shi Luo turned a deaf ear to what he was saying. He only had Yu Sui in his eyes. “Yu Shen, you’re build a new club. I’m right, aren’t I? ”

Yu Sui knew that he could no longer avoid the matter, and after a moment, said, “Yes.”

Shi Luo nodded and said to himself, “Look, I guessed correctly again.”

Shi Luo took a sip of his beer and asked, “Then, are you still missing a striker?”

Everyone was stupefied.

The players sitting some distance away looked at each other helplessly.

What does Shi Luo mean by this? Could it be that he wanted to join the Yu Sui’s team? Haven’t you two decided long ago to grow old and die without having any dealings with each other?

Just how much has he had to drink to compel him to take the initiative to ask Yu Sui if they still needed strikers? If these two winded up in the same team, wouldn’t a single inappropriate remark be enough to get someone stabbed?

Wouldn’t that team simply be an abyss of extreme misery?

Gu Gan and Chen Huo looked at each other. They didn’t understand what Shi Luo meant by this. Just a while ago, wasn’t this little wolf cub just raring to bite Yu Sui to death?

Compared to the shock of the crowd, Yu Sui was still quite calm. After a moment of silence, he said, “We are still lacking strikers.”

Shi Luo stared straight into Yu Sui’s eyes. “As I am now, am I now qualified to be your teammate?”

Yu Sui had long ago accepted that he had no place to feel grief-stricken. But looking at Shi Luo, he unexpectedly found it a bit hard to breathe.

Yu Sui nodded. “You are.”

Shi Luo let out a snort of laughter, his eyes full of ridicule.

Chen Huo’s face immediately relaxed.

Shi Luo smiled for a moment and nodded: “I’m qualified&#k2026;that’s good then&#k2026;”

“Weren’t they just playing dice over there?” Shi Luo took another sip of beer and looked at Yu Sui. “Yu Shen, would you like to play a game with me?”

Chen Huo’s tone wasn’t good. He tried to forestall, saying, “Play what with you?”

It was as though Shi Luo could only see Yu Sui as he stared fixedly at the other. His long middle finger tapped against the marble tabletop. He slowly said, “On this tray, there are nine glasses of vodka used for mixing cocktails, the kind that has a proof of over 90%….and one glass of lemon tea.”

Shi Luo looked at Yu Sui and the corners of his mouth ticked up slightly. “Yu Shen, pick a cup and drink it all down. If you manage to pick the lemon tea …”

“That’s utter sh*t!” Chen Huo had come to the end of his patience. “Who’d be crazy enough to play this game with you? That’s a one in ten chance, who’d be able to pick that? And say that he does manage to pick the right one, then what? He gets a cup of lemon tea? You’re crazy…”

“If you pick it out,” Shi Luo interrupted Chen Huo, “I’ll waive the contract fee to join your new team.”

In an instant, there was absolute silence in the private room.

Shi Luo’s eyes were fierce and grim. “I won’t need to pay me a penny and I’ll work myself to the bone for you. I will play for you for an entire season. So, are you playing or not?”

Chen Huo was stunned. He was dumbfounded by this sudden gift, and he instantly forgot what scolding he’d been about to deliver. Stuttering, he said, “But if he chooses … The vodka?”

Shi Luo stared at Yu Sui who had remained silent all through out. He could hardly conceal the hatred in his eyes. He slowly said from between gritted teeth, “You have to drink the entire glass of whatever you choose.”

“Drink the entire glass?!” Chen Huo exploded in anger. “Are you insane? This big a glass has at least 400 milliliters in it! Normal people drinking something like that would result in some serious consequences and you’re making him drink that?! Others might have no idea but don’t you know about his condition?! ”

“His life is valuable, and my contract fee for an entire season is worthless?” Shi Luo said calmly, “High risk, high return. That’s just fair.”

Gu Gan gave Shi Luo a warning look. “Evil.”

Shi Luo turned a deaf ear. He felt around for a cigarette and put it between his lips. He bowed his head and lit it. “Yu Shen, it’s a one in ten chance. Are you playing?”

Shi Luo took a puff of his cigarette. His tone was no longer so patient. “If you’re not going to play, I’ll have the server take it away.”

Chen Huo was agitated. “He won’t play! Take it away!”

Shi Luo was about to get up…

Yu Sui said, “I’ll play.”

Shi Luo’s fingers trembled slightly, almost letting the ashes burn his hand.

“Are you thinking straight?!” After a moment of being stupefied, Chen Huo was completely infuriated. He said sternly, “You f*cking looking to die? What about your stomach? Don’t you know what could happen to you? You want to end up in the ER again?”

Yu Sui’s face was serene, and he said again, “I’ll play.”

Shi Luo blew out some smoke and cursed silently.

Shi Luo threw his half smoked cigarette into his empty beer can. “Let me state it clearly …”

Shi Luo looked up at Yu Sui, “These are the rules of the game. No matter which glass you choose, you have to drink the entire glass.”

Yu Sui nodded. “I understand.”

“Yu Sui.” Gu Gan never could have foreseen things turning out like this. Had he known Shi Luo would act like this, Gu Gan would have never invited him without permission. He frowned. “Don’t joke. Everyone has had a bit too much to drink. Stop with the jokes, I think it’s time we wrapped this up. ”

“I owe you a lot.” Yu Sui took a bottle of milk someone had placed by the side of the table. He unscrewed the bottle and took a few gulps. “It’s no use trying to talk me out of this. I’m playing.”

“What do you mean you’re playing?! What good is drinking some milk now? That’s vodka! Those could be used as explosives!” Chen Huo wanted to throttle the both of them. He glared fiercely at Yu Sui. He stepped in close, lowered his voice and said through clenched teeth. “You … if you really want him, we can just get him from IAC! How much is it? We’ll buy it! How much money could be worth more than your life?”

Yu Sui slowly shook his head. “We can’t buy it.”

Shi Luo heard it perfectly clear. He laughed mockingly. “Now you want to buy? Sorry, once I walk out that door, there’s no way I would join your team, ever.”

Chen Huo was so angry, he was about to explode. “You whelp!”

Sitting to the side, Wawa couldn’t sit still anymore. He timidly urged, “Shi Ge… Don’t take this too far. Even if there was some kind of argument or misunderstanding in the past, there’s no need for this to end up with someone in the hospital, right? Isn’t this a bit excessive…”

Shi Luo ignored Wawa.

Yu Sui looked down and picked up his phone to send a message to his personal doctor in China. He then set his phone aside and surveyed the ten large transparent drinks on the table.

Shi Luo had probably instructed the server earlier. Each cup was covered with a layer of fresh mint leaves used for cocktails. It completely covered any bubbles that might possibly float to the top of the drink and it also interfered with the color of the drink. It seemed that they were afraid he’d try to guess via the alcoholic smell and so they had also flooded the entire tray with vodka. The alcoholic smell assailed their nostrils and there was no way to differentiate.

Yu Sui looked at it silently for a minute, and gave up relying on his experience to choose.

The ten glasses were so well grouped together that even the bartender wouldn’t be able to tell.

Chen Huo’s face was flushed with anger. He said through gritted teeth, “Are you crazy? The probability is so small it would be impossible to pick it out! Haven’t you understood yet? This little wolf cub is out for revenge! He wants to send you to the hospital without getting his hands dirty!”

Shi Luo opened himself another can of beer and didn’t refute.

Yu Sui looked up at Shi Luo. He saw how he was extremely adept at smoking and drinking, and was suddenly lost in thought.

It’s only been two years.

Across the wide table and nine glasses of deadly drinks, for a moment, the two looked at each other face to face.

It’s only been two years.

“Before, I left in a bit of a hurry, and I forgot to tell you something.”

Yu Sui looked at Shi Luo. “It was my fault. I went back on my word.”

Shi Luo’s eyes instantly reddened.

Shi Luo had difficulty swallowing and he said in a hoarse voice, “Drink.”

Yu Sui nodded. He didn’t bother choosing and simply picked up a large glass of drink. He quickly tipped his head back and took a drink before Chen Huo and the others could stop him. His entire person froze.

“What is it? Spit it out! If it’s not lemon tea, spit it out!” Chen Huo was about to climb the walls in worry. “What’s with that face? The car’s downstairs. Get up! I’ll take you to the hospital …”

Yu Sui slowly took another mouthful. “…It’s lemon tea.”

Everyone in the private room collectively breathed a sigh of relief. They then all broke out in a cold sweat over how close they’d come to disaster.

Chen Huo still couldn’t believe it. He snatched it up, smelled it, and muttered, “The f*ck … what’s with that Ou Huang like luck of yours?.”

Yu Wei slowly drank the entire glass of lemon tea. Shi Luo took a deep breath, set aside his beer can, and gracefully accepted his loss. “I will contact you later about the transfer. You should have your lawyers draw up the contract.”

Everyone in the box started to whisper amongst themselves, marveling for Yu Sui. This was no longer just plain good luck. He didn’t have to spend a penny, and he managed to sign on the no. 1 striker on the national server!

Gu Gan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Afraid that something else might happen, he got up and said, “Okay, you can just discuss the details privately. It’s getting late, let’s leave matters here for now.”

After watching such drama, everyone was no longer in any mood to sing. One by one, everyone nodded and started to make their way out. Only Shi Luo was still sitting at the table silently, watching the remaining nine glasses of vodka quietly on the table.

“Let’s go!” Chen Huo’s back was drenched in sweat. He had just recovered from a fright and urged Yu Sui. “Go, go. We can discuss about this arrangement.”

Yu Sui’s movements were sluggish. He followed the flow of people down the elevator, and then waited at the entrance lobby of the club.

Chen Huo’s heart was still pounding, he rubbed his chest, saying, “Scared me to death … you too! He’s already gone crazy but do you have to join him too? Normally, you treasure your life so much! What was that just now? If you really wind up in the hospital, this time it won’t be as simple as just staying there for a month! ”

No one knew what Yu Sui was thinking. He didn’t say a word.

“Do you think it’s a good thing that he’s coming over? Just now he’d been trying to make you drink to your death.” The more Chen Huo thought about it, the more apprehensive he felt. “Before, he already wasn’t such a good kid, but he’s become even more troublesome. Now, he’s out for your life. Just look! This is the cub you brought back to raise back then! ”

There was suddenly a flash of light in Yu Sui’s eyes, and he turned and went back in.

Chen Huo was suddenly worried. “Oh my God, what is it now?!”

Chen Huo was about to follow Yu Sui, but Gu Gan, who had gone to the underground garage, came back and asked him for the car keys. Chen Huo couldn’t attend to both things at once. While he hurriedly rummaged in his bag for the misplaced car keys to give to Gu Gan, Yu Sui had already given him the slip and entered the elevator.

The elevator rose to the top floor, and with a ‘ting’ the doors opened and Yu Sui stepped out and headed for the private room.

In the deserted private room, Shi Luo was still there just as they’ve left him.

Shi Luo glanced up and frowned with obvious dissatisfaction. “You’ve won. Why haven’t you left? Did you come back to laugh at me?”

Yu Sui stared at the nine drinks remaining on the table, his fingertips trembling slightly.

Shi Luo then realized something and said sharply, “It’s over, get out of here!!!”

Yu Sui turned a deaf ear and without giving Shi Luo a chance to block him, went forward and drank one of untouched glasses.

Yu Sui’s eyes changed instantly.

His eyes trembled, and he turned to look at Shi Luo incredulously.

Shi Luo’s eyes were completely red as though he wanted to kill someone. He stepped forward and grabbed Yu’s wrist, his voice was hoarse, and he gritted out word per word, “I, said…….. Leave.”

Yu Sui’s lips trembled slightly, and he slowly but firmly pushed away Shi Luo’s hand. He took another glass of untouched “vodka” and took a sip.

Yu Sui’s entire person was rooted in place.

After a while, Yu Sui picked up another glass once again, took a sip and put it down; took another glass, took a sip, and put it down again.

Shi Luo had his jaw clenched tightly.

Like this, Yu Sui, with hands trembling, took glass after glass, until he had drank from each of the remaining nine glasses.

Ten cups of drinks, each and every one of which was lemon tea.