TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 9

Dylan stood face-to-face with a target dummy in the Sabertooth team’s training camp.

He wore the latest championship custom outfit. The tight-fit design incorporated elements of a special ops look; the deep blue and black print was luxurious and fierce—a symbol of honor. Once the Sabertooth team members put it on, none of them wanted to take it off.

But Dylan’s expression was dark, clashing with the outfit’s prestige.

The target dummy in front of him was riddled with bullet holes. He was attempting to recreate the incredible close-range triple snipe he’d performed in the finals.

The hunter’s skill was called “Focus Shot,” a primary output skill. The targeting line traced the bullet’s trajectory, and the farther the target, the faster the line formed. Shooting from a distance increased the number of shots within the same timeframe but also made hitting difficult since distant targets could easily leave the field of view, forcing hunters to frequently change vantage points.

The difficulty of mastering this profession was rated three to five stars due to the challenge of balancing shooting range and aiming precision, often leaving players unsatisfied with their performance.

High-level hunters were known for impressive output in team play but had a critical weakness—lack of burst damage. This lack meant they needed assistance for both sustained damage and finishing blows, making it difficult for hunters to carry in extreme situations.

Only one person in all of King’s Tomb had managed to overcome this weakness: Zero.

Dylan gritted his back teeth slightly.

Zero had developed an extreme style called “Close Quarters Sniping.” When a hunter’s distance from the target was negligible, the concept of trajectory deviation disappeared, and Focus Shot achieved flawless accuracy.

But unlike knights, axe warriors, or elves, hunters were fragile with weak survival abilities. Close-range attacks meant exposing oneself to risk, and a single misstep could lead to death. Therefore, close-quarters sniping required not only skill but also unparalleled composure.

Dylan had tried for days and found he couldn’t do it.

He couldn’t stay calm enough to maintain full alignment with the target. But as soon as he backed off even a little, the targeting line failed to form, and the bullets missed their mark.

Forget three bullets through a single hole—he couldn’t even manage two!

So… those three legendary shots in the finals, the ones that had won him such acclaim, had been pure luck!

Dylan had been brooding over this for a while. Then, in the dead of night, he saw the one name he least wanted to see pop up in the world chat.

Polaris_Zero.

This name had been gray for two years, and now it was back, like an ancient demon suddenly awakening, worshiped by countless believers, poised to reshape this world.

And yet, Dylan had just barely claimed dominion over it!

He couldn’t accept this, so he wildly emptied his magazine into the target, turning it into a sieve, then logged off in frustration.

The chamber door lifted slowly. Dylan emerged from his pod, wiped the sweat and oil from his pimpled forehead, and headed for his room.

Halfway there, he was intercepted by his manager, Cai Lun.

“Big news,” Cai Lun said. “Zero is making a comeback.”

“Not ‘making a comeback’—he’s already back. By tomorrow, every esports forum will explode. Your recruitment attempt? Totally useless.” Dylan replied irritably.

Meanwhile, on the King’s Tomb Continent.

Xia Tong, pouting, let out a heartfelt question to Lin Mingfei, who was silent as if he’d just died. This blunder was perfectly timed, almost comically so. Shi Ya was laughing so hard he was about to collapse; he could already imagine the look on that “dog” Zero’s face.

In reality, Xia Tong deeply misunderstood Lin Mingfei.

When Polaris was at its peak, Lin Mingfei was wildly popular. His fans could line up hand-in-hand around the country three times. There was a reason for that: his incredibly handsome face, suitable for a magazine cover, even if he didn’t put himself out there often. He perfected the cool, silent “tsundere” persona.

Though the esports scene changed fast, handsome men always had an audience. Shi Ya knew this well.

But… Xia Tong’s innocence was beyond his expectations.

Shi Ya’s gaze at Xia Tong grew subtly intrigued.

Not long after, the very man “accused of polygamy,” Lin Mingfei, arrived, his temple twitching. “What kind of nonsense is this?” He frowned, turned Xia Tong to face him, and lowered his voice slightly. “They’re not my wives! Not a single one! Understand? Calling me ‘husband’ is just fan culture. I can’t control what they say.”

Xia Tong, half-understanding, murmured, “Fan culture?”

Lin Mingfei shot an icy glare at the nearly doubled-over elf, Shi Ya. “Stop laughing and explain it to him properly!”

“Alright, alright,” Shi Ya, relishing the show, said, “Xia Tong, don’t underestimate our fallen idol Z. He was once famous, and fans would call him all sorts of affectionate names, using all kinds of titles—husband, brother, even daddy. You get used to it.”

“Shut up,” Lin Mingfei said coldly.

Xia Tong, somewhat understanding, let out an “Ah,” his long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings. “So… I made a fool of myself again.” Embarrassed by his intense reaction, his cheeks flushed, and he pouted slightly. “You guys… keep chatting. I’m going to do some quests and level up. See you!” And with that, he hastily left, covering his little hat in embarrassment.

Shi Ya laughed so hard he doubled over. “This little guy is adorable. I almost want to strip him down and whip him with a little stick.”

“I think you need a cage,” Lin Mingfei replied, stone-faced.

They bantered easily, with a long-standing rapport. Back in the team, they were the closest, so even things unsaid were understood between them.

Lin Mingfei folded his arms and exhaled. “Why haven’t you found a new team?”

“Once you’ve been with the best team, no other will satisfy,” Shi Ya said lazily. “Two months until the league starts. Are you thinking of recruiting rookies or…?”

“No,” Lin Mingfei replied. “You veterans are the real treasures.”

“Then you’d better be prepared to be turned down,” Shi Ya laughed. “I don’t know about the others, but that kid Zhou Yanjun… he bristles at even hearing your name.”

“Really? It’s been two years. He hasn’t matured at all?” Lin Mingfei gasped.

“Not completely immature.” Shi Ya glanced at the time. “He logs in late every night. Should be around now.”

“I turned off friend requests,” Lin Mingfei said. “Send me his ID, and I’ll add him.”

Shi Ya forwarded “KUQ_FIRE,” saying, “KUQ made it only to the semifinals this year. I watched the games, and the others couldn’t keep up with Fire’s aggressive play.”

“Yeah, I watched the replays too,” Lin Mingfei said. “With us, Fire was leading the charge; with them, it’s like Fire’s on a leash, dragging those four along.”

Shi Ya grinned. “Think you have a shot at bringing him back? Added him yet?”

“Yes,” Lin Mingfei said quietly.

“Then why’s he so quiet?” Shi Ya asked, puzzled.

Lin Mingfei looked at his friend list, not quite sure how to explain.

System: [You have become friends with KUQ_FIRE!]

KUQ_FIRE: [Is this actually you?]

Polaris_Zero: [Yeah.]

KUQ_FIRE: [LIN! MING! FEI! I *** you actually *** dared to come back!! Two years!! Why didn’t you *** just disappear?!!]

KUQ_FIRE: **[I **** even thought you were dead! We even set up a **** gravestone for you! You’re a *, you know that?!!!]

Lin Mingfei took a deep breath, staring at Shi Ya in disbelief. “He’s gone from averaging a string of asterisks in each sentence to having half his sentences covered in them. Is this the ‘progress’ you were talking about?”

Shi Ya shrugged. “It’s progress, technically…”

Lin Mingfei was speechless.

Polaris_Zero: Would you consider coming back to Polaris? KUQ’s too cozy an environment and will stunt your growth.

KUQ_FIRE: You left and kicked me out, now you’re back and calling me back like I’m your dog?!

Polaris_Zero: Come back and I’ll help you win the championship.

Polaris_Zero: Or do you enjoy being a pig on a leash in KUQ?

KUQ_FIRE: *LIN MINGFEI!! I *** YOU ***!

KUQ_FIRE: I’d rather die here, title-less and forgotten, than return to Polaris for one match with you!

KUQ_FIRE: SCRAM!!

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