TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 35

“I thought about it before going in. I don’t have to deal a lot of damage, but I have to survive longer! So I picked a life-saving skill, the Southern Gate Technique. I don’t think many people pick it!”

“Of course, the basic cooldown is five minutes, you probably won’t even be able to use it a second time if you’re already dead.”

“But it makes a dying person invincible for one second and restores health right away. I thought it was pretty useful, so I picked it.”

“No wonder you didn’t die after falling from the tree. We all thought you were dead, but then we noticed your name wasn’t gray. But how did you figure out where King Kong was?”

“His aiming line is still really clear, right? I just followed the aiming line! He thought I was dead, and since you two are melee, you couldn’t have found him, so you didn’t change your position.”

It was lunchtime. Xia Tong, Zhou Yanjun, and Bo Yu logged off to go eat. During the meal, they couldn’t stop talking about the battle they’d just had. No one else could get a word in about that guy.

He Youjin, Lin Mingfei, and Shi Ya suddenly felt the food had lost its flavor, as if the three of them were just lazy. Shi Ya smiled sarcastically and tapped his knuckles on the table. “So, you three went to the arena behind my back, huh? Now you’re all capable of fighting using the kitchen knife team! You don’t need fatherly love anymore.”

Bo Yu and Zhou Yanjun both felt the Elf’s anger and shrank back, becoming like quails and not saying a word. Only Xia Tong, biting his chopsticks, leaned toward Shi Ya, looked up with a silly smile, and said, “We only played two games Timer, just two games, and we lost one!”

“Why are you fooling around with them?” Shi Ya’s expression softened as he patted Xia Tong’s head. “When you start playing PVP, you have to follow the rules. You can’t just rush in like this. And you’re playing against a kitchen knife team? Of course, you lost.”

“But we won one game!” Xia Tong stretched his neck to argue. “We even beat KUQ’s big gorilla, right, Fatty!”

“Yeah, yeah! It felt so good, even better than emptying my bowels!” Zhou Yanjun was so happy he clapped the table, “It felt so good that I can eat two more bowls of rice today!”

“Come on, as if you’ve ever skipped a meal,” Shi Ya said speechlessly.

“But honestly, today’s lunch was delicious!” Zhou Yanjun finished his meal, licking his greasy lips and said with emotion, “This Mao Xue Wang and beef noodles are amazing! Which delivery service did you get this from?”

“Didn’t you notice we hired a new aunt at our base?” He Youjin gestured to the kitchen, where a woman in an apron was tidying up. Hearing him, she poked her head out and smiled gently.

“Hello everyone, my name is Song, and today is my first day here,” she said shyly, rubbing her hands.

“Hello, Aunt Song~~~~~” Xia Tong immediately grinned, his eyes disappearing in his smile, stretching his tone as he greeted loudly.

“Hey! Hello, hello.” No one could escape Xia Tong’s adorable charm. Aunt Song immediately displayed a loving, motherly smile: “Did you like today’s food? Is the flavor alright?”

“Mm, mm, mm! I really like it!” Xia Tong nodded rapidly like a little chick pecking for food.

Aunt Song said, “If you have anything you like to eat, just tell me, Auntie will make it for you! If I don’t know how, I’ll learn it online!”

Zhou Yan Jun immediately stood up, hands pressed to his pants seams, bowing 90 degrees: “It’s delicious! Better than any takeout I’ve ever had! Auntie, thank you! Auntie, I love you!”

The two of them, one sweet-talking and the other sweet in words, made Aunt Song’s heart bloom, and she poured them each a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.

Shi Ya lightly scoffed, “Aunt Song is talking to Xia Tong, and you’re over here joining in?”

Zhou Yan Jun, thick-skinned as ever, replied, “Anything Xia Tong likes, I can eat!”

“Alas, the pig from Alaska really is the pig from Alaska.” Lin Mingfei didn’t even look up, giving a thumbs up.

Bo Yu leaned toward He Youjin and quietly asked, “Our team can already afford to hire an Auntie? Where did the money come from?”

He Youjin slowly stirred the bone soup in his bowl, saying, “Thanks to Zero. His selfless, forget-your-own-interest devotion has brought great benefits to our team.”

Bo Yu paused for two seconds, his pupils shaking in shock: “Captain, did you take out a loan from a loan shark?”

Zhou Yan Jun turned his head upon hearing this: “—Or did you sell yourself???”

Lin Mingfei nearly choked on his coffee: “Cough, cough, cough…”

He Youjin laughed loudly, “Ha, ha, ha! Yes, yes! He sold himself to a rich Omega!”

Xia Tong looked up blankly at Lin Mingfei, still processing the idea of “selling oneself,” and seriously asked, “Does selling yourself make a lot of money?”

Lin Mingfei did not want to engage with such a silly question. With a face like he was attending a funeral, he snapped, “What nonsense, eat your food.”

Xia Tong, full of righteous spirit, leaned in closer and asked, “Where do you sell?”

Lin Mingfei: “?”

Xia Tong: “I’ll go sell with you!”

Lin Mingfei: “………”

The base fell silent for two seconds, and then everyone burst into uncontrollable laughter, with Zhou Yan Jun laughing the loudest.

Xia Tong, still confused, looked at everyone and protested, “What’s so funny? We all use the money, right? Why should Zero be the only one selling? We should all go sell together!”

The laughter in the club abruptly stopped.

After a long pause, Zhou Yan Jun sighed, “I think I’ll pass. You guys go ahead.”

“Yeah, it’s not like it’s sold by weight. Even if you wanted to sell, you still need someone to buy.” Lin Mingfei coldly sneered.

The saying “wound the enemy a thousand, harm yourself eight hundred” seemed to have a new meaning. He Youjin waved his hand, his face straight, “Let’s move on from this topic.”

Xia Tong was even more confused until Shi Ya bent down and whispered something in his ear. The small Omega’s face turned red at an almost visible speed, as red as if it would bleed.

“Uh, I… I’m full.” He picked up his plate and chopsticks, awkwardly getting up from the table, wanting to escape immediately.

“You’ve eaten so little and you’re already full?” He Youjin glanced up, frowning. “You’re not dieting, are you?”

“No, I’m really full,” Xia Tong said.

Lin Mingfei gave him a sideways glance, his face saying “I don’t believe you.” Without a word, he patted the chair beside him, “Sit down and eat more. Let’s forget about the earlier topic.”

Xia Tong hurriedly said, “But I really can’t eat anymore!” He, fearing Lin Mingfei wouldn’t believe him, pushed his little belly forward to Lin Mingfei and earnestly said, “My stomach is already bulging! You don’t believe me, look!”

Lin Mingfei: “.”

He glanced sideways, his gaze sweeping over Xia Tong’s body.

Xia Tong was wearing a cartoon-printed cotton sweatshirt paired with home pants, giving off a childlike vibe. His waist was slim, making the loose sweatshirt look even more spacious, so it was hard to tell whether his stomach was bloated.

“I don’t see any bulge,” Lin Mingfei said frankly.

Xia Tong disagreed and pushed his waist out even further, grabbing Lin Mingfei’s hand and pressing it against his stomach: “You touch, you touch, it’s really bulging, super bulging!”

Lin Mingfei’s body stiffened.

The texture under his hand was soft and flat, and the fabric wasn’t thick, so the small Omega’s warm body temperature seeped through, touching his palm like soft warm spring water.

What a wonderful body it was. So good… that it made him want to claim it as his own.

Lin Mingfei’s Adam’s apple moved roughly, making his neck line tighten and look even more sensual, but he didn’t speak.

At that moment, Zhou Yan Jun, acting like an idiot, grabbed a few tissues and wiped his hands, saying, “I want to touch too! Let me touch! Let’s see how much this little shorty can eat!”

His chubby hand reached out, only to meet Lin Mingfei’s sharp, almost deadly gaze.

Lin Mingfei hadn’t said anything, but the “displeasure” radiating from his whole body was enough to create heavy pressure. Zhou Yan Jun’s smile gradually disappeared as he stood still, shaking his shiny fat hand and sulking back into his seat.

“You don’t trust me,” Lin Mingfei said softly.

“No way!” Zhou Yan Jun waved his hand awkwardly and laughed, “If the captain touched, then it’s okay, ok!”

“Then I can go now!” Xia Tong said quietly, “I’ll go take a nap.”

“Mm!”

Xia Tong hurriedly ran upstairs.

“He touches, and you touch; you don’t refuse anyone,” He Youjin said, rolling his eyes. “The little one doesn’t understand anything, but you? You’re acting like you don’t understand? If you didn’t know any better, I’d think you were feeling the baby’s movements from the pregnancy.” 

“I used my hand, and it was through the clothes. Are you really thinking too highly of me?” Lin Mingfei lazily lowered his eyelids.

“You damn!” He Youjin pressed his index and middle fingers together, trembling, pointing at Lin Mingfei: “Old bastard!”

“If he had those skills, he wouldn’t have come to play professionally. He would’ve already been serving as a fertility goddess,” Shi Ya made a sarcastic remark.

“I’ll tell you honestly, once everything’s on track, I’ll go to the league and re-register your player information. Though the league doesn’t have a hard rule banning Omega from competing, people will definitely start talking. In this sensitive period, all of you need to calm down and not stir up trouble! No dirty jokes! We need to create a clean and harmonious environment for your precious little Omega teammate!” 

Lin Mingfei nodded: “I agree.”

“You agree my ass!” He Youjin raised his middle finger at him: “You’re the first one who should watch your words!”

Zhou Yanjun, loving the chaos, added: “Exactly!”

He Youjin twirled his middle finger: “You can’t get out of this either. You’re second!”

Zhou Yanjun: “………”

Shi Ya: “Ha, ha.” He elegantly wiped his mouth with a napkin, then suddenly became serious: “But I think Xia Tong really eats too little. He’s short and light, and in an arena full of Alpha players, he’s at a disadvantage.”

“Yeah, right!” Zhou Yanjun suddenly slapped his head, remembering something: “Can you believe he can get knocked out of the map by a beast roar? When he told me he only weighed 52 kilograms, I was shocked, like all the fat on my body froze!”

Bo Yu: “… He’s only half your weight?”

Zhou Yanjun: “Yeah, buddy! I feel like if I pinch him, his arm might break.”

Bo Yu: “Aren’t we supposed to have a basic training requirement? Why not take Xia Tong with us? I can teach him weightlifting.”

Zhou Yanjun: “You want to turn him into a muscle-bound Omega Barbie? Damn, thinking of that image is kind of exciting…”

Shi Ya: “… I was talking about nutrition, and you guys are already talking way off-topic.”

Lin Mingfei leaned back in his chair, arms folded, thinking about Xia Tong’s eating habits.

The cauliflower in the dry pot, the quail eggs and asparagus in the mixed soup—more protein and vegetables, less oil and meat.

These must have been the eating habits he developed due to his past survival environment, in order to maintain a delicate appearance. Lin Mingfei still remembered the day Zhou Yanjun gave Xia Tong chips. The little Omega ate them like he was tasting some rare delicacy, showing that Xia Tong didn’t dislike good food.

Lin Mingfei felt a pang of sympathy. He thought, if Xia Tong is ever going to become an Omega with a full and rich life experience, it’s still a long road ahead.

—

To everyone’s surprise, just within an afternoon, Weibo exploded.

The cause was a player called “Father of Copper Gong Shao,” a national server Elf player, who was streaming his duo queue with KUQ’s Hunter player, King Kong. During the stream, he accidentally recorded a verbal exchange between King Kong and former KUQ Knight player Fire.

Both were skilled at trash talking, and their short verbal battle was nothing short of exciting. Originally, King Kong had no ground to stand on, but King Kong’s few fans, along with KUQ team fans, suddenly rose up and began attacking Zhou Yanjun.

【I’ve heard for a while that Zhou Dog is an ungrateful bastard, and today I finally saw it for myself. Did KUQ not feed you enough or not dress you well? As soon as you leave, you’re eager to drag down your former teammate?】

【Without KUQ, you would’ve been a stray dog when you rolled out of P team, okay? Now there are more Knight players in the community than fleas on a stray cat, and with Zhou Yanjun’s level, he can probably only be a lousy streamer in some corner. How can he keep playing professionally? Look how fat he’s gotten?】

【You just signed the contract and left without any team spirit. I’ve never seen such a thing. Wasn’t your mom who gave birth to you supposed to give you a conscience? As expected, it’s you, Zhou Yanjun.】

【Zhou Dog must be Lin Mingfei’s number one lapdog, huh? Is Lin Mingfei your father? You come running when he calls.】

【Lin Mingfei isn’t any saint either, right? Didn’t he get exposed for casual hookups recently? Sure enough, birds of a feather flock together.】

【I’m curious to see what kind of trouble P team causes this time. Don’t let them miss the league’s entry requirements and end up begging to go back to KUQ.】

【Then, I’m definitely going to spam about loyal dog Zhou Yanjun! Haha.】

Originally, this drama was supposed to be a back-and-forth between King Kong’s fans and Father of Copper Gong Shao’s fans, with passersby joining in to criticize King Kong for his poor skills and big mouth. But somehow, the online situation took an unexpected turn. What started as KUQ fans insulting Zhou Yanjun soon sparked a counterattack from Zhou Yanjun’s fans.

【Damn, I can’t take it anymore. Are KUQ fans all just blindly following the main guy? Do you guys have tumors growing on your necks? Clearly, it was King Kong who started the provocation, okay?】

【Where did King Kong’s mouth come from, a sewage pit? Fire really has great manners, I’d take a knife and cut him if I could reach him!】

【Did Fire even say anything bad about KUQ? You can just discuss things, why do you need to be attacked? What kind of world is this?】

【It’s transfer season, so what if someone switches teams? What’s wrong with joining their old team? Did they dig up your family’s grave or something?】

【Haha, let me say something harsh: Can KUQ even handle our Fire Buddha? Clearly, they don’t know what they’re doing.】

【The brother above speaks the truth. As a fan of Zhou Yanjun’s skills, I have to say, KUQ should look at what kind of mess their team is making. Without Fire playing as the forward, do you think you’d even make it to the top four? Get real!】

【I’m a Fire girlfriend fan! I support all of Fire’s decisions! You can’t criticize him!】

【I actually hope Fire returns to Polaris. That’s where he belongs. Yes, that’s right. As a P team fan, I’m crying right now!】

【Z fans have been quiet, why do you always have to drag my brother into your arguments? Didn’t the hookup thing get cleared up already?】

【P team is really pitiful. Strong but pitiful. Even before their official return, so many people are already getting green-eyed.】

The online drama was in full swing, and by the time Zhou Yanjun woke up from his nap, his phone was blowing up.

“Damn, what the hell!” As soon as he opened Weibo, his inbox was flooded with all kinds of insults. He quickly ran downstairs and found He Youjin tinkering with his computer in the living room.

“Ha, I was just about to go upstairs and call you,” He Youjin said. “You’re trending on Weibo.”

Zhou Yanjun: “???”

“Don’t make that face!” He Youjin clicked his tongue. “I’m surprised too. I heard you weren’t the most popular in P team, and when Ping Shuai retweeted and liked the Zero hookup scandal, no one made a fuss, but you managed to trend!”

Zhou Yanjun: “…I can’t quite tell if you’re with me or against me.”

He Youjin wasn’t bothered, adjusting his glasses. “KUQ’s PR is impressive, shifting the focus completely. But since they started the fire, they shouldn’t blame me for being ruthless!”

Zhou Yanjun: “Huh?”

He paused, then said seriously, “Actually, I don’t care about being criticized, but you don’t need to risk your life for me.”

“Heh! What do you think you are?” He Youjin rolled up his sleeves with a cold smile. “Do you think I’d risk my life? This Beta’s life, full of wisdom, is worth something!”

Zhou Yanjun: “…”

He Youjin: “I’m worried about the little remaining good will that P team has with its fans!” He shut his computer and suddenly stood up.

Zhou Yanjun was worried that He Youjin, with his slim build, would actually try to fight KUQ’s Alpha team. He couldn’t help but ask, “Where are you going?”

“Buying trending topics!” He Youjin struck a dramatic pose, hands on his hips, and sneered. “Do they think only they can buy trending topics? I can too! They buy one, we buy two! They hire a thousand water armies, we hire ten thousand! Who’s afraid of who! Damn Alphas!”

Zhou Yanjun was taken aback by his fierce words: “Hiss—”

He Youjin tilted his head back, his glasses glowing ominously. He looked almost like a villain laughing maniacally. “Anyway, P team has money now, and when you have money, you can do anything!” After saying this, he stomped off.

Bo Yu, coming down the stairs, stared at He Youjin’s back for a moment.

“Manager He is wearing slippers, right?” He asked, shocked. “How can he make such loud stomping sounds?”

Zhou Yanjun: “…Maybe his inner self is a high-heeled demon?”

“Or one that could stomp all the Alpha dogs’ heads off.” Someone whispered with a laugh.

Zhou Yanjun froze, looking toward the voice.

Lin Mingfei was leaning on the balcony railing, calmly spinning his phone in one hand. He held the phone by the body, with the other fingers supporting it, spinning it in circles like it might fall any second, but it never did.

“Damn, can you stop playing with your phone like that?” Zhou Yanjun shrank back. “I’m afraid your phone will fall from upstairs and hit me.”

“When did you become so scared?” Lin Mingfei asked.

“Since about ten minutes ago, when my inbox was flooded with insults,” Zhou Yanjun replied.

He didn’t mind the insults himself, but seeing Lin Mingfei and Polaris being dragged into it made him feel guilty. He even started doubting whether it was the right decision to leave KUQ and return to Polaris so recklessly.

Bo Yu patted his shoulder.

Lin Mingfei, however, narrowed his eyes.

“Every time I see you like this, I feel like I should spend a fortune to open a treatment center for melodrama, the kind with electric shocks,” he said.

Zhou Yanjun: “…You son of a—”

Lin Mingfei raised his chiseled, masculine jaw. “Wait and see the trending topics on Weibo.”

Zhou Yanjun paused, then took out his phone.

He opened Weibo, filled with controversy, and was shocked to find that “Fire dragging KUQ” was no longer trending. Instead, the following keywords replaced it:

“KKONG molesting NPC”

“KKONG official account banned”

“KKONG bad at game, talks too much”

“KKONG isolated”

“KKONG reverse rank-up live stream”

Zhou Yanjun: “………”

Lin Mingfei also opened Weibo, and his forehead twitched violently.

“He Youjin! Didn’t you say we’d only buy two trending topics?” he shouted in disbelief. “Why did you buy five?”

“Five isn’t enough for clout!” He Youjin yelled from the other side, gleeful as his voice echoed throughout the base. “I want the whole world to know what this perverted Alpha has done!”

“Damn! Are you getting personal with this?” Lin Mingfei yelled. “You’ve got a grudge against A, but there’s a limit! Is the base’s money blowing in from the wind?”

Bo Yu, who didn’t surf the internet much, poked Zhou Yanjun in the side.

“Five trending topics, what does that mean?”

Zhou Yanjun grinned, his mood brightening.

“It means the captain has to serve five Omega sugar mamas now.”

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