TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 36

The five trending topics took up half of Weibo’s trending list. How noticeable was it? So noticeable that just a quick glance would reveal the full context.

The sheer amount of information was overwhelming…

A marketing account released official reports, including a full-server notification about an account being banned for inappropriate conduct toward NPCs. The player named “Super Star King” was included in the list and banned for the offense.

If the earlier drama between King Kong and Zhou Yanjun was a fan fight, the NPC molestation and the official ban had the entire King’s Tomb community’s attention.

Weibo and even the official forums began buzzing about the issue.

“Molesting NPC?? Is that true? That’s disgusting!”

“If you ask me, making games too realistic isn’t a good thing. It really makes it way too easy for beasts to show their true nature.”

“Don’t they have any sense of decency? Do they think the beautiful NPC ladies in King’s Tomb are theirs to mess with? Over my dead body!”

“Oh my god, is this even human behavior? What if someone was there at the time? Wouldn’t that be completely eye-burning?”

“He interacts with the NPC, and then I interact with the NPC. Am I indirectly interacting with him? Ugh, disgusting! I’m quitting the game!”

“Isn’t KKong a pro player? Wow, do pro players these days really have this much nerve?”

“Pulling up a chair to watch the drama unfold. Not picking sides.”

“Wasn’t it Supernova Star King who got banned? What does this have to do with KUQ’s KKong?”

“Bro, haven’t you seen the follow-up evidence? Supernova Star King and KUQ’s KKong have the same IP address, and they’re both Hunters.”

“To me, this already looks like solid proof, haha.”

“Didn’t they say harassing NPCs would get you banned? How is KKong still playing the game? Was he really banned?”

“Wow, pro players aren’t just bold, they also get special privileges from the game devs, huh?”

“Is the official team brainless? They still allow this guy to compete professionally? Aren’t they disgusted by themselves?”

“Why hasn’t this guy been suspended yet? Are they saving him for the New Year or what?”

“@King’s Tomb Official Weibo, come take the heat! Give us an explanation! Stop pretending to be dead!”

“@King’s Tomb Official Weibo, what’s the deal? Did I not give you enough money or what? Why are you letting this guy mess with my paper wife?”

“@King’s Tomb Official Weibo, as a female player, if you don’t punish him, I’m never buying any of your future collaboration outfits. Go starve for all I care!”

“@KUQ Club, come out here! How are you going to compensate all the players disgusted by your team’s trash?”

“@KUQ Club, your players suck and so does their morality. Can your entire team just quit the league already? If you don’t, I’m done watching the livestreams!”

For a while, the overwhelming comments dragged KUQ down like they were crushed under a mountain. Still, a few die-hard fans stubbornly defended KKong, rambling nonsensically.

“Just because the IP matches, it’s KKong? Just because they’re both Hunters, it’s KKong? Use your brain before throwing accusations!”

“Maybe someone else logged into KKong’s account and even changed his name? I refuse to believe KKong would do something like this!”

“Is this P Team hiring trolls to smear KKong? Trying to clear their traitor Zhou Yan Jun’s name? Don’t fall for it, people!”

“@KUQ Club, say something! How can you let people throw mud at your member like this?”

The fans staying quiet was one thing, but the moment they spoke, it turned into a comedy.

“LMAO, matching IPs still isn’t proof? What, do you need KKong caught on camera taking his pants off in front of the female NPC to believe it?”

“Are KKong’s fans brain-dead? You need a pod to log into KKong’s account. Are you saying someone else used his pod to harass NPCs? Have you not been punched for saying this yet?”

“Stone-faced, poor Fire. He’s getting dragged into this mess as a scapegoat.”

“An entire bunch of clueless fans. I strongly suspect this argument was started by KKong himself to distract from his scandal.”

“Could KKong single-handedly create that trending topic? It’s obvious KUQ Club is behind this.”

“#ZhouYanJunDeservesBetter#”

“#ZhouYanJunDeservesBetter#”

“#KUQClubAreTrash#”

“#KUQClubAreTrash#”

…

On one side, King’s Tomb players furiously scolded KUQ Club for their unethical behavior. On the other, KKong’s fans lashed out at KUQ Club for doing nothing. KUQ’s official Weibo was caught in the crossfire, overwhelmed and burning under the pressure.

After about an hour, KUQ Club finally broke their silence and posted a statement on their official Weibo.

The statement went on and on, full of useless fluff, trying to bury the fact that “KKong is being suspended.” But netizens quickly spotted the key point.

“Whoa, so KUQ is admitting it?”

“Hahaha, the old employer just straight-up buried him. And the fans are still defending him? This is the definition of asking to be slammed.”

“KKong must be so mad. ‘My fans are such idiots.’”

“This is clearly KUQ cutting their losses. They ditched him so decisively. At least KKong gave them his youth!”

“Whoever called him KKong Leg Hair, you win. I bet KUQ’s Zhao Xin has been putting up with him forever. Now he can finally stop cleaning up KKong’s messes.”

“Suspension alone? That’s not enough! Why is a talentless, trashy player still taking up a spot in the pro scene?”

“If KUQ had any sense, they’d terminate KKong’s contract! Out with the old, in with the new!”

“We strongly demand KUQ terminate KKong’s contract!!! Bring back a clean King’s Tomb!”

After several built-up incidents, the situation exploded into a massive uproar. The arguments went from KUQ’s Weibo to the official game platform. Soon, the developers of King’s Tomb announced they would be discussing the matter with KUQ.

The negotiations were quick and efficient, almost like issuing an ultimatum. By the evening, KUQ released their final decision regarding KKong.

Permanent ban. Contract terminated.

The way things escalated to this point was truly remarkable. But even more amusing, Saber Tiger’s Dylan, possibly by mistake, liked the post about KUQ’s punishment for KKong.

Zhou Yan Jun, holding his phone, slapped his thigh.

“Wow, you guys were just telling me to play humble and act like a saint! Look, even Dylan from Saber Tiger liked it! Isn’t this enough to call it a cause for celebration in the community?”

He Youjin bit his nail and muttered, “Didn’t know Dylan was this petty…”

“What did you expect? There aren’t many morally upright people in the pro scene. Most of them are great at holding grudges,” Zhou Yan Jun said. “No way, I’m reposting this!”

“Fine, I give up. Do whatever you want. Go, go, go!” He Youjin rolled his eyes. “I’m going to set up an account specifically to manage fans, take this chance to milk some sympathy, and strengthen the fanbase!”

“The professional gaming circle has been turned into a fan-driven celebrity drama by people like you,” Lin Mingfei said indifferently, arms crossed. “Just watching it is exhausting.”

“If not for your somewhat decent looks, do you think an old-fashioned Alpha like you could have fans? Dream on,” He Youjin retorted sharply, fingers flying across his keyboard. Then, like a screeching chicken, he jumped onto the couch and yelled, “Zhou Yanjun! I just spent hours building your loyal, suffering underdog image, and now you’re ruining it with your nonsense! It’s all falling apart, completely ruined, aahhhh!”

“I don’t care! I’m going to fight those trolls eight hundred rounds!” Zhou Yanjun, gripping his phone like a man possessed by a vengeful keyboard spirit, was practically foaming at the mouth. “I won’t rest until my anger is soothed!”

Seeing the living room on the verge of erupting into chaos, Lin Mingfei rolled his eyes, lamenting the group of maniacs he was surrounded by. With that, he turned and went upstairs.

Passing by Xia Tong’s bedroom, he stopped abruptly, his gaze lingering on the door.

The living room was a riot, yet Xia Tong’s door was firmly closed, as if isolating himself from the world.

What could the little guy be doing in there?

Lin Mingfei narrowed his eyes, stepped closer, and knocked lightly on the door.

There was some muffled shuffling inside before Xia Tong’s voice sounded, muffled and hesitant, “Who is it?”

“It’s me, Zero,” Lin Mingfei replied. “Can I come in?”

“Is it just you?” Xia Tong asked, stammering slightly from behind the door.

“Just me.” Lin Mingfei’s curiosity deepened.

“Alright, come in. The door’s not locked,” Xia Tong said.

“I’m coming in then,” Lin Mingfei said softly, turning the doorknob. He stepped inside and quickly shut the door behind him.

Then he froze.

Xia Tong was slumped on the floor, leaning against the bed, phone in hand. Nearby was a box of tissues, and his trash can was half-filled with crumpled tissues. The little Omega was simultaneously blowing his nose and sobbing as he scrolled on his phone, his eyes red like a rabbit’s.

“What are you doing?” Lin Mingfei asked, startled by the unusual sight.

“I… I’m reading Weibo,” Xia Tong sniffled, his voice tearful.

“Why are you crying?” Lin Mingfei asked, stepping over to pick up the stray tissues and toss them into the trash.

“I saw a lot of people insulting Fatty.” The mention of this reignited Xia Tong’s sense of injustice, and he began crying even harder. “Why are they insulting Fatty instead of the gorilla from KUQ? Fatty didn’t do anything wrong! It’s so unfair, waaahhh!”

So it was because of that…

Lin Mingfei couldn’t help but laugh, crouching down beside him. “So what if he gets insulted a little? It’s not like he’ll lose a piece of himself. Is that worth crying over?” He grabbed a tissue and gently wiped Xia Tong’s tears, his voice soft. “Even Zhou Yanjun doesn’t care, and everything has already been explained. Everyone will soon understand the truth and stop blaming him.”

“But I still feel awful…” Xia Tong’s shoulders shook as tears rolled down his long lashes like crystal beads. “I just tried reasoning with them… but they wouldn’t listen. They even sent me hateful messages! There were so many of them, and I couldn’t argue back. I’m so useless, waaahhh!”

Lin Mingfei sighed lightly and extended his hand.

“Give me your phone.”

“Why?” Xia Tong asked, confused, rubbing his swollen eyes with the back of his hand.

“Didn’t you say you couldn’t argue back? I’ll help you.” Lin Mingfei plucked the phone from his hand, speaking as he looked down at the screen.

—

Xia Tong obediently handed over his phone. His curiosity gradually overtook his indignation, and he stopped crying, sniffling as he leaned toward Lin Mingfei, trying to peek at what he was typing. But every time, Lin Mingfei blocked him.

“Not a single polite word in there—don’t imitate this,” the Alpha said coolly.

“But I want to see…”

“No.”

Lin Mingfei’s tone was firm.

The little Omega pouted, hesitating before curling up into a small ball by the bed, hugging his knees and fiddling with a button on his shirt out of boredom.

Lin Mingfei glanced at Xia Tong from the corner of his eye, confirming that he wasn’t trying to sneak a look, then focused back on the phone. He didn’t want the little Omega to see his sharp words—it might ruin the image Xia Tong had of him.

Xia Tong’s Weibo username was “Xia Xiao Tong Wants to Be Mighty,” and his profile picture was a close-up of Debon’s face, which looked adorably silly. Lin Mingfei opened the search bar and typed “Polaris_Zero,” following the first result that popped up. Then he discreetly pulled out his own phone, logged into Weibo, and returned the follow.

With everything set, he smirked slightly and began dismantling the trolls with precision.

Most professional players were skilled at trash-talking—it was a matter of varying degrees of expertise. Lin Mingfei, who had been hotheaded and combative in his younger days, was no exception. Though he had mellowed with age, preferring action over words, he was far from rusty. His fingers flew across the screen, his expression calm as he dismantled the arguments of the offending accounts.

Once the trolls were silenced, Lin Mingfei cleared the chat history and left a single line in each conversation: “Listen to your father—don’t insult others. Be a polite child.” He then handed the phone back to Xia Tong. “Look.”

Xia Tong craned his neck, carefully reading the messages before gasping in delight. “Wow! They really stopped replying!”

“That’s because they’ve been completely convinced,” Lin Mingfei said with a straight face.

“Wow!” Xia Tong clapped his hands together, beaming. “Zero, you’re amazing! You can do everything! I admire you even more today!”

“Ah… it’s nothing special,” Lin Mingfei murmured, pressing his lips together as he coughed lightly, trying hard not to let his satisfaction show too clearly.

Xia Tong retrieved his phone, scrolling happily through other content with a much-improved mood. Lin Mingfei adjusted his position, sitting cross-legged on the floor beside him, leaning his back against the bed.

“You really care about Zhou Yanjun, huh?” Lin Mingfei suddenly tilted his head, speaking softly.

“Of course!” Xia Tong’s eyes stayed fixed on his phone screen. “Fatty is my good teammate!”

“But if it were someone else… would you still stand up for them or even cry over them?” Lin Mingfei lightly traced the edges of the soft flannel blanket with his fingertips.

“Someone else? Like who?” Xia Tong tilted his head in confusion.

“Like… me,” Lin Mingfei licked his lips, his voice trailing off.

Xia Tong froze, then suddenly turned over like a curious puppy, facing Lin Mingfei.

The Omega’s large eyes, round and clear like glossy black grapes, stared directly at Lin Mingfei. His innocent gaze was so pure that Lin Mingfei felt unexpectedly self-conscious. His face flushed as he turned away, murmuring, “Forget I said anything.”

“Zero’s such a good person—how could anyone criticize you?” Xia Tong said earnestly. “That’s impossible!”

Lin Mingfei thought to himself, Impossible? I just got flamed a while ago. It’s only because you didn’t know how to use Weibo back then.

“But, hypothetically speaking—”

“If they did, then I would…” Xia Tong paused, biting his thumb as he considered, before confidently declaring, “I’d work hard to learn how to insult people! During the day, I’d fight them for you and make them concede defeat!”

“During the day?” Lin Mingfei asked, puzzled.

“Yes! And at night, I’d comfort you!” Xia Tong clapped his hands, pleased with his plan.

“Comfort me at night?” Lin Mingfei rubbed his chin, raising an eyebrow. “And how exactly would you do that?”

“I… I could…” Xia Tong thought for a moment, then turned toward the pink robot on his bedside table. “Debon, Debon! Any good suggestions for comforting someone?”

The robot’s LED eyes flickered as it replied in a monotone voice: “If it’s you, I suggest… singing a song.”

Its flat tone somehow carried a hint of mischief.

Lin Mingfei’s brow twitched. This robot—clever as it was—had tricked him into signing up for an expensive membership last time. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it was deliberately steering the conversation to fuel certain Alpha instincts.

“Great idea!” Xia Tong clapped excitedly.

At this point, Lin Mingfei could only roll with it. “You can sing?” he asked.

“Of course I can!” Xia Tong said proudly. “Don’t believe me? I’ll sing for you right now!”

Lin Mingfei nodded. “Alright.”

Xia Tong turned back to the robot. “Debon, which song should I sing?”

The robot answered coolly, “How about Sparrow School?”

Sparrow School? What the heck is that? Lin Mingfei wondered, an uneasy twitch pulling at his temple.

“Perfect! I remember the lyrics to that one!” Xia Tong exclaimed, brimming with confidence. He cleared his throat and started singing earnestly:

“Chirp chirp chirp, sparrow school is full of joy. Singing loud, chirp chirp chirp. Little sparrows, clap your hands! Let’s sing together, chirp chirp chirp. You sing, I clap, chirp chirp chirp. When we’re done, let’s sing it again, chirp chirp chirp…”

Lin Mingfei: “…”

Xia Tong had just finished the chorus and was about to launch into the second verse when Lin Mingfei clamped a hand over his mouth.

“Promise me,” the Alpha growled through gritted teeth, veins popping on his forehead. “Never sing this song again. And I mean never, in front of anyone. Got it?”

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