TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 57

Fortunately, this comparison got Xia Tong back on track. He threw himself into the “math and rope jumping” challenge, getting hit by the rope again and again. Lin Mingfei worried a few times that Xia Tong might cry, but he soon realized his concern was unnecessary. Xia Tong didn’t cry at all and seemed to get more determined as he struggled. They continued training until dinner.

At dinner, He Youjin showed up again, looking to finalize the training match schedule with Lin Mingfei.

“That team,” He Youjin said, clearly uncomfortable with the unremarkable name. He cleared his throat. “I’m not going to lie to you, they’re in a hurry.”

“A team that couldn’t even get into the qualifiers, and they don’t want to practice a bit more?” Zhou Yanjun rolled his eyes. “They’re in such a rush to deliver their heads to us?”

“Maybe they’re in a rush to take our heads,” Lin Mingfei said casually, propping his chin up, his fingers tapping his cheek. “Did they get some secret weapon or something?”

“Ah, you guessed it, Zero!” He Youjin clapped his hands, his face serious. “I’ve got word that this weak team was bought by a rich second-generation guy this year.”

“So what?” Zhou Yanjun pointed at Shi Ya with his thumb. “Our little master is also from a rich family!”

“I’m not some rich second-gen, don’t say that,” Shi Ya swatted his hand away. “I’m more like a middle-class guy.”

“Well, this is the real deal—a second-gen who has so much money, he doesn’t know where to spend it,” He Youjin said. “He bought three strong Alpha players from the European division! Two of them are Russian!”

Zhou Yanjun sucked in a sharp breath. “Russians?”

“Fighting nation,” Bo Yu said.

“I heard they can fight bears barehanded!” Shi Ya added.

They all nodded in agreement and then turned to look at the small Omega at the table.

Xia Tong was eating a piece of stir-fried asparagus. Under their gaze, he froze, and the small green piece slipped from his mouth in shock.

“Alright, stop staring at him,” Lin Mingfei said, tapping the edge of the table with a warning. “So what if they’re from the fighting nation? We’re not doing a boxing match here.”

“Emmmm, look on the bright side!” Zhou Yanjun said. “At least they don’t speak the same language!”

“Then I have to remind you,” He Youjin replied, “that the two remaining local contestants have already been taken to an education institute for intensive English tutoring. One-on-one lessons, complete with tongue-rolling exercises!”

“For real?” Zhou Yanjun was shocked.

“My insider from the league told me!” He Youjin said mysteriously, his tone heavy.

“Fang Haoyang?” Lin Mingfei interjected.

He Youjin hesitated for a long moment before reluctantly admitting, “…Uh-huh.”

“Then it’s probably quite reliable.” Lin Mingfei nodded.

“And, as luck would have it, I guessed right.” He Youjin gritted his teeth, rubbing his fingernail in frustration. “That bastard Fang Haoyang has already designed the poster for our scrimmage, calling it a ‘Friendship Exhibition Match.’ He’s contacted three streaming platforms, lined up sponsorships, arranged promotions—he’s got everything planned. This is basically a public execution!”

“Wow.” Lin Mingfei gave a completely insincere sigh of admiration.

“Don’t just ‘wow,’ think of something, man!” He Youjin smacked his leg in frustration. “This is urgent—seriously, the fire’s at our doorstep!”

“Why are you panicking? The person involved isn’t even worried.” Lin Mingfei gestured toward Xia Tong with his chin. “Look, it’s not affecting his appetite at all.”

He Youjin: “…He’s an idiot, but do you have to be one too?”

Xia Tong quickly shoveled down the last of his food, wiped his mouth, and stood up with determination. “I’m heading up to train!”

“Go on.” Lin Mingfei chuckled and motioned toward He Youjin. “See? Not an idiot at all.”

–

Once Xia Tong logged into the game, he didn’t blindly jump into the arena, afraid of getting beaten into the ground solo and having his morale shattered. Instead, he scoured the forums for guides and tutorials on the wizard class, carefully analyzing over a dozen strategies. He systematically compared different gear setups and damage rotations, listing their pros and cons. Then, he ventured into crowded maps, challenging players of different classes to duels.

It was only after engaging in real fights that Xia Tong realized how much he still needed to improve. When he had queued with Zhou Yanjun and Bo Yu before, he had exploited the fact that their opponents were unfamiliar with their team dynamic. He let Bo Yu and Zhou Yanjun charge ahead, drawing fire while he hid in the back, dealing damage opportunistically. This sneaky tactic had won them several matches. But now, facing opponents head-on in solo duels, his only fate was rolling on the ground—again and again.

There was a reason why berserkers and paladins were so popular as melee classes. Once they got the first strike in, they could bash squishy classes down to a sliver of health with brute force. Simple and effective. Out of ten duels, Xia Tong managed to apply his memorized attack rotations only once—and that was the only fight he won.

Frustrated, he turned down his teammates’ invitations for group queues, choosing instead to reflect alone. He replayed the details of his one victory over and over, analyzing every move. Hours passed, and by the time he checked the clock, it was already past ten at night. He was still logged into the game when, suddenly, his connection was cut. A few seconds later, he was forcibly logged out. The lights in the “cocoon” pod shut off, and the door slowly opened.

Xia Tong blinked in confusion, looking up to see Lin Mingfei standing outside with his arms crossed.

“Zero…”

“Do you know what time it is?” Lin Mingfei’s expression was calm, but he tilted his chin slightly. “Go to sleep.”

“But—”

“Go to sleep.” Lin Mingfei repeated, his tone slightly firmer. “You’re forgetting that we have a 6 AM morning run tomorrow, aren’t you?”

“Oh, right!”

Reality hit Xia Tong like a brick. Groggy, he pushed himself up from his seat. As he stepped out of the pod, his legs wobbled, and he tripped over the edge of the metal platform, losing balance.

“Ah—” He gasped, heart plummeting as weightlessness took over—only to be caught by a pair of strong, warm arms, pulling him into a firm embrace.

Through the thin cotton fabric, Xia Tong’s cheek pressed against Lin Mingfei’s chest. A steady thump-thump heartbeat overlapped with his own frantic one. And, once again, he caught that familiar faint scent of sandalwood—subtle yet intoxicating.

“Still not going to sleep?” Lin Mingfei’s voice was smooth and deep, like the resonance of a cello playing softly beside his ear. His tone carried a mix of reproach and something else—something gentler.

“I… I didn’t trip because I was tired.” Xia Tong’s mind felt like a tangled mess, his vision unfocused. He wasn’t sure why he was feeling so dazed, but he was. “My foot… my foot went numb.”

Lin Mingfei let out a soft hum from deep in his throat—half a chuckle, half something else. Then, without hesitation, he bent down and scooped Xia Tong up into his arms.

“Hey—” Xia Tong instinctively grabbed onto Lin Mingfei’s neck, his face instantly heating up like a boiled shrimp. “What are you doing—what are you doing?!”

“Didn’t you say your foot was numb?” Lin Mingfei replied, walking leisurely. He glanced down at him, amusement flickering in his eyes.

“I-I just said it was numb…” Xia Tong stammered, gripping the fabric at the back of Lin Mingfei’s collar with trembling fingers.

“And I’m just carrying you.” Lin Mingfei lowered his head slightly, his voice dropping an octave. His warm breath brushed against Xia Tong’s face like drifting clouds. “What are you thinking, hmm? Naughty thing.”

“I-I wasn’t thinking anything!” Xia Tong’s face turned red enough to drip blood. He had been out in the world for a while now, and it felt like certain locked-away thoughts in his mind were slowly being uncovered. He was growing more attuned to the people around him, more sensitive to emotions, more… reactive.

Lin Mingfei seemed to find his flustered state amusing. He chuckled lowly, adding in a deliberate, teasing murmur, “Besides, there’s no one else around right now, is there?”

“You—” Xia Tong started, but before he could protest further, Lin Mingfei set him down. Supporting him with one arm, Lin Mingfei freed a hand to open the door to Xia Tong’s bedroom.

“Alright, delivery complete.” Lin Mingfei chuckled lightly. “I feel like the red scarf on my chest is shining even brighter now.”

Xia Tong: “……”

“Our training match… when are we playing?” He suddenly remembered that Lin Mingfei was supposed to discuss the match schedule with He Youjin tonight, so he couldn’t help but ask.

“A week from now. We can’t delay it too long.”

“Oh…”

Xia Tong lowered his head, unable to pinpoint his feelings. The already tight string in his heart seemed to stretch even tauter.

“Don’t be too anxious. Just follow my plan, and everything will work out.” Lin Mingfei suddenly leaned in and lightly pressed his forehead against Xia Tong’s. “Trust me, okay?”

“Okay…”

“Then, good night. See you tomorrow.”

“Mm…”

–

When Xia Tong woke up, he realized that his journey of suffering was far from over.

His legs felt like they had been soaked in two vats of vinegar—sore, swollen, and completely powerless. Even his knees were trembling slightly.

He wobbled his way to the bathroom, holding onto the wall for support, then hobbled back out, feeling like an old man in his seventies or eighties who desperately needed a cane.

When he bumped into Zhou Yanjun, the chubby guy sighed and shook his head. “I knew it. If you go from no exercise to intense training, your muscles start anaerobic respiration, producing a ton of lactic acid. This always happens to me every now and then. Pure agony.”

Xia Tong looked miserable. “My legs hurt even with the slightest touch—waaahhh!”

“Seeing you reminds me of a fairy tale.” Shi Ya chuckled, equal parts sympathetic and amused. “Ever heard of The Little Mermaid? She traded her tail for human legs so she could be with the one she loved, but every step felt like walking on knives—”

“Eugh!” Zhou Yanjun shuddered. “Stop it, Timer! I can literally picture it.”

Just then, Lin Mingfei strolled over, leisurely pushing a mountain bike.

“He’s coming, he’s coming,” Bo Yu nudged Xia Tong’s shoulder, warning, “He’s bringing the demon bicycle.”

Xia Tong gulped, terror-stricken.

“Good morning. Still up for morning training today?” Lin Mingfei smirked at Xia Tong, his sharp ears twitching mischievously. His tone carried a playful challenge. “Little Mermaid?”

Xia Tong: “……”

A few seconds later, he tightened his little face, puffed up in defiance, and squeezed out a single word:  “I’ll ride!”

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