Chapter Sixteen: Is There More to Come?

Looking at Sun Shangxiang again, Yuan Zhong found her more and more incomprehensible and finally couldn’t hold back his complaints: “Why are you rolling over there again? Afraid people can’t see how beautiful your skin is?”

A while later, Yuan Zhong said, “Okay, we see it, we see it. I’ll get a megaphone and shout for you—Sun Shangxiang has such beautiful skin! Please stop running right under everyone’s noses!”

Sun Shangxiang quieted down for a bit. After finally clearing the first turret in the bottom lane, she crouched in the middle lane’s grass, preparing to ambush the enemy mage. Instead, she was caught by Hou Yi’s ultimate, stunned on the spot, and counter-killed by the enemy mage.

Yuan Zhong was both frustrated and amused: “Of course Hou Yi would ult you; you’re the shiniest one on the field!”

After respawning, Sun Shangxiang joined the team fight and made the same mistake again, using her first skill to roll right into the enemy mage’s face.

Yuan Zhong quickly used his ultimate, trying to save her, but—she was gone, forcing a sigh out of him: “Are you just checking out their lipstick color? Can’t you stand further back? The back! Can you tell the front from the back?”

Sun Shangxiang didn’t respond, probably feeling guilty herself.

In another team fight, Sun Shangxiang managed to take every enemy skill to her face while dodging every skill her own support threw out to help her!

Yuan Zhong was exhausted and muttered, “I get it, you’re taking enemy skills to help your teammates, but why are you dodging your own support’s skills?”

Lin Hui was equally frustrated and added, “I guess, as the team leader, she’s just showing off.”

Yuan Zhong couldn’t help but laugh, though it was a bit bitter—he’d lost another star.

“Ahhhh! It’s like a curse!” Yuan Zhong tossed his phone aside again and said into the mic, “Truce, truce, let’s take a fifteen-minute break.” Then he decisively turned off the mic.

Lin Hui rubbed her ears, feeling just as worn out.

“Recently, playing has been so tiring, there’s no fun in the game anymore,” Yuan Zhong complained. “It used to be easy carrying her.”

“Her rank was lower before,” Lin Hui said, brewing a cup of tea. “Want some?”

Yuan Zhong shook his head. “Aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to sleep if you drink that?”

“Judging by your mood, we’re not getting off tonight without at least two more stars. I need to stay awake.”

Yuan Zhong sighed and corrected her, “Three stars now.”

Lin Hui thought for a moment and said, “With someone dragging us down, it’s hard for the marksman to carry. Maybe you should play marksman and I’ll support you.”

Yuan Zhong shook his head again. “You play marksman, I’ll support. Let the stingy one play mage. I can roam and direct her.”

“Alright, let’s try it.”

The two logged back in, and Yuan Zhong called out for “Not Fond of Stingy Ones.”

Qi Leyu was a bit frustrated as well. The last two stars had gone up and down so much, it was exhausting. Looking at her stats, she felt she’d been dragging her mentor down.

Hmm, Master didn’t sound too happy earlier, probably a bit angry. I need to focus! The main issue is not being able to talk, so I can’t ask for instructions, and communication is a problem.

Thinking again of “Unreliable,” she considered inviting him, but once more shook off the idea.

The three queued up, and Yuan Zhong instantly locked in Cai Wenji. “Lucky! This hero is good.”

Not Fond of Stingy Ones: Master, which hero should I play?

Yuan Zhong answered, “Pick Wang Zhaojun, follow my instructions, and turn on the team voice chat for better communication.”

No response.

Yuan Zhong added, “It’s fine, team voice is just us girls.”

Not Fond of Stingy Ones: I’ll try.

A moment later: Not Fond of Stingy Ones: The mic doesn’t seem to work.

Lin Hui: “You didn’t click it on, try again.”

Qi Leyu was about to lose it. What should she do?

Just then, Yuan Zhong spoke up: “Ugh, we don’t have a jungler.”

“I’ll take Smite then,” Lin Hui offered, out of options.

“No, your hero’s slow to begin with. Flash can save your life. I’ll take Smite,” Yuan Zhong said through gritted teeth.

Just as he switched to Smite, a teammate started complaining: “What? Cai Wenji in the jungle? This is doomed!”

Another teammate: “We should just surrender, don’t waste time.”

Yuan Zhong protested, “Surrender for what? It’s just a summoner spell—someone has to take it! Top and bot, just farm the jungle near your lanes at the start. I’ll take Smite, it won’t affect my healing. I’ll handle the epic monsters.”

The others went quiet—no way to remake the match anyway.

As the game started, Cai Wenji helped clear the mid lane for the mage. She told Not Fond of Stingy Ones, “Wang Zhaojun, remember to hide in the grass. Use your second skill for crowd control and then ult. If you miss, just retreat.”

Not Fond of Stingy Ones signaled “Got it.”

The enemy mid was Angela. Yuan Zhong recalled a previous match where Not Fond of Stingy Ones had been destroyed by Angela and offered encouragement: “Don’t be afraid of Angela. Wang Zhaojun can hold her own. Predict her movement before casting your skill.”

But Not Fond of Stingy Ones missed her freeze.

“Just clear the wave and level up if you miss,” Yuan Zhong said.

After clearing, Cai Wenji rolled her cart down to support the marksman in the bottom lane, reminding: “Go steal their three little bears. Don’t be afraid; take as many as you can. If their jungler isn’t there, they started blue. After the bears, come help bot.”

In the bottom lane, Lin Hui played Luban, laning against Yu Ji. Though not nimble, Cai Wenji loved healing heroes like this, and they became unstoppable mid to late game.

When Wang Zhaojun arrived, Yuan Zhong directed, “Stay in the grass. If Yu Ji comes close, use your second skill in her path.”

The river spirit spawned. Luban nearly finished it, but Yu Ji tried to steal. Yuan Zhong smited it for the secure and said, “Wang Zhaojun, use your second skill.”

Qi Leyu listened intently, but couldn’t keep up, missing the crowd control. Yu Ji retreated to her turret.

“Wang Zhaojun, head back, take the long way. Watch out for the jungler. Clear another wave, then come back once you have your ult,” Yuan Zhong said.

Lin Hui cleared her wave too, backing up a few steps—her hero had to be cautious early on.

The enemy jungler was Cheng Yaojin—not too nimble, which was a relief. Yuan Zhong checked items and chose Nightmare Tooth first to counter Cheng Yaojin’s healing.

Sure enough, Cheng Yaojin soon appeared. Yuan Zhong used Cai Wenji’s second skill to check the bush and, upon spotting him, quickly informed Not Fond of Stingy Ones, “Cheng Yaojin is in this bush. Do you have your ult?”

Qi Leyu replied “Yes” via text.

Lin Hui was annoyed, “What’s with you, girl? We’re helping you climb, can’t you turn on voice?”

Yuan Zhong didn’t seem to mind and reminded, “Heads up, Yu Ji’s out. Support isn’t here. Wang Zhaojun, freeze her.”

Not Fond of Stingy Ones missed again. Luban tapped Cheng Yaojin twice, but with too little damage, retreated to the turret.

“It’s fine, try again next time,” Yuan Zhong consoled.

The mid lane creeps were hitting their turret, and the top lane signaled to clear the wave.

Lin Hui said, “She’d better just stay mid and defend.”

“Roaming more is good. It’s safer for Wang Zhaojun,” Yuan Zhong replied.

Not Fond of Stingy Ones: Helping clear top.

Yuan Zhong shook her head, knowing this would stunt Wang Zhaojun’s growth, but seeing her flustered, there was nothing she could do.

Lin Hui spoke up, “Wang Zhaojun, you can skip waves, but don’t steal my farm.”

Not Fond of Stingy Ones: Got it.

Yuan Zhong said, “With no jungler, let’s clear theirs quickly. Wang Zhaojun, stay in vision, alert us if anything happens.”

Cai Wenji and Luban cleared the little birds and the red buff.

Cheng Yaojin started the dragon. The two hid in the bush behind the red buff, waiting silently.

Wang Zhaojun pinged “Careful” at the dragon pit.

Yuan Zhong didn’t want her to reveal herself and said, “Stay put. Move when we move. Got your ult?”

As the dragon’s health dropped, Luban used his third skill for area damage and followed Cai Wenji to the pit for the contest.

Yuan Zhong told Not Fond of Stingy Ones, “Ult the dragon pit!” then flashed into the pit, smited the dragon, and secured it.

Cheng Yaojin wasted his time and, frustrated, went after Cai Wenji’s head.

Yuan Zhong used all her healing. Luban dealt crazy damage to help Cai Wenji retreat.

Wang Zhaojun arrived but only used her first and second skills.

“Ult!” Yuan Zhong said again.

Qi Leyu panicked, her hands fumbling as she opened voice: “I don’t have my ult!”

For a split second, Yuan Zhong froze. That voice—didn’t sound like a girl!

Lin Hui was startled. “Wait, you’re a guy?!”

Qi Leyu was mortified. “Sorry, I never found a good time to say it.”

Fortunately, her team’s fighter arrived, and Cai Wenji escaped with a sliver of health. Standing in the bush, she recalled to base, Yuan Zhong needing a moment to process.

Not Fond of Stingy Ones spoke up, “Master, I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean to mislead you. I just didn’t know how to explain.”

Yuan Zhong cleared her throat. “It’s alright. Thinking back, you never said you were a girl. I just assumed.”

Lin Hui stayed silent. Some things were best left between master and apprentice.

Not Fond of Stingy Ones: “It’s my fault. I rarely meet such a good mentor, and I was afraid you wouldn’t play with me if you knew. Sorry.”

Since things had come to this, Yuan Zhong could only reply, “No problem, let’s just play the game.”

Yuan Zhong’s Cai Wenji, even with Smite, never missed a beat with her healing. She kept the marksman alive through every team fight.

Luban’s damage was insane, and the enemy Cheng Yaojin couldn’t withstand it late game. Soon they pushed to high ground.

“Don’t rush. If we’re not in good shape, clear their jungle and take the Baron,” Yuan Zhong continued commanding.

Luban’s health recovered quickly with Cai Wenji around. They didn’t even need a tank for Baron; the two of them secured it.

“One last team fight. Wang Zhaojun, save your ult,” Yuan Zhong said.

Not Fond of Stingy Ones: “Got it.”

Yuan Zhong checked her items, then instructed, “Buy a Guardian Angel, sell the Holy Grail, then clear one more wave.”

She pinged “Rally,” and the five of them launched the final attack.

Cai Wenji truly lived up to her reputation as the best support in the canyon, a mobile fountain. In the last fight, she kept the entire team alive and finally shattered the enemy crystal.

Seeing the “Victory” banner, Qi Leyu’s heart was uneasy: Oh no, my secret’s out. What happens next? If I’d known, why did I hide it in the first place?

Unwilling to give up, Not Fond of Stingy Ones explained, “Master, please don’t be angry. You know how poorly I play; no one wanted to help me climb. It’s rare to meet someone as skilled as you. I was just afraid of being abandoned, so I didn’t dare say anything.”

After a while, Yuan Zhong still hadn’t replied.