You’re Causing Chaos Again

Shen Yanming turned his head and looked at Fish, examining his seemingly kind and gentle face. He thought to himself that this fish is quite mischievous, deliberately asking him such a question. It’s really a far cry from his previous impression of the serious and composed Milk’s Not Working.

But… Fish, in fact, wasn’t Milk’s Not Working to begin with, right?

When they were playing the game just now, Shen Yanming had already noticed it, but he didn’t have time to dwell on it during the match.

When he played with Milk’s Not Working before, even though it was only in the lower ranks, no matter how he played, Milk’s Not Working could catch up to him, follow his skills, and even clear any obstacles for him before he charged, allowing him to comfortably deal damage.

But Fish couldn’t do that. It’s not that Fish lacked ability. Just looking at their previous match, Fish’s early game strategy and actions were fine. Their lack of coordination and compatibility was not due to Fish’s poor state, but simply a difference in playstyle and lack of tacit understanding.

And based on some of Fish’s habits during gameplay, there was no trace of Milk’s Not Working.

If it’s not Fish, then who could it be?

An answer was about to emerge, but Shen Yanming didn’t dare to think about it too deeply.

This is just too absurd. It’s like randomly matching someone for a duet in a karaoke app and realizing that the person singing with you is Zhang Xueyou1a famous singer.

Lost in his thoughts, Shen Yanming suddenly snapped back to reality when he heard Fish’s cheerful voice, “Luanzi ge, why have you been staring at me? Are you unable to answer my question?”

The others were also eager to join in, urging, “Come on, let’s see who Luanzi ge loves.”

Shen Yanming regained his composure. If it were a normal situation, he would probably casually say, “Why am I staring at you? I’ve taken a liking to you, so I’ll throw you into my swimming pool to swim with them,” or something along those lines.

But as soon as he thought about his idol watching from below, he suddenly couldn’t say those words.

Moreover, he felt somewhat annoyed. Saying that Mark was the person he admired the most earlier was just a slip of the tongue. Usually, he could say that he admires anyone he sees, let alone admiration—facing someone he met for the first time in a live stream, he could even casually call them “wife”…

Spoken words couldn’t be retracted like online messages. Since it had come to this, all he could do was say with a melancholic tone, “How about I introduce a swimming coach I know to all the players?”

After the Water Friend Competition ended, there were a few smaller segments. Shen Yanming came down from the stage with the others. When he saw He Changkong leaning against the wall, playing with his phone not far away, Shen Yanming felt his heart tremble.

He would have to go over and greet him, right? What should he say? Should he ask if He Changkong is his Cheap Wife? No, no, no, how could he utter such frivolous words in front of Kong Shen? It would be extremely disrespectful!

Then, should he ask seriously if he’s Milk’s Not Working?

Shen Yanming recalled the things he said to Milk’s Not Working before, especially those about being a substitute for the White Moonlight. At that time, he said them casually, just like the countless boring and flirty words he usually said. However, now, those sentences suddenly became clear in his mind.

Oh my god, if… if Kong is really Milk’s Not Working, then he should dig a hole and bury himself on the spot.

Why did he have such a useless big mouth?

If he could just play dead, it would be great, he could keep his mouth shut. But what if He Changkong brought it up first?

If it’s not the case… well, it’s not the best outcome, but if it’s not, then all the overthinking he did earlier would make him seem overly presumptuous.

Whether it is or isn’t, it’s awkward either way.

As he was about to reach He Changkong, Shen Yanming felt like Cao Zhi2Cao Zhi (曹植), courtesy name Zijian (子建), posthumously known as Prince Si of Chen (陈思王), was a prince of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China, and an accomplished poet in his time., who was forced to compose a poem in seven steps. Every step felt like a matter of life or death.

Shen Yanming walked extremely slow, but some things couldn’t be avoided. He Changkong nodded in acknowledgment to the others and walked over to him.

He Changkong stopped in front of him. “…Luan luanzi?”

Shen Yanming’s whole body stiffened.

Kong Kongzi, please don’t use such a serious tone to call me “Luan luanzi.” It’s such an undignified nickname.

At this moment, Shen Yanming was like an old, malfunctioning music player. He struggled to speak, his words stuttering, “Uh… um…”

Just as he was worrying, an old acquaintance jumped in and intercepted him.

It was Zhang Xixi. Zhang Xixi had a trendy watermelon haircut. He first greeted He Changkong, then turned to Shen Yanming, his eyes gleaming, “Friend, teach me how to play White Wolf. I’ve never seen such an amazing White Wolf in my life.”

Ah, indeed, there is always a way when the cart reaches the mountain3there is always a way when the cart reaches the mountain: “车到山前必有路” (chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù). It means “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” or “When the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a way through.” It implies that no matter how difficult the situation may seem, there is always a solution or a way forward..

The clouds of worry on Shen Yanming’s face instantly dispersed. He silently cheered in his heart, Xixi zi4Xixi zi: “西西仔”(xīxī zǐ), Zhang Xixi’s nickname, you truly are my good brother!

If it weren’t for He Changkong’s presence, Shen Yanming would probably accept the praise without modesty and shamelessly boast about his White Wolf. But with his idol right in front of him, he needed to restrain himself. So, he pretended nonchalantly, “Oh, I’m just average at playing. You’re pretty strong too. We can find a place to exchange tips.”

Whether they actually exchange tips or not is not important. As long as it allows him to play dead first.

Zhang Xixi’s round face was filled with excitement. He enthusiastically pointed in a direction, ready to lead Shen Yanming to the XXL team’s lounge.

Shen Yanming, with an apologetic tone, said to He Changkong, “Kong ge, I want to exchange tips with Xixi, so… I’ll take off first!”

He Changkong didn’t say much, just nodded, “Mmm.”

As he watched, Shen Yanming’s expression instantly relaxed from tense to ease upon seeing Zhang Xixi. Then, he saw him pulling Zhang Xixi away as if escaping for his life, He Changkong pursed his lips tightly into a straight line.

To say he was not feeling dejected would be a lie. He Changkong couldn’t help but think, is he that terrifying? But he also tried to greet Shen Yanming in a livelier way.

In XXL team’s lounge, everyone was present. When they heard that Shen Yanming was going to share his experience playing White Wolf, the team members who had nothing else to do gathered around.

They had heard of Luanzi ge, the streamer, to some extent, but they didn’t pay much attention. After all, no matter how amazing a streamer was, there was still a difference with professional players.

However, witnessing the incredible plays from earlier, everyone was astonished and also acknowledged his skills.

Luanzi ge really had some skills.

In order to reach their current position in the XXL team, apart from a lot of practice, it was also mandatory for them to constantly analyze the plays of other outstanding players. Usually, when they encountered impressive plays from players of other teams, they could only rely on coaches and teammates to slowly analyze and review. Now that there was an opponent willing to share their insights, they were quite happy to listen.

Especially the tank from the second team who was robbed and killed without any explanation at the end. He was now full of questions, “Weren’t you still fighting with them at that time? Why did you suddenly disappear? How did you know I would go that way? Why were you able to chase me so quickly…”

Shen Yanming said he didn’t want to expose himself, but once the conversation got going, he didn’t hold back. They discussed for a while until the event staff came over to urge the players to go on stage for a group photo. Only then did they reluctantly stop their discussion.

The staff asked Shen Yanming to join them on stage, but he waved his hand, saying, “No, no, I want to slip away while the audience hasn’t dispersed yet. Otherwise, it’ll be difficult to catch a taxi later.”

The staff didn’t insist after hearing his words.

Before leaving, Shen Yanming added the contact information of the entire XXL team, including the coach and manager. After the players went out for the photo, Shen Yanming planned to say goodbye, but the team manager stopped him and said, “You can consider becoming a professional player, our team offers good treatment.”

The manager said it seriously, but Shen Yanming waved his hand and smiled, “No, my goal lies elsewhere, I’m about to take the college entrance examination for Tsinghua University.”

The manager: “…”

Shen Yanming continued, “And if I join, what about Xixi?” He guessed that the manager didn’t want to mention it in front of Zhang Xixi and waited until they left before bringing it up.

But this circle was quite cruel, and there were significant roster changes in every team each year.

After thinking for a moment, the manager said, “He doesn’t necessarily have to play the Assassin.”

“Forget it, thank you for considering me, but I really don’t plan on going pro. Sorry about that,” Shen Yanming said as he pushed open the door and walked out.

The manager didn’t give up yet, “Alright, if you change your mind, feel free to contact me.”

Shen Yanming politely replied, “Certainly.”

The crowd in the sports arena was still lively. Shen Yanming took advantage of the large wave of spectators who hadn’t left yet, and quickly ran out. It was only when he came out that he realized it had started to rain outside.

The rain was still pouring heavily. Shen Yanming stood under the shelter, hailed a cab, and felt relieved by his wise decision.

If he had come out a bit later, combined with the rain, he wouldn’t know when he would be able to return to the hotel.

The cab arrived quickly. Shen Yanming got in and headed back to the hotel. After briefly freshening up, he felt a bit idle.

He stood by the window, watching the raindrops splatter against the glass and shatter into puddles. Suddenly, he felt a sense of confusion.

Recalling today, so many things had happened in just one afternoon and evening. He had initially planned to meet someone for a meal, quietly watch the competition, and then ceremoniously go to an internet cafe with his online friends to celebrate his eighteenth birthday.

Then he would go home, hide away the happiness he had gained today, and be a diligent high school student.

But reality was different. He failed to meet the person, did watch the matches, and somehow ended up playing a game. Afterward, he seemed to have an awkward encounter with Kong—though the main reason for the awkwardness was himself.

He usually appeared confident on the surface, but deep down, he was a bit like an ostrich. At that moment, he felt embarrassed and only wanted to run away, just like an ostrich burying its head in the sand.

But thinking about it, it wasn’t such a big deal to have said some flirty words due to mistaking someone. He shouldn’t have run away just because of the awkwardness. Kong seemed to have something to say, and he left just like that, which was really impolite.

He still needed to find an opportunity to apologize properly.

But Shen Yanming couldn’t figure out why he felt a bit timid every time he saw Kong.

Unable to find an answer, Shen Yanming simply returned to his bed. He picked up his phone and absentmindedly checked his messages. Some classmates sent him a screen full of exclamation marks, calling him a big liar. His parents also messaged him, asking how he enjoyed the competition today.

He replied to each of them and then checked Weibo.

There were all sorts of comments there, so Shen Yanming decided to start a livestream since he had nothing better to do.

However, he still wasn’t used to pointing the camera at himself, even though he always called himself handsome. So, he held his phone, aiming it at the window, which now only showed rain.

The barrage was filled with requests for him to show his face.

Shen Yanming lay down, his voice sounding lazy, “What’s so good about my face? What does a face have to do with e-sports?”

He wasn’t a full-time streamer. He only streamed games for fun. This type of non-gaming stream, where he just chatted, was also his first time. He couldn’t be bothered to come up with topics himself. He would answer whatever others asked, as long as it wasn’t too intrusive or involved his privacy.

Then came the inevitable question.

Someone asked him, “Luanzi ge, tell the truth, who is your favorite player?”

Before he could answer, others chimed in.

– He said it before, his favorite is Kong.

– He even said that the biggest dream in his life is to be nursed by Kong.

– Do you really believe him? He says he likes whoever he sees. He just said he admires Mark ge.

– Let’s be honest, which assassin player doesn’t idolize Mark ge?

– Actually, I always thought it was ridiculous that Luanzi ge, an assassin player, admires a nanny the most. Hahaha.

– Not so ridiculous. I watched today’s match, and I feel like Luanzi ge, this reckless guy, really needs a nanny at Kong’s level to hold him down.

– Oh, weren’t they acquainted?

– I don’t think so, they didn’t interact on stage today. When Luanzi ge was being interviewed, Kong didn’t have any special reaction. Wouldn’t they exchange a few words if they knew each other?

– Then, the fact that Kong defended Luanzi ge back then is still one of the top ten mysteries in the e-sports circle. Hahaha.

…

Shen Yanming glanced briefly at the barrage. Although his mood was complicated at the moment, he still had to explain, “I like many players, but if I have to choose a favorite, it’s indeed Kong Shen. And I did dream of being nursed by him…”

Now thinking about it, he had probably already been nursed by Kong countless times already, unless he mistook him for someone else again this time.

But he couldn’t say such things to the viewers. If they found out that a player preparing for regular matches was playing on a smurf account in lower ranks, Kong would definitely receive criticism.

People in the barrage told him to stop dreaming.

– Luanzi ge, wake up.

– Luanzi ge should have a high-ranked account, right? Or use this account to climb up. You might still match with Kong. My friend has matched with him before.

– Even if he matches, it’s useless. Did Kong ever play as a healer when solo queuing?

– Yeah, Kong doesn’t heal random people.

– Luanzi ge, if you want Kong to nursed you, the only way is to go to TMM. I think with your skill level, you should be able to make it in.

– Is it really that easy to enter TMM? He didn’t perform well in the game earlier. They say even the best streamers and professional players hit a wall.

– Yes, I feel Luanzi ge’s form is not stable, and he doesn’t adapt well to the rhythm of the competition.

– The last few moves, were they even intentional? They were awesome, but it still feels too coincidental.

…

The topic suddenly deviated. Seeing that the viewers were about to argue over whether he was qualified or not, Shen Yanming hurriedly said, “I can’t do it, I’m not worthy.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a big shot suddenly appeared in the livestream and showered him with dozens of luxurious cat beds.

Luxurious cat beds were a virtual currency in Black Cat TV, with one bed worth 5,000 RMB.

Shen Yanming sat up. “Holy shit.”

After taking a closer look at the ID of the person who gifted the cat beds, Shen Yanming was almost scared out of his wits.

[kong_]: You’re worthy.

[kong_]: Come to TMM, and I’ll be your exclusive healer.

No way, what had just happened?

Kong had previously tried to recruit him when he was Milk’s Not Working, but it had never been this high-profile. And he even smashed cat beds for him?

This… his public image was crumbling!

Author’s message:

Kong: It’s so hard to understand, you say you like me but you’re so afraid of me, you say you want to be nursed by me but you don’t want to come@_@

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1a famous singer2Cao Zhi (曹植), courtesy name Zijian (子建), posthumously known as Prince Si of Chen (陈思王), was a prince of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China, and an accomplished poet in his time.3there is always a way when the cart reaches the mountain: “车到山前必有路” (chē dào shān qián bì yǒu lù). It means “Where there’s a will, there’s a way” or “When the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a way through.” It implies that no matter how difficult the situation may seem, there is always a solution or a way forward.4Xixi zi: “西西仔”(xīxī zǐ), Zhang Xixi’s nickname