Glory [e-sports]

After Lu Feng said goodnight to Wei Xiao, he didn’t return to the guest room and instead went straight to the study.

May nights were cool.

After the rain, there was a lingering sense of dampness in the room that stuck to the skin, making it hard to breathe easily.

Lu Feng pulled at the neckline of his shirt, tugging down the round collar of his t-shirt and revealing half of his pale collar bone. Unfortunately, it didn’t relieve the feeling of stuffiness at all.

There was a little countdown on the bright computer screen.

Every team had this kind of thing. It was similar to the countdown to the college entrance examination, but every second and every minute of this timer counted down to the end of the season.

A lonely end or honor and glory.

Expectations were hidden in these numbers and embedded in the heart.

Lu Feng shifted his gaze away. His fingers curled lightly, and he pulled open the unlocked drawer beside him, revealing a document that had been placed there neatly.

He leaned forward slightly, took out the document with the black cover, and held it in his hands.

The back of his pale hand contrasted with the black file.

There was a whisper of sound as the document flipped open.

Lu Feng dropped his gaze and looked at these words that he’d already memorized.

This was an agreement to a gamble that had been signed three years ago. It was signed by: Lu Feng, Qing Lei.

That year when Lu Feng went home, he’d had a showdown with Lu Mingze in the hopes that he could buy FTW and help him.

From childhood until 18 years old, Lu Feng had never begged anyone for anything, especially not his parents.

There was nothing to ask for.

What Lu Mingze wanted the most every day was to have another child who had nothing to do with Qing Lei. Unfortunately, it was futile no matter how hard he tried.

Qing Lei hated Lu Mingze, and she also disliked Lu Feng, who looked like Lu Mingze. For her own benefit, she’d even tossed young Lu Feng abroad for three or four years.

Lu Feng had already known very clearly that he had no home by the age of six or seven.

Having a mother and father didn’t mean one had a home.

The house Lu Feng lived in had nothing to do with the home that was written about in books.

Strangers who were related by blood. This was the definition Lu Feng had for them.

But at the age of 18, when faced with FTW splitting apart, they were the only ones Lu Feng could think of.

He had spoken to Lu Mingze about the e-sports industry, the huge profits that could be gained after investing as well as the prospects and future of the club.

Lu Mingze’s response to him had been a baseball bat.

He had hit him heavily on the shoulder, truly wanting to render his son’s arm useless.

Lu Feng’s forehead was coated in cold sweat, but he didn’t feel much pain.

His shoulder was numb, his heart was numb, and the last cluster of flames went out.

Lu Mingze hit him like he’d gone crazy. Lu Feng didn’t dodge, he didn’t leave, and he didn’t cry.

All the way until Lu Mingze grew tired. He called him a ‘piece of trash’, then slammed the door and left.

Lu Feng stood there in the magnificent living room. He was there all night.

Lu Mingze didn’t come back. At ten o’clock the next morning, an exquisitely dressed and made up Qing Lei came down from the second floor.

Standing on the curved staircase paved with white marble this woman in high end clothing didn’t appear middle-aged at all. She seemed to have stopped aging at 25 or 26, using money and selfishness to maintain her beauty.

Qing Lei stopped on the third step and looked down at him from above. “I can help you.”

Lu Feng raised his head abruptly.

Qing Lei’s colorful lips seemed to be painted with blood. “As you know, I never do business at a loss.”

Lu Feng whispered, “I can manage the club well.”

Qing Lei chuckled lightly. “Triple my investment.”

Lu Feng’s heart sank. “I need time.”

Qing Lei: “You’re 18 now. At 21, then.”

Lu Feng didn’t say anything.

Qing Lei glanced at him and continued, “There’s another condition…” She approached Lu Feng and spoke in his ear, “If you can’t win the world championship by 21, you’ll get the hell back here and be an obedient dog.”

Qing Lei was a business woman and would never say empty words, even if it was to her only son.

Every clause in the agreement drawn up by the lawyer was put into practice.

The investment amount, the rate of return, the income distribution… all the terms were clear.

Anyone who looked at this agreement would find it absurd.

What Qing Lei gave Lu Feng was a piece of poisonous driftwood that had made him suffer from corrosion and torture in order not to sink to the bottom of the sea.

From 18 to 21.

Lu Feng won three global singles championships, but the agreement required a team competition championship.

Lu Feng’s birthday was in December, and this year’s world championship was his last chance.

If he didn’t win the championship, he… not only would he have to retire, he might not even be able to protect Wei Xiao.

Lu Feng leaned back in his chair, his eyes revealing a rare trace of fatigue.

If he was an obedient dog for Qing Lei, then what qualifications would he have to be with Wei Xiao?

Knock, knock, knock.

Along with the knocking at the door came a youth’s clear voice, “Captain?”

Lu Feng tossed the document back into the drawer and adjusted his mood as he stood up, “Haven’t you slept yet?”

His voice had just fallen when Wei Xiao pushed open the door and came in.

Lu Feng saw his red eyes, and his heart leapt up. “What’s the matter?”

It was obvious that he’d been crying.

Wei Xiao threw himself into his arms and hugged him.

Lu Feng was a little at a loss. “Don’t cry, what happened?”

Wei Xiao liked to mess around during normal days and liked to pretend to cry, but Lu Feng was very clear about the difference.

He could tell whether he was really suffering or if he was just playing around.

Wei Xiao buried his face between his shoulder and neck and spoke in a trembling voice, “Your shoulder…”

Lu Feng patted him on the back. “Didn’t you read all the treatment reports? It’s already recovered.”

Wei Xiao shook his head. “Was it hurt because Lu Mingze beat you?”

Lu Feng’s hand froze.

Wei Xiao looked up at him. “How did you acquire FTW three years ago?”

In fact, Wei Xiao had thought about a lot of things before he came over. He wanted to be gentle, wanted to speak in a roundabout way and had wanted to talk to the captain about it slowly.

But as soon as he entered the room and saw Lu Feng, all of his plans disappeared. He just wanted to tell him what he thought, and he wanted to accept all of Lu Feng’s intentions and thoughts.

Without hiding, avoiding, or covering up anything.

They trusted each other.

Lu Feng’s hold loosened. There were a lot of words he wanted to say, but they were stuck in his throat and wouldn’t come out.

He glanced at the drawer he’d just closed out of the corner of his eye, and the agreement covering his gamble appeared in his mind.

He wanted to show Wei Xiao, wanted to tell him everything, wanted him to know.

But, he couldn’t.

Winning the championship was already a difficult enough task.

The burden on Wei Xiao’s shoulders was already heavy enough. Would it crush him?

His Little Xiao was only 19 years old.

But he felt guilty for hiding it from Wei Xiao.

He’d made so many promises, yet he’d turned out to be a complete liar.

Wei Xiao wouldn’t let him avoid his gaze. “Tell me.”

Lu Feng could only look him in the eyes.

Wei Xiao had just been crying, and the tears that coated his black eyes made them even brighter, “Tell me all of it.”

Lu Feng’s thin lips trembled. “Sorry.”

Wei Xiao was anxious. “What are you apologizing for? I love you!”

These three words shot straight into Lu Feng’s chest.

Wei Xiao looked at him without blinking. “I love you, so I want to know everything about you. I want to share joy with you, and even more, I want to shoulder the pain with you. Could it be that you don’t feel the same?”

Lu Feng: “……”

“Could it be that you don’t…”

Lu Feng breathed in lightly. “I love you.”

Wei Xiao was a little shorter than him. He had to stand up on his tiptoes to kiss away his frown.

Wei Xiao kissed him decisively. His eyes were firm. “Tell me.”

Lu Feng looked at him.

Wei Xiao waited for him patiently.

Lu Feng wavered. “Come with me.”

Wei Xiao kept up with him and watched as he pulled open a drawer. He saw the lonely file placed inside.

Lu Feng’s fingers trembled as he handed the document over to Wei Xiao. “I’m sorry; I lied to you.”

I lied to you about accompanying you forever.

I lied to you about being able to stay with you forever.

I lied to you about giving you love, family, and a home.

In fact, he had nothing. He didn’t even have himself.

Wei Xiao bowed his head and looked at the document. He read it very slowly, going over every word very carefully.

The wording was very proper, the words official and rigid. This was an agreement that didn’t hold any human feelings.

In order to acquire FTW, Lu Feng had promised Qing Lei a lot of conditions that were difficult to achieve.

Triple the return on investment.

Extremely excessive profit distribution.

Shocking terms, one after another. If it was shown to any club management, they would all be struck dumb with awe.

However…

Lu Feng did it all.

There was only one condition left, and it was the most deadly one.

––Win the global team competition championship before the age of 22 or retire and return home to do Qing Lei’s bidding.

Did Qing Lei love Lu Feng?

No.

Then why did she give ‘a helping hand’?

On one hand, it was to gain revenge against Lu Mingze, and on the other hand, it was to control Lu Feng.

She and Lu Mingze couldn’t get a divorce in any case, and Lu Feng was Lu Mingze’s only successor. If she could control Lu Feng, then the ultimate fate of the grand business empire would still be in her hands.

Lu Feng sold himself when he signed this agreement.

Wei Xiao spent 20 minutes reading over the entire document.

Although Lu Feng didn’t look at it, it was imprinted on his heart, and he was very clear on what was written.

When Wei Xiao closed the document, Lu Feng’s heart beat violently in his chest.

He’d lied to him.

He’d really cheated Wei Xiao.

Wei Xiao trusted him so much, but he…

Wei Xiao raised his head, and there was no sorrow or disappointment in his eyes. On the contrary, they were shockingly bright. “So this means, we just have to win the championship!”

Wei Xiao clenched the document hard and spoke in a tight voice, “Your birthday is on December 24th. There’s only one global competition left before that.”

Lu Feng stilled for a moment. “Yes.”

Wei Xiao suddenly held his hand and said excitedly, “You’ll be free if we take down the championship!”

Lu Feng felt like he was in a trance. Wei Xiao’s eyes were filled with excitement and joy, and the words he spoke were like a hammer that broke open the heart he’d closed up tight.

Although Wei Xiao didn’t know much about operating a club, he knew that FTW had developed very well in recent years. The haters even flamed Lu Feng, saying that he might as well not play games and go be a businessman instead.

Wei Xiao pointed to the terms of the agreement. “This one, this one, and this one. You’ve done them all already, right?”

Lu Feng nodded.

Wei Xiao then asked, “Only the last one, the team competition championship is left?”

Lu Feng dropped his gaze. “Yes.”

Wei Xiao breathed lightly and hugged him. “That’s great, this agreement is great!”

Lu Feng was stunned.

Wei Xiao kissed him hard. “I didn’t understand wrong, right? This is a gambling contract!”

“If you can’t meet the terms in the contract, you’ll have to retire, go home, and do Qing Lei’s bidding.”

“If you achieve all the terms in the contract, then you can stop listening to her!”

A gambling contract.

No matter how harsh the terms were, they were binding to both parties.

Qing Lei had given Lu Feng very strict demands so that he wouldn’t be able to achieve his goal and would fall into her control.

But if Lu Feng managed to succeed and achieved them all, then he would be able to get rid of her completely!

If they could look at the problem from another perspective…

Hell was nothing but the scenery along the way to heaven.

Lu Feng understood what Wei Xiao meant.

It took him a long time to find his voice again, “But, the team competition championship…”

Wei Xiao’s eyes curved, and he twined their fingers together. “For The Win. This year’s Glory is ours!”

xiin: if you look at this novel from another perspective… without WX to lighten things up, some parts of Glory would stab me hard enough to leave me broken and bleeding to death…