Chapter 72
This was Shan Zha’s first visit to the base of a professional team, but he didn’t look happy.
“I’m going to VEGE, why did you bring me to FRUIT?”
“Do you hate FRUIT? These people were champions last season. If you really join VEGE, you’ll be their opponent later. Isn’t it good to take you in advance to scout out the enemy. A kid is still a kid.”
Shan Zha squinted: “Who was just 3:0’d by a kid?”
Ling Meng: =_,=
“I’ll let you be proud of that again for now, but I’ll make you cry later!”
“That’s what you said just now.”
“Shut up.”
The group was led to the second floor training room. The FRUIT players, who had not been seen for a long time, were delighted at the sight of Ling Meng.
“Lemon Daddy! You haven’t had many streams this season!”
“Pineapple-chan, long time so see. And Ying Tao, Li Zhi, Niu YouGuo-dage…..you all should focus on the game and watch less streams.”
Xiang Jiao had just finished a ranked match, slowly standing up from his chair.
“Let me introduce you, this is Mang God’s didi, Potato.”
“Potato? Who is Potato?” Shan Zha protested.
“If you’re going to VEGE in the future, you’ll have to use this kind of plant stage name or they won’t accept you.”
“I don’t care! My name is Hawthorn!”
“Fine. That one over there the mortal enemy of your Shan Yao-gege, Fruit’s current captain, Banana.”
Shan Zha grunted, “Of course I know Banana.”
“Your 3:0 victory over me is all fine and well. But when you become pro, facing a talented player like Banana, who even your Shan Yao-gege is no match for, do you think you can do it?”
Shan Zha bit his lower lip: “What about talented players, don’t I take them seriously. Didn’t he also drop out of school to go pro? Why can’t I?”
Shan Zha had bit his lip when he was nervous since he was young, but of the people there, only Shan Zhu knew he had this habit.
“Then, come on,” Xiang Jiao asked Ling Meng, “SOLO three rounds, right?”
“Yes, thank you for promising me.”
Xiang Jiao sat back slowly: “It’s nothing. Today’s a holiday anyway. Just pick one.”
“Pick mine, pick mine!” Bo Luo pushed Shan Zha in front of his computer, “My equipment is good to use!”
Ling Meng gave Shan Zhu a look in order to communicate: Am I good?
Shan Zhu didn’t expect Xiang Jiao to agree to come down so readily. There were many people who wanted to go pro, but 1v1 SOLO with the player at the top of the national ranking? He was afraid it was a chance most people couldn’t ask for.
“Pretty good,” Shan Zhu whispered, “It’s just that I’m a little jealous.”
Ling Meng gently elbowed him: “You lemon essence, ah.”
“What did you play in those three rounds just now?” Xiang Jiao’s fingers were on the mouse as he asked seemingly carelessly.
“Federation, Empire, Aliens, all three of them were used.”
“Ah, what about the tech tree?”
Ling Meng roughly described it to him. He would soon realized why Xiang Jiao asked, because the other side used the same development strategy as himself in the third round, which was to use the same tactics Shan Zha used to win in order to defeat him now.
“Is this going to go too far?” Ling Meng quietly asked Shan Zhu.
“Didn’t you say it’s necessary to wake the hot-blooded kid up?”
“I didn’t expect Xiang God to be so ruthless. Wow, that was too much just now. In other words, he probably won’t even want to play games anymore.”
The three rounds took less time than they just previously had. After three rounds, Shan Zha bit his lip in the face of the image of a base explosion on the screen. He clenched his fists, tears swirling in his stubborn eyes.
Looking at him like this, Ling Meng said, using a sentence he prepared in advance, “See the gap between you and a pro?” It wasn’t easy to say it.
“Guava, sorry to bother you, then we’ll stop disturbing you first…..”
“Do you want to go pro?”
Shan Zhu: ?
Shan Zha: ??
Ling Meng: ??????
“Is that all you can say?” If he didn’t know Xiang Jiao well enough, Ling Meng would really want to shake his collar and question him. I brought him here for you to wake up, not to solicit him, ah ah ah!
“Nice match. Although you lost, the level is still good.”
“I think so too,” who knew when the coach showed up, giving Ling Meng a fright, “How old are you?”
Ling Meng: “14.”
Shan Zha: “Virtually 15!”
Ling Meng: “Rounding up is 16, right? Let me speak for you.”
“Wow, so good at 14 years old? Not easy!” Bo Luo put his arm around his shoulder, “Heard you’re going to VEGE? Don’t do it, come to our FRUIT, we’re allowed to find love at FRUIT!”
“We don’t contract under the age of 16,” Xiang Jiao said with a blank face, “But if you can maintain your present level for two years, I can recommend you for youth training.”
“It’s rare for the captain to recommend a newcomer,” Bo Luo patted him happily, “I hope I can see you here in two years.”
Looking again at Xiang Jiao, he had already opened a new ranked match. Shan Zha coming or not seemed to have nothing to do with him.
“If you don’t train well, you can only be replaced by new people,” Xiang Jiao said over his shoulder.
“What? Coach, look, the captain, he threatened me!”
“I think the captain is right.”
“…….I’m going to RANK!”
“Two years from now, I’m not going to stay at this level!” Shan Zha yelled at his back.
Ling Meng: Ah?
“Two years from now, I’m going to be stronger than I am now, I’m going to beat you!”
Ling Meng: Hah?
“Wait, wait,” Ling Meng tugged at the impulsive BOY, “Over at VEGETABLE?”
“I changed my mind, I’m not going to VEGE, I’m coming to FRUIT! I’m going to make him retire!”
Ling Meng: →_→
Shan Zhu: ←_←
Xiang Jiao: “Oh.”
Other FRUIT players: Praise!