Chapter 31: A Modest Request

Looking at the 8-13 final scoreboard, Su Zhe could not help but feel a twinge of disappointment.

That burst of inspiration had been nothing more than a flash in the pan. Although Su Zhe had managed to secure an ACE under immense pressure to help his team scrape together a single point, NiP had not given them many opportunities thereafter. Compounded by his teammates' lackluster performance, their score was gradually overtaken until they eventually lost the ladder match. The entire process felt like an old man toying with a child.

"You gave it your all," Brother Pang comforted him from the side. Even as a mere spectator, he could feel the pressure of the match; if it had been him playing, he likely would have given up long ago. It wasn't just the pressure of losing aim duels, but the suffocating pressure of not even being given a chance to fire back.

"It's fine, we really couldn't win," Su Zhe said, quickly readjusting his mindset. He had experienced this sense of powerlessness before during his trial at TYLOO, though the pressure then hadn't been quite this intense.

"Hey, someone added you as a friend," Xiao Guang reminded him.

Su Zhe turned his gaze back to the computer screen. Upon opening the friend request list, he saw it was k0nfig again. It was k0nfig who had reached out to add him back when they were on the Perfect World platform. After accepting the request, k0nfig sent a message: "Why are you playing on Faceit?"

Su Zhe deliberated for a moment, turned off his stream, and replied honestly: "I'm looking for an opportunity to go pro."

k0nfig: "?"

*Come on, man. When I asked you in Shanghai if you had any thoughts about coming to Europe to play professionally, you said no. Now you're on Faceit saying you're looking for a pro opportunity? Do you think our NiP team is that bad?*

But having already started the conversation, k0nfig had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask: "Is there any team you're looking to join? Maybe I can help you with a recommendation."

Su Zhe: "Not yet."

He was being truthful. There were teams he wanted to join, such as G2, Vitality, or FaZe—the ultra-elite giants—but that would depend on whether they wanted him.

k0nfig: "Then do you have any requirements for a team?"

Su Zhe: "...No real requirements. Higher pay would be nice, just enough to cover my daily expenses."

k0nfig: "?"

*Seriously, man? You really look down on our team! You don't have any requirements and you still won't consider NiP?*

k0nfig felt it was a lost cause and prepared to end the chat, but to his surprise, the other party sent another message immediately.

Su Zhe: "Is your team currently looking for players?"

k0nfig's eyes lit up. Of course they were looking for talent like him! Although his four-man NiP squad had won the match easily just now, he couldn't help but hold Su Zhe in higher regard. The kid was even stronger than when they had met on the Perfect World servers; otherwise, they wouldn't have had to resort to professional tactics to handle him.

k0nfig immediately replied: "Of course we are! Why? Are you interested in joining us?"

Su Zhe: "Yes, but I have one requirement."

k0nfig: "?"

*Seriously? You just said you had no requirements for a team, and now you have one? Are you playing favorites?* He asked with forced patience: "What requirement?"

Su Zhe: "If I successfully enter the academy team, I require that I can be promoted to the main roster within six months."

k0nfig: "..."

He had expected some difficult condition, but this was a piece of cake. He looked at his teammates gathered behind him; they exchanged glances and couldn't help but chuckle. They were, after all, looking for players for their main squad.

While CS:GO relied heavily on experience, the changes brought by CS2 had rendered most old tactics obsolete. For casual players, this didn't matter much, but for professional players, it was all about the details. This was the reason why FaZe had been able to win three S-tier events in a row after the transition to CS2—not just because their players were in better form, but because they adapted to the new version faster. The launch of CS2 was not only the best time for new players to join the game but also the prime time for teams to recruit new talent.

k0nfig immediately replied: "As long as your trial results meet our expectations, I can personally guarantee that for you."

...

Su Zhe didn't know what the NiP players were thinking, but after receiving the confirmation, his clenched fists finally relaxed. He didn't know what the outcome of the trial would be, but at least he now had a chance.

"No way! You're really going to be a pro player!?" Xiao Guang exclaimed after translating their conversation. Even though he had known Su Zhe wanted to go pro, it still felt surreal. What kind of growth was this? In the blink of an eye, his roommate, with whom he shared a room, was about to become a professional gamer.

Su Zhe was excited, but he didn't let it go to his head: "It's not certain yet. I have to pass the trial first."

Brother Pang cheered him on: "Just give it your all! I believe in you. If you perform well, passing the NiP trial shouldn't be a problem." He added, "It's just surprising how much NiP's strength has declined in these few years, but for you, the stage is still plenty big."

Su Zhe understood what Brother Pang meant. During this time, he had learned about the history of various major teams. If one were to talk about the history of professional CS:GO teams, NiP was the first name that couldn't be ignored.

They were the first team to build a dynasty in CS:GO, and the 87-map winning streak led by GeT_RiGhT remained unbroken to this day. They had even won a Major, the highest honor in the game. However, as CS:GO evolved, they gradually declined, eventually reaching a point where even second-tier teams could walk all over them. But even a fallen giant remained a giant; they still held spots in all the major tournaments, which was why Brother Pang said the stage was huge.

Afterward, Su Zhe and k0nfig arranged a time for the trial in two weeks, as he still needed to handle a mess of things like a visa for Sweden. Once the communication was finished, Su Zhe suppressed his excitement and reopened his stream.

"What were you talking about? Did they lose to you in China last time and come to humiliate you now?"

"Doesn't look like it from his expression? Maybe they were praising your play?"

"Speak up! Riddlers are the worst!"

Su Zhe chuckled at the messages in the chat. He didn't plan on revealing the news of the NiP trial yet; after all, nothing was set in stone. He wouldn't know if he could pass the trial until it happened, so he decided to wait until everything was settled.

...

When k0nfig closed the chat window, he let out a long breath.

REZ asked thoughtfully, "Is it really okay for us to make such a decision on our own... without telling management?"

"And no European CS:GO team has ever recruited a Chinese player. Will management really agree?"

His concerns were not unfounded; the recent performance of the Chinese scene had been notoriously poor. If a Chinese player were to join the team, it would truly be making European CS:GO history—like a foreigner joining the Chinese national table tennis team.

es3tag thought for a moment and said, "There's no reason to refuse. You've seen his skill, and we've already transitioned into an international team, so communication won't be an issue."

"Besides, our biggest owner is Chinese anyway. Management will likely agree."

NiP had originally been a purely Swedish team, but at the beginning of 2023, it had been acquired and merged by a Chinese company.

REZ nodded upon hearing this. As long as the individual talent was sufficient and communication wasn't a problem, management truly had no reason to say no.

k0nfig sighed: "If he can pass the trial, we can finally focus our attention on polishing the lineup. The Major isn't far off."

The others felt the same; it was impossible to train with peace of mind when they were constantly one player short.