Chapter 38: The Free Man

Although he did not know why his parents had accepted his decision to go professional so readily, it was a good thing regardless. He had no desire for this to spiral into a cliché drama of family discord or a severed father-son relationship.

In the days that followed, Su Zhe went to his school to process his leave of absence. After mailing his computer home, he said his final goodbyes to Fatty and Xiao Guang. Perhaps realizing they would not see each other for a very long time, the three of them got thoroughly drunk that night. Had the owner of the barbecue restaurant not notified the school security guards, the three of them would have likely spent the freezing midwinter night sleeping on the street.

During his final week, Su Zhe chose to stay home with his parents. His mother would chime in from time to time, "How could you be so bold? How did you even dare to sneak off abroad all by yourself?" His father would only chuckle, thinking to himself that his son had finally grown up; at eighteen, he certainly wouldn't have dared to go abroad alone.

Once everything was settled, the day arrived for the club’s training camp.

...

"Mom! You don't need to pack so much food! And these drinks, they won't make it through security..."

"Oh, really? Then take more clothes. I heard it’s cold over there, so dress warmly and don't catch a cold. Remember to message home often, and take care of yourself..."

"I know, Mom."

"Dad, you should keep this secret stash of money for yourself. I know it’s not easy for you, and I have enough. They’re paying me a salary over there, too."

"That’s enough! Take it if I tell you to. Don't you dare say you're broke when I ask to borrow money from you later. Who would have thought my son would be able to support himself so quickly."

"...I understand, Dad."

Su Zhe checked his phone. "It’s almost time for boarding. You two should head back; it’s freezing out here."

His father waved his hand impatiently. "You worry about yourself! We're already here; is a little extra time going to kill us?"

"Alright then..." Su Zhe felt no discomfort from being scolded; instead, he felt a warmth spreading through him.

It felt like a dream—things that had seemed so tangled and difficult before were now unfolding with incredible smoothness. Often, the things we perceive as insurmountable obstacles vanish the moment we are fully prepared to face them.

...

Leon Kai searched for the ID "Arrow" on Douyin.

"No stream today either? Is he really planning to give up on going pro?"

Leon Kai sighed at the thought. What a talent! Why were the domestic teams so incapable of appreciating it? He had originally intended to recommend Su Zhe once he reached Diamond S, but the kid had gone off to try out for a team on his own. Later, he heard Su Zhe had lost interest in the domestic scene, and Leon Kai assumed he had given up. To his surprise, Su Zhe had climbed all the way to the top of the Perfect World platform rankings instead.

When he reached out to Su Zhe on Douyin later, he initially thought it sounded unrealistic when Su Zhe said he wanted to be promoted to a main roster within a year. But then, considering how monstrous his talent was, perhaps the demand wasn't so unreasonable after all. He had used his years of connections in the industry to try and open doors for Su Zhe, but every attempt had been met with rejection.

"Do they not see this kid's talent? Even without tournament experience, surely he’s better than the current crop who can’t get results? Why are they so afraid to try?"

Leon Kai was baffled, but as a streamer who had remained lukewarm for years, he was powerless to help.

"Sigh, when will CNCS ever get better?"

Leon Kai sighed and opened the last conversation he had with Su Zhe. It was a long message containing advice Su Zhe had given him for his streams. After reading it carefully, Leon Kai had gone to the official FaZe store and bought a ropz jersey...

"He’s such a thoughtful kid. He even made a video to promote me before he stopped streaming. I hope he finds the path that suits him..."

...

"Brother! Good to see you again!" As soon as Su Zhe arrived at the club, he was met with a massive bear hug from k0nfig.

"Let the man unpack his luggage first, look at you!" es3tag said from the side, shaking his head. He then turned to Su Zhe and added, "The dorms are usually double rooms, but since Brollan went home, you’ll have to stay alone for the time being. That’s alright, right?"

"Of course, that’s no problem." Su Zhe replied with a smile. Going from a double to a single room—what was there to complain about?

...

es3tag nodded. "Good. A staff member will take you to your dorm shortly. Get settled in, and we'll have a meeting this afternoon."

Su Zhe was quite satisfied with his living quarters upon arriving. Although the room wasn't spacious, he preferred this kind of small, cozy environment. After tidying up his belongings and buying daily necessities at a nearby shop, he headed straight for the training room.

As soon as Su Zhe pushed open the door, he saw that the other members of NIP were already there.

"Welcome our new recruit, Arrow, to the team!" k0nfig led the applause, and the others joined in with welcoming smiles.

The small gesture was heartwarming, instantly dissolving the lingering sense of awkwardness he felt. "Thank you, everyone! I look forward to working with you all!"

The coach, djL, patted the chair next to him. "Sit here. We’re mostly going to discuss the team's schedule moving forward."

Once Su Zhe was seated, djL continued, "Arrow, how would you feel about taking on the lurker role for the team?"

"A lurker?"

Su Zhe was a bit surprised. He had expected to be placed as an entry fragger, given that his playstyle in ranked games was better suited for that role.

djL nodded and explained, "Yes. Because the Katowice qualifiers are right around the corner, we don't have much time to adjust the lineup."

"The other four have already been through several tournaments and have developed a certain level of synergy, so I feel you are better suited for the lurker role right now."

Su Zhe nodded in agreement. Having watched a large number of match recordings recently, he had gained a better understanding of the overall European professional scene. What amazed him most was the seamless tactical coordination between teams. The entry fragger role looked simple on the surface, but it required significant support from teammates behind them. Without proper chemistry, it was easy for the offense to fall apart.

The lurker role, as the name suggested, was more flexible, primarily responsible for gathering information, flanking, and watching the backlines. However, it also placed high demands on the player's individual skill; otherwise, losing a 1v1 duel would put the entire team at a disadvantage.

Seeing that Su Zhe had no objections, the coach added, "With that, the NIP roster is temporarily complete. All that's left is our training camp. Let's strive for a good result in the upcoming tournament!"