Chapter 26

The three quickly settled the bill and returned to the training room to practice.

Zhai Yi first had Yu Lanting and Fu Liang practice on their own. They played a few games to review the tactics, awareness, and techniques she had taught them before. Meanwhile, she headed to the conference room, where Lin Ranjiao planned to hold a strategic meeting with them about the ING Team’s future development and training.

Zhai Yi entered the conference room. Mu Li and the others had already arrived, with Lin Ranjiao seated at the head of the table. Seeing her come in, Lin Ranjiao gave her a look, as if asking, “Did you get the signature?”

Zhai Yi nodded silently. Lin Ranjiao smiled in satisfaction. “You’re here. Take a seat quickly.”

Ning Yao pulled out the chair next to him and beckoned. “Zhai Yi, come here.”

Zhai Yi walked over and sat right between Ning Yao and Luo Weizhi, facing Mu Li directly.

Mu Li suddenly made eye contact with Zhai Yi. A strange pang of guilt welled up in his heart. After that hasty end to the incident with Zou Kai last time, they hadn’t had a proper chat with her yet.

Lin Ranjiao clapped her hands. “Since everyone’s here, I’ll lay it all out straight.”

“First, let me introduce myself. I’m Lin Ranjiao, 30 years old this year. I used to be a member of the ING Team, playing as a jungler. I’ve won several national championships and a few MVPs. Later, I retired due to a hand injury. You probably know the details already, so I won’t waste time explaining.”

Everyone was naturally aware of Lin Ranjiao’s background and strength. Her taking over as the new head coach of the ING Team was exactly what the public wanted.

“The reason for this meeting is simple. I want to reorganize the ING Team’s future development and training. I’ll scrap all of Zou Kai’s training methods entirely. It might not feel natural at first, but you all have to adapt—because I’m getting that championship trophy back for you in the Autumn Split.”

The mention of the championship ignited fighting spirit in everyone’s eyes.

Weixing Yan spoke bluntly. “As long as we can win the championship, Coach, you can drill us to death for all we care.”

Ning Yao nodded. “Yeah, we trust you, Coach.”

Mu Li took a deep breath. “We absolutely can’t let ourselves get trashed like losers in this Autumn Split.”

Luo Weizhi rubbed his cheek. “Let’s just do it.”

The four didn’t hear Zhai Yi chime in with her own declaration, so they all turned to look at her.

Zhai Yi blinked. “Do I have to say something?”

The four nodded.

Zhai Yi glanced at Lin Ranjiao, who also nodded with a smile.

Zhai Yi sighed. “Let’s do our best!”

The four looked satisfied. Lin Ranjiao smiled and continued, “First things first, we need a deep understanding of ourselves and our teammates we’ll be competing with.”

“I’m sure everyone here wants to know what Zhai Yi’s true strength really is.”

The four glanced at Zhai Yi and nodded one after another.

Weixing Yan asked, “We’ve seen you play mid lane, top lane, support, and even jungle. But you haven’t played marksman since the Spring Tournament. What’s your actual level these days…?”

Mu Li was also very curious. “Can you tell us your real strength?”

Ning Yao tilted his head. “Zhai Yi, I’ve seen how you play games on that variety show. Your marksman must be pretty good, right?”

Luo Weizhi didn’t speak, but his gaze toward Zhai Yi was full of curiosity.

Zhai Yi didn’t answer them one by one. Instead, she turned to Lin Ranjiao. “Have you seen my alt account’s match history?”

Lin Ranjiao raised an eyebrow. “When I took over, I got all your alt accounts. To understand you all better, I definitely checked your game levels on them.”

“Then I saw the games you and your dad queued up together in trios. Zhai Yi, you mostly played support and top lane, sometimes jungle, but you did play a few marksman games too. And not the heroes Zou Kai kept making you practice—these were Gongsun Li, Marco Polo, Le Sio, and Baili Shouyue.”

“Instead of me just telling you her true marksman strength—which might come off biased—why don’t we all watch together?”

Lin Ranjiao pulled down the projection screen behind her and projected the video from her computer.

Everyone looked up. Their expressions went from puzzled confusion to surprised bewilderment, and finally to stunned silence.

After the game videos ended, the four all turned to Zhai Yi in shock.

Mu Li asked incredulously, “You… your marksman play is actually really good? So why…?”

Lin Ranjiao picked up the thread. “Why did Zhai Yi perform so hilariously badly in the Spring Tournament?”

Mu Li nodded. “I don’t get it.”

Lin Ranjiao gave him a helpless look. “As if you could understand a damn thing.”

Mu Li: “…”

Lin Ranjiao turned to the other three shocked teammates. “What do you all think about this?”

The three looked at each other.

A lightbulb went off in Weixing Yan’s head. He slapped the table and stood up. “Was it Zou Kai on purpose?”

Lin Ranjiao snapped her fingers. “At least one smart guy here.”

Mu Li got it too and turned to Zhai Yi. “Zou Kai deliberately made you learn the previous marksman’s playstyle and awareness, holding back your natural strength.”

Lin Ranjiao nodded. “Exactly.”

“Three years ago, Zou Kai started leading the ING Team. For the first two years, they were unstoppable, like ferocious tigers, winning national championships both years. Every player got sponsorships and made bank. But eventually, success breeds enemies. The ING Team started facing hostility and targeting from other teams. And right then, Zou Kai got hooked on gambling again and couldn’t stop, racking up millions in gambling debt.”

“After Zou Kai ran up that debt, he did one thing you all should remember.”

Mu Li thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth. “Fang Xiaoning left the team, and Wen Tong joined.”

Fang Xiaoning had been the team’s first marksman, Wen Tong the second, and Zhai Yi the third.

Fang Xiaoning’s departure back then had been very sudden. He said something big happened at home and he couldn’t keep playing. No matter how reluctant Mu Li and the others were, they had to let him go.

After that, Zou Kai brought in Wen Tong as the starter for the ING Team—and that’s when the cracks started showing.

Bot lane.

Mu Li had talked to Zou Kai about picking a new marksman, but Zou Kai always brushed him off.

As head coach, Zou Kai had decisive say over tactics and roster picks. Even as a star player, Mu Li couldn’t openly defy him. Plus, Zou Kai had backing from Glory Club’s higher-ups.

Mu Li was just a kid from an ordinary family. His own strength couldn’t compete with real power.

It wasn’t until Zhai Corporation forcibly acquired Glory Club, overhauling the entire management and parachuting Zhai Yi into the ING Team, squeezing out Wen Tong.

Seeing this, Zou Kai immediately exploited the original body’s timid and reclusive nature. He demanded she abandon her own playstyle and awareness to copy Wen Tong’s, claiming it was to better synergize with the rest of the ING Team. That way, training could be cut short, letting her jump into the Spring Tournament ASAP.

Already feeling guilty as a parachuted-in player, the original body obeyed Zou Kai without question, hoping not to cause the ING Team extra trouble.

Faced with teammates’ cold shoulders and disgust, plus netizens’ abuse and backlash, the Spring Tournament loomed closer. Time was tight, pressure mounting from all sides.

Under that weight, the original body naturally couldn’t perform in the Spring Tournament, causing the ING Team to miss even the semifinals.

After Lin Ranjiao finished, she took a sip of water and looked at the four men sunk into silence. The conference room was thick with heavy sorrow and guilt.

All those emotions stemmed from one person.

“Zhai Yi, want to say something?” Lin Ranjiao asked.

The four turned to her, thinking even if she yelled at them or hit them, it’d be fine.

Zhai Yi glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s lunchtime.”

Everyone: “….”

Mu Li choked. “Besides eating, can’t you say something else?”

Weixing Yan’s eyes reddened. “Say whatever. We just want to hear it.”

Zhai Yi sighed. “What do you want me to say?”

“Curse you out? Give you a few smacks?”

“Would that be any fun?”

Luo Weizhi offered his face. “Hit me.”

Ning Yao nodded. “Yell at us or something.”

It’d make everyone feel better.

Zhai Yi pushed Luo Weizhi away and shook her head. “No need. You’re victims too. Why pull that ‘victim blaming’ nonsense?”

“Zou Kai screwed me over, screwed you all over, and gave the ING Team an undeserved bad name.”

“One person’s mistakes don’t need to drag everyone down.”

“What’s done is done—we can’t dwell on regrets. All we can do now is make up for it and change.”

“Like the coach said, we’re taking the Autumn Split championship. So we have to believe we can.”

Lin Ranjiao stood up and looked at everyone. “Zhai Yi’s right. The ING Team is clean now—no more toxic tumors messing us up. Our top priority is winning the Autumn Split.”

Her gaze sharpened like a blade as she said sternly, “Zhai Yi is our ING Team’s secret weapon. The other teams don’t know her true strength. When the Autumn Split hits, they’ll target bot lane like always. Let them come—and never return!”

Everyone’s eyes blazed. “Got it.”

Zhai Yi’s real strength had already filled the others with confidence. The ING Team’s morale and belief were sky-high right now. Every one of them itched to fast-forward to the Autumn Split, dominate the field, and vent all their past grievances and frustrations.

Weixing Yan reached out his hand. “The past is the past. From now on, we’ll fight together, side by side, and claim that championship.”

Ning Yao stacked his hand on top. “Fight together, claim the championship.”

Luo Weizhi joined in. “Fight together, claim the championship.”

Mu Li followed. “Fight together, claim the championship.”

Lin Ranjiao added hers. “Fight together, claim the championship.”

One hand short.

Everyone looked at Zhai Yi.

Zhai Yi looked helpless. “Don’t you think this is kinda embarrassing?”

Everyone: “…”

It was a bit embarrassing, but they’d already said it and done it—they couldn’t let Zhai Yi sit pretty while they poured their hearts out.

Lin Ranjiao grabbed her hand and placed it on top. “Hurry up. For the championship, even if they call me shameless, I’ll own it.”

Mu Li glanced at Lin Ranjiao in surprise.

Zhai Yi sighed. “Fine, fine.”

Weixing Yan said, “Don’t forget the slogan.”

Zhai Yi, stared down by everyone’s expectant gazes, could only sigh. “Fight together, claim the championship.”

Mu Li tsked. “Louder.”

Zhai Yi looked at them all, let out a light laugh, then shouted, “Fight together, claim the championship—”