Did The Captain Catch Up With The Coach Today [Esports] Chapter 22

Chapter 22

The group stage would last for three days.

FHM’s opponent on the first day was PSP, the second day was EN, and the match against KCD was on the final day.

Wen Shi Yu said that starting tomorrow, they would focus on analyzing these three teams.

After saying this, he announced the dismissal, and the FHM team members returned to their respective rooms.

However, after Wei Xiao turned off his computer, he remained seated in his chair, slow to move.

Wen Shi Yu waited until everyone else had left before asking him, “Why aren’t you leaving?”

“During the group stage, will the coach have to show his face?” Wei Xiao turned to face him, chair and all, his face etched with worry. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Why do you ask that?” Wen Shi Yu sat on the sofa, crossing his legs, and placed his laptop on his lap, organizing the files on the desktop.

Wei Xiao watched his movements and said, somewhat distractedly, “A lot of people will definitely recognize you and discuss you then.”

“So what?”

“I thought you didn’t like being discussed.”

“I really don’t,” Wen Shi Yu replied. “But if you want to gain something, you must pay something. If I want to slap EN hard as a coach, it’s unavoidable that I’ll re-enter the public eye. I’ve been mentally prepared for this for a long time, so you don’t need to worry about me.”

“I see.” Wei Xiao nodded in understanding, then smiled. “Well, you don’t need to worry either. When Wen Ge played E-sports, he only had skill and no scandals, and he’s so handsome and good-looking. Any discussion targeting you won’t be negative!”

Hearing this, Wen Shi Yu paused his action of shutting down the computer, his gaze on the screen slightly unfocused. “You think I’m very good-looking?”

“Yes, I do!” Wei Xiao answered without hesitation. “You’re good enough to enter the entertainment industry! No, I think some celebrities in the entertainment industry aren’t as good-looking as you!”

In all his life, countless girls had complimented Wen Shi Yu on his looks, but this was the first time he had been praised like this by a man, and it made every cell in his body feel slightly uncomfortable.

He wanted to reply with “You’re handsome too,” but he couldn’t say it. It felt too strange, a little… ambiguous?

How could Wei Xiao be so straightforward in complimenting him?

Wen Shi Yu cleared his throat, closed his laptop, and rose from the sofa. “Let’s go.”

Wei Xiao said “Oh,” and happily followed him.

The league was held in the same city as FHM, and many famous teams had gathered here, such as WI, KPI, and also EN.

In short, the FHM members didn’t need to move; they just needed to walk over on the day of the match.

Before the league officially began, there was an opening ceremony where each of the 16 participating teams had to send a representative to appear on stage.

Wei Xiao volunteered, and no one raised any objections.

Qin Jin Yao was usually a cool person, but at the venue, he was so timid that half his face was hidden in his black collar.

Although Zhou Miao Miao wasn’t stage-frightened, he knew his place and felt his skill wasn’t enough to stand on the same stage as the big shots from other teams.

Lu Qing Yang was the type to avoid trouble whenever possible, preferring not to go on stage.

Tang Li was low-key. Rather than standing in the spotlight, he preferred to play his role in an unnoticed corner.

So, when Wei Xiao volunteered, the four of them simultaneously said “Good, good, good,” while inwardly breathing a sigh of relief.

Wei Xiao thought he had gotten a good deal. He shook hands with one person and patted another’s shoulder, looking touched. “Good teammates! I’m going up!”

His teammates clapped enthusiastically. Wen Shi Yu lowered his head slightly and raised a hand to adjust the plain glasses he wore for disguise, worried that their excessive noise would draw attention.

Before he could lower his hand, Wei Xiao gave him a light hug.

It was a sudden hug, brief and fleeting, as if it were a last-minute, thoughtless action just to “spread the love.”

But Wen Shi Yu’s body still froze.

He looked up, his eyes accusatory. Wei Xiao smiled at him, then turned and walked toward the tunnel.

A moment later, accompanied by passionate and rousing background music, the two hosts took the stage and delivered the opening remarks, one line at a time.

“Heroes compete, momentum soaring!”

“Who will contend for the position of Overlord!”

“Welcome to the venue of the Hero League Spring Regular Season!”

“After a long wait, we finally usher in a new season!”

“In the past year, we have witnessed countless spectacular matches. We wonder what kind of surprises await us in the new year!”

“Sixteen teams, fully prepared, will fight for their dreams and glory! We look forward to their performance!”

The lights came on, illuminating the entire stage. Sixteen teams, sixteen battle flags rose, each painted with a unique logo.

Under each battle flag stood a player, wearing their team uniform, representing their team’s appearance.

FHM’s logo was the logo of the Fool Happy More internet cafe—the outline of a handheld console with an exaggerated smiley face inside. The flag and uniforms were a vibrant red.

Wei Xiao raised his hand to greet the audience, a stark contrast to the serious demeanor of the seven players beside him.

“This season, we welcome a brand new team. Their name is FHM! Let’s give them a warm round of applause!”

Following the host’s words, the spotlight shone on Wei Xiao. Wei Xiao, who was already waving, paused for a moment, then waved even more energetically, raising both hands and waving them widely, as if he were holding a concert, just short of yelling, “Get the whole place hyped!”

Wen Shi Yu raised a hand to shield his eyes, finding the sight a little unbearable.

Fortunately, the host didn’t give Wei Xiao too much time in the spotlight, immediately following up with: “I now announce that the Hero League Spring Regular Season officially begins!”

“This spring, let us look forward together, and witness together, the birth of the new champion!”

As the words fell, the entire venue erupted in applause and cheers.

The players left the stage. Wei Xiao returned to the team, saying with a hint of disappointment, “I thought I’d get a chance to say a few words.”

“What did you want to say?” Wen Shi Yu asked him.

“Some trash talk, like—WI, you better watch out! The champion of this season, FHM is determined to win!”

Wen Shi Yu: “…”

It was truly wise that the opening ceremony didn’t give the players microphones!

“Isn’t that a bit too arrogant?” Zhou Miao Miao said uncertainly.

“Maybe a little.” Wei Xiao said, raising his hand to stroke his chin as he thought. “Then how about—KPI, try hard to beat WI! Otherwise, I’m afraid you won’t even get the runner-up spot!”

“Oh?” A player wearing a KPI uniform walked past Wei Xiao, his tone mocking. “Thank you for your concern. We will work hard. As for you, try not to be eliminated before you even get to face us.”

Wei Xiao looked at him, but before he could clearly see his face, the player had already left.

“Who was that?” he asked.

“Fei Yu,” Wen Shi Yu answered. Then, without waiting for Wei Xiao’s response, he raised a hand and pushed Wei Xiao’s lower back. “Let’s go, we’re heading back. First, let’s focus on our match against PSP. And—your trash talk is too blunt. Try to be a little more subtle next time.”

“Ah, how should I be subtle?” Wei Xiao looked at Wen Shi Yu, blinking, asking for guidance humbly.

Wen Shi Yu immediately offered a line: “You’re Fei Yu? I didn’t see you fly the last time we met. Can you fly today?”

“Hahahahaha!” Wei Xiao admitted defeat. “I’ve learned, I’ve learned. I’ll say that when we play KPI next time!”

The rest of FHM: …Yes, that’s certainly “subtle.”

Back at the internet cafe, Wen Shi Yu led the FHM members through a review of PSP’s style and strategy.

PSP was a team where the top-laner and Jungler were relatively strong. Their main strategy was for the top-laner to wait for the Jungler, and the MID to wait for the top-laner.

That is, the Jungler would gank the top lane first, freeing up the top lane, and then the top-laner and Jungler would link up, pushing from top to bottom.

Therefore, to beat PSP, the top-laner absolutely had to hold the line. Whether to engage in a 2v2 in the top lane or to free up the MID and bottom lanes first before supporting the top lane would depend on the specific situation.

Wen Shi Yu completely trusted Wei Xiao’s on-the-spot performance. “Go for it. This time, you don’t have teammates dragging you down. Win however you want to win.”

Zhou Miao Miao’s Void Star Mark was already well-practiced, and if that failed, he had Assassin as a backup. Lu Qing Yang was a bit weak in the lane but never missed a team fight.

And most importantly—they would completely follow Wei Xiao’s command, unlike EN last year, who couldn’t even gather everyone before a team fight.

Wei Xiao hummed and gave Wen Shi Yu a wink. “If you think I can do it, I definitely can. Even if I can’t, I have to!”

“You can,” Wen Shi Yu said flatly.

“Good, we’re guaranteed to win!”

The day of the match quickly arrived.

The host’s voice was as enthusiastic as ever: “Welcome to the venue of the Hero League Spring Regular Season! Today, we are about to witness the match between PSP and FHM!”

“I believe many people still remember PSP’s brilliant performance last season. Their top-lane and Jungler linkage sweeping the battlefield left a deep impression!”

“FHM is a brand new team. To many of us, they are very unfamiliar. Judging from the qualifiers, this is a very strong Jungler-core team. We are very much looking forward to the brand new viewing experience they will bring us!”

“Now, please welcome the two teams to exchange some trash talk!”

In Hero League matches, viewing pleasure came first, the match second, and friendship third, so exchanging trash talk before the match was mandatory.

Wei Xiao had already planned what to say before going on stage, but the host handed the microphone to PSP first.

A PSP player took the microphone and aimed his words directly at Wei Xiao: “Is Overlord Blade a 1 or a 0? We’ll find out on the battlefield.”

Holy crap! He’s questioning whether he’s a 1 or a 0? How can he tolerate that?

In an instant, Wei Xiao forgot all the trash talk he had prepared before going on stage. He took the microphone and responded coldly, “I don’t know if Overlord Blade is a 1 or a 0, but I am a 1.”

Wen Shi Yu raised a hand, covering his eyes through his plain glasses, trying very hard not to faint.

He shouldn’t have allowed Wei Xiao to touch a microphone.

However, Wei Xiao’s statement couldn’t really be considered wrong.

—Overlord Blade had been nerfed round after round, and whether it could still stand tall was unknown, but in Wei Xiao’s hands, it had no choice but to stand tall.

But Wei Xiao didn’t plan to pick Overlord Blade for this match.

“Let’s grab Blade Shadow Dancer,” he said proactively during the ban/pick phase.

Wen Shi Yu raised an eyebrow. “After the opponent said something like that, you can still resist picking Overlord Blade?”

“I have to resist,” Wei Xiao laughed, looking up. “Pre-match trash talk is one thing, but how can you let emotions dictate the game? I still need to help you win the championship!”

“You’re right.” Wen Shi Yu smiled.