Chapter 142: Unt.i.tled
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Mo Huaifeng “mm-ed”, feeling perfectly contented as he looked at the two new photos on his screen, saying, “Yeah, you’re actually not as short as you look like you are in the photo.”
Why did those words sound so awkward?
Before he was done deliberating, the driver at the front stepped on the brakes, saying, “We’re here.”
Hence the two of them alighted.
The rain outside had stopped, only the surfaces were still wet. Ji Zhiyao carried the bags and tried his best to lift them up high, in case they were splashed with water. Yet the various bags were rather heavy, by the time he reached the front door of the villa, he had already broken out in perspiration all over.
Mo Huaifeng opened the door at the front, Ji Zhiyao followed behind, struggling as he stepped through the front door.
The entire base was still.
Ji Zhiyao dropped all the bags on him and dropped onto the sofa, then looked questioningly towards the wall clock on the wall.
It was already 2:30 PM, it didn’t make sense that his teammates would still be in bed?
Did they all go out to spend the break?
That was a possibility.
Mo Huaifeng headed straight into the dining room. Ji Zhiyao sprawled backwards, feeling so tired that he didn’t even want to move a finger, not to mention going upstairs to check if there were living people there.
A short while later, he heard the sound of familiar footsteps. Ji Zhiyao looked up and saw the gla.s.s that Mo Huaifeng brought to his front. He reached out and took it, biting the straw as he sipped the drink.
On the other hand, Mo Huaifeng headed upstairs.
“Yo, back already? Where’s Captain?”
Ji Zhiyao heard the sound and glanced back, Yuan Wei was just walking in from outside, he was even carrying several takeaway boxes in his hands. Hence he released the straw that he had been biting tightly and waved merrily. “He just went upstairs. Brother Yuan Wei, for the few days that I wasn’t at the base, why did you change your profession to become a deliveryman?”
“What deliveryman, I have yet to become so poor that I have to take on such side jobs.” Yuan Wei’s face had turned blue. “Fortunately you guys have returned, I’m about to die from being tormented by those remaining few rascals.”
Ji Zhiyao had on a curious expression. “What’s wrong? By the way, I haven’t seen them since I arrived back here, where are they?”
Yuan Wei signaled towards the staircase with his lips. “Most probably still upstairs sleeping. It’s like they’ve gone crazy these past few days, playing ranked matches all day and night, even staying up the whole night, they couldn’t keep it up today and all collapsed.”
“What the f*ck? Why did they suddenly become so diligent? Now it seems like me spending four days out there is virtually an unpardonably wicked crime.”
“My a.s.s. On the first day of the break all they did was sing karaoke, eat skewers, drink and be merry, then they were wracked with diarrhea and vomiting when they returned to the base, each of them simply wouldn’t go out anymore. There’s also nothing much to play at the base, they played ranked matches through the night only because they had no other choice.”
Ji Zhiyao did not know what he should say.
Yuan Wei entered the dining room and placed the takeaway boxes onto the table, then called out, “Noh.o.m.o, I’m guessing you haven’t eaten? There is pizza and spicy crayfish here, quickly come and have some while they’re still sleeping.”
Ji Zhiyao instantly leaped up from the sofa, rubbing his stomach as he entered the dining room. He moved to unpack the takeaway boxes and was suddenly reminded. “Brother, the things you asked me to buy are in the black bag beside the front door, you can go find it yourself.”
“Noted, I’ll go get it.”
Ji Zhiyao stuffed pizza into his mouth.
The pizza had probably been baked not too long ago, the crust was slightly crispy and it was still steaming. Ji Zhiyao took a bite and chewed slowly, not forgetting to pick up his phone.
[MelonRind: Captain, come downstairs for takeaway.]
Ji Zhiyao ate while watching the screen. A few minutes later, a new reply appeared on it.
[DB.MHF: Okay. Just showered, I’ll be down after changing my clothes.]
Ji Zhiyao then threw down his phone and started to eat the spicy crayfish.
He had just finished one when he saw Mo Huaifeng walk into the dining room. Ji Zhiyao swallowed the food in his mouth and asked, “Are they all upstairs?”
Mo Huaifeng pulled out a chair and took a seat. “Mm, wouldn’t wake up no matter how I tried.”
“And they still got Brother Yuan Wei to help order takeaway for them? Seems like they’re not hungry enough.”
Mo Huaifeng took a bite of pizza. “Don’t bother about them, let’s eat our fill first.”
“Okay.”
Thus they ate very heartily.
When Yuan Wei stepped into the dining room once again, what greeted him was the sight of the completely messy takeaway boxes and Mo Huaifeng and Ji Zhiyao who were lazily leaning back in the chair.
His jaw dropped. “What the f*ck, my brothers, how many days have you guys been starving for? What I ordered was takeaway for four people, it even included the 1.5 portion for Nuo and you guys finished everything?”
Ji Zhiyao looked towards the table, and said hesitantly, “Was it really a four people portion? I don’t think I’m that filled.”
Mo Huaifeng picked up his phone. “What else do you want to eat?”
“Forget it, I’ll eat tonight. Might get a stomach ache from eating too much at once.”
Yuan Wei was baffled.
Ji Zhiyao continued, “Brother Yuan Wei, don’t look at me like that. The airplane meal was terrible, when I see fine food now, I totally cannot bear to leave one bit behind.”
“You’re good.”
“But Captain ate more than I did.”
Mo Huaifeng agreed. “Mm.”
“Fine, both of you are good. You guys committed this sin by yourselves, when they wake up, remember to handle it on your own.”
Ji Zhiyao pretended not to hear him as he stood up and stretched. “I’ll go upstairs to shower and take a nap, see you tonight.”
With that, he first headed into the living room to pick up his own suitcase and backpack and leisurely went upstairs.
This nap lasted all the way till 8:30 PM.
Ji Zhiyao was dressed in long sleeves and oversized shorts when he came downstairs.
It was still completely silent on the first level, he walked questioningly past the corner of the staircase and found that the five other people in the team were all mutely seated in the training room, all looking like they had nothing to live for anymore.
Ji Zhiyao was taken aback. “What are you guys doing? Acting as spirits in the night?”
Nuo looked grudgingly at him. “Slept the whole day, just woke and there’s no one bit of food at the base, you’re still counting on me having the strength to make a sound?”
At the mention of food, Ji Zhiyao suddenly became guilty. “Um, didn’t you guys order takeaway?”
Nuo’s expression became even more depressed. He held his phone, sounding absolutely heartbroken as he said, “The 19th minute of waiting for the deliveryman, I miss him.”
Ji Zhiyao snuck to his seat with his tail between his legs and used his elbow to jab Mo Huaifeng who was beside him. Mo Huaifeng took off his earphones, asking, “What’s up?”
Ji Zhiyao replied in a soft voice, “Captain, why didn’t you order more takeaway for them?”
Mo Huaifeng snickered. “They were all knocked out, who knew when they would wake up?”
He specially raised his voice, hence Ji Zhiyao heard even louder wails from Nuo who wasn’t too far away.
Ji Zhiyao covered his ears and rubbed them, then turned towards his other side. “Brother, want to play a ranked match?”
Heng’s reply was monotonous. “No. I haven’t got strength to grab the mouse, I only want to watch videos.”
Ji Zhiyao immediately turned back, and stared at the display screen before him that had lit up.
He had finally understood what Yuan Wei’s meant by “handle the sin that you guys have committed by yourselves” in the afternoon.
Slightly more than 20 minutes later, when even Ji Zhiyao was becoming slightly anxious, did the takeaway finally arrive.
Looking towards his other teammates who were hugging the boxes and wolfing down their food, he sensed that the atmosphere had resumed to normal and could not help but sighed in relief, then said, “Brothers, the things I bought are all in the bag in the living room, remember to go look for your items yourselves.”
Xiao wiped his mouth. “Sure, got it.”
Yuan Wei squeezed the soft toy in his arms, watching everyone, he suddenly said, “The time to shoot the publicity stills has been changed to two weeks from now, all of you take note of yourselves, don’t eat so much.”
The entire training instantly went dead silent, Nuo was the most exaggerated, the chopsticks in his hands weren’t gripped properly and fell directly to the floor with a clatter.
Yuan Wei appeared to be extremely satisfied with the stir that he had caused, playing with the fur on the soft toy, he said, “If we shoot the publicity stills at the beginning of June, whether it’s the shooting time or promotion period, we will coincide with the other battleteams. As such, the club has made the final decision that ours will be brought forward by a week, this was just decided today. There are two more weeks to go, boys, us ‘eSports scene’s visual representative team’ will never admit defeat!”
Ji Zhiyao swallowed and took time to look down and examine his current physique. Neither fat nor thin, still considered decent. Hence he breathed a sigh of relief, then secretly peeked at the others.
Naturally, nothing more needed to be said about Mo Huaifeng, when they were in the US Ji Zhiyao had even personally seen his abs. K appeared to be extremely youthful, and had never been fat. Xiaofei trained hard and ate a lot too, but his flesh doesn’t seem to grow at all… Yet Heng, Nuo and Xiao, they were madly hovering on the edge of having their figures go out of shape.
Especially Xiao, ever since his hand injury, he had basically been eating very nutritiously everyday, having pork rib soup at least twice per week and often eating some pig trotters following the traditional Chinese custom of eating what you are made up of. With his rounded belly, he had become completely different from how he looked like in Ji Zhiyao’s memory when they first met.
Ji Zhiyao could not help praying silently for him.
Xiao’s survival instinct was very strong. “Um, I might not be able to go on anyway, I think you can just leave me out of the publicity stills.”
Yuan Wei reb.u.t.ted, “Then we shall leave you out of the battleteam’s name list too, what do you think about that?”
Xiao held his stomach and pretended to be dead.
Yuan Wei made a “hmph” sound very imposingly, then urged earnestly, “Isn’t it just losing weight. For the next 14 days, if you lose 250g a day, that makes a total of 3.5kg, you’ll still look much better than you do now. Pull yourself together brother, if you don’t even have publicity stills, aren’t you waiting to be held down on the reserve seat forever?”
Ji Zhiyao joined in, “Hey hey, Brother Yuan Wei, don’t think I can’t tell that you’re trying to sow discord between us. Brother Xiao is so smart, how is it possible that he would fall for it?”
Xiao said just then, “I’ll start dieting from tomorrow.”
Heng stole a glance at Xiaofei, as a painful experience came to mind. “Xiao, daddy will accompany you.”
Xiaofei was innocently hit by a stray bullet.
Yuan Wei was so pleased that he applauded. “Easy, easy, everything can be easily arranged.”
Ji Zhiyao shook his head and said, “You guys can let me know when it’s time to take the stills. I have mid-term exams for my electives next week, I won’t be coming back on the weekend.”
Yuan Wei nodded. “Sure, when it comes you’ll be the first one I inform. Captain, we should start preparing the schedule for the team’s training tournaments.”
Mo Huaifeng agreed. “I’ll start discussing with Old Ning tomorrow.”
“Alright.”
Everything had been put in perfect order, the rest were also done eating, after cleaning up the mess, they prepared to begin training.
Ji Zhiyao had just sat down, but was pulled to the side by Xiao in the next second. Xiao appeared to be slightly excited. “Come come, Noh.o.m.o, play a solo with me.”
Ji Zhiyao froze, then promptly said in surprise, “Brother Xiao, your hand is totally recovered?”
Xiao scratched his head. “It can’t be considered totally recovered. Though it’s a little painful, it’s tolerable.”
Ji Zhiyao could not help but feel worried.
Previously after Kang Kyung Chwa’s training ended, he headed right back to school. Then he left for the US with Mo Huaifeng and wasn’t at the base for a long time. If he calculated, it had already been two whole weeks that he hadn’t seen Xiao train. Xiao… Would he really be like Coach Kang, paying no heed to his hand injury anymore?”
But also felt like it would be abrupt if he just voiced out his question, it would sound as if he didn’t hope that Xiao’s injury would heal as soon as possible. Ji Zhiyao could only note this down in his heart, then smiled, saying, “Sure Brother Xiao, you create a room and invite me.”
Ji Zhiyao returned to his seat, logged onto Heroes and accepted Xiao’s invitation.
Two of them finished picking their champions very quickly.
The match began.
Ji Zhiyao had not touched the game for four to five days, thus would naturally be slightly out of practice. Before the minions had left the fountain, he first re-familiarized himself with the keyboard before following behind the minions to walk out of the fountain.
Both of them being junglers, him and Xiao were people who understood each other the best. Thus Ji Zhiyao was not anxious and did not move according to his previous strategy.
This time round he was very well-behaved, staying under the turret and killing minions quietly, not even hara.s.sing Xiao at all.
Whereas Xiao, probably due to his hand injury, was more cautious than before, for just killing the minions in the mid-lane, he would retreat several times to guard against a sneak attack.
Two waves of minions went past like this, Ji Zhiyao finally figured out Xiao’s flaw, he stopped hesitating and rushed forward while he was still killing minions.
Huh?
Ji Zhiyao involuntarily let out a sound of doubt.
The opposing jungler seemed to be fixed to a spring as he nimbly avoided all the attacks and even managed to counter attack.
Ji Zhiyao controlled his a.s.sa.s.sin to dodge backwards, at the same time, looked up towards Xiao.
Xiao didn’t look too at ease. In the moment that Ji Zhiyao glanced at him, he had clearly seen his deep frown.
Ji Zhiyao’s heart seemed to drop.
He also frowned slightly. When the a.s.sa.s.sin on the screen had regained his full health, he set off towards the mid lane once more.
This time, he was no longer surprised by the opposing a.s.sa.s.sin’s sudden agility and successfully earned a kill.
Just as his minions were about to push down Xiao’s defense turret, Ji Zhiyao suddenly cried out, his right hand holding onto his left arm.
Xiao was the first to be shocked, with no mind for solo that was currently in full swing, he quickly stood up and ran to Ji Zhiyao in a few steps, asking anxiously, “Noh.o.m.o, what’s wrong?”
Ji Zhiyao only breathed in, appearing to be in so much pain that he couldn’t speak.
The rest had been alarmed and gathered in succession. Mo Huaifeng squeezed all the way in, looking very upset, his palm grasped where Ji Zhiyao was covering with his right hand. “What’s wrong? Do you want to go to the hospital?”
Ji Zhiyao sucked in two breaths of cold air. “No need, I think it’s a strain. Captain, help me back to my room and help me to put on a medicated plaster.”
He secretly winked at Mo Huaifeng, Mo Huaifeng realized very quickly that he was pretending.
Mo Huaifeng tightened his brows and pulled Ji Zhiyao up with a solemn face.
Ji Zhiyao waved his “uninjured” right hand at the rest. “I’m fine, just putting on a medicated plaster will do. Brother Xiao, sorry, let’s solo again next time.”
Xiao said disapprovingly, “Look at the state you’re in now, take care of yourself first.”
Ji Zhiyao hugged his left arm, crying out in pain in pretense as he followed behind Mo Huaifeng to go upstairs.
They entered the room, the door was shut with a click. Mo Huaifeng stood in front of the door, both hands in his pockets. “What’s wrong with you?”