How Dare You Attack My Support!
Chapter 29.2
Qiao Yanzhou stood there distractedly for a long time before realizing that the event was about to start, hence he hurried back to the entrance of the event.
At the moment the entrance was piled with people. All kinds of supportive light boards were lit up above everyone’s heads. Not to brag, but the scene was even better than a large-scale concert.
Liang Dong and Zhao Lingling made a trip around the shopping area before coming back empty handed. It was probably because it was too expensive and they couldn't buy anything.
“Lets go ba, the tickets are for the front of the inner section.” Although the hands of both of them were empty, Qiao Yanzhou felt that his journey was rewarding. The only thing he regretted was that he didn’t get an autograph and a picture with Gu Zixing.
But it doesn’t matter, Qiao Yanzhou thought, in any case there were bound to be more opportunities in the future .
“Front of the inner section?” Hearing Qiao Yanzhous words, Liang Dong was so startled he forgot to close his mouth. He snatched the tickets out of Qiao Yanzhous hands and looked at it for a long time, “Fuck! This ticket must cost at least 4 digits ba!”
“Not sure.” Qiao Yanzhou took the tickets back from Liang Dong’s hands and used his fingers to rub it. “Your saliva almost leaked onto it.”
“Laoge you’re so capable ah! To be honest, before getting these three tickets I was actually wondering if I came here for nothing again.” Liang Dong patted Qiao Yanzhou’s shoulder, “You really are being kept by a rich woman ah you rascal!”
“...” Qiao Yanzhou was speechless. “I already said it was given by Gu Zixing.”
As soon as Qiao Yanzhou’s words came out, he clearly saw Liang Dong and Zhao Lingling’s distracted gazes. It was clear to see that their previous unbelieving attitudes were slowly starting to change. It’s possible that it was because of these three tickets that attacked them too fiercely, or it could also be because Qiao Yanzhou said it too sincerely.
“Is it really Gu Zixing?” Zhao Lingling asked.
“If you don’t believe it then forget it.”
Zhao Lingling and Liang Dong looked at each other and didn’t continue to talk.
The ticket and security check went by very fast. Qiao Yanzhou and them stood in line to the seating area for 20 minutes before finally reaching the inner section.
The GML took up the biggest arena in S City. As they went further in, Qiao Yanzhou only felt one word: crowded.
There are only a few doors that lead to the stadium seating. WG and EG both had different kinds of tickets and also different paths to their sections so it was no surprise that it was packed full.
Qiao Yanzhou and them were all in the aisle for a long time before reaching the inner section. But the seats here were more spacious than the seats in the normal area and the view was also good so there wasn't much to complain about.
Seeing this, it seems like what Qiao Yanzhou said was true. At this EG vs WG competition, it seemed that it was difficult for you to get in with a through-ticket, it was practically crowded with team tickets.
“Amazing!” Zhao Lingling lifted a cup of coke that no one knows when or where she got it from. Standing at her seat position, she looked at the already decorated stage and gave a heartfelt sigh, “We are so close ah! I can even see EG’s mouse and keyboard from here.”
On stage at the moment were 5 sets of gaming computers set up on both sides of the stage. The left side was EG, right side was WG. These ten computers positions were also in the same order dictated by the SPL. There were a few staff workers who were conducting bug tests on them still. For the sake of this GML, it could be said that these people were working very hard.
“We are this close to the stage, when it starts later do you think we could be chosen to go up ah!” Zaho Lingling said this and at the moment her eyes turned into shining stars.
“Picked for what?” Liang Dong took Zhao Lingling’s coke to take a drink from the straw. He turned his head to face Zhao Lingling and laughed, “You aren’t afraid that your idol will see how bad of a player you are?”
Zhao Lingling kicked Liang Dong in the leg. The pain made him grit his teeth.
Qiao Yanzhou didn't really have much expectation or feeling towards being picked to play on the stage. This was already his fourth year attending the GML and he hadn’t been picked for the last three years. Although this time it was his first time being in the inner section, Qiao Yanzhou understood that in an arena with over a thousand people, they would only pick 4 people to enter on stage.
He didn’t need to calculate the percentage to know it was bad.
It was 2:30PM, the event was about to officially start. The two casters from the SPL spring tournament would host this event. Qiao Yanzhou had absolutely no interest in the opening remarks. Randomly taking two pictures, he opened wechat to send Gu Zixing some messages.
YZ Qiao: God Gu is almost going to go on stage, are you nervous?
Qiao Yanzhou figured that Gu Zixing should be behind the stage at the moment with his teammates, nervous about competing and discussing tactics. He definitely didn't have time to respond to his wechat.
But it hadn’t even been a minute yet when Gu Zixing responded. Although the content is not enough, it's only one picture.
In the picture was just an image of legs crossed with the EG uniform. From the shoes, Qiao Yanzhou could tell that this was definitely Gu Zixing. In front of Gu Zixing’s leg was a table with playing cards on it, across the desk was the silhouette of two people…
They really dared. Seeing this picture, Qiao Yanzhou’s mouth twitched. Fight the Landlord(1), this was excessive ba…
Fight the Landlord is a popular Chinese card game
The opening remarks from the caster were finally finished and the two casters first welcomed the members of WG to the stage. This was a consistent practice of the GML. Between the two teams, whoever had lost in a previous match would appear first.
From the audience Liang Dong watched as each member of WG came up, his excitement bubbling. Although he was seated in the EG section, he braved the dangers to his life and let out a heartfelt cheer.
“Be more careful, you're going to get beaten up.” Zhao Lingling warned him in a small voice.
After introducing the team and all the members, the caster finally let the highly anticipated EG team come up onstage.
In a cheer that could split a landslide, the members of EG lined up as they usually would and walked on stage. Gu Zixing was the last one, behind him was Coach Chen.
“Siler!! I love you!!!”
A loud cry resonated to the skies, but it didn’t create a response from Gu Zixing. He was talking to the coach at the time and only slightly raised his eyes and gave a light smile towards the audience before turning back around to talk.
Compared to all those crazy fans, Qiao Yanzhou was very calm at the moment. He wordlessly looked at Gu Zixing, but inside he was not as calm as he projected on the surface.
That's right, its that person standing on the stage with countless people crazily chasing him. It’s this person who for the past ten days wildly dragged him into the game to torture him in every possible way. It’s also this person who last night, after hearing that he arrived to S city, called him. And it’s still this person, who an hour before the event personally gave him tickets to the GML!
Going through this, Qiao Yanzhou was always caught up in his own illusions. He felt that the distance between him and Gu Zixing was getting closer and closer. But for a split second when Gu Zixing entered the stage, hearing that ear splitting cry from the audience towards Gu Zixing, Qiao Yanzhou felt that he was really wrong.
Gu Zixing is Gu Zixing. Even if he was down-to-earth with him, it was still Gu Zixing, the brightest star in the sky.
Although Qiao Yanzhou would sometimes treat Gu Zixing not like a fan but like an idol, but today from the moment Gu Zixing walked on stage, Qiao Yanzhou’s heartfelt worship and respect for Gu Zixing was suddenly aroused.
Gu Zixing’s gaze was aimlessly drifting in the audience. He was searching for a lightboard. The lightboard had a completely depraved writing about him giving someone a child.
Finally in the endless spectators, Gu Zixing found the seats for the tickets he gave out with a familiar face in them.
Seeing Qiao Yanzhou’s pondering appearance, Gu Zixing was a bit curious about what he was thinking about.
But curiosity was just curiosity. The activity needed to continue normal. The first activity of the GML was a Q&A with the pro-players. All the audience members could enter a question through a government platform, then the staff members would filter through them to give to the players to answer.
This was really a test to see how flexible the players were because according to the experience of the past few years, all kinds of weird questions that you've never thought of appeared. Some of the questions were so weird that it made people wonder if the players were actually just going through a terrifying truth or dare.
For example.
Host: Asking Coach Chen, if Qi Chen and Gu Zixing both fell into the water one day, who would you save first?
Coach Chen: Save Qi Chen ba. Gu Zixing is too hard to look after.
Gu Zixing: ….
For example.
Host: Asking Wolf (WG’s Jungler), if you could nerf a champion who would you nerf? Be specific in what you want to nerf.
Wolf: Nerf Gu Zixing ba, Nerf his intelligence by 70% then we can finally have some fun.
Gu Zixing: …
For example.
Host: Asking God Gu, in the League as a mid laner, your hand speed is known to be fast. Besides your training, does this have anything to do with your single life?
Gu Zixing: …
Gu Zixing quickly realized that him being on stage was simply torture: branding iron, silver needle, chili water, tiger bench etc… And all the spectators eagerly listened.
Gu Zixing had to experience this every year at the GML. His popularity was high, so it was normal that half the segment was usually focused on him. Gu Zixing was extremely unwilling and forced himself to obey.
This had to be the slowest 30 minutes of Gu Zixing’s entire professional career. When the ridicule was finally over, the spectators were finally satisfied.
Now it was time for the main event of the GML.
The two teams would send out 3 members then choose two members of the audience to come compete.
“Ok, now we are going to pick two people from the audience to come and play.”
As soon as the caster said this, the place instantly became a frying pot. From the very back row to the front, hands were flying up to be picked.
“Pick me pick me!”
Zhao Lingling had already become crazed, raising her hand, she was jumping and bouncing on her feet as she shouted. Qiao Yanzhou was disinclined to fight for it, he also knew that he wouldn't be able to get it so merely held the lit lightboard up to show support.
“Area A Row 4 Seat 16, please come onstage to sit with EG.” The caster said into the microphone.
As a result the gazes of all the audience members instantly moved to Area A, then counted the seats one by one.
Liang Dong and Zhao Lingling also counted.
“13,14,15,16… Brother Zhou, it's you!!”
“Eh?”
Seeing Liang Dong and Zhao Lingling’s excited expression, Qiao Yanzhou’s heart tightened for a moment. He hurried to throw aside the lightboard and lifted his ticket to take a look at it.
It really was.
Qiao Yanzhou lifted his head to look at the stage and saw Gu Zixing sitting on front of the screen, dragging his head and smiling at him.
It was because of this smile that Qiao Yanzhou felt his heart beat.
Is it possible that Gu Zixing dragged him every night to practice champion techniques, was for today? Qiao Yanzhou suddenly understood.
While he was still processing what happened, Qiao Yanzhou was already pushed to the stage by an excited audience. After arriving on the stage, Qiao Yanzhou stood stupidly for a few seconds before he hurried to where EG was and arrived to Gu Zixing’s side.
“You’re welcome.” Didn't even wait for Qiao Yanzhou to open his mouth and Gu Zixing lazily gave him a charming look.
“Who… who wants to thank… thank… thank you!!” Qiao Yanzhou grumbled, a nervous tongue started to get tied up. This time it was a Chinese knot!
“I am almost… almost scared… to death! Who wants to thank you!”
“Look how timid you are. Didn’t want to say thank you but actually said it 6 times.” Gu Zixing couldn't help but smile. “Didn’t I tell you before that I'd take you to play on a tyrannical team. Do you see those three melons and two jujubes over there?”
Qiao Yanzhou stomped his feet. “How would I know that what you said was tru… true! If by any chance if… if I lose face and coll… collapse(2) then what?”
Collapse: the chinese phrase is 玩脱, which is just internet slang for 'playing so much you're out of energy and collapse'
“If you collapse then you collapse. Haven't you been collapsing in front of me every night.(3)” Gu Zixing was still lazy as before, seeming unconcerned about Qiao Yanzhou’s frenetic look.
This phrase has a double meaning since the second part of the word means 'to shed/take off'. GZX uses only the second part of the word for this sentence so it can also mean 'Haven't you been taking it off (clothes) in front of me every night.'
Qi Chen heard Gu Zixing say this and finally realized, “Ah! So the person that you said you were passionately staying up late with, talking and being nude with, is him ah!”
“????” Qiao Yanzhou felt like he just heard something quite remarkable.
Gu Zixing also did not answer, only laughed nonstop. Only after Qi Chen sat there for a while to ponder over it did he nod his head, “Should be right. Collapsing is still taking it off. It’s the same thing.” (4)
QC is looking at the individual words. 玩 = playing with, 脱= taking off. He's essentially saying that they're fooling around.
Although he didn't understand what they were talking about, but Qiao Yanzhou still thought it was very frightening.
“Doesn't matter, Gu Zixing is here ne. Don’t be nervous.” Probably sensing that it was Qiao Yanzhous first time on stage, Qi Chen tried to use his head again to comfort Qiao Yanzhou. “We have a saying in our professional games. As long as you lose, it’s the commander’s fault.”
Gu Zixing smirked. “Justt play normally, I already taught you a lot.”
“I…” Qiao Yanzhou bit his lip.
While they were talking, the second person to play with EG was already chosen, it was a man. He didn't look too far off in age from Qiao Yanzhou. It ought to be picked by Yao Le or Coach Chen.
And WG’s side had already picked earlier. They were not preparing to start the game.
“What lane?”
“I’d like to try jungle…” The newcomer asked and turned his head shyly to look at Qi Chen.
“Ok.” Qi Chen didn’t object and gave him the jungle position. He turned his head to look at Qiao Yanzhou, “How about you?”
“I…”
“Support.” He didn't wait for Qiao Yanzhou to speak and Gu Zixing picked before him.
“Then Lele goes mid, Boss Gu goes AD.” Qi Chen arranged and gave their arrangement to the broadcasters. The broadcast then displayed the lineup onto the big screen.
But this caused a big disturbance to the people at the event. Although Gu Zixing going bot lane had been discussed in EG for a long time, it was the first time to be announced outside.
“God Gu is ADC?”
“Amazing amazing! This ticket has so much value!”
“Crap! I’m still alive to witness God Gu return bot lane!”
“What to do! God Gu is so handsome! What to do!!”
Seeing the expectations in the eyes of everyone in the audience, Qiao Yanzhou did not feel moved but was a bit more nervous. He turned his head towards Gu Zixing, “Are you able to play bot?”
“We’ve already played together for so many nights yet you're still asking if I can play it or not…” Testing his mouse and keyboard, Gu Zixing hearing this frowned. “Xiao Qiao, you're going to hurt my heart.”
***
JADE: And here's the second part of chapter 29! They're finally playing together on stage! As always, let me know what you think. I love reviews!