Reborn in S14, crush the entire league!

The crushing defeat in the training match against Hanwha did not significantly affect the mentality of the Top Esports players.

After all, they were the top team in the LCK regular season, so losing would be normal, and winning would be an upset.

Everyone was tidying up their peripherals with laughter and discussing what to eat for dinner, seemingly having already forgotten about their earlier setback.

Only Little Cream, with a face so gloomy it could wring water out of it, silently unplugged the keyboard and mouse, pushed back her chair, and walked straight toward the club office.

Chen Xiao saw it all, but felt nothing.

E-sports, food is the original sin.

On the other side, Little Cream pushed open the heavy wooden door of the club office.

Manager Guo Hao was sitting behind his desk, looking at the documents in his hand.

Hearing the noise, he looked up and saw Little Cream, a gentle smile spreading across his face.

"What's wrong, Creme? Didn't you have a good time in the scrims?"

Little Cream didn't respond to his teasing, but walked straight up to him, her voice hoarse.

"Brother Hao, do you still remember the promise you made to me last year...?"

……

Chen Xiao ignored Xiao Cream's matter. His stomach was growling with hunger after the training match. He said goodbye to Ah Shui and the others, and then slipped away to the cafeteria by himself.

I had just gotten my food and found a seat when a familiar voice came from behind me.

"Brother Xiao!"

Chen Xiao turned around and saw several young players wearing Top Esports' second team uniforms, who were his former teammates in LDL.

"Why are you here?" Chen Xiao asked, somewhat surprised.

"I missed you, so I came to see how you were doing 'up there'." The lead AD player sat down opposite him with a grin, peeking at him curiously.

"It's alright, the food is pretty good." Chen Xiao took a bite of rice.

"That's it?" The AD player winked. "I heard you were dominating in scrims. How about it? You're a shoo-in for the starting lineup against NIP, right?"

The people around him also looked at him expectantly.

Chen Xiao smiled, but before he could speak, the AD player's expression suddenly became somewhat strange.

He stared at the phone screen, his brow furrowed, then carefully brought the phone closer.

"Brother Xiao... no, Chen Xiao, you... take a look at this."

His way of addressing people has changed.

Chen Xiao took the phone with a puzzled look.

The screen displays the main group chat for Top Esports players, and the latest message was just posted by Guo Hao.

[Next match roster against NIP: Top laner 369, Jungler Tian, ​​Mid laner Creme, Bot laner Jackeylove, Support Meiko.]

The group was quiet, with only a few substitutes and staff replying "Received".

Chen Xiao stopped moving.

He stared at the name "Creme" for a good ten seconds without saying a word.

The noise in the cafeteria and the concerned inquiries from his teammates seemed to vanish from his sight in an instant.

Why?

In the practice match against Game 2, he used Ahri to energize the entire game, setting the pace and securing an easy victory.

When Little Cream came on, he was rendered helpless by Caps's utility mid lane and lost.

Although he was suppressed by Zeka in the match against HLE, he did not fall behind in development and tried his best.

When Little Cream came on stage, he was slaughtered by Zeka's Yone, and his combined stats from the two games were appalling.

From any perspective, his performance was far superior to Little Cream's.

But in the end, the starting lineup was still Little Cream.

"Um... Chen Xiao, are you alright?" His former teammate, noticing his pale face, asked cautiously, "Is it... not going well on the team?"

Chen Xiao snapped out of her daze, handed the phone back to him, and forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.

"It's okay, I'm fine."

He hurriedly ate a couple of mouthfuls of rice, but couldn't eat anymore.

"I'm full. Please enjoy your meal. I'll be going now."

Before his teammates could react, Chen Xiao picked up his tray and quickly left the cafeteria.

He couldn't understand.

He really couldn't understand.

His chest felt like it was stuffed with cotton, making it hard for him to breathe.

He needs an explanation.

……

Chen Xiao rushed straight to the office next to the training room.

Pushing open the door, there was only Maokai inside, wearing glasses and reviewing the match on his laptop.

Hearing the door open, Maokai looked up and saw Chen Xiao's distraught and angry expression, and he understood everything.

He didn't speak immediately, but got up and walked to the water dispenser, poured Chen Xiao a glass of warm water, and handed it to him.

"Have a sip of water first."

Chen Xiao didn't answer, but just stared intently at him.

"Coach, why?"

Maokai sighed helplessly, placed the water glass on the table next to him, and pushed up his glasses.

"This is Manager Guo's decision."

"Guo Hao?" Chen Xiao was stunned.

"Yes, the general manager of Top Esports Club, our boss." Maokai's voice carried a hint of weariness.

"His decision is something our coaching staff... can't interfere with."

Chen Xiao found it absurd.

"Just because I play better than him, they won't let me play?"

"Of course not." Maokai shook his head, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

"As you probably know, the club spent a lot of effort to sign Little Cream last year."

"At the time, to put his mind at ease, Guo Hao privately gave him a verbal promise of starting position."

"Manager Guo is... well, how should I put it, he's quite sentimental and values ​​promises a lot."

"In his eyes, Little Cream was a veteran in the team, and someone he had personally promised to help, so..."

Maokai didn't say anything more, but his meaning was already quite clear.

Chen Xiao was so angry after hearing this that he almost burst out laughing.

In esports, skill speaks for itself.

This statement, once considered a truth, now seems utterly ridiculous.

Just because of a so-called "verbal promise"? Just because of so-called "nostalgia"?

So no matter how well he performs in training matches, he can't overcome the complexities of human relationships.

Little Cream's team couldn't even make it to the World Championship, so what's there to reminisce about?

What is this?

Is this a palace intrigue story?

The office was silent except for the hum of the computer fans.

Chen Xiao's chest heaved violently, but he remained silent.

After a long while, Maokai looked into his angry eyes and spoke again, his tone much more serious.

"Chen Xiao, I know this is very unfair."

"I can't change Guo Jingli's decision right now; the starting lineup for the first game has already been decided."

"But I assure you."

Maokai met his gaze, speaking slowly and deliberately.

"I will do my best to get you playing in the second game!"

……

For the first time since his rebirth, Chen Xiao felt a profound sense of powerlessness.

Although he had done his best to do what he was supposed to do.

His performance on the field, while not flawless, was at least commendable.

Even so, you still can't even make the starting lineup?

Even rotation requires an application?

Should newcomers be bullied?

Lying in bed, all sorts of negative emotions swirl around my mind.

He could only try his best not to think about it.

The only consolation was that Mokai seemed to still have high hopes for him.

But ultimately, it's just a drop in the ocean.

After all, Guo Hao was the one who ultimately made the decision.