Chapter 115 – Pre-Competition Training

Li Cangyu returned to the Dragon Warriors Club at approximately 10 o’clock that night.

Today was Chinese New Year and there was no one present. Li Cangyu headed back to the dormitory alone. Uncle Zhang, Xiao Gu and Xiao Han hadn’t returned, making the dormitory seem empty.

Li Cangyu tidied up his luggage and had a bath. After returning to his bed, he found that his phone was on and the screen showed an unread text message: [Are you there yet?] It was sent by Ling Xuefeng.

They were simple words but they made Li Cangyu’s heart warm.

It was good to have a boyfriend! He was still cared for when returning to the dormitory.

Li Cangyu immediately typed back: [I just arrived. I’m alone in the dormitory.]

Ling Xuefeng: [Be careful and go to sleep early.]

Li Cangyu said with a smile: [Yes, I’m going to sleep now. Good night.]

Ling Xuefeng: [Good night.]

The text message exchange before bedtime made Li Cangyu’s heart feel very solid. He soon became sleepy and peacefully fell asleep.

He slept until dawn. Li Cangyu finished washing up and planned to go downstairs to buy some breakfast. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Bai Xuan carrying a suitcase at the door. He was preparing to open the door with a key.

Li Cangyu was surprised. “Are you back already?”

Bai Xuan heard his voice and turned around with a smile. “I sent you a text message about coming back on the 2nd. Didn’t you see it?”

“I saw it. I thought you would arrive in the evening. Why are you back so early?”

“My parents have gone to visit relatives to celebrate the new year. I was bored being at home alone. I decided to come back to help you.” Bai Xuan laughed. “Why does it seem like I’m not welcome?”

Li Cangyu saw the gentle smile of the man in front of him and was moved.

Bai Xuan was his most trusted right arm. Without Bai Xuan, he would’ve had to work a lot harder over the years. They had known each other for many years and struggled together since childhood. Bai Xuan looked gentle with a good temper, but he was actually as tough as him. That’s why he could continue all the way to the present, staying despite his stomach problems.

Li Cangyu reached out to pat Bai Xuan’s shoulder and sighed. “How can I not welcome you? It’s great that you came back.” At this moment, a laughing voice was heard from the side. “Cat God, Vice-Captain Bai, you’re both here?”

It seemed to be A’Shu’s voice.

Bai Xuan looked back and saw Xie Shurong’s bright smile.

He was wearing a large grey coat with skinny jeans underneath and a colourful scarf around his neck. He looked taller and more upright. He had always been handsome and such a style of dressing suited his superior temperament.

This person was younger than Bai Xuan but was taller and more handsome. It was simply killing a person.

Xie Shurong saw Bai Xuan look up up and down and couldn’t help grinning. “Do you think I have become handsomer?”

Bai Xuan was speechless. “Have you learned to boast as well?’

Xie Shurong came over and stretched out his arms for a big bear hug. “Happy New Year!”

The captain’s aura was too strong and Xie Shurong didn’t dare to hug him. He had to hug the gentle and good-tempered vice-captain.

Strangely, the vice-captain was particularly soft in his arms. Xie Shurong hugged him tightly and didn’t want to let go.

Bai Xuan rolled his eyes and asked, “Why did you come back so early?”

Xie Shurong rubbed his chin against Vice-Captain Bai’s shoulder and complained with a wronged expression. “My parents are killers in the kitchen and can only make dark dishes. If I stay at home for a weak, it is too much for my stomach. The team’s food is too good and I have been thinking about it for the past few days. Make something delicious for me!”

Bai Xuan was amused by his reasons. “You are such a big person yet you still care so much about food?”

Xie Shurong responded in a reasonable manner. “Appetite is human nature. Besides, Vice-Captain Bai’s cooking is too good. I can’t resist it!”

“Okay, stop talking.” Bai Xuan smiled. “Put your luggage away and then we will have breakfast.”

“Yes!”

Bai Xuan opened the door and the two of them entered their dormitory to put down their luggage. Then they headed downstairs to have breakfast with Li Cangyu.

***

The location of the Dragon Warriors Club was convenient for transportation and lifestyle. The food court hadn’t opened because it was the first day of the new year but there were many small stores around. The three people went to a roadside stall and casually ate some soy milk buns.

They ate breakfast and returned to the dormitory together. Li Cangyu came to Bai Xuan and Xie Shurong’s room, bringing his USB and laptop.

He came back early to study the rules of the new system as well as the situation of the second division teams. The three people had a detailed discussion in the dorms and finally organized the key contents.

In the evening, Uncle Zhang also came back from his studio. The four old players met in the dormitory and Li Cangyu asked about the youngsters.

Zhang Jueming explained, “Xiao Gu’s current level means there won’t be any big problems on the field. However, this child is a typical radical player. Once he appeared on the field, he will definitely go forward. It is okay when dealing with weak teams but he will easily be caught by a strong team. He needs to be tempered.”

“Well, Xiao Gu has the best foundation among the four people. I believe that he will calm down with more experience in the future. Being too impulsive isn’t a good thing.” Li Cangyu paused and then asked, “What about Xiao Jiang?”

Bai Xuan was responsible for the one-on-one training with Li Xiaojiang. The advantages and disadvantages of this boy were very obvious. The advantage was that he was calm and stable. No matter how fierce the opponent, he would still play slowly and he was never in a hurry.  The disadvantage was that his style of play didn’t vary. It was always a slow style and could be easily targeted.

Bai Xuan thought of this and smiled. “Xiao Jiang is using this time to learn seriously but his hand speed is slow. The room for progress is limited. I have been making him stabilize his original style of play to maximize it to the extreme. Then we will have to use a lineup that cooperates with him.”

Li Cangyu nodded. Li Xiaojiang had the worst foundation among these teenagers but he was particularly hardworking. He might be a slow snail but he always tried to climb forward and never fall behind, which wasn’t easy.

Xie Shurong took the initiative to say, “Zhuo Hang has made rapid progress. He knows a lot about e-sports. I think he previously had the guidance of a master, and he particularly knows the Miracle League. I am curious about his origins.”

Li Cangyu was also very curious about this. Zhuo Hang had recommended himself confidently and he was calm when dealing with professional gods. This wasn’t something that ordinary masters could do.

“We will talk about it when he comes back.” Li Cangyu smiled and continued, “Xiao Han’s progress is also very fast. Once they arrive, I will give them an arena assessment. If everyone is qualified then we will try the arena team battles.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

After all, training was a gradual process. The four youngsters had to first practice their personal standards to a relatively stable state. Then they would cooperate in the team battle, so that they didn’t drag down the team.

***

On the third day of the new year, the four youngsters returned to the team.

Li Xiaojiang carried a large bag of duck neck and stuttered, “My, my brother told me to bring back some Wuhan duck, duck…”

Zhuo Hang saw him speaking with a red face and couldn’t help taking the initiative to help him finish, “Is it Wuhan duck neck? I know it, it is quite famous. Give it to everyone to taste.”

Li Xiaojiang looked at him gratefully and immediately gave him a share of the duck neck.

Xiao Gu rushed to grab it. “Me, I also want it.”

Li Xiaojiang gave everyone a share. Li Cangyu asked the youngsters to sit around a table and said, “Everyone, open your phones and log into the team’s Q group.”

Everyone thought that the captain had something important to announce and immediately took out their phones.

Li Cangyu filled the group with New Year’s red envelopes.

[Happy New Year, Canglan must win!]

The red envelopes popped out and everyone rushed to grab them.

Xiao Gu was the most active and his hand speed was extremely fast. He grabbed the red envelope and the result was… 1 yuan.

Zhuo Hang followed closely and grabbed 19 yuan.

Xiao Han received 25 yuan.

The slow Li Xiaojiang was the last to move but he grabbed the biggest amount—55 yuan.

The 100 red envelopes were randomly divided into four. Gu Siming was very dissatisfied with only grabbing 1 yuan. “Why is it so little?”

Li Xiaojiang was very happy. “I, I grabbed such a big, big, big red envelope.”

He was obviously excited as he repeated ‘big’ several times.

Li Cangyu smiled and rubbed  Li Xiaojiang’s head. “Being slow isn’t necessarily poor, being fast isn’t necessarily good. I will send you a few more to let you grab it.”

The four of them immediately replied in unison, “Yes!”

It was good to have such a captain. Every round of red envelopes was 100 yuan!

At this time, Bai Xuan was preparing dinner in the kitchen. Xie Shurong actively helped him out with washing the dishes while Uncle Zhang sat on the sofa and watched an anti-war movie. From time to time, the sound of machine guns was heard.

Li Cangyu and the four small cats played the game of grabbing red envelopes in the dining room. Li Cangyu looked up and saw that Bai Xuan had started cooking. A’Shu was following behind him while Uncle Zhang watched TV in the living room. The youngsters sat next to each other at the table, looking up at Li Cangyu like they were saying, “Cat God, send us more.”

There were so many good teammates gathered together that Li Cangyu couldn’t help being in a good mood. He generously sent another 100 red envelopes in the Q group. The young teenagers became more excited.

He saw Xiao Han look up at him, saying with his eyes, ‘Master, I want a separate big red envelope.’

Li Cangyu patted Xiao Han’s shoulder and said, “Giving a red envelope to the apprentice is just Qin Mo lying to you. Ling Xuefeng also gives red envelopes to the Wind Colour team.”

Xiao Han nodded thoughtfully. “Oh.”

Li Cangyu said, “Come on, grab it.”

He sent another 100 yuan and the four people immediately jumped up to grab it.

It was the new year, the red envelopes were a common sight and this much money wasn’t much. It was great that the children were happy.

***

Soon, Bai Xuan served a table full of dishes, including Li Cangyu’s favourite fish.

Everyone gathered at the table and ate a reunion dinner.

At dinner, everyone showed the true nature of the Food Squad. Chopsticks were weapons, the table was the battlefield and the amount they ate depended on what they grabbed. Be too slow and the food would be gone.

The ribs and chicken wings were quickly snapped up. The fish was naturally taken by Li Cangyu. The slow-moving Li Xiaojiang made an expression of ‘How can this be?’ By the time he recovered, a lot of the food was gone!

Bai Xuan smiled and secretly gave a bowl to the slow-moving youth. “I left you some food or else you wouldn’t eat enough with this group.”

Li Xiaojiang looked gratefully at the vice-captain and silently ate over the small bowl. This appearance was really like a poor stray cat who couldn’t insert himself into the cat war.

Bai Xuan looked at the chopsticks flying across the table and helplessly pressed a hand to his temple.

The style of the team had become crooked because of Cat God…

Strangely enough, looking at this scene made his heart feel particularly warm.

The eight people eating together was like a happy family.

Starting tomorrow, everyone would enter an intense training period and the things waiting for them in the future were unpredictable. Still, Bai Xuan believed that under the leadership of the powerful Cat God, as long as everyone joined hands, the Canglan team would be able to ride the wind and waves, smash the thorns and establish themselves in the Miracle League of masters.

He was looking forward to when these four teenagers grew up and became the most eye-catching stars of the seventh season!

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