A Broken Mirror Reunited In An E-Sports Ch 51

“Do you mind taking this thing?” Xiao Yin asked in a low voice as he placed it on the edge of the table and adjusted its position.

In the VIT training room, every table was large, and Rong Yi was accustomed to having a low keyboard position and a high display screen to protect his spine and wrists. Xiao Yin’s trophy was perfectly placed below his monitor stand, in the most prominent position.

The trophy was made of pure gold and designed in the shape of a statue of Stadbarks, with a dark blue base and a single wing unfolded.

Three years ago, Xiao Yin received the Best Player of the Year and Hall of Fame Star Show Player trophy at QILIN. This trophy had the highest gold content and was awarded to the “Most Valuable Contributor” in the world championship team, rotating among them every three years.

In theory, a selected world champion could only keep the trophy for one year, then pass it on to the next Best Player of the Year. However, due to Xiao Yin’s three-year record as a world champion and MVP, achieving a record of permanent retention in the World League, this trophy became his personal possession.

It had absolute value.

How many e-sports professionals yearned to see and touch this trophy until their death? They didn’t need to own it; just gazing upon this glory was enough.

Rong Yi was no exception.

He knew that Xiao Yin had this trophy, but he didn’t expect him to bring it to VIT instead of keeping it in the United States.

“I… I can’t accept this,” Rong Yi said seriously. “This is your trophy. Why are you giving it to me?”

“I’m giving it to you. The past glory is in the past. I hope that in the future, the captain’s desk can hold numerous trophies. This won’t be our only world championship trophy,” Xiao Yin said earnestly.

The people around them applauded, saying, “Awesome!”

Rong Yi thought for a moment, couldn’t help but smile, and finally nodded obediently. “Then, you can put it here.”

He looked at it for a while, feeling an itch in his heart, adjusted its position again, and even moved away a coaster nearby to give this trophy its exclusive treatment.

This was the trophy for the Best Player of the World Championship!

This damn charm flowed in the blood of all e-sports players.

Rong Yi remained composed. He felt it wouldn’t be appropriate to take out his phone and take photos in front of everyone.

He decided to take photos secretly later in the evening.

“Alright, let’s clear the area. Non-essential personnel should step aside. We’re about to start filming,” the production crew announced.

The production assistant checked the time, clapped his hands, and said, “It’s going to be a live broadcast.”

He peeked inside and spoke cautiously, “Brother Yin, is it the right time now? Can we start?”

Xiao Yin raised his hand, gesturing to wait a moment, and looked at Rong Yi.

Rong Yi nodded and said, “I’m going to take a nap, and let Brother Gu and Ci She rest as well. You two can film. Later, I’ll have the three of them work on the strategies for laning.”

“Alright.” Xiao Yin also checked the time, “Training will be almost finished after the interview. It’s perfect timing to go out for a meal. I have already made a reservation. The last segment will be filmed in the restaurant, but it won’t be part of the live broadcast.”

“Got it.”

Rong Yi expressed his understanding and then went upstairs.

Before taking a nap, he took a quick shower and changed his clothes.

When the alarm clock went off on time, Rong Yi, with his messy hair, got out of bed and asked the other two to come for their training session.

The game had some skill adjustments and mechanism changes in the past few days, so they needed to make corresponding changes to their training content.

Adapting to game versions and continuously exploring new combinations were part of the complexity and charm of e-sports.

Since the training room was being used for filming, they crowded into Xiao Yin’s room for a meeting.

After discussing everything, their part was already over, but the live shooting was still ongoing, and the downstairs area was packed with people.

Ci She asked Rong Yi, “Captain, are you hungry? Should I bring some food up?”

Rong Yi was still looking at the PowerPoint presentation and replied, “No need. You can disperse here and go downstairs to have fun. Give me a call when it’s time to leave.”

He knew that Ci She and Wu Dao Gu didn’t want him to be alone, but he wasn’t that sentimental. He hoped that the issue of camera phobia would be treated normally.

Fortunately, everyone in VIT had good judgment. After realizing that he genuinely didn’t mind, Ci She and Wu Dao Gu went downstairs to have fun.

Rong Yi continued looking at the PowerPoint summary while simultaneously practicing new skills and mechanisms on another screen.

The intelligent training system developed by Xiao Yin went far beyond simple lane simulation and resource balancing. It could also gather a massive amount of real-world details, including bugs and new skill interactions that emerged after skill adjustments. It could update and track them in real-time.

In professional e-sports, understanding tactical knowledge down to milliseconds could determine life or death in the arena.

After completing some training and summaries in Xiao Yin’s room, Rong Yi realized that he had completed all of his training tasks for the week.

He couldn’t practice anymore.

The physiotherapist that VIT had hired had made it clear to him that he needed to control his training duration. He couldn’t continue with the high-intensity training as before. He had to maintain an average level among the team to avoid the risk of permanent injury.

Rong Yi moved his fingers a bit, remembering the physician’s advice. He closed the PowerPoint and changed his posture, lying on Xiao Yin’s sofa and starting to play with his phone.

Downstairs, the live broadcast was in full swing, so he decided to watch the replay.

The daily variety show of the team was nothing out of the ordinary, but it was pleasant and relaxing.

Just like last time, the number of viewers in the live stream was envy-inducing.

Of course, it was highly likely due to the recent buzz surrounding Xiao Yin’s hickey, which once again ignited everyone’s enthusiasm.

[Don’t film random things, I want to see people. Where is Brother Yin?]

[Where is Brother Yin +1? Where is his wife? Is she here on the team?]

[The Microscope Squad has been activated! Tonight, we’re going to scrutinize every frame and find them! Since there are visible hickeys, it at least means they are very close! The possibility of them being in the team is very high!]

Rong Yi turned over, then turned over again.

His face flushed, and he felt hot.

This was how it was when dating as a public figure. The relationship would eventually be revealed to the world, even without any official announcement. Soon, everyone would know who his boyfriend was, as well as Xiao Yin’s boyfriend.

Although he felt that… there was probably no need to investigate further.

[“I’m telling you, it’s definitely Easy.”]

The netizens discussed, [Did you see the hot post in the e-sports gossip section yesterday? There’s a post that didn’t mention any names but is definitely about Yin and his partner! It’s definitely Easy.]

Rong Yi followed the link to the post.

It looked very familiar.

He could almost guess which VIT staff member wrote it.

Title: [Let’s dig into the relationship between our boss and his partner, let’s treat it as me talking nonsense, none of it is true, staying alive is important]

[The boss is the one you all are thinking of. After all, I’m posting in the e-sports section! Who would care about the love life of the club’s investor! He must be someone very direct in the industry.]

[The boss is very indifferent, probably because he’s capable and doesn’t like wasting words. He’s efficient in his actions.]

[His partner has the same style, both of them are career-oriented. How far are they in their careers? At the beginning, none of us realized their relationship. It was so pure that the boss would personally hand cutlery to his partner for a long time. We didn’t find it strange at all, we just thought it was the boss appreciating his cooperation partner.]

[Now it seems so naive!]

[I feel like they really separate personal and professional matters. No one could have imagined how close they were and how much they enjoyed each other’s company.]

[Let me tell you something you don’t know. The boss put a lot of effort into pursuing his partner.]

[I’m one of the earliest team members under the boss, mainly responsible for HR and handling recruitment. When the boss returned, he immediately came to me. He didn’t want anyone else, just the partner.]

[Of course! The partner is amazing! In every aspect, they are worth a separate recruitment effort!]

[But thinking about it now, it’s so scandalous! As I said before, the boss is highly skilled and well-connected. I’ve dealt with many amazing people, and they even volunteered to join if there was a vacancy.]

[The original post has been deleted.]

The replies below were all asking, [? What was deleted?]

Someone replied, [I saw it! Don’t delete it! It’s better not to delete it! Everyone knows who the post is about now! There’s only one boss in the industry who is also a team owner!]

[Hahahaha, I can close my eyes and guess what the poster deleted. It must be something like ‘After all, the world champion team is very tempting,’ I know, I won’t say it.]

[Let’s not say anything, let’s pretend we don’t know who it is. Please continue, host!]

“Quick, tell us quickly! I’m getting more and more curious about the boss’s partner. Is this post considered solid evidence? It must be either someone from a different department or a team player.”

OP replied with an update.

[The partner actually didn’t join in the beginning. The boss used my account to message them, but got rejected directly.]

[The boss’s expression at that time… tsk, how should I put it? Just imagine an iceberg staring blankly, and I watched the boss smoke for half an hour.]

[I don’t know the specific details! I heard some people say that the partner had a strained relationship with the boss before and they hadn’t contacted each other for years.]

[But in any case, the boss somehow managed to bring them back.]

[Everyone is asking about the partner! I’m hesitant to say because the partner is also a big shot, and we respect them a lot. We feel like they might not want to be a public figure.]

[Let me briefly address the most concerning question.]

[Firstly, the partner is incredibly good-looking.]

[Seriously, super good-looking. The kind that you can’t take your eyes off once you see them, like they have a halo around them. The first time I interacted with them for work, I didn’t even know where to look.]

[The partner has some black material, but once you see them in person, you’ll know for sure that it’s absolutely impossible.]

[Let me tell you this, the partner has been with the company the longest, even longer than the boss. They work incredibly hard, and our team’s players are practically being personally trained by them.]

[There are some business projects that they refuse to take because they feel it would affect their work hours. Honestly, in their position, they could easily make a lot of money.]

[This brings us back to our boss. I can’t disclose specific details due to business secrets, but from what I know, the boss has an unimaginable amount of money.]

[There are even some things in this industry that you wouldn’t think of, but they’re all behind the scenes of the boss.]

[Does the partner know? How would I know? I’m just a working person who follows the boss. Let me tell you, it’s amazing to hang out with people who have power and connections!]

[I suspect that the boss hasn’t been completely honest with the partner about some things, but it’s just a suspicion.]

[The boss’s personality is a bit ruthless, decisive, but when they see the partner, they become gentle. I’ve held back so many times, not wanting to expose this to the partner.]

…

As Rong Yi read this, his mood became quite entertained.

Someone was praising him like this.

Although personally, he felt it was completely exaggerated, he was still very happy.

Next, Rong Yi quickly opened his alternate social media account and found the private message from when VIT approached him.

[Violet Team Manager]: “Hello! Mr. Rong Yi, we are the newly formed team, Violet, in the league. We are interested in acquiring you as a team player. Would you be willing to discuss further details on this private account?”

“May I ask why? We are also very eager to receive your advice and opinions.”

If this gossip post was true.

Were these two messages really sent by Xiao Yin himself?

Rong Yi read them over and over again.

Damn, it really seemed like it.

With a hint of translation-style and politeness.

Rong Yi chuckled on the sofa, rolled around, and ran his fingers through his hair.

If it was true, it would be too difficult to imagine!

The more Rong Yi thought about it, the more he felt a little itch in his heart. He rolled around on the sofa for quite some time before composing himself, switching back to the live stream.

After not watching for a while, the number of viewers in the live stream surged again.

Rong Yi took a careful look.

Everyone was spamming: [“May you have a harmonious relationship for a hundred years, a hundred years, a hundred years.”]

[“Oh my god, oh my god, it’s confirmed!”]

There was a delay in the live stream, and the camera switched to their training room’s desktop fifteen minutes ago.

The host said, “Everyone can guess who each desk belongs to.”

For most ordinary viewers, it wasn’t easy to guess.

The living habits of VIT members weren’t that distinctive. At first, everyone was making random guesses.

[“There are so many notebooks, maybe the captain uses more notebooks? Is this desk EASY’s?”]

…

The camera focused on each desk one by one, and when it came to Rong Yi’s desk, everyone’s breath seemed to stop.

“What the hell is this mishmash…”

Swaying saxophone sunglasses, a dignified small black cat ornament, and an incredibly dazzling championship trophy.

When this trophy is placed there, the entire training room exudes an aura, and you can even hear the applause from the champion’s podium.

[“This must be the boss’s spot! It has the most and richest stuff! So grand! I bet on Yin.”]

[“This is Yin’s world champion trophy, ahhh—I finally see it up close! Yin hasn’t even shown a photo of it!”]

The live stream chat is filled with screams from excited fans.

The variety show host also chuckles and asks Xiao Yin, “Brother Yin, everyone is guessing that this is your spot. Can you reveal the answer for everyone?”

In the camera frame, Xiao Yin’s expression remains calm and composed, but his sharp and profound phoenix eyes curl lightly.

“It’s not my spot.”

“This is our team captain, Easy’s spot.”

The host apparently has heard the recent gossip that’s been going around and he tactfully asks, “Oh! I really didn’t expect that. Mainly because your world champion trophy is placed here, and no one thought that it’s actually Easy’s desk.”

“Didn’t expect it?”

Xiao Yin’s expression remains indifferent.

But for some reason, the viewers who are watching him through the live stream camera can faintly perceive a kind of arrogance.

Yes, it’s arrogance.

Hidden beneath his indifference and calmness, it’s the ultimate arrogance.

“I gave it to him.”

[“Oh my god—this is solid evidence! Look at Yin’s proud face!”]

[“Damn—he’s practically saying that we two have a thing!”]

[“Fast forward to the wedding ceremony!!!”]

Rong Yi is upstairs watching the live stream. He couldn’t help but roll on the sofa, unable to remain calm.

Why is Xiao Yin like this?

So serious, how can he handle it?

Rong Yi stands up and goes to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face.

His phone vibrates.

Rong Yi looks up and sees a call from Ci She.

“Captain, you can come down now. The filming work is almost done. They’re just going to film a part where we discuss going out to eat, and then the live stream will end.”

“Okay, I’m coming down.”

After Rong Yi finishes washing his face, he straightens his clothes and looks at himself in the mirror.

The person in the mirror appears calm and composed, exuding a steady demeanor.

The quintessential aura of a team captain.

Rong Yi exhales and heads downstairs with his phone in hand.

As he descends the stairs, he continues watching the live stream, but he mutes the sound.

The camera is still positioned in the training room, and Rong Yi walks to the door and lightly knocks.

The audience in the live stream holds their breath.

“Easy has arrived? Are they going out to eat?”

Rong Yi also lowers his head.

Based on the location of the live stream room, he has decided on his position—not entering the room but waiting outside by the wall, so he won’t be on camera.

In the camera frame, Xiao Yin gestures, and the accompanying cameraman understands well and doesn’t follow him out.

Xiao Yin pushes open the door and looks at the person on the other side, “We’re about to leave. We ordered Thai food today. They want to eat it. Can you join us?”

“I can,” Rong Yi responds from the other side. “I’m not picky. As long as they like it.”

Handling business matters naturally and casually.

The live stream chat starts buzzing.

Rong Yi raises his eyes and sees that Xiao Yin hasn’t moved, but his gaze is still fixed on him.

He rarely looks at him like this, making Rong Yi somewhat uncomfortable.

He raises his head, “Is there anything else?”

“No.”

Xiao Yin suddenly gets closer, lightly placing his hand on Rong Yi’s head, his voice becoming softer and colder, “Darling, how did your hair get so messy.”

The man’s voice is casual and chilly, slightly distant from the recording device, yet everyone hears this seemingly indifferent display of affection.

The live stream explodes.