Chapter Twenty-Six: Team Training Camp

Under Liu Han’s planning, I gathered Ye Hui and Lin Qi, who sat in the front row, and the four of us formed a CS team. After a popular vote, we decided to name our team Need.Fire, or NF for short. With a name in place, the next step was to hold our first team meeting. After class, we huddled together, putting on airs as we pretended to conduct official business.

Feigning seriousness, Liu Han fixed his eyes on me and said, “From today onward, Li Xiaobei will be the captain of the NF team. Does anyone object?”

“No!” Lin Qi seized the opportunity to clap enthusiastically.

I shoved Lin Qi in annoyance. “What’s so great about this? The most I’ve ever been is a group leader, and now you want me to take on such a big role? I can’t handle it!”

“Just do it if you’re told,” Ye Hui chimed in, grinning.

Seeing me hesitate, Liu Han couldn’t help but raise his voice. “Exactly, Xiaobei, just take the job.”

With the group’s will unanimous, I had no choice but to put on a reluctant face. “Since everyone’s so insistent, I’ll accept… though it’s a real burden.”

Before I could finish my acceptance speech, Liu Han continued with his announcements. “Then I’ll be the team’s strategist, and Ye Hui will be the vice-captain.”

“What’s a strategist?” I asked, puzzled.

“Dummy! Strategist is the coach!” Lin Qi interjected.

“Huh? Coach? Then what’s the captain for?” I wondered. If we already had a strategist, what was the point of a captain?

“Well, the captain’s main job is to reserve computers for us at the internet café, buy drinks, and handle the payments,” Ye Hui said, barely hiding his glee.

“You can’t be serious!” I thought they were being nice by making me captain, but it turned out to be nothing more than grunt work. I was fuming!

…

Since the team’s formation, Liu Han had been eager to find an opponent for a match. We were all itching to test our skills, yet every time we found a team, as soon as they heard we only had four people, they refused to play.

“Official matches are five-on-five. Any self-respecting team won’t play against a four-man squad,” Lin Qi said, slumping in his chair, clearly disappointed.

His words gave me an idea. “We just need five players, right? That’s easy. I’ll get Haozi to join us! He’s not very good, but we can train him.”

Ye Hui shook his head dismissively. “Don’t bother.”

“Fine, you call him then.” At this moment, Liu Han, who’d been silent, finally spoke.

With Liu Han’s approval, Ye Hui had no objection, so I called Haozi over.

—

“We finally have a match!” Liu Han announced excitedly. “Quick—join 218.5.19.161:27015!”

“Who’s the other team?” Ye Hui asked casually.

“I don’t know. Just found them in a chatroom. Everyone hurry into the server! First come, first served! The password’s 12345…” Liu Han adjusted his mouse sensitivity as he hurried us along.

Soon, the five of us entered the server together. The opposing team, called [C1], chose Dust2 as the map.

After weeks of watching demos, it was finally our turn to play, brandishing our Need.Fire tag with a sense of pride that words could hardly describe.

“How do we play?” As the match was about to start, Haozi turned to me.

I had no idea what I was doing, let alone giving advice to Haozi. But I’d always boasted in front of him, so I couldn’t admit my ignorance now. I bluffed, “Just rush in with us.”

Ye Hui immediately turned and rapped me on the head. “Idiot! Don’t just rush! We need to coordinate!”

But how? None of us had ever played in a real match, except…

We all turned to Liu Han, who didn’t meet our gaze, but instead busied himself wiping his mouse with a tissue.

After three restarts, the match began. We played terrorists in the first half, while [C1] played counter-terrorists.

The first round was pistols. Liu Han led us down mid to B, but we were met with fierce resistance. Charging ahead, Liu Han managed to take out two with his USP before falling heroically. With his death, our formation fell apart, and the opponents quickly eliminated Haozi and Lin Qi.

In the blink of an eye, only Ye Hui and I remained. Two against three—the enemy had the numbers.

“Fall back! Rotate to long A!” Liu Han barked, watching my screen.

I grabbed the dropped C4 and retreated with Ye Hui to A long. The avenue was deserted; we crept up to the plant site.

Why was there no one? It felt off.

“Doesn’t matter, plant now!” With time about to run out, Ye Hui urged me on. I had him cover me, then crouched and switched to the C4.

“Watch out!” Just as I was gleefully watching the plant progress bar, Liu Han shouted. Startled, my hand slipped. On-screen, I collapsed, and a Desert Eagle headshot icon appeared in the corner.

Sensing disaster, Ye Hui abandoned the C4 and bolted up long, only for a grenade to follow him. With an explosion above his head, our last hope vanished.

The next two rounds were eco rounds. After three rounds, [C1] led 3-0.

It wasn’t until the fourth round that we finally had enough money for guns.

—

“This is outrageous, I’m about to go berserk!” Ye Hui growled.

This round was crucial. If we lost, we’d be doomed. Liu Han called for an all-out push to B. Haozi charged into B tunnels, tossed a flashbang out, and rushed ahead.

“Get back!” Liu Han shouted, but before he finished, the sharp crack of an AWP echoed. Haozi’s body flew backward, a ragdoll.

After a moment’s hesitation, Liu Han ordered, “Rotate from B to mid, take short to A! Hurry!”

We hurried down the B ramp, swung through mid, and crept up short.

“AWP!” Ye Hui was killed by the sniper barely a second after his warning, and the enemy quickly fell back.

“Don’t panic, push up! Use our numbers!” Liu Han flung a grenade and dove into short. Gunfire erupted, and three headshot icons flashed up.

“Impressive!” We all glanced at Liu Han’s screen—three enemy bodies sprawled at his feet.

Their team had used a 3-2 split, but all three A defenders had just been wiped out, leaving A site open. We quickly planted the C4.

Liu Han ran to short, dropped his AK, picked up an AWP from the bodies, and retreated to the plant site, covering short. “Xiaobei, Lin Qi, watch long!”

“Got it!” We replied, moving our aim to long, when two muffled AWP shots rang out behind us. The two CTs rotating from B peeked short and were instantly taken out by Liu Han.

Thanks to Liu Han’s 1v5 miracle, we won the fourth round against all odds.

However, the skill gap was clear. One player’s heroics couldn’t make up for our lack of experience. At halftime, [C1] led by a landslide, 10-2.

In the second half, Liu Han watched mid briefly before deciding to RUSH B. We bought grenades and charged into B, spreading out around the tunnels.

We soon heard footsteps inside B tunnels. At Liu Han’s command, five grenades flew in simultaneously. After a series of explosions, four opponents were dead, and the last, low on health, was quickly finished off.

“Awesome!” After almost an entire match of frustration, Haozi couldn’t help but shout in excitement.

But our joy was short-lived. In the following eco round, the enemy risked buying Desert Eagles and rushed B again. The five Deagles were devastating—Ye Hui and Haozi lost B almost instantly. The enemy planted the C4 and locked down the site with two M4s. We tried several times to retake, but failed, and could only watch the C4 explode.

Once again, we were in an economic crisis. After losing the third round without suspense, we were out of options. The final score froze at 4:13—our debut match ended in total defeat.