The early morning sun lit up the room.

Lu Feng lowered his gaze and looked down at Wei Xiao’s trembling eyelashes that seemed coated with light.

His kiss was very light, and it was over a layer of clothing, but the heat seemed to penetrate through everything, imprinting on Lu Feng’s heart.

Lu Feng pressed Wei Xiao into his arms and kissed him on the forehead, “I believe you.”

Wei Xiao looked up at him, his eyes twinkling with joy, “So…”

“But.” Lu Feng’s words went back to the original subject, his voice hoarse, “Little Xiao, this year is really important for FTW.”

The joy in Wei Xiao’s eyes faded, but they were still shockingly bright, “If it’s very important, then it’s even more important for you to get it healed!”

Lu Feng held his hand and led him over to sit down, speaking to him slowly, “I believe in you, and I believe in the current FTW, but I can’t leave.”

Wei Xiao was anxious, “Why!”

Lu Feng didn’t look at him, “Only North America has this rehabilitation physiotherapy.”

Wei Xiao froze.

Lu Feng felt distressed for him, but there were some words that had to be said.

Wei Xiao had a relatively practical temperament. Some things had to be explained to him clearly.

Lu Feng also didn’t want to hide these things from him.

“In fact, my shoulder doesn’t affect normal life. I can ignore it completely.”

“The treatment in North America is still at the clinical testing stage. It’s hard to say if it will be successful or not.”

“… I can’t rest assured about leaving for two or three months.”

If the treatment could be done domestically, even if it required hospitalization, Lu Feng wouldn’t be so hesitant.

But going abroad was too risky.

This meant that he wasn’t just leaving the team. He was leaving the entire club behind.

Lu Feng couldn’t leave.

These were things that Wei Xiao hadn’t expected. He just thought that Lu Feng would be temporarily unable to play in the competitions, and just needed to rest and recuperate properly. Unexpectedly…

Lu Feng stroked his delicate cheeks, “Be good, during this season, we’ll…”

Wei Xiao didn’t make a sound. He dropped his gaze, and his shoulders trembled.

Lu Feng was filled with heartache as he kissed his eyes, “Don’t cry, Little Xiao, don’t cry because of me.”

He just wanted to give him happiness, wanted to see him happy. He didn’t want to be his source of pain.

Wei Xiao was silent for half a beat, and his voice trembled when he spoke, “I’m scared.”

Lu Feng was stunned.

Wei Xiao looked up at him, then poured out all his worries, fears, and insecurity, “What if it… what if it gets more and more serious? After this season, if-if it can’t be cured, then what? What-what if you can’t even play 5v5 in the future, then what!”

Lu Feng’s heart shook. Countless emotions surged up into his throat, blocking him from saying anything.

Wei Xiao’s thin lips trembled, and he fell into the quagmire of fear, “You keep saying that it’s not serious, but there’s still a whole year to go. During this year, we have to keep playing training matches, keep participating in competitions, and run around everywhere… How many players get so tired out that they develop occupational diseases? You’re already injured, and if you let it remain for another year, can it even be cured?!”

This was what Wei Xiao was most afraid of.

This was what Wei Xiao was most unable to accept.

This was what made Wei Xiao feel most uneasy.

“Captain…” He had tears in his eyes as he looked at Lu Feng hazily, “Could it be that you only want to play for this one year?”

Lu Feng’s face turned white, and even his lips grew pale and colorless.

Wei Xiao leaned his forehead against his healthy right shoulder and whispered, “I’ve just come back to the team, and you’re going to leave me behind.”

This was what weighed most on Wei Xiao’s mind.

He was eager for Lu Feng to play in the singles, and he was looking forward to playing the doubles competition with him, and he wanted to win three championships.

But what he longed for most was Lu Feng.

He was afraid, afraid that Lu Feng’s shoulder injury would become more serious.

He was scared, scared that the two of them could only play together for this one year.

He was uneasy, uneasy about missing out on everything before it had all begun.

Close.

He was only 21 years old.

Why should he have to end his career so early!

Why should such an excellent person have to leave his most beloved arena!

Why should the Close who’d worked hard for so long, kept guard for so long, and paid out so much, have to become a bystander in the game!

A long time later, Lu Feng finally raised his hand and gently stroked Wei Xiao’s back.

He kissed the salty tears on his face and spoke in a hoarse voice, “I’m sorry.”

Wei Xiao closed his eyes and didn’t say a word.

Lu Feng’s kisses slid down little by little, going from his eyes, to his cheeks, and finally stopping at his lips.

Wei Xiao opened his eyes and bit his lips.

Lu Feng was stunned.

Wei Xiao half knelt up on the sofa and pressed him down against the back of the seat.

He kissed Lu Feng, kissed him forcefully, his actions messy, unbridled, and unusually rude. He seemed to be venting his emotions and swearing sovereignty.

Lu Feng let him kiss as he liked, and even though the taste of blood spread out in his mouth, he let him continue to bite at him like a small animal

Wei Xiao kissed him while crying. He made no sound, and there was only unspeakable pain.

“Captain,” He finally stopped, pressing his forehead against Lu Feng’s, “Please…”

These two words were as quiet as dust, but they hit Lu Feng’s heart like a heavy hammer.

Wei Xiao seemed to be using all the strength in his body to say, ”Please don’t leave me behind.”

Lu Feng held his waist and picked him up. Wei Xiao’s eyes opened wide, and by the time he came back to his senses, he’d already been set down on the soft bed.

Lu Feng held the hem of his clothing and took off his shirt.

Wei Xiao was dazed for a moment and couldn’t quite regain his wits, “Ca-captain…”

He’d seen Lu Feng’s figure before. He looked thin when wearing clothing, but there was substance to his figure when he was stripped down. From this perspective, his shoulders, chest, and abdomen left a great visual impact.

Lu Feng leaned over and kissed him on the lips.

Wei Xiao instinctively wrapped his arms around his neck.

A heated kiss was followed by more intense kisses.

Lu Feng didn’t say anything. He used countless kisses to tell Wei Xiao how much he cherished him, how much he loved him.

Wei Xiao was flustered, “Don’t, there…”

But he couldn’t stop it. He could just feel a warmth that made his scalp go numb.

Wei Xiao couldn’t take it, and it didn’t take long before he lost control.

He covered his eyes with his forearm, “Captain…”

Lu Feng coaxed him, “It’s alright.”

Wei Xiao’s brain was blank.

Was it over?

No, Lu Feng was still kissing him.

Wei Xiao couldn’t refuse, but he also couldn’t bear it. He didn’t know how many times it was, but he was already sobbing incoherently.

Lu Feng finally pressed in close to his ear and said, “I won’t leave you.”

Wei Xiao opened his eyes, trembling violently.

Lu Feng gave him both verbal and physical stimulation, “I will be with you until the very end.”

The last word fell, and Wei Xiao’s body and mind both felt an indescribable happiness.

Wei Xiao fell asleep.

Fatigue and satisfaction piled on top of each other and doubled up, and he fell into a deep sleep.

Lu Feng kissed him on the brow, got dressed, and went downstairs.

Half a year ago, Doctor Chen had told him that there was a new physiotherapy technology in North America that was specifically aimed at chronic injuries caused by external forces.

At the time, FTW had just won the domestic competition and entered the global competition. Lu Feng had said that it was impossible to treat anything at the time.

Later on, FTW had done a round trip at the globals, but Lu Feng still had to stick around waiting for the singles competition finals. The end of the year arrived in a flash.

The off-season only lasted for a little over a month. Could Lu Feng get treatment then?

The answer was still no.

In recent years, FTW had always been in turmoil. How could Lu Feng leave for two months?

Not to mention, he would have to answer to the fans for going away for such a long time.

What could he say?

Tell them that he was going in for treatment?

In that case, the whole FTW would be broken up.

FTW couldn’t bear such a withdrawal of capital and definitely couldn’t bear it if the partners dissolved their contracts.

Lu Feng could only hold on. He held on until Ning Zhehan joined the team, until Wei Xiao came back.

The winter training had undoubtedly made FTW famous within China, and Wei Xiao’s outstanding performance had attracted countless people’s attention.

The most important thing for e-sports clubs were their achievements, followed by their star players.

There was no doubt that Wei Xiao had infinite potential in both aspects.

He had good results, he was very popular, and he was just like a dark horse storming into the China competition zone.

Could Lu Feng let go now? Could he go and heal his shoulder, get rid of this old injury, and face the global competitions in his best state?

Before now, Lu Feng had thought that he couldn’t.

But…

Wei Xiao’s words had woken him up.

––Could it be that you only want to play for this one year?

––I’ve just come back to the team, are you going to leave me behind?

No.

Lu Feng didn’t care about missing the opportunity to fight against the Team of Gods, and he didn’t care about who won the doubles championship.

But, he couldn’t not care about Wei Xiao.

He’d brought Wei Xiao back, and he didn’t want to play with him for only one year.

Wei Xiao was only 19 years old. His competitive career had only just begun, and he was unwilling to withdraw from the competition arena.

Lu Feng didn’t want to watch Wei Xiao’s brilliance from beneath the stage. He wanted to stand on the stage with him!

Lu Feng didn’t know what would happen if he continued to let his shoulder injury drag on.

He’d already put it off for a long time. Even if he kept exercising, even if he was self-disciplined, even if he had regular physiotherapy, it was still deteriorating.

It was just like Wei Xiao had said.

After playing this year, what would he do if his shoulder worsened to the point where it couldn’t be cured?

Was he willing to retire? Was he willing to let Wei Xiao go?

He wasn’t willing.

Lu Feng dialed Xiang Liu’s phone number, “Contact the coaching team, I have something to tell them.”

In order to go get treatment, he would first have to have a showdown.

FTW was bound to usher in a huge shockwave.

Yet, Lu Feng wasn’t worried. Wei Xiao’s bright eyes flashed in his head, his gaze as bright as the sun, and his heart warmed up.

After walking alone for so long, he was finally no longer on his own.

There was silence in the conference room.

Lu Feng’s understated explanation of the facts shocked everyone present.

Chen Feng’s face was snow white, with no trace of color, “Wh-when did it start?”

He’d been with Lu Feng for three years, from the start of the new FTW. He’d always been here, but he’d actually never known about Lu Feng’s injury.

He was in a trance, and for a moment, he couldn’t hear anything around him.

Tang Chen was a little calmer. He asked Lu Feng, “Do you have confidence in the treatment?”

Lu Feng: “70%.”

The entire room sucked in a breath.

Xiang Liu had been worried for so many years, and he now finally had a chance to speak up, “70% is already very optimistic. Even if you can’t recover completely, it’ll still be in a much better state than it is now!”

Chen Feng slowly came back to his senses, “If it’s like this… the regular season…”

Lu Feng looked at Tang Chen, “Brother Tang, can you still play?”

Although Tang Chen has retired, he hasn’t yet gone through the formal processes.

At present, FTW was still short of a substitute. Chen Feng intended to have Tang Chen wait another season.

A team had to have a substitute, but it had already been a pleasant surprise for FTW to be able to recruit Ning Zhehan and Wei Xiao this year, and there was no way for them to come up with a good enough substitute.

The players in the second team would still need another year to step up to the task.

At present, Tang Chen was the best candidate. So, Chen Feng had been putting it off and hadn’t let him finish the retirement process.

Tang Chen replied, “Yes.”

Lu Feng nodded.

Normally, Tang Chen was the most careless player in the whole team, but after playing for so many years, he was now undoubtedly the most experienced and seasoned player.

While Lu Feng wasn’t here, FTW would be a little more stable with Tang Chen holding down the fort.

Chen Feng took a deep breath and analyzed calmly, “This year’s regular season is different from previous years. It’s very important.”

This was also the reason why Lu Feng had been so worried before.

During the regular season in previous years, as long as they made it to the top four of their group, they would be able to enter the playoffs.

The playoffs were based on an elimination system, going from eight into four, and four into two, and then the final two teams determined the champion and runner up positions.

However, this year, the competition committee had made changes in order to enhance the intensity of the regular season, and make it more fun to watch.

The concept of a winner group and a loser group came into being.

The top two teams in the regular season groups were in the winners group.

The third and fourth placed teams were in the losers group.

After the winner group teams entered the playoffs and competed, any team that lost would fall into the loser group.

The losers would compete. If they lost again, they would be eliminated, and their season would end there.

So, those in the winners group would have two chances to enter the playoffs.

Unfortunately, falling into the losers group would be very miserable for any team. Not only would they have to play more games, each fight would also be a game between life and death.

The addition of this new competition system made the regular season very heated.

Those who’d originally wanted to use the regular season for training no longer dared to take it lightly because every point was crucial, and every change in the rankings affected their final chances at victory.

There was a difference between first and second place, and there was also a difference between third and fourth place.

A team’s performance in the regular season was no longer something that could be taken lightly. Instead, it was now a benefit that was linked to the team’s fault tolerance rate in the playoffs!

To put it bluntly.

If FTW won the first place in their group during the regular season, then the playoffs would be easy mode for them.

If FTW came fourth in their group during the regular season, then the playoffs would be hell mode.

Not to mention…

It wasn’t that easy to enter the top four.

If they fell to the fifth, sixth, or seventh places, would they even need to talk about the global competition?

They wouldn’t even be able to play in the divisional championships.

The author has something to say:

I’m afraid that you guys won’t understand… Well, they didn’t ‘do’ it all the way, but why is Little Xiao so tired? [old driver warning]

xiin – WX will wake up and revert back to energizer bunny mode~