Dawn - Chapter 3

Dawn’s base occupied a three-story building at the farmhouse restaurant.

As the owner handed me the keys, she hesitated.

“Just so we’re clear, our team’s a bit difficult to coach.”

I knew.

Dawn was notorious.

Bullying, love triangles, infighting—the rumors were everywhere.

In the widely circulated version of events, the owner with the messy hair was a heartless capitalist.

At the center of the storm was Jiang Zhi, branded online as a scheming, man-stealing hypocrite who had forced Su Lai out.

I found her in a room on the third floor.

Jiang Zhi was livestreaming.

She wore a sailor-style school uniform, pink bunny ears, and heavy camera makeup.

Whenever a donation notification sounded, she took both hands off her keyboard and mouse to make a heart at the camera, however fierce the fight on screen.

I watched her quietly for a while, then knocked on the open door.

“End the stream. Meeting downstairs.”

She ignored me and spoke sweetly into her microphone.

“Hang on, babies. I’ll be right back~”

In the first-floor meeting room, Jiang Zhi folded her arms, looking indifferent.

“What is it? If this is about training—”

“Windshadow has a women’s team.” I cut her off and handed her a document. “You’d fit in better there.”

Windshadow’s women’s team was famous in the industry for being purely decorative.

Its players didn’t compete. They made their living attracting viewers to their streams. The so-called team was a marketing gimmick.

She flipped through the pages. Her face drained of color.

“You’re letting me go?”

I nodded.

“Your mind isn’t on professional play. I won’t tolerate that in my team. It’s a shame. I thought you could break the league’s prejudices against female players.”

Her face flushed red.

The girl actually had a great deal of pride.

“You don’t get to decide whether I’m serious about going pro!”

I only smiled.

“If I don’t get to decide, does your top donor?”

The door crashed open.

Someone stormed in and shouted at me.

“Watch how you talk to her! Just because you’re from DGX doesn’t mean you get to throw your weight around! Jiang Zhi’s only doing this because—”

“Li Xingyao!” Jiang Zhi grabbed him.

Here he was.

The male lead in Su Lai’s rumored love triangle.

The scumbag condemned by all, Dawn’s main damage dealer.

A former boy genius, now an ordinary player getting swept by every opponent.

…And a drowned rat, water dripping from his hair and clothes.

It hadn’t rained today.

My eyebrow twitched. I couldn’t help asking, “What happened to you?”

Behind him, Chen adjusted his glasses and answered honestly.

“Xingyao heard the new coach was here. He didn’t even finish shaking the milk tea before he rode his electric scooter back. A street-cleaning truck sprayed him.”

“Nobody asked you!” Li Xingyao snapped, embarrassed.

Whatever he said, his imposing entrance was beyond saving.

I ignored his indignation, pulled out a chair, and sat down. Then I gave Jiang Zhi an order as naturally as could be.

“You. Get me a glass of water.”

“Lu Xishi, you—” Li Xingyao trembled with anger beside her.

The girl bit her lip hard and stood still for two seconds.

Then she turned, filled a glass, and handed it to me with a sharp motion.

Her eyes were red with suppressed fury. Steam was practically rising from the top of her head.

My gaze moved slowly downward.

The water in the glass was smooth as a mirror. Not a ripple.

Even with her emotions running this high, her hand was steady as a rock.

“Good.”

I took the glass and set it aside without drinking.

“You really—” Li Xingyao started shouting again.

I slapped a bank card onto the table.

My words were for Jiang Zhi.

“You won’t need to stream for a while.

“I’ve spoken to your mother’s attending physician. There’s enough on this card for two courses of treatment.

“Pay me back when you’ve won the league prize money.”