Rotation Training

“Captain Wen and Now in closed training??”

At the training base, in their respective rooms, in the private chat areas unseen by many, they were all discussing fiercely.

“New tactics? Captain Wen is no longer captain, and he brought up a Now from the practice squad, but why?”

“New tactics… I’d say this isn’t surprising. Look how many people Captain Wen promoted exceptionally, bringing the national team from not even making the semifinals to the top four…”

“What’s Now’s background, do you know? Wasn’t he just famous for one moment in the All-Star Game? He hasn’t even played a regular season match! Not even a formal starting match…”

“Who knows, maybe he’s a nepotism hire.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. I think he’s pretty good. I like his sniper playstyle.” Team Two’s Chubby whispered, “Cool! I’m tired of watching M82A1 plays.”

“Watch your words, or Pandora will nerf you.” The person next to him laughed and punched him, “Pandora’s in a bad mood.”

On the other side, the young man’s expression couldn’t be called gloomy, but it was definitely not good.

He held the mouse, silent for a long time, not paying attention to anyone else.

He was the team member Wen Man had fostered the longest and kept by his side the longest.

After two years, eight seasons of mentor-student closed training, suddenly being replaced by someone else was still… somewhat hard to accept.

Moreover, the fact that Wen Man was no longer the national team captain was already enough to cause a huge uproar.

“Is Captain Wen on a business trip now?”

Finally, someone @’ed Wen Man in the group chat, asking an unrelated question.

“Yes, on an exchange study, on a business trip for a month. During this month, @Now will either free train or train with the team.”

Wen Man specifically @’ed Xue Wei again when replying to others.

Xue Wei saw it and considered it read. He wasn’t planning to reply.

Just as he was about to scroll away, Wen Man @’ed him again in the group: “Where are you? Asleep?”

Xue Wei had to emerge in the group chat to reply: [Received.]

[Pretty] bestowed the group title [Little Lone Wolf] to user Now.

[Pretty] patted [Little Lone Wolf].

Xue Wei: “….”

He ‘slapped’ his phone down and buried his face in the quilt.

‘Too embarrassing.’

Wen Man would be away for a month on business.

At the same time, some national team news was released to the public, including Wen Man’s resignation as national team captain.

The news caused a huge uproar the night it was announced, and rumors of his retirement also grew rampant.

“Holy crap, the national team has undergone a huge change. There are also rumors that even National Team One and Two will adopt a bottom-tier elimination system, and Team Two will cut three players. What do you think?”

“It’s not cutting three players, more than that. Now went to National Team Two. This means cutting four players. Bottom-tier elimination, very terrifying, I tell you.”

“Then will the national team still play in the regular season this year?”

“Hard to say, depends on the schedule.”

Inside the national team.

The first round of the new season’s schedule was announced.

There were several training grounds in total.

Normally, Team One and Team Two trained separately, but for meetings, there was a general coaching room that could seat everyone.

The head coach and Alan stood in front of a whiteboard, announcing the first round’s regular season lineup for the new quarter.

“First week of regular season: two matches against CZ and EGT. Counts towards regular season score, counts towards individual points.”

“Starting lineup: National Team One, Pandora, Blackcat, Listening Spring. Responsible Coach: Alan.”

“Substitute lineup: National Team Two, flexible positions, rotating substitutes.”

“This system takes effect immediately and continues until the next adjustment. Wen Man himself is on official business and is temporarily not included in the starting lineup.”

“Apart from this, training scrims will proceed as usual. Referring to coach’s advice, freely choose new positions for training.”

“Did everyone understand?” the head coach asked.

“Under—stood!” Everyone replied in unison.

“Team One is going to play in the regular season, huh? Wonder how they’ll adjust this time.” After the meeting, each team returned to their training rooms, whispering along the way.

“Did you ask what Team One is doing? Can Pandora play other roles?”

“He didn’t say for now, but tonight, the Team One and Team Two captains agreed that everyone will play a scrim.”

“Team One has four people, Team Two has eight people. That’s three teams in total, can’t play, huh.”

“Just rotate players. And Now… Now probably won’t participate in internal scrims, right?” The discussion gradually died down, everyone with their own thoughts. “Isn’t he training separately with Captain Wen?”

Although Wen Man had resigned from his position as national team captain, they still called him “Captain Wen.”

Xue Wei finished the meeting, holding a fluffy cat-shaped hot water bottle, walking alone.

Everyone else in the corridor was in groups, and he was alone, feeling a little lonely.

Team Two’s Chubby came out after getting hot water, saw him alone, and came over to greet him: “Hi! Xue Wei!”

Very rarely, this person called him by his full name.

Xue Wei’s gaze, which had been fixed on the hot water bottle, lifted to look at Chubby.

“Let’s get acquainted! Didn’t dare to speak to you yesterday. I’m Chubby, also raised by Captain Wen.” Chubby was a bit plump, seemed easygoing and shy, and from his voice, also seemed like the easygoing type. “My real name is Wang Yalu, Yalu as in Yalu River, don’t mispronounce it, but everyone calls me Chubby.”

“I wasn’t raised by Wen Man,” Xue Wei replied coldly, even coldly calling Wen Man by his full name.

The group of people ahead all looked up, turning back to him in alarm.

“I remember you,” Xue Wei thought for a moment, “You’re the one who, on the first night after signing with the national team, cried his eyes out, then came to the national team and found out it was just a street away?”

Chubby:”…..”

This kind of dark history, besides Wen Man and his few former teammates, no one else really knew.

Chubby said humbly: “That was me. Did Captain Wen tell you?”

“Mm,” Xue Wei said.

“Cough, that’s all in the past. Should we exchange contact info?” Chubby asked with a smile.

He was very kind.

Xue Wei instinctively wanted to refuse when he suddenly remembered what Wen Man had complained about at the All-Star Game.

‘—Bad temper, generally doesn’t add people, but usually accepts after two tries.’

Xue Wei took out his phone: “You scan me. I don’t want to move.”

Chubby quickly said: “Eh, okay, okay. You don’t need to move; I’ll do it, I’ll do it.”

This time, he passed the request on the first try.

“Should I add you to our mountain gate group chat, okay?” Chubby was very skilled, “Everyone was raised by Captain Wen. If there’s nothing going on, we can form a group to extort food from Captain Wen.”

Xue Wei “uh”ed, and before he could finish thinking, Chubby added him to a group chat named [God Wen’s Little Beggars].

This group name.

Xue Wei:”……”

He immediately wanted to leave the group chat.

Wen Man suddenly sent a question mark in the group.

“Why did you add him?”

Chubby: “? Master, isn’t he our junior brother? Can’t we add him?”

“Stop messing around!” Wen Man quickly changed the group name card to [A Loving Family].

Everyone in the group: “?”

“Captain Wen, this group name was changed before when we were begging you to treat us to a meal. Why is it such an old-fashioned group name now?”

“He’s not my apprentice. Watch your titles,” Wen Man said, “Brother Nao is on my generation level.”

Chubby, readily adapting: “Then he’s Uncle-Master!!!”

Wen Man: “Never mind, it’s not time yet.”

It was as if there could be other titles besides Uncle-Master.

He was ‘chatting in the group,’ seemingly very idle.

Xue Wei was about to ask if he was very idle.

He thought for a moment, too lazy to move, so he didn’t send it.

He didn’t have a habit of endlessly chatting in group chats.

[Pandora] suddenly popped up: “Everyone stop chatting in the group. Training is starting soon. Don’t all mess around with the captain. He’s on a business trip; we can’t slack off.”

“Yes! Senior Brother!”

“Yes! Coming right away!”

Everyone responded.

Xue Wei looked at his phone, his gaze lingered for a few seconds, then he indifferently averted his gaze.

Members of Team One and Team Two all took their seats, preparing to log in.

“Four people per group, random combinations. The extra person from Team One will wait first, practice in the sandbox training by themselves. We’ll rotate. Everyone must complete four rounds of matches tonight.”

Silence was announcing the training plan.

Xue Wei looked at the group notification; his name wasn’t there.

Xue Wei said: “Where do I go?”

Silence glanced at him: “Don’t know. Aren’t you playing with Captain Wen?”

His tone was businesslike.

After the announcement, he also breathed a sigh of relief.

Since Now was going to play with Wen Man, he wasn’t his responsibility anymore.

In other words, National Team Two had one less unstable factor for him to worry about.

“I’ll train with the team as usual until he comes back,” Xue Wei slowly reminded him.

“This…” Silence was stunned.

He looked back at everyone in the training room again, his tone softening: “Then we’ll find you three teammates? You can also queue up with them.”

Everyone else was silent.

Only Chubby said: “Okay, okay, I want to be on Team Now. Wait for me to leave a team…”

But no one else spoke.

An awkward silence filled the room.

They didn’t like Xue Wei.

In previous training matches, they had already decided Xue Wei was someone who liked to show off, unsuited for team combat.

No one wanted to play with him.

“No need to leave the team. There are twelve people in total forming three teams. One team is free, right? Do I need to queue?”

Xue Wei sat down in his spot, asking politely.

He logged into the page courteously and calmly: “Then I have a way. No one needs to queue.”

“I’ll play as the fourth team against you, just me, with three bots. Is that okay? It won’t interfere with anyone’s training plan, and no one needs to team up with me.”

Xue Wei said coldly.

“Three strikes and you’re out.”

He remembered it clearly.

Silence and his group had picked a fight with him. This was almost the third time.

He adhered to the “three strikes and you’re out” principle, just as he adhered to not killing AFK players.

It was his ironclad rule before conquering the stars and the sea.

“Come on, one team after another.”