Sharpening The Knife Doesn’t Delay The Cutting of Vegetables With The Bow[eSports]: Chapter 42

42. I’m The New Member

“You said what?!”

You Hongwei widened his eyes, looking at him in disbelief. “Can you say that again?”

Chen Xingran’s gaze remained calm, but he met You Hongwei’s stare without a hint of fear. Physically, he was much slimmer than You Hongwei, to the point where one might doubt whether a simple push could topple him. However, in terms of aura, he held his ground without hesitation.

The air seemed to freeze, and a brief silence settled in.

“Riding my beloved little motorcycle…”

The training room’s door opened once again, and Luo Baibai hummed a tune as he walked in from outside. “Hey, You Hongwei, you’re here too?”

Luo Baibai, in reality, didn’t look chubby, but his round face carried a hint of baby fat that hadn’t completely faded, making him appear quite youthful. He didn’t seem to sense the palpable tension in the air and casually greeted You Hongwei.

“Is Yun Ge not here? I thought I heard his voice outside just now.”

Luo Baibai glanced around, spotting Chen Xingran standing there. “Who’s this? A friend of yours?”

You Hongwei sneered, “An ignorant little brat.”

Chen Xingran stood still, a smile on his face, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I may be ignorant, but I can see that your face is quite thick.”

He wasn’t one to seek conflict, as someone skilled in martial arts tended to have a calmer temperament. Those hot-tempered martial artists who didn’t hold back were usually sent to the correctional facility long ago because they didn’t control the force of their actions. However, You Hongwei’s language was just too impolite. Even someone as mild-mannered as Chen Xingran couldn’t help but furrow his brow and speak less gently.

Kindness and gentleness were both admirable qualities, but without a bit of assertiveness, they could become weaknesses.

“What do you mean?!” You Hongwei was provoked by Chen Xingran’s retort, and his anger flared up again.

“Hey, hey, don’t fight…” Luo Baibai was frightened by You Hongwei’s outburst, but seeing that Chen Xingran was young and looked quite well-behaved, not someone likely to cause trouble, he quickly stepped in to mediate. “There must be a misunderstanding. Let’s talk it out nicely, okay?”

You Hongwei had a tall and robust build, and when he lost his temper, it was quite intimidating. Having been teammates with him for a while, Luo Baibai understood his tendency to get worked up. He held back You Hongwei and gestured to Chen Xingran, urging him to leave.

“Did I say something wrong?” Chen Xingran looked at You Hongwei, whose eyes were red with anger. He smiled and said, “If you want water, you have hands and feet. If you need help, it’s polite to use courteous language. My parents taught me to be polite to others, but apparently, yours didn’t.”

You Hongwei was further incensed by his lecturing tone, especially since he was feeling irritated from Fu Zhou’s earlier words. Hearing Chen Xingran’s blunt retort now pushed him over the edge.

It was like lighting a powder keg. You Hongwei shoved Luo Baibai aside and walked up to Chen Xingran.

“He’s about the same height as Yang Yunche, nearly 1.9 meters tall, and his muscular build resembles that of an angry brown bear. Standing in front of Chen Xingran, he presented a stark contrast with the slender youth.

Chen Xingran had to raise his head to meet his gaze. Although he was shorter by a head, there was no hint of retreat or fear in his eyes.

“Say that again?”

You Hongwei enunciated each word, and his warning and anger were evident in his words.

As You Hongwei wished, Chen Xingran repeated himself.

You Hongwei couldn’t hold back any longer. Although fighting in the base would result in disciplinary action, he was about to leave ZMD, so he didn’t care about the rules at this point.

“You Hongwei! Don’t…”

Luo Baibai was still somewhat confused, but seeing You Hongwei’s explosive anger, he quickly shouted to stop him.

However, You Hongwei seemed oblivious to this. He reached out and forcefully pushed Chen Xingran’s shoulder.

His push was aimed to make contact, and given the size difference between the two, it would have sent Chen Xingran tumbling onto the operation cabin, potentially causing some trouble.

But when You Hongwei extended his hand, he found that he had pushed nothing but air.

Chen Xingran seemed to have anticipated this. He slightly leaned to the side, avoiding You Hongwei’s palm. He skillfully dissipated You Hongwei’s force, making it so that the 1.8-meter-tall giant had no time to retract his strength and almost stumbled forward.

However, Chen Xingran’s dodge left You Hongwei’s face in disgrace. The humiliation and anger mingled within him, causing him to lose his composure instantly.

“You f”*!”

He gritted his teeth, turned around, and transformed his hand into a fist, swinging it directly toward Chen Xingran’s face.

“Y-You…”

Luo Baibai was startled by You Hongwei’s action. He subconsciously began to say something, but the next moment, what happened before his eyes left him speechless.

Faced with the wind generated by the fist, Chen Xingran squinted slightly.

You started this.

In a lightning-fast movement, he reached out, grabbing You Hongwei’s wrist, and then, following the force of You Hongwei’s punch, he twined his body nimbly. In an agile twist, he lifted You Hongwei’s entire body! With a height difference like theirs, Chen Xingran managed to do something incredible—he not only dodged You Hongwei’s punch but also took advantage of the momentum to lift You Hongwei’s tall frame, causing him to stagger. In the process, Chen Xingran reached back and seized You Hongwei’s arm, while his left hand bumped into You Hongwei’s head, resulting in a muffled “thud.”

His actions were exceptionally fast, and You Hongwei couldn’t even see how he did it. He just felt everything blur before his eyes. Suddenly, there was an unseen force lifting him forward. The scene before his eyes shifted backward, and in the next moment, he had an intimate encounter with the table. The impact was substantial, nearly smashing his nose.

“Damn.”

Onlooker Luo Baibai was left utterly stunned.

“…Crap”

You Hongwei’s vision blurred with anger. Regaining his senses, he cursed aloud and attempted to break free from Chen Xingran’s grip and stand up. However, the young man behind him, for some inexplicable reason, had his thin, unassuming arm firmly holding You Hongwei’s wrist. With his other arm, he pressed You Hongwei’s head against the table.

You Hongwei wanted to exert force, but he felt like he couldn’t use any strength. All of his points of leverage were under this young man’s control, and his muscles were rendered useless.

Seeing that You Hongwei still wasn’t cooperating, Chen Xingran applied a bit more pressure. An intense pain shot through You Hongwei’s wrist, and cold sweat instantly poured down his forehead.

Chen Xingran used an artful joint lock. Despite the size difference, You Hongwei, who had nothing but muscle, was unable to find any leverage against the young man. He was like a helpless chick before Chen Xingran, who swiftly handled him with just a few moves.

“F*ck…”

You Hongwei was sweating profusely. He wanted to cry out in pain, but he couldn’t afford to lose face, so he clenched his teeth and cursed silently.

The training room’s door opened, and Fu Zhou and Yang Yunche walked in.

“Anyway, just have a good talk with him.”

Fu Zhou said to Yang Yunche, “He seems reasonable. If you make an effort, you should be able to resolve…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Fu Zhou witnessed the scene in front of him.

Fu Zhou: “…”

Alright, I take that back.

“What’s going on here?”

Fu Zhou was taken aback for a second and quickly rushed over. “Let go, you can’t fight in the base!”

He had seen Chen Xingran’s abilities with his own eyes. This seemingly frail teenager had a frightening amount of strength. If he didn’t intervene in time, things could get out of hand quickly.

Chen Xingran saw the two approaching and shrugged, releasing his grip.

The excruciating pain from almost having his joints twisted subsided, and You Hongwei grimaced as he stood up. He shot a fierce look at Chen Xingran, wanting to confront him. However, when Chen Xingran casually turned his gaze in his direction, You Hongwei’s actions froze.

…Damn, I can’t win.

Yang Yunche approached and looked at both of them with a furrowed brow. “What’s going on?”

As he spoke, he scrutinized Chen Xingran from head to toe. Seeing him looking relaxed, Yang Yunche breathed a sigh of relief.

—At least he didn’t get hurt.

Chen Xingran remained composed and explained the recent events.

You Hongwei stood to the side, rubbing his shoulder and wearing an unpleasant expression.

The situation was straightforward, and with Luo Baibai’s testimony, it was clear that You Hongwei had initiated the conflict. The blame was squarely on him.

“You Hongwei, have you lost your mind?”

Fu Zhou looked at You Hongwei with disappointment. “You’ve been with the team for so long, don’t you use your brain at all?”

He hadn’t said this before, but once he did, You Hongwei recalled his earlier conversation with Fu Zhou.

Anger welled up in him, and he didn’t want to think about it anymore. He raised his voice, “Yeah, I don’t use my brain. You said the same thing when we were playing matches, right? So what if I’ve been with the team for a long time? Oh, I’m of no use now, so you’re just going to kick me out? Luo Baibai, don’t stand there watching. Today it’s me, but one day it’ll be your turn!”

Luo Baibai was suddenly called out, and she hesitated for a moment.

“Is that all?” Yang Yunche suddenly spoke up, his gaze carrying a hint of coldness as he scanned You Hongwei. “I decided that you should leave. There’s no need to take it out on others.”

“Your decision?” You Hongwei sneered. “You’re quite impressive, Captain of ZMD. You think you can kick anyone out as you please? According to the rules, right? Well then!”

He pointed at Chen Xingran beside him. “Let’s talk about the rules. This person isn’t from ZMD, right? It’s clearly stated in the regulations that non-team members are not allowed in the training room. By bringing someone in from outside, you’re also breaking the rules, right? As a team captain, leading others to violate regulations, isn’t there a problem with that?”

Fu Zhou choked for a moment. He wanted to say something, but Yang Yunche stopped him.

The team’s rules and regulations did indeed include such a clause. The training room was where the team practiced coordination and tactics, and outsiders entering casually could lead to leaks of the team’s strategies.

Even though Yang Yunche was ZMD’s captain and one of the club’s shareholders, and nobody would say anything if he brought someone into the training room, especially considering the context of recruiting Chen Xingran, he was still in violation of the rules.

Yang Yunche’s expression remained unchanged. The base’s rules and regulations were there for a reason. If he had broken them, then he should be dealt with accordingly, perhaps with a fine. Yang Yunche could afford it with his deep pockets.

He sighed and looked at the angry You Hongwei with deep disappointment. “You Hongwei, do you think we don’t know anything?”

After You Hongwei had vented his anger and was feeling a sense of satisfaction, Yang Yunche’s words hit him like a bucket of cold water. He instantly sobered up. “What… what do you know?”

“I’ve known about your negotiations with external teams for quite some time,” Yang Yunche said calmly.

Fu Zhou took a step forward, his expression devoid of emotion. “Unfortunately, your new team has shares with ZMD. The day after you handed over the documents to them, they informed me. Since we’re all teammates, Yunche doesn’t want this matter to get ugly. He asked me to keep it under wraps and requested them to take better care of you. Otherwise, do you think with your skills, even if you left ZMD, you could get such a generous contract?”

You Hongwei’s words were harsh, and he even tried to use the regulations to pressure Yang Yunche, so Fu Zhou became less polite in his response.

According to ZMD’s internal contracts, privately negotiating with other teams during the contract period was a serious violation. If ZMD pursued this, You Hongwei, despite his good standing, could not only lose his place but also end up paying a hefty penalty, potentially returning all the earnings he had made in the team over the years.

Yang Yunche had done his part, but unfortunately, some people didn’t know how to appreciate a good deal and wanted to bite the hand that fed them.

You Hongwei’s expression stiffened.

“If it’s a matter of public duty, let’s handle it together,” Fu Zhou shook his head, “I will report your case to the board of directors. As for Yunche’s violation…”

He was about to suggest a fine as a token gesture, but before he could finish his words, Chen Xingran, who had been silent, spoke up.

“Who said he violated any rules?”

Everyone was taken aback and turned to look at the young man.

Chen Xingran remained calm, glanced at Yang Yunche, and said, “Isn’t it said that outsiders aren’t allowed into the training room? But I’m not an outsider.”

“Let me introduce myself.”

Chen Xingran smiled at You Hongwei and said, “I’m Chen Xingran, and my in-game ID is Ye Shao.”

“I’m the new member of ZMD.”

2. Seems Quite Serious

After Chen Xingran finished speaking, the large training room fell into a brief silence.

“Wait a minute, you’re Ye Shao?”

Luo Baibai had played games with Chen Xingran before, and he had a deep impression of this excellent live streamer in the game. “Wow, seriously? You look so young! Did you get scouted by Yun Ge? I knew it, Yun Ge rarely plays duo with anyone; you two must have some business together!”

Chen Xingran smiled at Luo Baibai. “Yes, I was considering it before, and I decided just recently. Please take care of me in the future.”

“Of course! I’ll have your back!”

Luo Baibai’s eyes lit up, and he patted his chest as an assurance.

He had a good impression of Chen Xingran from their previous ranked games, and today, witnessing Chen Xingran’s skills both in-game and in real life, he was even more impressed. He had been so excited that he almost clapped his hands when he saw Chen Xingran effortlessly handle the tall and strong You Hongwei with just a few moves.

“Are you a new team member?”

You Hongwei’s face looked a bit grim. “When did this happen? Why wasn’t I informed?”

Even Luo Baibai, who appeared to be familiar with this so-called new team member, was present, and as one of the members who had been replaced, he had no knowledge of it.

“Just now,” Yang Yunche replied, slightly surprised by Chen Xingran’s actions. He then continued, nonchalantly, “I brought him to the base to discuss the contract. It’s normal for new team members to visit the training room before officially joining, right?”

While he spoke calmly, his heart was elated. If not for the inappropriate setting, he would have gone up to give You Hongwei a big hug and praise him for his excellent assistance!

Chen Xingran remained silent on the side, tacitly agreeing with him.

His decision to join ZMD wasn’t solely driven by a sudden impulse. On one hand, among the domestic clubs, ZMD was undoubtedly the most suitable for him, and Yang Yunche showed sincere interest. Moreover, once he joined ZMD, he wouldn’t be benched and had a high chance of competing on the world stage, aligning with his goal of facing stronger opponents.

On the other hand, the genetic syndrome surgery was expensive. While his streaming career was thriving and growing daily, it wasn’t easy to quickly accumulate the necessary funds. Therefore, receiving a signing fee upfront to address his underlying health issue made sense.

Of course, a significant factor in his decision was You Hongwei’s words. Bringing an outsider into the training room was against the rules, but Chen Xingran wasn’t aware of this at the time. If he had known, he wouldn’t have agreed so readily.

Although Yang Yunche initiated the idea, Chen Xingran appreciated his gesture. People who trained in martial arts valued loyalty above all else. Yang Yunche had risked bringing him in, and if this led to disciplinary action, or even affected his future career as a professional player, it was something Chen Xingran didn’t want to see.

Taking all these factors into consideration, Chen Xingran made his statement. As long as he joined ZMD, it wouldn’t be considered a violation of the rules, right?

Fu Zhou, now aware of the situation, glanced at You Hongwei and said, “Well, I’m aware of this too. You Hongwei, come to my office. We need to have a talk.”

He was dissatisfied with You Hongwei’s ingratitude. As the team manager, it was his responsibility to handle such matters. Now that Chen Xingran had agreed to join ZMD, his focus was on resolving the situation with You Hongwei.

After saying that, he looked at Yang Yunche and Chen Xingran, nodded to them, and left the training room.

You Hongwei’s expression was uncertain. He seemed to want to say something to Yang Yunche but hesitated for a long time. Finally, he didn’t say anything and followed Fu Zhou out of the room with his head down.

Chen Xingran felt a bit uncomfortable and said, “It’s getting late, so I should head back.”

Luo Baibai protested, “You’re leaving so soon? Stay a bit longer!”

“We have a curfew at our school. I need to get back early.”

Chen Xingran explained. Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and turned to look at the control pod behind Yang Yunche. “By the way, it looked like there was something behind the door of your control pod…”

He had noticed a small bump behind the door, taped with the same color tape, but he hadn’t had a chance to examine it before You Hongwei interrupted him.

“Bang!”

Yang Yunche swiftly moved forward and closed the control pod door just as Chen Xingran was about to peek inside.

Chen Xingran, “?”

Yang Yunche cleared his throat. “It’s nothing, don’t worry about it… By the way, you’re leaving now, right? I’ll drive you.”

Chen Xingran “…Okay.”

As soon as ZMD arrived, they witnessed an internal dispute among team members. This made Chen Xingran feel somewhat awkward, so to avoid prolonging this awkwardness, he chose to leave first.

After Yang Yunche and Chen Xingran had left the training room, Luo Baibai, curious, approached Yang Yunche’s operation cabin and carefully examined it. He indeed found the small bulge.

He prodded it with curiosity.

The next moment, three or four brightly colored snack packaging bags fell down from the gap in the tape with a “crackling” sound. Two of them were already half-eaten, carefully sealed with special tape to prevent them from getting damp. It was evident that the owner of these snacks cherished them.

Luo Baibai: “…”

You’re something else, Captain.

…

On the way back, Yang Yunche was driving, and his gaze couldn’t help but sneak a peek at Chen Xingran’s profile.

After a while, he couldn’t hold back and asked, “What you said earlier, is it a promise?”

Chen Xingran turned around in surprise. “Do I look like someone who breaks their word?”

Yang Yunche shook his head. “I invited you twice before, and you didn’t agree. I thought I’d have to keep trying.”

Chen Xingran smiled and asked in return, “What if I still don’t agree after the third time?”

Yang Yunche smirked. “Then I’ll visit your livestream every day to pester you.”

“I’ll block you.”

“Haha, dream on,” Yang Yunche raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you know that professional players’ verified accounts can’t be blocked?”

Chen Xingran was taken aback. He really didn’t know. “Privileged class, huh?”

The car soon arrived at the gate of the Capital Esports Academy. Yang Yunche stepped on the brakes, leaned back against the seat, and said, “Yeah, so now you’re also a member of the privileged class.”

After a pause, he extended his hand to Chen Xingran. “Welcome to ZMD.”

As he said this, his tone became more serious, and the moonlight streaming through the car window gave his features a radiant, handsome appearance.

Chen Xingran felt a bit uncomfortable, so he turned his gaze slightly and shook Yang Yunche’s hand. “Thank you.”

“I’ll discuss your contract with the board when we get back. Don’t worry; I’ll negotiate the best terms for you.”

Yang Yunche said, “The New Star Cup is coming up soon. Let me congratulate you in advance on achieving good results. Shall we finalize the contract after the New Star Cup? It’ll also be the start of a new season, and you can officially join the team to get acquainted.”

“What about the school?” Chen Xingran asked.

“I’ll talk to your teachers about that. Students in the esports department can join teams and compete during their school years. It won’t affect your grades.” Yang Yunche blinked, “I did the same back when I was in school. I even made it to the National Cup in my first year, so I didn’t have to write a graduation thesis.”

Chen Xingran: “…”

You can do that too.

“By the way,” Chen Xingran paused and asked, “How are you planning to handle that guy we met earlier?”

“Fu Zhou will handle it.”

When it came to You Hongwei, Yang Yunche’s smile faded slightly. “After all, we were teammates once. It’s better to part on good terms and avoid making it look ugly.”

He added, “And one more thing.”

Yang Yunche looked at Chen Xingran, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. “I know you’re skilled, but try not to get involved in fights next time. You Hongwei has a bad temper, and he doesn’t hold back when he fights. What if you get injured?”

“I know my limits.”

“Knowing your limits isn’t enough,” Yang Yunche disagreed. “This time, You Hongwei was in the wrong, and he probably won’t dare to trouble you. Luo Baibai and Fu Zhou won’t gossip about it either. You can treat it as if it never happened.”

After saying this, he felt that his tone had become a bit too stern, so he softened his voice. “You’re still a student. If you get disciplined for fighting, the consequences can be severe.”

Chen Xingran thought to himself, didn’t Fu Zhou say something similar to you on the bus earlier…

At that time, his attitude wasn’t like this…

Yang Yunche, the renowned two-faced player in the national server.

Chen Xingran wasn’t completely oblivious to societal norms; he knew how to exercise restraint and didn’t use his martial arts skills to bully others. Since he had arrived in this world, he had intervened only twice: once to save Yang Yunche and Fu Zhou, and the other time was tonight.

If faced with a similar situation again, Chen Xingran believed he would make the same choice.

Though Yang Yunche’s words sounded a bit harsh and carried a hint of an older student lecturing a junior, Chen Xingran could still sense the concern in his tone.

Chen Xingran smiled and asked, “So, what if we encounter a situation like this again?”

“You find me.”

Yang Yunche said matter-of-factly, “Now that you’re part of ZMD, I’m your captain. When a team member has an issue, it’s the captain’s responsibility to handle it.”

Chen Xingran didn’t reply but raised his hand, extending it towards Yang Yunche.

With well-defined knuckles, proportionate bone and muscle structure, neatly groomed nails, and a faint pink hue at the fingertips, devoid of any traces of calluses, his hand resembled a work of art, bathed in moonlight and radiating a pale, ethereal beauty.

Yang Yunche stared at his hand in a daze. “What’s this for?”

Chen Xingran shook his hand, gesturing for him to extend his own hand.

Yang Captain initially thought Chen Xingran wanted to shake hands with him again, so he hesitated and reached out to grasp Chen Xingran’s hand.

The next moment, he gasped.

Chen Xingran’s expression remained unchanged. There were no signs of exertion, but Yang Yunche still felt an immense force emanating from his palm, as if a nerve had been pinched, rendering his fingers powerless, as though ants were crawling on them.

He reflexively pulled his hand back.

Chen Xingran raised an eyebrow. In the moonlight, Yang Yunche could see the gleam of his eyes, as if they were saying, “Is that all?”

Yang Yunche felt somewhat frustrated. He rubbed his palm and coughed twice. “Ahem… what I meant was, if we encounter such a situation again, we can resolve it peacefully. In this day and age, do we really need to resort to physical altercations? It’s not like we’re in a martial arts movie, right?”

Now he understood why You Hongwei, despite his robust and tall physique, seemed completely defenseless in Chen Xingran’s hands. Despite his appearance, he probably concealed the strength of a giant.

Chen Xingran looked at his pretended calm expression and tilted his head, revealing a hint of a smile. “Alright.”

“Oh, and one more thing.”

Before getting out of the car, Chen Xingran turned back, contemplated for a moment, and asked, “If I hadn’t mentioned that I was the new member of ZMD in the training room, what kind of punishment would you have faced?”

He wasn’t familiar with the internal rules of ZMD, but from You Hongwei’s tone, it seemed quite severe.

“What kind of punishment?”

Like a fine of a few thousand yuan, could it possibly be banishment to some remote outpost?

Yang Yunche was about to say something along these lines but reconsidered when he saw the look in Chen Xingran’s eyes.

“I might have faced a suspension.”

Yang Yunche sighed, his captivating eyebrows furrowing with depth. He displayed a pensive expression mixed with a touch of bitterness. “If it were more severe, I might have been removed from the position of captain.”

“That serious?” Chen Xingran was surprised.

“Yeah, but since it was something I agreed to with you, I would have followed through no matter how severe the consequences.”

Yang Yunche waved his hand, trying to appear strong, his expression vivid and sincere.

Chen Xingran’s gaze softened, and he looked at the man in front of him with even more admiration.

For a trivial, offhand promise, he was willing to block his own professional career…

For those who practiced martial arts, the most respected individuals were the ones who upheld their promises, those with a sense of honor and integrity who would keep their word no matter the cost.

He nodded. “I’ll be heading back now. Don’t worry, after the New Star Cup ends, I’ll report to ZMD.”

Yang Yunche smiled with a hint of guilt. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Chen Xingran waved a simple farewell and then got out of the car, walking into the school gate.

The moonlight mixed with the streetlights illuminated his figure. Despite his relatively small stature, his strides were steady and confident, like a young pine tree, tall and straight.

Despite his young age, he exuded a maturity beyond his years. He possessed exceptional skills, and there was a subtle air of chivalry in his demeanor, as if he were a martial arts hero from a period drama. He was always ready to help those in need, and his conduct had a touch of old-fashioned elegance.

As Yang Yunche watched his departing figure, he thought to himself.

What an interesting person.

He rubbed his own palm, still feeling the lingering discomfort from the handshake with Chen Xingran. It made him involuntarily grimace.

—Wow, he’s really strong.

TN:

Oh Captain Yang, you’re really a two-faced liar. Also how come he calls Xingran “Squirrel” when he’s the one acting like a squirrel hoarding acorns, well in his case, snacks, to hibernate in his operation cabin(tree).

If you're enjoying the story don't forget to support the author! You can also support me on KOFI for site maintenance, raws purchase or as an energy boost~ 

Join discord to get notified whenever a new chapter is uploaded since I'm  incapable of keeping up with a schedule~