Chapter 161 (3)
……The people at the next table were all drunk, lying on the floor or leaning against the table. Civet Cat went to pay the bill then got each of his drunk teammates to get on their feet and helped them out of the restaurant.
Xiao Rui went out to get a ride for them and helped Civet Cat get all those drunk people into the car one by one– –Civet Cat was the only one left. He stood by the car and said to Xiao Rui with a smile with both of his hands in his pockets: “I’m local, not going back to base.”
Then he raised his hand to wave at all the teammates in the car: “Don’t fall asleep, all of you. Wash your faces after getting back before going to sleep. Bye, bye.”
The car drove away and it became quiet outside the restaurant.
A few minutes later, Xiao Rui came back to the table. He looked at his teammates around the table who obviously weren’t talking much or in high spirits anymore. Xiao Rui sighed then just uttered three words: “Farewell dinner party.”
All the people at the table became even quieter.
— –Once a team is relegated to the minor league, it would be next to impossible for the team to fight its way back to the major league with its original players. The professional league is a very pragmatic business. Once the team is relegated, the better players of the team would immediately be bought by other major league clubs during the transfer period and turn to work for the new teams. The less desirable players of the team would go their separate ways as well. Teams that were relegated to the minor league usually ended up as an empty shell.
The fantasy of all the original five players working together to get back from the minor league to the major league was a story you wouldn’t even see in a web novel.
To the members of Qing Dynasty, the moment the team lost in the relegation competition, the team was literally disbanded at the spot. Whether they could sit together to play games or eat at the same table and chat like before all depended on fate.
Feeling sad for Qing Dynasty, ZGDX players had lost their interest in the food. In the end, they had almost forgotten that they had come here to celebrate their good luck in the S6 drawing……
When Tong Yao went to sleep and closed her eyes that night, all she could see were Civet Cat’s burning red eyes from too much alcohol and the liquor which spilled onto his hand when he raised his glass.
……
September 13, 2016, the China region held a solemn send-off ceremony for all three teams: ZGDX, CK, and YQCB.
There were flowers and applause at the ceremony. The 18 custom-made uniforms for all the players and substitutes descended from above. All the players took them down from the hangers and put the uniforms on them.
They received everyone’s blessings.
September 15, 2016, all three teams were on their way to Shanghai Pudong International Airport at the same time. They were going to take the same flight to San Francisco. All the streaming platforms and media such as Weibo gave them a bustling send-off. Fans lined the streets to cheer them on .
……
On the same day, at Qing Dynasty’s base, it was dead quiet. There were no clicking sounds on the keyboard or mouse. All the bustle had disappeared, there was no one at the base.
After a long while, Civet Cat came out with his own suitcase.
There was no one to see him off.
Civet Cat carried his suitcase past the empty training room at base by himself and came to the doorway. He opened the door and lifted the suitcase out of the door. After walking out a few steps, he pulled out his cell phone to log into Weibo. There were several private messages– —
[We’ll go wherever you guys go. It’s not that terrible to go to the minor league. We’ll be there with you.]
[Cat god, would we be able to see you again like that year when you lifted up the spring championship cup, beaming?]
[After the disappointment, I don’t know what to do. I’ve never liked a team as much as yours. I probably won’t watch any major league games…… I feel so exhausted. Why do I want to like esports?]
[Actually I’ve always said to myself, why don’t I try to like Korea’s TAT or ZGDX? How nice would that be, they can always win matches. It should be really exhilarating to be their fans– –I’ve said it over and over, but in the end I’ll still come watch you play. It’s depressing to see you lose, then I’ll optimistically think you’ll win the next time…… So stupid of me, but what can I do? I’m also very desperate!]
[It’s true that fans feel desperate, but I know that you players are probably even more desperate…… Watching you guys walk step by step into an abyss that you can’t break free and run away from.]
[Didn’t come when you were at your peak, won’t abandon you at the low point.]
Civet Cat smiled and closed his private messages.
[DQ, Civet Cat: Despair. It’s a slow death, as if you’ve received a death notice. How can one not feel despair? However, I can finally have a moment of peace and quiet. It’s time to rest for a while.
— –Whether it’s for us or all of you lovely fans.
Goodbye Qing Dynasty, to all the glorious honors you once had.]
He posted the message to Weibo, then put his cell phone away.
At that moment, an airplane flew overhead in the blue sky, leaving behind a cloud trail which faded away in a flash.
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