IETSTSMLARA | The Top Student is Flawless | 114
Lin Su smiled, continuing to operate his character and wreak havoc. Whenever he encountered someone, it was never him who fell. As he rushed forward, the play area kept shrinking. When the remaining players gathered in a smaller area, the level of competition clearly increased.
On a grassy field with a few scattered trees providing little cover, Lin Su's character crawled forward. Nearby, footsteps and gunfire could be heard simultaneously. Lin Su held his breath, making Ye Huaitang feel tense despite it being just a virtual game.
The upper part of the screen continuously displayed kill notifications. Suddenly, bullet marks appeared near Lin Su's character. Ye Huaitang tightened his grip, but Lin Su's character quickly stood up and turned around to shoot. Green blood splattered, and the gunfire ceased. The kill notification popped up, allowing Ye Huaitang to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Is it over yet?" Ye Huaitang asked softly.
"One more person left," Lin Su replied without taking his eyes off the screen. "Are you getting impatient?"
"No, keep playing," Ye Huaitang responded, sitting upright and watching Lin Su intently.
Ye Huaitang, who had imagined that boys would play games with intense, almost ferocious expressions, was surprised to see Lin Su remain calm throughout, even when narrowly avoiding danger several times.
With such a small area remaining and only two players left, sound-based location finding was unnecessary. Lin Su analyzed the possible hiding spots and threw a grenade into the most probable location. The explosion marked the end of the game, with Lin Su’s team securing first place. The impressive record of twenty kills led to a constant stream of friend requests and praise.
“Dude, that was amazing.”
“Let’s play together next time.”
“Pro, please carry me! Your skills are insane.”
“How did you find that last player?”
Ye Huaitang, still not quite understanding the game but curious, asked, “How did you figure out where he was hiding?”
“If I were hiding, I would choose a spot like that,” Lin Su replied, ignoring the friend requests and not accepting or rejecting any.
After the game ended, Lin Su, instead of closing the game, stayed on the initial screen and looked at Ye Huaitang. “Do you want to try playing a game yourself?”
Ye Huaitang suppressed his urge to try the game and replied, "Playing games is a waste of time."
"Spending time without enjoying it is what truly wastes time," Lin Su responded with a smile. "You're not afraid of losing, are you? It's pretty tough for new players to make it to the end."
This blatant attempt to provoke him made Ye Huaitang glance at Lin Su. "Your temptation won't work. We agreed to play just one game."
"Fair enough, a man must keep his word," Lin Su said decisively, shutting down the game and standing up. "Alright, let's get back to doing exercises, class monitor."
Lin Su’s prompt return to their studies surprised Ye Huaitang. The evening tutoring session proceeded as usual, without much delay.
However, when Ye Huaitang returned home and lay in bed, the sound of the mechanical keyboard keys kept echoing in his mind.
He turned from lying on his back to lying on his side, maintaining a proper posture. It was past his usual bedtime, yet he couldn't fall asleep.
Boys at this age often indulge in activities like playing basketball, gaming, or getting into fights.
These things seemed far removed from him—he once believed only those without ambition engaged in such behavior. Yet, after experiencing them, he realized he had a hidden desire for those forbidden activities.
If Lin Su had pressed him a bit more today, he might not have been able to resist the temptation.
While many people were asleep, Lin Su stood on the balcony, a cigarette between his fingers, staring at the distant city lights.
The cigarette's ember glowed and faded, with ashes falling into a flowerpot below. He barely took a puff before exhaling a wisp of smoke, extinguishing the cigarette, and sitting in front of his computer. Instead of opening the game, he accessed a chat window displaying a new message: "Negotiations are done, sending the documents over."
The reason for his occasional dozing off in class was because, while others slept, he was busy making money. To escape the clutches of someone trying to control his life, financial independence was crucial—a task that might seem daunting for someone his age but was manageable for Lin Su.
In the classroom, the teacher's lectures had an almost hypnotic effect, capable of lulling even the best students to sleep. Lin Su spent half the day studying, the other half sleeping, played basketball in the afternoon, and did homework in the evening.
After completing his work, he once again invited Ye Huaitang to play a game.
"If you learn to play, we can team up. Otherwise, it’s pretty lonely playing solo," Lin Su sighed.
"You could play with Ji Heng. Isn't he quite good?" Ye Huaitang countered, not falling for the bait.
Lin Su, who had just declined Ji Heng's game invite, smiled. "He's not as smart as you."
There was something genuinely sincere about Lin Su's compliments.
Ye Huaitang hesitated. "I might not be good at it."
Sensing his interest, Lin Su pressed on, "Just try it. If you don't like it, you can stop."
With the mindset that one game wouldn't hurt, Ye Huaitang sat in the chair Lin Su offered. The screen was filled with various icons and images, making him feel a bit overwhelmed.
"Let's start with the training mode," Lin Su said, helping Ye Huaitang select a map typically used for practicing. "This is an auto-match mode. In 60 seconds, we’ll select a drop point. Let's start with the basic movement keys..."
As the plane took off, Ye Huaitang felt an unexpected nervousness. But when a hand gently pressed his shoulder, he suddenly felt a bit calmer. Someone was leaning close behind him, almost touching his limit of personal space.
"Do you want to play by yourself, or should I teach you step by step?" Lin Su asked, his head lowered.
In this domain, Lin Su was well-versed, whereas Ye Huaitang was a complete novice. "What's the difference?" he asked.
"The difference is that if you play by yourself, you'll probably die immediately," Lin Su chuckled. "In simple terms, you won't have any game experience. If I guide you, you won't die so quickly, and you might even win."
"Then guide me," Ye Huaitang decided, recalling Lin Su's words about the waste of time without joy. Dying immediately would indeed be uninteresting.
"Do you mind if I touch your hand?" Lin Su asked.
Ye Huaitang’s fingers on the keyboard were long and fair, like the rest of him. There were slight calluses from writing and playing various instruments, but overall, his hands were quite beautiful. Though having Lin Su directly guide his hands wasn't an issue, the directness of the question added a different meaning. "If you can guide me without touching, that’s fine."
"Oh, that's not possible," Lin Su replied, placing his warm hands over Ye Huaitang’s, almost scorching. Ye Huaitang straightened his back instinctively. Then Lin Su’s voice came close to his ear, "We’re about to jump. Where do you want to land?"
Ye Huaitang, distracted by their intertwined hands, glanced at the screen and casually picked a location. "Z City."
Lin Su nodded, guiding Ye Huaitang’s hands over the keyboard, their movements synchronized. "Alright, Z City it is. Let's go over the basics first. Use 'W' to move forward, 'S' to move backward, 'A' to move left, and 'D' to move right. Simple enough?"
Ye Huaitang nodded, trying to focus on the game rather than the warmth of Lin Su’s hands. As the game progressed, Lin Su’s guidance was precise, his hands directing Ye Huaitang’s movements smoothly. Despite the initial awkwardness, Ye Huaitang began to get a feel for the controls.
“Now, we need to look around for equipment. Use the mouse to adjust your view, and follow my lead,” Lin Su instructed, his voice steady and reassuring.
The game continued, with Lin Su occasionally taking over the controls to demonstrate a technique or maneuver. Gradually, Ye Huaitang found himself less focused on their physical contact and more immersed in the game.
“See, you’re getting the hang of it,” Lin Su encouraged, a smile evident in his tone.
By the end of the session, Ye Huaitang had managed to survive longer than he had expected, thanks to Lin Su’s guidance. Though still a novice, he felt a sense of accomplishment.
“Not bad for a first try,” Lin Su said, letting go of Ye Huaitang’s hands. “What do you think? Did you have fun?”
Ye Huaitang looked at the screen, then at Lin Su, and nodded. “Yeah, it was... interesting. Thank you.”
“Anytime,” Lin Su replied with a grin. “Next time, we’ll try a real match. But for now, let’s get back to studying.”
As they returned to their studies, Ye Huaitang couldn’t help but feel a slight warmth lingering from the shared experience.
Lin Su remained silent, and Ye Huaitang watched him operate the game. "What's wrong? Is there a problem?" Ye Huaitang asked.
"Z City has the most resources, so it usually attracts the most players. You sure are brave, Class monitor," Lin Su said with a smile.
More players meant more opportunities for kills, but it also meant a higher risk of getting eliminated early. Ye Huaitang wasn't one to back down easily. "If they dare to go, why shouldn't I?"
"Well said," Lin Su affirmed, turning his attention back to the screen. "Listen carefully for gunshots and footsteps. Right, pick up the supplies here. Looks like you're lucky, Class monitor. You found a good gun right at the start."
"Then we start shooting people?" Ye Huaitang's focus naturally shifted to the screen.
"No, before encountering anyone, you need to gather enough supplies and med kits, or you might get killed instantly," Lin Su said, guiding Ye Huaitang's fingers to control the character’s movements deftly.
Suddenly, gunshots rang out, causing Ye Huaitang's fingers to tighten slightly. Lin Su gripped his hand firmly, guiding the character a few steps towards the source of the gunshots.
As they peeked out, Lin Su took a precise shot, scoring a headshot. "Don't worry. As long as I'm here, you won't lose."
With the kill notification flashing on the screen, Ye Huaitang felt his nerves ease a bit. He realized he hadn't been this tense even during exams. "So, do we keep fighting?"
"Class monitor, you're really tough," Lin Su chuckled.
Ye Huaitang was puzzled, and Lin Su explained, "In many beginner games, people often resort to using knives and fists to fight each other, testing who's tougher."
But in the matches they were playing, it was a combination of luck and operational awareness.
"Killing is more interesting," Ye Huaitang said. He didn't really understand the different guns and so-called equipment, but the feeling of pressure being released with each gunshot was very satisfying.
"At the Class monitor's request, let's go all out," Lin Su said, abandoning the collection of supplies and heading straight for the densest gunfire. Ye Huaitang was on edge, but Lin Su calmly explained his actions and the names of certain items as he fought.
Other players' bullets seemed to always miss them, while Lin Su's shots were consistently headshots, never missing. The thrill of this overwhelming performance made Ye Huaitang feel exhilarated. By the end of the game, they had secured twenty-two kills, with a fifth of the players being taken down by them.
The dual first-place ranking felt incredibly satisfying to Ye Huaitang. "This is actually kind of fun."
"Want to go again?" Lin Su could see Ye Huaitang's interest in the game. His usually calm and gentle eyes were now shining brightly, as if stars were twinkling in them.
"One more game, this time I'll play on my own," Ye Huaitang said, feeling that the techniques weren't as difficult as they seemed.
1 Comments
Thanks for the update
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