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Chapter Text

1 

Su Muqiu nearly steps on the basket on his way out. 

Overbalancing himself with an awkwardly large step, he runs straight into the opposite wall. 

"Damn, what's at the door?" he grumbles as he rubs his face. 

Ye Xiu looks down and his eyebrows raise in surprise. "A baby." 

"What the - whose?" He spins around in shock. 

Ye Xiu crouches down and reads the note laid atop the blankets. 

"Yours." 

Struck dumb, Su Muqiu blurts out the first thing on his mind. 

"But I'm a virgin?" 

"..."

"..."

2

After Ye Xiu clears up the misunderstanding, the two end up bringing the baby back inside. Su Muqiu reads the note aloud while Ye Xiu places the basket on their table. 

"My dear nephew, it's been more than a decade since I last saw you. Through much effort, I managed to find your whereabouts. I am glad to see that you are doing well. It is my regret that the first and last time I contact you will be to drop off your sister, Su Mucheng. She's a few months old. Her birthday is February 18. There's enough cash to last you at least a year in the envelope. There's also her paperwork and the legal papers for guardianship once you become of age. Just bear with it for two years. I can't do this anymore. Good luck." 

The entire room goes quiet as the two sit there, at a loss. 

"Wow, what a scumbag," Ye Xiu eventually says. "What happened to your ..." he trails off, realizing that his musings probably isn't appropriate. 

"It doesn't matter what happened, they still abandoned the both of us in the end. With relatives like these, it's better not to have relatives at all." Su Muqiu says with a frosty smile, eyes cold. He reaches out and lets Su Mucheng grab onto his fingers, expression softening slightly. 

"... What do you plan on doing?" Ye Xiu asks after a moment of silence. 

"Take care of her of course!" Su Muqiu declares. 

"How?"

"I have you." Su Muqiu turns to Ye Xiu with a cheerful grin. 

"No," Ye Xiu immediately denies. "Your faith is misplaced." 

"You have a younger brother." 

"A few minutes younger, he's not a baby." 

"You have a family." 

"One that I ran away from." 

"Too cruel. I thought we had something going." 

"That's your imagination. I just have nowhere else to go." 

Watching the two bicker, Su Mucheng claps her hands and burbles happily. 

Su Muqiu chooses this moment to bring out the puppy eyes. "But you chose to stay." 

Ye Xiu takes one look at the sad, pathetic, yet somewhat cute picture the Su siblings present and covers his face.

3 

Tao Xuan looks behind Ye Xiu. "How come I rarely ever see you two together these days?" 

"Babysitting duty." 

"Oh, a new job?" 

With deep bags underneath his eyes, Ye Xiu smiles wanly. "Something like that." 

With a frown of concern, Tao Xuan says, "Make sure not to overdo it." 

"Sure ..." Ye Xiu replies as if it isn't too late. 

Parenthood is the epitome of overdoing. There is no return from that. 

4 

"These are all the things I need." Su Muqiu tiredly slides the list over the counter, ignoring the odd stares he's getting from new moms and dads. 

The lady takes one look at the list and raises her eyes to gaze at him with pity, already piecing together a sob story in her head. 

"Here in place of your wife?" 

"Huh? No, these are for my baby-" 

"Say no more, I will give you a store discount." 

"-yes, thank you." 

For the sake of free handouts, Su Muqiu unashamedly accepts that he now has a wife with a newborn child.

5

Su Mucheng isn't a fussy baby, but when she is ... cries, day and night. 

"... It's your turn." Ye Xiu stuffs a pillow over his head. 

"No, you." Su Muqiu rolls over with a groan. 

"She's not even mine." 

"She's not mine either." 

"..." 

"..." 

"Okay, that was bad. Let's never say that again." Ye Xiu slightly raises the pillow. 

"Agreed." 

"Now, you go." 

"No, you." 

In the end, the two rise up like zombies and blearily care for Su Mucheng until they end up falling asleep on the ground. 

6

"You know that game I was telling you about? You should really take a look at it tomorrow!" 

"Mhmm ..." 

"It's like nothing I've ever seen before! It's an MMO, but it's from a first-person perspective and they have this cool feature called an equipment editor." 

"Hm ..." 

"They got rid of the login and password, can you believe it?"

"..."

"Now there's cards! Here, I got you one!" 

Su Muqiu turns in excitement only to see Ye Xiu completely passed out with Su Mucheng asleep in his arms. 

"Ye-!" he begins to shout, then cuts himself off. "Oh, this is actually quite cute." 

He pulls out his phone and unrepentantly snaps a picture.  

7

"The parenting books say it should have been a few months ago ..." Ye Xiu mutters, flipping through the book in his hand.

"That doctor said it was fine, it's probably just because that scum had no idea how to raise a kid." 

They both stare intensely at Su Mucheng as she waves her arms furiously.

"Oh?" 

After a lot of scrambling, Su Mucheng finally rolls over. 

"Oh!" 

Su Muqiu and Ye Xiu clap in awe. 

8 

"It's too hard with just one of us working at a time," Ye Xiu says, half lying across their kitchen table. 

"Yeah, it's time to upgrade one of our computers, so both of us can work," Su Muqiu sighs as he plays with Su Mucheng. 

"What are you sad about?" 

"I don't know, I weirdly enjoyed feeling like a hardworking father caring for his dependent family." 

"... You've been brainwashed by that sister."

"But Ye Xiu ... free handouts."  

Ye Xiu turns his head the other way and pretends he didn't hear a word. 

9  

"People seriously do this?" Su Muqiu questions dubiously. 

"Yeah," Ye Xiu answers. "When a kid turns one year old, it's considered a milestone. It's just a fun tradition to place random items in front of them and see what they grab. Whatever they pick up is supposed to represent what they will become or what they will value." 

"Huh, what did you pick up?" Su Muqiu questions as he places random items in front of him. A comb, a wallet, a pen, a mirror, an account card ...

"I have no idea, but I don't really believe in this anyway," Ye Xiu says as he places Su Mucheng on the ground. "She can decide for herself what she wants to be when she grows up." 

"Come to brother." Su Muqiu gestures and claps for Su Mucheng to come towards him with a bright smile.

Curiously, Su Mucheng crawls over and eyes the things on the ground. Then, she sweeps everything aside and crawls into his lap. 

Su Muqiu starts crying. 

10 

Ye Xiu almost begins crying himself when Su Mucheng takes her first steps towards him not too long after. 

"Remember there was once a time when we both thought we were in over our heads," Su Muqiu remarks. 

"Aren't we still?" Ye Xiu answers as he picks her up, letting her wrap her tiny arms around him. 

"Yeah," Su Muqiu muses. "But this is a good kind of in over our heads." 

Ye Xiu doesn't answer, but his smile is answer enough. 

11

"Ow, fuck!" 

"Fuh!" 

Dead silence. Su Muqiu stares at Ye Xiu in horror. "Please tell me that was you." 

Eyes narrowed into a disapproving glare. "No, it wasn't." 

"Fuck..." Su Muqiu whispers softly. 

"Fuh!" Su Mucheng repeats with a giggle.

"Muqiu!" 

12

They can't really afford any storybooks, so they make do with narrating tales of their exploits in Glory. 

"And then, there was this huge, angry mob chasing us for stealing the wild boss." Su Muqiu spreads his arms wide for emphasis. "Without anywhere to go, and only empty air behind us, Ye Xiu and I make a life-risking decision and throw ourselves off the cliff!" 

"Next, next?" Su Mucheng demands, enraptured in the story. 

It's a good thing that Su Muqiu is an amazing story teller.

13

"One Autumn Leaf isn't going to come today?" Wu Xuefeng asks. 

"Oh, it's his turn to watch our kid," Su Muqiu answers without thinking much about it. "She's in her terrible twos now, so it's a bit rough." 

"What." 

"What?" 

"You two are ..." Wu Xuefeng scrambles for something to say. "Sorry, I thought the both of you were around high school age." 

"Oh, we are." 

"What." 

Wu Xuefeng feels his buried mother hen instincts begin to stir. 

14 

"Ow, she bit me! Why'd she bite me?" 

"She's teething." 

"No." 

"Yes, Muqiu. It's not the end of the world. Why are you freaking out?" 

"You don't understand, where am I going to find a perfectly sized piece of wood she can chew on?" 

"What?" 

15

"Another match?" 

"Sure-" 

"Mom!" 

"-actually, something came up. Next time -"

"Moooom!"

"- stop calling me that, if you threw food or broke something again, I-" 

The mic abruptly shuts off. 

Han Wenqing blankly stares at the screen. 

His rival is actually a woman with child ...?

16

"I was thinking that we can create our own team. With the current top members in our guild and both of you on the team roster, I think we have a shot at the championships. What do you think?" Tao Xuan excitedly tells Ye Xiu and Su Muqiu. 

"Well ..." Su Muqiu and Ye Xiu give each other hesitant looks. 

"What is it? Whatever problem it is, let me know and we can work it out." 

"We have a kid," Ye Xiu bluntly states. "Su Muqiu's baby sister." 

Tao Xuan's brain grinds to a stop.

"This is exciting for us too, but we can't just leave her by herself all the time," Su Muqiu adds on with some concern. 

"How come I've never...?" Tao Xuan begins to form a question that Ye Xiu immediately answers.

"You've never seen her because this isn't a good environment to grow up in." 

"Yeah, besides the obvious that it's a bad idea to bring kids here, there's too many sharp edges to bump on and too many smokers." 

"... I can babysit?" Tao Xuan weakly raises his hand. 

Su Muqiu eyes the cigarette in his hand and he immediately tosses it away. 

"I can stop smoking, too." 

17 

Before their entire team even gets to meet each other face to face, disaster strikes. 

"You're not allowed to die and make me a single dad."

Ye Xiu holds onto Su Mucheng as he gazes down at Su Muqiu's prone form, hands trembling slightly. Su Mucheng begins to cry without knowing who or what she's crying for. 

"I'll take care of Mucheng and our Glory, but I'm counting on you to wake up." 

Su Muqiu doesn't respond amidst the beeps of the machines, but he doesn't die. 

He doesn't wake up either. 

18 

Wu Xuefeng raises a hand and hesitates before he knocks on the apartment door. 

"Who is it?" a voice shouts from inside. 

"It's Brother Feng," he shouts back. 

There is the sound of footsteps, then Ye Xiu opens the door before walking back to the kitchen. Wu Xuefeng follows him in. 

"The team and I got together and-" he begins then stops dead in his tracks. "What are you doing?" 

"Cooking dinner," Ye Xiu answers, prodding at the lump in the pan while Su Mucheng looks on from the table. 

"Hi," she greets, waving both her arms. 

"Hi Little Mucheng." Wu Xuefeng smiles then turns dubious eyes back to Ye Xiu. "...What exactly are you cooking?" 

"Eggs." 

"It's burnt." 

"Really?" Ye Xiu looks back into the pan. "I thought this was considered well done." 

Without another word, Wu Xuefeng walks over, grabs the pan, and sits a perplexed Ye Xiu at the table. 

"Watch and take notes." 

19 

Ye Xiu has no idea why Han Wenqing does a double take and looks him up and down the first time they meet. 

"You're ... Ye Qiu?" 

"Yeah," Ye Xiu answers with some confusion. "What's up?" 

"Nothing." 

There's really no respectable way to tell your male rival you thought he was a young lady raising a kid for the past few years. 

20 

"Ye Qiu!" Sun Zheping shouts, then falters to a stop, causing Zhang Jiale to run into his back.

"Hm?" Ye Xiu turns, revealing the four-year old Su Mucheng clinging to his pants. 

"Mom, who that?" Su Mucheng asks, peeking out. Zhang Jiale lets out a strangled sound while Sun Zheping slowly dies on the inside. 

"Brother." 

"Brother, who that?" 

"Sun Zheping and Zhang Jiale from Hundred Blossoms, our opponents today." 

"Oh, hi." Su Mucheng shyly waves. 

Zhang Jiale shyly waves back while Sun Zheping stares so hard his eyes begin to burn. 

"Did you need something?" Ye Xiu asks after an extended period of silence. 

"That ..." Sun Zheping starts. "Next time, we'll win for sure ..." 

"Yeah ..." Zhang Jiale blankly adds on. 

Their fighting spirit refuses to be reignited, especially once Wu Xuefeng steps through the door with a bag of kid's necessities. 

21 

"I don't wanna!"  

"This is your first day of school. Aren't you excited?" 

"No! I wanna stay with mom!" 

"Brother." 

"I wanna stay with brother!!" 

Ye Xiu disregards the parents' judgmental looks as they pass by with their kids. He crouches down and squishes Su Mucheng's cheeks. 

"Hey, no pouting now. I'll show you a cool surprise after school today, if you behave and try to make friends." 

Su Mucheng brightens up slightly. 

"Promise?" 

"Yeah," Ye Xiu stands up and pats her head, gently pushing her towards the school gates. After some hesitation, she walks in and turns around several times to wave back before she finally disappears into the school. 

Ye Xiu places a hand on his chest. What is this ache? 

"What's wrong with captain?" Xue Mingkai whispers to Xia Ming, warily eyeing Ye Xiu. Season 3 has just begun. Today is just a normal home game against Blue Rain, but there is something especially vicious about Ye Xiu's aura ... 

"Attachment issues." 

22 

After the end of the match, Su Mucheng runs from Cui Li's side straight towards Ye Xiu as he exits the waiting room. His team exits from behind him and cheerfully greet Su Mucheng as she waves back. 

"Who won?" Su Mucheng asks excitedly as Ye Xiu picks her up. 

"Who do you think?" 

"Excellent Era." 

"Yep." 

"Yay!" Su Mucheng cheers. "I was good today and made lots of friends. What's my surprise?" 

"Later." 

Blue Rain enters the hall just as Ye Xiu walks by with Su Mucheng in arm. They all run into each other and stare with spicy eyes as Ye Xiu just nonchalantly greets them and walks off with the manager and the rest of his team.

"... I suddenly feel that Ye Qiu belongs in a whole different realm from us single dogs," Fang Shijing deadpans. 

"You're not wrong ... as captain Wei Chen would say ... this actual motherfucker."

23

That night, Ye Xiu shows Su Mucheng an account card that shimmers beneath the light and her eyes widen in awe. 

"This card was the account that your brother was going to sign up with before he got into his accident." 

"Oh ... what did he name it?" Even though she and Ye Xiu visit Su Muqiu once in a while, the only memory she really has of him is a vague impression of cheerful laughter and a gentle voice wrapped in sunshine. 

"Dancing Rain," Ye Xiu answers softly. "He made it to remind himself of you whenever he plays." 

Reaching out, Su Mucheng carefully holds the card in her hands. "One day, can I play with you?" 

"We'll see, maybe once you've grown up."  

Chapter Text

24

There is an unspoken acknowledgement in the Alliance that you're more likely to meet 'Ye Qiu' at random, coincidental locations than if you tried looking for him. So, Lin Jie isn't surprised to run into him on the stadium's rooftop after Tiny Herb's match with Royal Style. He's one of the few that knows that 'Ye Qiu' covertly attends matches from time to time. What he's surprised by is his greeting. 

"Here to witness whether you were right to drop Wang Jiexi into your role, Old Lin?" 

Lin Jie stares, dumbfounded. "That's ... How did you know?" 

In the conference, Tiny Herb had simply painted the transfer of roles as something that has long been decided by the club due to Wang Jiexi's raw talent and natural composure. This way, they could raise Wang Jiexi in the eyes of the fans and avoid any potential backlash from the media for making abrupt decisions. Star rookie or not, there isn't a single media outlet that wouldn't doubt or criticize their choice to put a rookie into such core positions. 

Ye Xiu simply glances over before looking forward once more. Perhaps, realizing that Lin Jie is no longer his opponent, he explains, "Tiny Herb was basically run by you. They wouldn't have done anything without your approval. It's no exaggeration that Wang Jiexi's performance can be considered magic, but he didn't play like someone who has long prepared to lead and debut with a god-level account. Today is Tiny Herb's first match of Season 3, so you had been anticipating this moment. I'm guessing it's to settle your uneasiness and concern, but because you trust and believe in your team, you mostly wanted to witness the magic with your own eyes. I have to admit, the results of your decision was unexpected but not bad." 

Dazed, Lin Jie slowly processes his words before he shakes his head in exasperation. "Nothing escapes your eyes." 

Ye Xiu taps the side of his head with a smile. "Don't feel too bad, no one ever escapes my field of vision." 

"I guess one good thing about retirement is that I no longer have to worry about your all-seeing vision." Lin Jie walks up to Ye Xiu and stands besides him, looking out at the city horizons. "I've never been a match for you, but I believe that the next era of Tiny Herb will be." 

"Yeah, you've never won a match against me," Ye Xiu replies. "But Tiny Herb has never lost because of your guidance. Your opponent just happened to be stronger than you." 

Lin Jie smiles, used to seeing beyond Ye Xiu's usual straightforward remarks. "Thank you, don't regret your words when Tiny Herb rises to the top." 

"Haha, they can try." 

"They definitely will do more than try." Lin Jie confidently states, then starts patting his pockets before searching through his bag. "Before I forget, I've been meaning to give you something, but you're a hard person to track down. It's a good thing I ran into you today." 

"Something to give me?" 

"Yeah, health supplements for you and your wife-"

"My wife? I-" 

"And coupons for free food delivery. I can only imagine how tough it is for the both of you." 

"- oh, thanks." 

Ye Xiu suddenly feels like his standards have dropped. 

25

Nearing the end of Season 3 ...

"If you're in that much of a tight spot, I can lend you some money." 

Ye Xiu takes a step back when Guo Mingyu places a hand on his chest, eyes filled with gratitude. 

"You really are a good guy-" 

"You're mistaken, I just have money to spare." 

"-but I can't accept money from a single father raising his kid." 

"Alright, then." Too tired of clarifying everyone's assumptions, Ye Xiu just disregards the comment. They technically aren't wrong. He is pretty much a single parent raising a kid. 

"But I could use a place to crash at for a few days while I get my affairs together, if you don't mind. I'll help out with the chores and whatever else you need help with." 

"Sure." 

26

Ye Xiu doesn't expect the massive amounts of suspicion Su Mucheng throws at Guo Mingyu when he walks through the door. 

Utterly perplexed, Ye Xiu frowns as the two stare each other down. Guo Mingyu shifts in discomfort as the seconds pass. 

"Are you another wild man?" Su Mucheng suddenly demands with a narrow-eyed squint. 

"Am I another what?" Guo Mingyu splutters. 

"What are you saying?" Ye Xiu exclaims at the same time. 

"I'm supposed to keep an eye out for wild men with evil intentions towards me or mom." 

"Not mom-" 

"I am not a wild man-" 

Su Mucheng glares ever harder. Guo Mingyu raises his hands to protest his innocence. 

"-I am a modern man with morals and ethics. No evil intentions at all." 

After a few more tense seconds, Su Mucheng finally nods and walks back to her room. Ye Xiu reluctantly turns to see Guo Mingyu giving him the most alarmed, concerned look he has ever seen. 

'Are you being chased by wild men?' his eyes scream. 

"It's a phase, she'll grow out of it." Ye Xiu resists the urge to face palm. "There's no wild - suspicious people - bothering us." 

"It's okay, no need to explain. I'll keep a lookout while I'm here. No one suspicious will get by me." 

You're the only suspicious one here, Ye Xiu wants to say, but Su Mucheng has terribly good hearing and he knows she'll take him seriously and immediately run out with her bat. 

27

"Hey, what are you all teaching Little Mu when I'm not here?" Ye Xiu questions as he crosses his arms. 

Xia Ming, Qin Tianran, Xue Mingkai, and Yin Xiong suddenly start eyeing the corners of the room with great interest. 

"I won't be responsible for the consequences if none of you answer me within three seconds. One-" 

"Situational awareness." 

"Intimidation tactics." 

"Self-defense." 

"Stranger danger." 

"..."

Ye Xiu has ten different things he'd like to say and 'excuse me the fuck' is one of them. 

28

"Why does Brother Feng have to go?" Su Mucheng cries and clutches onto the hem of Wu Xuefeng's jacket as he stands there stiffly, not knowing what to do. 

Ye Xiu isn't doing much better. He raises and lowers his hands before he crouches and tries to gently tug Su Mucheng away. "Remember when I told you that Brother Feng got a new job? This is why he has to go. Come on, we should send him off with a smile and not with tears. 

Su Mucheng shakes her head vigorously. "I don't want him to go!!" 

Ye Xiu frowns and prepares to speak when Su Mucheng cries, "If he goes away, he won't ever come back! It'll be forever, like with Brother Muqiu!" 

Immediate silence. 

"Hey," Wu Xuefeng begins softly, crouching down to give Su Mucheng a gentle hug. "This won't be goodbye forever. I might not be able to visit often, but we can keep in touch." 

"You don't know that...!" Su Mucheng rubs her eyes furiously, pushes him away, and runs back to her room. The door closes with a slam. 

Rubbing the back of his neck with a sigh, Ye Xiu stands and turns to Wu Xuefeng with tired eyes. "I'll see you off." 

"Ye Xiu ..." 

"I'm alright," Ye Xiu assures as he grabs Wu Xuefeng's luggage and heads out the door. "Don't worry so much, I'll talk to her later." 

Wu Xuefeng remains silent up until the taxi pulls up to the front of the apartment building. 

"You have my QQ," Wu Xuefeng says, watching the driver load his luggage. "I'll send you my new phone number and any other contact information." 

Ye Xiu nods, then raises an eyebrow when Wu Xuefeng doesn't move. 

"You're going to miss your flight." 

"... I don't really need such a faraway job ..." 

"No. No second thoughts. You're going." 

"But-" 

Without a word, Ye Xiu opens the door, shoves Wu Xuefeng into the taxi, then turns to the shocked taxi driver. 

"No matter what he says, don't let him out of the car until he reaches the airport."  

29

Ye Xiu walks back in forth in front of Su Mucheng's room before he finally turns to face the door. Raising a hand, he knocks. "My lady, can I come in?" 

Lots of shuffling, then a quiet voice answers, "...You may." 

Ye Xiu steps through and turns towards the lump beneath the blankets. He walks over and sits down on the bed, leaning against the wall. "Brother Feng left." 

"..." 

"He said you can contact him whenever you'd like." 

"..." 

"You now have the contacts of so many celebrities, I would be amazed if I wasn't one myself." 

A stifled giggle, then stillness. 

"... Want to talk to me about earlier?" 

A beat of silence. 

"...The kids at school make fun of me." 

"Why?" 

Su Mucheng slowly pokes her head out of the blankets, revealing puffy eyes. "I don't have a mom or a dad. Only you and Brother Muqiu, but Brother Muqiu has been sleeping for years, and they said that if someone sleeps for that long, they're basically gone forever." 

"What, am I not enough?" Ye Xiu jokes, but Su Mucheng doesn't smile. 

Smile dropping from his face, Ye Xiu holds out his arms. "Come here." 

Rolling over like a caterpillar, Su Mucheng crawls into his lap and hugs Ye Xiu around the waist. Patting her on the back, Ye Xiu collects his thoughts before he quietly says, "I have a family." 

"Other than me and Brother Muqiu?" Her shocked eyes peer up at him. 

"Yes. A mom, a dad, a younger brother, and other relatives." 

"Oh ... that sounds nice ... why aren't you with them?" 

"Nice?" Ye Xiu turns to look out the window. "I guess it is nice. I was fortunate enough to be born into a good family under good conditions ... but that didn't mean we always got along. So, I ran away. I only planned to leave home for a bit, just to teach my brother a lesson, before returning. But then, I ran into some trouble and your brother helped me out. That's a long story for another time though. Point is, I didn't want to leave after I found what made me happy."

"But you and your family weren't good friends ...? You weren't happy before ...?" 

"We were okay and I was alright, but not exactly." 

Su Mucheng frowns. "I don't understand." 

"Hm ... I guess what I'm trying to say is that the family I was born into is important to me, but I chose to leave for various reasons. The family I chose is just as important, but I chose to stay for various reasons, too." 

Struggling to understand, Su Mucheng snatches onto a few words. "The family you chose ...?" 

"Yes," Ye Xiu smiles. "You and Muqiu. Being with you two made me happy and that was enough for me to choose to stay." 

"Oh ..." Su Mucheng scrunches her eyebrows in thought before her expression brightens. "I think I get it. Just because there's three peas in a pod, doesn't mean that it's better or worse than two peas in a pod. And even if I move peas around, they're still just as good." 

"Uh ... sure." 

Su Mucheng tugs on Ye Xiu's shirt looking a lot happier. "Does that mean I can make one pea everything?" 

"Huh?" 

Ye Xiu isn't sure he's entirely following the conversation anymore. Where did peas come from? 

"Can you be my mom, dad, and brother?" 

"... I can be anything you need me to be." 

30

Later, after Su Mucheng finally goes to sleep, Ye Xiu exits and softly closes the door. With a sigh, he presses his forehead against it and lays a palm flat against the door. 

"Muqiu, wake up soon ... your sister needs you." 

31

It is Season 4. The air has started to cool and the leaves have started to burn gold and amber. Already evening, Excellent Era has finished practice for the day and Ye Xiu is turning around the corner of Excellent Era's headquarters when someone grabs his shoulder. 

"Ye Qiu? Can you be anymore unoriginal?" 

Ye Xiu turns and steps back in genuine shock.  

"How'd you find me?" 

"How'd I ..." With a gasp of disbelief, Ye Qiu strides forward and grabs onto Ye Xiu's jacket, yanking him closer. "Is that the first thing you say to me after running away and stealing my name!?" 

"The first thing you said to me was a question about my identity and lack of originality." 

"You-" 

"And technically, you ran away first." 

"...I-" 

"And I didn't steal your ID card, I accidentally grabbed yours."

"Is there a difference?"

"Look, your name is so famous now, aren't you impressed?" 

Ye Qiu slowly releases his grip on Ye Xiu with dead eyes. 

"...Why did I come to find you again?" 

"Yeah, why'd you come to find me?" 

"Shut up." 

Ye Xiu pinches two fingers together and pretends to zip his mouth shut, amusement dancing in his eyes. 

"I didn't realize at first, but you're not subtle." Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ye Qiu lists, "Ye Qiu. Professional gamer. Same age as me. Mysterious background. Refuses to show his face. Known to have a personality like a razor whip. Who else could it be? All I had to do next was book a flight here, ask around, and check." 

"Wow." Ye Xiu claps with exaggerated pride. "With just a few clues, you've outsmarted the entire Glory circle. Well done." 

Stepping forward, Ye Qiu glares at Ye Xiu. "What I want to know is after all this time, why haven't you come back home? It's been six years. Do you realize how worried our parents are?" 

"This? Coming from you?" Ye Xiu eyes him dubiously. 

Ye Qiu throws up his hands. "For once, can you not do you." 

"Do me?" Ye Xiu laughs. "As eloquent as ever." 

Ye Qiu gestures threateningly. 

Taking pity on his brother, who looks like his blood pressure is about to blow through the roof, Ye Xiu explains, "I have something important to do." 

"Something important to do..." Ye Qiu repeats skeptically. "Like what?" 

Ye Xiu places his hands in his pockets and looks up at the sky before he starts walking. "Come with me." 

Several streets later, Ye Qiu finally has had enough. Where are they even?

"Stop avoiding the conver-" 

"Brother Xiu!" a tiny voice abruptly shouts and Ye Qiu's thoughts scramble in different directions when he spots the little girl heading in their direction. 

Su Mucheng slows to a stop once she reaches the two. She stares in open-mouthed astonishment at Ye Qiu. Ye Qiu has a similar look upon his face. 

"Brother Xiu ... how did you do mitosis?" 

Eyebrows raised in amazement, Ye Xiu asks, "How do you know what that is?" 

"Oh, I heard a senior talking about it today, so I asked Sister Xi and ..." 

Before Ye Qiu can pull together his dispersed brain cells and get a word out, a young lady walks up to Ye Xiu. 

"I seriously don't know how she always knows when you're on your way back. As usual, she's an absolute darling. Already finished all her homework and even set out the ingredients for dinner. I could have made dinner today, y'know?" 

"It's fine, I had time today and I don't want to forget how to cook." 

"As if you'd forget. Anyway, you need me for this weekend, right?" 

"Yeah, it's an away game this time. Thanks." 

She gives two thumbs up with a huge smile. "Not a problem! Anything for my family's favorite customers!" 

Feeling somewhat faint, Ye Qiu grabs onto Ye Xiu's shoulder. 

"I need to sit down."

32

Ye Qiu hunches forward on the couch, hands covering his face. He is still trying to wrap his mind around the story he's just heard. 

Mumbling through his fingers, he questions the strange turn his life has taken. "Why did I even come here? What is this situation? Did I ask to be put into a drama? If I asked to be put into a drama, what kind of drama is this? What role am I even playing?" 

Su Mucheng is completely fine compared to him. "So he's your younger twin brother?" 

"Yep."

"Cool," Su Mucheng whispers in awe. "He looks almost exactly like you."

She takes another look at the mumbling Ye Qiu. "He doesn't act like you though ..." 

"It would be cooler if he was a little more like me," Ye Xiu says. "Could you go to your room for a bit? I need to talk with him alone." 

"Ah, pea pod talk, okay," Su Mucheng answers sagely, then bounces off to her room. Ye Xiu blankly stares after her for a moment before turning back to Ye Qiu. Thankfully, he has stopped mumbling and is only gazing off into the distance with a thousand-yard stare, like a dead man looking for his soul. 

"How are mother and father doing?" Ye Xiu starts off the conversation. 

Slowly straightening up, Ye Qiu pulls himself back to reality. "They're doing well. Just worried about you." 

"Worried about me or worried about what I'm doing?" 

Shifting awkwardly, Ye Qiu reproaches, "You know that's not what I mean." 

"... You're right, that was uncalled for, sorry." 

At the unexpected apology, Ye Qiu finally snaps out of his daze and piercingly searches Ye Xiu. "Brother-" 

"How are you doing?" Ye Xiu interrupts. 

"I'm fine, but-" 

"Third year of university?" 

"Yes-" 

"Business or law?" 

"Uh, taking classes for both." 

"How are they? Good classmates and professors?" 

"Not bad. Just lots of papers and presentations. My classmates are pretty nice, just weird - wait, hold on." Ye Qiu pauses, then gives Ye Xiu an exasperated glare. "It hasn't been that long that I've forgotten how you spin conversations around."

"Oh? Seems like your situational awareness has improved." 

"I'm being serious here."

Ye Xiu goes silent. 

"Answer me honestly, how have you been these past few years?" 

"...I've been busy, but I'm alright," Ye Xiu eventually answers. "I've got reliable teammates and friends. From the outside, it may look bad, but challenges and adversity are a part of life. This life is what I chose." 

"You chose to run away and play games," Ye Qiu states in disbelief. "I want to complain that you're living a slacker's life, but somehow you've taken it to the extremes. I don't even know what to say." 

"Then, don't say anything." 

"... Mother and father would never approve." 

"That is why," Ye Xiu states with finality. "I will not go home." 

Ye Qiu frowns at the walking headache that he calls his brother. With an exasperated sigh, he completely slumps over on the couch. "I'm done. Why do I have such a dumbass of a brother?" 

"Says my dumbass brother who pieced together random bits of information and flew all the way here to confirm a theory." 

Ye Qiu throws a pillow at him. 

33

Standing by the doorway, Ye Qiu crosses his arms as he says, "There's a lot of things we still need to talk about, but I won't make it back in time for classes if I don't leave now. I ... won't tell our parents, but in return, you have to agree to my conditions." 

"Alright, let's hear the terms." Ye Xiu smirks as he leans against the doorway. 

"You have to keep in contact with me. No more disappearing acts." 

"Sure. I won't guarantee I'll respond all the time though." 

"Most of the time." 

"When I have the time." 

"Okay, fine." Ye Qiu counts his blessings. "When you have time. Secondly, you have to let me know if you need anything." 

"And then what?" Doubt is clearly written across Ye Xiu's features. "Between the two of us, I'm the one actually working." 

"... I have my ways." 

"Wow," Ye Xiu deadpans. "Spoken like a true big boss in the making. Finish school first, then come back and say that again. Maybe it'll be more believable then." 

"You-!" 

"Yes?" 

"...You see if I help you if you ever come knocking. Alright, those are my terms." Uncrossing his arms, Ye Qiu reaches out. "Now, we shake on it or else the first thing I do is call our parents." 

"So official," Ye Xiu tsks, but there's a smile on his face as he reaches out and firmly shakes his hand. "You better get going now or you'll screw up your perfect attendance record." 

With an exaggerated roll of his eyes, Ye Qiu turns and walks away. "Goodbye, dumbass brother." 

"See ya, stupid brother." 

Hearing the front door click shut, Su Mucheng peeks her head out of her room and asks, "Did uncle just leave?" 

"Yeah." 

"Aw, I wanted to say bye." 

"You can still catch him if you're fast." 

Ye Xiu hasn't even finished speaking yet when Su Mucheng dashes by him and opens the front door. 

"Bye bye, Uncle Qiu!" Su Mucheng shouts down the hall. 

Ye Qiu trips on the last step of the stairway. 

34

Chu Yunxiu is walking by when she spots a child exiting Excellent Era's room. Wait, could this be ...?

"Oh my god, are you the legendary god's hidden treasure?" 

"Hi!" She raises six fingers. "I'm Su Mucheng and I'm six year's old!" 

"Ah, so meng!" Chu Yunxiu squeals, then her smile freezes. "Hold on ... who chooses your clothes?" 

Overall dress, sweater, jeans, flats ... Chu Yunxiu feels her inner fashionista screeching. 

"QiuQiu!" 

"Who?"

"Um, ah - Ye Qiu." 

"Noooo." 

Later, in the match ... 

"What a well executed attack! Misty Rain's captain is very energetic today!" 

"Yes, it's as if an old general has suddenly possessed her spirit!" 

"Very ... aggressive!" 

"A-astonishing!" 

Post-match ... 

Windy Rain: hi, this is junior Chu Yunxiu from Misty Rain 

One Autumn Leaf: hi? 

Windy Rain: we need to go shopping

One Autumn Leaf: ??? 

Windy Rain: your fashion sense is an attack on clothes, please let me go shopping with you so your daughter doesn't walk around mismatched

One Autumn Leaf: what's mismatched? 

Windy Rain: everything!!!  (Loudly Crying Face ) (Loudly Crying Face ) (Loudly Crying Face )

35

"What's going on? Why is Ye Qiu over here?" 

"Huang Shaotian dragged him over." 

The Blue Rain members watch in amusement and sympathy as Huang Shaotian talks Ye Xiu into deafness. Where is Yu Wenzhou when you need him?

"Old Ye, I'm not going to take no for an answer this time! I demand a 1v1! I still have a lot to say to you, but it has to be through my sword! You shameless old bastard, the last time, you-!" 

In a very natural gesture, Ye Xiu slowly raises a finger to his lips. 

Huang Shaotian goes silent. 

The Blue Rain members collectively experience facial paralysis. 

With a practiced movement, Ye Xiu pulls out a piece of candy from his pocket, places it in Huang Shaotian's palm, pats him on the head, and walks off.

'???' They can all see the question marks floating atop Huang Shaotian's head. 

Huang Shaotian stares after Ye Xiu. Slowly unwrapping the candy, he pops it in his mouth before walking back into the preparation room. Still completely silent. Still confused.

At this moment, Yu Wenzhou walks into the hallway and uncertainly slows to a stop. "... Why are you all standing there like that?" 

"We needed to properly appreciate our lord and savior's heavenly wisdom." 

Zheng Xuan raises his hands to join his brothers in prayer.

36

"Ye Qiu!" Wang Jiexi calls out when he spots the man heading up the stairways. 

"Yeah?" Ye Xiu takes a step back and looks down. 

Wang Jiexi walks up the stairs towards Ye Xiu. 

"Thank you for your help last time. I've been meaning to give you this as thanks. For your kid, too." 

Ye Xiu looks down into the bag. Herbal medicine, vitamins, supplements, snacks, food delivery coupons. 

"Is this a Tiny Herb tradition?"

"What do you mean?" 

37

When Season 5 comes around, Zhou Zekai creates a storm in more ways than one. 

Excellent Era and Samsara face each other in a tense stand-off as Su Mucheng stares up intensely at Zhou Zekai without moving. 

"You're cute," she announces. 

"Cute, you say?" Ye Xiu smiles, turning the hallway into a tundra.

"..." His end. There is nothing that Zhou Zekai can say without spelling out his end.

"Like a puppy." 

"Oh." 

The temperature slowly rises. 

They all let out a shuddering breath. The reaper has just flown over their heads. 

38

At Samsara's headquarters, an employee passes by the lounge, then doubles back. Grabbing onto the arm of a fellow co-worker as he passes by, he whispers, "Hey, why is Ye Qiu here?" 

The other employee turns to look into the lounge. "Minghua needed his advice. His wife wants kids in the next few years."

"They sure move fast, these lovebirds." 

"Seriously, they just got married a few months ago. Isn't this still the honeymoon stage?" 

"Well, they were childhood sweethearts, so that stage probably passed a long time ago." 

Curiously, the two peer into the lounge just in time to see Ye Xiu gently places Fang Minghua's laptop down before he raises his eyes. 

They all flinch. Tears have already begun to stream down Fang Minghua's face. 

"Do you think babies just level up like monsters after you feed and train them?" Ye Xiu deadpans. 

"Um ..." 

"Wrong answer."

"I'm sorry." 

"What kind of milk mom are you?" 

"I'm an idiot milk mom."

"Do you intend on letting your wife do all the work?" 

"No, no, no, there's no way I would do that."

"Do you know how hard it is to be a mother?"

"I know, I know."

"Parenting is a shared responsibility, not a mom's burden. This isn't like dramas where the husband goes off to war while the wife tearfully waves as she carries her buns. Toss out that traditionalist mindset before your wife tosses you out." 

Fang Minghua nods vigorously. "Yes, I understand. I will follow senior's guidance and learn everything." 

"Learn and learn it well." Ye Xiu points at the laptop. "Type." 

Fang Minghua immediately grabs the laptop, flips it open, and places his hands on the keyboard, back straight, fingers ready. 

"... Is it just me ... or does Ye Qiu sound like he's speaking from experience..." 

Rather than the atmosphere of a senior giving his junior advice ... the atmosphere seemed more like a mother reprimanding her useless son?

"Uh ... he could be ... ? There's a lot of rumors about Ye Qiu and the little girl he's with ..." 

At this moment, Zhou Zeaki passes by. He looks curiously into the lounge to see what the employees are focused on, then does an abrupt turn and speeds off. 

"Ah? Why did Little Zhou just run away?"  

39

"Muqiu, today Little Mu asked me where babies come from."

"..." 

"I didn't know what to say, so I told her I'll tell her when she's older." 

"..." 

"Then, I caught her trying to grow a baby out of a pot." 

"..." 

"So, I ended up telling her that parents choose a baby at the prenatal department." 

"..." 

"Now, she's asking me if we can pick a new sibling for her to play with." 

"..." 

"I know that this is going to slap us in the face, but I think it's a lot better than what my father told me." 

"..." 

"He said that my brother and I came from a once-in-a-lifetime BOGO sale on Taobao. When we were kids, he would sometimes tell us he'd return us if we misbehaved. I don't think Ye Qiu ever fully forgave him for that. It probably didn't help that he thought that he was the one that came for free."   

40

Tyranny is walking back to their preparation room when they spot a little girl come out of one of the hallways. When she spots them she unexpectedly starts running excitedly towards them. A little fan? 

"What are you doing here?" Han Wenqing demands. 

Oh, shit. Why does their captain look so murderous? Except for Zhang Xinjie, who looks between the two with eyes narrowed in consideration, they all share nervous glances. 

One of the members try to placate. "Captain, it's just-" 

"Uncle Han!" Su Mucheng greets cheerfully when she reaches Han Wenqing. Then, she raises her arms. Without missing a beat, he picks her up, spins her around, and places her back on the ground. Completely stone-faced. 

... System error, Tyranny.exe has just stopped working. 

"I got lost, but then I saw you! QiuQiu said if I ever got lost, I was supposed to find someone trustworthy for help and run to them, but if I found someone bad, then I'm supposed to shout and run away!" Su Mucheng proudly announces. 

"Good." Han Wenqing nods. "But are you supposed to be wandering around on your own? I thought we talked about this." 

"Um ..." Su Mucheng presses her fingers together and smiles innocently. 

tap-tap-tap

At first, they think it's the vents, but then they realize the tap-tap-tap is the sound of rapid footsteps heading in their direction. A frazzled Ye Xiu appears around the corner and he relaxes with visible relief when he spots them. 

"Little Mu ..." Hands on hip, disapproving frown, disappointed eyes, sorrowful aura. Su Mucheng immediately bows her head. Tyranny almost does the same. 

"Sorry, QiuQiu." Su Mucheng quickly goes towards Ye Xiu's side. "I won't do it again." 

QiuQiu is ... Ye Qiu!?

Tyranny takes a second hit to the heart. 

"She's fine," Han Wenqing calmly states, entirely unaffected. "I was just going to take her back." 

Noticing that they have a stupefied audience, Ye Xiu just nods. "Thanks, Old Han. Now, what do you say, Little Mu?" 

"Thank you, Uncle Han," she says contritely, then shuffles her feet. "I'm sorry for troubling you." 

Looking up with hopeful eyes, Su Mucheng adds on. "I was going to ask if you wanted to hang out today, but I made everyone worry, so can we go get cake together next time?" 

Han Wenqing raises an eyebrow at Ye Xiu and he nods. "Sure." 

The third hit is critical. 

When Ye Xiu and Su Mucheng walk off, one of the Tyranny members whispers, "I think I need gym therapy." 

41

"Excellent Era is stagnating," Tao Xuan says, steepling his fingers on the desk. "In this dual-core era, we are falling behind in performance, profits, and presentation. We are starting to lose sponsors." 

"In terms of performance, we aren't lacking," Ye Xiu disagrees. "We just don't stand out as much because we haven't made any spectacular reveals or changes." 

"That's the crux of the problem. Every team has something distinct about them, whether it's an iconic duo or something special about their team roster. As for Excellent Era, we have One Autumn Leaf, the Battle God, and your title as #1 in the Alliance, but those titles are starting to lose it's meaning each year we don't win the championships. If we can't currently change the direction of the wind in-game, at the very least, we should focus on matters outside of the game." 

"In terms of commercialization, you mean," Ye Xiu clarifies. 

"Yes. I know we've already talked about this, but could you reconsider revealing your face? We'd get a lot more sponsors than we have now. It would help us build our fan base and get more funds." 

"Aren't our current sponsors happy with me not revealing my face in their products?" Ye Xiu jokes. "The boss of KS-II especially prefers the mysterious aesthetic." 

"Well, yes," Tao Xuan has to agree with slight amusement. "But this condition always makes our team sponsorsorships look like we're advertising a mystery film." 

"Also an aesthetic of ours." 

"Can you say something without using the word aesthetic?"

"In regards to our financial situation, we aren't profiting as much as other powerhouse teams, but we also aren't lacking compared to them either. At the moment, we are in a precarious balance where shifts in the team roster can make a huge difference in terms of performance. Only Mingkai and I are familiar with each other and Liu Hao is still inexperienced as the vice-captain and as a core player of the team. However, given enough time for us to learn how to work together, we are not far off from another championship." 

"Any chances of you becoming best partners with any of the current members?" Tao Xuan questions, only half-joking. 

"That depends on how we perform onstage." Ye Xiu doesn't give a direct answer. 

At the thought of best partners, Tao Xuan can't help but reminisce. 

"... We would have been part of the dual-core era if we had Muqiu... but now, I'm not certain he would be able to catch up with all the changes or if his mechanics would still be at their peak." Tao Xuan sighs, then slowly leans back in his chair. "Ye Qiu ... I don't mean this in a callous way, but have you considered the possibility that Muqiu won't wake up? It's been more than five years. You know that the possibility of anyone waking up from a coma decreases as more time passes." 

"I have," Ye Xiu answers. 

Tao Xuan waits for him to say more, but he doesn't.

"I see. In that case, thank you for staying late to discuss these matters with me." 

"This can also be considered a part of my job. I will let you know if I think of any solutions, but don't lose hope Boss Tao." 

At these words, Tao Xuan finally eases up, knowing that Ye Xiu doesn't just mean Excellent Era. "Of course. Tell Little Mucheng I said hi." 

"Sure." Ye Xiu waves and exits the office. 

Tao Xuan taps his fingers rhythmically on the arm of his chair, lost in thought. Just as he's about to stand up and leave for the day, he hears a knock on the door. 

"Who is it?" he calls. 

The door opens and Cui Li steps in. 

"Boss Tao, there's something I'd like to talk to you about." 

42

The summer after Season 5, Su Mucheng realizes that something is strange. 

"Brother Xiu, how come I can't come visit you at work anymore?" Su Mucheng asks as she kicks her legs back and forth, waiting for Ye Xiu to finish preparing dinner. 

Without turning around, Ye Xiu says, "Why would you want to visit me at work? All we're doing is sitting at our computers, like an office worker. It's really boring." 

"I still want to see you though! I can bring my coloring books or play games on your phone," Su Mucheng declares. "I can talk to the workers, like grandpa Lu. He always has fun stories to tell. I'm more bored at home even with Sis Xi here." 

"You can still come with me to our home games. Everyone has been busy lately, so they might not have the time to talk with you. How about I find you a few more books to read? Is there something you want?" 

"Not really, I've been reading so much my eyes feel like they're going to roll out." Su Mucheng frowns. "Is everyone really that busy?" 

"Yes. Lots of people are being transferred in and out, so you won't even see people you recognize." 

Su Mucheng makes a face. "Why are people being moved in and out?" 

"I don't know," Ye Xiu answers, face blank as he finally turns and places the plates down on the table. 

"... Can we eat something less green?" Su Mucheng raises a hopeful question, completely forgetting about the conversation. 

Ye Xiu places a cup of milk on the table. 

"I can't eat milk." 

"No, but you can eat your veggies. If you don't, they'll start growing in our living room." 

"Really?" Su Mucheng gasps in horror.

"And if you don't eat the fish, it'll start flying around." 

She immediately scoops everything onto her plate and starts shoveling everything into her mouth. Ye Xiu watches her with a smile, countenance displaying none of the agitation feels on the inside. 

The tides are changing and he's stuck between a rock and a hard place. He's running out of time to make a decision. 

43

It is Season 6. The leaves have already fallen and there is a light dusting of snow that continues to fall from the darkened clouds. The streets are busy as people rush by in search for gifts to celebrate the winter holidays. 

"I'm really sorry about this, Little Xiu. I really wish I didn't have to leave either, but the new shopping mall and chain restaurants are pushing us out of business. If we want to keep our restaurant going, we have to find a better location or be bought out." 

"Don't worry about it, Sister Xi. I understand how difficult things are for you right now. Thank you for helping me out all this time," Ye Xiu answers on the phone as he walks down the street. 

"Let's not act like strangers. You and Muqiu really helped us out back then ... at the very least, I know a few other caretakers who are very trustworthy and good. I can get you in contact-" 

"Hey! Stop right there!" 

Startled, Ye Xiu glances over to see a man dashing towards him with a furious lady chasing after him. 

"You damn thief! Bastard! Asshole! Stop running and give me back my bag! When I catch up with you, don't think you're going to get off easy!" 

Placing his phone in his pocket, Ye Xiu firmly plants his foot on the ground and braces himself for the impact. The thief trips over his leg and goes flying, landing face-first on the pavement with a loud curse. Ye Xiu shakes his leg out with a wince and continues on his way without a second glance. 

"That's going to bruise tomorrow," he mutters under his breath as he pulls out his phone to continue the call. 

"Little Xiu? What was that? Are you okay?" 

"Yeah, just bumped into something. What were you saying?" 

"Oh, I was saying ..." 

With an angry huff, Chen Guo catches up and yanks away her bag as the thief rolls over with a groan. She kicks him in the side without pity and quickly searches through her bag, pulling out her wallet. 

"Thank goodness," Chen Guo exhales. The only childhood picture she has with her father is still there. She turns around to thank her savior, but Ye Xiu is already far away. 

It's so rare to find such good people in the world. Chen Guo smiles, wishing that he had stopped, so she could have thanked him. She is about to continue on her way when she kicks something in her path. Looking down, she frowns at the wallet on the ground and picks it up to check the ID.

Hey, isn't this the same guy? 

"Hey! Man with the coat and phone! Wait up! You dropped your wallet!" In a flurry, Chen Guo pushes through the crowd and chases after Ye Xiu, but she loses track of him once he turns around the street corner. Out of breath, she spins around but can see no sign of him. 

Chen Guo pulls out the wallet again and takes note of the name and contact information. She can't help but notice an old picture of two young teens with a toddler. The auburn-haired teen has one arm carefully wrapped around the cute, tiny girl while his other arm is wrapped around the dark-haired teen's shoulders, dragging him closer into the frame. The scene looks chaotic, but the three of them look happy. 

"This must be fate ..." She clenches her fist in determination. "Ye Xiu! I will find you and properly return this favor!" 

Chapter Text

44

The world tilts grotesquely amidst the sounds of screeching tires- 

"Muqiu!" 

He awakens to flashing lights and alarmed wails, a familiar voice crying with unfamiliar distress and despair. 

"Muqiu, listen to me - you have to hang on no matter what, okay? You can't ... you can't-!" 

With detached calm and unnatural awareness, he reaches out with the last of his strength to grasp onto trembling fingers. 

"Ye Xiu ... take good care of Mucheng ... and our Glory ..." 

You must also remember to take good care of yourself when I'm not there. 

His words hang unfinished. 

"Blood pressure is dropping rapidly-" 

"Stabilize-" 

"Arriving with male trauma patient-"

"They are ready for us." 

He goes under. 

Shadows press against him and he cannot move. Surrounded upon all sides by darkness. Space in a vacuum. The silence is never-ending. 

"... subdural hematoma ... bleeding in the brain ... gone ... prognosis is good." 

"Then why ...? It's been weeks ... " 

" ... unusually high on the coma Glasgow scale considering ... At the neurological level, a coma is like ... deeper problems may be psychological ... not ready to wake up ... each case is different, but he's fighting. I've never seen a case like his ... hope ..." 

He wakes up. 

"What are his chances of waking up?" 

And goes under. 

"Today is December 19, 2015. It's been 7 months since you've been in a coma. All our friends asked me about you, so I told them you were recovering. We're all waiting for your healthy and safe return. It really would be nice for you to return from your vacation to clear up all these misunderstandings about me and Little Mu. It's gotten to the point where I'm starting to question whether or not I was actually jilted by my non-existent lover." 

Wake up. 

"You missed a lot." 

Wake up! 

He sits up with a gasp of air and nearly smacks into a goldfish. It stares him in the eye before swimming off with a shake of its fins. A shadow passes overhead and he looks up to see an enormous whale meandering through the city. Unsteadily getting to his feet, he spins around in bewilderment. The sky stretches out beneath him into the infinite horizons. 

"Today is June 4, 2016. It's been nearly a year since you've been in a coma. Remember Han Wenqing? He looks and sounds scary, but I'd say the person you should truly fear is Lu Liang. He has the most vicious murder eyes. Ah, that might have been because I poked his sore spot after the finals though. Hehe, that's right! We're the champions of Season 1! We were so closely matched that all of us were sweating waterfalls the entire time. It was ... the most exhilarating and thrilling experience! The peak of Glory, you need to wake up soon and see it with us!"  

He stretches out a hand and admires the crystalline snowflakes that land on his glove. Icicles hang from the trees and each one shimmers ethereally as he passes by with his lamp. It is so cold that each step he takes sinks him closer and closer into the pure and frosty embrace of eternal sleep, but the sudden chill he feels down his spine has nothing to do with the cold. It's as if there's an assassin at his back. When he turns around, no one's there. Raising the lamp in his hand, he takes quicker steps as he follows the glowing path heading towards the looming, misty mountains. 

"Hi, it's me, Xia Ming! We never got to properly know each other, but I thought you'd like to hear from one of your friends and teammates. Even though you aren't onstage with us ... we still clearly feel your presence. Let me tell you, it was really rough in the beginning because we didn't know how to cooperate. You're surprised, right? We played so well together during dungeon runs and party quests, but in reality ... none of us were ready for the next level. In our desire to prove ourselves and win, we lost faith in each other at the most crucial moments. Haha, we were such a mess that I'm pretty sure we all wanted to PK each other at some point ... but Ye Qiu managed to pull us together in the end. He and Xuefeng were our guiding compasses." 

A murmur reaches his ears, a voice he doesn't quite recognize, but feels as familiar as the sound of an unwavering gunshot piercing through the winds.  

"After these past two years, we've reached an amazing point of trust and understanding. You know, our captain said a line that I really liked. Glory is not a single player game. I've always thought that this is the guiding principle that led us to our victory in Season 1 and Season 2. Hold on - Hello? You're here already? Okay, give me a few minutes - Sorry, Muqiu, I have to go now. My friend is waiting for me. Next time, I'll bring everyone else with me. I can only imagine how lonely it gets being here all day. When you wake up, let's all play together again." 

The trickle of water hits his ears when he opens his eyes. He's been walking by this pink river, teeming with grapefruit and golden flowers, for so long that he doesn't remember a time when he hasn't been accompanied by the sound of rushing water, splashes, and burbles. When he spots the old man coming down the river on his straw boat, he almost mistakes him for an illusion. With renewed energy, he waves an arm in greeting. 

I think I'm lost. Can you tell me where to go from here?

Young man, I can tell you where to go, but the journey alone, you must take. 

He raises a wrinkled hand and points towards the towering summit.  

"Hey, it's Brother Feng ... this will probably be the last time I see you for a very long time. I got the job at the overseas company I was telling you about. These past few years have been such a wonderful dream that I almost don't want to leave, but we've all got to return to reality one day. I only wish that you could have been there with us, that I could have played alongside you just once more, but time isn't kind to us players at all."

Thank you, he turns to say, but the old man has already dispersed into sand. 

"What am I even saying? After being called an old man one too many times, I must really be feeling it. I meant to come by and catch you up on what's been going on. You know, I really worry about Ye Xiu. I don't know what kind of number he pulled in this life, but there's never a moment of peace when I'm around him. This happened just last week."

Why am I so anxious ... was there someone I needed to check on? 

"Little Mucheng really wanted pets, but Ye Xiu didn't let her, so she caught a bunch of beetles without telling anyone. We came back to see this random box covered with holes on the living room table. You must be thinking we'd be smart and handle it with care, right? No, we were dumb. When we opened it, they all flew out at us in this ... this black cloud of wings. Ye Xiu screamed so loudly the neighbors thought someone was being murdered, so they came running. When they saw what was going on, they immediately ran back. Then, Little Mucheng ran out screaming because we released all her pets. Me? I was too scared to scream because I didn't want them flying in my mouth. I don't know how she caught them, but there were. A. Lot. I never want to see a beetle again in my life. I can still hear the crunch one of them made when I accidentally stepped on it trying to sweep them out with a broom." 

He wakes up in cold sweat. He just had the strangest dream about giant beetles set on eating him alive. Feeling unpleasant and grossed out, he gets to his feet and raises his hands to block the sun rays. He's not certain how much time has passed, but he feels like it's been years. He's met so many random strangers along the way, a kind grandma, an enthusiastic village girl, a calm seer, a shy healer, a stoic mage, a shrewd merchant, a terrifying warrior, a smiling sharpshooter, a friendly priest, a grateful exorcist, and more. 

Each time he wants to give up, these people have encouraged him on, but there was someone ... 

Bright lights appear in his vision. 

I know you ... 

"MuMu is here to visit da-uh-brother again! Today I made a drawing for you! Since you can't see it, I'll tell you what I drew. In the corner is our apartment. It looks a little like cheese but that's okay. Cheese is good for you. The three of us are standing in front because I couldn't fit us all into apartment. To the left is you, in the middle is me, and to the right is mo-brother Xiu! I drew you with pillows to show that you were sleeping, but Brother Xiu said you looked like the mattress king, so I changed it ... it's just ... you look kind of fat now ... but that's okay! I think you look good no matter what!"

What are these ... cute balls of fluff floating around me? 

"Oh! I also made a drawing with everyone else, too. There's Brother Feng - I messed up on his glasses a little, so he looks like he's wearing a fence, but it's not a fence. There's also Sis MingMing, Brother QinQin, Brother YinYin, and Brother XueXue. Only I'm not supposed to call him Brother XueXue because he turns red like he wants to explode, so this is our secret! Actually ... I'm not supposed to call Brother YinYin that either because he starts hiding in his jacket like he wants to disappear ... and Brother QinQin holds his chest like his heart aches. Huh? Sis MingMing is okay though, but maybe it's not good to combine some people's names? Brother Xiu, are you okay when I call you QiuQiu?"

#### ...? ######### ...? 

He wakes up with the memory of a name upon his lips.

He doesn't know who he is, where he is, or why he's heading towards the summit, but he can feel that there are people waiting for him. Important, irreplaceable, precious people. 

With a warm and tender feeling in his chest, he rises to his feet and keeps going. 

"Today is June 18, 2019. It's been nearly 4 years since you've been in a coma. Our dynasty ended this year. Of all teams though, it had to be Tyranny. eSports news is still raving about it as the greatest overthrow of the century. Excellent Era and Tyranny fans are still fighting it out online and out on the streets. Really, there's still next year. They're treating us as if we're dead. Let them see Excellent Era rise to the top again and we'll see who's really dead. That's not annoying though, it's just news. What really annoys me is Tyranny's new cleric. I'm partially convinced that he has 360 vision, but that's still nothing compared to my might as the first master tactician ...! Alright, I admit that I sounded really petty just now, but three years of championships ended. At the hands of Tyranny. With a cleric controlling the field. I'm allowed to be a little petty. And then I got one hit KOed by Ji Leng's Cold Season's life risking strike. Fans are calling it some poetic like winter ends the fire of autumn or something like that."

The princess wanted him to slay the dragon for the safety of the villagers, but he really doesn't think the dragon did anything wrong. If anything, why were the villages trying to steal its treasures and move into its territory? So, he releases it from its chains, helps it finds its lost treasures, and returns to the castle for his reward of 'slaying the dragon'. He's leaving the castle when he runs into the most annoying healer. 

I can heal you, the healer smirks. For a price. 

No thanks, I can heal myself. 

"Young man, you are quite lucky to have such a good friend. I've known family members who treat their own with less dignity and it would make you sad to know how few actually find time to care for them. It's a tragedy to see someone as young as you in here, but you have little to worry about when you wake up. I know you probably hear the nurses saying this and that, but this grandma feels your fighting spirit. Don't give up. I won't allow you to waste away. Ah, if only my granddaughter was half as diligent, I could leave this world easily ..."

There are tears in his eyes when he wakes up. There is someone he wants to thank and someone he wants to hug. They might be the same person, but he can't recall who he saw in his dreams. Around him is a dense forest filled with fairy lights, but he doesn't let his guard down. His memory of the maps are vague, but he knows not to underestimate this area.

... Maps? 

He slows to a stop. 

All these places he's passed by ... why do they feel so familiar? 

Let's go! A shade grabs his hand and pulls him along. Their fingers slip through his grasp and they disappear into the fog, leaving behind a silver card covered in golden ashes. 

Wait! 

The memory unravels as he determinedly runs forward, following the sound of a child's laughter.  

"Today is August 31, 2019. It's been more than 4 years since you've been in a coma. Season 5 is about to begin. The Alliance has changed so much that you'll be shocked speechless. I wonder, would it feel like time travel? You can tell me about it when you wake up. This year, I heard that Glory is going to raise the level cap to 70 and add new areas. So, there's going to be new dungeons, bosses, and equipment drops. A lot of the old has been replaced by the new, but it's still the same Glory we played when we were younger. The foundations are still the same, it's just ... Different. Bigger. Smoother. I can't really explain it all, you have to see the changes yourself to understand. Everyone's ... everyone's retired already or will retire soon. Everyone except Mingkai, but he's always been stubborn and passionate. I doubt he'd go unless you make him go. It's pretty reassuring to have him around, especially with the incoming wave of new members. I don't think he likes Liu Hao, our new vice-captain, very much though. I've had to break up so many arguments, so tiring." 

Loss. He wakes up feeling like he's lost something important, but when he searches around he doesn't find anything except for grass and scattered stones. The massive lake in front of him is calm, but there's something lurking deeper beneath the surface. Cautiously, he leans over the edge and yelps when a claw reaches out and pulls him under. 

He opens his eyes and a glowing pair of eyes stare back at him. In rising horror, he realizes that he recognizes those luminous eyes. 

You ... I knew you. Why did you-! 

Something yanks him straight out of the water and the thing screeches in rage as bullets rain down upon it. The previously calm lake surges with waves as the thing dives deeper to escape. Coughing miserably, he looks up to see a familiar young man returning a pair of pistols to the belt around his hips. A gentle, familiar smirk is on his face. 

This is not the end for you. Keep going. 

"Senior, who's the guy that keeps coming here like clockwork? The one who sometimes brings a little girl with him." 

"Ah? Oh, I forgot you're new here. Let me tell you a short story. There's not much that happens in this department since most of the patients here are long-term, but we're all quite familiar with their lives because they've been here a while. I'll tell you about the rest during our rotation, but back to patient Su Muqiu. After an unfortunate hit-and-run, he's been in a coma for the past ... let's see ... 5 years."

"That long? But he's so young..."

"Yeah, he's been here nearly as long as I have ... Anyway, the man you always see is his best friend, Ye Xiu, and the little girl is Su Mucheng, his baby sister. As far as I know ... the three of them only have each other. Their bond is quite special. Ye Xiu isn't even blood-related to them, but he treats them both as if they are. He once told me that he and Muqiu raised Little Mucheng on their own, so I can only guess at the lives they lived without being rude. I don't know what he works as, but he makes enough to pay for Muqiu's medical bills and his caretaker." 

"That's... I don't know what to say. This sounds terrible, but he never considered giving up on him, even after all this time?" 

The air is thinner up here. The clouds hover far below and the wind threatens to tear him off the side of the cliff, but he refuses to fall. Grimacing, he stretches out his hand and grabs onto the ledge, ignoring the sting in his palms. 

"Not even once. It's rare for anyone to wake up after this long though ... As your senior, I advise and warn you not to get too attached to any of the patients or their loved ones. There are many who have little to no chance of waking up ... but we've chosen a profession where we witness the best and worst of people, so I like to take heart in the good things. This tiny family's dedication to each other is definitely one of those good things. Lately, it seems like there's been something troubling Ye Xiu, so I'm secretly cheering him on." 

Heart in his throat, he scrambles for purchase on the loose rocks as he slips off. He's reaching uselessly up to the sky when a gloved hand grabs onto his arm. 

You've come far. Let me help you. 

A warm, familiar smile. Golden streams of hair. A hand cannon upon her back. 

You are ... 

"Hi, Brother Muqiu. I need to tell you a secret while Brother Xiu is out. I think that Brother Xiu is really sad, but he doesn't want anyone to know. I don't know how to make things better, but I think you can. Please wake up and make him feel better? I won't ask for presents for the next three years if you do. Deal? You're not saying no, so I'm assuming it's a deal. We'll shake hands on it. Okay, let's do it like this. On a count of three, you'll wake up, like magic! Remember, on a count of three, okay? One ... two ... three!" 

There's a timer ticking somewhere, but he can't figure out where the sound is coming from. 

"... Alright, I won't ask for presents for the next four years... One ... two ... three!" 

Tick, tick, tick. 

".......Five years? Five years... One ... two ... three!" 

Tick, tick, tick. 

"............Okay, as long as you don't make me give up cake. Six years." 

The noise is coming from an ominous hole in the side of the mountain. Cautiously, slowly, he slides down into the pit and raises his lamp at the entrance. The light doesn't even pierce through the darkness. 

"One ... two - wait. Does it work if you didn't actually shake my hand back? Oh no." 

Dark, forbidding, deadly, and filled with strange noises. He really doesn't want to step inside, but he can hear a child's cry. This child ... He'd run through fire, thorns, and bullets before he allows any harm to come to this child. Taking a deep breath, he strides in and curses when spiders the size of cannonballs come at him. Without missing a step, he raises his pistols and shoots his way through. 

"Hey, Muqiu, it's been a while. It's Xue Mingkai. I don't really know what I'm doing here, but I guess this is why people call it a last resort. You know, I want to be pissed off at you, but it's stupid to be mad when it's not your fault. It really isn't. We all had our own reasons for becoming pro players. It's just - as veterans of the 1st server - after all the time we spent together in Excellent Dynasty - those memories really kept us going. Now that memory is being used to transfer me out and guilt trip Ye Qiu. In the end, I decided to retire. Like hell I'd be transferred to another team. My loyalty only belongs with Excellent Era. Old Excellent Era. Not ... whatever it is now. Alright, I'm rambling because I'm at a loss at what to say or do, but listen. I can't do anything more for Ye Qiu. Only you can. They've all forgotten our roots and tossed our ideals to the wind. Wake the hell up, Su Muqiu and remind them of what they chose to lose."

He screams in rage, pounding his fists against the bars of the cage, fire and ice licking at his legs. 

You can't keep me here! 

I can't, but you can keep yourself here for as long as you'd like. You put the chains on yourself. Coward. 

The lights come closer and he flinches back. With a shuddering breath, he lowers his head. 

... Yeah, I'm a coward. I'm a fucking coward. 

Laughter. 

But so what if I'm scared? You're the real coward here. You're the one that left me to die. 

Silence.

He glares down at the manacles wrapped around his wrists. 

I'm scared ... but I won't let my fear control me! I won't stand uselessly by while those I care about are in pain! That's not who I am! 

After all these years, I finally remember ... 

I am ...

I am-! 

I am Su Muqiu!

That's who I am!

You're nothing compared to me!

The ground shakes as the city buildings fall apart and collapse one by one. 

MuMu ... Ye Xiu ... they need me! 

A furious screech nearly renders him deaf as those glowing eyes rush at him. 

SO GET THE HELL OUT OF MY WAY!

With a final roar, he slams his fists down on the bars and everything shatters. 

"Muqiu ... this is Tao Xuan. It's been a long time since I came by to visit and I'm sorry for that. Things have been so busy lately that time just flies by. It's been ... 6 years since your accident. We're already nearing the end of season 6. A lot has happened in the past few years. A lot has changed as well. It took me a long time to understand that eSports is a business and that I've been holding Excellent Era and everyone else back by not treating it as one. I ... can no longer make decisions as a friend or guild leader. That is an entirely different matter from my responsibility as the boss of Excellent Era. Please don't blame me too much. Things have been hard on everyone. I know that Ye Qiu hasn't given up on you, but if after all this time you haven't woken up ... then would it be better to let go?" 

With the last of his strength, Su Muqiu pulls himself to the top of the summit. The ferocious wind nearly blows him straight off, but he manages to hang on and pull himself to his feet. From this high, the clouds look like a sea of mist stretching to meet the skyline. Above him, an aurora undulates and weaves itself across the galaxy. Towering pillars and trees reach up to press against the ceiling of the world. Pushed to his limits, he manages a few stumbling steps before collapsing onto his knees. As he's heaving for air, a pair of boots walk into his vision. 

I've been waiting for you. 

Blank, red eyes look back down at him beneath a red parasol. 

This is the peak of a thousand chances, the summit of a myriad manifestation of hopes and dreams. Seeker of chances, what is the hope or dream that you wish to make reality?

"Today is November 21, 2021 ... It's been 6 years since you've been in a coma ... A lot has happened since I last saw you. Season 7 started a few months ago and we've already finished the 14th round of the season. The state of the team right now isn't good. I can't just leave things as is, but there's too many things to consider. Maybe I should ask for help, but even if I wanted to - If it's just me, then fine, but I don't want Little Mu being caught up in all this. I'm really at a loss ... if you were here, how different would things be ...? Would things have become this fragmented ...?" 

I wish for a new start. Take me back home. 

Empty expression clearing into a warm and proud smile, he raises his umbrella and presses the tip against Su Muqiu's heart. 

As you wish. 

Su Muqiu wakes up. 

"...Muqiu?"