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Wan "ZiQi" Ziqi was sleeping when he heard it. A soft pattering of paws made him blinked his tired eyes.
Who could have been awake this- He took one glance at the clock. 4 a.m. They had just finished practice exactly two hours ago, who-
Through his blurry vision, he saw a familiar wolf appeared at the edge of his bed, froze. Behind the wolf were four more. Wan Ziqi reached blindly through the bedside table finally managed to grab his glasses.
"Boys?" His voice slightly raspy from sleep, "What's wrong?"
"Can't sleep. Sorry, Coach."
The voice came from LiuLang, the golden-furred wolf standing at the head of the group. His ears were pinned back slightly, reflecting the sudden weight he’d been carrying ever since taking over as Captain after the Spring Season.ZiQi rubbed his temples, pushing his glasses up his nose. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and surveyed the five wolves crowded in his doorway. In the high-stakes world of the King Pro League (KPL), where 5v5 matches were won or lost on microsecond reactions, shifting into wolf form was the fastest way for players to drop their adrenaline and force their bodies into deep rest. Seeing all five in his room at 4:00 AM, however, meant the pre-tournament anxiety ahead of Riyadh was winning.
A sudden scuffle broke out near the back. WuYan, a smaller, darker-furred wolf, nipped playfully at JuHao’s tail. JuHao turned with a low, exasperated huff, pressing his snout firmly against WuYan's shoulder to shove him back. Even in beast form, the Top-Jungler duo couldn't turn off their cat-and-mouse dynamic.
"Cut it out, Haoyu," ZiQi scolded softly. WuYan flattened his ears sheepishly and sat down, his tail giving two apologetic thumps against the rug.
Beside them, XiaoYu—a slender silver wolf—was curled tightly near the wardrobe, his paws tucked under his chest, blinking sleepily through his habit of adjusting non-existent glasses. Tucked awkwardly between XiaoYu and the doorway was LieFF, the team's newest Support. His darker coat looked a bit unkempt, his tail tucked close, clearly still feeling like the outsider who had just joined during the chaotic transfer window.
"Riyadh is still three weeks away," ZiQi said gently, sighing as he patted the space on the rug beside his bed. "Come here."
The pack didn't need to be told twice. LiuLang settled near ZiQi's feet, letting the coach rest a hand on his head. JuHao and WuYan flopped down side-by-side, finally settling their squabble, while XiaoYu shimmy-slid closer to the warmth of the pile. LieFF hesitated at the edge until ZiQi extended a hand toward him, snapping his fingers softly. With a cautious step, the young Support padded over and rested his chin over LiuLang’s flank.
Within ten minutes, the soft, rhythmic sound of five wolves breathing in sync filled the quiet room. ZiQi leaned back against his headboard, resting his eyes, knowing tomorrow’s video analysis was going to be brutally long—but for tonight, the pack was grounded.
-
LiuLang could feel it, the way the hand on top of his head was no longer there. He opened his eyes to see their Head Coach had already transformed into his own wolf form.
"Coach?"
"Sleep. I'm not allowing any of you to leave to the practice room until 10 a.m." The muffled voice of ZiQi drifted out from where he had buried his snout beneath his thick tail. A larger, steady gray wolf had taken the place of their coach on the bed, his breathing deep and grounded, radiating an unspoken order that none of them dared to disobey.
LiuLang let out a soft huff through his nose, resting his snout back down on his paws. Beside him, LieFF’s tense shoulders finally relaxed, the young Support letting out a tiny, soft whine before dropping off into a heavy sleep. Surrounded by the warmth of the pack and under the watchful eye of their coach, the rest of the boys quickly drifted off, the pre-tournament anxiety quieted for a few precious hours.
By 10:15 AM, the peaceful morning had entirely dissolved into the usual chaotic reality of the Suzhou KSG gaming room.
All five players were back in their human forms, seated in a neat row in front of their custom phone stands.
"WuYan! Pay attention to the bush, don't overextend!" LiuLang called out over his headset, his eyes glued to his Mid Lane hero, Yuhuan. As the newly appointed Captain, his mind was constantly tracking enemy cooldowns and rotation timers.
"I'm fine, I'm fine! JuHao is right behind me!" WuYan shouted back, grinning as he tapped frantically on his mobile phone screen. His Sun Ce was aggressively pushing the Top Lane, eager to trade blows with their scrimmage partners.
"I'm not behind you, I'm taking the Blue Buff," JuHao deadpanned, his calm, low voice a stark contrast to WuYan’s loud energy. "Fall back before you give up First Blood."
"Ah, brother, you're so heartless!" WuYan whined, though he reluctantly tapped his joystick to retreat just as the enemy Jungler leapt out from the fog of war.
Sitting at the far end of the desk, Wang "XiaoYu" Siqi adjusted his thick-rimmed glasses with his index finger, his phone propped firmly between his palms. Beside him sat Zhang "LieFF" Yufeng, the newly transferred Support. LieFF’s hands were slightly sweaty as he controlled his hero, Donghuang Taiyi. He kept darting anxious side-glances at XiaoYu's screen, trying desperately to match the Marksman's rhythm.
"LieFF, dive with me on three," XiaoYu murmured softly, his voice barely carrying over WuYan's continuous commentary. "We can trade."
"Ah—okay, okay!" LieFF panicked slightly, missing the subtle audio cue XiaoYu had given a second prior. He cast his ultimate ability a fraction of a second too late, missing the enemy Bottom Lane hero and taking two unnecessary tower shots instead.
“An ally has been slain.”
The mechanical voice echoed from LieFF's phone. The young Support froze, his cheeks flushing bright red as he stared at his grayed-out screen. "I-I'm sorry! My timing was off, I thought you were waiting for—"
"It's fine," XiaoYu said quickly, though he adjusted his glasses again—a nervous habit when a lane phase fell apart. "My fault, I should have called it out louder."
From behind them, Wan "ZiQi" Ziqi stepped forward, holding a tablet loaded with real-time match stats. He tapped LieFF lightly on the shoulder with his stylus.
"Don't panic, Yufeng," ZiQi said gently, his voice carrying the same steady weight it had in wolf form earlier that morning. "You're playing like you're still on your old team, waiting for a written invitation to engage. XiaoYu plays on instincts. You don't need to guess what he's thinking—listen to his voice, not just his ping."
ZiQi looked over at LiuLang, nodding toward the screen. "Captain, reorganize the dragon pit contest. We're five minutes in."
"Got it," LiuLang took a deep breath, shaking off the slight fatigue still lingering in his limbs. "JuHao, leave the jungle camp. WuYan, ride your boat down to the Bottom Lane. We contest the Shadow Tyrant right now. LieFF, don't worry about the mistake—stand in front of Siqi and give us vision."
"Understood!" LieFF swallowed hard, his hands tightening on his phone as his hero respawned.
As the 5v5 battle erupted around the Tyrant pit, the chaotic energy of the team began to sync up. WuYan’s ultimate crashed through the river, disrupting the enemy team's formation with a boisterous laugh. JuHao instantly followed up, sweeping in from the flank to secure the kill. This time, LieFF didn't hesitate; he flashed forward and locked down the enemy's main damage dealer, creating the exact pocket of space XiaoYu needed to wipe out the remaining opponents.
"ACE!"
"Nice engage, LieFF!" WuYan yelled, leaning over to slap LieFF's shoulder so hard the Support almost dropped his phone.
"Good control," XiaoYu offered a rare, small smile, nudging his shoulder against LieFF's.
LieFF let out a massive sigh of relief, a bright grin breaking out across his face.
ZiQi crossed his arms from behind the chairs, watching the five boys cheer and trade banter. The mechanical synergy was getting there, piece by piece. They were still rough around the edges, but as long as they kept pulling each other together—whether on the KPL stage or piled on his bedroom floor—they would be ready for Riyadh.
-
LieFF went to the break room on the edge of the hallway. The others were somewhere else and LieFF had transformed into his wolf form. His dark fur blending perfectly with the darkness of the room since he hadn't bothered to turn on the lights.
Even when they won the practice games, he knew he was still far from the good support the team needed.
The pressure of the upcoming Riyadh trip weighed heavily on him. Management had instituted a strict pre-travel protocol: no media duties today aside from pre-scheduled streaming hours, and a absolute ban on gaming phones outside of those official streams. "Let your hands rest," Coach ZiQi had ordered. "No practice, no solo queue. If you're not streaming, stay off the devices."
LieFF didn't have any stream schedule for the day. Without the familiar weight of his phone in his hands to distract him, his overthinking had taken complete control. Every missed skill-shot from the morning scrimmage, every delayed rotation, every slight hesitation played on a loop behind his eyes. In his human skin, the anxiety felt like a tightness in his chest he couldn't shake; in his wolf form, at least he could tuck himself into a dark corner and let his breathing slow down.
He curled his tail tightly around his body, resting his chin on his paws as he stared at the faint sliver of light coming from beneath the door frame. The silence of the base felt strangely heavy. On his old team, a bad scrimmage meant hours of passive-aggressive silence or tense, awkward isolation. Here at Suzhou KSG, the atmosphere was warmer, but that only terrified him more. What if he ruined their chances? What if he was the weak link that dragged down LiuLang's captaincy, WuYan and JuHao's synergy, and XiaoYu's precision?
The door handle clicked softly, turning downward with a gentle sound.
A shadow slipped through the narrow gap as the door swung open just enough for a slender form to enter before closing silently behind it. LieFF raised his head slightly, his dark ears twitching.
Through the dim room, the soft glow of the hallway light caught a coat of bright, pale coat. It was XiaoYu, also in his wolf form, the silver fur wolf stepping quietly across the carpet.
The silver wolf paused for a second, his dark eyes adjusting to the shadowy corner until he spotted the darker coat blended against the wall. Without a sound, XiaoYu padded over. He didn't make a big scene, nor did he demand an explanation. He simply approached, sat down right beside the dark wolf, and reached out to give LieFF’s shoulder a firm, reassuring nudge with his snout.
-
LieFF ignored it, burying himself deeper into his fur. He tucked his snout beneath his paws, curling his dark body into an even tighter, impenetrable ball against the break room floor.
XiaoYu kept on nudging.
Shedding the shy, quiet demeanor he wore around the rest of the team and the media, XiaoYu was determined to make sure his lane partner didn't drown in guilt. Mistakes in practice belonged to all five of them, not just the new Support. If LieFF was going to isolate himself, XiaoYu was simply going to make it impossible to stay miserable. He pressed his snout under LieFF’s ribcage, giving a firm, persistent lift that physically forced the darker wolf to tilt sideways.
LieFF huffed, a low puff of air escaping his nose. He tried to turn away, but XiaoYu stepped right over him, placing a silvery paw directly on LieFF’s flank and giving another impatient shove.
His persistent nudging was answered with a playful swat.
LieFF’s dark paw clipped XiaoYu’s shoulder, a sharp thwack in the quiet room. XiaoYu didn't back off—instead, his ears perked up, a flash of mischief entering his eyes. He lunged forward, pouncing on LieFF's front legs and dragging them down.
Within seconds, the self-pitying dark wolf vanished, replaced by an annoyed, competitive young beast. LieFF twisted his torso, nipping at XiaoYu’s scruff, and the two rolled across the carpeted floor. It turned into a full-on playful rough-housing like they used to do as pups. Well, they were still practically pups right now—both born in 2007, making them the youngest on the roster—but neither of them would ever admit that out loud.
They wrestled silently over the rug, legs tangling, swapping fake bites and low grunts as they kicked against the furniture. XiaoYu pinned LieFF’s shoulders, only for LieFF to arch his back, leverage his weight, and flip them both over toward the door.
Just as LieFF gathered his hind legs to spring up and secure the winning pounce, the break room door swung open, flooding the pitch-black room with bright hallway light.
Unable to stop his momentum mid-air, LieFF launched forward.
THUMP!
LiuLang, stepping into the room in his human form to look for his bottom lane, took all seventy pounds of airborne dark wolf directly to the sternum. The breath left the Captain with a loud, wheezing gasp as he hit the carpet flat on his back.
LieFF scrambled to balance on the human chest beneath him, his dark wolf paws planted firmly on LiuLang's jersey. The second his golden wolf eyes met LiuLang’s very human, thoroughly winded expression, LieFF froze completely, his tail stiffening mid-air as terror flooded his chest.
-
LieFF immediately let out an apologizing whine before he bolted, running as fast as he could.
His dark paws scrambled frantically against the slick hallway floor, turning the corner in a blur of panicked fur. Behind him, XiaoYu scrambled out of the break room in pursuit, while LiuLang picked himself up from the carpet. Instead of dusting off his jersey, the Captain shifted on the spot, his golden-furred wolf form bursting forward to join the chase.
"Yufeng!" LiuLang barked mentally through their pack bond, but the younger wolf had completely shut down his senses in a wave of sheer embarrassment.
The two wolves combed through the facility—checking the streaming booths, the lounge, and even behind the massive sofa in the main lobby—but they couldn't find him anywhere. LieFF’s small size and dark coat made him exceptionally good at vanishing when he wanted to.
Desperate to track him down before he stressed himself out further, LiuLang stopped in the middle of the hallway, lifting his snout. XiaoYu mirrored him right beside, his silver fur bristling with concern. They sniffed the air carefully, filtering out the smell of stale coffee and electronic fans until they picked up the faint, frantic scent of dark fur and nervous sweat.
They followed the scent trail down the quiet administrative wing, straight until it led them to ZiQi's office door.
LiuLang pushed the door open with his snout, letting it swing inward with a soft creak.
Their Head Coach was working, hunched over the desk with a sea of statistical spreadsheets and match footage playing on dual monitors. Hearing the door, ZiQi paused his typing and merely raised an eyebrow behind his glasses, looking down at the golden and silver wolves peering into his room.
"Zhang Yufeng," ZiQi said smoothly, his voice dropping into that calm, unshakeable tone he used whenever the team was on the brink of tilting. Both LiuLang and XiaoYu watched as ZiQi bent down to look under his table. "They're not mad."
A high-pitched, muffled whine echoed from the dark footwell beneath the heavy oak desk.
"I promise, they aren't," ZiQi continued softly, reaching down to gently scratch behind a dark, flattened ear tucked away near his legs. "Look, they're just eager to play with you."
LiuLang took a step forward, giving a low, reassuring chuffing sound, while XiaoYu trotted over and dropped his chin directly onto the edge of the desk, his tail fanning the air in gentle, rhythmic wags. Slowly, two glowing golden eyes peeked out from the shadow of the coach's desk, testing the waters.
-
Another low whine echoed from under the wood when their eyes met, and LieFF scrambled backward, hiding under the desk again.
LiuLang dropped onto his stomach, flattening his chest against the carpet to make himself as non-threatening as possible. XiaoYu, far less cautious, began nudging again, wiggling his narrow shoulders until he somehow managed to fit himself under the desk as well, persistently licking LieFF's flattened ears to soothe him.
"XiaoYu! I'm working!" ZiQi protested, his legs trapped in the cramped footwell between two squirming wolves, though there was no real heat beneath his words.
LiuLang huffed softly, creeping forward. With practiced ease, he nudged their Head Coach's side while his golden tail wagged against the floor like a steady metronome.
ZiQi sighed, shaking his head before he stood up to give the three oversized pups more room.
It seems his action caused LieFF to panic, thinking the coach was leaving in anger. The dark-furred wolf immediately burst out from his hiding spot, his jaws clamping onto the cuff of ZiQi's trousers to hold him in place.
The moment his teeth made contact with the fabric, absolute terror flared in LieFF's chest. He had truly pushed his luck this time. First a botched engage in scrims, then tackling the Captain, and now biting the Head Coach’s pants while disrupting his crucial work. It was going to be just like his old team, wasn't it? Passive-aggressive words for a few days, cold looks in the hallway, and total silent isolation.
His body went rigid, but in his panic, he tugged involuntarily on the hem.
"Hey, hey, hey, I'm not mad, I promise. Just... my desk will topple over if I don't move over," ZiQi reassured softly, bending down to gently unclip LieFF’s jaw from his pants leg with a warm, steady touch. He patted the dark head reassuringly. "LiuLang... I'm pretty sure he's going to make a cuddle pile soon. Probably going to rope JuHao and WuYan, too, after those two finish their stream."
Hearing his cue, LiuLang let out a happy bark before rolling over onto his back right in the center of the office rug, completely exposing his stomach. XiaoYu immediately trotted out from beneath the desk, paid zero mind to the Captain's authority, and just flopped flat on top of LiuLang's exposed stomach with a soft oomph.
LieFF stood frozen, his dark tail tucked tight, but as he watched the Captain happily absorb XiaoYu’s weight without a hint of frustration, the heavy knot of anxiety in his chest finally began to unravel.
-
LieFF moved slowly towards the two other wolves before he nudged LiuLang's furred shoulders lightly. The Captain gave him a single glance, his dark eyes filled with nothing but easy warmth, before one of his large paws gently nudged LieFF to lie on top of him too. LieFF let out a soft, trembling sigh, sinking his dark fur into the golden pile alongside XiaoYu. The residual chill of his lingering anxiety melted away almost instantly.
ZiQi, watching the scene from above, merely shook his head with a fond smile and went back to sit at his desk to continue working.
It didn't take long before heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway. WuYan and JuHao arrived shortly after, having finished their streaming hours and likely following the concentrated scent of the rest of the team straight to the office.
"Don't knock anything over if you're playfighting," ZiQi warned them without even looking up from his monitors, already knowing that someone was going to playfight instead of quiet cuddling.
True to form, WuYan—a smaller, darker wolf with endless energy—immediately nipped at JuHao’s heels as they crossed the door. JuHao huffed, shoving WuYan into the doorframe with his hip, before both came bounding toward the rug. For a good twenty minutes, the office was a chaotic mess of tumbling paws, soft growls, and playful swats. XiaoYu and LieFF ended up dragged right into the center of the fray, wrestling WuYan two-on-one until the energetic Top Laner finally collapsed on his back, panting happily.
Gradually, the chaotic energy waned. The five players, all in their wolf forms, gradually settled down, curling around and over one another until they formed a tight, breathing cuddle pile right in the middle of the office floor.
Silence settled over the room, save for the clicking of ZiQi's keyboard and the steady, collective hum of five sleeping wolves. As the hours ticked past midnight, the Coach’s movements slowed, his tired eyes finally giving in to the fatigue of analyzing hours of KPL match footage.
Around 2:00 AM, the office door clicked open. The team manager stepped in, holding a folder of flight schedules, intending to tell ZiQi to just go home—only to freeze dead in the doorway.
The soft glow of the desk lamp illuminated the quiet scene. ZiQi was fast asleep, his glasses neatly placed on the table, his head turned sideways and pillowed on his crossed arms on top of the desk. On the floor below him lay five wolves wrapped in a massive cuddle pile, peacefully sleeping through the night together as one unbreakable pack.
-
It was a quiet afternoon, part of a rare break before their flight to Riyadh in three days. LieFF had considerably grown more accustomed to the team, but he was still walking on edge, his old habits from his previous team making him hyper-aware of every minor shift in the room's atmosphere.
In the practice room, JuHao, transformed into his wolf form, trotted up to their Head Coach. ZiQi was working on his dual-monitor computer again, reviewing opponent drafts and pathing strategies. JuHao gave ZiQi's elbow a sharp nudge with his snout.
ZiQi didn't pay any mind at first, clicking his mouse to adjust a spreadsheet column, until the nudging grew more insistent.
"He Weijia. What is it?" ZiQi asked, finally turning his head to look at the Jungler.
JuHao lowered his stance, wiggling his hind legs slightly until he was looking like he was about to pounce, a challenge dancing in his bright eyes.
ZiQi raised an eyebrow, glanced back at his work, and let out a long sigh before he relented. He pushed his chair back, stood up, and within a heartbeat, transformed into his own large, steady gray wolf form.
Without hesitation, ZiQi pounced forward, initiating a sudden round of play-fighting. He usually didn't indulge in play-fighting—he was the anchor, the calm adult who kept them grounded—so seeing him throw his weight into a playful wrestling match was an absolute rarity.
Their play was witnessed by everyone who had wandered into the room. XiaoYu, holding his glasses in his human hand, stared in mild shock, while LieFF’s ears perked up in genuine surprise.
"Should we... stop them?" LieFF asked tentatively, his voice laced with his usual worry that someone was stepping out of line.
"No," LiuLang said, his voice rich with amusement and a clear hint of nostalgia. "JuHao won't win. Coach is good. Besides, it's been a while since any of us saw Coach's wolf form in action."
Sure enough, JuHao tried to sweep ZiQi's front legs, but the older wolf easily absorbed the hit, using his superior size to pivot and pin JuHao flat against the rug with a heavy paw over his chest. JuHao let out a low huff of defeat, his tail giving two thumps against the floor before he went limp, accepting the loss.
LieFF watched the exchange, his shoulders dropping as he realized that even the stern, hard-working coach could loosen up without anger or pretense. For the first time since joining Suzhou KSG, the constant knot of tension in LieFF's chest completely unraveled.
-
They were about to board when LieFF noticed something.
The bustling international terminal of the airport was filled with players from other leagues, media crews, and tournament staff, but their Head Coach was nowhere to be seen. They were left with their Manager, ZiQi completely gone from the group line.
LieFF noticed how LiuLang looked around, frowning as he repeatedly checked his phone screen. The others seemed anxious, too—WuYan had stopped making his usual jokes, and XiaoYu was nervously adjusting his glasses every ten seconds.
"Sorry," LieFF approached their manager, pulling his passport close to his chest. "Where... where's Coach?"
The Manager gave them a single look before sighing deeply, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Of course he didn't tell you." He shook his head, continuing, "He's sick."
"WHAT?!" JuHao and WuYan's sudden increase of volume echoed across the terminal gate, making everyone nearby wince before a chorus of frantic shushing broke out among the staff.
"Quiet down, you two!" the Manager hissed, pulling them closer to keep the surrounding media from overhearing. "He ran a high fever overnight from overworking himself. He's fine, but he couldn't pass the pre-flight health clearance today. So, he will be going on the flight tomorrow. You'll be with the League replacement Coach for a day, then ZiQi will be there tomorrow."
The news hung heavily over the five players as they finally walked down the jet bridge. Boarding the long-haul flight to Riyadh without their anchor felt wrong. For the first few hours of the journey, the atmosphere in their cabin was uncharacteristically subdued. Without ZiQi there to set the tone, the team felt slightly adrift.
Realizing the rest of the pack was spiraling back into pre-match anxiety, LiuLang took a deep breath. As the Captain, it was his job to step up. He pulled down the partition screen in their seating block and looked at his teammates.
"Hey," LiuLang said, his voice quiet but firm. "Coach pushed himself to get us ready for this. The best thing we can do for him right now is land in Riyadh, stay sharp, and prove we can handle one day on our own."
XiaoYu nodded slowly, adjusting his glasses. "He'll be here before our first official scrim anyway."
"Yeah," WuYan offered a weak grin, though his eyes were determined. "We can't let him arrive in Saudi Arabia just to find out we panicked over a single day."
LieFF looked around at his teammates. The panic that usually would have consumed him was replaced by a strange, steadying warmth. They weren't just relying on ZiQi anymore—they were relying on each other. When the cabin lights dimmed for the overnight stretch, LiuLang gave the signal, and one by one, five wolves curled up together in the private cabin space, holding down the fort until their alpha arrived.
-
Arrival day in Riyadh hit them with a blast of dry desert heat the moment they stepped out of the terminal, but the real chill came inside the air-conditioned conference room at the tournament hotel.
Suzhou KSG sat through the official Esports World Cup briefing under the supervision of their assigned temporary coach. LieFF had felt an uneasy knot form in his stomach the moment the man walked in—it was Coach Sun, his former head coach from his previous organization. Sun was a man who believed in pressure-cooker management, relying heavily on mind games and public humiliation to force performance.
Following the briefing, the team was set up in the temporary practice lounge for a quick one-game scrim against a minor region team to test their tournament-issued mobile phones, network latency, and game settings before breaking for the rest of the day.
The match ended in a defeat. It was a close call, lost strictly due to a micro-second delay on a target lock during a chaotic final dragon pit fight, but a loss nonetheless.
As soon as the victory screen faded on the opponents' side, Coach Sun let out a harsh, theatrical sigh. He stood up, tapping his clipboard against his palm as he began the exact routine LieFF remembered all too well.
"Unbelievable," Sun started, his voice dripping with condescension. He didn't address the team as a unit; instead, his eyes locked onto LieFF. "Some things never change, do they, Yufeng? Still folding the second an international stage puts real pressure on you. Suzhou KSG spent good transfer money on a Support who forgets how to press a crowd-control button when it actually counts."
LieFF shrank into his chair, his fingers tightening around his phone until his knuckles turned white. The old familiar dread washed over him, telling him to keep his head down and absorb the blame.
Before Sun could take another breath to continue his tirade, a low, vibrating rumble shook the room.
A shadow moved, and suddenly a golden-furred wolf materialized right in front of the gaming desk. LiuLang had transformed on the spot. Baring his teeth with a deep, warning growl, the golden wolf stepped square into the gap between LieFF and the temporary coach, his shoulders raised, completely blocking Sun's line of sight to the young Support.
Behind LiuLang, XiaoYu immediately stood up from his chair, his eyes cold behind his glasses, while WuYan and JuHao both shifted in their seats, their expressions turning dangerous.
"That's disrespectful," Coach Sun snapped, taking an instinctive step back from the golden wolf's bared fangs.
"What I think is disrespectful is the fact that you dressed down a player for something that was easily fixable without those comments."
A familiar, steady voice echoed from the doorway. Everyone turned.
ZiQi was standing there, his arms crossed over his chest, his face still slightly pale from the lingering fever and long travel, but his posture stood as unyielding as a mountain.
-
Coach Sun's jaw tightened, his face flushing with irritation as ZiQi stepped into the room. "I was brought here by the organizers to maintain discipline—"
"And you are no longer needed," ZiQi interrupted, his voice quiet but sharp enough to cut through the tension. "Suzhou KSG does not tolerate toxic coaching methods. My players are reviewed through constructive analysis, not verbal harassment. You may hand your credential pass back to the team manager on your way out."
Sun stared at him, opened his mouth to argue, but the sight of LiuLang's golden form still growling steadily in front of LieFF—backed by four pair of unblinking, hostile eyes—made him think twice. He scoffed, snatched his clipboard, and stormed out of the practice room, slamming the door behind him.
The moment the door clicked shut, LiuLang shifted back into his human form, immediately turning around to check on LieFF. He placed a heavy, reassuring hand on the younger boy's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze.
ZiQi walked over to the main desk, pulling a chair out and sitting down with a small, exhausted sigh. "Pass me the match replay file," he murmured, adjusting his glasses.
He didn't raise his voice or sigh theatrically. Instead, ZiQi pointed his stylus at the screen during the final dragon pit replay. "Look here, Yufeng. The issue wasn't your reaction time or your courage. The tournament phones come pre-installed with a higher touch-sensitivity setting than our base units. You swiped for the target lock, but the screen registered a double-tap, causing a micro-delay on your ultimate. It’s a hardware setting adjustment, nothing more. Two minutes in the menu will fix it."
LieFF stared at the highlighted frame, the lingering panic in his chest completely evaporating. "A... setting adjustment?"
"That's all," ZiQi said smoothly.
"You were supposed to be here tomorrow, Coach," JuHao said, leaning against the desk with a raised eyebrow as he scrutinized ZiQi’s pale face and tired eyes. "Why are you here?"
ZiQi didn't answer immediately. He smoothed down his collar, his quiet silence speaking volumes.
Slowly, the realization dawned on all five players. ZiQi hadn't waited for his fever to completely break or for a comfortable flight the next morning. The second he passed a basic medical check, he had booked the very next available flight—likely boarding just an hour or two after their own plane took off—traveling straight through the night without sleep just to make sure they weren't left alone.
Before anyone could say a word, the practice room door flew open. Their Manager walked in holding a stack of schedule printouts, looking utterly bewildered as to why the temporary coach had just stormed past him in the hallway.
Then, his eyes landed on ZiQi sitting at the desk.
The Manager’s confused expression instantly shattered into sheer disbelief, followed by pure, unadulterated fury.
"You," the Manager hissed, pointing a trembling finger at ZiQi as his face turned dangerously red. "Bed. Now."
-
"I'm fine."
"You're not," the Manager snapped back, crossing his arms with an unyielding glare.
Before ZiQi could open his mouth to argue further, WuYan huffed loudly. In a flash of dark fur, he transformed into his wolf form, stood up on his hind legs, and slammed his front paws directly onto ZiQi’s chest, pressing his entire body on top of his coach to pin him firmly against the back of the office chair.
"Zhao Haoyu, what—" ZiQi’s reprimand was instantly cut short as a fit of harsh coughing racked his chest.
"He won't move until you go back to bed," LiuLang, transformed back into his human form, observed smoothly, watching WuYan stubbornly lean his whole weight against the frail-looking coach. "But even then, I have a feeling he wouldn't let you out of his sight either."
ZiQi let out a raspy, defeated sigh, tapping WuYan’s ribs with two fingers. Recognizing the surrender, WuYan dropped back down onto all four paws, though he immediately planted himself right against ZiQi’s shins like an immovable dark anchor.
"Fine," ZiQi muttered, removing his glasses and placing them in his pocket. "Let's go back to the suite."
The trek to the hotel suite looked like an escort mission. The Manager walked ahead to clear the hallway, while the five players—led by WuYan proudly strutting alongside their coach—made sure ZiQi didn't try to detour back to the tactical review room.
The moment they stepped into the master bedroom of the suite, the five boys didn't even bother staying in human form. XiaoYu and LieFF immediately jumped onto the oversized king bed, using their snouts to pull back the heavy duvet. JuHao trotted into the bathroom, returning a moment later with a damp towel held carefully between his teeth, dropping it onto the nightstand.
ZiQi sat on the edge of the mattress, looking around at the five wolves hovering over him like overprotective guardians. The exhaustion in his bones was undeniable, but the warmth blooming in his chest completely eclipsed the lingering chill of his fever. He looked at WuYan, who was sitting right beside the pillow, nudging the coach’s arm insistently toward the bed.
With a soft, affectionate huff, ZiQi reached up and gave WuYan a playful swat right on his snout.
In a quiet burst of grey light, ZiQi too transformed into his large, steady wolf form. He climbed onto the bed, curling his body right in the center, and within seconds, all five wolves piled in around him, wrapping their coach in an impenetrable blanket of soft fur and steady breathing.
-
LieFF stayed awake, watching over the bed through the long night. His dark ears twitched at the slightest sound, and a soft, anxious whine would escape his chest whenever he saw or felt ZiQi moving or tossing restlessly in his sleep.
All of them stayed in wolf form, refusing to shift back into their human bodies so they could keep the feverish coach surrounded by warmth.
Noticeable rustling came from his side as LiuLang shifted his heavy weight. The golden wolf gave LieFF a soft, reassuring nudge with his snout, letting out a series of low, rhythmic huffs designed to soothe the young Support's lingering nerves. Then, without warning, LiuLang began thoroughly licking the top of LieFF's head and ears.
LieFF let out a soft, questioning noise, flattening his dark ears beneath the persistent tongue, but LiuLang kept right on licking.
LieFF shifted slightly, sending a quiet thought through their mental pack link. "Captain?"
"Sorry. Need to smother someone. Instinct," LiuLang responded, his golden tail giving two lazy thumps against the duvet as he continued grooming the youngest member. "You’ve been holding your breath all night. Relax."
From LieFF’s other side, WuYan stirred. The darker wolf nudged him as well, letting out a soft huff before leaning over to aggressively rub his head against LieFF's neck, practically pushing his whole weight into the Support until LieFF had no choice but to drop his chin and sink deeper into the pile. Flanked by his Captain and his Top Laner, LieFF felt the steady, synchronized breathing of the pack slowly pull him under into a deep, dreamless sleep.
When LieFF opened his eyes the next morning, bright morning sunlight was streaming through the sheer curtains of the hotel suite.
He blinked, shifting his dark paws as his senses slowly returned. XiaoYu was still asleep, curled into a silvery ring near the foot of the bed, while JuHao and WuYan were tangled together on the left, snoring softly. LiuLang’s golden snoutHe panicked for exactly a few minutes, his dark head snapping around the room as his heart hammered against his ribs. He was about to nudge LiuLang awake when the bedroom door pushed open, and a large grey wolf trotted inside with a brown paper bag held gently between his teeth.
"Coach?" LieFF sent through their pack bond, his dark tail instantly starting to wag in relief.
"Hey," ZiQi replied, setting the bag down neatly on the nightstand before shifting back into his human form. His skin had regained its healthy color, and his eyes were bright behind his glasses. "I got up to get some breakfast. The fever is completely gone. Thanks to you boys keeping me warm all night."
The sound of ZiQi’s voice woke the rest of the pile. WuYan yawned loudly, stretching his front legs out until his belly touched the mattress, while XiaoYu blinked sleepily through his silvery fur. JuHao untangled his hind legs from WuYan’s tail, and LiuLang sat up, giving his golden coat a thorough shake before shifting back into his human body.
"You should still take it easy," LiuLang said, though a relieved smile broke across his face as he saw how healthy their coach looked.
"I'll take it easy after we win our group stage match today," ZiQi smiled, tapping the paper bag. "Human forms, everyone. Eat up, get washed, and get into your jerseys. Our bus leaves for the main arena in two hours."
By noon, the five players were standing in the tunnel of the Riyadh Esports World Cup arena. The floor beneath their sneakers vibrated with the thunderous bass of the stadium speakers and the cheers of thousands of fans in the crowd.
LieFF smoothed down the front of his Suzhou KSG jersey, checking his phone screen one last time to make sure his touch sensitivity settings were locked in. Alongside him, XiaoYu gave his shoulder a light bump with his own, while WuYan was cracking jokes with JuHao to keep the mood light. At the front of the line, LiuLang turned back, locking eyes with LieFF and offering a firm, confident nod.
"Next up, representing the KPL—Suzhou KSG!" the announcer's voice echoed through the arena.
As they walked out into the blinding stage lights, LieFF took a deep breath. The ghost of his old team's toxicity was completely gone, replaced by the unshakeable weight of the five wolves standing beside him. was still heavy over LieFF’s flank.
LieFF lifted his head, his dark ears swiveling as he scanned the bed.
The center of the mattress—where the large, steady grey wolf had been resting all night—was completely empty. ZiQi was gone from their cuddle pile.
-