LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

Inside the EDG base.

The team is training in preparation for the upcoming Summer Split regular season.

Jiejie had just finished a team fight and took off her headphones to get a drink of water. When she turned her head, she was so startled that she almost spat out the water.

"Holy crap! Brother Mozi?!"

Su Mo walked into the training room wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops.

Saint Gun, Scout, Viper, and Meiko all looked over in surprise.

"It's rare to see you here, Brother Mozi," Meiko exclaimed. "Did your wives kick you out?"

"Heh, with my status, how could such a thing happen?" Su Mo said disdainfully.

"Then what are you doing at the base?" Jiejie asked curiously. "Missing us? You can't be here just for training, can you?"

"You're overthinking it." Su Mo took out his phone and tapped it. "I'm just here to freeload. What's Auntie making for lunch today?"

Everyone was ashamed.

So, a top-tier celebrity with a net worth of over 100 million yuan, instead of living in a luxury mansion, runs back to the base just to mooch a bite of Auntie's braised pork ribs?
However, Su Mo's arrival brought a bit more life to the otherwise dull training room.

Now that he was here, Su Mo naturally didn't stay idle.

After devouring two large bowls of rice in the cafeteria at noon, Su Mo, holding a glass of iced cola, watched them play games in the training room like a retired old cadre.

"Jiejie, I don't recommend you invade their jungle this time. The enemy mid laner has disappeared; if you go there, you'll just be feeding." Su Mo stood behind Jiejie, giving her his advice.

Jiejie's hand trembled: "Brother, I'm playing a practice match, don't scare me."

"Viper, this knife has a hole, fine, fine."

"Scout, that's a bit too aggressive. If the enemy jungler is in the bush, you're done for."

"Holy Gun Bro, this Gnar play is a bit weird, want me to teach you a thing or two?"

For the entire afternoon, EDG's training room was filled with Su Mo's incessant ramblings and the players' groans.

Although they complained, everyone knew that Su Mo's "pointing out" often hit the nail on the head.

With him watching over them, everyone's training became even more focused and intense than usual.

In the evening, there happened to be a live broadcast of an LPL match.

Today's match is RNG vs. JDG.

Su Mo didn't go home either, but instead dragged Abu and the factory manager to watch the game together.

"RNG's play is a bit chaotic. Breathing Bro's entry into the fight was too hasty," Su Mo commented while cracking sunflower seeds.

Abu, standing to the side, took notes: "Indeed, in this version, top lane still depends on fighters; tanks are a bit too clunky."

"JDG's jungler Kanavi is something else. His route planning is amazing. Jiejie, you should learn from him," Clearlove said.

Jiejie squatted down beside him, holding her rice bowl, saying, "I'm learning, I'm learning."

Over the next few days, Su Mo began a routine life between the base villa and home.

During the day, he would go to the base to eat and drink for free, and incidentally act as a "stress monster" for the team members. At night, he would go back to the villa to sleep.

Although there's no one to warm the bed, at least it's quiet.

Rita and her friends are quite conscientious; they post a bunch of beautiful photos and videos in the group every day.

Watching the video of four beautiful women frolicking and playing on the beach in their revealing swimsuits, Su Mo gave it a thumbs up while inwardly marveling:

"This is life."

Of course, it would be even more perfect if he didn't have to stare blankly at the empty house every night.

On this day, EDG had a regular season match against WE.

Although Su Mo was on the starting roster, he was naturally too lazy to play in this kind of regular season game, and still let Flandre start.

He sat in the lounge, legs crossed, watching the big screen.

In the first game, EDG secured a narrow victory thanks to their strong operational capabilities.

In the second game, WE suddenly erupted, with xiye's mid-lane LeBlanc dominating the battlefield and suppressing Scout, winning back a game.

When it came to the decisive game, the factory manager looked at Su Mo, and a plan formed in his mind.

"What do you mean? Brother Mo, why don't you go up there and stretch your legs?" The factory manager looked at Su Mo.

Su Mo yawned and waved his hand: "No need, Scout can adjust. Besides, Flandre is in good form this game, let's give them some trust."

Sure enough, Scout rallied in the third game, picking Ryze and taking control of the game, while Flandre's Gangplank delivered a memorable "ground fire" play.

EDG defeated WE 2:1.

After the match, the team members returned to the locker room, all with smiles on their faces.

"How was it, Mozi? Did I embarrass you?" Holy Gun asked with a smile.

"It's alright." Su Mo handed him the peeled orange. "It's just that the big move was a bit off-target, otherwise it could have ended two minutes earlier."

"Hehe, I'll be more careful next time, I'll be more careful next time."

Just as everyone was packing up to return to the base, Su Mo's phone suddenly rang.

It is a video call request.

The request came from Rita, who was far away in the Maldives.

Su Mo answered the video call, and four rosy-cheeked faces instantly appeared on the screen, with a magnificent sunset and the sea in the background.
"Brother Mozi! We miss you!" Rita's voice was a little hoarse, she seemed to have had a lot of fun.

"We missed you too!" Luo Xin and Xiao Yu called out as they joined in.

Yu Shuang smiled and waved: "Is everything alright at home? Have you been eating on time?"

Looking at the four smiling faces on the screen, Su Mo's previously somewhat bored mood instantly improved.

He curled the corners of his lips into a smile, deliberately keeping a straight face as he said:
"You still think of me? I bet you're having so much fun you've forgotten all about home."

"Oh dear, we're almost back!" Rita exclaimed sweetly. "We bought tickets to go back to Shanghai tomorrow! Aren't you excited?"

"You're coming back tomorrow?" Su Mo raised an eyebrow. "So soon?"

"What? Judging from your tone, it sounds like you really don't want us to come back?" Rita narrowed her eyes. "Did you bring another woman home while we were away?"

"How could that be?" Su Mo turned the camera around to show the group of grown men around him. "I'm at the base, and I'm getting tired of seeing these grown men every day."

Jiejie protested from the side: "Hey! Brother Mozi, that's going too far with the personal attack!"

A silvery laugh came from the other end of the video call.

"Okay, okay, I'm just teasing you. Remember to pick me up at the airport tomorrow afternoon!" Rita said. "We want to see you standing at the exit with flowers in your hands!"

"Fine, fine, whatever you wish," Su Mo reluctantly agreed.

After hanging up the phone, Su Mo stared at the black screen, unable to suppress the smile on his lips.

"Oh, looks like the good days are over. Time to start doing hard labor again," the factory manager joked from the side.

Su Mo stood up and put her phone in her pocket: "What do you mean by 'laborer'? That's called a happy trouble."

"We're picking up the emperor tomorrow, Mozi-ge." Jiejie winked as she packed up her gear. "Aren't you going to make the most of this last night of your single life?"

Su Mo put her phone back in her pocket and glanced at him: "How are we going to splurge? Take you guys to an internet cafe for the whole night?"

“That’s something only minors do,” Meiko suggested, leaning closer. “Let’s go get something good to eat! To celebrate our win against WE, and to celebrate Mozi’s soon-to-be-ending days of being alone at home!”

"I second that!" Saint Gun Bro immediately raised his hand. "I want to eat hot pot at the Western-style house! Let Mozi Bro treat us!"

"Why should I pay?" Su Mo raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, you're a big spender! We specialize in taking advantage of the big spenders!" Jiejie said matter-of-factly.

Even the usually reserved Viper added in a low voice in broken Chinese, "Brother Mo, I'm hungry, let's eat meat."

Looking at those pairs of eyes that were like those of wolves and tigers, Su Mo smiled helplessly: "Alright, let's go then. Tonight, the entire bill will be on Mr. Su."

……

Half an hour later, in a private room at a hot pot restaurant in Shanghai.

The red oil is bubbling and steaming hot.

The entire EDG team, along with Abu and Clearlove, sat around a large round table, the atmosphere incredibly lively. After a few beers, everyone started chatting away.

"Seriously, Brother Mozi," Jiejie picked up a piece of tripe and dipped it in the oil sauce, "sometimes I really admire you. I'm not talking about your gaming skills, those are talents, you can't envy them. I'm talking about... how did you survive that hellish situation?"

As soon as the question was asked, everyone at the table perked up their ears, and even Scout put down his chopsticks.

Rita, Luo Xin, Yu Shuang, and perhaps we should add Xiao Yu as well.

These four women, any one of whom could stand alone in the LPL, have very different personalities, yet they were all managed to be completely subdued by Su Mo, and even went on a trip together.
To these internet-addicted teenagers who spend all their time interacting with computer screens, this was even more futuristic than winning three consecutive S-series championships.

Su Mo took a sip of the chilled plum juice and said slowly, "Want to learn?"

Everyone nodded frantically.

Su Mo put down his cup and held up one finger: "First, you have to be strong enough. Whether in the canyon or..."

He paused, then gave a meaningful smile: "In life."

“Second,” he held up another finger, “you need to provide them with enough security when they want it, and enough space when they don’t. Most importantly…”

"What is it?" Jiejie's eyes widened.

“He’s handsome.” Su Mo shrugged. “You can’t learn that.”

"cut!!"

A chorus of boos erupted from the entire table.

"Versailles! A blatant Versailles!" Flandre shoved a huge mouthful of beef into his mouth indignantly. "This meal will bankrupt you!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Looking at his simple and happy teammates, Su Mo felt particularly relaxed.

In the villa, he was the head of the household who needed to take care of everyone's feelings;
Here, he is just their captain, the brother they can tease and joke with.

After a hearty meal and drinks, it was already 11 p.m.

As the group walked out of the hot pot restaurant, the evening breeze of a Shanghai summer night helped them sober up a bit.

"Brother Mozi, where are you going?" the factory manager asked. "Want me to call a designated driver to take you home?"

Su Mo stood by the roadside, looked up at the bright lights in the distance, and then thought about the empty villa.

Going back meant facing four walls all by myself, with no one to talk to.

"I'm not going back." Su Mo stretched. "I'll stay at the base with you guys tonight."

"Huh?" Abu was taken aback. "You're wasting a multi-million dollar mansion like this!"

"What? You don't welcome me?" Su Mo glanced at him sideways.

"Welcome, welcome! It would be an honor to have you here!" Jiejie chuckled. "Perfect timing, Brother Mozi, I have a few questions about your daily life that I'd like to ask you. Could you give me a private lesson tonight?"

"Get lost."

……

Back at the familiar EDG base.

Su Mo pushed open the door to the dormitory she used to live in, as if she knew the way well.

Although he moved out a long time ago, the shelter has always kept a bed for him, and the bedding is regularly washed and aired by the auntie, giving off a sunny smell.

Looking at the slightly cramped single bed and the old keyboard on the table next to it, which was already covered in dust, Su Mo felt a long-lost sense of familiarity.

This is where his dream began.

After washing up, Su Mo lay on the bed, listening to the faint sounds of keyboard typing and Jiejie and the others shouting and playing ranked games coming from the next room.

This is the nightlife of professional gamers: monotonous, yet fulfilling.

"Dong dong."

There was a gentle knock on the door.

"Enter."

The door was pushed open, and the factory manager walked in carrying two cans of ice-cold beer.

"Still not asleep?" The factory manager handed Su Mo a can of beer and pulled up a chair to sit down.

"No, not really sleepy." Su Mo sat up and took the beer. "What, are you going to give me a pep talk?"

"Get lost," the factory manager chuckled and cursed, then opened the tab and took a sip. "I just feel quite sentimental. Look at Jiejie and Viper now, they're just like us back then."

Su Mo also opened a beer and took a sip: "Yeah, it's so good to be young."

"Brother Mozi," the factory manager suddenly stopped smiling, his tone becoming serious, "thank you."

"no need thank me?"

"Thank you for coming back, thank you for leading these kids forward." The factory manager looked into Su Mo's eyes. "I know that with your current value and status, you could easily retire and enjoy life, or even start your own team. In fact, any team would be willing to recruit you at any cost if you wanted to. But you still chose to stay with EDG and stay on the field."

"Don't make me sound so noble." Su Mo smiled, looking out at the night sky. "I just... haven't had enough fun yet. Besides, I'm reluctant to give up this feeling."

The feeling of being cheered by thousands of fans on the field, the feeling of fighting alongside my brothers.

That's a passion that nothing can replace.

"No matter what, with you here, I feel confident." The factory manager raised his wine bottle and clinked it with Su Mo's. "Let's try again for this year's S-series."

"Absolutely." Su Mo tilted his head back and downed the beer in one gulp.

……

That night, Su Mo slept very soundly, even more so than when he slept on the Simmons bed in Sheshan.

He was woken up by Jiejie's loud voice at noon the next day.

"Brother Mozi! Brother Mozi! Wake up! It's 1 a.m.! You're going to be late!"

Su Mo opened his eyes groggily and saw Jiejie leaning anxiously at the door.

"What's late?"

"Picking me up from the airport! Didn't the ladies say the plane would land at 3 PM? It's already 1 PM, and it takes more than an hour to get from the base to Pudong Airport! You still need to buy flowers!"

Su Mo sat up and glanced at her phone.

Holy crap! I overslept!
I had a really fun chat with the factory manager last night, and then I looked at my phone for a while. I don't know when I finally fell asleep.

"Thanks brother!"

Su Mo got out of bed, finished washing up in five minutes, and didn't even have time to do her hair. She grabbed a baseball cap, put it on her head, picked up her car keys, and went out.

"Hey! Brother Mozi, are you skipping breakfast... or lunch?"

"Don't eat!"

……

2:30 p.m., Terminal 2 of Pudong International Airport.

Su Mo was wearing sunglasses and a mask, and holding an enormous bouquet of flowers in her arms.

He had just ordered those on the way: 99 red roses, mixed with pink lilies and baby's breath.

It has to be said, this bouquet of flowers is guaranteed to turn heads.

In addition, Su Mo's tall and slender figure, though covered up completely, still attracted the attention of passersby, who couldn't help but take a second look, and some even secretly took out their phones to take pictures.

"That guy is so handsome, is he a celebrity?"

"Such a big bouquet of flowers, he must be here to pick up his girlfriend, right? How romantic!"

"Tsk tsk, these young people nowadays..."

Su Mo ignored the gazes around him and stared at the large screen at the exit.

Flight information shows: Landed.

Ten minutes later, the crowd at the arrival gate began to stir.

Four figures, each with a different style but equally breathtaking beauty, pushing suitcases, appeared in Su Mo's line of sight.

Su Mo smiled and went to greet him. (End of Chapter)