LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

After saying goodbye to Xiran, Su Mo easily made his way to the airport's VIP parking lot.

The car, which had been covered in dust for several days, sat quietly in its parking space.

Su Mo stuffed all the luggage into the trunk and beckoned the four young ladies to get in the car.

"It's so cold!" Luo Xin rubbed her hands and breathed on them as soon as she got into the back seat. "This freak wind in Shanghai really takes you from summer back to winter in a second."

"It's okay, it'll be warm when we get home."

Su Mo smiled and started the car. The heating system quickly turned on, dispelling the chill inside the car.

He skillfully steered the wheel and merged into the traffic flow on the elevated highway leading out of the airport.

Rita sat in the passenger seat, adjusted the seat back, and settled into a comfortable position. She turned her head, her alluring peach blossom eyes scanning Su Mo's face back and forth, a meaningful smile playing on her lips.

Su Mo felt uneasy under her gaze and looked straight ahead, asking, "What's wrong, Sister Ta? Is there something on my face? Or did I not wash that beauty mark off?"

"It's clean now, but the mark in your heart won't be so easy to erase, will it?" Rita chuckled, twirling a strand of hair with her fingers, her tone leisurely, "Were your shoulders sore on the plane just now? I saw someone sleeping soundly, and I almost drooled."

coming.

Su Mo knew that these women would not let this topic go easily.

"Cough, it's alright." Su Mo cleared his throat, trying to cover it up with a serious tone. "Xi Ran is just too tired. We're all colleagues, it's only right to take care of each other. If it were you guys, I would have lent you my shoulder too. The most important thing is, why did you put me in the seat next to you and not switch with her?"

"cut--"

Three unison hisses rang out from the back seat.

Xiaoyu peeked out from the back row, leaned against the back of Su Mo's seat, and teased him with a grin: "Brother Mo, that's not funny. Putting aside the seat thing, when we parted just now, the way you looked at me was so reluctant to leave. Confess, were you tempted by someone?"

"What do you mean by 'being moved by worldly desires'? You make me sound like a monk." Su Mo held the steering wheel with one hand and argued helplessly, "Xi Ran is talented, beautiful, and has a good personality. If I said I had no feelings for her at all, wouldn't that be hypocritical? It's just normal appreciation of beautiful things, don't you understand?"

“Admire?” Yu Shuang sat in the middle of the back row, her tone gentle yet incisive. “Does this kind of ‘admiration’ include wanting to take the person home to admire?”

"Pfft." Luo Xin was drinking water and almost spat it out. "Sister Shuang, you're being way too blunt!"

Su Mo blushed and glanced at Yu Shuang through the rearview mirror: "Sister Shuang, can you give me some face? I'm a world champion, I have a lot to worry about."

"Stop with the nonsense," Rita said. "Just tell us straight, do you like Xiran's style or not? Don't try to fool us."

Su Mo remained silent for two seconds.

To be fair, Xiran is indeed very outstanding. As a trilingual host, she is intellectual and generous, yet she also has a girlish side in private. Especially during these few days in Sanya, whether it was her shyness when wearing a swimsuit, her shrewdness when bargaining, or her unguardedness when leaning on his shoulder, how could anyone not be moved?

But can you say that in front of these four people? Isn't that like lighting a lighter next to a powder keg?
Therefore, Su Mo decided to make use of his top lane kiting skills.

"Ugh, why are the cars in front of us driving so slowly?" Su Mo suddenly frowned. "Shanghai's traffic is hopeless. By the way, should we order takeout when we get back? Are you guys hungry? Want some Haidilao or barbecue?"

The carriage was silent for a second.

Subsequently, a collective protest broke out.

"Brother Mozi, your technique for changing the subject is terrible!" Rita rolled her eyes. "Don't try to beat around the bush! You're not coming home until you've explained yourself clearly!"

"That's right!" Luo Xin chimed in from behind, "We all consider Xiran a sister, what are you pretending to be all high and mighty for!"

"Become sisters?"

Su Mo keenly caught the keyword, paused for a moment, turned to look at Rita, and then looked at the three people behind through the rearview mirror.

"Wait... what do you mean by this?"

Yu Shuang sighed: "Are you stupid? We were so obviously trying to match you two up in Sanya, what do you think we were doing? Were we testing your willpower?"

Xiaoyu chimed in, "Yeah! Xiran is so great. She gets along well with us, and we can even play games together. Besides, look at her all alone, she looks so pitiful. We've discussed it privately, and we think it's a good idea to bring her in."

"Pull...pull them in?" Su Mo's brow twitched. "Are you serious?!"

He was really shocked.

He originally thought that these women getting along harmoniously was already a miracle, but now they've become so enlightened that they're willing to help him "expand his harem."

Is this still a battleground? This is practically paradise!
"Look at you, so pathetic." Rita rolled her eyes at him, but there was no jealousy in her tone. Instead, there was a hint of smugness. "We just think that since you're such a womanizer anyway, instead of letting you get lured away by those bad women we don't even know, it's better to find a good sister that we all know and get along with. Xiran is sensible and doesn't have many tricks up her sleeve, which is a perfect complement to us."

"Moreover," Luo Xin added, "when we play five-player teams in the future, Xi Ran can play support, and Shuang Jie and Xiao Yu can take turns. We won't have to play with you as noobs anymore, which is perfect!"

Su Mo was stunned.

So in your eyes, finding a girlfriend is just to make a five-player team?

"You guys... your thinking is a bit too advanced." Su Mo swallowed and asked tentatively, "What if it's not just hope Ran? Like, what if there's another one later..."

"Think beautifully!"

The four women interrupted his sweet dream in unison.

Rita sneered and flashed a peace sign: "Xiran went through our rigorous screening and certification process; she was specially approved for permanent employment. If you dare to mess around outside in the future, watch out, we'll team up and get rid of you!"

Su Mo felt a chill in his crotch and quickly sat up straight: "No, no, I'm content with you all."

The car drove into the villa area and stopped in the familiar courtyard.

As soon as he got out of the car, a gust of cold wind blew, and Su Mo shivered, but his heart was burning with warmth.

He carried large bags of luggage into the house, while several girls followed behind, still chattering amongst themselves.

"Actually, I think Brother Mozi is too cowardly." Xiaoyu complained while changing her shoes, "Xiran made it so clear on the yacht, but he still managed to hold back from confessing."

“Exactly, we need to give them a push.” Yu Shuang hung up her coat and turned to look at Su Mo, who was moving boxes. “Mo Zi, I have a task for you.”

"Huh?" Su Mo put down his suitcase and took a breath.

"Find an excuse to invite Xiran out for dinner these next few days. Or just invite her over to our house," Yu Shuang commanded. "Don't let her feel like you've cut off contact just because she's back. Girls are shy, so you need to take the initiative."

"Do we still need to teach you?" Rita walked over and straightened Su Mo's collar, her eyes full of seductive charm. "If you can't do it, we'll just do it ourselves. Then hope Ran will become our sister, and it won't have anything to do with you anymore."

Looking at the group of ravenous... no, understanding female confidantes in front of him, Su Mo felt incredibly moved.

He grabbed Rita's slender waist and then pulled Yu Shuang into his arms, giving her two big kisses.

"With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for!" Su Mo exclaimed.

"Get lost! Who's your wife? We haven't even registered our marriage yet!" Yu Shuang laughed and pushed him away. "Go tidy up the house, it's a mess!" "Okay! I'm going!"

Su Mo, like a husky on a high, happily ran off to work.

While packing up the local specialties he brought back from Sanya, Su Mo was making plans in his mind.

Now that the "official wives" have all spoken, I really can't be too passive.

Recalling the way hope Ran leaned on his shoulder on the plane, Su Mo's lips unconsciously curled up into a smile.

He took out his phone and tapped on Xiran's WeChat profile picture—it was a kitten holding a microphone.

Su Mo hovered his finger over the screen for a moment, then sent a message:
"Are you home yet? Since we're all so familiar with each other, why don't you come over for hot pot this weekend? Rita and the others said they didn't get enough seafood in Sanya and want you to try some from Shanghai."

After sending the message, Su Mo hummed a little tune and put the bottles of fine wine she bought at the duty-free shop into the wine cabinet.

These days are becoming more and more hopeful.

A moment later, my phone vibrated.

Xiran replied with a cute emoji, followed by a line of text:

"Okay, then I'll bring some base ingredients over. And... thank you for the 'wake-up service'."

Su Mo looked at the screen, her smile widening.

"You're welcome, it'll happen often in the future."

At that moment, Luo Xin's shout came from upstairs:

"Brother Mozi! Come quick! The bathroom faucet seems to be broken! Come take a look!"

"I'm coming!"

Su Mo put down her phone, rolled up her sleeves, and rushed upstairs.

Outside the window, the wind howled, but inside, it was warm and lively, a scene of springtime warmth.

……

With the S13 Spring Split fast approaching, EDG, who have just defended their world championship title and renewed all their contracts, seem particularly relaxed at the end of this winter transfer window, even with a touch of "Versailles" comfort.

Shanghai, EDG base.

Inside the training room, the clatter of keyboards and mice filled the air.

Jiejie, sporting two huge dark circles under her eyes, was scratching her head in front of the black-and-white screen: "Seriously, why is the ranked environment on the Korean server so bad right now? I ganked all three lanes and still lost? Viper, could you please stop being so reckless with your Lucian that game?"

Sitting next to him, Viper looked completely innocent and spoke in increasingly fluent Chinese: "Oh my god, I don't want to win this game, I want to kill someone."

Meiko, meanwhile, was juggling queuing up for a game while also dealing with various business shoots: "Hey, you there, give me my schedule... I'm shooting a sponsor's ad tomorrow? What time? Eight in the morning?! Just kill me!"

Even the usually laid-back Saint Gun Bro is diligently catching up on his livestream hours, chatting with the chat while performing some acrobatic top lane tricks.

The entire training room was filled with the bittersweet atmosphere of a working person's busy life.

However, the most crucial figure was missing.

Abu, carrying his thermos, looked around the room, glanced at the empty computer desk—which didn't even have a keyboard plugged in—and sighed helplessly.

"Brother Mozi hasn't arrived yet?" Abu asked.

"He's not up yet," Jiejie said sourly. "I just video-called him, and Rita said he's still sleeping. We want to sleep in too!"

"Alright, stop being so sour." The factory manager walked over with his notebook and patted Jiejie on the shoulder. "That's just the privilege of carrying every game. If you can slaughter Oner like a pig in the finals, you can sleep with them all you want. Besides... Mozi's tasks are much heavier than yours right now."

Jiejie was taken aback: "What mission? Sleeping is a mission?"

Abu pointed to the mountain of documents and gift boxes in the base's lobby, his lips twitching: "His task is—to count money."

……

Indeed, Su Mo is no longer just an e-sports player, but a walking "money-printing machine".

With his S12 title defense and the legendary FMVP award, Su Mo's commercial value exploded exponentially within just one month.

In the reception room on the first floor of the base, Mr. Pan, the business manager of EDG, was sweating profusely as he received wave after wave of brand representatives.

"Mr. Li, it really won't work. Su Mo's schedule is already booked until March next year."

"Manager Wang, this endorsement fee... to be honest, the amount you asked for last month was negotiable, but now... we need to add a zero."

"What? You're from LV Greater China? Oh, please come in, please come in!"

In just the past two weeks, the endorsement offers that have come to our door cover almost every aspect of life, from clothing and food to housing and transportation.

Top luxury brands LV and Gucci almost got into a fight in the EDG meeting room over Su Mo's fashion debut.
And then there are gaming chairs, peripherals, and energy drinks—they're practically lining up to give away money.

But the most intense competition is the "talent war" among live streaming platforms.

Su Mo's previous live streaming contract was with Huya, and it just happened to expire at the end of this year.

Now that he's a free agent, all sorts of platforms are flocking to him, waving their checkbooks and their eyes are practically red with envy.

……

Inside Su Mo's villa.

It was already 2 PM when Su Mo finally woke up.
Wearing my pajamas, I rubbed my sleepy eyes as I went downstairs and found the coffee table in the living room covered with a pile of colorful documents.

Yu Shuang, Rita, Xiao Yu, and Luo Xin were sitting around the coffee table, holding calculators and pens, looking like actuaries.

"Awake?" Yu Shuang didn't even look up, quickly flipping through a contract in her hand. "Breakfast is in the microwave, heat it up yourself. Then hurry over, we need to have a family meeting."

Su Mo heated up a glass of milk, ate some bread, and sat down in the middle of the sofa, squeezing into the group of girls with his arms around them on either side: "What's going on here? It's like a IPO bell-ringing ceremony."

“It’s even more exciting than going public.” Rita slapped an orange-covered contract onto Su Mo’s chest. “This is the renewal contract that Huya just sent. They’re in a hurry; they’ve practically emptied their coffers.”

Su Mo picked it up and glanced at it, then raised an eyebrow: "Wow, this number... did they give me the entire budget they were originally planning to use to sign the LCK?" (End of Chapter)