Although the Spring Season hadn’t started yet, the managers of various teams were already keeping a close eye on other teams’ training sessions.
Among them, the least attention went to the newly formed BZ and DF teams.
However…
Even though most teams barely acknowledged them, BZ—who had shocked everyone from the start—recently made some new waves.
It was public knowledge that former champion team member Zhuo Fan had been dismissed and then picked up by BZ. Because of this, many ZWG fans had been following Zhuo Fan’s livestreams and Weibo, hurling insults. They repeatedly called him a traitor, used all kinds of derogatory terms, and even dragged BZ into their verbal attacks.
Many people knew about this, but most didn’t care.
That changed today, when BZ’s official Weibo reposted a message—everyone was stunned.
BZ Team: “Protecting you is my duty @ZhuoFan @YinLawTeam: Regarding recent online harassment directed at Zhuo Fan, an employee under one of Yin Corporation’s subsidiaries…”
???
What?
An employee under Yin Corporation?
Online harassment?
Everyone recognized the words, but together they left netizens completely baffled.
Those who knew the backstory immediately rushed to Zhuo Fan’s Weibo to see how this would unfold.
Unfortunately…
Zhuo Fan’s latest post was his announcement of joining BZ, and all other posts had comments disabled.
ZWG fans tried to leave insults, only to see:
- “LOL, does Zhuo Fan really think disabling comments will save him? We can still @ him! We can even make a super topic about him, believe it or not!”
- “What a joke. Think a new team makes you untouchable? You left ZWG, and you forgot nothing on the internet is forgotten! Every single thing you did is remembered!”
- “BZ is blind? Counting on Zhuo Fan, a second-hand player, to win the championship? Are they crazy or just rich?”
The ZWG fans were especially vicious, many claiming they were fans of the previous season’s champions. They were merciless toward a former member who had been dismissed.
Some curious onlookers drawn in by trending topics were shocked by the vitriol.
- “Let’s be fair, he’s still a former team member, right? Didn’t he contribute to ZWG? Didn’t he even earn the title of Sniper King? This level of online hate is insane.”
- “+1. I get why Zhuo Fan went to Yin Corporation after leaving ZWG. Anyone in his shoes would want a lawyer to protect them from this harassment.”
- “Feeling bad for Zhuo Fan. He was a proper ZWG member. One of four slots in the team. Fans should chill.”
But speaking up only made them targets.
- “Zhuo Fan has defenders now? LOL. He was dismissed for a reason, and everyone knows he messed with teammates’ girlfriends. Don’t pretend you didn’t know.”
- “Defenders, get lost. As long as he’s in esports, we’re watching!”
- “Zhuo Fan’s defenders are hilarious—now everyone wants to lick him? Gross.”
The online argument escalated. Even ZWG’s official account was caught up, and multiple former ZWG members rumored to have been harassed by Zhuo Fan were flooded with private messages.
The situation spun out of control.
Zhuo Fan was stunned.
Watching things unravel, he panicked. He wanted to ask Xie Liu if he should try to suppress the issue.
If a team’s reputation got too bad, the league could suspend them!
He couldn’t let his own mess drag the whole team down.
Before he could speak to Xie Liu, a call came from Senior Lawyer Gao, who had previously disabled his Weibo comments.
“The recent attention is good. We’ll start managing things. I heard you have practice matches coming up—focus on those. You can go online, but don’t post anything for now. Comments can be reopened.”
Huh?
Zhuo Fan stared at the suddenly ended call, uneasy.
Is this… okay?
Then he froze.
Practice matches? What practice matches?
He hadn’t heard anything…
“Zhuo Fan! Go to a meeting. This Friday, we’ll have our first practice match.”
Zhang Taining’s voice at the door sounded different from usual, and footsteps hurried down the stairs.
Zhuo Fan: “…Wait, we really have practice matches?”
But how did Senior Lawyer Gao know?
Online, BZ’s popularity skyrocketed, even surpassing ZWG slightly.
As netizens gorged on the drama, BZ and ZWG both released announcements simultaneously:
[This Friday, BZ/ZWG will hold a public practice match against ZWG/BZ. It will be live-streamed on the DYX platform. Tune in!]
Both sides were stunned.
What? BZ versus ZWG? Live-streamed??
Netizens didn’t know whether to finish their current gossip or start on the new drama.
The practice match came completely out of nowhere.
On top of that, BZ and Yin Corporation’s legal team posted another Weibo.
Short, filled with legal jargon, it gave netizens headaches. A few insiders translated:
- “Zhuo Fan is officially signed under Yin Corporation. Legal protection is now handled by the Yin legal team. Those harassing him online—don’t think you’re safe. He was dismissed normally by ZWG; no proof of wrongdoing. The league hasn’t banned him. Moving on…”
- “Netizens, stop your harassment. Our legal team can easily find you. We’ve released a partial list—expect lawyer notices. These people have already broken the law; every case will be prosecuted. Wait… they posted a list of 100 names, I didn’t notice before!”
- “!!! Yin Corporation is awesome!!!”
- “Also, Zhuo Fan’s Weibo is now monitored by our lawyers. Anyone thinking they can harass anonymously online—try it and see what happens…”
- “This is basically a real-life ‘try it and die’ scenario.”
The announcement shocked everyone. Even those claiming to be ZWG fans dared not post on Zhuo Fan’s Weibo, fearing legal action.
Some who had already received lawyer notices cried online, others admitted they were just trolls, some even revealed they were secretly from other teams, sent just to stir trouble.
But Senior Lawyer Gao, famous for being strict, ignored them. He assigned young lawyers to handle the 100-person case.
Finally, netizens realized:
- “…ZWG’s trolls probably forgot who’s backing BZ.”
- “LOL, I remember someone saying Zhuo Fan’s new benefactor doesn’t matter. Zhuo Fan: actually, it does.”
- “Why would a benefactor back Zhuo Fan? The rumors about him hitting on girls—true or false?”
- “Wake up. If it were true, ZWG would have produced evidence. Yin legal team wouldn’t publicly release a 100-person hit list. Don’t believe anonymous internet chatter without proof.”
When Zhuo Fan tried livestreaming again, his viewers were mostly genuine fans. The chatroom was peaceful.
He didn’t say it out loud, but he signed the supplemental agreement from Yin Corporation faster than anything else.
Working for President Yin was the best!
“I’m willing to work for a boss like this!”
“Ah-choo!”
On his way out, Yin Chen sneezed loudly, feeling a little woozy.
He paused, slowly turned, and casually grabbed a coat.
“Still a bit cold. Better be careful.”
Wrapping it around himself, Yin Chen waited outside his house, soon spotting Zong Cheng’s car coming to pick him up.
Yin Chen adjusted the coat, still feeling a bit dizzy, and waved toward the approaching car.
It came.
Glancing at the finely wrapped sweater inside the car, Zong Cheng took a deep breath and drove over.
Opening the door, he flashed a pre-prepared smile, ready to help Yin Chen with his luggage.
“Cold today… sorry to keep you waiting…”
His eyes landed on Yin Chen’s coat.
This coat.
The coat.
Coa…
Boom!
All his carefully rehearsed words evaporated with the rush of excitement.