Chapter 027 Lin Yan

Among Li Gang’s college roommates, there was also a die-hard fan of FPS games. In this genre, his roommate’s skills and experience were quite impressive; he often bragged in the dormitory that his abilities were nearly at a semi-professional level.

Li Gang once opened a webpage and consulted this roommate about the global FPS community, and at the same time asked about the so-called Heavenly Rank Power List. His roommate, though puzzled as to why someone who never played FPS games and got dizzy just trying them would know about these things, still shared everything he knew with Li Gang.

The global FPS community, he explained, was established by all the lovers of FPS games, and he himself was a member. At this point, his roommate’s expression was filled with pride as he elaborated on the many privileges of membership, making Li Gang realize just how difficult it was to become a member of this community.

As for the Heavenly Rank Power List, it was universally acknowledged among FPS enthusiasts as the ultimate ranking for the most powerful players. The list comprised the top 500 players worldwide—nearly all of whom were considered legends in their own right, and most were professional gamers.

Although his roommate’s skills had reached an amateur professional level, he was still not qualified to make the list; he was simply impressive among ordinary players. Later, Li Gang asked about the strength of those in the top fifty of the Heavenly Rank Power List.

At this, his roommate’s attitude changed completely, his eyes filling with admiration and reverence. He said that anyone who could make the top fifty was truly godlike—each one was at least on par with the elite professional FPS players in China, perhaps even higher. They could easily rank in the top ten, if not the top five, among domestic pros.

He also told Li Gang that this list was essentially an unofficial arena for FPS players, more prestigious than the official ranking, because it included not only professionals but also lone wolves. These lone wolves who made the list were often even more terrifying than the professionals. The official platforms, by contrast, only allowed professionals to participate in the rankings.

Many professionals in the global FPS community relied on their teammates to help them reach the list, but lone wolves got there solely through their own absolute strength.

Thus, Li Gang realized that the girl who often spent the night at the internet café was completely different from himself—a true genius in another field. From then on, he became even more hesitant to approach her.

Some people, though living in the same world and breathing the same air, are simply not from the same world at all.

Yet, despite this, Li Gang found himself frequenting the internet café even more. Often, when he grew tired of playing, he would sit quietly in a corner, watching her engrossed in her game, sometimes for an hour or two at a time.

When she went to get water or use the restroom, she would pass by Li Gang’s seat and occasionally glance his way. It was clear she had noticed this boy who, like her, seemed to spend almost every night at the café.

Whenever he sensed her gaze, Li Gang became extremely nervous, his heart racing.

However, whenever the girl saw the types of games Li Gang played, her interest seemed to vanish. Li Gang was helpless—he simply lacked any gaming talent; he was clumsy at every game, and FPS titles made him dizzy and nauseous.

He even looked up the reason for this and found it was something called 3D motion sickness. The explanation was filled with technical jargon he couldn’t quite grasp, so he didn’t dwell on it. After all, knowing the cause didn’t solve his problem.

Nearly four years passed in a blur. Li Gang spent almost his entire college life at that internet café, alongside that girl.

Though they had never spoken a word to each other, they were both intimately familiar with each other’s voice and appearance. Occasionally, they would sit at adjacent computers; if not for their silence and focus on their own games, they might have been mistaken for a couple coming to the café together.

Sometimes, when Li Gang arrived first, the girl would—perhaps deliberately, perhaps not—choose the seat beside him. This left Li Gang distracted the whole night, torn between excitement and uncertainty about how to strike up a conversation.

On those nights, he could clearly smell her faint scent—nothing strong or artificial, but enough to leave him enchanted for the entire evening.

By his senior year, Li Gang had already received his diploma and would soon be leaving the city. On his last night at the café, he spent the entire time searching for an opportunity to speak to her, trying countless times, but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. It wasn’t until dawn, when she logged off to leave, that he finally mustered the courage to speak.

That was their first conversation in nearly four years—or rather, he spoke, and she listened. He vaguely remembered saying that he wouldn’t be coming back, that he had graduated, that he would soon return to his hometown, and even mentioned his hometown’s address.

Li Gang’s thoughts returned to the present.

In the distant woods, a figure appeared, drawing nearer with measured steps—it was Lin Yan.

She stood before Li Gang, dressed in a pale yellow combat suit, spirited and valiant, her long black hair tied in a single ponytail. On her back, she carried a large rectangular metal case, nearly as tall as she was.

The figure before him overlapped with the one in his memory, and yet they were not quite the same—mainly in her bearing, but in other ways as well. Now, she looked fresh and refined, her skin delicate and fair, clearly having undergone comprehensive restorative treatment.

It was late afternoon, and as Li Gang gazed at her in the glow of the setting sun, he found it hard to look away.

Lin Yan was not stunningly beautiful, nor was she a goddess. She wasn’t voluptuous, and compared to popular actresses, her looks were quite plain and ordinary—yet she was quietly attractive and pleasing to the eye.

“Li Gang, it’s a pleasure to see you again. Let me introduce myself properly. My name is Lin Yan. I’m twenty-five years old and from MG County, YN Province.” Lin Yan stood before him, sizing him up from head to toe, then extended her right hand with a smile.

“H-hi, I’m also glad to see you. Um, my name is Li Gang, I’m twenty-two, and I’m from YD County, HB Province.”

Li Gang was clearly flustered and nervous, his speech halting. Seeing the girl he had admired for so long reach out her hand, he glanced down at his tattered clothes, found a relatively clean spot, wiped his right hand several times, and then finally shook her hand.

Though they had known each other for over four years, this was the first time Li Gang and Lin Yan had direct physical contact.

Li Gang was both excited and nervous; he released her hand almost immediately, so quickly that he couldn’t even register what it felt like.

Seeing this, Lin Yan’s dark eyes flickered with amusement, and then she burst out laughing.