Chapter Fifty-Five: The Greatest Master

When I reached the cobblestone street, I realized there wasn’t a single soul around. It was only five in the morning; no shop would open so early. Murong Shanshan sighed in disbelief, but since we were already here, she insisted we stroll together, so we walked all the way from the stone road to Guanqian Street. Dawn began to break, and by the time we checked the clock, it was already past seven. Murong Shanshan’s exam was at nine, so we ducked into a small street-side shop for breakfast.

As we were eating, suddenly the sound of heavy metal music blared from across the street. Murong Shanshan glanced at me hesitantly, “Is Suning having some event today? They’re open this early—let’s finish up and go check it out!”

I stuffed the last soup dumpling into my mouth, hoping the few calories would make up for getting up so early. But looking at the radiant excitement on the beauty beside me, I wondered how long this energy would last. Even in the heavy snow, Suning Electric had set up their booth, attracting a crowd of early risers. The red carpet was quickly covered with snowflakes, and staff came by to sweep it every few minutes.

A huge backdrop was wheeled out, revealing the event’s theme. Murong Shanshan stared in surprise and pointed, “Isn’t that a promotional poster for Lunar Mark? And isn’t that a player in the middle?”

I followed her gaze. Sure enough, the poster showed a scene from the game, with a rogue wielding a deep blue dagger that gleamed menacingly. Above the player’s head floated the words “Power Hotpot” in bold letters.

“The number one-ranked Chinese player?!”

Murong Shanshan and I exclaimed in unison. A few young men nearby were talking, pointing at the poster.

“I heard they’ve invited the current top-ranked player to promote the new gaming hardware. Looks like Suning is banking on this one. Just inviting that player reportedly cost nearly a million, and they want him to endorse their brand.”

I glanced at Murong Shanshan in surprise and said, “Isn’t Power Hotpot based nowhere near Jiangsu? Why would he spend so much time here for a promo?”

She rolled her eyes at me, replying with a hint of annoyance, “It’s millions we’re talking about—who wouldn’t come? Besides, a flight is only half a day, he can sleep on the plane and hardly lose any time leveling up.”

“That may be true, but commercials and endorsements must take a lot of rehearsal time. I doubt Power Hotpot can hold onto his number one spot.”

She chuckled, “Even if he can’t, you’re nowhere near it yet. By the way, I found out some things about Power Hotpot—interested in hearing?”

Murong Shanshan blinked mischievously, her enchanting smile making the guys nearby stare dumbfounded. Did she actually have a thing for Power Hotpot and even gather his personal info?

Surprised, I reached out to help her adjust her creamy white scarf—a gesture purely out of friendship, or so I told myself, though a rosy blush blossomed on her lovely cheeks, making my heart flutter. I couldn’t quite figure out why I felt this way; she had always just been a customer.

“So, what did you find?” I steadied myself and asked.

“Let me think,” she said, brushing the snow off my collar with a small smile. “Power Hotpot’s real name is Liu Xu. He used to be a professional AR3 player, ID: FIRE. He won the 2014 CEG championship and was China’s regional champion in the 2015 CG qualifiers. Famous for his outstanding skills, his nerves are rock solid—he broke world records for consecutive wins in league matches. Currently, he’s a fully qualified rogue in Lunar Mark, highly respected in the southeast region.”

Hearing her rattle off so many details, I was a little taken aback. “How come you remember all that? Is there a reason to investigate him?”

“It’s not an investigation—I just saw someone post a list on the forums. The world’s top ten players all have profiles.”

Alarmed, I blurted, “Does that mean there’s a profile on me, too?”

Murong Shanshan grinned, “No worries. When the list was compiled, you hadn’t made the top ten yet.”

Relieved, I thought back to Power Hotpot’s profile. To think he was the legendary FIRE from two years ago. That guy was a real maniac—his technique was insane, and he took everything seriously to the point of obsession. Rumor had it, he once played nearly fifty matches in a row against a group of European madmen on the world battle net’s expert server without losing a single game. Most people would have faltered from exhaustion, but he just kept going. No wonder he climbed to number one. I wondered if he’d had a decent night’s sleep since the game launched.

Power Hotpot wouldn’t appear until nine. Glancing at my watch, I saw it was nearly eight—if we lingered, Murong Shanshan might miss her exam, and frankly, I had little interest in seeing him in person. The snow hadn’t let up, but buses and taxis were now all over the streets, so at least I wouldn’t have to trudge through the storm with Murong Shanshan’s boundless energy.

In the taxi, Murong Shanshan sounded a bit disappointed, “Too bad I won’t get to see what Power Hotpot looks like. I heard he’s quite handsome.”

Without thinking, I blurted out, “What’s so great about that? He looks like a young Wu Mengda. Last time we ate together, he scared all the girls away…”

“You know him?!” she exclaimed.

“No, no!” I quickly denied, then added earnestly, “Just saw him once at a restaurant. I know who he is, but he doesn’t know me.”

She scoffed, “Whatever. Oh, Lin Fan, I’m treating you to dinner tonight!”

“Treating me? What’s the occasion?” I had a feeling she had an ulterior motive.

“Come with me to grind reputation tonight. I already asked Keke to join.” Murong Shanshan flashed a sweet smile, her delicate features enchanting the taxi driver so much he nearly drooled all over the steering wheel.

I thought for a moment before answering, “Helping you grind reputation is no problem, but dinner’s unnecessary. I’ll eat at home—no need to go out. It’s a hassle and a waste of time.”

If Xinyu and Liu Xuehan found out I spent Christmas Eve having dinner with another girl, they’d definitely let me have it…

Murong Shanshan pouted, “Alright, next time then.”

The car stopped in front of XX University. I paid the driver, and Murong Shanshan waved goodbye before skipping lightly into campus, leaving the two security guards at the gate staring after her, entranced.

“Christmas Eve—better spend it with Xuehan and Xinyu,” I murmured, turning to head home.