Li Yang was still coughing after choking on the pizza. Chen Hao's teammates looked at him with a done face.
"What do you mean by sounds of excitement? Do you even know what you're talking about?"Ren Siyuan questioned.
"Of course I know and I wasn't talking about that kind of excitement you pervert!"
"Your words sounded really ambiguous. Don't use such words next time,"Ren Siyuan warned him.
"Okay sorry Yang-ge for speaking that way."
"Sure no problem."
"I'm going to my room to watch porn if the game gets interesting you guys can call me,"Ren Siyuan announced shamelessly.
"Pervert! Here you were rebuking me a few minutes ago and yet you're the one saying dirty things,"Chen Hao said in a scolding tone.
"Can I join you?"Wu Hong asked addressing Ren Siyuan.
"You're still a kid you can't watch such things."
"I'm not a kid!"Wu Hong yelled in frustration.
"I'm going to work out,"Gao Cheng announced.
"I've changed my mind I want to go to the gym too,"Siyuan announced. Chen Hao smacked Siyuan's head knowing exactly what his friend was implying by going to the gym.
"I'm going to compete with Gao Cheng. I must get muscles like his,"Ren Siyuan defended himself.
Every other member left intending to engage in other activities leaving the two team leaders to play.
------
"The last time the Vipers almost defeated you. You have a match against them in a week I don't want to see anyone lazing around,"a man in his early thirties stated sternly.
The group of boys were seated in their usual positions in the studio playing games on the computer. Duan Yu kept walking around, supervising them as they played - no mistakes allowed. He and the trainer assessed their skills earlier and now he was here to deliver the feedback, lecture them even when it wasn't necessary,remind them of the rules and the punishment for those who didn't follow the rules.
Duan Yu was the definition of strict,inflexible and antagonistic most of the times. He always maintained a high level professionalism with the RDS players not allowing room for personal feelings.
"Knight,Gong Jun said your skills are perfectly fine and Ironfist is having trouble with some of the characters,"Duan Yu stated standing right behind Fan Mingzhao also known as Ironfist and the mentioned boy suddenly because tense. The manager's eyes focused on the screen studying the boy's movements. It wasn't that the boy was lazy; he had practised many times before but still, he had trouble using a few of the game characters.
"Li Yang is quite good with the mid position you can ask him to teach you. The next time Gong Jun assesses your skills I expect to see a positive change."
The older man always set high expectations for them ,he pushed them to the limit even if they had to undergo relentless suffering. And as he did all that none of the team members protested against him . Even when the pressure was too much,they didn't dare voice out their complaints.
"Practice ends at four,"the man announced getting inaudible groans and grumbles in response.
"And I'll be here keeping my eyes on you if one of you dares to slack off I'll punish the whole team and extend your practice for an extra hour,"the manager said threateningly.
Playing games was fun and interesting for the members but playing under the hawk eyed Duan Yu wasn't a good experience. Duan Yu himself used to be a gamer before becoming manager of the team so there was nothing that could escape his scrutiny.
A knock on the door got the members sighing in relief. A distraction meant a little break for them but to their disappointment Duan Yu didn't even budge. He ignored the knocks for a while and only responded with a 'come in' after the knocks became persistent. The man was arrogant, insolent and he had the audacity to even lecture the CEO of the company. It was even rumoured he was misanthropic.
Shu Meihun walked inside after he heard the verbal cue to get in from the other side. Duan Yu glanced towards the intruder and his expression immediately twisted into disgust.
"Mr Duan,"Shu Meihun bowed politely. She was aware of the man's dislike towards her so she knew better to address him formally rather than endearing names like ge-ge .
"Miss Shu,what brings you here?" the man asked coldly.
"That meeting with the CEO has been advanced to today,"the young lady informed.
"What time?" Duan Yu asked frowning.
"It's in ten minutes."
"I'll be there,"he said in dismissal and Shu Meihun didn't linger there for a minute longer- she walked out feeling like a warrior finally leaving the battlefield .
"I'll be back in an hour,"Duan Yu said curtly and left the boys taking their time for some deep breaths.
"Fucking finally,"Bai Yiran exclaimed stretching out his hands.
------
For all the years the RDS members had spent in the eSports industry there was no good news that would surpass what they had just been told. It was in the evening after the sudden meeting which Duan Yu had been summoned to attend . He called the members and delivered the message.
"I'm going abroad and I'll be staying there for the next six months,"he informed with a tight-lipped smile. The members gasped in surprise both at the good news and the fact that the man smiled after for God knows how long.