The area in the internet café reserved for the team competition had been cordoned off, but now there was an opening, and quite a few people were gathered there, talking to the team members. From time to time, the sound of phones or camera flashes clicking could be heard. A few girls dressed in cosplay outfits clustered together and headed over excitedly, exclaiming, “Little Sophie is over there!”

“Ah, seeing her in person…”

“It’s really her… wow…”

Over there, a number of men and women were gathered around a woman at one of the team’s computer stations. The girl was wearing a white T-shirt with a brown knitted cardigan over it, loose sweatpants, and a pair of high-top sneakers. Her hair was draped over her shoulders, and her oval face had a certain fresh and refined beauty. Her eyes sparkled with intelligence and liveliness as she greeted everyone who came over. When someone asked for a photo, she would stand next to them, tilt her head slightly, and give a gentle, serene smile.

Then, joking with someone, she suddenly turned her back, jumped in place with her legs spread wide, twisted her upper body around, letting her hair fall to cover half her face and revealing only one eye in a flirtatious pose. Her right hand reached over her head to make a “V” sign, and the people next to her struck exaggerated poses as well, snapping a group photo.

Laughter and cheerful chatter filled the air. For many, it was actually their first time meeting in person, and the atmosphere was full of novelty.

Suddenly, someone called out to them, “Henry Cooper! Ethan Brooks, you two are here!”

The two looked over and saw a tall, thin man on the team’s side, named Andrew Miller, one of the founders of the Super Shadow team, a junior in the Computer Science Department at Qingda. He was the first to recruit Henry Cooper into the team and had a good relationship with them. He had even visited the business school and treated them to a meal.

“Senior Miller!” Henry Cooper waved and called out, and Ethan Brooks greeted him as well.

Andrew Miller came over first and introduced them to the people behind him, “This guy is ‘Sky Star’—his real name is Henry Cooper! And this is Ethan Brooks, he’s ‘Nameless’ in the game!” As he spoke, Andrew Miller gave Ethan Brooks a meaningful look. Clearly, he might have heard about what happened with Ethan Brooks at the business school, but given the occasion, it wasn’t the right time to bring it up. Sometimes, showing concern in public can be a second blow.

He stepped forward, pretending to put his arm around Ethan Brooks’s neck, and then quietly asked in a voice only the two of them could hear, “Are you okay?”

Looking at this Senior Miller, Ethan Brooks shook his head.

Andrew Miller nodded, “If you need any help, just say so.”

In any case, Ethan Brooks had come to compete, and he seemed to be in good spirits, so things should be fine.

Then Andrew Miller cheerfully introduced everyone, and the team members got to know each other, matching up their online handles one by one. After all, they’d chatted online while gaming, and some were already familiar, but this was the first time meeting in real life, bringing a sense of both familiarity and novelty.

Then Andrew Miller pointed out Sophia Dean to the two of them, saying, “Look, the famous ‘Ding Mei Nanbo Maru’—Sophia Dean! We upperclassmen usually call her ‘Junior Dean’!”

Everyone looked over at Sophia Dean, and this time they could openly admire her—she was a sight for sore eyes.

Sophia Dean bent her right arm in front of her chest, made a fist, raised her thumb while extending her index finger, the tip of her finger pointing diagonally at them. The corners of her mouth curled into a smile, and she winked, “Play your best in the match later!”

Henry Cooper felt a little flustered by her “aiming” gesture, but unfortunately, the moment was too brief. Opportunities for both sides to meet and talk face-to-face like this were rare. Usually, when Sophia Dean led the team in-game, he and Ethan Brooks weren’t that close to her, nor were they as outgoing as some of the others, so they didn’t interact much. Sometimes, hearing those guys secretly flirting with Sophia Dean, he felt a kind of embarrassment that all men could understand.

Sophia Dean only exchanged a quick greeting with them before someone else came over to chat with her.

Ethan Brooks, on the other hand, watched Sophia Dean from the side. Whether or not she was a stunner, with her oversized T-shirt, brown cardigan, and loose cotton sweatpants that didn’t show her figure, it was hard to tell at a glance. But in terms of looks, she was definitely top-tier.

The kind of girl you’d suddenly notice under the deep shade on a hot summer day and find truly striking.

Just as Ethan Brooks was sizing up Sophia Dean, evaluating her in his mind, Sophia Dean, who was chatting with someone else, seemed to sense it and glanced over, locking eyes with Ethan Brooks.

Bold and direct, her gaze didn’t shy away at all, as if she was ready to stare him down. Her expressive eyes seemed to ask, “What are you looking at?”

After all, he knew exactly what he was doing—sizing up a girl from head to toe—so Ethan Brooks looked away.

At the same time, Sophia Dean withdrew her gaze and continued chatting, the corners of her mouth lifting in a smug, playful way, as if to say, “Gotcha! I win again!”

By now, the team members had already introduced themselves.

One by one, they revealed their departments and dorms, exclaiming in surprise when they found neighbors and discussing the situations in their respective departments. Just then, someone next to Henry Cooper asked, “I’m from the Materials Science Department. Which departments are you, Star and Nameless, from?”