David Bolton looked around, wishing he could pick a tree for Ethan Harris. Even though he had called over the two strongest members of his own team, he still felt a bit uneasy. He had a psychological shadow when it came to Ethan Harris. The two of them were both third-year students. When he first entered school, he was still a rookie in King of Glory. After joining the club, he faced off against Ethan Harris as an opponent and got completely crushed; as teammates, he was relentlessly criticized. His bronze heart had taken quite a beating. Now, he was also a skilled King of Glory player, but when it came to Ethan Harris, even though he harbored resentment and refused to admit it out loud, he still had to acknowledge Ethan Harris's solid skills. Plus, with the equally strong Emily Carter and a competent player to round out the team, in a three-on-three, David Bolton really wasn’t fully confident.

So it would be best to find someone who couldn’t play.

David Bolton had already made up his mind, but the people lingering nearby, interested in the commotion, were all at least somewhat familiar with King of Glory. Most of them probably knew how to play. In that case...

David Bolton scanned the crowd and came up with an idea. He said, “Most people here know each other. I’m afraid you’ll say I picked a mole to sabotage you.” As he spoke, his gaze swept past the crowd and landed on a boy sitting on a bench at the entrance of the student supermarket, drinking soda and paying no attention to the excitement over here. He immediately felt this was the perfect choice.

“That boy over there!” he said, pointing.

Everyone looked in the direction David Bolton indicated. Ethan Harris was momentarily stunned, then broke into an adorably sweet smile, raising her hand to give David Bolton a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Good eye!”

Chapter Four: First Time, First Step

Outside the student supermarket, Adam Bennett was drinking soda while waiting for Brian Bennett, when he suddenly saw a crowd of people pouring out from the lively tree-lined path, heading straight toward him. With the student supermarket right behind him, Adam Bennett didn’t think much of it, but unexpectedly, the group came right up to him and stopped, everyone staring at him.

“Is there something you need?” Adam Bennett stood up in confusion, glancing around. The smiling girl in front of him looked vaguely familiar, but before he could think more about it, a boy beside her had already spoken.

“Hey, could you do us a favor?” The one speaking was David Bolton. Since he’d picked the person, he naturally took the lead in approaching.

“What is it?” Adam Bennett asked, puzzled. He was just a freshman who had just entered school, and hadn’t even had a chance to meet his classmates or roommates yet. He couldn’t imagine what help he could possibly offer.

“King of Glory, do you know this mobile game?” David Bolton asked.

Adam Bennett froze. King of Glory—he didn’t just know it. In the five years since his brother Brian Bennett became a professional player, he had hardly missed a single pro match, and had even paid close attention to pre-season scrims, promotional friendlies, and exhibition matches. King of Glory was both familiar and unfamiliar to him. Familiar, because he had followed so many professional matches for so long; unfamiliar, because he had never actually played the game himself. It wasn’t that he wasn’t curious, but his parents, when it came to Brian Bennett’s career in esports, were mostly worried. He couldn’t imagine how they would feel if they saw another child in the family just as obsessed with the game. He didn’t want to make his parents anxious, so for five years, he only followed Brian Bennett and the KPL, but never tried the game himself.

Now, suddenly being asked this, Brian Bennett didn’t know how to answer for a moment. After a brief pause, he finally nodded.

“Here’s the thing—we’re about to play a 3v3 match, but we’re short one person. Can you help us out?” David Bolton said.

“Short one person?” Adam Bennett looked around in confusion. There were so many people gathered here, more than enough for several 5v5 matches, let alone a 3v3. Why did they have to come to him to make up the numbers?

“To be precise, we’re the ones short a person. All these people are on their side, so the two of us have to find a passerby to help.” The vaguely familiar girl stepped forward to explain. The bespectacled boy standing next to her nodded when Adam Bennett looked over.

David Bolton felt this was a perfect chance to humiliate Ethan Harris and vent his frustration, so he didn’t want to miss it. He quickly chimed in, earnestly persuading, “Come on, help us out! A match only takes a few minutes, it won’t take up much of your time. Unless you’re in a hurry?”

“I… I’m not really in a hurry.” Adam Bennett was a bit tempted. After following something so closely for five years, how could he not be curious, not be moved? He had thought about trying it countless times, but always managed to restrain himself. But now, it wasn’t his own initiative—someone needed his help…

Why not give it a try!

That long-suppressed voice shouted in his heart. This situation, so conveniently presented, completely awakened his long-held desire. Almost involuntarily, Adam Bennett nodded.

“Thank you,” Ethan Harris said, beaming at David Bolton. “Let’s get started, then.”

Ethan Harris’s attitude made David Bolton feel a sudden jolt of unease, and just then, he heard Adam Bennett say, “Let me download the game first.”