By Zephyria 
Jing Mian finished his second-to-last final exam. At this point, there were only fifteen days left until the countdown to the global tournament.
The Team had already undergone pre-match interviews domestically. As the most popular players being interviewed, Sheep and Mole were handed the microphone by the host, who smiled and said, “This is ME.’s first time participating in a global tournament. Fans both at home and abroad are looking forward to your outstanding performance.”
He then asked, “In the upcoming matches, which team are you most worried about facing?”
Sheep thought for a moment and answered honestly, “Mox.”
【Mox is indeed ridiculously strong.】
【MianMian is as sincere as ever, most players would gloss over this kind of question.】
【AUB is the first to face Mox, can you imagine?】
【If AUB loses, it’s only a matter of time before ME. clashes with them.】
“Indeed, Mox’s current ranking has already placed them in the top three, they’re a formidable opponent,” the host said with a smile. “Then let me ask, what is ME.’s goal? How far do you plan to go representing the country?”
The difficulty of the global tournament far surpassed that of the long-concluded national championship. The Chinese Team would be facing opponents from around the world, each representing the strongest teams of their respective nations. Even though Glory had been released for nine years, not a single Chinese team had ever stood on the podium.
Unlike AUB, which had already won multiple national championships.
In the eyes of the public, merely securing a spot in the tournament was already an immense stroke of luck for ME.
Mole was about to step in and deflect the question, but the host had already handed the microphone to Sheep. Clearly, compared to a safe, rehearsed answer, they were more eager to hear what this rising star, who had fought his way through the national championship, would say.
The members of ME. exchanged glances, sharing a knowing smile.
Sheep spoke for all of them when he answered, “…Our goal isn’t just to rank.”
“It’s to become world champions.”
【Go for it!!!】
【I love how MianMian is both sweet and badass】
【A world championship holds so much more weight】
【I’m betting ME. will conquer the world】
……
After returning to the base, the members dove back into their intense pre-tournament training.
Because the interviews had taken up time today, Sheep didn’t have the chance to go home and start his stream there. Instead, he put on his mask and earphones, turning on his live broadcast while training at the base.
The official game had released four new maps in the past three months, two of which had been included in the tournament match pool. All teams not only had to prepare for the competition but also immerse themselves in mastering these new maps, testing and refining the most optimal strategies.
【MianMian’s streaming from the base today】
【Our boy is really busy】
【What’s wrong with streaming from the base?】
【When MianMian streams from home, he interacts more with chat. At the base, he’s fully focused and in the zone.】
【Also, there’s no whale plushie during club streams】
【Haha, exactly! The whale plushie is the soul of the stream】
A few days later, AUB was the first to depart.
Photos and updates of the members boarding the bus and then the plane flooded the gaming forums. As soon as the match schedule was released, it quickly climbed to the top of the trending list.
Not only that, but AUB’s trending status also dragged ME. along with it, even the individual members’ past promotional clips quietly made their way into the top five trending topics.
This only intensified the mounting tension within ME.
【No matter when you look at it…】
【I know exactly what you’re about to say】
[“Sheep’s eyes are absolutely stunning!!”]
[“Stay calm.”]
[“No need to get excited.”]
[“I’m curious, will Sheep show his face during the global tournament?”]
[“Probably. The rules overseas are different from domestic ones. You can’t wear masks during character selection recordings, everyone has to show their face.”]
[“Silently lighting a candle for Sheep.”]
[“Well, all Glory players know he’s not exactly a looks-based competitor.”]
[“Countdown to face reveal doom…”]
…
As evening approached, the team ate their specially prepared nutritional boxed meals.
The closer they got to the tournament, the stricter their diet and routine had to be. Jing Mian wasn’t picky, and even if he didn’t eat enough, his husband would make him something extra at home.
Even without his husband, there were always instant noodles or biscuits for a quick bite. The young player, burning through energy, never had to worry about going hungry.
Jing Mian quietly counted the days.
Compared to the provincial tournament, this trip away from home would be longer. The boy worried his husband might feel lonely.
He thought that if the man had free time, they could travel abroad together for a short vacation.
Tonight, the team captain had business to attend to and left early. Though training intensity had lessened these past few days, sessions still ran for three to four hours after dusk. Members who lived too far even stayed overnight.
Xuan Cheng threw on his jacket and opened the club’s door. Just before leaving, he seemed to remember something. His hand paused on the handle as he leaned back inside.
“One more thing,” he said.
“Get ready. Tomorrow at 7 p.m., we’re meeting the real boss at Lin Shui KTV.”
Everyone stopped what they were doing.
Jing Mian, wearing his headset, looked up at the sound.
“Oh, almost forgot.”
Xuan Cheng left them with one final remark:
“The ME founder’s Glory ID is Ash.”