Rise

Sun Ruinian stared wide-eyed at Shi Hang. What the… He wiped the spit and beer from his face and looked down at his wet t-shirt. He said, “Huh? What the? Why did you—”

Shi Hang shook his head and hurried to the kitchen. He came back a moment later with some napkins and shoved them into Sun Ruinian’s hands, saying, “Here. Clean yourself!”

“O-ohkay?” Sun Ruinian mumbled, confused more than anything. He shook his head and used the napkins to dry his face and catch the drips of beer rolling down his neck. What just happened? What came over him? Why did he spit at me? Was it something I said? All I said was something about that Midlaner. Was something special about that? He looked back up at Shi Hang, who was standing in front of the coffee table and staring at the wall. What’s got into him? I’ve never seen him lose it like that! He chewed on his lips for a brief moment and then asked, “Uh, Shi Hang? You okay?”

Shi Hang abruptly turned his head to look at Sun Ruinian and then smiled. He waved his hands and said, “I’m good, I’m good.” He then searched around his pockets before spotting something on the floor. A pack of cigarettes. He grabbed it and took one out with trembling hands. “Lighter, lighter,” he mumbled while searching around and pulling a lighter from his pocket. He placed the cigarette between his lips and lit it before turning back to look at Sun Ruinian and asking, “Repeat that. Who is their Midlaner?”

Sun Ruinian pinched his nose. Why is he smoking? He knows I can’t stand the smell! And why is his hand trembling? What is wrong with him? He bit on his lips before replying, “Lin Feng. That’s what the document says.”

Shi Hang took the cigarette from his mouth and clenched his hand into a fist to stop it from trembling. The cigarette crumbled and ash fell down on his pants and the carpet, but he didn’t react to it. He didn’t even notice it. HOLY FUCK! LIN FENG!? Could it really be him? The Maple? That kid was only 15 back then, so that makes him what, 19 now? It could really be—

“D-do you know him?” Sun Ruinian asked, careful.

“Know him?” Shi Hang muttered. Then he started laughing uncontrollably. “Know him? Know him?” There are tens of thousands of people with that name just in Shanghai. But a Lin Feng and An Xin playing League together? There can be only one! There is no such thing as coincidence! Everything about it screams Maple! He’s 19, so high school age. And if anyone could stomp Sun Ruinian, it is him. He sucked hard on his cigarette, letting the smoke fill his lungs before breathing it out in a perfect circle. He then shook his head and walked to the bathroom, saying over his shoulder, “Give me a bit. Gonna take a piss.”

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