At the G2 player booth.
Niko took off his headset, ripped the white compression sleeve off his arm, and slapped Meng Lang's shoulder hard—yet with an utterly exhilarated feeling.
As a veteran who had competed in countless Majors only to fall short time and again, having spent years "doing time," he was experiencing for the first time a sensation as beautiful as "riding the hack bus"—that reassuring feeling where, even when his own form occasionally wavered, there was always someone on the team ready to step up immediately and carry the squad forward!
Just thinking that one more BO3 victory would secure a dominant advance to the Legend Stage, Shrimp Bro felt absolutely amazing, so much so that he wanted to walk into a nightclub and announce that tonight's tab was on Young Master Ni!
Beside them, huNter- and Aleksib were also grinning from ear to ear. The two flanked him and gave Meng Lang a massive hug.
"You played great, bro!"
"Unbelievable performance!"
m0NESY was happy about the win too. Smiling, he leaned in to high-five Meng Lang.
But after glancing at the final scoreboard, his smile dimmed slightly, and he subconsciously bit his lower lip.
【G2-Dark: 27/6, ADR 114.6, Rating: 1.87】
【G2-m0NESY: 19/5, ADR 98.3, Rating: 1.49】
The numbers didn't lie.
Compared to yesterday, his own performance today had been excellent as well, but stacked next to the monster beside him who had once again delivered a Desert Eagle surprise,
he was clearly a tier below.
"Next time... gotta pick a map where the AWPer can shine more," the kid thought to himself, a surge of unwillingness to admit defeat welling up. "Can't keep losing to this guy!"
Just as everyone in the G2 booth was immersed in the joy of victory—
Ding—!
A crisp system notification that only Meng Lang could hear rang out in his mind.
【Unbelievable! The Host has stepped onto the world-class stage as a newcomer and crushed powerful foes with the force of thunder! Your talent rises like the morning sun; your performance streaks across the heavens like a meteor—two consecutive victories! This is merely the starting point of your legendary path! The road to the GOAT's coronation trembles beneath your stride!】
【Event Winning Streak Reward Mechanism activated!】
【Description: The road to glory is paved with blooming lotuses at every step! The consecutive victories achieved by the Host in their first professional event will stack rewards. The longer the winning streak, the richer the final reward!】
【PS: Rewards can be claimed immediately or continue to accumulate. (Upon defeat, rewards are halved and issued immediately.)】
Reveling in the system's rainbow farts, Meng Lang looked at the description on the virtual panel before him, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
This winning streak mechanic...
Why did it feel oddly familiar?
His gaze swept over the [Claim reward now?] option. He hardly hesitated.
【No!】
He had only won two BO1s so far—how good could the rewards be?
At the very least, he'd wait until he'd punched through to the Legend Stage before considering when to "harvest his crops"!
However, just as he thought it was over, another notification immediately followed!
【Congratulations, Host, for receiving an event performance drop: A-tier Loot Box x1!】
【Opening loot box...】
【Congratulations, Host, for obtaining: "Social Anxiety Remnant" (Scout Exclusive)!】
【Description: This is a remnant echo stripped from the nimble Scout scope of the "Silent Falcon," syrsoN—a economic assassin who stalks the shadows, a name that sends chills down the spines of all who take him lightly. It is syrsoN, the cost-efficiency king who, Scout in hand, shuttles through the battlefield's seams like a ghost! His offense flows like shadow, swift and silent. His Scout is not a cheap substitute, but the art of meticulous calculation—a silver bullet that pierces economic barriers!】
【Attempt to fuse "Social Anxiety Remnant"?】
Meng Lang's gaze darted to the time in the bottom-right corner of his monitor: 16:24.
In his peripheral vision, Niko was already standing up with a smile, reaching out to pull him along to the opposing booth for post-match handshakes.
"Sorry, Shrimp Bro, I'll be right back..." Meng Lang silently apologized in his heart, then immediately and resolutely made his choice toward the option in his mind.
【Confirm!】
In the next instant, that familiar pulling sensation assaulted him. Everything before his eyes instantly blurred and shattered. His consciousness was violently ripped away from the noisy arena and brought above a familiar map.
This was Mirage.
Immediately after, Meng Lang's perspective plunged sharply. He possessed the body of a Terrorist holding a lightweight Scout—the first man into mid, fast-pushing far mid.
It was him!
Syrson!
At this moment, playing as a Terrorist, he was down 5-14. This round was a precarious half-buy.
A teammate from T spawn threw a Molotov, landing it precisely inside the opposing VIP, flames instantly engulfing most of the area.
And he,
Had no full armor.
In his hands,
Was only an economical Scout!
Meng Lang was just wondering.
The VIP Molotov had secured him an angle now—was he going to hold VIP from sandbags?
However,
Inhabiting Syrson's body, he realized that Syrson didn't stop for even a moment after coming up far mid, instead pushing straight into B Short solo!
What?
At this moment, their minds connected, and he clearly sensed Syrson's intent!
He wasn't playing passive defense.
He was going to use this inconspicuous Scout in his hands to tell the opponents just who called the shots on this mid!
Trailing on the scoreboard?
Economic disadvantage?
Outgunned?
So what?
Just look—while the VIP fire still raged, he pushed B Short like a ghost, audaciously continuing to advance with his unscoped Scout!
Footsteps light, movement fluid, his vision as sharp as a falcon's locked onto the left dead angle not covered by the VIP flames and the Arch!
Right at the instant the flames flickered and light and shadow interlaced!
A sharp stop!
Click—BANG!
The Scout's unique, crisp gunshot abruptly rang out!
To the left of VIP, a CT who had just peeked for info fell to the ground!
Headshot!
The CT side gave info about someone being on B Short!
But Syrson didn't hesitate for a moment. The instant he got the kill, rather than falling back, he kept moving forward, simultaneously switching to his scope and scoping in!
His crosshair instantly locked toward the Arch!
Almost the exact moment his scope settled, a figure swung out from the Arch!
BANG!
Another crisp, clean gunshot!
A second headshot!
Double kill!!
Bolt pulled, shell ejected, bullet chambered!
Syrson used this brief window to nimbly backstep, tucking behind cover to dodge the CT AWP potentially rotating from A site long box!
Then, without the slightest hesitation, he scoped in and swung out—thanks to the Scout's movement speed not dropping while scoped, this peek was practically no different from an AK wide swing.
From the long box direction, the third CT, having heard the commotion mid and trying to trade, had just peeked!
BANG—!
A third gunshot!
A third headshot!
Triple kill!
Yet the killing intent did not cease!
From the B connector direction, a flashbang was lobbed high without warning!
The instant before the white light burst, Syrson seemed prepared. He whipped his body sideways and turned!
Flash dodged!
But the next moment, before the B connector CT could come clear him, Syrson took the initiative and swung out!
BANG—!
The Scout's bullet tore through the air!
Blood splattered!
Another headshot!
Four kills!
A solo quad-kill!
For this round, the half-buy T-side already had victory in the bag!
Meng Lang couldn't help but be slightly stunned.
What a sick Scout!
Speaking of which, Meng Lang had once been a main AWPer himself, but he hadn't played the Scout much.
In comparison, he preferred saving for the AWP, because he loved the destructive firepower and the game-deciding sense of oppression it brought!
He had never imagined that someone could play the Scout with such a tempestuous, continuous slaughter rhythm—a lone Scout pressing B Short turning into a spinning top, maximizing its flexibility and mobility to the fullest!
Especially those final two shots where he actively peeked and wide-swung out to hunt someone down gave Meng Lang a faint sense of a familiar style.
It was his!
And it was Donk's!
【This is a Scout—one shot to the head and it's an instant kill. Now, enter syrsoN's body and use what you have just learned to complete this mid-lane aggression!】
【System notification: If the Host is killed, time will rewind until you have fought your way into the B bombsite, at which point time will resume flowing normally and the Host will exit the meditation space!】
This time, Meng Lang didn't feel too much pressure. After all, he had once been a sniper himself.
It was right up his alley. In a field he was familiar with, he was still very confident.
At this moment, reading the system notification in his mind, he even felt an itch to try!
He set a small goal for himself!
Ten lives!
A ten-life speedrun!
Ranked first in the Games category! This humble author begs for monthly tickets and continued reads, lulululu~