Chapter Ten: The Interstellar Frenzy (Part Two)

"Sneak attack!"

Zheng Nange watched as the Dragoons guarding his base were swiftly overwhelmed by a massive swarm of Zerglings pouring out of a transport ship.

"Crew Cut" stretched his neck out from behind the monitor and laughed, "Come on! Let's settle this in the next round!"

"Oh—" The chorus of "ohs" from the surrounding crowd was a mix of sighs and excitement.

Zhou Luoyao’s small, clenched fists began to rain down "thud! thud! thud!" on Zheng Nange’s back.

"Ouch! Watch the game!"

Seeing Zheng Nange getting beaten, Lin Cheng smiled and asked, "Do you want me to step in?"

"You?" Zheng Nange and Zhou Ye looked at Lin Cheng in disbelief.

"Are you any good?"

"If I win, you have to take Zhou Luoyao home!"

"Stop blabbering! Win first, then talk!"

Zhou Luoyao grabbed Lin Cheng by the shoulder. "Are you actually any good?"

Lin Cheng laughed. "Miss, please, just say you can."

"Looking for reinforcements? Fine, proceed!" Crew Cut huffed.

Given Miss Zhou’s black-and-white, hot-tempered personality, there would be hell to pay if she lost. Either way, Zheng Nange’s good days were numbered.

Thinking of how Zhou Luoyao might explode, Lin Cheng added, "I'll do my best..."

Before he could finish, he took a punch to the arm. "You'd better!"

When Crew Cut saw that Lin Cheng had selected "Random," he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. Only a master of all trades, someone trying to prevent their opponent from predicting their opening, would choose "Random."

For someone who wasn't being arrogant, there were non-arrogant ways to play. Crew Cut didn't use the "harass-to-death" tactics he had used on Zheng Nange. He played by the book: building up, stockpiling units, and scouting the map.

Suddenly, someone let out an "Eh?"

Although the person quickly shut their mouth, that "Eh" signaled that someone couldn't understand the "enemy's" maneuvers.

When Crew Cut sent out his troops, he realized the "enemy" was acting a bit trashy. Lin Cheng had gone for a double-barracks opening! What was the meaning of this?

Crew Cut’s fingers flew across the keyboard with a clatter! While launching his assault, he scurried back to his base to build anti-air defenses. He was afraid of a sneak attack too! It would be humiliating to be hit by the same trick he had used on others.

This was StarCraft version 1.11, where all factions were well-balanced: the Zerg Hatchery cost 200, the Lurkers had been adjusted, and the range of Siege Tanks had been increased... From then on, all sorts of tactical variations flourished in world-class esports competitions.

Back in the day, Lin Cheng had played StarCraft until the era of Warcraft arrived, learning the strategies of many world-class experts.

The crowd let out another "Wow."

Crew Cut’s eyelids twitched. He looked over to see his five Zerglings reduced to five puddles of blood.

*Holy crap, holy crap!*

Lin Cheng was charging headlong toward his headquarters. Crew Cut hurriedly sent troops to fend off the "Zealots" brandishing their energy blades! The Zerg’s fangs and claws tore through the energy armor of Lin Cheng’s Zealots, while Hydralisks sprayed acidic venom in a frenzy.

Lin Cheng’s Zealot lunged, piercing a Hydralisk’s skull with a single strike!

Looking back at his own base, the enemy forces were already swarming everywhere! Puddles of blood were everywhere!

"Snap—" Crew Cut slammed his keyboard and quit the game!

"Cool!"

It was the first time everyone had seen a strategy based on a single unit type recklessly tearing everything down. Crew Cut often hung out at major internet cafes, watching experts from behind for entire days, and he had considered himself proficient in all kinds of tactics. He never expected to be taken down by such a small trick.

It was infuriating!

There was one last round to go.

Night had fallen, and the city's hustle and bustle had gradually faded, but the Thunder Domain Internet Cafe remained brightly lit. The air was thick with the scent of coffee, instant noodles, and a faint trace of cigarette smoke. Hundreds of teenagers watched with wide eyes, terrified of missing a single moment.

Light and shadow flickered across the screen in front of Crew Cut.

He scouted everywhere. "Click, click..." The sound grew closer!

It was Lin Cheng building fortifications!

*Is this guy trying to turtle up?*

Crew Cut deployed his forces to the central plains, stifling Lin Cheng’s expansion. Lin Cheng’s defense was indeed outstanding!

Crew Cut was bold and confident: without air superiority, he forced a breakthrough at the bunkers, and the battle quickly turned into a meat grinder. The onlookers were pumped with adrenaline!

Crew Cut snatched up several expansion mines in succession, preparing to launch a multi-dimensional attack...

Then, he heard a "Ho!"

*Ho, my ass!*

Crew Cut’s hand shook as he clicked back to the map—he realized all of Lin Cheng’s supply depots blocking the path had lifted off.

"Swish, swish, swish..."

Rows of Vultures sped out. Vultures were the fastest units in the game, instantly leaving Crew Cut’s Hydralisk army in the dust! A squad of Vultures had already burst into his secondary base!

"Go!"

"Go, go, go—"

With the cheers of the crowd behind him, Crew Cut’s massive army of Hydralisks and swarms of Zerglings gave chase!

Lin Cheng seemed to be able to tune out the noise of the room entirely! He charged into Crew Cut’s base, smashing and burning everything in sight while laying mines at the chokepoints...

When Crew Cut’s troops finally pushed up, they were blown to pieces!

Crew Cut scrambled, dragging his troops toward his third base.

Then came a "Wow—" from the "live commentary" of the crowd.

Lin Cheng’s Vultures were streaming endlessly toward the third base! The third base was wiped out...

Crew Cut felt his scalp tingle!

*Where? Where? Where is it on fire again?*

Lin Cheng had let his Vultures be surrounded and destroyed; the emergency lifting of the supply depots was all a feint. He took advantage of Crew Cut’s base being empty and slipped right through the enemy's formation.

Crew Cut was driven to despair by the "live crowd commentary."

"Wow, my ass! Don't scare me to death!"

By the time Crew Cut reached the edge of Lin Cheng’s base, Lin Cheng’s network of bunkers and tanks had become his graveyard.

Lin Cheng sent out a few Marines with Medics, who strolled unhurriedly into Crew Cut’s main base to finish the harvest. Lin Cheng’s heavy Siege Tanks were in position, "boom-boom, rumble-rumble," shelling the twitching Zerg Hatchery with every shot...

Crew Cut "snapped" and quit the game. The crowd was in an uproar.

"Total domination!"

"That match was satisfying. It turned into a psychological battle."

As Zheng Nange felt the excitement, he suddenly glanced at Zhou Luoyao, who sat with a face as dark as water. Discouraged, he said, "Do I really have to go home?"

Zhou Luoyao turned her head, not wanting to deal with him.

In truth, Lin Cheng could have taken them to his own place, but if these two young masters and this "grand-aunt" got too comfortable, it would be a headache.

Seeing Zheng Nange’s unwilling expression, Zhou Ye said, "Fine, I won't go back! I'll stay with you!"

Zhou Luoyao snapped, "No! A bet is a bet!"

Zheng Nange looked at Zhou Luoyao, pursed his lips, and didn't move.

Lin Cheng said nonchalantly, "They say on the internet that a family needs at least three generations to be considered a 'noble house.' So, are there still such families in the modern age?"

Zheng Nange stared at Lin Cheng, knowing he was hinting at something.

Lin Cheng smiled. "Don't glare at me. In the south, family relations are a required course! I'm not trying to sound high-and-mighty, but in Jiangdong or Minyue, if a family has a dozen brothers, the surrounding villages wouldn't dare provoke them. Don't you northerners value that?"

To them, Lin Cheng was just a playmate; it was incomparable to the shared honor and disgrace of their own families.

Zhou Luoyao bit her lip and said firmly, "Go back!"