Chapter 55: Don’t look back, move forward

The previous FTW?

Chen Feng’s question was simply a redundant question. In the entire Glory circle, who in the new generation didn’t want to know about the FTW from back then?

Four years ago, FTW was beautiful and boundless. Not only was that the case within the China competition zone, it was also known in all 16 competition zones around the world. Anyone who heard about FTW would pay close attention to them.

In the e-sports circle, every year, there were super peak class players, outstanding new talents, and legendary players that took their teams into the realm of legends.

Having one every year was no surprise, but having five of them in one year and all of them in the same team was very exaggerated.

In all of Glory’s history, it had only happened once.

FTW was an old powerhouse that had attracted many excellent players with its qualifications.

The first to join that year was their captain, the support position Yan Jiang.

Then came the ADC, Kim Sung-hyun from Korea.

After that was Xie He, the mid-laner who’d terminated his contract with an elite domestic team.

Finally, there was Yuan Ze, who’d stood out in the second team, had bad taste, and liked to smear people on the ground.

This was the FTW before Close joined the team. At the time, Chen Feng had played the jungler position.

Chen Feng announced his retirement after only playing with them for one season. That season had left him more tired than all five previous seasons. Coach Chen was old and couldn’t afford to continue tossing about like this.

So, FTW discovered Close, who was still in the youth training camp at the time.

A 16 year old youth who looked like a star and was clearly well bred.

Indeed…

Close hadn’t even been 17 when he joined the team. He only turned 17 after the competition began.

At such a young age, FTW couldn’t sign him without parental consent.

However, the Close from that time was too brilliant.

His operations were amazing, his game consciousness was strong, his brain was flexible, and he was savvy and knowledgeable.

Not to mention that face of his. Even if he was signed on just for show, it would still carry high commercial value.

At the time, FTW had already begun to act against the rules. They faked things for Close and obtained his parents’ signatures so that he could join the team.

In just a short period of six months, FTW soared up to the skies.

They crushed the regular season with a grand slam, obtained total victory in the playoffs, and crushed the runner up until their mentality collapsed in the domestic finals.

A proper finals competition played out like a random pick up group game.

The runner up team that had been beaten 3:0 was depressed for an entire season and couldn’t stand up again until they changed their starting line-up.

It was enough that they dominated at home, but after going abroad, the five of them were still overturning the heavens and razing the earth.

The global competition was divided into the qualifiers, elimination rounds, and the finals.

Those who were shortlisted participated in a round robin. The three seeded teams from the 16 competition zones added up to a total of 48 teams, and the top 16 with the highest points entered the elimination matches.

At the time, FTW set the highest score record for the history of Glory during the qualifiers, winning 20 games in a row, entering the elimination matches with 30 points, and ranking 1st.

The team that was number one in points had the opportunity to choose their opponents. In the elimination matches, FTW killed everyone they met, heading straight into the top four.

In the global finals, FTW was still full of momentum. They didn’t care that it was an away game and hammered the champion and runner up from last year to their heart’s content.

2017 was a year that belonged to FTW.

FTW won the team championship and individual championships, and only missed out on the doubles championship because they hadn’t signed up for it at all.

What was more ridiculous was the individual finals, where the champion and runner up were both from FTW.

The top-lane Yuan Ze and mid-lane Xie He.

In the end, Yuan Ze won the championship, and Xie He was the runner up.

It was also from that year that the competition committee changed the registration rules, making it so that each team could only sign up one player for the individual competition.

Having to watch ‘infighting’ for the global finals was too much!

This was the FTW from that year. It was magnificent and brilliant, and it was the Team of Gods from four years ago that still haunted the global Glory circle.

It was a pity that such a team ended up scattered.

After achieving such proud results, Kim Sung-hyun’s contract expired, and he returned to South Korea.

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That wasn’t much. These five people were strong enough that ‘slashing’ away one of them was another way to give other teams a chance to survive.

However, who could’ve known that the next month would be so turbulent?

Yan Jiang transferred.

Xie He left as well.

Yuan Ze also went to the North American competition zone.

In the FTW lobby that held the world championship cup that stood for the highest level of glory, only Close was left.

The Team of Gods disbanded.

FTW was heading towards its end.

There were many different opinions about the reasons for the disbandment of the team.

Back then, when the news first came out, the articles and discussion posts written would have added up to millions of words.

Some people said that the team had been too strong, and they had no opponents. The people who had ascended to the Temple were now relying on this brilliant record to seek defeat on their own.

Some others said it was internal disharmony. These people had long had frequent conflicts. They were all godly level players, and nobody would give in to the other. Normally, they were annoyed just looking at each other, and now they would disperse as soon as they could.

Others also said that it was because of Close. FTW was too biased towards this rookie, and even gave him the important field position. The other players weren’t satisfied, and the seeds for contradiction started there.

……

……

Later, when Close bought FTW and became its new owner, there was even more malicious speculation.

About how Close had only been a cover, and the talent behind him was the real operator.

About how there was obviously something wrong with Close, and it was likely that someone had taken a fancy to him.

About how some rich owner had bought the team for Close to play with, and the other players left early on because they were sickened by it.

The remarks from those years had left Chen Feng so angry he was unable to sleep for three days and three nights!

The people who weren’t involved didn’t know anything. How could they be so malicious just through their speculations?

They didn’t know anything. What gave them the right to insult Close like that?

The person who’d done the most for the team, for everyone involved, was a youth who’d only just reached 18, okay?!

Chen Feng was unwilling to mention these things, because he couldn’t suppress the pain that spread over his chest and the rolling nausea that wanted to take over whenever it was brought up.

He felt disgust at the ignorant and heartache for Close.

However, he was going to say it today.

Because Wei Xiao should know.

Chen Feng closed his eyes. “There was something wrong with FTW’s management.”

What he wanted to say was the truth that people didn’t know, what was hidden in the depths, and the real reason for the FTW’s dissolution.

“Kim Sung-hyun had decided to leave a long time ago.” Chen Feng said. “At the time, Kim Sung-hyun had come to FTW because back home… well, in short, he always wanted to go back, and everyone was happy for him when it became possible.”

Although e-sports clubs didn’t have any national boundaries, being able to return to one’s own home country would bring some measure of calm to their hearts. Everyone could understand Kim Sung-hyun’s choice.

Chen Feng breathed gently and continued, “The management of FTW at the time wanted to withdraw from the e-sports circle.”

Wei Xiao and Bai Cai, who were both listening, were stunned.

Bai Cai asked, “Withdraw at their peak?”

Chen Feng was calm, “It had already reached the peak. What was left was only a downhill road.”

Wei Xiao was very smart and suddenly guessed it, “They wanted to sell off the starters at the time?”

Chen Feng closed his eyes. “Yes.”

The Team of Gods was too dazzling, and every player’s ability was too top-notch.

What was the concept of a team who had practically won every single game from the regular season all the way to the global championships?

It was no different from a student getting full marks in all their exams from the first grade of primary school all the way to their doctorate.

It was too impractical.

It directly affected the balance of the entire system.

The competition committee began to investigate FTW thoroughly. FTW could ensure that the players had all played to their true level and that the results were authentic, but the club’s operations couldn’t withstand this investigation into all aspects of their management.

After some loopholes were uncovered, the management thought of performing a ‘rapid retreat’.

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They had already reached the peak, and it was impossible for them to beat their current performance.

Rather than toppling, why not…

Countless teams had already offered high prices. As long as FTW nodded, they could take the members away at any moment.

Who in the Team of Gods back then wasn’t proud?

How could they bear with the club’s despicable conduct?

Yuan Ze was the first to break things off with the club, followed by Xie He, then Yan Jiang. It was only Close who said to them, “Don’t be anxious, give me some time.”

What could an 18 year old sprout of a boy do?

These older brothers couldn’t bear to hurt him, and they perfunctorily coaxed him until…

Chen Feng’s voice was hoarse, “Nobody had thought that Close would actually buy FTW.”

Bai Cai froze.

Wei Xiao’s eyes were red, “But they all left!”

The tip of Chen Feng’s nose was sour, “Yes.”

Nobody knew how Close had done it, or what kind of compromises Close had given to his family. In short, he bought FTW and took ownership over the team.

He wanted to keep his teammates and give them a free FTW.

However, Yuan Ze and the others had already signed contracts and ended up going to other teams.

In the face of disaster, everyone had flinched.

This was the Team of Gods who had bravely gone forward in the arena, the FTW starters who were invincible on the championship stage. However, in the face of disaster after their victory, the choice they made was to give up.

They gave up FTW, gave up the supreme glory they’d striven for, and gave up the entire team.

The only one who chose to stick with it was Close.

The only person left to face the disaster head-on was Close, who had just turned 18.

Couldn’t the team members of the Team of Gods back then also have bought FTW?

One of them alone might not have been able to, but three of them together would have had a good chance of winning over capital by virtue of their own fame.

But they’d never considered it.

They never thought of protecting FTW, never thought of protecting their teammates or the countless fans who believed in them.

When they learned that Close had become FTW’s new owner––

Yuan Ze had already gone to North America, and Yan Jiang and Xie He had already gone to Europe.

The Team of Gods scattered.

The room was extremely quiet. Nobody spoke.

Tang Chen silently handed a paper towel over to Chen Feng. Chen Feng tried to suppress it, and tried not to recall more of that difficult past.

He was a witness. He was one who’d watched Close face the empty FTW, watched as he came through step by step.

Who could imagine how Close felt at the time?

He’d put out more effort than could be imagined in order to keep his teammates, but it had all come to nothing.

All of his teammates were gone. They all had new prospects, while he was still in the same place and couldn’t go anywhere.

He was the one who’d personally tied himself to the collapsed FTW.

What had been left of FTW at the time?

A rundown base, a fragmented logistics team, a group of old players who had nowhere to go, and a row of once brilliant, but now dusty, championship trophies.

Standing in such an empty FTW, Close didn’t fall.

He formed a new team, led a group of inexperienced newcomers and rushed into the Chinese finals, winning the runner up position in 2018.

This was a wonderful legend. In the year when everyone thought that FTW was completely broken, Close created a new impossibility.

In the same year, Close entered the global finals, winning all the way until he obtained the singles championship.

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In 2019, FTW ushered in new capital injection, and new shoots grew out of the collapsed ruins of FTW.

That year, FTW still managed a good record in China, and Close still won the world championship for the singles with crushing momentum.

When the host lauded him as a two-time championship winner, someone corrected him. It was three in a row!

This 18 year old was a starter of the Team of Gods in 2017 and the jungler of the FTW who had won the team competition!

That year, Close met Wei Xiao, who was still in the youth training camp.

While everyone was competing for the rookie king, FTW offered a high signing fee of 2 million.

Nobody knew what this two million meant.

That had been all the money that Close could take out at the time!

He wanted Wei Xiao.

He hoped that this gifted child could bring new hope to FTW.

Unfortunately…

Wei Xiao’s face was pale, “Back then, I…”

Chen Feng already knew about his matters and comforted him, “I’m not telling you these things so that you’ll blame yourself. You couldn’t have played the game back then with your situation.”

Wei Xiao lowered his gaze and clenched his fists.

Chen Feng: “At the time, Close often told me, don’t look back, move forward.”

Wei Xiao’s heart shook.

Chen Feng continued, “So, Wei Xiao, don’t think about two years ago. Move forward.”

He was telling Wei Xiao about FTW’s past in the hopes that he would understand that the ice cold Close in front of him, this world’s number one who seemed so unfeeling, this person who fans called the great demon king, had a heart that was softer than anyone else’s.

From the beginning to now, he had never given up on the team. Even if people were gone and the building was empty, even if everything was a mess, even if there was nothing left.

Such a person should have teammates that belonged to him, should have a team that was his, and should have all the glory.

Previously, Chen Feng had never understood why Lu Feng paid so much attention to Wei Xiao.

Today’s doubles match had helped him understand.

Wei Xiao was someone that Close admired.

A youth who was like the sun, a brave and indomitable soldier, a soul who could pull everyone together and ignite their desire to fight!

Wei Xiao bounced up abruptly. “I’m heading back.”

Chen Feng called out to him, “Wei Xiao.”

Chen Feng spoke slowly, “Lu Feng has never complained about anyone.”

Wei Xiao’s back was tight, “I know.”

Damn it, how could there be such a person as good as the captain in this world!

Wei Xiao couldn’t wait for another minute or even another second. He wanted to go back to his room. He wanted to tell Lu Feng, he wanted to let him know…

When he pushed the door open, Wei Xiao froze.

There was someone else in the room.

The two people who were talking together stopped, and the one with his back to Wei Xiao turned his head. Beneath the damp black hair was a pair of long and narrow phoenix eyes and a small tear mole beneath one eye. It was Kim Sung-hyun.

Kim Sung-hyun was a little surprised, “The review ended so soon?”

They were done reviewing, but what they’d reviewed was your FTW’s Team of Dogs!

Wei Xiao’s aura was sizzling with murderous intent. Kim Sung-hyun could sense that something was wrong and got up, “Cough, since Quiet is back, I’ll head back first.”

Lu Feng hadn’t finished speaking earlier and didn’t try to avoid Wei Xiao now. He spoke directly, “Avoiding a fight isn’t real respect.”

Kim Sung-hyun: “……”

Just from this half a sentence, Wei Xiao could already guess what they were talking about.

The words that he’d originally wanted to say to Lu Feng alone were now shouted out directly, “Captain! Our FTW will take the singles championship, doubles championship, and team championship for 2021!”

Kim Sung-hyun was shocked.

Wei Xiao stared at him and said, “The old FTW couldn’t do it, but the current FTW can!”

---

xiin: i just .. want to cuddle baby Close. T____T

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