The dim lighting of the bar gave it a relaxed and cosy atmosphere. Huang Shaotian sat with his team at a corner table, the clinking of glasses and the hum of quiet conversation filling the air around them. The bar was non-alcoholic, and they were here for a final wind-down before the national championship. The team was in high spirits, discussing tactics and enjoying the moment.
"Tomorrow's the big day," said Mo Fan, who was sitting next to Huang. He had always been the quiet one in the team but was sharp when it came to analyzing opponents.
"Yeah, but nothing we can't handle," Huang replied confidently, taking a sip from his drink. "It's been a long road, but we've got this."
Their conversation flowed easily, jokes and small talk punctuating the evening. Huang scanned the bar casually, his eyes landing on two familiar faces across the room. The leader of Tiny Herb, Wang Jiexi, and his manager, Zhou Ming, were also present. What caught Huang's attention, however, was the briefcase Zhou Ming was carrying, and how Wang Jiexi followed closely behind him with a serious expression. For a moment, Huang felt a strange twinge of curiosity, but he quickly shrugged it off.
"Not my business," he muttered under his breath, returning to his team's lively discussion.
After a while, the atmosphere in their group became lighter as everyone seemed to loosen up and enjoy the night. Huang Shaotian, feeling the need to stretch his legs, excused himself from the table. "I'm gonna hit the washroom real quick. Be right back."
As he walked through the dimly lit corridor toward the restroom, a slightly ajar door caught his attention. Glancing through the crack, he saw Zhou Ming inside the room, standing next to a man in a sharp, tailored suit. The briefcase Zhou had been carrying earlier was now on the table between them. The man in the suit leaned forward, his face partially obscured by the shadows, but Huang could sense an air of importance about him.
Huang's heart skipped a beat as he realized he was witnessing something he shouldn't. His foot slipped slightly on the floor, causing a faint but distinct sound. The man in the suit turned his head sharply toward the door, his eyes narrowing as if sensing something was off.
Without thinking, Huang quickly ducked into the restroom, his pulse quickening. He leaned against the wall for a moment, taking a deep breath. What had he just seen? And why was Zhou Ming, Tiny Herb's manager, handing off a briefcase to some unknown man right before the national championship?
After a minute, Huang walked over to the sink to wash his hands, hoping to clear his mind. As he turned on the tap, the door to the restroom swung open, and the man in the suit entered, his movements deliberate. Huang's heart raced as he recognized the well-dressed figure from the room earlier. The man walked to the sink next to him, standing silently as he began to wash his hands.
Huang tried to act casual, but he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled over him. The man had a presence about him—powerful, cold, and calculated. The silence between them felt heavy as if the air itself had thickened. The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief to dry his hands, turning his head slightly toward Huang.
"You seem tense," the man remarked, his voice smooth and controlled.
Huang blinked, caught off guard. "Just getting ready for tomorrow's big match," he replied, trying to keep his voice steady.
The man nodded, a slight smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "Ah, a Glory player. Which team?"
Huang frowned. How did he know he was a Glory player? Before he could ask, the man gestured toward the Blue Rain badge on Huang's jacket. "I noticed the emblem. You must be from Blue Rain."
"Yeah, I am," Huang answered, feeling slightly relieved. "Captain of the team."
The man's smirk widened, his gaze never leaving Huang's. "Blue Rain, huh? A strong team, but strength isn't everything."
Huang raised an eyebrow, unsure of what the man was implying. "We'll see about that tomorrow," he said, his voice tinged with confidence. He was about to excuse himself when the man reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek black business card.
"Take this," the man said, extending the card toward him. "You never know when it might come in handy."
Huang hesitated for a moment before taking the card. The man's eyes gleamed with something unreadable—danger, perhaps, or something more sinister. Huang gave a polite nod, pocketed the card, and quickly left the restroom. His mind buzzed with questions as he rejoined his team at the table.
The rest of the night passed without incident, but Huang couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. He kept glancing at the door, wondering who the man was and what connection he had to Tiny Herb's manager.
Back at their camp base, the Blue Rain team gathered for a final debrief before bed. Huang sat silently, his thoughts far from the discussion. As the meeting wrapped up and the rest of his team headed to their rooms, Huang pulled out the business card the man had given him. It was black and elegant, with nothing but a phone number printed on it.
Just as he was about to dismiss it as nothing more than a strange encounter, his phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number.
"If you want to grow and succeed, follow my directions."
Huang stared at the message, his heart thumping in his chest. Who was this? And what did they want from him?
The national championship was less than twenty-four hours away, and now there was a new player in the game—one that Huang didn't understand, but one he was sure would change everything.
As he stared at the message, he felt a sense of unease settle deep within him. Whatever this was, it wasn't over. The game, it seemed, had only just begun.