Chapter 5 Part 2

Chapter 5 – His Name is W – Part 2

 

The Newbie beside Liu Zuo timidly spoke up: “Bro, are the three of us all that’s left alive on this map?”

Liu Zuo: “You should switch to observer mode too, take a good look at my match against him.”

The Newbie nods, Liu Zuo turns to him and smiles: “From now on, every step, every action is my demonstration to you. Look well, improvement always starts from watching other people’s matches.”

The Newbie nods again: “Big bro, go for it. You gotta win.”

Liu Zuo was silent for a moment before he spoke up: “That’s hard to say for sure, the CSERs of the net café gave W the highest level of respect, It is clear that he is no ordinary player.”

(TL Note: Map for Aztec)

For many CS players, the empty and open map of Aztec is akin to a nightmare. Thunder and lightning pierces the sky from time to time, massive shallow water canals, wide platforms for standoffs, long and narrow drawbridge that connects the map – Everything makes this seemingly abandoned ruin filled with danger. Turquoise tiles, wooden doors, moss, such a romantic place filled with memories are one of the most hotly contested and bloody battle fields in CS. Countless CSER had fallen here, and countless more surged in to take their place. Everyone strove for the final victory – but who would survive until the end?

Liu Zuo is playing as CT while W is playing as T. Before the match, W types to Liu Zuo: “Duel at bridge, ok?”

Liu Zuo, seeing his opponent going straight to the point, agrees without hesitation: “Sure, let’s settle this quickly.”

The bridge connects two sets of covers. T and CT can each occupy one side and fire across at their opponents. Usually, this is a place for snipers from both sides to face each other, though there are also CSERs who like to duel here with AK and M4. Liu Zuo bought an AWP without hesitation, he does not need to worry about W being unable to afford a gun, the rest of the Terrorists would’ve left plenty for him when they suicided.

Liu Zuo quickly darted to the bridge and crouched behind several giant rock blocks, showing only a bit of himself as he scoped in with his AWP. With his speed and grasp of his weapon, the enemy will be shot through the heart the moment they showed themselves.

He silently calculated the time it takes for the terrorist to sprint – Coming out of T Spawn, switching to running with dagger (which allows for the greatest speed), crossing the spawn, up the ramp to arch, walking along the path, entering the door to box – Good, now is the time. Liu Zuo held his breath as he observed the opposing cover. Come, my gun has a bullet ready for you.

W appeared before him as expected, but the position had been slightly different from his expectations. W did not sprint out, but leapt up from behind the rocks. Liu Zuo quickly turned his barrel the moment he saw W’s head, but it was already too late. Liu Zuo felt his body went flying like a kite with its string cut. The screen shows that Liu Zuo had been headshotted.

A wave of applause resounded through the net café, almost everyone shouted: “Good shot!” at once. Even the Newbie beside Liu Zuo couldn’t resist but to yell it out loud, he then appears to regret his decision, as though he is betraying Liu Zuo by doing so. He peeked towards Liu Zuo with his peripheral vision, the latter is motionless and focused on buying a gun for the next match. No one would know the shockwave that has travelled through Liu Zuo’s heart.

“That shot looks nothing out of the ordinary, but the precise timing, determination, and the foresight in reading the situation behind it is terrifying.” Liu Zuo thought to himself: “I knew he was a pro, but I didn’t know he is a pro amongst pros. Indeed, that one shot shows his caliber. I will catch up, just wait!”

Liu Zuo approached the gate that led to the drawbridge again with his AWP. This time, he did not show any part of his body, but waited patiently in the CT Box. Second by second, minute by minute the time passed, the onlookers becoming more and more anxious.

Liu Zuo gazed at the time on the screen, five second before the round ended, he suddenly took a leap – This leap took him from the left side of the bridge entrance to the right, while jumping, he scopes in, shoots, lands, fades, reloads. The whole motion completed in a single flow of movements, without a second of hesitation and pause. After completing this set of actions in just a second, Liu Zuo lands and takes in a breath.

On the other side of the bridge, is the sound of a body falling on to the ground. This is a sound that only a veteran CSER can hear, a realm that can only be reached when your heart is wholly immersed within CS.

W’s body fell – He is clearly surprised by Liu Zuo’s skill. Both of them knew it, though they had not met face to face in the last 2 minutes and 55 seconds, they had been battling against each other all the while. Listening, waiting, calculating, everything for that one shot to happen in the last 5 seconds. Both of them waited for so long, yet victory and defeat are determined in an instant.

A real pro will spend his life waiting, and determine life and death in the very last moment.

Even if he couldn’t see W, Liu Zuo can feel a slight but genuine smile on the former’s face – The two of them got to know each other with these two shots.

With almost seemingly tacit understanding, both of them used the unique weapon of CT and T respectively, the famous M4 and AK47. Liu Zuo clearly understands that the two of them have understood each other’s skill as a sniper, now it’s the time to see the opponent’s skill with a rifle.

Liu Zuo crouches behind the rock block with his M4, quietly counted “1,2,3” in his heart and leapt up, shooting towards W’s direction. W did not hide, and instead rose to the challenge, the two of them began shooting at each other as they both leapt into the air.

The Newbie beside Liu Zuo was anxiously biting his nails, and finally could not resist himself when he saw the heroic scene as both players leapt high into the air: “Awesome!”

His yell startled Liu Zuo, who almost fell from the air. When Pro’s fight, the balance rests on a knife’s edge. Liu Zuo’s momentary distraction is the chance W needs – He aimed at Liu Zuo’s head and gently tapped his trigger. With that, Liu Zuo dropped to the floor dead in the newbie’s cheer. The newbie seems to have realized his mistake, he sulks and covers up his mouth. Liu Zuo took a glance at him, but couldn’t bring himself to scold him. “Youth passionate for CS,” He thought, “I was like this back in the day as well…….”

After 12 rounds, the score is tied at 6:6. Liu Zuo has never met a stronger opponent in a 1v1 duel. Even in his match against A Jie, Liu Zuo did not feel this kind of resistance fighting A Jie 1v1. W almost seems like a robot, almost never making any mistakes. Liu Zuo finds himself desperately trying to hold on, any slip up will cost him his life.

Even as Liu Zuo complains about the challenge in his head, W too feels a great deal of pressure. “He really is strong……” W thought to himself: “Never thought there would be a pro like this. He almost drove me to a point without any hope, without any respite. His skill with the gun and his mindsight is definitely top tier, and I can feel that stubborn determination that keeps him fighting to the bitter end. Truly, he's too strong……”

After 30 rounds, the score is 15:15. The net café has reached a boiling point. Every shot, every movement is accompanied by gasps or cheers. Liu Zuo has a bit of trouble getting used to such a lively scene. While Piggy and Big P love to holler while playing CS as well, that is nothing compared to the fanatical scene in the net café right now.

Liu Zuo kept telling himself to stay focused, as he observes W. It seems W is unmoved by this scene, and remained extraordinarily calm, his shots steady. Each shot relentlessly pierces the wall to get at Liu Zuo.

Liu Zuo is carrying two grenades on his belt, a Desert Eagle in his hoist, an AWP in his hand, and covered head to toe with luxurious body armors. He is just crouching in place his gun, thinking his head out for a way to win this round. The opponent has an AK for this round, while it can’t match the AWP for power, it is capable of rapid fire. Considering the opponent’s terrifying skill to land headshots, Liu Zuo dare not to make any moves lightly.

Liu Zuo listened for sounds of his opponents – No good, he is directly coming over on the attacks. He must have seen me buying an AWP, and wants to use AK’s advantage in close range to take me out. Liu Zuo hears the footsteps approaching ever closer, 15 meters, 10 meters, 9 meters, 8 meters……. The opponent comes closer and closer without any hesitation. Did he figure out where I was hiding? No, impossible. I have been paying particular attention. Coming for a rush? Unlikely, he is not someone who would go in without thinking. What does he want to do？

As the danger truly closes in, Liu Zuo roars in his heart: “Now it’s the time!” He jumped up, and scoped in at near point blank to shoot – No good, maybe because he was a bit tense, Liu Zuo did not land a solid hit on his target. The sniper rifle is an interesting weapon like that, it is extremely powerful with long distance shooting, but often misses at close range. Liu Zuo laments in his mind: “I am done for!”

Yet that W seems to be scared by Liu Zuo, and just stands there motionless. Liu Zuo took out his desert eagle and took him out with 2 bangs.

Just as Liu Zuo wiped away his sweat, his heart still pounding, he suddenly realizes this should not be W’s performance. Such clumsy tactics, slow reaction, could it be…… As Liu Zuo is lost in thought, his newbie neighbor waddles back on his seat and tells Liu Zuo: “Bro, W isn’t playing right now --- He went to the washroom and someone is standing in for him.”

Upon hearing that, an urge suddenly appears in Liu Zuo’s heart. He waves at the newbie: “Hey, I am going to the washroom too, sub in for me.”

The newbie’s face is red with excitement, he can barely speak as he stutters: “Bro..you..you..you trust me that much?”

Liu Zuo: “You are doing pretty well, go ahead.”

The newbie wipes away his tears with his sleeves and shouts: “I will defend your score with my life!”

Liu Zuo rushes towards the men’s room. According to another customer, the washroom is on the east end of the second floor. It seems that the net café owner really is a CS fan, you can tell from how she arranged the net café. The fact that the main lobby was arranged like the map Office aside, even this second floor appears like the second floor of Inferno, down to the color of the carpet.

Liu Zuo first habitually switched to silent walking when he went up, then began to advance by running in zig zags. He suddenly stopped when he got in front of the washroom – He mumbles to himself: “Such strong killing intent, indeed, the same one from in front of Lions…….”

There are a total of three men urinating in the washroom. Liu Zuo casually strode by each of them – Seemingly casual, but he has observed each man in zoom and slow motion. If you really had to find an analogy for Liu Zuo’s behavior, you can reference the shot where Takeshi Kaneshiro walked by Brigitte Lin in “Chungking Express” by Wang Kar-Wai.

Liu Zuo walks by the urinating men one after another. Finally, he stopped beside a man dressed in ragged cloth with a messy beard, wearing a very thick necklace on his neck. Liu Zuo recognizes him immediately – One of the tricycle-riding delivery men in front of Lion Computer Emporium.

Liu Zuo did not expose himself, but began to whistle as he relieved himself. When everyone else was done and left, the two of them continued on. The bearded man spoke without even a glance at Liu Zuo: “Your shooting is pretty good, are you professional?”

Liu Zuo: “Your shooting is also pretty good, are you a professional?”

After a few seconds of silence, both men spoke at once: “You are……”

Liu Zuo:“ The aura of a pro is impossible to hide, even if he is taking a piss.”

W: “Your killing intent can be felt even as you are whistling.”

Liu Zuo: “Who would’ve thought the first time we spoke face to face would be in the washroom.”

W: “And less than 0.1 meter apart.”

Liu Zuo: “You are a deliveryman in front of Lion?”

W: “I’ve noticed you as well, checking things out in front of Lion, you must be looking for the salesgirl for Samsung monitors.”

Liu Zuo: “Through and precise! I wish I could’ve met you sooner. While this is neither the most proper of time nor place, I have a request…….Please join our team, our base is at Shi Gu Road 28-3-201 – Of course, you have to bring your own computer. We have broadband; Lan, and dedicated chef and caretaker……”

W begint to wash his hands, and says nothing.

Liu Zuo: “Please consider, we are about to join the national WCG tournament, we need someone like you.”

W is still washing his hands, and says nothing.

 

When Liu Zuo got home, he announced the news of his invitation for W to join them.

Piggy says worryingly: “Would a pro like him want to join a rag-tag team like ours?”

Big P has a bit more foresight: “Another mouth to feed, now we really gotta increase our avenues of income……”

Only Liu Zuo ceaselessly weighed W’s value in his mind. The target of his comparison is none other than X·FILES led by A Jie. The result of his estimation brings a smile to his face – “W’s presence will make us unprecedentedly strong, the day we win back our pride will soon come……”

Unexpectedly, W had disappeared over the next four days. Liu Zuo couldn’t even find him at the net café, and the deliverymen at Lions also said W hasn’t been on duty for a few days.

Liu Zuo sighs: “What a mysterious man.”

Piggy says worryingly: “Could he be a fugitive or homeless wanderer, and got caught?”

Big P also contributes his opinion: “I’d say he probably went back to visit his family, peasant workers like him probably miss their wife and kids once they make some money.”

Liu Zuo: “Even his appearance matches that of a peasant worker, higs gaze…….his gaze is sharp and full of killing intent, that’s something you only see on a veteran of the battlefield……not only that, he is a brilliant person that can figure out what others are thinking in the shortest time. W…W…where have you gone to?”

On the fourth night, Piggy and Big P got into a fight over a slut on QQ. The angry Liu Zuo wrote a program that banned perverted phrases from the QQ of their computers, and established a rule banning net romance. Piggy and Big P sat grumpily in front of their computer, leaving only Liu Zuo happily practicing his shots. He recently wrote a program to practice his aim, and it is quite fresh to use it instead. At that moment, someone is knocking.

It is Liu Zuo who opened the door.

A raggedly dressed W stood outside, his shaggy beard almost completely covering his chin, his face dark. He spoke in a hoarse voice: “Got anything to eat?”

W downed 4 bags of instant noodles in a row. While he is eating, Piggy curiously opened a hamp bag W left on the floor when he came in. There is a computer chassis and a monitor in the bag. The chassis was not sealed, its component exposed. Liu Zuo took a glance and his heart started beating – The 19inch flat screen monitor aside, the hardware in that chassis is the best you can find in China, it is the top tier setup Liu Zuo dreams of.

W, seemingly knowing what Liu Zuo is thinking, explains: “I set it up myself.” He swallows another mouthful of noodles: “Been running for this thing the last few days.”

W drops to sleep right after he finishes eating. Piggy and Big P stares at him for a moment, then raises their thumb in unison: “Dude is a real man!”

Liu Zuo instead thought to himself: “This guy…is professional……super professional.”