Chapter Twenty-One: Intensive Training at the Internet Café

Only after spending more time with Liu Han did I realize he was far from the simple person I had first imagined. Through casual conversation, I discovered by chance that he was actually a CSER, and even somewhat renowned throughout the city. This revelation stirred my blood with excitement.

“Hanzi, after class, take me to the internet café and teach me how to play CS,” I said. With a master sitting right beside me, how could I not make use of him?

“Sure, no problem,” Liu Han readily agreed to my request. “I’ll give you some special training later.”

“Special training? What’s that?” I asked, puzzled.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Liu Han replied, his face full of mystery.

I sent Lele a text, telling her to head home on her own. Then, as soon as the bell rang, I followed Liu Han straight to an internet café not far from the school.

“Let’s get started,” Liu Han said, taking the seat next to mine. Carefully, he dug out a mouse, a pair of headphones, and a large mouse pad from his backpack.

I stared at his setup, dumbfounded. “Liu Han, isn’t this a bit much? Coming to an internet café, you even bring your own mouse and headphones?”

“You don’t get it. These are essential gear for a professional CSER! My custom keyboard isn’t here today, though,” Liu Han replied, chatting with me as he bent over and meticulously installed his precious equipment.

“What map should we play?” I glanced at the game menu and asked offhandedly.

“Let’s go for something quick—how about Blood-Strike?” Liu Han straightened up, yawning lazily, a smile hovering on his lips as he looked at me.

“Alright, let’s use that map,” I agreed, knowing nothing about CS maps. Since the expert had spoken, I had no reason to object.

Liu Han quickly logged into the game as well. After setting up the room, I chose to play as a terrorist, while Liu Han took the role of a counter-terrorist.

Blood-Strike is a very small map, perfectly symmetrical in layout. Each corner has a short wall with a hidden staircase, and on both sides of the corridor, there are two red brick walls. The counter-terrorists and terrorists spawn at the top and bottom of the map, separated by an impenetrable wall in the middle. Liu Han set the starting money to 16,000, so we didn’t have to worry about cash restrictions—any gun was ours to buy.

As soon as the first round started, I stowed my AK47, held my * high, and crept out slowly. Liu Han took the same route as I did. Just as I threw my *, Liu Han’s gun fired. Watching my character’s body drift backward on the screen, I muttered to myself, “No way, I barely showed myself, and he got a headshot?” A glance at Liu Han’s screen showed his counter-terrorist waving a knife and jumping over my corpse, but there was not a hint of pride on his face.

“I’ll rush again—I refuse to believe I can’t kill you,” I comforted myself after each round, hoping it was just luck on his part.

But when we finished twenty-five rounds, I had nothing left to say. The score was a staggering 1:24.

I thought maybe my AK skills were lacking; perhaps switching to the M4 would save some dignity. Turning to Liu Han, I said, “I’m not good with the AK. Let’s switch—I’ll play as a counter-terrorist this time!”

“Alright,” Liu Han replied, his tone indifferent.

We swapped roles, and I got my wish: I became a counter-terrorist with an M4.

“Liu Han, I’ll get my revenge!” I silently vowed.

The M4, or M4-a1, is a standard weapon adopted by military and police forces worldwide, known for its high accuracy—especially when fitted with a *, though its firepower is not as fierce as the AK. Ultimately, every gun has its strengths and weaknesses; the real key lies in the wielder. Only in the right hands does a weapon’s true power emerge—like Liu Han’s.

Yet, in the rounds that followed, I didn’t manage a comeback with the M4; instead, I sank deeper into defeat. If before, Liu Han needed three shots as a counter-terrorist to kill me, now, with the AK, he could headshot me from a distance in a single shot. I had no chance at all. After thirty-eight rounds, the score was 0:38, and I was utterly annihilated.

Frustrated, I tossed aside the mouse, slumped back in my chair, and grumbled, “I’m done! I surrender!”

Liu Han chuckled quietly, exited the game, and said slowly, “You’re not my match just yet, but you’ve got plenty of potential. Oh, and one crucial point: when shooting, you must remember to combine movement with camping…”

“What’s camping?” I couldn’t help interrupting Liu Han.

He scratched his head and thought for a moment. “Well, camping is what we usually call ‘holding a spot.’ Combining movement and holding a spot is an extremely important skill for a CSER. Many players either hate camping or only camp, but neither approach captures the essence of CS. The battle changes in an instant—you have to adapt to stay undefeated. I watched your movement during the rounds; it’s not perfect, but you’ve got some technique. With more practice, you’ll definitely make something of yourself.”

I nodded, half understanding, as Liu Han continued enthusiastically, “Playing free-for-all every day won’t improve your skills much. Practice your aim more often, and watch some match videos when you can. In a while, I’ll take you online for a few games, and you’ll get the hang of it soon enough. It’s getting late—let’s head home.”

Liu Han’s reminder made me realize how late it was. We hurriedly packed up, walked out of the internet café together. Liu Han went ahead to catch the bus. After saying goodbye, just as I was about to fetch my bicycle, my phone rang in my pocket. “Xiao Bei, what are you up to?” It was Xiao Yi.

“Me? Just got out of the internet café. What’s up?” I replied, fumbling for my bike keys.

“Nothing much—just letting you know, we’re starting preparations for the high school basketball league. This year, we have to avenge last year’s loss…” There was a hint of excitement in Xiao Yi’s voice. “Tomorrow morning, 6:30, meet at the school basketball court…”

“What? Six thirty?” Oh no! That meant my chance to sleep in was ruined again. I grumbled silently.

“Hey…hey, Xiao Bei, did you hear me? Say something if you did!” Xiao Yi, hearing my silence, shouted.

“Yeah, yeah, alright—see you tomorrow morning,” I replied, a bit reluctantly.

“Okay, I’ll let the others know. Bye!” Xiao Yi quickly hung up.

I put away my phone and went to find my bike, but after walking back and forth several times at the parking spot, I saw no sign of it.

Where was my bike? Could it really have been stolen? Damn those bike thieves!