Chapter Twenty-Seven: Internet Café Tournament

Since the formation of our team, every day after school I would head straight to the internet café, no longer walking home with Lele. Though nothing was said aloud, I knew well enough that Lele was somewhat upset. Over the past month, our team had played more than ten matches in succession. At last, we found a sense of camaraderie; everyone worked together smoothly, and so our victories became more frequent. Spurred on by Liu Han, I upgraded my gear, spending two hundred yuan on a Microsoft I02.0 mouse and fifty yuan for a 1030 mousepad. With my own equipment, I felt entirely different—at the very least, I could now call myself a half-fledged CS player.

As usual, I didn’t go home for lunch. The moment class ended, under Liu Han’s lead, we hurried to an internet café on South Street. Liu Han said he had contacted the café’s own team, arranging a face-to-face match for that noon. Until now, all our competitions had been fought online; this was our first real encounter, and it was no small test for our nerves.

We marched into the café in a group, and Liu Han immediately recognized the opposing team’s captain. He stepped forward to greet him, and the captain warmly slung his arm over Liu Han’s shoulder in friendship, guiding us deep into the café to a glass-walled room. Ten computers were arranged there, five to each side, set up with neat symmetry—a clear sign that this was a dedicated CS competition venue. Opposite our five computers, the rival team was already seated. Seeing us enter, they all stood up and greeted us in turn.

After a round of introductions, we took our seats; the chosen map was Train.

In a CS match, the outcome of the first round is vital for both sides, as it directly determines the balance of power to follow. The winner of the first round enjoys a decisive advantage in firepower for the next two rounds.

We started as the terrorists; the opponents played the police.

The Train map is notoriously vexing, with its complicated terrain. Both bomb sites are hidden among abandoned railway tracks, the police spawn in a small building between the two bomb zones, while terrorists start from the opposite side.

There are three routes for terrorists to attack: a loft on the second floor, a direct avenue for close combat, and a longer, narrow alleyway. Before planting the bomb, terrorists seem to have the upper hand; with various pathways and teamwork, the police can hardly prevent them from reaching the site.

Yet, once the terrorists enter the bomb site, the nightmare begins. Numerous camping spots and aerial attack advantages surround the site. If the police have a sharpshooter, they can tie up a large portion of the opposing force. Even without wiping out the enemy, as long as the police can hold their ground and prevent the terrorists from planting, victory is theirs.

The first round began. Liu Han decided to attack the A site from the loft. Usually, a police sniper would guard the corridor opposite, but in the first round, that was less likely. We rushed swiftly toward A, aiming for a quick win.

A site was eerily quiet. As Ye Hui and I covered Liu Han while he started planting the bomb, gunfire suddenly erupted around us. The police appeared like phantoms from every direction, and before Liu Han could finish planting, he was shot dead by a distant police officer’s USP. Soon, Ye Hui and I followed suit.

Only Haozi and Lin Qi were left, while all five police remained. The disparity was clear…

Five terrorists’ bodies lay sprawled across the train tracks, weapons scattered everywhere—a sight too grim to bear. I sneaked a glance at Liu Han beside me; his face was as cold and impassive as ever, betraying no change.

In the second round, Liu Han told us to buy weapons and grenades but not to move yet. Unexpectedly, before we left the spawn point, the police were already attacking. We resisted fiercely, but the difference in firepower was too great. In just a few minutes, we lost three rounds in a row.

We couldn’t afford another defeat! Since our first humiliating loss, we hadn’t faced such adversity in a long time. In the fourth round, Liu Han ordered everyone to break through via the alley. Usually, only one police officer guards it, and once breached, the bomb can be planted swiftly.

In regular skirmishes, the alley is the most intense battleground, but in this match, it was eerily calm. To stay hidden, everyone moved silently. I led the way, peeking out, but saw no police. Liu Han checked the time, then typed on his screen to tell us: wait thirty more seconds before charging.

Time crept by; everyone held their breath in anticipation. When the moment came, before Liu Han could give the order, we dashed into the dark alley like arrows released from a bow, scattering to our assigned positions. Haozi carried the C4 straight to the bomb site.

To our surprise, there wasn’t a single police officer in the B site. Haozi planted the bomb effortlessly.

But just as Haozi raised his AK, ready to jump off the flatbed, a sharp gunshot rang out—he was killed with a headshot. Meanwhile, Liu Han was also engaged by the enemy.

As soon as Haozi’s death message appeared on the screen, Liu Han knew the police had started defusing. If they had a defusal kit, it would take only a few seconds—meaning time was running out for us.

Liu Han made a quick decision: he abandoned the police officer confronting him and ran at full speed. The enemy guessed his intent, leaped forward, and threw a fierce grenade, unwilling to let Liu Han escape so easily.

By then, Lin Qi, Ye Hui, and I were all dead, while the opponents still had three men. Liu Han dashed back to the bomb site, and without adjusting his aim, fired—a headshot. The police officer fell, defeated at the last moment.

Another police officer was about to catch up, and yet another was missing entirely. No time to worry; Liu Han dealt with the threat before him. He quickly crouched behind the other end of the flatbed, and as soon as he settled, the enemy entered his firing range. Raising his gun, Liu Han aimed for the head. At that instant, a long AWP shot rang out in the distance. Liu Han killed the police officer, but was himself taken out by the sniper.

Fortunately, the remaining time was not enough for a defusal. We narrowly won this round.

4:8—the first half ended. On the police-favored Train map, we managed a hard-fought four points.

The second half played out as a mirror of the first, only with the roles reversed. The terrorists, now facing the police entrenched in advantageous positions, had nearly no chance to fight back. 9:2—the opponents won only two rounds in the second half, and those only when we grew complacent with a total score of 12:8.

Friendship first, competition second. After the match, both teams stood up and shook hands.

An hour-long battle left everyone exhausted, and my knees ached from sitting so long. I strolled slowly to the window, letting the cool breeze brush my face. It was then I suddenly realized that from the end of school until now, we had not eaten lunch.