The Black Vanguard headquarters was not just a building; it was a fortress of glass and steel. As Lin Xiao walked through the lobby, his soft boots made no sound on the polished white marble floors. High above, holographic screens showed highlights of past games. The colors—*soft glowing gold light* and deep royal blue—filled the massive space.
"This is the living area," Ye Shikai said. His voice echoed in the quiet hall.
He didn't walk like a normal person. Every step Ye Shikai took was full of power. He didn't look back to see if Lin Xiao was following. He just knew the smaller boy was there, trailing behind him like a shadow.
Lin Xiao gripped the straps of his backpack. Inside that bag was his whole life: his lucky keyboard, a few old clothes, and—most importantly—three boxes of illegal Omega suppressants. If anyone opened this bag, his life would be over.
"Wow! Is that the new kid?" a loud, cheerful voice shouted.
A boy with bright red hair and a wide grin came running down the stairs. This was *Little Seven*, the team's Support player. He was an Alpha, but his energy was like a happy puppy.
"He's so small!" Little Seven cried, circling Lin Xiao. "Captain, did you kidnap a middle-schooler? Can he even reach the keyboard?"
"He beat Tiger in a 1v1 in under five minutes," Ye Shikai said coldly.
Little Seven's jaw dropped. "Tiger? That big bully? No way! Kid, you're my hero!"
He reached out to pat Lin Xiao on the shoulder, but Lin Xiao flinched away, stepping back into the shadow of a large pillar.
"Don't touch me," Lin Xiao whispered through his mask.
The room went quiet. Little Seven looked hurt, his hand hanging in the air. Most people wanted to be friends with the famous Team Kingdom. No one ever told them "don't touch me."
Ye Shikai narrowed his eyes. He watched the way Lin Xiao's eyes darted around, looking for an exit. He's not just shy, Ye Shikai thought. He's terrified. Like a rabbit in a room full of foxes.
"Seven, go back to the training room," Ye Shikai commanded. "Rose needs to see his quarters."
The Golden Cage
They took a private elevator to the top floor. This was the "Executive Wing." Only the Captain and the Mid-laner lived here.
Ye Shikai stopped in front of a heavy black door. "This is your room. My room is right across the hall. If you need anything, you don't call the staff. You call me."
Lin Xiao scanned his new keycard. The door slid open with a soft *hiss*.
The room was larger than the entire internet cafe in District 13. There was a king-sized bed with silk sheets, a private bathroom with a waterfall shower, and a high-end gaming station that looked like it belonged in a movie.
But Lin Xiao didn't look at the bed or the computer. He looked at the ventilation grates on the ceiling.
"Is the air system separate from the rest of the floor?" Lin Xiao asked, his voice urgent.
Ye Shikai leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. His large muscles stretched the fabric of his team jacket. "Yes. I told the engineers to give you your own filtered air. Since you're so worried about 'privacy'."
Lin Xiao let out a small sigh of relief. If the air was filtered, his scent wouldn't leak into the hallway, even if he had a "slip-up."
"Thank you," Lin Xiao said. He stepped inside and tried to close the door, but Ye Shikai put his hand on the frame, stopping it.
"One more thing, Rose," Ye Shikai said. He stepped into the room, making it feel tiny. The "Alpha Pressure" was back. It felt like the air was getting thicker, pushing against Lin Xiao's chest. "We start team practice at 6:00 AM. If you are one second late, I don't care how good your APM is. You will be punished."
"I'm never late," Lin Xiao said, his eyes defiant.
Ye Shikai leaned down, his face inches from Lin Xiao's mask. He could see the reflection of his own dark eyes in Lin Xiao's pupils. "We'll see. And Rose? Take off the mask when you're in this wing. There are no cameras here. It's annoying to talk to a piece of cloth."
"No," Lin Xiao said firmly.
Ye Shikai stared at him for a long time. The tension was so thick it felt like a physical string about to snap. Finally, the King stepped back.
"Suit yourself. Sleep well, little flower."
### A Night of Thorns
When the door finally closed and locked, Lin Xiao collapsed onto the floor. His heart was beating so fast it hurt. He reached up and ripped off his mask, gasping for the cool, filtered air.
His face was flushed pink, and sweat made his silver hair stick to his forehead. He crawled to his backpack and pulled out a bottle of water. He drank the whole thing in one go, then took another yellow pill.
"Just 500 chapters," he whispered to himself, trying to be brave. "I just have to survive the season, win the trophy, and then I can disappear with the money."
He spent the next few hours setting up his equipment. He didn't use the team's mouse; he used his old, scratched one from the Trash-Pit. It felt familiar. It felt safe.
As the sun set over District 1, the city began to glow with millions of neon lights. From his window, Lin Xiao could see the whole world. It was so beautiful, but he felt like a ghost. He was in the heart of the E-sports world, but he couldn't even show his face.
Suddenly, a knock came at the door.
Lin Xiao scrambled for his mask, pulling it on just as a small slot at the bottom of the door opened. A tray of food was pushed through.
It was real steak, fresh vegetables, and a glass of expensive juice. It smelled amazing—so much better than the grey nutrient jelly he ate in District 13. But next to the plate was a small note written in sharp, elegant handwriting.
*"Eat everything. You're too thin to carry a game. — YSK"*
Lin Xiao stared at the initials. **YSK. Ye Shikai.**
The King was watching him even when the door was closed. Lin Xiao picked up a fork, his hand trembling. He took a bite of the steak. It melted on his tongue. For the first time in years, he didn't feel hungry. But he also felt a strange new fear.
Being hated by Alphas was easy. He was used to that. But being *cared for* by the most powerful Alpha in the world? That was dangerous.
### The First Practice
At 5:50 AM, Lin Xiao was already in the training room. He had showered in scent-blocker and was wearing the official Black Vanguard uniform. The blue and white colors made him look even more like a "pretty boy," but the way he sat at the computer was serious.
One by one, the other players arrived.
There was **Tiger**, who still looked angry about losing the 1v1.
There was **Little Seven**, who was yawning and holding a juice box.
And there was **Cobra**, the team's Sniper. He was a quiet Alpha who looked at Lin Xiao with suspicious, calculating eyes.
"Alright, listen up," Ye Shikai said as he walked in. He looked perfectly awake, his hair neat and his eyes sharp. "Today we are testing our new Mid-laner's synergy. We are going to play a practice match against Team Blue-Wing. They are a Tier-2 team, but they are known for their 'Dirty Plays'."
"Dirty plays?" Lin Xiao asked.
"They use Alphas to crowd the Mid-lane," Cobra explained, his voice low. "They release so much pheromone pressure that the enemy Mid-laner gets a headache and misses their skills. It's a cheap trick, but it works."
Ye Shikai looked at Lin Xiao. "Can you handle three Alphas screaming their scent at you at once, Rose?"
Lin Xiao adjusted his headset. On the screen, he picked **The Frost Rose**.
"Tell them to bring more than three," Lin Xiao said. "I don't plan on letting them get close enough to smell me."
The practice match began.
For the first twenty minutes, it was chaos. Team Blue-Wing tried everything. They sent three players to the middle lane to bully Lin Xiao. They shouted insults in the chat. They played "loud" and "heavy."
But Lin Xiao was like a ghost again. He didn't stay in one place. He used his "Rose Petal" dash to move around the map, helping Little Seven in the bottom lane and helping Ye Shikai in the jungle.
"He's everywhere!" Little Seven cheered. "Captain, his rotation is perfect! I don't even have to use my shield!"
Ye Shikai said nothing, but his eyes were shining. He watched as Lin Xiao's Frost Rose glided into the middle of the enemy team.
*1-2-3-4...*
Lin Xiao's fingers were a blur of silver.
*Ultimate: The Blooming Tundra!*
The screen erupted in a **soft glowing gold light**. The enemy players didn't even know what hit them. One by one, their screens went gray.
**"PENTA-KILL!"** the system announced.
The training room went silent. Tiger dropped his mouse. Even Cobra looked shocked.
"That was... 15 seconds," Cobra whispered. "He wiped a Tier-2 team in 15 seconds."
Ye Shikai stood up. He walked over to Lin Xiao's chair and looked down at him. Lin Xiao was breathing a bit hard, his chest rising and falling. A tiny drop of sweat ran down the side of his face, disappearing under his mask.
"Not bad," Ye Shikai said. It was a simple compliment, but from him, it was like winning a gold medal.
Then, Ye Shikai leaned down, his voice only for Lin Xiao to hear. "But your scent-blocker is wearing off, Rose. Go to your room. Now."
Lin Xiao froze. He didn't wait for a second invitation. He stood up, grabbed his bag, and ran out of the room before the others could notice the faint, sweet smell of a cold rose filling the air.
As he ran, he didn't see the look on Ye Shikai's face. It wasn't a look of anger. It was the look of a wolf who had finally found the treasure he had been searching for.