Chapter One: The Second the World Went Silent

Now the audio profiles on ten tournament-grade computers were blank. Driver rollback failed. Even the backup image could detect no output device. The manager rushed in, pale-faced. Technicians sealed the room and collected every phone. No one noticed the boy sitting at the far end of the corridor. Lin Mo held a cardboard box containing his keyboard, folded jersey, and a cracked thermos. Half an hour earlier, Coach Xu Duo had told him he was off the final roster. The official reason was a change in tactical style. The real reason was known by everyone: two months ago, during a scrim against a North American powerhouse, Lin Mo had overruled Zhou Yan three times and forced rotations based on his calculations. Emberstar had thrown match point.