God Level Summoner Chapter 361-364

Extra 1: Chapter 361 – The Covenant of Time (1) – Tan Cheng's First Encounter

Cheng Wei walked into the training room and saw several teammates talking. He rushed to the side to listen, only to hear someone mysteriously say, "This newcomer isn't ordinary. I passed by the training camp and he was particularly handsome!"

"He might be handsome but he can't rely on his face to eat!" Cheng Wei wasn't convinced. "What about his level?"

"It is said that his hand speed is very fast." The man's tone was positive.

Cheng Wei rolled his eyes while thinking in his heart, 'His hand speed might be faster but it can't be faster than Cat God!'

The Time team hadn't absorbed any fresh blood for a long time. This time, the president of the Time Club recommended a group of qualified newcomers to interview. The captain Xu Luo and the club manager personally checked them and it was said that some people joined the team's training camp through the interviews. This meant that Cheng Wei was no longer the youngest player on the Time team.

Cheng Wei thought of this and was suddenly a bit happy.

As a newcomer who debuted in the third season, he was only 16 years old this year. Many players on the team regarded him as a minor child. Since there were newcomers in the training camp, wouldn't he be a senior?

That evening, Cheng Wei happily sent a message to Li Cangyu. [Cat God, we have newcomers!]

This was the playoffs stage in the third season. The FTD team hadn't disbanded but they were facing difficulties with the team's lack of funds and maintaining daily operations. Li Cangyu never showed any fatigue on the surface and every game was full of energy. Thus, many people in the league didn't know the status of his team, including Cheng Wei.

Cheng Wei sent the message and soon got a reply. [Not bad.]

Cheng Wei replied: [I heard there is one person that is particularly handsome and his hand speed is also fast. I haven't seen it but I think they are definitely bragging, like my age. How can boys playing the game look particularly handsome? Cat God, you said it right? Most otakua are acne-prone!]

Li Cangyu replied: [So curious. Won't you know if you go to see him?]

[I don't have time! The playoffs are so busy that I wasn't in the mood to care about the newcomer in the training camp!]

[Is there a good tactical layout for the next game?]

[Hey Cat God, don't take this opportunity to ask me. I won't tell you!]

[Yes, you're become smarter. [Smile]]

[Good night Cat God!]

There was a match the next day so Cheng Wei went to bed after talking to Cat God. The matter regarding the newcomer in the training camp was completely thrown away by him.

A week later, the Time team lost to Wind Colour in the semi-finals and had to compete with Ghost Spirits for third place in the season. The finals was between Wind Colour and Flying Feathers.

The third season was the most brilliant period for the Flying Feathers team. Su Guangmo, Yu Pingsheng and Xie Shurong joined forces to bring the melee violent play of the Three Musketeers to the extreme and finally won the championship in one feel swoop, creating the myth of the Three Musketeers in the Miracle League.

The Ghost Spirits had the best assassin Mo Quan at the time. His two apprentices Lou Wushuang and Zhang Shaohui had already debuted but their standards still needed to be honed. Thus, Time was very relaxed taking on Ghost Spirits and won third place.

Flying Feathers, Wind and Time had each harvested the championship, second place and third place. The season's MVP award went to Flying Feathers captain Su Guangmo. To everyone's surprise, Cheng Wei actually won the Best Newcomer Award at the awards ceremony!

The 16 year old Cheng Wei ran excitedly to the stage, bowing deeply to the audience as he held his trophy. The teenager who hadn't grown up didn't look nervous on the stage. His smile was honest and cute and his eyes were as bright as stars.

This newcomer award made Cheng Wei the 'genius boy' in the eyes of many people!

***

After returning to Beijing, the captain Xu Luo led the team members to a nearby KTV in celebration. The season of competition made everyone physically and mentally exhausted. Now that the awards ceremony was over, it was natural to relax well.

There were many strange faces in the KTV room and Cheng Wei was curious about who they were. Xu Luo picked up the microphone and said, "Today is our first full gathering of the Time team. The newcomers of the training camp have also come. I will take this opportunity to introduce them to everyone."

The old players clapped and the enthusiastic Cheng Wei took the initiative to raise his hand. "Captain, should we have the new people sing a song? How about they give a formal self-introduction before singing?"

This proposal immediately got Xu Luo's approval. "Let's do it! Who will come first?"

"You first."

"Or you first."

Some newcomers humbly pushed each other out and passed the microphone around, but no one was willing to play first. Just then, a tall boy took the initiative to pick up the microphone. "Then I'll go first."

His voice was somewhat unique. It seemed to be just after the changing period and the low voice was warm and soft through the microphone. He had handsome short hair and was wearing simple jeans and a white shirt. He had a slender figure and handsome facial features. HIs lips were slightly curved in a warm smile and he looked like a teenager who came out of the comics.

He gracefully went to the middle and turned to face everyone. Then he smiled and said, "Hellow, my name is Tan Shitian and I"m a newcomer in the training camp. My class is an archer and I will casually sing first."

Cheng Wei sat in the corner and stared at Tan Shitian with wide eyes. Until this moment, he hadn't believed it but his teammate's words were true. There was a particularly handsome newcomer in the Time Team!

Tan Shitian's appearance belonged to the type that easily made people feel good. In particular, his smile gave people the feeling of a spring breeze. His smile was pure and didn't make people feel that he was hypocritical or pretentious. His singing was also nice.

He sang the male version of 'I'm Willing.' HIs singing was especially affectionate and people couldn't help revel in his singing…

Cheng Wei listened attentively. After listening for a while, he suddenly reacted and rubbed his eyes. He turned back to ask the vice-captain, "Vice-Captain, how old is he this year?"

Vice-Captain Lin smiled and replied, "He seems to be the same age as you."

Cheng Wei, "…"

They were obviously the same age but why was this person so much higher? It wasn't scientific!

Cheng Wei was still a child in his heart and mind. He loved playing the game and eating all day. Tan Shitian had a maturity and atmosphere that was beyond his age, making his 'senior' Cheng Wei feel a bit ashamed.

Tan Shitian finished the song and naturally got warm applause from the audience. He politely thanked them.

There was a vacancy next to Cheng Wei and he naturally walked to Cheng Wei's side. He smiled and reached out, "Hello, are you Cheng Wei? I have seen your game videos. Congratulations on winning the Best Newcomer Award."

Cheng Wei sullenly replied, "Hello."

Tan Shitian asked, "I heard that I'm the same age as you?"

Cheng Wei didn't shake hands with him but pretended to be serious. "Age isn't the most important thing. I debuted earlier than you and should count as your senior."

Tan Shitian touched his nose and coughed. "Hello, Senior."

Cheng Wei happily shook hands with Tan Shitian and spoke seriously, "Xiao Tan, if you don't know anything in the future, you can ask me."

He clearly had a lovely bun face but was pretending to be old. Thus, he was funny. Tan Shitian resisted the urge to laugh and nodded, "Thank you, Senior."

Cheng Wei smiled with satisfaction and patted Tan Shitian's shoulder in encouragement. "Refuel!"

"…" Tan Shitian was simply dumbfounded.

Everyone played all night and after returning to his room, Cheng Wei fell asleep until noon the next day.

He had lunch and was informed that all members had a meeting. Cheng Wei rushed to the conference room that was filled with people, many of whom were the newcomers he met last night.

Captain Xu Luo asked everyone to find a spot to sit down and spoke calmly, "The third season is over. Today we convened a meeting and the first step is a simple summary."

HE opened the PPT that was written in advance and said, "Based on the data sheet, the Time team has performed well overall this season, especially Cheng Wei who debuted this season. He won the Best Newcomer Award, making him the pride of our team."

Captain Xu looked at Cheng Wei and the meeting room clapped, making Cheng Wei feel happy and a bit embarrassed. He scratched his head and replied, "It is Captain Xu who taught me well."

Captain Xu smiled. "The performance of the other members is also remarkable. Our Time team's tactics have been almost the same after these seasons so next I have something to announce to you. Vice-Captain Ling has decided to retire after the third season. From now on, Cheng Wei will serve as the vice-captain of the Time team."

Cheng Wei's eyes widened with surprise and he didn't seem to understand this situation.

Xu Luo explained, "Cheng Wei might be young and the time of his debut isn't long, but his talent for playing the game has been recognized by everyone. Letting him serve as the vice-captain is the most appropriate thing."

This dispelled the doubts in their hearts. Cheng Wei might be young but his achievements were there.

"In addition, I will leave the Time team after completing the captain handover next season." Xu Luo spoke slowly. "I am forced to leave with Vice-Captain Lin. Due to our age, our state has started to decline and we won't play much of a role if we stay in the team. We have thought about it and decided to hand Time over to the youngsters."

Many players had red eyes after hearing this news. Cheng Wei opened his mouth but Xu Luo waved his hand and decisively interrupted him. "A team handover is a normal phenomenon. For example, last season Vice-Captain Yuan of Wind Colour retired and handed over the vice-captain position to Yan Ruiwen. Su Guangmo took over as captain for Flying Feathers this year. The scores of these two teams hasn't declined so you don't need to worry too much. Even if I retire, everyone can still ask me questions."

Captain Xu was so calm that the group of young players were embarrassed to ask him to stay.

As a veteran of the Miracle League, Xu Luo used his gorgeous white magic since the first season of the Miracle League. He wasn't young and his status was declining. Choosing to retire next season was normal…

Still, Cheng Wei couldn't help being sad. His own white magician played a lot with Xu Luo. He had just won the newcomer award only for Captain Xu to retire?

Cheng Wei didn't listen to what was discussed in the second half of the meeting because his head was a mess. On the one hand, he was dazed at taking over the vice-captain position. He didn't know what a vice-captain had to do. In addition, he was saddened by the news that Xu Luo was retiring next season. He always felt that he would have no idea what to do once Captain Xu left.

However, rain poured when a house was leaky. Once he returned to his room and turned on the computer, he was stung by the first page news. The FTD team officially announced their disbandment today.

This news was like thunder on a sunny day, making Cheng Wei freeze in place. He immediately called Li Cangyu but didn't get through. He sent a few messages on Q and didn't receive any replies…

Cheng Wei was distraught and frantically typed on Q. Thus, he didn't hear the movements in the bedroom next door.

It wasn't until knocking was heard on the door that Cheng Wei's soul returned and he got up to open the door.

***

Tan Shitian was unable to forget the image he saw when he went to the bedroom next door to greet Cheng Wei.

Cheng Wei was wearing short-sleeved pyjamas that revealed white arms. His hair stuck up like weeds and his eyes were red and swollen, almost wet with tears. He looked like a kitten abandoned by his owner.

Tan Shitian wanted to reach out and help him manage his messy hair but didn't dare do so thanks to Cheng Wei's red eyes. He was worried and asked, "What's wrong?"

Cheng Wei sniffed and choked out, "Cat God is gone."

"…" Tan Shitian heard that Cat God was Cheng Wei's idol and didn't know how to comfort him.

Cheng Wei suddenly raised his head and stared at the other person. "Why are you here?"

Tan Shitian smiled helplessly and explained. "Captain Xu said you lived alone in this dormitory. I haven't been formally allocated a dormitory yet and he let me be your teammate. Didn't you agree?"

Cheng Wei's eyes widened. "I agreed?"

Tan Shitian smiled. "You seemed to be thinking about it. The moment Captain Xu spoke, you nodded…"

Cheng Wei recalled that there was such a thing. His head had been in such a mess that he didn't hear anything Captain Xu said and just nodded. However, he wasn't in the mood to think about this matter. He glanced at Tan Shitian and said, "Your room is next door. You should arrange your luggage."

Tan Shitian was going to say, "My luggage has been moved and I wanted to come over to say hello to my roommate." Then he saw the dejected vice-captain and took this sentence back.

He suddenly discovered that Cheng Wei, who won the Best Newcomer Award this year, was only radiant in the game. He was like a little tiger with powerful claws in the game. In real life, Cheng Wei was actually a simple and confused teenager, a kitten who hadn't yet grown up.

He had long heard of Cheng Wei's worship of Li Cangyu. Tan Shitian saw Cheng Wei's eyes that were red from crying about Cat God's departure and actually felt a bit distressed.

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Chapter 362 – The Covenant of Time (2): Tan Cheng's Memories

The end of the third season was undoubtedly the most turbulent period for the Miracle League. The FTD team disbanded, Li Cangyu led his team to transfer games, Xie Shurong suddenly left the Flying Feathers team and his whereabouts were unknown, Ghost Spirits' captain Mo Quan retired and Lou Wushuang took over as captain, Time's vice-captain retired and the newcomer Cheng Wei took over as captain…

Every team went through personnel changes and the official website of the professional league was almost constantly refreshed by fans. However, a person who left would still go. Cheng Wei was very clear that Li Cangyu wouldn't change his mind because of his fans. Since Li Cangyu had made up his mind to leave Miracle, there was no room for persuasion.

Nevertheless, Cheng Wei didn't give up.

He sent a message to Cat God every day until he finally received a reply three days later. [Don't worry about me. I'm currently in the United States and after coming home, I will take my teammates to play another game. I heard that you took over as vice-captain. Continue to refuel and I'll wait for you to win the MVP award."

Cheng Wei saw the calm reply and was speechless as his eyes turned red.

These days, he had been watching the forum posts and knew how difficult it was for Li Cangyu's team. He was angry that Li Cangyu didn't tell him anything but on the other hand, he couldn't help Li Cangyu with his ability. He didn't understand anything or take care of himself. How could he help Li Cangyu?

A person who cared about was in trouble but he couldn't do anything. The deep sense of powerlessness made Cheng Wei frustrated.

Cheng Wei made a long-distance call and choked back tears. "Cat God, after you return home, why don't you consider coming to the Time team? Captain Xu said he will retire next year. Once he is gone, you can become captain!"

Li Cangyu smiled at the phone and replied, "I won't go to the Time team." He could feel Cheng Wei's concern for him but Cheng Wei hadn't grown up and his understanding of things wasn't comprehensive. He naively thought that Li Cangyu could switch to being captain of Time and didn't understand why Li Cangyu was leaving.

Of course, Li Cangyu didn't want to explain these complicated things to Cheng Wei. He wanted to see this young boy grow up happily under the protection of his teammates and seniors.

"Why don't you want to come to Time?" Cheng Wei refused to give up and anxiously tried to persuade the other person. "If you don't like Time, you can also go to Flying Feathers or Wind Colour!"

"This is something you don't need to worry about." Li Cangyu softly interrupted him. "I have made the arrangements so don't worry. Even if I don't play Miracle, we can stay in touch… I have something to do here and have to hang up."

"Oh… take care."

After the call, Cheng Wei was still depressed and upset. His ability was too limited and even if he was as anxious as an ant in a hot pot, he couldn't think of a way to help the other person.

***

That night, Cheng Wei couldn't sleep and woke up the next morning with dark circles.

He stumbled and pushed open the bathroom door, only to see a tall person shaving in front of the mirror. Cheng Wei froze for a moment before remembering he had a new roommate, the newcomer Tan Shitian.

He lowered his head around Tan Shitian and walked to the side to squeeze out toothpaste. As result, he became dizzy and squeezed toothpaste onto his hand. Tan Shitian glanced at him and took the initiative to help him with the toothpaste. He handed the toothbrush to Cheng Wei and asked softly, "You didn't sleep well last night?"

Cheng Wei whispered an agreement and took the toothbrush to brush his teeth.

Tan Shitian stood next to him and watched. Cheng Wei's brushing action was child-like. As he cleaned each tooth, he was obviously worried about something. His dull eyes stared at the mirror like he was sleepwalking.

Did he have insomnia because he was reluctant about his idol leaving?

Tan Shitian didn't expect the fierce competition of the professional league to have such simply feelings. Only people like Cheng Wei would like a senior player so seriously. This type of liking didn't have any purpose and made people feel moved.

Before seeing Cheng Wei, Tan Shitian always heard that the Time team had a very talented teenager. He had been radiant from the beginning of his debut. Tan Shitian thought that Cheng Wei was a proud and capricious young player.

In this era, there were many children accustomed to being unruly at him. What's more, Cheng Wei was a talented player and the darling of the club. It was normal to be a bit arrogant.

Unexpected, Cheng Wei was such a simple person, simple enough to be a bit stupid.

However, the idiot standing in front of the mirror and brushing his teeth in a daze made Tan Shitian's heart soften. They might be the same age but this person was a whole head shorter than Tan Shitian and was still so simple and pure, like clean white paper. His character would definitely suffer a big loss in the league where dragons were mixed with fish.

At this moment, Cheng Wei was busy thinking and his right hand slipped. He suddenly poked his chin with his toothbrush and his chin was covered in white foam. Tan Shitian wanted to laugh but he forcibly resisted and helped bring over a towel. Cheng Wei accepted it and wiped himself up. Unfortunately, it wasn't clean and there were still many traces of foam left at the corner of his mouth. He looked especially funny.

Tan Shitian smiled and reached out, using his thumb to help wipe the foam at the corner of his mouth.

The skin that his fingers touched was warm and soft, just like touching a little animal.

Cheng Wei's head was a mess and he didn't notice the movement. He just felt the warmth of his lips and looked up at Tan Shitian with a puzzled expression. Then he lowered his head and used cold water to wash his face. After a while, he found that Tan Shitian was still standing next to him. Cheng Wei couldn't help looking over and asking, "Why are you still standing here? Do you need the toilet?"

Tan Shitian discovered that he was standing in the same place and watching Cheng Wei brush his teeth and wash his face…

Realizing that something was wrong, Tan Shitian touched his nose and turned away.

***

Cheng Wei finished washing his face and found breakfast already prepared on the table. Tan Shitian smiled at him and explained, "I heard the captain say that you like to eat the dumplings from the store across the street. I was going to buy breakfast anyway and bought it for you."

Cheng Wei's spirit lifted slightly after seeing the savoury buns and he sat down. "Thank you!" Then he smiled, picked up a bun and stuffed it into his mouth.

Cheng Wei had been very depressed these days and Tan Shitian rarely saw a smile on his face.

He had a chubby face and when he smiled, there were two dimples. The soft hair that curled over his ears was particularly cute. Was this what a 16 year old boy should look like?

This was unlike Tan Shitian. From an early age, he had been trained by his parents to be independent. He started cooking at seven years old and by the age of 10, he could go shopping alone. This made him develop a personality that was calm and unsettled.

After seeing Cheng Wei burying himself in the buns with dark eyes, Tan Shitian couldn't help comforting him. "You don't have to worry too much. Cat God definitely has his own ideas and at his level, he won't suffer."

Cheng Wei's mouth was stuffed with buns and he couldn't speak. He just nodded in agreement with the second part of Tan Shitian's words.

They finished eating breakfast and headed to the training room. Cheng Wei only saw Captain Xu and several new recruits. Xu Luo was clearly very surprised by the sight of Cheng Wei. He came over and asked, "Didn't you go home?"

Cheng Wei replied, "I have nothing to do when going back. I want to stay in the team and see if I can help."

Xu Luo smiled and patted Cheng Wei's shoulder. "This is the awareness of a vice-captain!"

Cheng Wei scratched his head and looked serious. "What does a vice-captain do? Captain Xu, direct me to do some tasks."

Xu Luo thought carefully. "Well, Tan Shitian is a newcomer being trained by the team. Since you live in the same dormitory and usually have to communicate, I will leave the task of training him to you. Play with him every day and let him adapt to the rhythm of the game as soon as possible. I want to take him to play next season."

"Understood." Since it was a task assigned by the captain, Cheng Wei didn't shirk away from it. He turned around to Tan Shitian and opened an arena room with him.

At this time, Tan Shitian had just entered the training camp while Cheng Wei already had a whole season of competition experience. The two people played three games and Cheng Wei won three consecutive victories. Tan Shitian didn't have the power to fight back.

In order to encourage the newcomer, Cheng Wei seriously typed on the public channel: [In a real game, the rhythm will be must faster than it is now. You have to adapt as soon as possible since Captain Xu said you will play next season."

Tan Shitian sent a smiling expression. [I know. Thank you, Vice-Captain Cheng."

***

During the season's holiday, Cheng Wei dutifully trained tan Shitian. He wasn't like Li Cangyu who developed a separate training program based on the characteristics of the players. He only transferred what he learnt to Tan Shitian, forgetting that the tactics for a white magician would be different from an archer. In fact, his experience wasn't necessarily useful for Tan Shitian. Fortunately, Tan Shitian was savvy and very talented so he didn't take a crooked path because of Cheng Wei.

The days passed quietly and Tan Shitian's level leapt forward. By the time of the last training session before the Spring Festival, he was able to tie with Cheng Wei in the arena.

Xu Luo was very satisfied with this. He smiled and patted Cheng Wei's shoulder. "After seeing you and Xiao Tan, I really have confidence in the future of the Time team!"

Cheng Wei didn't understand Xu Luo's meaning at the time. He didn't expect that Xu Luo would actually hand over the captain's position to Tan Shitian.

***

The Spring Festival ended and the fourth season started. Cheng Wei still missed Cat God but the increasingly heavy pressure of the matches meant he had to fully engross himself in playing.

In the fourth season, many teams changed and there was a big shuffle in the rankings of the league. Thanks to Xie Shurong leaving and Yu Pingsheng changing to a berserker, the third season's champion, Flying Feathers' decline was particularly severe. Wind Colour was stable and Ling Xuefeng was still one of the hardest opponents. The Lou Zhang combination of the Ghost Spirits team weren't as honed and weren't too much of a threat…

The most optimistic one turned out to be the Time team.

Tan Shitian had received media attention since he debuted. HIs handsome appearance was eye-catching. Combined with his good temper and smile on his face when answering questions, his popularity rose quickly. He became the darling of the Time team fans, even more than Cheng Wei in the third season.

More importantly, this handsome person wasn't a vase. He played an archer very calmly and could often hit a key player's chest from a long-distance. His accuracy and attack rate were terrible. His reaction speed might not be very fast but he was a newcomer who just debuted. It wasn't easy for a newcomer to do this.

It was due to Tan Shitian's presence that the Time team had a very high winning percentage in the regular season and consistently topped the scoreboard.

At the end of the first round of the fourth regular season, Xu Luo made the bold and amazing decision to hand over the captain's position to Tan Shitian.

Tan Shitian was only 17 years old. It was his debut yet Xu Luo made him the captain?

Many people questioned this decision and Xu Luo's explanation was, "I will definitely retire at the end of the fourth season. I selected the Time team's next captain in advance to facilitate a smooth transition. I think Xiao Tan's personal standards are obvious to everyone. The thing he lacks now is commanding experience. In the second half of the regular season, I will let him command the matches as captain."

No matter how surprised the reporters were or how fans opposed it, Xu Luo was very firm about his decision.

Tan Shitian became the youngest captain of the Miracle Professional League.

***

Cheng Wei wasn't convinced when he heard about it.

In his view, Tan Shitian was a slightly gifted newcomer. Captain Xu handing him the position in the middle of the season was too exaggerated and impulsive.

Besides, Tan Shitian debuted later than him. Wasn't it more reasonable to let the vice-captain take over as captain? Why was a newcomer selected over Cheng Wei to be captain?

Cheng Wei didn't want to be the captain. He just thought that Tan Shitian wasn't qualified for the position and Captain Xu's decision was likely to ruin the Time team. Thus, he was full of resistance to Tan Shitian's takeover as captain.

Sure enough, after Tan Shitian took over as captain, he lost several consecutive matches and the Time team slipped from first place to fifth.

Cheng Wei was distraught and as a straightforward person, he ran to Xu Luo and proposed, "Captain Xu, I think your decision is a bit impulsive! How long has it been since Tan Shitian debuted? Only half a year! He is too junior and inexperienced. He isn't qualified enough to be the captain!"

Xu Luo faced the helpless Cheng Wei and helplessly said, "But Xiao Wei, apart from him, what other player do you think can be the captain?"

Cheng Wei thought about it and replied, "How about Ah Jun? He debuted even earlier than me!"

Xu Luo smiled and shook his head. "He is a healer and has to take care of his teammates on the field. It is too difficult to command the game while adding blood. Ah Jun doesn't have the ability to look at six roads and listen to every direction."

Cheng Wei suggested, "Then what about Brother Kai? He is an output!"

Xu Luo shook his head again. "His personal level is excellent but he doesn't have a good idea about the bigger picture. He is a good soldier who obeys orders but he isn't a good general."

"There is still…" Cheng Wei wanted to continue but Xu Luo interrupted. "Xiao Wei, I can understand why you aren't convinced about Tan Shitian being the captain. After all, you looked after him when he first came to the team. He debuted later than you and his qualifications are lighter than you. You consider him as a junior, right?"

Cheng Wei frowned. "Isn't this the case?"

Xu Luo smiled and patted Cheng Wei's shoulder. "You are misjudging Tan Shitian. Age and experience aren't a problem. The reason I took a great risk by giving him the captain's position is because I like his calm personality. In addition, he is the player with the strongest idea of the big picture and the most sensitive tactical thinking among the new batch of players. Believe me, you and Xiao Tan will be the pillars of the Time team. As long as the two of you work together, the Time team can stand up in the storm and won't fall."

Cheng Wei, "…"

Captain Xu was so certain that Cheng Wei had nothing more to say. He could only go back to his dormitory.

***

Cheng Wei didn't know that before he knocked on the door, Tan Shitian was discussing the tactics for the next match with Xu Luo. After he came in, Tan Shitian actively avoided him and heard all his words.

Tan Shitian knew Cheng Wei's dissatisfaction and therefore became more motivated. He was eager to prove his strength in front of Cheng Wei and let Cheng Wei know that Tan Shitian was actually qualified to be the captain of the Time team.

Perhaps this was the mentality of young people who were more aggressive with their peers. Cheng Wei's doubts caused Tan Shitian's pride to be hurt. From that day on, Tan Shitian was more diligent than before. He went every night to discuss things with Xu Luo and stayed up late in his dormitory. He often watched matches all night and studied the tactical characteristics of every team, not wasting any minute. He was staying in a room with Cheng Wei but because Tan Shitian went out early and came back late, the two of them were rarely able to meet.

It was this type of effort that made Tan Shitian's tactical ideas improve rapidly. In addition, there was Xu Luo's guidance and analysis. After the first few failures, the Time team's performance gradually improved.

The thing that stunned everyone was that in the fourth season, Tan Shitian actually led the Time team to win the championship!

***

At the celebration party afterwards, Xu Luo officially announced his retirement. The Time team opened a brand new chapter with Tan Shitian as the captain and Cheng Wei as the vice-captain.

Originally, it was a happy thing to be able to prove his strength in front of Cheng Wei who looked down on him. If it was an ordinary person, he would taunt and laugh at Cheng Wei.

However, Tan Shitian saw Cheng Wei's red eyes and depressed expression at Xu Luo's departure and forgot all his previous unhappiness. Instead, his heart was soft and confused.

As Xu Luo disappeared down the corridor, he couldn't help extending his arm and placing it around Cheng Wei's shoulder. He spoke softly like he was coaxing a little child. "Don't be sad. Captain Xu is gone but there is still me. We will work together in the future, okay?"

Cheng Wei didn't speak and just looked up at Tan Shitian. It seemed he wasn't very happy to be bound to this person.

Tan Shitian smiled at his expression and gently touched his soft here. "There is no way, unless your leave Time or I pack up and leave… otherwise, we will be the new generation of leaders and will accompany the Time team until we retire."

At the time, they were still young and didn't expect this simple agreement to accompany them for so many years.

Tan Shitian didn't think that one day, he would like this person around him and didn't want to separate from him.

Later, every time he remembered these past events, he thought it was very fortunate that he came to the Time team and became the captain.

Over the years, he met many reliable teammates and experienced the glory of winning the championship, gaining an enviable popularity… but the rarest thing was that he met a person who he wanted to cherish all his life. This person was called Cheng Wei.

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Chapter 363 – The Covenant of Time (3): Travel Together

At the end of the World Competition, all members of the national team returned to China under the leadership of Chairman Nan Jiangang. Many reporters and fans rushed to the airport in advance in order to see these great gods. Unfortunately, in Beijing, many players directly transferred to the city where their club was located. Su and Yu went to Kunming, the Lou Zhang brothers flew to Shenzhen, Li Cangyu took the Canglan members back to Changsha…

The reporters stared at the exit of the airport and didn't see all the national team members appearing together. Instead, they only saw the Time team members, Tan Shitian, Cheng Wei and Lu Xiao coming out from the exit.

"Captain Tan, that is Captain Tan!" It was unknown who yelled from the crowd but the reporters found their target and immediately swarmed. Captain Tan saw them coming over and grabbed Cheng Wei's hand as he whispered, "Run!

Cheng Wei was stunned and by the time he recovered, he found that his hand was being tightly held by Tan Shitian while Tan Shitian's tall back was in front of him. Behind him was the screams of the reporters and the sound of photographers pressing the camera shutter.

It wasn't their first time being surrounded by reporters at the airport. Almost every time, Tan Shitian would protect Cheng Wei but the mood this time seemed different from usual.

Cheng Wei followed Tan Shitian and there was a whistling sound in his ears. He didn't know if it was because he was holding hands or running too fast. Cheng Wei only felt his breathing becoming more and more urgent and his heart was pounding quickly in his chest, almost like it would pop out.

It was hard to follow Tan Shitian all the way to the parking lot. Tan Shitian successfully found the club car that picked them up and opened the door to the back seat, letting Cheng Wei get on. He sat down next to Cheng Wei and closed the door. Lu Xiao got into the front passenger seat and panted as he spoke, "Captain, you only care about the vice-captain. What about me? Can't you show your other teammates some love?"

Tan Shitian smiled. "A sprinter still wants me to worry about him?"

Cheng Wei's heart was still beating quickly. In the narrow space, his violent heartbeat was clearer. He listened to the easy conversation between Lu Xiao and Tan Shitian and turned his head stiffly away, not daring to look at Tan Shitian's eyes.

Tan Shitian still hadn't let go of his hand.

There was something between the front and rear rows of the car and the driver and Lu Xiao couldn't see the movements of their hands. Cheng Wei had just followed Tan Shitian all the way here and his palms were sweating. The fingers that were touching almost felt like they were burning. Cheng Wei was a bit panicked and wanted to pull his hand back. However, if he did, wouldn't this show that he cared?

The car started moving and Cheng Wei's mind was a mess. He wondered if he show pull his hand away or not.

Tan Shitian only realized that he was still holding onto Cheng Wei's hand after the car reached high speed. He looked over at Cheng Wei and found that this person was thinking about something in a distressed manner. Tan Shitian smiled slightly and crossed their fingers together in an intimate gesture.

Cheng Wei jumped like he received an electric shock and pulled his hand back as he looked over at Tan Shitian. "What are you doing?"

Tan Shitian whispered into his ears. "You were holding on so tightly that I thought you wanted to hold hands with me."

Cheng Wei's hairs stood up and his face was red. "W-Who was holding onto you? I'm not a pervert!"

Tan Shitian stared at him seriously. "Then do you think I"m a pervert?"

At these deep eyes, Cheng Wei's heart was numb and he didn't know how to answer the question.

Tan Shitian didn't wait for his answer and withdrew his hand. He looked out the window and the expression on his face seemed a bit lonely. Cheng Wei realized that the word 'pervert' was too serious and was remorseful, but he couldn't apologize to Tan Shitian. He only turned his head and looked out the window.

The two of them didn't speak at all until they arrived at the club and Tan Shitian opened the door, taking the initiative to help carry the luggage back to the dormitory.

***

They had lived in the dormitory for many years and were very familiar with the furnishings.

From the end of the third season to the seventh season, Tan Shitian and Cheng Wei lived next door in the same dormitory for an entire four years. Their bedrooms were separate but the living room, kitchen and bathroom were shared. Cheng Wei often saw Tan Shitian walking around in a vest and shorts. The two people might often quarrel about various small things but this dormitory was still Cheng Wei's favourite place that made him feel relaxed and safe.

However, today was different. As Tan Shitian walked into the dormitory with his luggage, Cheng Wei felt a bit timid. He stood at the door and was afraid to walk into this familiar room. He stared at Tan Shitian and felt uncomfortable all over.

Once the door closed, only he and Tan Shitian would be left in this dormitory…

Would Tan Shitian do bad things? Would he press Cheng Wei into the bed again? What would Cheng Wei do if he did?

Cheng Wei was worried for a while and froze at the door. Tan Shitian put away his luggage and once he turned back, he found that Cheng Wei was standing dazed at the door. He walked in front of the dazed guy and patted him on the shoulder. "What's wrong with you? What have you been thinking about since returning to China?"

Cheng Wei's face reddened and he didn't dare tell Tan Shitian that he was thinking about being kissed. The thing that made him depressed was that every time he recalled Tan Shitian's kisses, he didn't feel disgusted at all. Instead, his heartbeat accelerated and he was even looking forward to it.

As Tan Shitian stared at him with confusion, Cheng Wei had to grab his hair and say, "I am thinking about the news conference. If the reporter asks me a question, how should I answer? I have to prepare the lines in advance."

Then he talked to himself as he walked around Tan Shitian. His head was so chaotic that he actually went to the wrong door and entered Tan Shitian's bed. It was only after seeing that the sheets weren't the right colour that he turned around and ran to his bedroom.

After seeing that he was so nervous, Tan Shitian finally couldn't help laughing. Cheng Wei was also embarrassed about going to the wrong room and didn't look back at Tan Shitian as he closed the door to his room.

***

Since it was currently the offseason, all players except for the national team were on holiday at home. Lu Xiao's family was in Beijing and once he returned, he went straight home. This left only Tan Cheng behind and it seemed a bit empty.

Cheng Wei was bored and practiced with a side account in the online game. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Cheng Wei opened his door in a perturbed manner, thinking that Tan Shitian was going to tease him with a kiss. As a result, the other person didn't do anything. Instead, he asked seriously, "There is still a lot of holiday time left. What are your plans?"

"I don't know." Cheng Wei scratched his head and replied. "My parents aren't home and I'm not interested in going back. I'll just stay here and wait for the team."

"Would you like to go out to play?" Tan Shitian looked seriously at Cheng Wei. "You have been playing the game all season and now you are still knocking on the keyboard all day. Don't you feel tired? It is better to go out and relax."

Cheng Wei felt a bit touched. "Where do you want to go?"

"How about going to Suzhou? I heard that the scenery in Jiangnan is very good and suitable for relaxation. I booked a special hotel there and we can stay for a while, slowly exploring." Tan Shitian saw Cheng Wei's eyes brighten and continued, "The cost of eating and drinking will all come from me. I just want to go travel and I'm missing a companion. It is boring to play alone. Do you want to go?"

Cheng Wei felt some doubts? "Paying for my food and accommodation? Is that okay?"

Tan Shitian smiled gently and harmlessly. "There is the bonus for the World Competition and I have no place to spend it. I want to go eat Suzhou food but I can't order too much as one person. In any case, you are idle so why not go together?"

Cheng Wei had low EQ but he knew that 'being particularly attentive for a wicked act or theft.' Tan Shitian had no reason to suddenly be good to him. What was his purpose? After careful consideration, Cheng Wei replied, "I can go with you but I have a condition."

Tan Shitian was in a hurry and asked, "What condition?"

Cheng Wei seriously told him, "First, I will pay for my own things. I can't take advantage of you. We won the World Competition and I also received the bonus. There is no reason for you to pay alone."

Tan Shitian saw his firm attitude and nodded. "No problem."

Cheng Wei continued, "Go out and play. We will just look at the scenery and eat delicious things. You can't… can't…"

Tan Shitian was puzzled. "I can't?"

Cheng Wei exclaimed angrily, "You can't tease me anymore!"

Tan Shitian smiled as he realized. "You mean, I can't kiss you?"

The words were in a deliberately low tone that gave off an extra temptation.

Cheng Wei's eyes widened. He never imagined that there could be anyone in the world as shameless as Tan Shitian. He wanted to tear the other person's mouth off but once he saw the smile, Cheng Wei could only sigh. He hung his head and turned around. "Forget it, I won't go."

"No, it is too boring alone!" Tan Shitian hurriedly reassured him. "Don't worry, I won't tease you again. I was wrong before so don't be angry. I promise that we're only going on the trip this time. There might be some misunderstandings between us but the Time team needs us to manage it together. Let's take advantage of this holiday to go out and relax for a few days, forgetting the past. Okay?"

Tan Shitian was warm and soft and few people could refuse.

His serious eyes, soft voice and warm smile gradually lowered Cheng Wei's defenses.

Perhaps Tan Shitian was right. No matter what contradictions they had before or how unpleasant they were, they would play together in the future as captain and vice-captain. It wasn't good if their relationship was too stiff.

Cheng Wei thought this and had to promise, "Okay, I'll go pack my bags!"

That night, Cheng Wei packed his luggage with great enthusiasm. He was full of expectations for Jiangnan. He imagined a good mountain, beautiful water scenario, delicious food and a fun place.

He didn't expect that when he went out with Tan Shitian, the person pretending to be a pure and harmless dog would gnaw at him until not every bones were left.

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Chapter 364 – The Covenant of Time (4): Suddenly I Want to Kiss You

The next morning at 8 o'clock, Cheng Wei was woken up by the alarm clock. He washed his face and came to the dining room where he found that steamed buns and soy milk had been placed on the table. Tan Shitian still remembered that he loved the buns from the store across the street and thoughtfully bought breakfast.

Cheng Wei ate the breakfast bought by Tan Shitian and his mood was particularly pleasant. He ate all of it in one breath and wiped his mouth with satisfaction before bringing out his suitcase. The moment Tan Shitian came in, Cheng Wei greeted him before asked, "Is it necessary to go to the airport in advance? What if there is a traffic jam on the road?

Tan Shitian nodded. "Yes, it's time to go. Let me get my luggage."

"Is there a taxi?"

Tan Shitian smiled. "I already called for a car."

Cheng Wei scratched his head and looked over at his luggage. He didn't know what to say.

On the way, Cheng Wei didn't have to worry about anything. Once they landed at the airport, Tan Shitian had called a car in advance. At the hotel, Tan Shitian had also booked the room in advance. He even checked the route for the place they were having dinner. Cheng Wei just needed to follow Tan Shitian and he would eat and live well without doing anything.

To Cheng Wei's surprise, they were eating at a famous restaurant in Suzhou when they met a group of acquaintances.

"Hey Captain Tan!" The person who actively rushed to say hello was the vice-captain of the Red Fox team, Yang Muzi.

"Captain Tan, Vice-Captain Cheng, are you here for a holiday?" The Red Fox captain, Liu Xiang also came over and she was followed by the members Meng Jie, Luo Shanshan and others. The Red Fox team had come out to play with their captain. The female players were dressed in casual clothes and mixed in with the crowd, not many people recognizing them.

Once Tan Shitian saw his acquaintances, he smiled and stood up. "Captain Liu, what a coincidence."

Cheng Wei also smiled and waved at them. "Hello, is this a group trip?"

Yang Muzi actively ran over and sat down. "There is a month's holiday so we went out to eat and drink. It is such a coincidence that we also met the two of you! Do you mind sharing a table?"

Tan Shitian replied politely, "Of course I don't mind. This time, I'll treat you."

The Red Fox and Time team had a good relationship and often met in private. In particular, Tan Shitian and Liu Xiang were players who debuted in the fourth season. They were very familiar with each other from their time as newcomers and they stayed in touch after they became captains of their teams. It was estimated that the players Tan Shitian had the best relationship with were Su Guangmo and Liu Xiang.

Liu Xiang naturally sat to the right of Tan Shitian and asked in a worried manner, "Were you blocked by reporters at the airport?"

Tan Shitian told her, "No, I ran quickly."

Liu Xiang smiled. "That's good. Cat God and Captain Ling accepted the interview for the national team while we can sneak out and play."

The two people smiled at each other as Tan Shitian said, "Yes, I hate dealing with reporters. I have to answer the same question several times and feel that I look stupid when I smile at the camera."

Liu Xiang smiled. "Me too. The official words are too fake."

Both of them were captains and had more common topics to talk about. Cheng Wei normally didn't care but now that he saw them smiling, he felt annoyed for some reason.

The image of the handsome man and beautiful woman was too great.

This restaurant had an extremely good environment and was arranged in the style of a Jiangnan garden. The restaurant was very quiet and Tan Shitian and Liu Xiang spoke in low voices, looking at each other from time to time. The handsome man and the gentle and beautiful woman looked like a couple completely in love.

Moreover, the shape of their relationship was really a perfect match.

Liu Xiang's personality was strong and decisive but her appearance was that of a typical lady. She usually liked to wear simple and generous dressed. Her long hair fell to her waist and her smile was gentle. Her aesthetics were definitely at a goddess level for men and it was why Liu Xiang was the most popular female player in the domestic league.

Tan Shitian and Liu Xiang together were simply eye-catching and looked like a pair of heavenly creations.

Yang Muzi joked beside him and if it was an ordinary situation, Cheng Wei and Yang Muzi would be a team laughing together. However, today he was in a bad mood and Cheng Wei didn't listen to her words. The image of Tan Shitian and Liu Xiang speaking quietly together made him confused.

It wasn't until a special dish came to the table and Tan Shitian reminded him to eat that Cheng Wei's soul returned.

"This is the special squirrel mandarin fish of Suzhou. It is sour and sweet and the taste if very fresh." Tan Shitian placed a piece in Cheng Wei's bowl and smiled. "Taste it. If it is delicious then recommend it to your idol."

Liu Xiang laughed. "Speaking of Cat God, if he was here today then we wouldn't even get a share of the fish."

The Red Fox sisters laughed together and Cheng Wei smiled as he placed the piece of fish into his mouth. The fish was really delicious but he completely lost his appetite at the image of Tan Shitian and Liu Xiang smiling together.

***

This meal was naturally bought by Tan Shitian. By the time dinner ended, it was already 10:30 in the evening. Tan Shitian was worried that the female players of Red Fox wouldn't be safe on the road so late and personally called a car to send them back. Then he returned to the hotel.

On the way back, Cheng Wei didn't talk. His head hung down and there was no expression on his face. Tan Shitian wondered, "Are you tired?"

"Yes." Cheng Wei replied in a perfunctory manner. In fact, he wasn't tired but was feeling uncomfortable in his heart. It was like a heavy stone was pressing on it, making him almost breathless.

Tan Shitian say that he wasn't in the mood and stopped talking to Cheng Wei. He simply smiled and said, "If you're tired, go back and sleep early."

Back at the hotel, Cheng Wei went to the bathroom and was deep in thought as he took a bath.

A man like Tan Shitian should be the perfect husband in girl's hearts? His straight figure and handsome appearance had fascinated a large number of fans. In addition, he was young, promising, could keep calm in any situation, had a good temple, was gentle and considerate. If Tan Shitian publicly announced that he wanted to marry, the girls lining up to marry him would probably go all the way around Suzhou.

What did of girl did he like? Which girl would be lucky enough to become his wife?

Would it be Liu Xiang?

Liu Xiang was really beautiful and had a good personality. She didn't have a princess disease like some other beautiful girls nor was she pretentious. As the captain of Red Fox, she was very generous when facing reporters and calm during a game. It was said that her cooking skill was also great and anyone would be blessed to marry her.

Perhaps one day in the future, Tan Shitian would hug and kiss a girl, placing a ring on her finger as he received blessings from friends and relatives. He would gently prepare breakfast for his wife, carefully arrange trips with his wife then have a cute little baby…

Cheng Wei thought about it and became more and more irritated. He found that he couldn't accept that 'Tan Shitian will get married.'

In these four years, he had been with Tan Shitian. Regardless of whether they were arguing or cooperating in the game, he had become accustomed to Tan Shitian and was used to seeing Tan Shitian. When he was angry, he could quarrel with Tan Shitian and when he was happy, he could share it with Tan Shitian.

If Tan Shitian was to get married in the future, Cheng Wei could no longer get along with Tan Shitian as he did now. There would be no one to wake up early in the morning and buy breakfast for him. No one would comfort him when he was sad or tolerate all his problems like Tan Shitian…

***

Cheng Wei stayed in the bathroom for a long time and his eyes were red when he came out.

Tan Shitian was leaning on his bed and texting. He saw that Cheng Wei was walking around with his head hung low and seemed to be in a bad mood. Tan Shitian couldn't help worrying. "What's wrong? Are you in a bad mood?"

"No, it's nothing." Cheng Wei didn't dare let the other person discover his thoughts. He took a deep breath and adjusted his emotions. Then he turned his back to Tan Shitian and lay down, telling him, "Go and wash up."

"Yes, then you sleep early." Tan Shitian went to took a bath while Cheng Wei tried to sleep. He heard the sounds coming from the bathroom and couldn't sleep. After a while, Tan Shitian came out and found a big bulge on the bed. It was obvious that Cheng Wei had buried himself inside.

Tan Shitian was worried that he would suffocate himself and walked over, gently opening the quilt. As a result, Tan Shitian saw a scene that shocked him. Cheng Wei's eyes were red and wet, like he was going to cry at any second.

Tan Shitian's heart seemed to be grabbed by a pair of hands. He immediately sat on the bed and gently touched Cheng Wei's wet hair, asking softly, "What's wrong? Who bullied you?"

Cheng Wei bit his lip and didn't speak. He twisted his head and refused to look at Tan Shitian.

Tan Shitian gently pinched his chin and forced his head back. "What happened?"

Cheng Wei was silent for a moment before directly asking, "Do you like Liu Xiang?"

Tan Shitian was stunned. "How can you ask this?"

"The two of you have known each other for many years and debuted together. Everyone says that your best relationship in private is with Liu Xiang. You are also a good match when standing together."

Tan Shitian smiled. "I'm only friends with her."

Cheng Wei didn't believe it. "How is that possible? She is so beautiful. Your heart isn't moved at all?"

Tan Shitian reluctantly replied, "There are many beautiful girls. Liu Xiang isn't the type I like."

Cheng Wei was a bit curious. "What type do you like?"

Tan Shitian smiled and leaned closer. "Your bad mood today… is it because you are jealous?"

Cheng Wei was stunned before reacting. His cheeks turned red and he immediately denied it. "Nonsense! How can I be jealous? You and I aren't…"

Maybe it was because he was nervous but his tongue was knotted and he couldn't complete a sentence.

Tan Shitian saw his flustered expression and couldn't help touching Cheng Wei's red face. "I promised you something before leaving Beijing but now… I might have to break my promise."

The distance between the two of them was getting closer. Cheng Wei asked nervously, "W-What?"

Tan Shitian smiled and lowered his voice. "I promised not to kiss you but now I suddenly want to kiss you."

Cheng Wei stared and didn't know how to react as his lips were gently covered by Tan Shitian.

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Chapter end