Perhaps Lin Jiaxin’s encouragement had truly worked.
Or perhaps it was simply the pent-up desire to show off at play.
Either way, everyone on the team except “Lord of Shadows” had improved by an entire tier.
Especially Jett—his hands were no longer shaking, and his aim was no longer sloppy.
Holding the AK (Vandal) Lin Jiaxin had bought for him.
He went everywhere looking for people, killing anyone he saw!
Of course, even after getting kills, he still stayed true to his original purpose.
Every single time, he’d immediately walk up to Lin Jiaxin, “Mommy, Mommy,” begging for praise.
In response, Lin Jiaxin could only suppress the urge to curse and praise him.
Meanwhile, the “Lord of Shadows” avatar in the bottom-left corner was still flashing…
“Match point!”
An impassioned female voice rang out. The score had finally been tied, then overtaken, arriving at the match-point round that would be decided in a single game.
Lin Jiaxin’s expression darkened, and she felt her whole body growing hot.
‘Finally… this comeback match has reached its last moment?’
Watching her teammates’ morale surge higher and higher.
Lin Jiaxin looked back at her own loadout—full abilities, a rifle, and full armor.
She arrogantly smirked, the corner of her mouth twisting up.
A long-suppressed urge to show off quietly surfaced from the depths of her heart.
This stage had been built for her after all!
This time, she wouldn’t act sweet!
[Come on! Watch your Sister Xin’s performance, okay?]
Just as the brimming-with-confidence Lin Jiaxin was about to unleash her skills in a 1v5…
Then… she got kicked to death by the enemy.
She had just stepped out of position, before she could even see where anyone was. She was one-tapped in the head.
The others, hoping to loot her, followed her out, dry peeking and trading shots.
Then… they, too, were all mowed down by the enemy’s machine gun.
Only a low-health Jett managed to escape using his movement ability.
“#$%@*@$&————”
The “Lord of Shadows” avatar in the bottom-left corner was now flashing frantically.
She didn’t need to guess what he was saying.
She just ignored him…
“One-tap!”
At the same moment, Jett’s voice suddenly burst through the microphone into the team voice chat.
His pitch was so high it pierced the audio, producing an electric buzz.
It turned out he had held B Site alone, taking down all five enemies on the attack!
He completed a team wipe ace!
Lin Jiaxin, who had thought they were about to lose and had been feeling a bit deflated, suddenly had her eyes light up.
“Nice shot! Nice shots, nice shots! We won!”
This time, she genuinely couldn’t hold back her praise.
He withstood such immense pressure and still won!
Of course, Lin Jiaxin also didn’t forget to play the credit-claiming kid for the Immortal Bro beside her to hear:
“Aiya, Jett, you see? It was the gun I bought you, right?”
After speaking, she discreetly glanced to the side.
He had just died and happened to be looking her way.
Lin Jiaxin was secretly thrilled.
‘As long as he heard, all that acting wasn’t for nothing!’
‘Your Sister Xin has such a good attitude, such a nice voice, and such a gentle temper.’
‘I refuse to believe I can’t attract you!’
“Mommy, Mommy! I made it to second place! I’ve got skills, right? Want to duo queue together, Mommy?”
At that moment, Jett also sent a party invitation over voice chat.
But Lin Jiaxin still planned to invite the Immortal Bro to play matches.
So she tactfully declined: “Let’s play another time. I need to go eat.”
“Then Mommy, want to add me on WeChat? We can schedule ahead next time!”
Hearing this, Jett shamelessly kept clinging to Lin Jiaxin.
‘A voice this pretty means the face definitely can’t be bad!’
‘No way I’m letting this one go!’
“You… next time you see me online in-game, just invite me directly. I don’t randomly add people for private contact.”
Lin Jiaxin couldn’t help but roll her eyes, casually clicking “add friend” to brush him off.
‘It’s a rented account anyway. Next time, you can slowly look for the next renter or the account owner to play with!’
“Okay, bye-bye.”
Seeing that Jett still wanted to say something more, Lin Jiaxin said her goodbyes in advance and left the room.
‘So annoying. He really talks too much!’
‘Are all Valorant-addicted juniors this irritating?’
Lin Jiaxin pursed her lips, took off her headphones, put on a fangirl expression once more, and began watching the Immortal Bro beside her play.
When he died and entered spectator mode.
Only then did she strike up a conversation, pulling a pack of cigarettes from her pocket.
She placed one in her own mouth and offered one to him.
“Here, handsome, have one… Do you have a light? Can I borrow one?”
“Huh?”
The Immortal Bro, somewhat startled, took off one side of his headphones and quickly waved his hand: “Sorry, I don’t smoke… None of us smoke.”
“Oh, oh, I see.”
Lin Jiaxin nodded with feigned regret and put the cigarette back into the pack.
Actually, she didn’t smoke either.
Neither in her previous life nor in this one did she smoke.
She had bought these cigarettes on the way to the internet café.
Her goal was to build a good relationship with those game domain gods, to get closer to them.
So even if the Immortal Bro had been a smoker.
And had handed the lighter to Lin Jiaxin.
Lin Jiaxin would only have pretended to light the cigarette.
Then faked a few puffs before turning it into a conversation—she wouldn’t have actually lit it.
“Wow, nice shot! That shot was so cool!”
Lin Jiaxin kept watching his screen, and when she saw him clutch a 1v3 endgame, she hurriedly clapped and praised him.
Then she pretended to know nothing.
In a fake, adoring tone, she asked:
“Handsome, what rank are you? You seem really strong!”
The Immortal Bro still didn’t turn his head, casually brushing her off: “Me? I’m Radiant… just average, I guess.”
Lin Jiaxin quickly pressed the advantage:
“But I really think you’re amazing. How about we play a few rounds together?”
As she spoke, she didn’t forget to sing her own praises a bit: “I’m pretty solid, and I don’t like to flame people. Don’t worry.”
“Uh…”
The Immortal Bro turned his head to glance at her and let out two dry laughs: “Haha… nah, I’m playing with my girlfriend, my buddy, and his girlfriend.”
“But there are only four of you.”
Lin Jiaxin stood up, seriously counting the other people in the booth on her fingers:
“See, with me that’s exactly five. We can even sign up for the internet café’s tournament, and if we win, we can go to the City Championship!”
“Ah…”
The Immortal Bro glanced at his girlfriend beside him, who was clearly neither as good-looking as Lin Jiaxin nor as gentle.
He sighed and, with tears in his heart, could only force out the heartless words:
“We… actually already have another friend lined up to play with. There’s no room, haha.”
[Dammit… Your Sister Xin is using the dumb beauty persona, and he still isn’t tempted?]
Lin Jiaxin’s face darkened, her mouth twitching.
‘I already acted like this, being so cute, and he still won’t team up with me?’
‘What the hell?’
‘Did your Sister Xin play this persona for so long for nothing? And take that mutt’s scolding for nothing?’
‘Now that the games are over, adding him to curse him back isn’t realistic either!’
Lin Jiaxin bit her lip, her face cycling between pale and red.
She felt herself about to heat up…
But… she couldn’t show it.
Especially not in front of this Radiant brat!
It would be too embarrassing…
So… Lin Jiaxin immediately turned her head away, not letting the other person see her expression.
Then she let out a disdainful snort: “Hmph… like I have no one to play with…”
With that, Lin Jiaxin took out her phone and opened the Valorant Talent Market.
In a casual, indifferent tone, she sent a voice message:
“1=4, looking for a few Ascendants to push rank. No toxic kids.”
After sending it, she set down her phone, put the cigarette she had held earlier between her lips, pouted her lower lip, and idly watched the screen while bouncing her crossed leg…