Volume 1, Chapter 148: The Other Mastermind

Ghost’s mother held onto him, refusing to let him go. "You pour all your heart and mind into gaming, and you don't even have time to come home and spend time with your parents. Now that you've finally managed to come back, you want to leave without even stepping through the front door. Do you think that's appropriate?"

"Mom, I have important business to attend to right now," Ghost said, looking somewhat conflicted.

Ghost’s mother refused to let go. "How important could it possibly be?"

"Mom..."

Chi Xingwan walked over and said, "Hello, ma'am. I'm a friend of Ghost's. May we come in and be your guests?"

Hearing her address her son like that, Ghost’s mother immediately knew she was a friend from the game. Her enthusiasm vanished instantly, though she maintained her polite facade on the surface.

"You are welcome."

Once inside Ghost's home, everyone took their seats, and Ghost went to help his mother prepare tea. Among the remaining group, only Captain Yulong was completely clueless.

He whispered to Xiao Rui, "Why are we suddenly dropping in as guests? Aren't we just causing trouble for people?"

Xiao Rui let out a deep sigh and said with a melancholic expression, "Once the truth is exposed, what is Ghost going to do?"

Zhang Shaodan asked Chi Xingwan in a low voice, "Are you really sure there's no mistake? How could a mother hire someone to harm her own son?"

Captain Yulong’s eyes widened upon hearing this. "Wait, what are you guys talking about? The person who hired the assailant is Ghost's... mother? There must be some mistake. The relationships within their family are very good."

Chi Xingwan said, "Perhaps she was used by someone or deceived, but I am certain it was her. As for the reason, only she knows."

Just then, the front door opened, and Ghost’s father walked in. Seeing so many people seated in the living room, he paused for a brief moment in surprise.

Captain Yulong stood up to greet him. "Hello, sir. I'm A-You's captain."

Ghost's father finally reacted. "Ah, it's you. You must all be A-You's friends, here as guests?"

Chi Xingwan whispered, "The other mastermind has appeared."

Captain Yulong almost bit his tongue, hurriedly replying, "Yes, we happened to be passing by, so we dropped in for a visit."

Ghost and his mother returned carrying the tea. Xiao Rui motioned for Ghost to sit between him and Captain Yulong.

Chi Xingwan weighed her words carefully and asked, "Respected elders, how do you view..."

Zhang Shaodan whispered in her ear, "Ghost's real name is Xu Jinyou."

Chi Xingwan nodded slightly and continued, "How do you view your son Xu Jinyou's career?"

Xu's father looked somewhat irritated. He felt that a junior had no right to ask him such a question, but given Chi Xingwan's respectful tone, it was hard for him to put on a cold face.

He could only force down his discomfort and reply, "We didn't agree to it at first, but A-You was very insistent. As parents, how could we win against our child? In the end, we still gave in."

Ghost wore a slightly guilt-ridden expression. "Mom, Dad, thank you for being willing to compromise for me."

Xu's mother wore an uneasy look, saying in a muffled voice, "We actually wanted you to be like Xunqing, studying properly. Look at Xunqing—he's about to graduate with a bachelor's degree. He has great grades and a high chance of being recommended for graduate school without an exam. That's what having a future looks like. Who wouldn't envy a family with a child like that?"

Ghost lowered his head. He wanted to say that e-sports was also a proper job, but in order not to agitate his parents, he ultimately held his tongue.

However, Zhang Shaodan could not endure it any longer. This was her industry; how could she allow outsiders to slander it?

"Uncle, Auntie, allow me to say this: being an e-sports player is a legitimate profession recognized by the authorities. Furthermore, the league authorities where A-You works manage their players very strictly. Our players are not as ignorant and incompetent as you think."

Xu's mother frowned slightly. "And who might you be?"

Zhang Shaodan replied, "I am the owner of the league."

The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward. Chi Xingwan gave a light cough to steer the conversation back on track. "In your hearts, you actually don't want Xu Jinyou to be an e-sports player, do you? You're dying for him to retire immediately."

Xu's father sneered. "We do indeed hope he retires soon. He is already in his twenties. Others have already spent years studying in university, while he has fallen behind by several years."

Ghost said with a wronged expression, "I've been attending university too."

"How can you call that attending university? You're asking for leave every other day. You don't have time to study properly at all. If back then you had turned back early like Xunqing, by now you might even be able to take the graduate school entrance exams."

These words not only drove Ghost's head down further, but even Xiao Rui felt as though he had taken a stray arrow to the knee.

Chi Xingwan let out a laugh. "I heard that the relationships within your family are quite good. From the looks of it now, it's nothing much."

Xu's father's face darkened. "What kind of language is that? So rude!"

Ghost also immediately advised, "Ms. Chi, no, that's not it. My parents just don't really agree with me being an e-sports player; our relationship is very good at all other times."

"Relationship is very good?" Chi Xingwan sneered. "Good enough to hire an assassin to destroy your hands?"

The expressions on Xu's father and mother's faces changed instantly, both of them revealing looks of terror in a split second.

Ghost asked in a dazed voice, "Ms. Chi, what are you talking about?"

He froze for a long moment before finally reacting. "You're saying that mercenary who harmed me... was hired by my parents? How is that possible?"

Xu's father shouted sternly to cut him off. "Enough! Are you deliberately trying to ruin our family? Our family doesn't welcome you. Leave at once."

His voice was urgent and laced with guilt. Beside him, Xu's mother was already trembling all over.

Ghost saw it all. Incredulous, he asked, "Dad, Mom, is it true? Did you hire people to hurt me? Why? Am I not your son?"

"Of course you are our son." Seeing Ghost's shattered expression, Xu's mother burst into tears. "It is precisely because you are our son that we could no longer stand by and watch you walk down the wrong path."

This statement amounted to an admission. Ghost suddenly felt the world spinning around him. Captain Yulong and Xiao Rui supported him from either side—first, to provide him with some physical support, and second, out of fear that Ghost might do something impulsive.

"Why?" After a long while, Ghost asked in a hoarse voice.

Seeing that the matter had been exposed, Xu's father stopped denying it. "A-You, we humored your nonsense for the past few years, but not anymore. You're already in your twenties. Since you refuse to give up this so-called profession, let your mom and dad help you."

Ghost let out a miserable, bitter laugh. "Hiring people to harm me—is this what you call help? Do you care about my safety that little?"

Weeping, Xu's mother shook her head. "No, that's not it. We gave that person strict instructions to be careful with their methods. As long as you suffered a minor injury, just making your hands a little less flexible, it wouldn't affect your future life."

Hearing these words, Ghost felt a stabbing pain throughout his entire heart. He raised his head to look at the ceiling, trying to stop his tears from falling, but it was all in vain; his tears spilled over anyway.

Just making his hands a little less flexible, just...

Yet this was something more important to him than his own life.