Ye Qiu followed the echo of the voice down the dim hallways until it led him to the main game room—a spacious lounge that was supposed to be locked after hours.
He paused in front of the door, heart pounding. With a tense breath, he counted down internally:
Three... two... one—
He slammed the door open and stormed inside, broomstick in hand, ready for confrontation.
"AHHH!"
"AHHH!"
Both he and Chan Guo, who had been inside the dark room, screamed in pure shock—startled by each other's sudden presence.
"Chan Guo?!"
"Ye Xiu?!" she yelled, half-confused, half-furious. "What the hell was that for?!"
But Ye Qiu didn't answer. He squinted into the darkness, confused.
"Why is this place so dark?" he asked, scanning the room, still gripping the broom tightly.
Chan Guo stood there with one hand on her hip, glaring like an angry boss who had definitely not expected company. After a few seconds, she sighed dramatically, reached to the table, and grabbed the remote. She tapped a button, and the entire room lit up, revealing the full gaming lounge in vibrant light.
Now face-to-face in full clarity, they stared at each other, both breathing slightly heavy.
Chan Guo raised a brow. "What the hell just happened, Ye Xiu?"
Ye Qiu shrugged, still trying to process. "I thought... I heard yelling. I thought a thief had broken in or something—"
"A thief?!" she scoffed, cutting him off. "So your plan was to go full vigilante mode and scare the soul out of me in the process?!"
Ye Qiu blinked. That was fair.
Then his eyes drifted to the large screen behind her. Her character was paused mid-battle. She'd been gaming. Loudly.
"Oh. You were just... playing a game?"
"Obviously," she replied dryly.
He frowned. "But I don't get it. If you were just gaming, how did I hear you all the way upstairs? Last I checked, the game doesn't require that much screaming."
She narrowed her eyes and took a step forward, arms crossed.
"No. Here's what I don't get, Ye Xiu," she said sharply. "How did you hear me when this room is soundproof?"
Ye Qiu's mouth opened, but no words came. That couldn't be true. Could it?
"I don't believe you," he said simply, trying to make sense of it. "I know I heard your voice."
Chan Guo tilted her head, smirking.
"So not only did you charge in like an action movie reject, but you also just called your boss a liar. Wow, Ye Xiu. Bold move."
She stepped closer, now almost face to face. "Is this your first job ever? Yeah?" She leaned in, tone dripping with mock sweetness. "Want to find out how fast someone can get fired on their first job?"
Ye Qiu met her glare in silence.
As much as he didnt want to get fired, he couldnt help but wonder why he was even here in the first place, after withdrawing from the team he wasn't planning to find another job, moreover he was still loaded from his previous savings, 'what the hell was i thinking' He taught.
Chan Guo watched him carefully, mistaking his silence for guilt.
"Good. I see you're finally reflecting on your behavior," she said, more calmly. "Maybe now you realize how unethical this little stunt was." she sighed tieedly, "I mean" she continued, "if this room wasn't soundproof, don't you think others would've heard too? Why are you the only one who came?"
Ye Qiu recalled walking past others on his way here. He had heard someone say "She's at it again," but he didn't think much of it at the time.
"Maybe they're just too intimidated to get involved," he blurted.
Chan Guo nodded. "As they should be. You should be too."
"Why should I?" Ye Qiu shot back, his voice cool.
There was something about her—the arrogance, the constant taunting—that ticked him off. He could already feel himself slipping further into the arms of the Anti-Team, and honestly? He didn't mind.
Chan Guo exhaled sharply, clearly getting heated. She fanned herself with her small hand, as if warding off the anger threatening to boil over.
"You know what—"
But before she could finish, a muffled voice shouted through her headset:
"We're still waiting! What's keeping you?!"
"I SAID I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!" she screamed back at the mic.
"THEN COME BACK ALREADY!"
Chan Guo groaned and yanked the headset off, tossing it on the table as Ye Qiu simply stared, one brow raised.
This whole night was starting to feel like a fever dream.