Chapter 69: When A Fan First Meet Another

The webpage refreshed. In front of Yan Xiaoling lay an empty forum with "Lou Cheng" in the top-left corner. At the bottom, it read, "Apprentice Moderator Eternal Nightfall. Followed by: 1." As the creator, her ID was automatically promoted to Apprentice Moderator, and in one week, she would officially become the moderator.

"Lou Cheng's first home on the net. I'll start to decorate it!" Yan Xiaoling cheered. She downloaded a photo from the official website and made it the forum's header. Then she created several posts:

• Reception (I'm Lou Cheng's fan!)

• Match Videos

• Life Snapshots

She started to organize everything. She had just finished downloading all the relevant videos, photos, and news when a thought made her frown. This isn't gonna be Lou Cheng's only tournament. Stacking everything in one post will be a nightmare...

With a heavy heart, she deleted all the posts and started over, a new sense of purpose taking hold.

• The First Phoenix Cup Warrior Sage Candidate Challenge Tournament Videos

• The First Phoenix Cup Warrior Sage Candidate Challenge Tournament Photos

• The First Phoenix Cup Warrior Sage Candidate Challenge Tournament News

• Everyday Lou Cheng January

She added the content, highlighted each post, and backed them up to the cloud. Sipping her soy milk, she was perfectly satisfied. She opened the "Check In" post, ready to make her first comment and solidify her status as Lou Cheng's number one fan.

To her surprise, there was already a reply.

[I am Lou Cheng's first fan!]

"Who is this?" Yan Xiaoling glared at the ID, "Brahman," as if a thief had broken into her home. "I created this forum! I'm Lou Cheng's first fan! I! I! I!" Her heart ached. She blamed her moment of complacency, the sip of soy milk that had cost her the lead.

Brahman didn’t respond. She had vanished after forestalling Yan Xiaoling. Yan Xiaoling debated deleting the comment but accidentally returned to the home page. She fumed.

[Why are you stealing my new idol’s forum!]

[Eternal Nightfall! Come out and explain yourself! Answer for what you have done!]

[I should be the one creating this forum!]

[I’m wronged. I’m sad. I’m depressed...] Yan Xiaoling chanted to herself, trying to calm down. She posted a new topic. [First come, first served. My Lou Cheng is a martial artist from the Warrior Sage Challenge Tournament. Who’s your new idol?]

[The same Lou Cheng from the Warrior Sage Challenge Tournament. I have made him my idol in Round Three, definitely earlier than you!] Brahman stood her ground.

Yan Xiaoling burst into laughter, her anger replaced by delight. "Yeah, so? I created this forum after all. Why didn't you get on this earlier?"

A minute passed with no reply. Yan Xiaoling felt proud of her sharp tongue. Then Brahman’s new post appeared, stopping her self-satisfaction. [What’s the big deal that you created this forum? Do you have this photo?]

"Photo? What photo?" Yan Xiaoling clicked the post and saw a photo of two guys laughing foolishly. One of them was Lou Cheng.

"Where did you get this photo?" she questioned, shocked.

Brahman replied with a proud laugh. [You don’t know this photo? Only an old-time fan has access to such a dark history of Lou Cheng!]

Yan Xiaoling searched online but couldn't find the source. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she softened her tone. "Fine, you started to follow him before me. I won't delete your reply. But could you tell me where you got this photo?"

[That's it? I need to think about it. Should you call me 'senior' or 'master'?] Brahman assumed a grand air.

Yan Xiaoling replied instantly.

[Father!]

Astonished, Brahman responded, [Where is your pride? Don’t you have any shame?]

[Father, I have neither pride nor shame. Just tell me, please!] Yan Xiaoling was pleased with her own candor.

Brahman wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. [Fine. I’ll share the link, but you must make me the deputy moderator once you become the official moderator.]

[Done deal!] Yan Xiaoling clicked the link, fast-forwarded through the beginning, and returned to the post to share her thoughts. [Haha! Didn’t know Lou Cheng was this silly. Hmm... This silly boy must be warm and caring!]

[I agree! Also mysterious and charming,] Brahman replied. [Sigh... Lou Cheng retired from the tournament... When I saw the news, I knew I probably wouldn’t hear anything about him until the next university martial arts competition. That’s why I wanted to create a forum to commemorate. You got one step ahead of me...]

Yan Xiaoling sent a spinning emoji. [I saw the announcement on the official site. He fought so fiercely yesterday. He must be exhausted.]

The more the two girls talked about Lou Cheng, the stronger their bond became. Finally, Yan Xiaoling asked, "Do you think Lou Cheng will find this forum and browse in secret?"

[I doubt it. Except for newbies, who would search for their own name on the internet? He probably won't realize he has a forum until he becomes famous,] Brahman, a seventh-grader, tried to sound mature, assuming Eternal Nightfall was even younger.

Yan Xiaoling closed her eyes and let her imagination run wild. When he finds this place, the forum will have many, many fans, and I will have posted many, many threads for him, and made it more and more like his home on the internet. How warm and touching!

[And when he sees our first post, he will be surprised at how long we’ve been supporting him,] Brahman replied in a young girl's romantic tone.

A small forum. Two small girls. Much small warmth.

---

Outside the train station, Lou Cheng wiped the sweat from his brow and scrambled out of the taxi. He headed to security, feeling a little guilty. Uncle, I'm sorry, but you aren't going to get rich from this.

After security, he found a quiet corner and dialed his master’s number. It was time to share the good news. Master has sharp eyes. He probably saw my potential and predicted my advance. But my victory over Zhou Yuanning and the narrow win over Ye Youting, both surprises, should be beyond his expectation. A place in the top eight should be a good surprise for him.

As the phone rang, Lou Cheng felt proud and pleased with himself, waiting for his master to pick up.

Bathing in the sun on his balcony, Geezer Shi was drinking, his eyes narrowed, enjoying the precious winter warmth. His mobile vibrated beside him. Without turning, he shouted, “Bastard, finally!” The phone disappeared from the table and reappeared in his palm.

“Bastard! What took you so long to call me?” Geezer Shi answered with a grin.

Lou Cheng laughed. "I dared not bother you before getting a good result." Of course, I’ll wait for everything to settle first.

Dared not call without a good result? Or spent a few days to brace up? Geezer Shi nodded slightly and asked with a sneer, "Now you know how many martial artists are out there and how many of them are in your league. Be honest with me. How many rounds did you make it?" He took a sip.

"That sounded a bit weird..." Lou Cheng let the thought go and answered proudly, "The eighth place!"

Geezer Shi's wine gushed forth, turning into snowflakes. "What did you say? The eighth place?" His coarse voice rose.

Lou Cheng could hear the joy in his master's voice. He moved the phone away from his ear and chuckled. "I did my best and made it to the top eight. I’m too exhausted to continue. I requested an early retirement." I’m proud! I’m happy!

This was not a surprise for Geezer Shi. It was a horror! He wanted to get the truth but managed to hold back his questions, clinging to his dignity as a master.

"I'll figure it out from someone else..." He cleared his throat. "Not bad. Keep up the good work. I know you’ve got many questions to ask, but you will have to wait until I'm done with my business."

"Yes, master." Filled with joy and pride, Lou Cheng's voice bubbled with happiness.

---

In an isolated office in the Yanling Martial Arts Stadium, bodyguard Sheng looked at CEO Liu Zunyu, confused. "We let Lou Cheng leave like that? He had an unlikely victory in the last match and retired from this one. It caused a big problem with the bets. We should at least give him a full checkup. And he has great potential. Why don't we bring him on board?"

Liu Zunyu crossed his fingers and smiled. "Do you know who got him the invitation?"

"Huh?" Sheng was lost.

Liu Zunyu’s phone vibrated. He glanced at it and quickly picked it up, signaling Sheng to leave.

"Hello, Master Shi. How can I trouble you to make this phone call in person? Just send someone if there's anything I can do for you," Liu Zunyu said, sounding very respectful.

Geezer Shi laughed. "My useless disciple participated in your Challenge Tournament. Of course, I should show some care. I was too busy earlier and waited until now. How did he do?"

"Your disciple is one in a million with great potential!" Liu Zunyu began with a genuine compliment. "He knocked out an Amateur Fourth Pin arm boxing master in the first round and defeated an Amateur First Pin opponent in the third. In Round Five, we gave him a bye. In the final round of the group stage, he beat a former Professional Ninth Pin master and advanced to the top eight after his win over a brilliant Professional Ninth Pin martial artist. I believe he used one of your secret explosion techniques and exhausted his body in the last match, and had to retire early."

Geezer Shi was silent for a moment. "Why did you give him a bye?"

"Well, he's your disciple. We were thinking to take good care of him," Liu Zunyu answered with a grin.

Geezer Shi's tone turned serious. "You should ask the elders of your family how strict and impartial I used to be. A man of iron, I expected no such thing from you! If you really want to show me respect, give him a powerful Professional Ninth Pin opponent!"

Liu Zunyu's attempt to curry favor had failed. He didn't fear Geezer Shi, but a friend was always better than a foe. Slick and sophisticated, he immediately apologized sincerely.

"Never mind. It's over now. Send his match videos to my email." Geezer Shi’s voice calmed.

Bloody hell! I've tied a millstone around my own neck. How am I going to make that bastard learn from his loss!