Cao Guangcheng desperately wanted to pounce on Feng Xianjun and demand answers, but he didn't have the guts. Feng Xianjun and his two companions inquired about Team Happy's rooms and, without asking anything else, turned and headed towards the elevators in Block A. The staff at the reception desk were equally bewildered, clearly finding it unbelievable that Happy was receiving the chairman's personal attention.

The staff members were whispering amongst themselves when they turned and saw Cao Guangcheng standing there, petrified.

Cao Guangcheng was a well-known reporter, and he had signed in and received his credentials there earlier in the day, so the staff remembered him.

"Reporter Cao…"

A voice snapped Cao Guangcheng out of his daze.

"Ah…" Coming back to his senses, Cao Guangcheng wasn't thinking about interviews anymore. He was already imagining the scene: in Team Happy's rooms, the two big shots from Excellent Era and the Alliance Chairman, all these important figures suddenly gathering – what kind of situation would that be?

The thought spurred Cao Guangcheng into action. He couldn't stand there any longer and sprinted towards the elevators in Block A. But all three elevators were either just gone or still above the 10th floor. Frantic, Cao Guangcheng realized it was only the seventh floor. He turned and dashed for the stairwell, pulling out his phone as he ran. Was Chang Xian with the Happy people right now?

"Hey, Brother Cao." Chang Xian answered the phone, sounding cheerful.

"Where are you?" Cao Guangcheng asked.

"At the hotel!" Chang Xian replied.

"Which room?" Cao Guangcheng pressed.

"723…" Chang Xian sensed the urgency in Cao Guangcheng's voice.

"Who's in the room?"

"Happy's players… Baozi and Luo Ji…" Chang Xian was already familiar with the members of Happy, and he was hanging out in Baozi and Luo Ji's room! Although no one had ever taught him, Chang Xian had a knack for being a team reporter. He didn't immediately grill them with difficult questions; instead, he genuinely befriended them, especially the younger ones.

"Which room is Happy's Ye Xiu in?" Cao Guangcheng asked.

"722…"

"Go there," Cao Guangcheng ordered.

"Why?" Chang Xian was puzzled. Room 722 was where Ye Xiu and Wei Chen were. Chang Xian always felt intimidated by those two veteran players, so he would never choose to hang out with them in his free time. He was closest to Baozi and Qiao Yifan. Luo Ji and An Wenyi were more distant because they weren't usually at Happy's training base. But even they were easier to be around than Ye Xiu and Wei Chen. Hearing Cao Guangcheng tell him to go to Ye Xiu's room, Chang Xian instinctively asked why.

"Just go, I'll be there soon," Cao Guangcheng snapped.

"Ah…" Chang Xian hesitated again, but then the call ended. He immediately realized that this must be big news!

"I'm going to check across the hall," Chang Xian said to Baozi and Luo Ji before rushing out. Ye Xiu and Wei Chen's room 722 was diagonally across from 723.

Room 722 was slightly ajar. Chang Xian leaned closer and immediately heard voices inside. It didn't sound like Ye Xiu or Wei Chen. Without delay, Chang Xian knocked twice on the door. He heard someone say "Come in," and he burst into the room.

There were far more people in the room than Chang Xian had expected. There were four members of Team Happy: Ye Xiu, Wei Chen, Chen Guo, and Tang Rou. In addition, there were two other people standing in the room. When they heard Chang Xian enter, everyone turned to look. Chang Xian immediately recognized the two standing figures: the owner and manager of Excellent Era! They were important figures!

Tao Xuan didn't recognize Chang Xian, but Cui Li thought he looked vaguely familiar. As a reporter stationed in H City, Chang Xian had covered Excellent Era a few times, but he was mostly doing errands for Cao Guangcheng. He recognized people from Excellent Era, but they didn't recognize him.

"Little Chang is here," Ye Xiu greeted him, but didn't say anything else.

"Ah… it looks like you're busy…" Normally, people would avoid bothering others when they saw them busy. But Chang Xian was a reporter, someone who specialized in observing idle matters. Seeing the two giants of Excellent Era there, he sensed a big story and couldn't bring himself to leave.

He stood there awkwardly. No one from Happy told him to leave. Cui Li tried to remember where he had seen this familiar young man before, but couldn't. Tao Xuan had the air of an owner and glanced at Chang Xian before ignoring him. Even if he wanted to ask someone to leave, he wouldn't need to do it himself. He turned back and continued talking.

"So you're here? Where's your captain, Ye Xiu? We'd like to meet him!" Tao Xuan said.

Chang Xian was confused. Captain Ye Xiu? Wasn't he right in front of them? Was the Excellent Era owner drunk? Chang Xian sniffed, but didn't smell any alcohol. Then he saw Captain Ye Xiu smile and say, "Ye Xiu? That's me."

"You dare to admit it?" Tao Xuan stared at him.

"Why wouldn't I?" Ye Xiu replied nonchalantly.

"Are you crazy?" Cui Li asked, confused by Ye Xiu's attitude. "Using a fake identity to compete? Do you think everyone is blind?"

"Who said it's a fake identity?" Ye Xiu retorted.

"Heh." Tao Xuan chuckled. "That's the funniest joke I've ever heard. This isn't a fake identity? Then is Ye Qiu a fake identity? You can't seriously think that because you don't know many people, you can just change your identity and no one will notice, can you? Ye Qiu!"

Bang!

The door slammed shut. Everyone turned to look. It was Chang Xian, who hadn't moved much since entering. Hearing Tao Xuan's words, he lost his balance and stumbled backward, slamming the door shut. He stared blankly at Ye Xiu, mouth agape, but no sound came out.

Captain Ye Xiu was Ye Qiu?

So, the Ye Qiu that Brother Cao had never met, he had actually met many times? Had even talked to him? Had even interviewed him?

But how could he also be Ye Xiu?

And he had registered using the name Ye Xiu?

Using a fake ID to participate in the competition? That was a serious violation! The entire team might be penalized! How could he get away with it? Even though Ye Qiu didn't know many people, he did know some! Like his teammates at Excellent Era, they would definitely recognize him! Wouldn't he be exposed easily?

Chang Xian's mind was filled with questions, and he was already worried about Ye Xiu. Then he saw Ye Xiu stand up, look at Tao Xuan, and smile. "You're right. Actually, Ye Qiu is the fake identity. This isn't a joke, but a… lie."

"What did you say?" Tao Xuan and Cui Li were stunned.

"Back then, the Alliance was just starting. Teams were just being formed, and management was chaotic. Many people, in order to become professional players, inevitably resorted to tricks, especially regarding age…"

"You didn't meet the age requirement?" Tao Xuan frowned. Back then, the Alliance was newly established and hadn't yet developed the perfect industrial system and commercial prospects it had today. Therefore, it was subject to many strict rules. For example, those under 18 were not allowed to become professional players – that was an ironclad rule at the time. After all, video games had long been branded as electronic heroin. Forming a professional alliance was like gathering to do drugs in many people's eyes. Isolating minors completely was a desperate measure to avoid too much pressure.

But for every policy, there was a countermeasure. In order to circumvent this rigid restriction, falsifying age became a trend in the early days of the Alliance. But Tao Xuan knew Ye Xiu even before the Alliance was formed. He had known Ye Xiu's age long before then, and he met the age requirements when the Alliance was formed. Ye Xiu couldn't have lied in anticipation of the Alliance's formation and the implementation of this rule.

"That's not it." Ye Xiu shook his head. "My situation was more exaggerated than not meeting the age requirement. Back then… I didn't have an ID card."

"So you made a fake ID!" Tao Xuan exclaimed.

"I didn't. I just used someone else's ID card," Ye Xiu said.

"Someone else's…" Tao Xuan and Cui Li listened as if they were reading a fantasy novel.

"Well, would you think it's a novel if I told you about twins?" Ye Xiu asked.

"Twins…" Tao Xuan and Cui Li felt that fantasy novels were weak in comparison.

"Well, that's how it is. I used my twin brother's identity to register, and the Ye Xiu I'm using now is my real identity," Ye Xiu finally said.

"This… this…" Tao Xuan felt dizzy. Something didn't seem right. He needed to think it through.

Cui Li seemed to react quickly and sneered, "You don't think that just because you've switched back to your real identity, everything will be as if it never happened, do you? Do you think everyone is stupid?"

"Of course not." Ye Xiu shook his head. "That's why we have to handle this issue carefully and properly."

"We?" Cui Li acted as if he had heard another joke.

"Yes, we," Ye Xiu nodded seriously. "Back then, I was in Excellent Era, wasn't I? And I used that identity to help Excellent Era win three championships. You wouldn't pretend to forget that, would you?"

"…" Cui Li was stunned. Tao Xuan finally realized what felt wrong. This guy's use of a fake identity was tied to Excellent Era! So now, not only could Tao Xuan not use his fake identity to bring down Happy, but he also had to do everything he could to cover it up. Not for this guy, but for Excellent Era, he had to do this.

===================================

Another update. You must be surprised, right?