Chapter 1012: Sign, and leave

You are the most suitable one!

These words were like a rusty, blunt sword, without sharp edges, but carrying a heart-piercing, dull pain, stabbing into Owen's heart inch by inch, densely.

He was dumbfounded. If Coach Haichang hadn't said it to him personally, he would never have believed it.

After the shock faded like a tide, endless regret swept in instantly, like an airtight net, wrapping him firmly and swallowing him completely.

He recalled his jealousy and fear over the past few days, and the stupid things he had done without a bottom line to suppress Shen Xing and protect the so-called "quota."

Now, he only felt bitterness in his mouth. The taste of swallowing his own bitter fruit was more tormenting than any punishment. He knew that he could not escape the retribution he deserved.

"Coach! Coach, I'm sorry, I was wrong! I really know I was wrong!"

At this moment, Owen finally shed all his arrogance and disguise. Fear and remorse intertwined, pressing him until he could barely breathe.

He repented in his heart over and over again: If he had known earlier that the person on the list was himself, why would he have gone to such lengths to target Shen Xing? Why would he have made things difficult for himself? Let Shen Xing be in the limelight for a while, so what? The quota for turning professional was ultimately his own; that was the thing he should have grasped.

But there was no turning back in the world. When he did that, he was full of jealousy and never thought about the damage to the club's reputation if the matter was exposed—and the club, which had always valued reputation more than anything, would never tolerate such a thing.

Coach Haichang's expression remained cold, unmoved by his pleading, his tone calm but decisive: "This kind of mistake cannot be forgiven with just an 'I was wrong'."

After a pause, he finally left a little room, slowly reminding him: "I will not make the reason for your contract termination public. If you still want to continue on the path of e-sports, perhaps you can try to transfer to another club and try your luck."

"But Owen, you must remember, no matter what path you take in the future, you must first learn how to be a person and have a bottom line for conduct." Coach Haichang's gaze sank, every word earnest: "A real man, to win, must win openly and honestly. Always thinking about climbing up through crooked paths won't get you far. Without Shen Xing, there will be Liu Xing, Wang Xing, Sun Xing. The e-sports road is never short of opponents. Only your own strength is the key to victory."

After speaking, he tapped the termination document on the table, signaling Owen to sign: "Although you made a mistake, the club will not pursue your compensation liability. Also, I have asked Shen Xing, and he does not accept your apology. After signing, you can leave."

Owen's eyes turned red instantly, his nose felt sour, and endless unwillingness and remorse surged in his heart. That taste was more painful than killing him.

Three years of hard work, day after day of training, and just as he was about to realize his dream of being a professional player, how did he end up like this?

"Coach... can you really not give me another chance?" He looked at Coach Haichang almost pleadingly, tears of remorse finally unable to be held back, his voice choked: "I admit I did something wrong, but, but that thing didn't succeed... can you give me another chance to turn over a new leaf?"

Before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Coach Haichang's cold shake of the head.

"This is the club's final decision; there is no room for any reversal. I have said everything that needs to be said. Whether you can listen or not depends on yourself. Now, you just need to sign and leave."

Coach Haichang's decisiveness made Owen's heart fall to the bottom. He looked at the signature area of the document in front of him, picked up the pen with trembling hands, and wrote his name with difficulty, as if drawing a wretched and humiliating end to his three years of hard work.

Just then, Coach Chen hurried in. A glance was enough to notice the signed termination document on the table.

He stepped forward quickly, completely ignoring Owen, who was tearful and dejected on the side, picked up the document, and said to Haichang with an urgent tone: "Brother Hai, is it signed? Then I'll hurry and take it to Shen Xing. That kid was throwing a tantrum at me again, saying if there's no result, he'll just withdraw from the competition."

Haichang nodded: "Go."

Coach Chen glanced at Owen, whose eyes were red, with a flash of disgust in his eyes, then turned and left.

Shen Xing saw the result immediately, stared at the termination document for a long time, and then took a picture and sent it to the group.

Others clicked on the picture to watch.

Yu Qian: "What does this mean? So Owen is terminated?"

Bai Lianghe: "That's it? Just terminated? That's letting him off too easily!"

Mu Jin: "And the reason for termination isn't written specifically..."

Xu Qinmei: "I guess the club considered that Owen is still young and didn't want to leave him with too serious a stain, affecting his future path."

Bai Lianghe: "Shen Xing, what do you think? Are we just going to let it go?"

Shen Xing held his phone, silent for a moment, his fingertips tapping the screen slowly, and replied: "The club has already shown its attitude, and I accept it. Owen has indeed received the punishment he deserved; at least Coach Haichang didn't break his promise."

Bai Lianghe: "Fine, if you feel it's acceptable, then we have no opinion. This matter is over, and you and Xiaomei can prepare for the competition without distractions."

Cheng An: "Is the person who was always making trouble for you and Xiaomei fired? Does that mean no one will bother you guys anymore?"

Shen Xing: "Yes..."

The news of Owen packing up and leaving spread quickly among the various small groups of players. Many people waited curiously in the corridors and on the only path to leave the building.

Various discussions were endless...

"Is it true?"

"Terminated? Is it the club terminating him or him terminating the club?"

"It must be the club. How could Owen voluntarily terminate..."

"Damn, why? Didn't the club value Owen very much? He was about to turn professional."

"Who knows, maybe it's because he was eliminated due to a mistake in the second round of this competition, and the club is dissatisfied."

"It could also be because of Shen Xing..."

Various speculations emerged one after another, but no one knew the real reason.

It wasn't until Owen pulled his suitcase and carried his backpack, slowly walking out of the dormitory, that all the discussions vanished instantly. Everyone tacitly fell silent, their gazes falling squarely on him.

Curiosity, surprise, pity, and a trace of hard-to-detect schadenfreude—those gazes were like needles, stabbing at Owen, making him feel every inch of his skin burning, his heart full of embarrassment and mockery.

He hung his head, saying nothing, his whole body shrouded in a gloomy aura, even his back looking exceptionally lonely. ===== CHAPTER 1013 =====