Chapter 48

Elise made her way onto the stage, hesitating with every step. She barely knew how to play this game. She had tried it in her previous life, but that had been years ago, and she wasn't sure she could remember the controls on command.

Still, her seat had been drawn. There was nothing to do but go up and try.

The host came down from the commentary desk to talk to the lucky spectator. When Elise reached him, he stared at her, momentarily speechless. The audience seemed to grow quieter too.

She tilted her head. A lock of hair slipped from her shoulder to rest beside her collarbone.

“Is something wrong?”

The host recovered. What kind of luck was this? Of all the spectators they could have picked, they had drawn someone this beautiful.

“Forgive me,” he said, sounding much more enthusiastic now. “I wasn't expecting to find such a beautiful woman at the match tonight. PUBG players really are a good-looking crowd!”

Complimented in front of so many people, Elise curled her fingers together, embarrassed.

Theo had taken off his headset. The other players had gone backstage after the match, but he had stayed for the game with the spectator. Alone at the computers, he leaned back in his chair, his seemingly casual gaze fixed on the stage.

What a day. His sister had come to watch him play, and now he would get to play with her too. They had never done that in their previous life.

When Elise turned toward the host, she smiled, her eyes curving just as they had in his memories. Today, in her dress, she looked demure and well behaved. She was nothing like the furious girl who had planted her hands on her hips and looked ready to punch him when she saw how far he had sunk.

As if she sensed him watching, Elise glanced over. Their eyes met. Theo lifted an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth curling into a mischievous smile.

Her heart gave a jolt. In their previous life, that was exactly how her third brother had looked at her when he was about to cheat or make trouble.

Was he really going to crush her in front of everyone?

Seeing her expression change, Theo raised a loose fist to his mouth, but he couldn't hide his laugh.

The host held the microphone out to Elise. His enthusiasm was a little overwhelming. “Tell us, how long have you been playing?”

She thought for a moment. The last time had been before she was reborn, back when she was in college.

“Three years.”

The host's smile widened. A beautiful spectator who had played for three years? She must be experienced. This event might set the whole arena alight.

“Would you mind telling us how many hours you've logged?”

Elise counted carefully. “Four... no, three hours?”

The host stared at her. The audience stared too.

Three years and three hours? Was she kidding? That made her a complete beginner. She might not even know the basic controls. What a waste of such a beautiful face!

Would she last three minutes against Fin? If they played one-on-one, what would there be to watch?

Laughter broke out below the stage. The spectators were amused, curious to see how the organizers would handle this, and quite happy to watch a beautiful woman play even if she was a novice.

The host swallowed the suggestion that they draw someone else. Judging by the crowd, they would never agree. He caught a staff member's eye instead. A few minutes later the staff member returned from backstage and whispered in his ear.

“Since our lucky spectator isn't very familiar with the game,” the host announced, “we're going to change the rules. We'll draw two more spectators, and the four of them, including Fin, will be assigned by lot to two teams. Two against two gives more people a chance and makes things a little fairer.”

The audience erupted again. Two more people would get to play with F? They couldn't have asked for better news.

Elise breathed easier. She had been afraid her brother would wipe her out single-handedly. At least she would have a teammate now. After watching Theo shoot with such frightening speed and precision, she doubted she would survive three seconds alone. And perhaps she would even end up on his team.

The host soon drew a man and a woman. The man introduced himself as Ryan Brooks. He wore glasses and an official PUBG T-shirt, and had the look of an avid gamer. The woman wore a frilly Lolita dress, white knee socks, and a twin-tailed wig with straight bangs. Her lashes curled dramatically, and a sticker bearing Fin's name decorated her face. She introduced herself as Snow, an amateur streamer.

They drew lots for teams. Elise and Ryan were paired together; Snow would play with Fin.

Elise mourned her chances in advance. Ryan looked like a PUBG fanatic, but however good he was, could he compare with Fin? Theo could probably take all three of them on by himself.

Snow stared at the red slip in her hand, scarcely able to believe her luck. Her cheeks flushed, and her bright eyes kept drifting toward Fin.

Seeing him in person had settled one question: his photographs hadn't lied. If anything, he was even more handsome.

Through her streaming platform she had met a few professional players, but Fin was the one she most wanted to know. He rarely streamed, and none of the streamers who tried to get close to him had succeeded. An acquaintance with him could bring plenty of viewers to her own channel.

Coming to the match had been the right decision, and now she had drawn a place on his team.

Theo waited for the draw, lounging in his chair with unusual patience instead of wandering off. He looked ready to start as soon as they were.

A hand landed on his shoulder. He turned to find the team manager frowning at him.

“You know the rules for a game with spectators,” the manager said, patting his shoulder firmly. “They're fans. Don't win too showily, but don't make it obvious if you go easy on them either. Use your judgment.”

He added, more emphatically, “You do have to win, though. Not that losing to them is likely.”

Especially when the other team had a complete beginner.

Theo raised an eyebrow slowly. Did the manager really need to lecture him about that?

“Sure,” he said lazily. “Whatever you say.”

The manager's frown deepened. Theo had agreed, so why did those few words sound so suspiciously sarcastic?

Elise sat down at the computer the organizers had prepared and slowly put on her headset. The competition keyboard had a pronounced mechanical feel, and the mouse moved much more freely than the one she usually used. The players wouldn't use their own accounts for an event like this; the organizers had supplied accounts for them.

They logged in one after another. Ryan had done it hundreds, perhaps thousands, of times. He waited several seconds before a female character finally appeared on his team.

He suppressed his irritation. He had spent most of his four years at college playing games, especially PUBG, and nobody in his dorm could beat him. He had long wanted a chance to play against a professional like Fin. The thought made his heart pound. If he won, wouldn't that make him better than Fin? Maybe professional players weren't so special after all.

But his teammate was a beginner. She might drag him down.

The view shifted to a plane flying over the map. Usually teammates discussed where to parachute, but Ryan knew Elise was new. Without consulting her, he marked a cluster of houses.

“Jump here,” he said through the headset.

Elise checked the marker and acknowledged him. As the game began, memories of playing in her previous life gradually came back. She learned quickly, and some of the controls returned at once, though her reactions were rusty.

When they reached the spot, she jumped and felt relieved to see she had chosen the right place.

From his seat some distance away, Theo could see her profile. She sat bolt upright, concentrating so hard and looking so nervous that she resembled a schoolchild trying not to make a mistake.

He laughed softly. He hadn't expected his sister to look this cute playing a game.

Elise had jumped at the right place, but she didn't control her descent well and landed a little off target.

“How did you end up over there?” Ryan asked, a note of impatience in his voice.

The audience couldn't hear the teams' private voice chat, though the big screen kept switching between their viewpoints.

“I opened my parachute too early,” Elise said meekly.

Ryan didn't answer.

She crossed a road and entered a house while he searched the building next door. He gathered equipment much faster, his view whipping from one room to the next before the audience could take in the first. Spectators were impressed; he was clearly quicker than an ordinary player, though still a little short of professional level.

Elise was much slower. Her unfamiliarity with the controls left her stuck on the stairs several times. She improved noticeably as she went, but she still couldn't match Ryan's speed.

“Do you have a level-three helmet?” he asked.

She opened her inventory and checked. “No.”

“What do you have, then?”

Elise wasn't sure what he wanted, but an experienced player probably had a plan. As the beginner, she ought to listen.

“An M416, a six-times scope, seven bandages, and two med kits.”

Ryan frowned. He had searched so much faster than she had, yet her haul was better. His gun wasn't as good, and he had only a two-times scope and two bandages.

“Give me the M416 and the six-times scope,” he said coolly. “And some bandages.”

Elise paused. “Didn't you find any?”

She disliked being ordered around. If he wanted her equipment, shouldn't he at least offer a trade?

“No. There wasn't much in my house. I'm the stronger player on this team. If you keep it, can you even shoot? What happens when we run into the others?”

She bit her lip. He was right that she couldn't really shoot. And if they wanted to win, she shouldn't be selfish.

Without another word, she dropped the items he had requested. Ryan picked them all up immediately.

Elise sighed inwardly. Beginners had no rights; she couldn't even hang on to her own equipment. Now she didn't have a gun at all. If she ran into her third brother, all she could do was wait to die.

She set about searching for more equipment.

The atmosphere on Theo's team was much more relaxed. He searched a factory at an unhurried pace. Against nonprofessional players, the game felt almost like a picnic. There was no rush; he could take his time getting equipped.

“Fin, I found an eight-times scope. Do you want it?” Snow's voice came sweetly through his headset, her tone deliberately flirtatious.

When he didn't answer, she tried again. “I found a sniper rifle too. Would you like it? I could bring it over to you.”

“What kind?” Theo asked, sounding indifferent.