Chapter 17 — Middle Road Rules

The shocking victory over defending champion Alpha brought the name HD E-sports into the center of all attention. However, fame always came with trouble. And the trouble this time was not just normal gossip.

The next morning, when Châu entered the classroom, the whole school was buzzing. School social network groups and E-sports forums for students were filled with anonymous posts with the same content:

**"NHEC scandal: Team Hoàng Diệu used professional players to sell matchmaking to compete in amateur tournaments?"**

The article attached a blurry image of Hải Đăng playing with a hooded hood and black mask, comparing his facial angles, sitting posture, and especially the way he held the mouse exactly like the former Shadow player of the VG team.

The post came from none other than the juniors led by Lê Hoàng. He could not swallow the anger of being humiliated, he was determined to use dirty media to bring Đăng into the light, destroying his school career once again.

Châu panicked and ran down to the engine room. Hải Đăng had been sitting there ever since, scrolling through a stream of hateful comments with an expressionless face.

"Even a traitor dares to show his face and win prizes for students?"

"Boycott Hoàng Diệu! E-sports scum!"

"Get that guy out of the tournament!"

Each line was like a knife cutting into Đăng's wound, which had never healed.

"Đăng... Don't read anymore," Châu raised her hand to close the computer screen.

"The truth will come out sooner or later," Đăng pushed Châu's hand away, his voice light but filled with coldness. He looked down at his white bandaged wrist. "I'm just a kid who was deprived of his right to explain himself."

That afternoon, the NHEC Organizing Committee urgently convened Hoàng Diệu's team in the large hall of the Gymnasium.

Under pressure from the media and complaints from other teams (led by team Alpha), the Organizing Committee requires public identity checks for all competing members of HD E-sports, especially the Mid lane position.

The auditorium was packed with student reporters, school representatives and curious fans. Loud and small whispers rang out continuously.

Hải Đăng stepped onto the podium, still in his familiar appearance: black hoodie, medical mask. Standing next to him was Bảo Châu, her face without a drop of blood, and the four remaining members were trembling with fear.

"Request Hải Đăng players to remove face shields to compare images with Citizen ID and Student Card," the Organizing Committee Head said sternly through the microphone.

Camera flashes flickered. Hundreds of eyes turned to the young man. In the front row, Lê Hoàng sat cross-legged, smiling sinisterly, waiting for the moment his opponent collapsed.

Đăng half-closed his eyes. The left hand slowly raised and grabbed the mask strap. The humiliation of being kicked out of the Gaming House (Team Headquarters) amid countless boos from fans six months ago came rushing back.

*Swish.*

The mask fell off. The hoodie was pulled off.

Hải Đăng's handsome, sharp but pale face appeared under the stage lights.

"Oh my god! It's really Shadow!"

"I can't believe it! That old timer!"

"Cheating! Hoàng Diệu cheating!"

The whole hall exploded. Boos and whistles of protest rang out loudly. Several empty mineral water bottles were thrown onto the stage, falling at Đăng's feet. He stood still like a stone statue, biting his lip so hard that it bled, enduring the wave of unjust anger that once again hit his head.

At that moment, a small figure quickly stepped forward, standing with both arms spread out in front of Hải Đăng.

It's Bảo Châu.

The small girl with a ponytail, inherently shy in front of crowds, was now standing tall, facing hundreds of screaming people.

"Silent!" Châu grabbed the microphone from the MC's hand and shouted loudly. The hissing sound through the speakers made the entire hall temporarily silent.

"What right do you have to call him a cheater? What right do you have to call him a fixer?" Châu growled loudly, her fiery eyes swept across the auditorium, stopping at Lê Hoàng's face whose smile was fading.

"Organizers! Please check his student ID card!" Châu slammed the student certificate on the Head's desk. "Trần Hải Đăng. 16 years old. Student of class 11A3, Hoàng Diệu High School. He is completely qualified to participate in the tournament for high school students! The NHEC tournament does not have any rules prohibiting a student who has competed professionally from participating in movement competitions!"

The head of the organizing committee flipped through the paper, compared it with the system, then nodded slightly in confirmation. The crowd roared again.

"What about the matchmaking thing!" Châu took a deep breath and pointed straight at Lê Hoàng. "There is no legal evidence or Court ruling to convict Shadow. Those are just dirty media attacks by jealous people who want to destroy the talent of a 16-year-old boy to hide their own corruption!"

Lê Hoàng turned pale and stood up. "You girl, be careful with your words! Do you have any evidence to dare slander?"

"I don't have proof. But I have eyes to see," Châu replied without hesitation. She turned around, grabbed Hải Đăng's right hand wrapped in a white bandage, and raised it high in front of the camera lens.

"If he was a gambler for money, he wouldn't have played to the point of crippling his wrist just to save an anonymous club at the bottom of the table like us! If he was a coward, he wouldn't have come out in game 2 to face the very people who harmed him!"

Tears began to roll down Châu's cheeks, but her voice was still clear and strangely inspiring. "The Shadow you know may be dead. But Hải Đăng - Captain of HD E-sports - is standing here. He is our soul. And we will go with him to the Championship, to crush all your cheap tongues!"

The whole hall was immersed in quiet silence. The sharp and emotional statement of a female manager struck a strong chord in the conscience of many people. Water bottles no longer fly onto the stage.

Hải Đăng stood stunned. His eyes opened wide, looking at Bảo Châu's small shoulder shaking with excitement in front of him. His hand, even though it was sore, still unconsciously grasped her warm fingers.

In the dark and deceitful world of E-sports that Đăng had experienced, the real light was not the championship or prize money. The real light was that there was someone willing to stand in front of the storm to protect your honor, unconditionally.

The press conference ended, the crowd gradually dispersed, but Đăng still stood motionless on the stage for a long time, looking at the small back of Bảo Châu who was surrounded by reporters asking questions. Hùng, Tuấn, Kiên and Nam hurriedly ran in front of her, trying to prevent the onslaught of questions from overwhelming her.

"That's enough, Châu needs to rest!" Hùng shouted and stood like a human shield, causing the reporters to take a few steps back in front of his huge figure.

Đăng walked down the stage, made his way through the crowd, and came to Châu's side just as she escaped the siege. She breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing her temples.

"Thank you," Đăng said, briefly as always, but this time his eyes contained more than any words could express.

"I told you there's no need to thank me," Châu pouted, but her cheeks were pink. "You owe me a Championship, remember?"

"Remember," Đăng nodded, his voice as firm as an oath. "I will pay in full."

The group walked out of the Gymnasium together under the falling sunset, leaving behind the murmurs of the crowd, the camera lenses, and even the gloomy shadow of Lê Hoàng standing quietly watching from afar.

On the bus back to school, Hùng sat next to Đăng, silent for a long time before speaking, his serious voice different from his usual snappy tone. "Mr. Đăng, just now Ms. Châu stood up to protect you in front of hundreds of people like that, I felt... so much respect for her."

"Yes," Đăng replied simply, looking out the glass window, where the streets were passing by in the yellow light of the late afternoon.

"Are you going to do anything?" Hùng asked again, his voice full of meaning.

Đăng glanced over and immediately recognized the teasing intention in the question. "What are you doing?"

"Well... I know," Hùng chuckled, not daring to say it directly.

Đăng didn't answer, just turned his face away, but his ears turned red in a way that was hard to hide. Seeing that, Hùng laughed even louder, enough for Tuấn and Kiên sitting in front to turn around curiously and ask what was so funny. The entire bus ride, which should have been heavy after a tumultuous day, was filled with the laughter of five young people, as if they had learned how to turn even the most stressful moments into a memorable memory.