Chapter 84: A Once Prominent Figure

"Was it you who threw that grenade just now?" Xue Yang, his face cold and stern, suddenly spoke as he looked at Yang Hao. In reality, Xue Yang was the "Blood Wolf" from the game moments earlier. He had already learned about Yang Hao from Gao He, and thus knew that the one who threw the final grenade was none other than Yang Hao.

As Yang Hao and his three companions approached, Xue Yang instinctively assumed they had come to flaunt their victory, so he hurried to speak first. Although he lost the game, he refused to let his demeanor falter. Moreover, he was not entirely convinced by the outcome. If it had come down to a real showdown, he believed it was very likely the others would have lost instead. Their victory was anything but straightforward.

Yet, as Xue Yang spoke, he was met with utter indifference. Yang Hao remained silent, and Zhang Tian, Yao Cheng, and Zhu Ziyuan were even less inclined to acknowledge him. Yang Hao didn't know Xue Yang—let alone the others—and with such a tone, not slapping him would already be considered polite.

"Let's go," Yao Cheng said, casting a disdainful glance at Xue Yang. Hearing Yao Cheng's words, Yang Hao and his friends voiced no objections and simply turned away. Ignoring him completely! As for Gao He, Yang Hao and Zhang Tian barely knew him, so a passing greeting was already generous—what more could he want?

Strutting about, wasn't he? That's just right! With the animosity freshly stoked, Yang Hao and his friends paid it no mind, true to their style. There's never any room for negotiation when it comes to humiliating their rivals.

At that moment, Xue Yang watched Yang Hao and his companions gradually walk away, his gaze cold and his face flushed with anger and shame. Always priding himself as a master, Xue Yang found their blatant disregard unbearable—it was nothing short of humiliation. Clenching his fists, his expression shifted as he silently vowed, "In the finals, I'll make you regret this."

Yang Hao, now leaving the second floor, had no inkling of this. He and his friends were already in the broadcasting hall on the ground floor. The live stream had ended, but many students who had watched the match still lingered, discussing what had just transpired.

"Ha ha ha, getting eliminated like that must sting, huh?"
"Xue Yang's probably fuming right now."
"The guy who threw the grenade at the end—what a sly move! Even I felt like punching him."
"That level of trickery is ruthless, no wonder they're called the Four Shameless Rogues."
"By the way, where did these four troublemakers come from?"
"Yeah, it's as if they appeared out of nowhere."

Hearing the chatter around them, Yang Hao and his friends felt pretty good. But as soon as they realized that the "Four Shameless Rogues" referred to them, their faces fell, exasperated.

This wasn't the narrative they'd expected! Shouldn't they be hailed as the Four Mighty Kings? How did they become the Four Shameless Rogues? Where were they shameless? Where were they reckless? Where were they vulgar? The evaluation was neither accurate nor objective nor truthful...

Did these people not know the basic tenets of pragmatic thinking? Everything should proceed from reality, link theory with practice, seek truth from facts, and verify and develop truth through practice. Which of these four principles had they fulfilled? Did they start from reality? Link theory with practice? Seek truth from facts? Test it in practice? No! Not a single one! So, that label of "shameless" was simply wrong.

With their grasp of the great leader's philosophy and the fundamentals of socialist theory as well as Marxist principles, Yang Hao and his friends quickly and systematically dismissed the criticism as dialectically, comprehensively, and scientifically invalid. From an academic perspective, their argument was sound.

"Senior Yang Hao!" Just as Yang Hao was racking his brain, searching for support from other disciplines, a timely voice called out to him. It was Xiao Yu.

"Senior Yang Hao, I wonder if you and your friends have some time—we'd like to discuss something with you." He trotted over and soon stood before Yang Hao and his companions, breathing slightly hard.

Originally, Yang Hao and his friends were inconspicuous in such a crowd. But with Xiao Yu's arrival, everything changed. Many present knew him, and his appearance drew plenty of attention. Consequently, Yang Hao and his friends, unfamiliar faces to most, also became the focus.

The reason they were unfamiliar faces was because most of the crowd were freshmen, and few had seen Yang Hao and his friends before. Of course, Zhu Ziyuan, who was pursuing his doctorate, was an exception; some recognized him.

"Whoa, isn't that Senior Zhu Ziyuan?"
"And Senior Yang Hao, Senior Zhang Tian, and Senior Yao Cheng!"
"Are they participating in this competition too?"
"I know Senior Zhu Ziyuan, but who are the other three?"
"Senior Yang Hao? Could he be the legendary man who crushed the Esports Society?"
"Is he really that formidable?"
"Heh, to tell the truth, he's even more formidable than that!"

Although Yang Hao and his friends had already graduated, many freshmen didn't know them, but a number of older students quickly recognized them. As Yang Hao became the center of attention, those who recognized him were startled.

Are they really joining this competition?

With this realization, many suddenly grew uneasy; old memories began to stir...

Still, not many truly paid attention to Yang Hao. The previous conflict with the Esports Society wasn't widely known—after all, it wasn't a proud moment for the society. During their university days, apart from Zhang Tian, who once topped the campus heartthrob rankings, and Zhu Ziyuan, the scholarly celebrity, Yang Hao kept a low profile, much like Yao Cheng, and wasn't particularly famous on campus.

Of course, for the seasoned members of the Esports Society, the names of Yang Hao and his companions were legendary, echoing in their memories. These involved secrets from back then—old stories, now long past. Yang Hao and his friends no longer cared, but for some in the Esports Society, those memories were unforgettable.

"Senior Zhu Ziyuan, does he play games too?"
"Heh, sneaking in here—isn't he afraid of Senior Qingzhu?"
"So that's the legendary Senior Zhang Tian? He's so handsome!"
"I heard he topped the campus heartthrob rankings, and seeing him in person now, he's even more attractive!"
"I heard he started his own company—he's already pretty well off!"
"Wow, that's impressive!"

The discussions around them grew louder. As former campus celebrities, Zhang Tian and Zhu Ziyuan quickly became the subject of gossip among some of the girls, especially the still-single and dashing Zhang Tian.

It had to be said, Zhang Tian possessed undeniable charm—especially after dressing up and experiencing a few things, he now exuded a deeper allure. Someone with a touch of success, good looks, and who once held considerable renown at Tianhai University—wherever he appeared in a crowd, he'd swiftly become the center of attention.

At this moment, Zhang Tian was exactly that.