4: An Invitation

INT. INTERNET CAFÉ – DAY

(Han Shen is pacing outside the internet café, staring at his phone. He re-reads Zhou Yi’s message: "Good game. Let’s talk." His hands are sweaty, and he’s nervous. His cousin, CHEN, steps outside, noticing his anxiety.)

CHEN

(grinning)

You’ve been staring at that message for hours. When are you gonna reply?

HAN SHEN

(sighing)

I don’t know… What do I even say? What if I mess up? This is Zhou Yi!

CHEN

(laughing)

Relax, man. He’s just a person, like you and me. You’ve already impressed him. Now it’s time to take the next step.

HAN SHEN

(nods, uncertain)

Yeah… you’re right. I can’t just ignore this.

(Han Shen takes a deep breath, finally typing out a reply: "When and where should we meet?" He hesitates for a moment before pressing send.)

INT. ZHOU YI’S TEAM HQ – DAY

(Zhou Yi is reviewing footage from the open match when his phone buzzes. He glances at it, seeing Han Shen’s reply. A small smile crosses his face.)

ZHOU YI

(to himself)

Good. He’s not backing down.

(He quickly types back: "Come to our training center tomorrow evening. Let’s see what you’ve got.")

INT. INTERNET CAFÉ – LATER

(Han Shen's phone buzzes with a message from Zhou Yi. He reads it, and his eyes widen in shock.)

HAN SHEN

(reading aloud)

"The training center… tomorrow evening…"

CHEN

(excited)

Dude! He’s inviting you to their training center?! That’s huge!

HAN SHEN

(panicking slightly)

What if I’m not ready for this? What if they expect me to be better than I am?

CHEN

(seriously)

You’ve got to stop doubting yourself, Shen. You’ve already proven you’re good enough. Now, show them you can handle the pressure.

HAN SHEN

(taking a deep breath)

Yeah… I guess you’re right. I’ll do my best.

(Han Shen takes a seat at his computer, trying to focus on coding, but his mind keeps drifting to the upcoming meeting with Zhou Yi.)

INT. ZHOU YI’S TEAM HQ – NIGHT

(The next evening, Han Shen arrives at the sleek, modern training facility. His palms are sweaty, and his heart is pounding as he walks toward the entrance. Zhou Yi’s team logo is emblazoned on the glass doors, making it feel even more intimidating.)

HAN SHEN

(to himself)

Okay… deep breath. You’ve got this.

(He steps inside, where he’s greeted by one of Zhou Yi’s teammates, LIANG.)

LIANG

(smiling)

You must be Han Shen. Zhou Yi’s been expecting you. Come on, I’ll show you around.

(Han Shen nods nervously and follows Liang through the facility. The walls are lined with trophies, awards, and photos of the team’s victories. Liang leads him to the main training room, where Zhou Yi is waiting.)

ZHOU YI

(calmly)

You came.

HAN SHEN

(stiffly)

Yeah… I wasn’t going to miss this chance.

ZHOU YI

(nods)

Good. You’ve got potential, but playing one good match doesn’t make you ready for the big leagues. I want to see what you’re really capable of.

(Zhou Yi gestures toward a gaming setup in the center of the room. Han Shen swallows nervously as he sits down.)

ZHOU YI

(serious)

Let’s see if you can handle a 1v1.

(Han Shen’s eyes widen.)

HAN SHEN

(stunned)

Wait… you mean with you?

ZHOU YI

(nods)

Exactly. Show me what you’ve got.

(Han Shen takes a deep breath and grips his mouse. Zhou Yi sits across from him, calm and collected. The match begins.)

INT. ZHOU YI’S TEAM HQ – DURING THE MATCH

(The intensity of the 1v1 is palpable. Zhou Yi’s skill is far beyond what Han Shen expected, and he struggles to keep up. Every move Han Shen makes, Zhou Yi counters effortlessly.)

HAN SHEN

(thoughts racing)

He’s faster than I thought… I need to change my strategy.

(Zhou Yi’s relentless pressure forces Han Shen to adapt quickly. He starts using unorthodox tactics, trying to outthink Zhou Yi rather than outplay him mechanically.)

ZHOU YI

(raising an eyebrow, impressed)

Interesting…

(Han Shen surprises Zhou Yi with a sudden ambush, gaining a small advantage. Zhou Yi quickly regains control, but for a brief moment, Han Shen feels like he’s holding his own.)

HAN SHEN

(grinning slightly)

I can do this…

(But just as quickly as Han Shen gains confidence, Zhou Yi pulls off a flawless play, ending the match in his favor.)

ZHOU YI

(calmly)

Game over.

(Han Shen leans back in his chair, breathing heavily. Despite losing, he feels exhilarated.)

HAN SHEN

(slightly out of breath)

I didn’t expect you to go so hard…

ZHOU YI

(seriously)

I don’t hold back. You’ve got skill, but you need to learn to think faster. In this game, hesitation can cost you everything.

(Han Shen nods, taking the criticism to heart. Zhou Yi stands and walks over to him, extending a hand.)

ZHOU YI

(softly)

You’ve got potential, Han Shen. Keep working on it. If you’re serious about joining a team, you’ll need more than just raw talent.

(Han Shen takes Zhou Yi’s hand, shaking it firmly.)

HAN SHEN

(seriously)

I’m ready to do whatever it takes.

ZHOU YI

(nods)

Good. Come back tomorrow. We’ll start training with the team.

(Han Shen’s eyes widen in surprise, but he quickly regains his composure, nodding eagerly.)

HAN SHEN

(smiling)

I’ll be here.

INT. HAN SHEN’S APARTMENT – LATE NIGHT

(Later that night, Han Shen returns to his apartment, exhausted but exhilarated. He sits down at his desk and looks at his reflection in the darkened computer screen.)

HAN SHEN

(to himself)

I’m really doing this…

(His phone buzzes. It’s a message from Chen.)

CHEN

(texting)

"So? How’d it go?"

HAN SHEN

(typing back)

"It was intense. Zhou Yi’s on another level. But… he’s letting me train with the team!"

CHEN

(replying)