CS: I’m Only 16, and You Want Me to Stage an Old Veteran Comeback?
Author: 地精咖啡
Chapter 67: This is just the beginning!
"The last two CTs are on the retake! Steel Helmets are delaying with utility, but they know time is running outâtheyâre forcing through the smoke!"
"Cousin takes one down!! Just like three years ago, DD lands the final shot!"
"16:13!!" Ma Xixi shouted passionately in the livestream, "No overtime, no third map! This BO3 is officially over!!"
"We are destined to see Steel Helmets in the Legends Stage!!"
The venue wasnât anything luxurious, and there were no live spectators cheering for them.
But that didnât stop the Steel Helmets squad from celebrating. They roared with excitement, letting out all the emotions they had been holding in.
Ma Xixi was still lost in the euphoria of the moment. "I never imagined Steel Helmets would make it to the Major, and I definitely didnât expect them to reach the Legends Stage!"
"The last time we got this far was at the 2018 London Major. That was when Tyloo made history and became a Legend."
"Three years laterâover a thousand days and nightsâCNCS has kicked open the door to the Legends Stage once again. Steel Helmets really did it!"
But before he could finish his sentence, DD pounced on him from behind, gripping his buzzed head excitedly. "Cousin, you were insane!! Holy sh*t! When weâre back in Maoming after the Major, Iâm taking you out for some white-cut chicken!"
"We made it back to the Legends Stage!" DD pumped his fist, eyes gleaming. "ãCantonese curse wordã! Three f***ing years! I thought Iâd never get another chance!"
There was even a hint of tears in his eyes.
Originally, forming Steel Helmets to play in the Major wasnât taken too seriously. After all, they were just a streamer team.
Sure, they had always wanted to compete against pro teams, but it was more of a personal challenge than a serious goal.
But once they truly stepped into competition, the gap in skill was evident.
DD wasnât like his brother qzâhe didnât have that overwhelming natural talent for streaming. So after retiring, he cherished every opportunity to compete against professionals.
Countless nights, he would reminisce about the aggressive entry fragger he used to be in 2018.
So when he realized that Steel Helmets actually had a shot at making the Major, he threw himself into training with everything he had. He fought for every round, working tirelessly to hold the team together.
He and MO felt like they were stuck in London, 2018.
Trying to move forward, but being pulled back by time.
Trying to let go, but being pushed forward by their own unwillingness to quit.
DD had assumed that after a few more years, they would have to face the reality of their regrets.
But then, this kid right in front of him had kicked open the door to the Legends Stage and dragged them back in.
DD, who usually acted carefree, was actually the most sentimental one. His eyes were already glistening.
And then, he saw Jiang Yang scrunch up his face and say in disgust, "DD, why arenât you wearing shoes?"
DD, caught in his emotions just moments ago, suddenly looked embarrassed. But he quickly shot back, "You guys donât get it⦠this is called⦠this is called âpure essenceââno words needed!"
Laughter erupted from the team, and DD hurriedly put his shoes back on.
Jiang Yang then turned to MO with a grin. "Captain, I told you, we were just one BO3 away. I kept my word!"
"And the Legends Stage is just the beginning. Iâm going to keep climbing. Iâll make it to the Champions Stage. One day, Iâll compete on a stage with tens of thousands of people watchingâIâll put on a show for them!"
MO stared at him, momentarily stunned.
At this moment, Jiang Yang was radiant, full of ambition.
Teenagers never know their limits. They always think theyâre destined for greatness.
But itâs that arrogance, that unshakable prideâthatâs their most precious quality!
"Youâre definitely going to make it there. You belong on that stage!" MO laughed, a rare sight.
â
After Steel Helmets secured their victory against MR and advanced, the camera focused on their playersâ area, capturing their live reactions.
In the English broadcast, the commentators could only interpret the emotions from their tone.
But in the Chinese CSGO streams, Jiang Yang and MOâs words were crystal clear.
Hearing familiar Mandarin, the live chat exploded.
ãAbsolute madness!ã
ãHow do you even write out Cousinâs uncontainable energy?ã
ãSpring breeze at his back, lolã
ãHeâs only 16! This is the perfect age for arrogance!ã
ãIâm actually cryingâCousin came out of nowhere, like a gift from the gods to CNCS.ã
ãWe finally have a top-tier sniper! Tears in my eyes!ã
Ma Xixi waved his hand excitedly. "Brothers, letâs celebrate! Spam âSteel Helmets OPâ in chat! Iâm rolling 20,000 giveaway prizes tonight!!"
After setting that up, he turned his attention back to the stream. The camera had switched to MRâs players.
sunPayus had his face buried in his hands, his entire expression one of defeat.
In todayâs match, as MRâs star player, he was utterly crushed by the young prodigy on the other side.
On Mirage, it wasnât even closeâhis opponent had over 20 more kills than him.
On Inferno, thanks to alexâs strategies, he barely had direct duels with young.
But in those few key rounds where he did face him, he couldnât withstand the pressure.
Just earlier, he had been feeling pretty good about his own talentâafter all, they were Spainâs only Major representative this year.
But then this 16-year-old kid came along and smashed him into the ground.
What the hell was this?!
sunPayus looked like his resolve had been shattered.
"Esports is brutal," Ma Xixi sighed, watching MRâs expressions. "MR was one of the biggest dark horses in this Major. But when two dark horses collide, one has to fall."
â
As MO led the team over for the post-match handshake, Jiang Yang felt the extra attention on him.
After all, as the most impactful player of the BO3, it was impossible for the other team not to notice him.
During the handshake, MRâs captain alex gave him a nod. "Youâre really impressive. Accept my friend request laterâletâs play some FPL together when you have time."
Jiang Yang wasnât expecting that. He chuckled and nodded.
MRâs emotions toward Steel Helmets were complicated.
On one hand, they were their opponentsâthe ones who had just crushed their dreams and taken the Legends spot.
On the other hand, their journeys were similarâboth were small teams fighting for recognition.
So after the match, there was a sense of mutual respect.
Only sunPayus was still sitting there in silence, struggling to recover.
Jiang Yang exchanged a few words with the MR players before excitedly heading back to his teamâs side.
â
"That was an insane game!!" Ma Xixi praised, then immediately pulled up HLTV to check the stats.
"There's no debate about who the MVP of this match is. But DD was also crucialâso many key rounds were won with him and Cousin working together."
ID: young
Kills/Assists/Deaths: 73/8/28
Average Damage: 155.3
Rating: 2.31
The moment Ma Xixi saw the stats, he couldn't hold back a grin.
"Averaging 2.31 rating?! Heâs still smurfing!!"
ãTwo mapsâ worth of kills in just one!ã
ãHow is he getting stronger the higher he climbs?!ã
ãLike Wan Ji Qi saidâCousin is undergoing super evolution!ã
Ma Xixi took a deep breath. "Thereâs no doubtâheâs the best player in the Challenger Stage of this Major!"
Ma Xixi was still in awe as he refreshed the HLTV page, eager to check Jiang Yangâs impact ratingâa measure of his influence on the game.
"Aside from deaths per round, Cousin's stats blow past the averages in every single category! His impact rating is a staggering 1.98! This is insaneâheâs basically playing as two players!"
"Heâs averaging 1.4 kills per round! Thatâs even crazier than the so-called âconsistent 1 kill per roundâ standard!"
Ma Xixi took another deep breath. "No doubt about itâheâs the best player in the Challenger Stage of this Major, and his stats might leave everyone else in the dust!"
"This is what true dominance looks like, brothers!"
â
Just as he was hyping things up, the broadcast cut to a new sceneâCSBOYâs other members had entered the frame.
Jiang Yang and MO were being pulled in for an interview, while Jiazi had stepped in to help translate.
James Banks, dressed in a sharp suit, approached them with a bright smile. "Congratulations on your victory! Young, how are you feeling right now?"
Jiang Yang responded in Mandarin, "Iâm really happy. Since we made it to the Legends Stage, Iâll be getting my own sticker now!"
Ming Riqing quickly translated for Banks.
Jiang Yangâs English was actually decentâhe often used interviews as an opportunity to practice. He could understand most things but was still a bit hesitant when speaking.
Since he knew plenty of Chinese fans were watching, he figured he might as well respond in Mandarin.
Banks smiled. "Youâve been one of the most outstanding players in this Major. Do you realize just how much impact you have in the server?"
Jiang Yang, in classic humble-bragging fashion, replied, "I donât know. I just shoot whoever appears in my crosshair. Thatâs all."
ã"Just shoot"âLMAOã
ãBro is casually dropping wisdomã
ã"Put your crosshair on the enemyâs head, click left mouse button, congrats, youâre now on A-Team."ã
ãSteel Helmets' golden rule: Donât appear in Cousinâs crosshair!ã
ãIâm dying here LOLã
Hearing the translation, Banks burst into laughter. He was really starting to like this kid.
This kind of bold, arrogant attitude reminded him of his good friend S1mple.
"In todayâs match, you had some unbelievable AWP plays. When you're in those clutch situations, what goes through your mind?"
"Are you purely relying on instinct, or is there a thought process behind it?"
Jiang Yang suppressed a grin and replied, "I just click my mouse, and they fall over."
MO, standing next to him, couldn't help but chuckleâthis kid was really laying it on thick.
"Alright, letâs be more specific," Banks pressed on. "On Inferno, you pulled off a 1v3 clutch. What was your thought process there?"
Jiang Yang pondered for a moment. "Actually, it wasnât a 1v3, it was a 2v4. Brother Xiaosa helped a lot."
"He aggressively pushed B, making the enemy think we were both there. That gave me an opening, and I took my chance to create space."
"As for the final kills on sunPayus and alex, it was mostly careful clearing and a little positioning mind game."
Jiang Yang made it sound so simple, but those who watched the match knew how much pressure he was under in that moment.
One wrong move, and they wouldâve gone to Map 3 instead of celebrating a win.
â
"Throughout the Challenger Stage, youâve been putting on monstrous performances. How do you maintain such consistent form?" Banks asked, wrapping up the interview.
Jiang Yang looked a little embarrassed. "I donât think Iâm the right person to answer that. I barely have 1,000 hours in CS:GO. You should probably ask one of the Old Veterans instead."
"Waitâwhat?" Banks stared at him in shock.
When Jiang Yang first went viral, it had only circulated within certain groups. Most people just thought of it as a joke.
More people only took him seriously when his stats in the Challenger Stage became absurd.
"Yeah," Jiang Yang nodded. "I only have about 1,000 hours in total. I havenât really experienced performance slumps yet, so I canât give you an answer. You should probably ask someone like NIKO or dupreeh instead."
"Hold onâyou made it to the Legends Stage with under 1,000 hours of playtime?!"
Banks' entire worldview was collapsing at this moment.
He had expected a young prodigyâsure. But he had assumed that Jiang Yang was at least a grinder, someone with thousands upon thousands of hours logged in CS:GO.
Yet here was this kid, destroying seasoned pros and dropping historic ratings, all with less playtime than the average FACEIT Level 10 player.
His jaw dropped even further when Jiang Yang casually confirmed it with a nod.
In that instant, the English livestream chat exploded.
[WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF]
â
"Cousin takes one down!! Just like three years ago, DD lands the final shot!"
"16:13!!" Ma Xixi shouted passionately in the livestream, "No overtime, no third map! This BO3 is officially over!!"
"We are destined to see Steel Helmets in the Legends Stage!!"
The venue wasnât anything luxurious, and there were no live spectators cheering for them.
But that didnât stop the Steel Helmets squad from celebrating. They roared with excitement, letting out all the emotions they had been holding in.
Ma Xixi was still lost in the euphoria of the moment. "I never imagined Steel Helmets would make it to the Major, and I definitely didnât expect them to reach the Legends Stage!"
"The last time we got this far was at the 2018 London Major. That was when Tyloo made history and became a Legend."
"Three years laterâover a thousand days and nightsâCNCS has kicked open the door to the Legends Stage once again. Steel Helmets really did it!"
But before he could finish his sentence, DD pounced on him from behind, gripping his buzzed head excitedly. "Cousin, you were insane!! Holy sh*t! When weâre back in Maoming after the Major, Iâm taking you out for some white-cut chicken!"
"We made it back to the Legends Stage!" DD pumped his fist, eyes gleaming. "ãCantonese curse wordã! Three f***ing years! I thought Iâd never get another chance!"
There was even a hint of tears in his eyes.
Originally, forming Steel Helmets to play in the Major wasnât taken too seriously. After all, they were just a streamer team.
Sure, they had always wanted to compete against pro teams, but it was more of a personal challenge than a serious goal.
But once they truly stepped into competition, the gap in skill was evident.
DD wasnât like his brother qzâhe didnât have that overwhelming natural talent for streaming. So after retiring, he cherished every opportunity to compete against professionals.
Countless nights, he would reminisce about the aggressive entry fragger he used to be in 2018.
So when he realized that Steel Helmets actually had a shot at making the Major, he threw himself into training with everything he had. He fought for every round, working tirelessly to hold the team together.
He and MO felt like they were stuck in London, 2018.
Trying to move forward, but being pulled back by time.
Trying to let go, but being pushed forward by their own unwillingness to quit.
DD had assumed that after a few more years, they would have to face the reality of their regrets.
But then, this kid right in front of him had kicked open the door to the Legends Stage and dragged them back in.
DD, who usually acted carefree, was actually the most sentimental one. His eyes were already glistening.
And then, he saw Jiang Yang scrunch up his face and say in disgust, "DD, why arenât you wearing shoes?"
DD, caught in his emotions just moments ago, suddenly looked embarrassed. But he quickly shot back, "You guys donât get it⦠this is called⦠this is called âpure essenceââno words needed!"
Laughter erupted from the team, and DD hurriedly put his shoes back on.
Jiang Yang then turned to MO with a grin. "Captain, I told you, we were just one BO3 away. I kept my word!"
"And the Legends Stage is just the beginning. Iâm going to keep climbing. Iâll make it to the Champions Stage. One day, Iâll compete on a stage with tens of thousands of people watchingâIâll put on a show for them!"
MO stared at him, momentarily stunned.
At this moment, Jiang Yang was radiant, full of ambition.
Teenagers never know their limits. They always think theyâre destined for greatness.
But itâs that arrogance, that unshakable prideâthatâs their most precious quality!
"Youâre definitely going to make it there. You belong on that stage!" MO laughed, a rare sight.
â
After Steel Helmets secured their victory against MR and advanced, the camera focused on their playersâ area, capturing their live reactions.
In the English broadcast, the commentators could only interpret the emotions from their tone.
But in the Chinese CSGO streams, Jiang Yang and MOâs words were crystal clear.
Hearing familiar Mandarin, the live chat exploded.
ãAbsolute madness!ã
ãHow do you even write out Cousinâs uncontainable energy?ã
ãSpring breeze at his back, lolã
ãHeâs only 16! This is the perfect age for arrogance!ã
ãIâm actually cryingâCousin came out of nowhere, like a gift from the gods to CNCS.ã
ãWe finally have a top-tier sniper! Tears in my eyes!ã
Ma Xixi waved his hand excitedly. "Brothers, letâs celebrate! Spam âSteel Helmets OPâ in chat! Iâm rolling 20,000 giveaway prizes tonight!!"
After setting that up, he turned his attention back to the stream. The camera had switched to MRâs players.
sunPayus had his face buried in his hands, his entire expression one of defeat.
In todayâs match, as MRâs star player, he was utterly crushed by the young prodigy on the other side.
On Mirage, it wasnât even closeâhis opponent had over 20 more kills than him.
On Inferno, thanks to alexâs strategies, he barely had direct duels with young.
But in those few key rounds where he did face him, he couldnât withstand the pressure.
Just earlier, he had been feeling pretty good about his own talentâafter all, they were Spainâs only Major representative this year.
But then this 16-year-old kid came along and smashed him into the ground.
What the hell was this?!
sunPayus looked like his resolve had been shattered.
"Esports is brutal," Ma Xixi sighed, watching MRâs expressions. "MR was one of the biggest dark horses in this Major. But when two dark horses collide, one has to fall."
â
As MO led the team over for the post-match handshake, Jiang Yang felt the extra attention on him.
After all, as the most impactful player of the BO3, it was impossible for the other team not to notice him.
During the handshake, MRâs captain alex gave him a nod. "Youâre really impressive. Accept my friend request laterâletâs play some FPL together when you have time."
Jiang Yang wasnât expecting that. He chuckled and nodded.
MRâs emotions toward Steel Helmets were complicated.
On one hand, they were their opponentsâthe ones who had just crushed their dreams and taken the Legends spot.
On the other hand, their journeys were similarâboth were small teams fighting for recognition.
So after the match, there was a sense of mutual respect.
Only sunPayus was still sitting there in silence, struggling to recover.
Jiang Yang exchanged a few words with the MR players before excitedly heading back to his teamâs side.
â
"That was an insane game!!" Ma Xixi praised, then immediately pulled up HLTV to check the stats.
"There's no debate about who the MVP of this match is. But DD was also crucialâso many key rounds were won with him and Cousin working together."
ID: young
Kills/Assists/Deaths: 73/8/28
Average Damage: 155.3
Rating: 2.31
The moment Ma Xixi saw the stats, he couldn't hold back a grin.
"Averaging 2.31 rating?! Heâs still smurfing!!"
ãTwo mapsâ worth of kills in just one!ã
ãHow is he getting stronger the higher he climbs?!ã
ãLike Wan Ji Qi saidâCousin is undergoing super evolution!ã
Ma Xixi took a deep breath. "Thereâs no doubtâheâs the best player in the Challenger Stage of this Major!"
Ma Xixi was still in awe as he refreshed the HLTV page, eager to check Jiang Yangâs impact ratingâa measure of his influence on the game.
"Aside from deaths per round, Cousin's stats blow past the averages in every single category! His impact rating is a staggering 1.98! This is insaneâheâs basically playing as two players!"
"Heâs averaging 1.4 kills per round! Thatâs even crazier than the so-called âconsistent 1 kill per roundâ standard!"
Ma Xixi took another deep breath. "No doubt about itâheâs the best player in the Challenger Stage of this Major, and his stats might leave everyone else in the dust!"
"This is what true dominance looks like, brothers!"
â
Just as he was hyping things up, the broadcast cut to a new sceneâCSBOYâs other members had entered the frame.
Jiang Yang and MO were being pulled in for an interview, while Jiazi had stepped in to help translate.
James Banks, dressed in a sharp suit, approached them with a bright smile. "Congratulations on your victory! Young, how are you feeling right now?"
Jiang Yang responded in Mandarin, "Iâm really happy. Since we made it to the Legends Stage, Iâll be getting my own sticker now!"
Ming Riqing quickly translated for Banks.
Jiang Yangâs English was actually decentâhe often used interviews as an opportunity to practice. He could understand most things but was still a bit hesitant when speaking.
Since he knew plenty of Chinese fans were watching, he figured he might as well respond in Mandarin.
Banks smiled. "Youâve been one of the most outstanding players in this Major. Do you realize just how much impact you have in the server?"
Jiang Yang, in classic humble-bragging fashion, replied, "I donât know. I just shoot whoever appears in my crosshair. Thatâs all."
ã"Just shoot"âLMAOã
ãBro is casually dropping wisdomã
ã"Put your crosshair on the enemyâs head, click left mouse button, congrats, youâre now on A-Team."ã
ãSteel Helmets' golden rule: Donât appear in Cousinâs crosshair!ã
ãIâm dying here LOLã
Hearing the translation, Banks burst into laughter. He was really starting to like this kid.
This kind of bold, arrogant attitude reminded him of his good friend S1mple.
"In todayâs match, you had some unbelievable AWP plays. When you're in those clutch situations, what goes through your mind?"
"Are you purely relying on instinct, or is there a thought process behind it?"
Jiang Yang suppressed a grin and replied, "I just click my mouse, and they fall over."
MO, standing next to him, couldn't help but chuckleâthis kid was really laying it on thick.
"Alright, letâs be more specific," Banks pressed on. "On Inferno, you pulled off a 1v3 clutch. What was your thought process there?"
Jiang Yang pondered for a moment. "Actually, it wasnât a 1v3, it was a 2v4. Brother Xiaosa helped a lot."
"He aggressively pushed B, making the enemy think we were both there. That gave me an opening, and I took my chance to create space."
"As for the final kills on sunPayus and alex, it was mostly careful clearing and a little positioning mind game."
Jiang Yang made it sound so simple, but those who watched the match knew how much pressure he was under in that moment.
One wrong move, and they wouldâve gone to Map 3 instead of celebrating a win.
â
"Throughout the Challenger Stage, youâve been putting on monstrous performances. How do you maintain such consistent form?" Banks asked, wrapping up the interview.
Jiang Yang looked a little embarrassed. "I donât think Iâm the right person to answer that. I barely have 1,000 hours in CS:GO. You should probably ask one of the Old Veterans instead."
"Waitâwhat?" Banks stared at him in shock.
When Jiang Yang first went viral, it had only circulated within certain groups. Most people just thought of it as a joke.
More people only took him seriously when his stats in the Challenger Stage became absurd.
"Yeah," Jiang Yang nodded. "I only have about 1,000 hours in total. I havenât really experienced performance slumps yet, so I canât give you an answer. You should probably ask someone like NIKO or dupreeh instead."
"Hold onâyou made it to the Legends Stage with under 1,000 hours of playtime?!"
Banks' entire worldview was collapsing at this moment.
He had expected a young prodigyâsure. But he had assumed that Jiang Yang was at least a grinder, someone with thousands upon thousands of hours logged in CS:GO.
Yet here was this kid, destroying seasoned pros and dropping historic ratings, all with less playtime than the average FACEIT Level 10 player.
His jaw dropped even further when Jiang Yang casually confirmed it with a nod.
In that instant, the English livestream chat exploded.
[WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF WTF]
â