Fish Playing While Trapped in a Secret Room

Description

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The sequel to God’s Left hand.

Their average age is around 20, the oldest is only 30. But they all have forever left their names at all the major international competitions and all the professional forums. In Chinese, in English, in numbers, or just a nickname, they are all legends without any reservations.

They deserved to be legends because they have written the history of the whole esports era.

And this era will never end:

“Our dreams had died long ago, but all the experiences and glory will be renewed once again, from this moment onward.”

Associated Names
One entry per line
Go Go Squid 2: Dt. Appledog's Time (Drama)
Playing Fish Trapped in Secret Room
密室困游鱼
我的时代,你的时代 (Drama)
Related Series
Honey Stewed Squid (Sequel)
God’s Left Hand (Prequel)
Recommendations
A Mistaken Marriage Match: A Generation of Military Counselor (1)
Hello, Wife! (1)
The Most Majestic You (1)
A Slight Smile is Very Charming (1)
Together Forever (1)
Ten Years Are Not That Far (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Modern
  2. E-sportssss and Gaming
  3. women as esports pro player
  4. Chinese Romance Novels Adapted to Chinese Dramas
  5. help e-sports novels have me on chokehold

Latest Release

Date Group Release
08/11/18 DHH Translations v4 epilogue
08/06/18 DHH Translations v4c39
08/04/18 DHH Translations v4c38
07/30/18 DHH Translations v4c37
07/28/18 DHH Translations v4c36
07/23/18 DHH Translations v4c35
07/21/18 DHH Translations v4c34
07/16/18 DHH Translations v4c33
07/14/18 DHH Translations v4c32
07/09/18 DHH Translations v4c31
07/07/18 DHH Translations v4c30
07/02/18 DHH Translations v4c29
06/30/18 DHH Translations v4c28
06/25/18 DHH Translations v4c27
06/23/18 DHH Translations v4c26
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9 Reviews sorted by


makenai89
makenai89
January 30, 2017
Status: v1c3
Commentary based on first impression at v1c3.

Please do note that this novel plot lies in between God's Left Hand (prequel) and Honey Stewed Squid (the third novel in the series) that have been translated earlier. If you want to know more about setting and character background, it would be best to read God's Left Hand first, because there's not much explanation about them if you suddenly read Fish Playing While Trapped in a Secret Room. I don't think this one could be understood well without reading the prequel. On the... more>> other hand, if you have read Honey Stewed Squid already before this one, then... well, you might have caught some major spoilers. <<less
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fltstrt
fltstrt rated it
April 11, 2019
Status: v4 epilogue
Story 5/5, TL 5/5.

I procrastinated writing this review as I was deeply affected at the time of reading... It made me introspect on my own bittersweet youth days where I lived recklessly for my passion just like the characters in this story.

I have a feeling, I will revisit this story again at the next milestone of my life...

... more>> Heres a dialogue I copied from V1P30:

"Some people have a lifetime dream which will make their blood boil. You will never be content with yourself, Ai Qing, if you haven't won the actual world championship or you haven't tasted the grand slam, or you haven't carried the national flag for your most loved game."

Not content with myself? True."

The discontentment... I think many youths and adults carry with them this heavy emotion...

I relate so much with FL and the numerous characters fighting for the sake of their passion, so many sacrifices had to be made.

Outsiders may scorn and belittle your dream but only you know how important it is to persevere on this lonely and unlit path.

The unbridled raw emotions in this story can overwhelm you as everything that is depicted is very very real. The friendships, the betrayals, the lost love and new love... the pressure from society... the mistakes... You will laugh and you will cry as you read.

A very poignant story that almost reads like an autobiography. A story that spans over a decade about the life of an esports pro gamer. (I do think this story would adapt well into a cdrama, pls someone make this happen!)

Please read the prequel it is an absolute must, to be able to appreciate and understand fully.

Shoutout to DHH translations, you're the best! <3

Check out "You're beautiful when you smile", it's another esports story also translated by DHH! <<less
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WinByDying
WinByDying rated it
August 8, 2018
Status: v4c39
I never expected to encounter Within Temptation in a Chinese webnovel, what the hell. I don't know them very well, but it still was surprising. It cracked me up!

Anyway, this story slowly reaches a sweet, satisfying, glorious end, after ploughing through the bittersweet melancholy of the past. In contrast to the prequel, God's Left Hand, this one has more romance. You could call it weak in the sense that there's not endless chapters of flirting beforehand, but the interactions present are very fitting to the characters. It is mainly a... more>> novel about the FL, and as such, romance does play a significant role.

The melodrama in the past, alluded to in the prequel, is slowly elaborated on throughout the happenings in this novel. And more importantly, the implications. This is a novel about a few people, their feelings, and their changes throughout the years. And the things that did not change. Side characters aren't fleshed out that much, however they do feel alive due to the writer's emphasis on emotions.

The translation's almost done, and I hope a the sister gets a fitting end. Anyway, this is a great romance novel. I wouldn't really read it for the esports. It is unique due to its realism and the emotions involved in the story. Give it a try, even if you're not particularly interested in esports! Try to get through the prequel beforehand though. It has little romance and is really just a prequel, giving some backstory/history and showing off the characters.

A last note: I once read a review of a Mo Bao Fei Bao novel that said that she was weak in expressing emotion, and never let the main characters converse more than a few words through each other. That also holds up here, but the atmosphere and events fully make up for it. It does not feel like a deficiency here. <<less
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sakirol
sakirol rated it
February 26, 2018
Status: v3c32
I really, really love this story.

It requires God's Left Hand to understand developments in the story. Once again, the primary focus is on e-sports, but this time, there's more romantic development going on with the MC and ML. There is far less jargon in the sequel, and the focus is more on relationships and peoples' struggles in e-sports. Competition results and whatnot kind of flow past like a current. They happen, but the characters are the crux of the story now.

It's basically a pie of dramatized e-sports world. It hits... more>> home a lot with struggles and broken dreams, but it also remembers to throw you bits of happiness every so often with the main couple. I feel like the novel's writing style reflects reality a lot. The prequel goes on a lot about minute details of the games and neglects relationships... just like someone young chasing their dreams. This novel glosses over a lot more game details and focuses more on the people... like someone who's been rooted back down in reality. Key events stick, but others are transient, and how she feels about events is so much more about those around her than it is about glory.

Recommended for people into e-sports or who want to experience how different career paths can pan out. Romance is weak in comparison, but it's there and it's satisfying enough. <<less
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Jedi2550
Jedi2550 rated it
January 5, 2018
Status: v3/16
I love this story a lot. Both plot or MC are great. I don’t know about esport or games; however writer can make me see pictures of the circle of this profession clearly. I don’t know why it’s rating is low; however once you start reading it you will be addicted and don’t wanna do anything accept waiting for the new chapter.
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DOHere
DOHere rated it
May 24, 2020
Status: v4 epilogue
Dt - he might be my favorite male character EVER... sigh. I also want a Dt for myself, he's probably my ideal boyfriend.
There was nothing I disliked about him. He's just absolutely perfect to me. I like his quietness, how he gets flustered only because of her and I could just keep on going, he's such a unique character.
I don't even know how to explain how amazing he is, you're gonna have to read this (and the prequel!!!) yourself in order to see.
... more>>
Spoiler

as the author said: At 12 years old, he fell in love with her before he even knew what love was. Since then he's been training in e-sports for 10 years just to get close to her. From young he dedicated his life to her without asking for anything in return. He only met her face to face when he was 15 years old and that only for a few days.

[collapse]
My explanation really can't give justice to his character. Please read it.
Now, bear in mind, normal people don't know how much work it takes, it was said here that pro gamers train even 14 hours every day. I'm gonna leave his answer when she asked what he would've been if he didn't become an e-sports player:
Spoiler

"There's no if." He tucked her into a blanket back then and making sure to cover her hands and feet. Finally he bent down to hold her tightly together with the thick and soft white blanket. "If you're in this circle, then I am in it."

[collapse]

Personally, I preferred the relationship scenes, to the ones of game matches, but they were ncely written and you won't dislike them. I wish there was more fluff to the love story. Is there gonna be another sequel to this?
Spoiler

Will they win the world championship? I wanna see appledog and Dt get married!

[collapse]
To be honest, the story had such a beautiful and strong love story that you didn't need the gaming element that much

I really didn't like Gun at first. Although they broke up the team back then, they had their own reasons. But by the end they made up with Gun and he got over it. And I can say I kinda understand him a bit
Spoiler

he didn't have any family in China and the team were his only friends. So when they disbanded he felt betrayed and that ehe was left with nothing. In the sequel he says he realised he was rash.

[collapse]

Tbh, I didn't quite understand why the team disbanded.
Spoiler

Wasn't just it appledog leaving? Couldn't they replace her with another player? Why did Solo also decide to disband the team? It didn't really make sense to me.

[collapse]

I feel kinda sad or Solo, he lost his team, best friend, girlfriend, even the chance to play in a team again
Spoiler

(which as an unfair requirement from Gun), all because of a child he didn't plan and that happened before his relationship with his gf. That being said, it wasn't nice of him when he said Su Cheng name in that grievance simply because that was his daughter's mother. I wonder if he regretted saying this?

[collapse]
I gotta say the sister is too man obsessed tho. MC helped them get together at her sister's request and after they broke up she kept crying in front of MC, without explaining everything, but then when appledog tried to help, they were really rude abt it. Later when they wanted to get back together, they resorted to MC again (and he wasn't even nice abt it).
Spoiler

From the beginning of the novel, she would always use her sister to get closer to Grunt, beg her to help her and then ditch her. All her talks with her sister involved Grunt and her whole life revolved around him. It's like they weren't even sisters, but the only thing that connected them was Grunt. And then when she was sad, she'd have her sister comfort her and then go back to Grunt again. And what right does Grunt have to talk to his girlfriend's sister like that? And his girlfriend actually lets him.
When appledog broke up with Solo, it was once and for all, she wasn't all wishy washy and worried her sister, like she's doing. In fact it was her sister who kept talking about Solo, even if appledog told her repeatedly to not bring him up anymore.

[collapse]
<<less
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annieyongannie
annieyongannie rated it
July 13, 2020
Status: v4 epilogue
I realized after finishing this book that it was about the same timeline as HSS. I have enjoyed reading this novel. There wasn't any big conflicts or misunderstandings. Just the drama of the past that has quickly been resolved by pouring out their true thoughts and emotions. Appledog was a woman to be admired.
Spoiler

Yes, she was the main reason Solo team disbanded, but she was only 15 at the time.

[collapse]
Any young girl would behave the same way she did. She would not be blamed for it, no one has the right to do so.

She has matured over the years and learned how to let go. She found a new love and let herself to be happy. She also made peace to her friends, and I think that after that, her guilt of the past was greatly reduced. Her life experiences happens to anyone so it's too easy to relate to her. Her emotions are also real, even if they're not that fully fleshed out.

We also have the perfect boyfriend material ML. Xiao Bai was perfect. Way better than Gun god I'd say. Well, that's probably because he loved Appledog longer. Anyway, it was a good read. Now I will read HSS for the nth time.
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Njtrisha
Njtrisha rated it
July 20, 2022
Status: --
I just completed v1, I really liked it, I don't read too much eSports novel. This one is different, it showed the people who plays eSports are in real life, it quite heartbreaking to see how a top team disbanded just because 2 members broke up, it wasn't fair to the other members. My heart goes for Gun, All, Xiami. They had so much fame and success but they lost them. I truly blame solo for everything, he was young at that time but still he could have avoided those... more>> situations. I also feel bad for guo guo, she also suffered. I still want to know what happens in the next 3 volume so let's see <<less
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Dewdrop
Dewdrop rated it
April 19, 2019
Status: Completed
The best of Mo Bao Fei Bao’s novels that are translated into English so far. I have read this countless times and never get enough.

No intense love scenes, but it doesn’t harm the story. Subtle feelings are put so nicely. I don’t have any knowledge of e-sports but enjoyed all the details of matches.

The story is so lovely, ends happy, but it leaves you with a slight melancholy feeling which doesn’t go away unless you read the story again.

Should read with God’s Left hand. In spite of minor errors, the... more>> translation is done nicely. <<less
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