Chapter 8: Chocolate. You Know, We Came to the Nancheng Training Camp Just for You…
The tryout ended. Late autumn days ended early, and the sky outside was already somewhat gloomy.
Wang Fugui’s performance in the tryout met his expectations. There were no problems; the next step was to discuss the price. However, Zuo Chi wasn’t very skilled at bargaining.
Wang Fugui seemed to have misinterpreted their silence. The chubby guy nervously rubbed his pants with his hands. “Um… Coach Zuo, did I… fail the tryout?”
Before Zuo Chi could open his mouth to answer, a shout suddenly came from the corridor outside.
“Training paused! Training paused! The second-team coach from ZAP is here for tryouts. All trainees, please gather in the first-floor lobby immediately!”
Several trainees from the same training room as Wang Fugui ran over: “Wang Fugui, let’s go! ZAP’s second team just finished trying out junglers, and now they’re trying out solo laners—I thought only the top-ranked ones had a chance, but it turns out everyone can go. Hurry, hurry!”
Wang Fugui looked at them lingeringly. “Thank you Coach Zuo, Brother Li, and Ning-god for giving me the tryout opportunity today. Then I’ll—”
Zuo Chi: “Then you should just sign with us!”
“…Huh?”
“Sign the contract. You passed the tryout. we even brought the printed contract with us.”
Zuo Chi coughed lightly and gave Manager Li a look, hinting for him to go print the contract quickly.
Manager Li was bewildered.
Ning Luzhao spoke up calmly: “Coach, I forgot to bring the contract, but I can go print it now.”
Zuo Chi nodded repeatedly. “Print it! Do it now! Wang Fugui, once you sign the contract, you can return to the VEX base with us tonight. Starting tomorrow, you’ll train with Land and be a starter for the Spring Split!”
“You know, we came to the Nancheng Youth Training Camp specifically for you.”
Wang Fugui didn’t realize anything was wrong and said excitedly: “I’m a starter for the Spring Split?!”
Zuo Chi was resolute: “You’re a starter!”
VEX didn’t have the money to support a second team anyway.
The word “starter” made Wang Fugui’s head spin.
“I’ll sign!”
The other party agreed very readily, completely putting the ZAP second-team tryout out of his mind, and stated that he had no requirements for the transfer fee.
Zuo Chi immediately led the chubby guy to find the manager of the Nancheng Youth Training Camp to sign the contract.
The transfer window hadn’t arrived yet, so it would take some time for Wang Fugui to be officially registered as VEX’s solo lane player. However, now that the contract was signed, the procedures just needed to be handled according to the rules.
They were received by an assistant coach of the camp. After hearing their intention, he pointed to a training room not far away. “The manager is currently receiving the ZAP second-team coach. Please wait a moment.”
“VEX… wants to buy…”
“They want to buy… solo lane… ID is million.”
Snatches of conversation came from inside.
“Solo lane? Why didn’t that trainee come to the ZAP tryout?”
“This… it’s likely that trainee already reached an agreement with VEX, so…”
“million? How’s his ranking in the camp?”
“Upper-middle, not great. if ZAP is interested in him, I’ll talk to million and have him attend the ZAP tryout first.”
Someone let out a sneer: “No need. ZAP’s second team doesn’t just take any Tom, Dick, or Harry.”
That person’s voice was not lowered, clearly not caring if others heard: “Since they want to sign the contract, you go ahead and handle it. I’ll watch the tryouts here myself… Tsk, the quality of trainees these days is getting worse and worse. I don’t know if I can even pick anyone today…”
While Zuo Chi stood openly at the door listening, he didn’t forget to have Manager Li lead Land and Wang Fugui away.
Esports spoke with strength. ZAP was a championship team, so their coach had no qualms about evaluating a player.
Not satisfied? Then show your results. If you have the ability, beat ZAP before criticising their players.
Seeing the training camp manager come out, Zuo Chi smiled. Likely because Wang Fugui’s results weren’t prominent and no other team was bidding against them, the manager didn’t hesitate long upon hearing the offer of 500,000. They finished the procedures in less than an hour.
Holding the freshly printed, still-warm contract, Zuo Chi was satisfied. “Today went quite smoothly. Shall we go have a celebratory buffet? My treat.”
Wang Fugui led them to the dormitory to pack his luggage. “Coach Zuo, why do you look so happy?”
“I just bought a precious solo laner for only 500,000. How could I not be happy?”
Wang Fugui was flattered into a daze, smiling until his eyes narrowed into slits. The smile didn’t disappear even after he finished packing.
They carried the suitcases to the training camp entrance. Manager Li said, “There are three suitcases; the four of us probably won’t fit in the team’s car. I’ll call a Didi. Coach, you take the two players back in a taxi first, and I’ll drive back with the luggage.”
“No need, no need! Brother Li, I just told my family about signing with the team. My family has a car coming to pick me up! No need to bother with a taxi!”
Ten minutes later, a flashy pink sports car roared its engine all the way and stopped in front of the Nancheng Youth Training Camp.
A sophisticated-looking middle-aged man got out of the car and said respectfully to Wang Fugui, “Young Master, shall I send all this luggage to the VEX team base?”
…
Wang Fugui was a complete extrovert (E-type).
The atmosphere in the car on the way here had been a bit dull, but now with one more person, it remained lively and the conversation never stopped.
It was good. A team needed such a “live wire” to liven up the atmosphere. Otherwise, if everyone was like Ning Luzhao—not saying a single word for hours during breaks—the team would definitely fall apart.
Through the attribute entries, Zuo Chi had known long ago that Wang Fugui was “very rich,” so he sat quite calmly in the sports car.
But Manager Li clearly hadn’t recovered from the shock of “buying a rich youth player.” “Fugui, with your family background… why did you think of becoming a professional esports player?”
Wang Fugui said his family was in the real estate business. Originally, his parents wanted to name him “Wang Fugui” (Rich and Noble), but later they felt the name was too rustic, so they changed it to “Fugui” (using more refined characters). He had liked playing games and watching matches since he was a child and had no interest in business. He had an older sister above him to manage the company and inherit the family business, so he started chasing his esports dream.
He had been in the training camp for two years, and no one had shown interest.
Just as his family was about to drag him back to do business, he actually signed a contract today and would immediately be a starter for the Spring Split. In their joy, his family gave him this sports car as a gift.
“Coach Zuo, who else is in our team besides Ning-god?”
“Haven’t bought them yet. You’ll duo with Land tonight.”
“Oh… that works!”
[Congratulations to the Host for successfully recruiting a solo lane player. Main Mission 1 “Form the Best Five-Man Lineup” mission progress updated: 2/5.]
As they were chatting, the car suddenly slammed on its brakes.
Zuo Chi looked up. It was rush hour, and Nancheng was incredibly congested. The cars ahead were in a long queue, and he couldn’t even see the traffic lights at the intersection.
He had been looking at youth training data during lunch and had only eaten a few bites of beef noodles. Now his stomach was empty, and he felt a bit nauseous.
He turned off his phone, leaned back against the seat, and as the bright headlights of the surrounding cars flashed by, the young man’s handsome face turned slightly pale.
A slight cool sensation came from the back of his hand.
He lowered his eyes in slight surprise. A piece of chocolate wrapped in foil was on the back of his hand.
He actually didn’t like sweets much.
Zuo Chi peeled off the wrapper and put the chocolate in his mouth.
It was mint-flavored, with a hint of refreshing coolness within the sweetness. It was unexpectedly delicious. His stomach, which had been protesting, finally settled down after receiving some sugar.
“The road is congested. It’s easy to get car-sick.”
Zuo Chi turned to look at Ning Luzhao. “Thanks. The candy is quite good.”
Fugui, sitting in the front seat, heard this and said curiously, “Candy? What candy? Coach, you and Ning-god are sneaking good stuff behind my back. I want some too!”
“There’s no more.”
Fugui made a heartbroken expression. “Is there still some at the base?”
“In the dorm. Come get it.”
“By the way, where will I live then? In the same room as Ning-god?”
“…I’m in the same room as the coach.”
After returning to the base and putting away their things, they went to a nearby buffet restaurant for a hearty meal. Afterward, the two players went to the training room to duo queue. Zuo Chi asked Manager Li for the roster of the second teams of various professional teams.
Most teams wouldn’t easily change their starters, so second-team players had almost no chance to play matches. They were more likely to be listed during the transfer period, and their prices were relatively lower.
“Manager Li, are there any veteran support players in a second team? Preferably someone with a lot of stage experience who can shot-call.”
Although Ning Luzhao could also serve as a shot-caller, in the mid-to-late game, a jungler needs to find opportunities to flank and shut down the enemy carry. Often they aren’t at the front, so shot-calling would affect their mechanics.
Therefore, it would be better for the jungler to handle the early-to-mid-game jungle offense, defense, and ganking rhythm, while the support handles the mid-to-late-game teamfight shot-calling.
VEX needed a battle-hardened veteran. Firstly, they would have rich experience and could handle shot-calling and coordination well. Secondly, they would be more composed and could restrain young players who easily get hot-headed during fights.
“There are, but shot-calling supports are always in demand. The prices aren’t low.”
Zuo Chi took the data and looked at it for a while. “Why was this player’s last listing price so cheap?”
Not only was he cheap, but his attribute entries were also very good.
[Name: Li Zhuo. ID: wall. Position: Support.]
[Purple Entry: Stronger Through Failure (He transforms with every setback he experiences).]
[Purple Entry: Team Cohesion (His elder-brother-like patience and sense of responsibility allow him to become a great team adhesive. With him, the coach no longer has to worry about team discord).]
“Oh, you mean wall… he is indeed a veteran.” Manager Li introduced him. “He was originally the starting support for ZAP. Last year, because he was getting older and his form declined, he was benched. He hasn’t played a match for over a year and is essentially semi-retired, so his price is a bit lower.”
Esports is a profession for the young. wall was 26 years old this year, which, according to the age of esports players, was considered “sunset years.”
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