Chapter 33: First Stream. Coach, Carry Me
[Fang Tong: My boss heard that I know you, so he let me handle this matter. I specifically recommended you to him. As long as you agree to start streaming and sign with our platform like the players, the price and monthly streaming hours will definitely satisfy you.]
Changhai Live was one of the streaming platforms with the highest traffic in the country. It had originally started with lifestyle streams like food reviews and travel vlogs, only moving into the gaming field in the last two years. As a result, its support for gaming streamers was quite strong.
Most Arena league teams had already signed with other platforms. Only two teams were signed with Changhai Live, and neither was particularly popular.
[Fang Tong: Why aren’t you replying? You clearly said before that you could sign with me!!! Crying.jpg]
[Zuo Chi: You’ve got your seafood buffet. However, signing with a streaming platform is a big deal; I need to discuss it with the team manager and the players.]
Manager Li and the cubs shouldn’t object. After all, after signing with a streaming platform, the players’ share of gift revenue would be higher, and they’d get a fixed salary for completing their required monthly streaming hours. It was much better than the current erratic streaming on Weibo.
His main concern was VEX’s “outrageous” management.
The outrageous management was about to sell the team and run, but they certainly wanted to grab as much money as possible before doing so. The final decision on this contract still rested with the management. If they added clauses that exploited the players—such as drastically increasing the required monthly streaming hours to make more money—it would inevitably affect the cubs’ daily training and match performance…
[Fang Tong: I know what you’re considering. Aren’t you just afraid the VEX higher-ups will screw people over? It’s fine. I’ll directly raise the percentage the players get to the maximum, so the club only gets a tiny bit.]
[Fang Tong: If the VEX higher-ups don’t want to sign, then forget it. Those greedy people still know the difference between earning a little and earning nothing. They’ll definitely grit their teeth and agree to sign this contract when the time comes.]
[Zuo Chi: Fine. The total price of the contract can be lower as long as the players aren’t screwed over.]
[Fang Tong: Trust me to handle it! Hurry and talk to your manager and players about this. I’m in a hurry, dying of anxiety here!]
[Zuo Chi: It’s still training time.]
[Fang Tong: Crying-on-the-ground.jpg]
[Zuo Chi: …Then I’ll ask once the players finish this game.]
[Fang Tong: Good, good, good. Once they agree, have your manager come discuss the contract immediately!]
Zuo Chi put down his phone: “Everyone, stop for a moment after this game. Don’t go into ranked immediately. There’s a big matter we need to discuss together.”
“Big matter? What big matter? Is it the big matter of what we’re eating for a late-night snack today?”
After receiving a flick to the forehead, Fugui rubbed his head: “Coach Zuo, look! I told you I could play my way back in this game. Although I started 0-2, I’m already 4-2 now!”
Zuo Chi observed Fugui’s mechanics; his proficiency had improved significantly compared to yesterday. “Once you can carry and slaughter in the National-tier ranks with this hero, you can use it in a match.”
“Will it be even more stunning than Ning-god’s Abyssal Fire that day?”
“It will be, as long as you stay ahead of all the players and are the first to pick this hero and take MVP in a match.”
“Heh-heh-heh-heh…”
“Enough, Fugui.” Wu Yang clicked his tongue: “Stop d-d-istracting Coach Z-z-uo from s-s-erious b-b-usiness!”
After ten minutes or so, the cubs finished their previous ranked games and moved their chairs to gather around him.
Zuo Chi kept it short: “Actually, it’s good news. A person in charge of the gaming channel at Changhai Live contacted me just now, expressing interest in signing a streaming contract with our team.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of cheers erupted around him, followed by a loud “Sign—!”
Looking at the pure gaze in Fugui’s eyes, Zuo Chi was glad the other’s family business hadn’t been handed over to him yet; he felt it would be very easy for him to be cheated out of everything…
“The monthly streaming hours, base salary, gift revenue share, contract duration… none of these have been discussed yet. We can only sign once everything is clear.”
Wall, who had signed with other platforms before, added: “Also, if we sign, will there be any event for the first stream? Giving us a dedicated recommendation slot is also quite key…”
Beyond was amazed: “It’s so troublesome. I don’t really know about these things. Anyway, I’ll follow what Coach Zuo and Manager Li say. Whatever everyone decides is fine.”
Wu Yang: “What? There’s a b-b-ase s-s-alary?! How m-m-uch m-m-oney?! I w-w-ant to s-s-ign!”
“Everyone wants to sign, right?”
“Yes!”
“Then mention your individual requirements. I’ll take them down and go talk to Changhai Live with Manager Li later.”
Changhai Live was very sincere, and the partnership conditions offered even exceeded their expectations. Fang Tong said the boss of Changhai Live truly felt VEX would be the dark horse of this Spring Split; signing them at this price before they blew up was definitely a bargain.
The contract was signed smoothly.
The team’s first stream on Changhai Live was set for the eve of the Spring Festival holiday. It would last three hours, and they would be given a headline recommendation slot on the homepage.
The first stream’s activities included not only red envelope draws in the chat but also custom fan matches and fun game modes.
If the first stream went well, they could further sign a partnership as spokespersons for the Changhai Live gaming channel.
[Arena Professional League VEX Team: Enjoy the joy, play hard! Tonight at 20:00, lock onto Changhai Live and join the VEX team players for a battle in the arena! There are also surprise red envelope gifts waiting for you! @Changhai Live Platform, @Coach Zuo Chi, @Land, @Wall…]
[VEX, you’ve finally made it. Not only are you in the knockout stages, but you’ve also got a streaming platform to sign with!]
[Our VEX finally doesn’t have to stream while homeless and unknown…]
[Wow! After signing with a platform, we’ll be able to see Coach Zuo and Land often, right? Before, Land streaming once a week was considered pampering his fans, not to mention Coach Zuo—you couldn’t see him at all except on match days!]
[Coach Zuo actually signed too? Usually, only players stream. Changhai Live, have you also discovered that our Coach Zuo is a treasure?]
[What are you all whispering about? I only know I will persistently squat in the stream rooms of these two handsome guys.]
[People who stan VEX are indeed all ‘face dogs.’ They only managed to sneak into the knockout stages because of good draw luck. Once they’re knocked back to reality in the Round-of-16, they’ll be humbled.]
[The words above have zero impact. You should know VEX used to go out in the first round of the group stage. Now that they’re in the knockouts, the fans are already thanking their lucky stars. It’s not a loss if they don’t make the Top-8, and a massive win if they do. As for those here for the team’s looks, according to the esports fan law: you may start with looks, but you’ll definitely stay for the skill and end with the character.]
[Starting the stream at 8:00 PM tonight? The problem is, there’s also the live broadcast of the Spring Split Round-of-16 draw tonight. Even though it’s an online electronic draw by the league, it’s still broadcast live.]
[Whichever team draws VEX is lucky. Out of the first-place teams, this one is the softest target.]
[VEX did beat LTY in the group stage after all. They aren’t as ‘noob’ as you say, right?]
[It’s not that they ‘also’ won; it’s that they ‘only’ beat LTY. If they want to prove they aren’t soft targets, it’s simple. I don’t require them to reach the finals and win; just making it to the Top-8 to show their strength is enough.]
At 8:00 PM, the stream rooms of the VEX coach and players opened punctually.
The rookies, streaming as professional players for the first time, sat awkwardly in their seats, waving stiffly to say hello. Ning Luzhao was too quiet; he didn’t like to talk in his rare streams before, and now he was a “mute jungler.”
Zuo Chi pulled Wall along, trying hard to liven up the atmosphere.
“What are the arrangements for tonight’s stream?” He read a question from the chat. “We’ve prepared quite a few programs. The first segment should be a fun game mode.”
In the game, besides regular ranked play, there was also a “Big Melee” map.
This was a star-shaped map for at least 2 and at most 6 players. At the start, you chose your own lane and fought for yourself. All hero skills in the game had zero cooldown and could be used infinitely. Other tower-pushing rules were the same as ranked matches.
Players could choose to fight brainlessly in a group of six, and whoever died first was unlucky.
They could also choose to communicate and form alliances—two-on-one, two-on-two… and finally turn against each other.
In short, it focused on chaos. Many people played this Big Melee with friends for fun because they didn’t like playing ranked.
While introducing the rules to the chat, Zuo Chi opened a Big Melee room and pulled the cubs in one by one.
“In Big Melee, except for the final winner, everyone whose crystal is destroyed has to send a 500-yuan red envelope to our viewers!”
Fugui let out a wail: “Ah—my wallet is in danger!”
“Sorry, Fugui. For the sake of 500 yuan, I’m going to get s-s-erious!” Wu Yang began picking his hero intently.
“Is our brotherhood not even worth 500? You’re so heartless, Wu Yang!”
Wall: “I’m best at Big Melee. You’re walking right into my trap.”
Beyond: “…Brother Wall, can we form an alliance first?”
Fugui: “Human hearts are sinister!”
While the cubs were bickering like a group of monkeys, Zuo Chi secretly pulled out his phone under the desk and quietly began searching for “Tutorial for Annoying Heroes in Big Melee.” Just as he’d started reading the beginning of the tutorial, he suddenly saw a message pop up at the top of his phone.
[Land: They’re all ‘forming factions.’ Does Coach want to join me?]
[Land: I’ve never played Big Melee. If Coach doesn’t carry me, I’ll probably be the first to be eliminated.]
[Zuo Chi: Forwarded you a ‘Tutorial for Annoying Heroes in Big Melee.’ Hurry and take a look!]
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