Chapter 52: Asking for Money Right Away; the New Boss’s Legal Department Isn’t One to Be Trifled With…
During the lunch break, Zhang-zong finished his inspection and left without offering a single word of critique on their training.
Ten minutes later, two “Huo Lala” vans rumbled into the base. One by one, items were delivered from the trucks: a multi-in-one coffee, milk tea, and happy water machine; brand-new, six-figure gaming chairs; and various expensive keyboards, mice, and PCs that the players had requested.
The technicians for the air conditioning and the carpenters for the dormitory beds also carried their tools toward the elevator.
The cubs’ eyes widened into perfect circles.
For the first time, Zuo Chi felt his personal charisma wasn’t worth as much as those keyboards and mice.
The players couldn’t wait to unbox their new equipment. Once unpacked, they tested them with extreme caution, and finally, they clutched them to their chests, even bringing them along to lunch.
Take a bite of food, look down once, reveal a mysterious smile, and then take another bite.
Zuo Chi turned to Ning Luzhao, the only one eating properly, and whispered, “What’s the situation with them?”
“Probably… they’ve been bought off by the new boss.”
The moment Ning Luzhao finished speaking, Zuo Chi heard several cubs shouting: “Zhang-zong! I want to cling to you for the rest of my life!”
Zuo Chi: “…”
He suddenly remembered the question Ning Luzhao had asked him last night: if he were to leave VEX, who would go with him?
Now, that question should be changed to: besides Ning Luzhao, who else would actually want to follow him?
At this critical juncture, the heart of the “poly-loving” Coach Zuo suddenly tilted, and it tilted quite severely.
He stood up and poured two cups of coffee from the high-end machine that looked like it belonged in a fancy café. He held one for himself and handed the other to Ning Luzhao.
When the cubs looked at him with eyes that screamed, “Coach Zuo, where’s mine?” he smiled faintly and dropped a cold, heartless sentence: “Pour it yourselves.”
For the afternoon scrims, they were still booked with Team WIN. The other side seemed to have gotten a bit addicted to playing against them; for fear that their scrim slots would be snatched by other already-eliminated teams, they always started booking the next BO5 session the moment the current one ended.
After WIN swapped their marksman, their bottom lane remained relatively weak, but their top-jungle was indeed very strong. During the scrims, Zuo Chi deliberately let the players play into the top half of the map’s tempo, resulting in a mix of wins and losses.
“Land, keep an eye on the afternoon scrims for me.”
“Is the Coach going out for something?”
“No, ZAP has a match today. I want to watch it.”
Fugui let out a sharp “sonic boom” of a wail: “No way—we just finished playing WIN. If we have to play ZAP in the Quarterfinals, are we playing the Top 8 or the Grand Finals?!”
“Maybe our luck is just that mysterious?” Zuo Chi patted Fugui’s shoulder comfortingly. “It’s a one-in-seven probability; look on the bright side. I’m just watching in advance as a precaution. Besides, ZAP has won so many championships; there’s a lot to learn from their playstyle.”
As evening approached, the cubs were finishing their scrims while he sat in the livestream room watching ZAP’s match.
After tossing and turning through the entire group stage, ZAP had finally promoted Every back to the starting jungler position. According to rumors leaked by other teams after scrimming with ZAP, Every had matured significantly after losing his starting spot at the beginning of the season. Now that he was back, ZAP had become even stronger than they were in last year’s Autumn Split.
Whether they were truly strong, and to what extent, would have to be proven on the stage.
For instance, WIN had been bragging everywhere during their recent scrims with VEX, saying things like, “VEX is aiming for the Top 4 and charging for the championship this season,” “Playing scrims against them is too exhausting,” and “We can’t win! Not even a little bit.”
Meanwhile, VEX was telling people, “Winning against WIN in the Round of 16 was purely due to being in good form on the day; in scrims, we’ve found there’s still a gap in foundation.”
It was essentially a masterclass in professional mutual flattery.
Just as he was watching the players from both sides enter the stage on the livestream, a WeChat message from Manager Li popped up on his phone.
[Manager Li: Something came up. I have to trouble Coach Zuo to arrange it.]
[Zuo Chi: Did Zhang-zong send us more good stuff?]
[Manager Li: Crying-laughing.jpg]
[Manager Li: No, it’s about the competition. The league officials just sent out a notice to all teams. Before the Quarterfinals start, every team needs to play a vlog. The content is the players’ parents and families sending them encouragement.]
[Zuo Chi: Understood. The officials want to strike with a ‘family affection’ knife before the match.]
[Manager Li: It’s also to add some viewing points for the league. You know, many fans who watch the games live love seeing this. We don’t need to film the vlog particularly well; just a simple recording will do. I’m still in a meeting and can’t really leave. Zhang-zong said he’s arranging for two photographers to come over. Coach Zuo, can you receive them and let the players know?]
[Zuo Chi: OK.]
[Zuo Chi: In that case, we need to let the cubs contact their parents and relatives to participate in the filming?]
[Manager Li: It is quite a hassle. If the parents are willing to visit the base, we’ll book flight tickets for them. If it’s inconvenient, we can ask for their addresses and let the photographers go to their homes.]
[Zuo Chi: Everyone has to be filmed?]
[Manager Li: As long as the vlog doesn’t look empty.]
[Zuo Chi: Understood.]
After the match ended, the cubs finished their scrims and did their own simple reviews. He then announced the news in the training room.
“Everyone, call your families in a bit. Tell them about the team recording a vlog. Professional photographers will handle the filming—if there are any issues, you can talk to me privately.”
Wall and Beyond both said their families might be constrained visiting the base, so it would be more natural to record at home.
Fugui asked if he could have his older sister appear, as his parents were still skeptical about him playing esports.
Zuo Chi nodded.
As the cubs went to the side to make their calls, he sent a message to Ning Luzhao.
[Zuo Chi: Is it convenient for your parents to appear?]
[Land: If the photographer shows up and says why he’s there, my mom might blast him out of the house.]
[Zuo Chi: Auntie’s combat power is that high?]
Ning Luzhao curled his lips slightly and looked at him. “What should we do then, Coach?”
“It’s fine. Manager Li said not everyone’s family has to appear—one day, when we lift the championship trophy, I’ll accompany you back to see what Auntie’s reaction is.”
“Okay.”
After talking with Ning Luzhao, Zuo Chi wanted to ask the other cubs how their calls were going. He suddenly noticed Wu Yang standing in the corridor with the others, phone in hand, but he wasn’t calling or texting. He was just pacing back and forth with his head down, looking quite anxious.
[Zuo Chi: Wu Yang?]
Wu Yang looked up. Zuo Chi beckoned him over and said to Ning Luzhao, “Land, go ask Fugui and the others how their communication with their families is going.”
Wu Yang walked over, and Ning Luzhao stepped out, closing the training room door behind them.
He remembered that when he first found Wu Yang, the boy was a small-time streamer working as a power-leveler in internet cafés. He had even been scammed out of his money. When he first arrived at the base, he looked like a starving ghost, able to eat three bowls of rice in one sitting.
His parents hadn’t cared for him since their divorce… and there likely weren’t any other relatives suitable for recording this vlog. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left a child who should have still been in school to earn his own living in an internet café.
“Coach Zuo, regarding the family recording… I… I don’t really want to contact my parents.”
“It’s okay.”
He began organizing words to comfort Wu Yang, but even after saying those words, the anxiety on the boy’s face didn’t fade. Instead, a hint of guilt was added.
“…My parents have called me several times in the past two days. I didn’t answer. Just now, they called directly from an unknown number asking for money. I think they probably found out online that I’m playing esports, so—”
Wu Yang handed him his phone.
On the screen was a string of red missed calls from two different numbers.
The most recent one looked like a landline number, possibly from some small convenience store; the call had lasted for a dozen seconds.
A dozen seconds—meaning they had opened their mouths just to demand money from Wu Yang.
The Arena Professional League already had high popularity online. Even if Wu Yang’s parents never cared about it, they could have seen it in some corner of the internet or heard people around them mention it.
Furthermore, after beating WIN, VEX had been on the hot searches frequently.
Zuo Chi first poured a cup of hot water for Wu Yang. “How much money did they ask for?”
“One million each.”
Zuo Chi restrained himself from cursing. “They sure have some nerve.”
Wu Yang stood by the chair, hands hanging at his sides. He clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. “I… I was fifteen when they divorced. For the first few months, they still sent me living expenses on time. Less than a year later, they both remarried. The living expenses went from once a month to every two months, then three, then six…”
In the school cafeteria, Wu Yang didn’t even dare to buy two dishes. A single portion of mixed meat and vegetables, a bowl of soup, and a bowl of rice counted as a full meal. He hadn’t visited the school supermarket even once.
At night, he had to find odd jobs in fast-food restaurants, otherwise, he couldn’t pay his high school tuition and fees.
He wanted to apply for poverty assistance, but his parents weren’t “poor.” They just had new families and were stingy about spending money on him.
In this situation, his grades suffered, and he became obsessed with gaming. Fortunately, he had some talent for games, and he could support himself through power-leveling.
As he finished, Wu Yang’s eyes rimmed with red, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to let a single tear fall. “Coach Zuo, I don’t want to give them money. I’m afraid… afraid they’ll come to the base or our match venue to cause a scene.”
“Change your phone number first.” Being bombarded with random calls every day was annoying. Zuo Chi spoke gently, “You don’t have to worry about this matter anymore. Don’t forget, our team isn’t a ragtag crew anymore. We have a boss now, and Shengxing Media’s legal department is full of top-tier lawyers. They aren’t to be trifled with.”
“Coach Zuo… I… our team… thank you… I… don’t tell Fugui that I cried, or he’ll definitely mock me…”
Zuo Chi pulled out a few tissues. “I won’t say a word. As for you, just keep training as you have been. You’re the core of the composition we’ve been practicing these past two days. In the Quarterfinals, we might just have to rely on you for the match point.”
“Don’t worry, Coach Zuo, I absolutely won’t let their business affect the match!”
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