Chapter Twenty-Eight
Ye Xiu's strategy was to have Lord Grim and Nightless Marquis split up to force Tyranny to divide their forces, thus buying time for the others to fight the boss. Xiao Yifei had no objections, but Zhou Qiao did.
Marquis of Nevernight: I don't think I can compete with your hatred.
Jun Moxiao: You can make Zhang Xinjie hesitate for even a second longer.
Jun Moxiao: Xiao Tang, you guys need to take down the boss as soon as possible.
Han Yanrou: Okay.
Xiao Yifei: "Hahahaha, your captain is really funny."
Just as Ye Xiu had predicted, Tyranny stopped at the crossroads for less than ten seconds before the entire team resolutely chased after Lord Grim. Nightless fired a shot to harass them, and Zhang Jiale's voice rang out: "Laughing, you wait, after we deal with Old Ye, it'll be your turn!"
Xiao Yifei said with a hint of satisfaction, "You get along well with people from other teams too."
Zhou Qiao was baffled: "Can't you be normal for once?"
Not long after Lord Grim took away the members of Tyranny, he returned to fight the boss together, using Tang Rou's account.
All four were fragile classes, with no healers, not even the negligible healing from solo players. They could only rely on skillful movement and shifting aggro to avoid damage. Lacking forced aggro skills, aggro transfer required complex calculations, and the situation was only stabilized thanks to Ye Xiu's command.
The map of the Hundred Ghosts' Nest was probably quite complex. After the Ghost King's health bar was whittled down by two bars, Leng Anlei finally reached the boss's location. Soon after, Baihua Liaoluan arrived as well.
With a flurry of light and shadow attacks, Leng Anlei moved closer to Mu Yuchengfeng under Leng Anlei's cover.
Xiao Yifei's screen was suddenly flooded with various colors of light and shadow. The Nightless Marquis's perspective rotated three times, and the light screen was spread very evenly: "This is interesting, this kind of fighting style."
While Xiao Yifei was still calculating the location of the Hundred Flowers in Full Bloom based on the distribution of light and shadow, Han Yanrou had already used her Dragon Breaking Army technique to slam the Hundred Flowers in Full Bloom against the wall.
Ye Xiu: "You dare to go up with just two people?"
Zhang Jiale angrily retorted: "Old Ye, you're shameless!!!"
The light and shadow attack came to an abrupt halt, and Xiao Yifei followed up, guiding the Ghost King's attack to Hundred Flowers in Full Bloom.
Leng Anlei's attempt to disrupt Mu Yuchengfeng backfired, leaving him overwhelmed and shouting, "We can't hold on, let's retreat!"
Zhang Jiale yelled, "Do you think I don't want to?"
Baihua Liaoluan was trapped in a corner by the boss and couldn't move. After Leng Anlei escaped Mu Yucheng Feng Yi's attack range, Su Mucheng immediately switched targets and joined Ye Xiu in restricting Baihua Liaoluan. When Leng Anlei hesitated whether to rescue her while surrounded by Happy, he was attacked by Bu Yehou in mid-air. Bullets rained down, and Leng Anlei was sent flying into the sky by gunfire.
Lin Jingyan: "Wow! Does he have to be so fierce?!"
Zhang Jiale's perspective was blocked, and he could only hear Lin Jingyan's voice. Realizing that Happy actually wanted to eliminate them both on the spot, he was completely enraged: "Don't push your luck!!!"
He unleashed a flurry of lightning-fast attacks, only to be overwhelmed by Han Yanrou and Mu Yuchengfeng, who, along with the boss, managed to suppress him. While attacking the boss, Bu Yehou also diverted some of his attention to Leng Anlei, preventing him from escaping.
With the help of the Ghost King, who was being used as a summoned beast by Happy, Hundred Blossoms' health bar was quickly depleted.
Zhang Jiale cursed Ye Xiu for being shameless, then stood next to Lin Jingyan, staring at the screen in amazement: "How did you get beaten up like this by the sharpshooter?"
Lin Jingyan was already struggling to cope, and hearing Zhang Jiale's sarcastic remarks made him even angrier, but he didn't have time to reply. After a while, Zhang Jiale shouted again, "They're going to run away with the boss!"
Lin Jingyan adjusted his view and, sure enough, saw Han Yanrou lead the boss into the passage on the other side of the tomb.
Although the tomb chamber is spacious, who knows if the other end is like the one they came from, with the roads branching off in all directions? If they lose track of it, who knows how long it will take to find it again.
Leng Anlei wanted to follow, but Bu Yehou had already abandoned the boss and was focused on "taking care" of Leng Anlei. If he ignored the situation and followed, he might be killed by "Zhou Qiao," who was in surprisingly good condition today, before Zhang Xinjie arrived. Lin Jingyan had no choice but to suppress his anxiety and deal with Bu Yehou. Zhang Jiale sidled up to Lin Jingyan and shouted, "Old Ye, have you no shame! You actually let your junior cover your retreat!"
While kiting the boss, Ye Xiu retorted, "Whose player is so rude? A yellow card warning is warranted!"
"Damn it! Shameless!"
Two minutes later, Han Wenqing, Zhang Xinjie and Qin Muyun finally arrived. With the priest's blessing, Leng Anlei went all out and chased into the passage. Unfortunately, they soon encountered a fork in the road. When they returned, Bu Yehou was still struggling under the attack of Da Mo Gu Yan. He was fighting fiercely, and even Minus Nine Degrees was suppressed by Bu Yehou to the point that he could not fight back.
Zhang Jiale then sidled up to Qin Muyun's computer and started trash-talking "Zhou Qiao": "Give up, Xiaoxiao! Old Ye, that heartless bastard, has abandoned you."
Qin Muyun's lips twitched slightly.
"Pfft." Lin Jingyan couldn't help but laugh. "What kind of bullying tone is that?"
Zhang Jiale also realized what was happening: "Damn it, it's all Lao Ye's fault, I was so angry with him that I lost my mind!"
After Leng Anlei joined, they finally dealt with Bu Yehou. Although they knew that they probably wouldn't be able to find the boss, Ba Tu never gave up halfway and continued to search separately. Finally, they found the system notification that the Destroyer Team had successfully killed the Ghost King.
Xiao Yifei flexed his wrists: "I really need to communicate with players from other regions."
He turned around and saw Zhou Qiao standing behind him with her face contorted in a grimace. He smiled, reached out and ruffled her hair: "Have you decided what to eat? It's on me."
Zhou Qiao grabbed his hand: "Teach me how to play the sharpshooter."
Xiao Yifei: "They can't possibly not even give me a bite to eat—"
Xiao Yifei provoked Zhou Qiao severely, and after telling Chen Guo, he took him to the second floor of Happy Internet Cafe.
Ye Xiu finally met Zhou Qiao's older brother and was somewhat surprised: "You two siblings really look alike."
Xiao Yifei had a baby face, and a shallow dimple appeared on his cheek when he smiled. He was very happy to hear Ye Xiu's words: "You must be Ye Xiu, the captain of Happy. Thank you for taking care of Xiaoxiao."
Ye Xiu: "No, it's because this kid is so determined."
Zhou Qiao: "You two, be normal!"
With the mindset that once you've entered Happy's door you're a member of Happy, Ye Xiu brandished his hoe, trying to poach people, but Xiao Yifei refused: "I've already debuted in the GCS (Glory Champions Series) club, and I'm not considering returning to the GPL (Glory Pro League) for the time being."
Ye Xiu was disappointed, and then suggested that he come and be Happy's sparring partner for the next two days.
Xiao Yifei laughed: "My net worth is quite high... I might consider fighting you."
Xiao Yifei spent a week in H City. In the first few days, Zhou Qiao made him play Arena day and night. During his free time from reviewing the games, Zhou Qiao played a few matches with Ye Xiu and experienced the horror of being dominated by a non-wild character. In return, he served as a sparring partner for Happy for half a day. After the match, everyone else was fine, but Tang Rou stared at him with burning fighting spirit in her eyes. Xiao Yifei couldn't take it anymore, and when Ye Xiu asked him to play Arena again, he reluctantly refused.
Chen Guo couldn't stand it anymore and asked Xiao Yifei if he wanted to go to places like West Lake or Gonglian CC. He laughed and said, "Playing games with Xiaoxiao is fine enough."
Chen Guo said tactfully, "Actually, being too addicted to games is bad for your health."
In the end, Zhou Qiao took Xiao Yifei on a Citywalk for a day, walking 30,000 steps. Xiao Yifei was already used to it, but Zhou Qiao had overdone it and had to be carried back to Shanglin Garden by Xiao Yifei.
Xiao Yifei: "Haven't you been exercising in a long time?"
Zhou Qiao felt guilty: "Um..."
Xiao Yifei shook his head: "You can't compete if you don't have the stamina."
Zhou Qiao: "Waaah, I'll definitely do it next time."
*
The Hyakki Yagyō (Night Parade of One Hundred Demons) event has concluded, but the repercussions it caused are far from over. A Weibo post by Fang Rui after the Hyakki Yagyō dungeon run sparked a team-building activity among professional esports players. The discussion reached its climax after Ye Xiu retweeted his post, with various teams vying for Fang Rui's signature in the retweet section. Unexpectedly, the jokes turned into reality, with the Howling Team officially announcing that Fang Rui would be leaving the team during the summer break.
On the other side, Zhao Yang announced his retirement. Happy acquired the All-Star character Hai Wuliang and quickly leveled him to 75 before starting to scout for a Qi Master player. Ye Xiu's first choice was Guo Yang, the former Qi Master from Excellent Era who had transferred to Team Howling, but unfortunately, Guo Yang wasn't interested in Happy's offer. The development of the Glory League professional scene was very unbalanced; excluding Song Xiao and Guo Yang, who were in the top tier of Qi Masters, the remaining three players were unremarkable and unremarkable.
Ye Xiu stared at Hai Wuliang's quest interface for a while, then turned to Zhou Qiao: "Xiaoxiao, are you interested in changing jobs again?"
Zhou Qiao: "?"
Zhou Qiao: Pointing to himself (jpg)
Zhou Qiao: "I'm going to fight Hai Wuliang? Really?"
Ye Xiu clicked his tongue and opened Fang Rui's chat window.
Jun Moxiao: You sleazy Fang, have you ever considered a career change? How about becoming a Qigong master? We're waiting for you!
Mysterious and suspicious: Are you kidding me?
Jun Moxiao: This is not a joke, it's serious. Please consider it.
Mysterious and Suspicious: A Transformation?
Jun Moxiao: Hmm!
Mysterious and Suspicious: A Qigong Master?
Jun Moxiao: Yes.
Bewildered and suspicious: Are you kidding me?
Jun Moxiao: Of course!
Bewildered and suspicious: Are you kidding me!
Mysterious and suspicious: [Speechless.jpg]
Bewildered and suspicious: [fainting image]
Fang Rui sent twenty or thirty emojis in a row before stopping, while Ye Xiu continued to attack.
Jun Moxiao: You're not actually that unfamiliar with the profession of Qigong master, are you?
Mysterious and confused: I can't be completely unfamiliar with any of these professions!
Lord Grim: You're different. I remember you came from the Blue Rain training camp. Back then, you were a Qi Master, right?
Mysterious and suspicious: Oh my god, you even know this?
Jun Moxiao: Excellent Era has always paid close attention to Qigong masters.
Ye Xiu used a barrage of words and persuasion to convince Fang Rui. First, he analyzed that Fang Rui's prospects in other teams were worrying, then he brought up a bunch of talented players from Team Happy who had changed jobs. In the end, he actually managed to persuade Fang Rui to come to Team Happy for a trial.
In a real trial, Fang Rui, using Hai Wuliang's account, was thoroughly beaten by Happy, and after playing around, he only managed to defeat Luo Ji.
Ye Xiu shook his head: "Xiao Fang, I'm starting to doubt your abilities."
Fang Rui yelled, "The last time I played a Qi Master was back in the training camp! You try and get me a Thief account!"
Ye Xiu continued to shake his head: "Keep pretending. Besides, look at Xiaoxiao, she also gave up her All-Star career to go back to the training camp, how come she beat you so easily?"
Fang Rui turned to look at Zhou Qiao, somewhat surprised by her skill level with the Sharpshooter – the Tiny Herb system has two Sharpshooters, while Xiao Xiao's debut Assassin was just a flash in the pan – but she refused to back down, and continued to fight while arguing. After playing for a while, Fang Rui's feel for the game slowly returned, and three hours later he finally won against Lord Grim with Boundless Sea.
Ye Xiu stood up: "As expected of someone with rich experience in transitioning, you pick it up really quickly."
Fang Rui: "Changing career path experience my ass! I just hadn't decided on my career path yet!"
Ye Xiu: "That means the choice you made during the training camp was your true destiny!"
Chen Guo promptly interrupted their pointless conversation with a welcome dinner. Ye Xiu could tell that Fang Rui was already interested in Happy, but still somewhat hesitant. Sure enough, after the meal, Fang Rui frankly expressed his concerns—he felt that the Happy team was not stable enough, lacking successors and capable of retaining players.
Fang Rui: "How many more years can you play? After you retire, who will take over Happy? Su Meizi or Xiaoxiao?"
Ye Xiu: "You perverted Fang, don't you know any manners? They are all your seniors."
Fang Rui: "Get lost! You said this afternoon that they were all newcomers!"
Ye Xiu: "You shouldn't be asking me about Happy's future; you should be asking the boss."
Chen Guo: "Huh?"
Fang Rui looked over.
Chen Guo sat up straight: "Yes! Regarding the arrangements for Happy after Ye Xiu's retirement, Mr. Fang Rui, Happy will first consider continuing to employ him as a coach, technical advisor, or any other position he is interested in."
Fang Rui: "What about the others? How can Happy ensure that the others won't leave after Ye Xiu retires? Putting everything else aside, just look at the salary... Xiao Xiao was an All-Star before, what kind of contract is Happy offering him now?"
Chen Guo was a little embarrassed.
Zhou Qiao put down her chopsticks: "Are you asking about my contract because you want to use my standards to sign a contract with Happy?"
Ye Xiu: "Exactly, salaries are internal secrets, okay? How can we let outsiders know? Or are you already considering yourself a member of Happy?"
Fang Rui was taken aback. Ye Xiu started to talk about value, about creating Happy's future together, which made Fang Rui excited and slam his fist on the table to join in. Then Ye Xiu changed the subject and started to calculate: "But you can see how hard Happy is working right now. There's not even soup for more than a dozen people to eat. How much will Howling offer you? 6.5 million? Happy will have to round it down."
Fang Rui was surprised: "Happy can actually come up with 6 million?"
Ye Xiu: "What are you thinking! 650,000!"
Fang Rui: "Damn it! This is the kind of way to round down! If word gets out, I'll lose my job!"
Ye Xiu: "You can announce to the outside world that you have 65 million, we have no objection!"
Fang Rui: "Nobody would believe that if they heard it!"
Ye Xiu: "Then tell me, how many do you want?"
Fang Rui: "I want..."
He shifted his gaze and saw Zhou Qiao sitting next to Su Mucheng, deciding to ask her for advice: "How much did Xingxin give Xiaoxiao?"
Zhou Qiao: "There's no comparison between you and me."
Fang Rui: "Can you give me a hint? I'm really curious now."
Chen Guo was even more embarrassed: "Well, the contract with Xiaoxiao is still under negotiation."
Fang Rui was stunned: "Huh?"
Ye Xiu shook his head: "See? I told you not to ask, but you insisted. Now you're embarrassed. 650,000 is already Happy's top salary. It's not shameful to say it out loud."
Fang Rui tried to argue: "But 650,000 is too much..."
Zhou Qiao was already lost in thought.
Her initial contract with Tiny Herb was for one year at a time. In the first year, because she was too young and debuted in winter, her performance was slightly lower than her peers. In the second year, she simply returned to the level of a normal rookie. After she was selected as an All-Star, Tiny Herb Club offered her a standard All-Star contract and stated that they would sign a long-term contract after she came of age. However, she was in a car accident the following month, had to recover from her injuries, terminate her contract, and had to pay all the penalty fees before she even had a chance to enjoy her salary.
After Chen Guo and Fang Rui finalized the contract, they noticed that Zhou Qiao was distracted. Chen Guo took her hand and said, "Xiao Xiao, don't worry, I will give you normal treatment."
Zhou Qiao laughed: "Just pay me the same salary as Ye Shen, or a little less is fine too."
She initially came to Happy only to help Ye Xiu, and now, her only goal in returning to the team is—
champion!
(End of Volume 1)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
