12
The national team's victory not only became a sensation in the esports and sports circles, but also had a tremendous impact nationwide.
For the first time, esports was mentioned in the client's trending news push notifications, and the promotional content was moved from the channel page to the homepage banner. Even Weibo set up a splash screen ad.
It became a household name overnight.
Whether they are well-known esports players who have chased their dreams and touched glorious trophies, or retired veterans who have bowed to reality with regrets, so many people have worked hard for more than a decade to bring Honor of Kings from a frivolous pursuit to a professional development track.
Now it has finally taken another step forward, stepping onto the world stage, becoming a national honor, and will be engraved in the annals of glory of domestic esports.
"We've made a name for ourselves in history, haven't we?"
"Um."
"Who would have thought that after ten years, I would finally touch that trophy at a world championship?"
"The senior had a very high starting point."
"...I seriously suspect you're subtly criticizing me."
"No, it's very meaningful that my first championship was in a world-class event."
On the return flight, Zhang Jiale's lips twitched.
Thankfully, the person who said this was the always serious Zhang Xinjie. If it had been Sun Xiang, it would have been a sarcastic and mocking remark, and he would have taught him a lesson in the arena.
"You're so calm after winning a championship, you must be used to it." Zhang Jiale rested his chin on his hand, looking at Zhang Xinjie who was reading a book next to him. "I want to try this feeling too."
Zhang Xinjie, who is usually very focused, rarely looked up, his thoughts drifting away from his book: "There is great hope for the next two years."
Zhang Jiale's eyes flashed, and he grinned: "Aren't you afraid I'll come and beat you up from all sides?"
Before they knew it, Yu Wenzhou in the front row and Zhou Zekai in the back row had both perked up their ears.
Zhang Xinjie spoke calmly: "Captain Yu is patient, and Captain Zhou is even more well-mannered."
Zhang Jiale: ...
Everyone knows that Zhou Zekai is a quiet, reserved person off the field, with an incredibly good temper.
Yu Wenzhou, who had been secretly married for a year, was even more despicable. If it weren't for the paparazzi taking pictures of him going to another hotel on the night he won the championship, they would still be in the dark and think he was still the same Lan Yu Temple who could be mocked by anyone.
Zhang Jiale gritted his teeth: "...Tacticians really do have a knack for it."
Zhang Xinjie pushed up his glasses and continued reading his book.
Zhang Jiale naturally stopped trying to chat with him and turned her gaze to the window, looking at the blue sky and the clouds below, feeling a rare sense of peace and tranquility.
—This is very likely to happen in the next two years.
Although Zhang Xinjie spoke arrogantly, he never made empty promises or boasts. Although Zhang Jiale was complaining, he still took it to heart.
For Tyranny, the World Invitational Tournament is not just a competition against players from all over the world, but also a rare closed beta test.
Starting this year, Tyranny's tactical focus will shift to Zhang Xinjie as the main damage dealer. All damage dealers will emphasize coordinated attacks rather than relying on supports to unleash a barrage of attacks.
The match against Switzerland in the World Invitational Tournament was a very subtle testing opportunity. Zhou Zekai, Zhang Jiale, and Zhang Xinjie played a brilliant team. Starting with Zhang Xinjie's emergency heal that brought Zhang Jiale back to the brink of death, it was the first step to mislead the opponent into thinking that Zhang Jiale was the core damage dealer. This led to the subsequent chain of attacks where the opponent fell into the trap and was successfully ambushed by Zhou Zekai.
This success gave Han Wenqing, Zhang Xinjie, and Zhang Jiale tremendous confidence.
If they perform well, winning another title this year or next is definitely not a dream.
Of course, the premise is that you perform well.
This tactic requires a high degree of teamwork and individual combat ability from all players on the field. Although it may seem that Yu Wenzhou and Huang Shaotian are not involved in this tactic, in reality, the two of them are responsible for holding off three opponents. Otherwise, the tactic would immediately collapse if someone provided support.
In the World Invitational Tournament, all the players are top-notch, so there are naturally no problems.
However, once you're on a team, the risk of failure increases significantly, since not everyone is an All-Star player.
This requires various adjustments, coordination, and trial and error, as well as a great deal of time and practical experience, to explore a more applicable tactical model.
This year, or next year.
Given their age, they probably only have a couple of years left.
Zhang Jiale clenched his fist, his unusually serious face reflected in the small window.
Who would complain about having too many champions?
The month-long international journey finally came to an end, and on the afternoon of August 19, everyone returned home safely with a sense of victory.
After arriving in Beijing, everyone transferred flights separately. Zhang Jiale went back to Kunming to stay with his family for a few days, while Zhang Xinjie flew back to Qingdao.
Having gotten used to a month of mild Swiss summer, a wave of muggy heat hit me as soon as I stepped off the plane.
Even so, Zhang Xinjie showed no displeasure or unruliness. He calmly hailed a taxi under the scorching sun, neatly put his luggage in the trunk, and sat upright in the car, looking as noble and elegant as a scion of a prominent family.
He didn't go home, but went straight to the club.
When he entered, almost everyone looked at him with surprise and delight. Passersby would congratulate him with beaming smiles, and many girls gathered together, laughing and talking. It was obvious that they were all young girls' dreams.
As always, Zhang Xinjie politely nodded in response, and his words impressed everyone, revealing a spirit as strong as bamboo.
"No wonder he's someone who can hold up half of Tyranny's sky alongside Captain Han."
"Yes, I came straight to the company after getting off the plane, and it's almost time to leave work."
Only after the elevator doors closed were he separated from all the blessings and praise.
Zhang Xinjie closed his eyes to rest, took a deep breath, and felt his upward trajectory. A few seconds later, he heard the arrival bell ring.
He opened his eyes and went outside. He finally saw the familiar floor, the familiar facilities, the familiar training room, and the familiar people.
"Captain, I'm back."
"Thank you for your hard work, congratulations."
"We're fine, the schedule isn't too packed, but you guys have been working hard on the team's affairs."
"If there's nothing else, hurry back while you still have a few days of rest left."
Shen Ning watched the two captains' conversation as if they were aliens, her expression one of extraordinary calmness, composure, and utter indifference.
It was as if Zhang Xinjie hadn't won a world championship, but rather a routine report from someone returning from a business trip.
Shouldn't we give them a hug? Shouldn't we look at the medals? Shouldn't we ask if there's anything worth discussing?
Perhaps after a month, he had developed some revolutionary friendship with the two of them, and he smiled and teased, "How official!"
These words successfully caught the attention of the two. Zhang Xinjie deliberately misinterpreted Shen Ning's meaning and acted as a master of impartiality: "Sorry, I didn't mean to leave you out. You've worked hard too."
These words made Han Wenqing turn her head, but her good manners prevented her from rolling her eyes. She smiled and replied, "...Vice Captain, you understand dry humor."
Seeing that Shen Ning wasn't fooled and angry, Zhang Xinjie pushed up his glasses and said, "Just kidding, but you really have worked hard."
After saying that, he took off the two separate bags from the top of the suitcase, handing one to Shen Ning and the other to Han Wenqing.
"These are for you and your wife, one of your own."
Shen Ning was pleasantly surprised. She took hers and opened it immediately, instantly spotting the eagle-shaped wooden carving: "What is this?"
Brienz wood carving is a traditional Swiss handicraft.
After listening, Shen Ning immediately realized: "It's Brienz, right? I heard it's a very old town famous for its wood carvings, with a wood carving museum and an open-air art fair. The scenery is also very beautiful, making it a great tourist destination. It's a pity I've never been there."
Zhang Xinjie nodded: "Yes, that's where it comes from."
Shen Ning took it out of the packaging and carefully examined it in her hand. The eagle feathers were clearly layered, the eagle eyes were sharp, and the posture of spreading its wings was as lifelike as an eagle soaring in the sky. The skill of the carving can be described as divine.
"That's amazing, it looks so real, thank you so much." Shen Ning said gratefully, then asked Han Wenqing, "Is Xin Nuan also a wood carving?"
Zhang Xinjie was surprised that the two knew each other and could even call each other by name, but he didn't say anything. He watched as Han Wenqing took out a wooden box from the top of the bag and explained, "It's a wooden music box for the team leader's wife."
Han Wenqing opened the box, and a clear and bright melody flowed out.
Shen Ning couldn't help but sigh again: "The sound quality is indeed different from ordinary ones on the market; it doesn't sound so fake."
After listening for a few more seconds, Chen Ning felt the melody was familiar, but couldn't recall its name, so she asked Zhang Xinjie, "What is this piece?"
Zhang Xinjie paused, then, under Shen Ning's curious gaze, he unusually conceded defeat and shook his head, saying, "I don't know."
Although it's not that I absolutely need to know, I still feel a little disappointed if I don't get the answer.
Just then, Han Wenqing spoke up: "It's 'Ode to Love'."
Shen Ning was quite surprised: "Captain, you actually knew?"
"Xin Nuan played this tune."
"Oh~"
Shen Ning revealed a mysterious smile, and her voice trailed off slightly, making Han Wenqing uncomfortable. She turned to thank Zhang Xinjie and changed the subject.
Zhang Xinjie said to Han Wenqing, "There are still 9 days until the summer break ends on the 28th. Shen Ning and I will keep an eye on things during this time. Captain, you can take a break."
The topic returned to where it started. Just as Han Wenqing was about to insist, Zhang Xinjie continued to persuade him, "The team leader's wife probably also wants to go out and have fun with you for a few days."
One sentence was enough to make Han Wenqing take back what he had said.
Once the season starts, they can see each other once a week during the regular season, but once the playoffs begin, they might not see each other even once a month, let alone go out together.
Seeing this, Shen Ning added fuel to the fire: "Captain, you should rest. The vice-captain and I can definitely handle it. You can handle any approvals on your phone. Just turn up the volume during the day so you don't miss any messages."
Both of them are highly capable at work, and with Zhang Xinjie around, he has no worries about even the biggest problems.
Having said all that, Han Wenqing wasn't one to be coy. Knowing that this arrangement wouldn't have any impact, and that he could indeed take a normal vacation during the summer break, he didn't refuse any further: "Then I'll take a week off, and I'll leave the team to you guys."
"rest assured."
"Bring back some fun local specialties too."
"good."
Zhang Xinjie arrived shortly before the end of the workday, and Han Wenqing left early after handing over his work to pick up Xu Xinnuan and plan their trip.
Shen Ning thought Zhang Xinjie would come along too, but to her surprise, he had no such intention. After putting his suitcase in the corner of the office, he turned on his computer, printed out a small stack of forms after a while, and then called Shen Ning over as well.
"I'll start familiarizing myself with this tomorrow."
Shen Ning took the form from Zhang Xinjie, glanced at the title, and was somewhat taken aback: "Performance Appraisal Form?"
"Yes, you need to provide HR with the department's performance appraisal results before the end of each month, as the basis for this month's payroll. These are the previous appraisal forms I'm giving you, and I'll also send you this month's blank form in a bit. You have three days to study it; I won't give you any hints. I need to report this month's performance next Thursday, so fill out the blank form and give it to me on Monday."
The two most crucial elements for a company are people and money.
Monthly salaries and performance evaluations serve as both an assessment of individuals and an implementation of operational and financial systems, making them arguably the most important matters for a company.
The few pages of paper were light and airy, but Chen Ning felt they weighed a ton: "This isn't something the team assistant has to be responsible for."
"That's generally true, but from a job responsibility perspective, it's not against the rules to delegate the task to an assistant for statistics. Besides, I've already consulted with General Manager Wu and the team leader."
"Just because I'm Shen Zhongxing's daughter, does that give me special privileges?"
“Yes.” Zhang Xinjie did not shy away from this special relationship, nor did he feel there was anything shameful about it. “There is nothing wrong with having privileges. It is only natural to maximize the use of power within the prescribed procedures and systems. You should understand this.”
Don't you think I should be the one avoiding suspicion?
"It's foolish not to use resources when you have them; you're a smart person."
Shen Ning stared directly at Zhang Xinjie, increasingly finding the man unfathomable, yet also feeling that their conversations should always be this direct and straightforward. After a few seconds of thought, he said, "When did we start talking like this?"
"For you, it all started the moment we met."
Although it subtly implied that the newcomer to the workplace had spoken inappropriately, Shen Ning didn't mind and pressed on, "Isn't it right for you?"
"For me, it was after the quarter-finals of the World Invitational Tournament."
He pondered and tried hard to recall what had happened back then.
She seemed to be shouting in the group chat in a very unladylike manner, and she couldn't help but cry because of the victory. She also asked Zhang Xinjie what it felt like to cry after a victory.
“Those are all dark histories,” Shen Ning said.
"Only then can you see that although you want to climb the ladder, you will immerse yourself in your work and also be aware of and express the emotions around you."
"Most people are quite wary of people who try to climb the social ladder, right?"
"That's because most people don't have the opportunity to get promoted, so they are afraid of power and naturally wary of those who want to have power."
At this point, Zhang Xinjie paused, looked at Shen Ning, and continued, "But on the contrary, those who want to climb the ladder don't care about the fear from those around them, you understand?"
He nodded thoughtfully.
Because those who strive for advancement have clear goals in mind, they don't need to care about the negative emotions of those around them based solely on personal likes and dislikes without any factual basis. They must seize all resources and powers that can be used reasonably and legally.
"I understand, I'll go back and get it done as soon as possible."
After saying too many serious things, Zhang Xinjie also eased the atmosphere: "Don't feel burdened. The team leader and I have already finalized this month's performance, and we will also send it to each person individually for confirmation before submitting it to HR. Just do it according to your own ideas, and we will analyze any discrepancies later."
"OK."
"That's settled then." Zhang Xinjie glanced at his watch; it was just 10 minutes past the end of the workday. "If there's nothing else, let's go home. Shall we walk together?"
"Sure."
The two quickly packed their things and set off. Although it was only a short distance, Shen Ning still hitched a ride with Zhang Xinjie without any hesitation.
On the way, Zhang Xinjie asked, "You're not driving anymore?"
"I rent a place nearby, it's only a 10-minute bike ride, there's no need to drive."
"You are indeed self-reliant. Is that little salary enough for your daily expenses?"
"It's a bit tight, it would be better if I could be officially hired sooner." Shen Ning casually tossed the question to Zhang Xinjie, "Boss, would you consider it?"
Zhang Xinjie looked straight ahead and refused quite decisively: "I won't consider it."
As expected, Shen Ning knew that she could exercise her power reasonably but also had to keep a low profile. She jokingly said, "Sigh, capitalists..."
They soon arrived near Shen Ning's home. Zhang Xinjie found a parking spot, and just before getting out of the car, Shen Ning suddenly remembered something, took a USB drive out of her bag and put it in the car's storage basket.
"These are the videos of foreign matches that the captain asked me to find. All the videos of last year's Swiss domestic league are here. Make a copy later."
These words surprised Zhang Xinjie. He searched around the internet but found nothing systematic. They were all scattered fragments, with only one or two complete episodes, but the shooting angles weren't particularly good.
How did you do that?
"Just like you said, privileges and resources."
"Can you get them from other countries?"
Shen Ning twitched the corner of her mouth: "You really are greedy... Let's wait a bit longer, I'll ask someone else."
"Okay, thanks, you can go now."
"So you really won't consider making me a permanent employee early?"
Go to bed early tonight.
At first, Shen Ning didn't understand what those words meant.
It wasn't until I got home that my mind started to process what I'd learned.
Do you dream about anything when you're asleep?
Oh.
This man takes the benefits and then turns his back on you.
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