A few days later, in Heaven Dou City.
The long line outside the Golden Spatula Pavilion stretched from morning until evening, showing no sign of getting any shorter.
The hall was packed with people. Golden chessboard projections flickered everywhere, and the sounds of clacking pieces mingled with players' cries of surprise, sighs, and cheers, blending into a roaring sea of noise.
A young Spirit Master had just won a match. Excited, he slapped the table, stood up, and stretched. His name was Zhang Lei, a level 37 Battle Soul Elder of the agility attack type who made a living with a small mercenary group in Heaven Dou City.
"Fantastic! Five wins in a row today. I'm on fire!" Zhang Lei rolled his wrist, his face flushed with excitement.
A familiar mercenary beside him leaned closer and lowered his voice. "Old Zhang, have you heard? People around town have been saying there's something wrong with Teamfight Tactics. They say its founder, Yi Chen, is plotting to overthrow the order of the continent or something..."
Zhang Lei paused, then let out a scornful laugh. "I heard. Someone was going on about it at the tavern yesterday. I thought he had something to say, but he just kept repeating the same few lines: the game's addictive, it'll undermine the traditional cultivation system, the founder has ulterior motives..."
He shook his head, his tone full of disdain. "The people saying that probably haven't even played a few matches of Teamfight Tactics.
"I've been playing for almost a month. My Soul Power hasn't skyrocketed, but my mind is clearly more alert than before, and my reflexes have gotten a lot faster.
"A few days ago, during a mission, I dodged several attacks I wouldn't have been able to avoid before. Isn't that a real benefit?"
"But they say the game lets ordinary people obtain Soul Rings and Soul Bones. That no one will be willing to toil away at cultivation anymore..."
"Wouldn't that be even better?" Zhang Lei cut him off. "We ordinary Spirit Masters with average talent never had a chance to get our hands on Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings or top-grade Soul Bones. Now there's another path open to us. What's wrong with that?
"As for the geniuses with exceptional talent, they can still cultivate as usual. It doesn't conflict. It's just one more choice. No one's forcing you to play."
The mercenary thought it over and decided that did make sense, so he asked no more.
Similar conversations were unfolding in every corner of Heaven Dou City.
At a tavern in the south of the city, several mercenaries argued over the pros and cons of the Golden Spatula while drinking. In the end, none could convince the others, so they simply started a couple of matches and settled things on the battlefield.
In a smithy in the north of the city, an old blacksmith hammered away at farm tools while listening to his apprentice excitedly recount how he'd made a comeback yesterday with an Assassin lineup. Every so often, he'd interrupt to ask about the tricks behind combining equipment.
At a teahouse in the city, several young nobles sipped tea while poring over the latest lineup rankings, debating which pieces were overrated and which were underrated.
Rumors about "conspiracies" and "overthrowing the order" were spreading widely in certain circles. But most ordinary players cared more about whether they could win a few extra matches that day and how to optimize their lineup.
On the second floor of the Golden Spatula Pavilion, in the VIP room.
Dugu Bo stood with his hands behind his back before the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the bustling scene below with a satisfied smile.
Behind him, Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling sat before a chessboard, locked in a fierce match.
"Grandpa, have you heard? People around town have been spreading rumors about the Golden Spatula lately." Dugu Yan moved a piece without looking up.
Dugu Bo snorted, his voice dripping with disdain. "I have. Some reckless fool is stirring up trouble behind the scenes, making up a pack of holes-riddled nonsense. 'Overthrowing the order,' 'ulterior motives'—I've lived all these years. Do you think I can't tell whether something's good or bad?"
He turned to look at the two young women. "What do you think?"
Dugu Yan raised her head and thought for a moment. "I don't think there's any truth to those rumors. The Golden Spatula really has helped my cultivation. It can't directly raise my Soul Power, but my tactical thinking and ability to adapt are both much better than before. And besides..."
She paused, a smile appearing at the corner of her mouth. "Even if there really is some kind of conspiracy, that's Senior Yi Chen's business. With his strength, if he really wanted to do something bad, would he need to go to all this trouble?"
Dugu Bo froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Well said! If that kid really wanted to do something bad, he could just reveal his level 99 cultivation. The entire continent would tremble. Why bother with some conspiracy? Whoever made up those rumors must have had a donkey kick their head!"
Ye Lingling listened quietly from the side without joining in. She lowered her eyes to the chess pieces and gently ran a finger over a golden equipment icon, her gaze thoughtful.
"Lingling, what do you think?" Dugu Yan asked.
Ye Lingling was silent for a moment, then replied coolly, "Rumors stop with the wise. Anyone who's played knows whether the Golden Spatula is useful. People who haven't even tried the game and still join in the uproar aren't worth worrying about."
Dugu Yan nodded, finding her words reasonable.
Meanwhile, in the back hills of Shrek Academy, Yi Chen was stretched out on a wicker chair beneath an ancient tree, basking in the sun with a glass of chilled fruit juice in his hand. He looked as content as a cat sunning itself.
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu sat before the chessboard, doing their training for the day. But the girls were clearly distracted. Every now and then, they stole a glance at Yi Chen, looking as if they wanted to speak but hesitated.
"If you have something to say, just say it. Isn't it uncomfortable keeping it bottled up?" Yi Chen said lazily, his eyes closed.
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu exchanged a glance. In the end, Ning Rongrong spoke first. "Master... We heard people have been saying bad things about you lately. They say the Golden Spatula is some kind of conspiracy and that you want to overthrow the order of the continent..."
Yi Chen opened his eyes and looked at her, then closed them again. His tone was as casual as if he were talking about the weather. "Oh, that. Let them talk."
"Master, you're not angry?" Xiao Wu couldn't help asking. "They're slandering you!"
Yi Chen took a sip of juice and answered unhurriedly, "What good would getting angry do? I can shut one person's mouth, but I can't shut the mouths of everyone under heaven. Besides..."
He opened his eyes, a meaningful smile curling his lips. "Have those rumors really affected the spread of the Golden Spatula?"
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu froze for a moment, then shook their heads together.
Not only had the rumors had no effect, but even more new players had registered over the past few days.
It seemed the rumors had actually introduced more people to the game, and curiosity had drawn them in to give it a try.
"Exactly. Let them talk." Yi Chen closed his eyes again, a lazy smile in his voice. "The more furiously they spread the rumors, the more people will hear about the Golden Spatula. Free publicity is free publicity."
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu looked at each other, then both burst out laughing.
They realized they'd been worrying for nothing.
Their master hadn't taken those clowns seriously at all.