Mediocre

"Yan Ci, why didn't you promote anyone from the Youth Training Camp when there's a vacancy in the second team?"

Yan Yi'an said in a strictly businesslike tone, "If I'm not mistaken, your starting roster is complete. Who are you trying to push out to make room for Li Yang?"

Yan Ci pressed his lips together, knowing that Yan Yi'an was right.

"You're not reinforcing the team; you're letting a catfish in." Yan Yi'an continued his critique, ignoring Yan Ci's grim expression.

The coach rarely saw Yan Ci look so docile.

He had never shown this attitude even when interacting with the Yan Household in the past.

So, had something happened that he didn't know about?

The coach turned it over and over in his mind while maintaining a professional, unquestionable firmness on his face.

"President Yan might not be very familiar with the e-sports industry. Buying and selling players between clubs is standard practice."

"Choosing Li Yang instead of the kids from the Youth Training Camp is the result of our comprehensive consideration."

"There are currently no particularly talented kids in the Youth Training Camp."

The coach gripped his notepad so tightly that his fingertips turned white.

Yan Yi'an saw right through the tension beneath his calm facade at a glance.

He felt some confusion as to why the coach was so nervous about Li Yang.

Logically speaking, even if he, an investor, was deeply dissatisfied with the newly purchased player—

Now that the contracts were signed and the tryouts were done, they were just waiting for the player to debut representing the team.

He couldn't demand that Yan Ci return the purchase now anyway.

So what was he nervous about?

Yan Ci desperately wanted to fake absolute indifference and snap right back at him.

But Yan Xianjue had already stripped away his last shred of dignity.

So he simply gave up and let things fall apart: "You've already bought him, so it's useless for you to lecture me now."

Instead of arguing, it was better to get the guy in early so he could at least reasonably demand compensation from Li Yang for breaching his contract.

Hearing Yan Ci's words, the coach felt a wave of relief.

Yan Ci was still the familiar Yan Ci: hot-headed and easy to manipulate.

Yan Xianjue, who had just been held back by Madam Yan and hadn't walked far, heard Yan Ci raise his volume unconsciously out of bluffing.

Curious, he turned his head back just in time to see the coach's fingertips relax and a clear look of relief wash over his face.

Without even guessing, he knew Yan Ci was definitely taking the blame for him again.

This coach and Li Yang are birds of a feather.

Yan Xianjue curled his lip. He threw matches back when he was a player, and he tried to threaten Li Yang into doing his bidding, only to end up being blackmailed in return with evidence of his own match-fixing. Tsk tsk.

What kind of freaks has Second Brother recruited anyway?!

Yan Ci's fingers trembled. Match-fixing?

This coach had been a very famous tactical master in the industry just a few years ago!

Yan Ci's vision went black.

At that moment, the members of the Yan Household who could hear Yan Xianjue's inner voice shared brainwaves that completely matched his.

What kind of freaks had Yan Ci recruited anyway!

Yan Yi'an was also at a loss for words.

Yan Yi'an said, "I will reevaluate the value of the team."

"Yan Ci, reflect on this yourself."

Yan Yi'an had to take back what he had said earlier.

With a bunch of people like this in the base, the financial reports were still somehow able to maintain a decent status.

Barring the possibility that Yan Ci was keeping fake accounting books, his management skills could even be considered decent.

After all, if an ordinary company had this kind of organizational structure, it would have lost its shirt long ago.

Yan Ci's lips moved, but he truly couldn't find anything to refute.

Second Brother looks completely wilted!

Remembering Yan Xianjue's fading remarks from yesterday, the members of the Yan Household...

couldn't help casting their gazes toward Yan Ci.

Well, it seemed true to an extent—he looked like a defeated little rooster, drooping his head in dejection.

Yan Yi'an rarely found himself reflecting on whether he was being too strict.

After all, Yan Ci was still too young and hadn't experienced many setbacks.

Hitting him with this much pressure right off the bat made him slightly worried about Yan Ci's ability to cope.

Before he could finish that thought, he saw Yan Ci ruthlessly rub his face.

He muttered in a muffled voice, "I understand, Big Brother."

This was his first time calling him Big Brother since learning that Yan Yi'an was an adopted son.

Yan Yi'an raised his eyebrows.

Did Yan Ci finally consider him a true big brother now?

Yan Xianjue had no mood to pay attention to the aftermath right then.

Because he discovered that when you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back.

When he was looking for dirt on Li Yang, Li Yang was also looking for him.

He just wanted to unearth evidence against Li Yang, but Li Yang actually wanted to scam him out of money!

It was truly bizarre beyond belief.

When Li Yang saw Yan Xianjue, he naturally waved to his teammates beside him.

He indicated that he was going over to say hello.

His teammate didn't think much of it and continued walking briskly outside.

He still had to go back and talk on the phone with his girlfriend.

Madam Yan remembered this person; he was the one who spent her money to support a kept boy, and that kept boy also happened to know Li Yang.

To think Li Yang could casually throw his arm around the guy's shoulders with such a natural expression—their relationship actually seemed pretty good.

Following that, Li Yang was seen walking toward them with a smile on his face.

Oh, to be accurate, he was walking toward Yan Xianjue.

Li Yang was thoroughly aware of his own physical advantages in appearance.

He flashed a smile as clear as a mountain spring.

As he spoke, he deliberately lowered his tone a few notches.

Even people like Father and Madam Yan, who were well-used to flattery, couldn't help but sigh from the bottom of their hearts:

Li Yang really has what it takes. No wonder he was able to charm Second Brother.

Father and Madam Yan nodded along in agreement.

"I see Captain Yan is busy. Would you mind if I accompanied you for a stroll?"

Li Yang's gaze ultimately landed on Yan Xianjue.

No matter how he looked at it, he thought Father and Madam Yan looked like parents accompanying their child.

Yan Xianjue nodded in agreement, signaling for him to lead the way.

He didn't mention that he had looked over the blueprints of this base ever since construction began.

Curious, he asked, "Are you very familiar with this place? How come I haven't seen you around before?"

Li Yang assumed that "before" referred to the team's previous matches.

He smiled. "I only transferred over recently."

"How should I address you?"

"Call me—"

Madam Yan interrupted Yan Xianjue: "Just call him Little Three."

Yan Xianjue gasped in disbelief: "Mom?!" What kind of ghost name was that!

Madam Yan gave him a look, telling him to figure it out himself.

Li Yang: "Little Third Master?"

He let out a muffled chuckle from his chest. Seeing Yan Xianjue's unfriendly expression, he assumed the other was about to fly into a rage.

He took a reflexive step backward.

Then he heard Yan Xianjue say, word by word, "Call me Little Young Master."

This had been inspired by Shen Fangli anyway.

In any case, it still sounded much better than Little Three.

Li Yang breathed a slight sigh of relief. He had seen what his stepbrother's boss looked like when angry.

A terrifying rage, a violent temper that made one wish to cleave apart every living creature in sight.

Ever since then, he had been left with a bit of psychological trauma.

He might want money, but he cared about his own little life even more.

Right on cue, they walked into the conference room usually used for game reviews.

On the conference room's whiteboard, traces of the previous meeting still remained.

He smoothly brought up today's match: "How did Little Young Master think I performed today?"

Yan Xianjue gave a very objective reply: "Mediocre."

The smile on Li Yang's face froze.

Yan Xianjue continued pointing out several of his mistakes on his own accord.

He was only two years apart in age from Yan Ci, and he had grown up watching how e-sports geniuses like Yan Ci played games.

Even through mere osmosis, he could still tell the difference between high and low skill.

Realizing that Yan Xianjue truly wasn't going to throw him a bone, Li Yang had no choice but to find a way out for himself.