"You're taking it too seriously. I had no intention of threatening you." Manager Pei's voice on the other end of the phone concealed a dagger behind its smile.
Su Hang had heard of AG Super Play. He had known many of AG's veteran players, such as Menglei and Laoshuai, since the first season of Honor of Kings. Though theirs were no more than cordial friendships, they were on fairly good terms.
As a result, he had a favorable impression of AG, the professional team.
But now, AG's recruitment manager surnamed Pei had spoken rudely, and there had even been a hint of a threat between his lines. Every bit of goodwill Su Hang had felt vanished.
"Mr. Su, you became a sensation in the Honor of Kings community in just two days thanks to your formidable skills. I believe you're a smart man."
"AG currently holds six championship titles and dominates the entire KPL League. We're already in a position where ten thousand teams come to pay their respects."
"Joining us would bring every benefit and no harm to either of us. It would be a win-win situation."
A cold light flashed in Su Hang's eyes. "Stop beating around the bush. Tell me what you really want."
"Dealing with a smart man really is easy. It's fine if you don't join AG, but if you're fortunate enough to take part in August's Overlord Feast and qualify to challenge a defending Overlord, we hope you'll withdraw of your own accord."
"AG will offer you a commercial partnership worth a million as compensation."
"What do you think?"
Su Hang sneered. "Heh, what if I refuse?"
"Then that would be a great pity." Manager Pei let out a long sigh over the phone, full of regret. "You're young and headstrong, and your judgment isn't mature. Perhaps you think that with your remarkable gaming skills, you really can reach the peak the moment you debut and claim a lane Overlord's throne."
"But don't forget, gaming skill is only one important criterion for selecting an Overlord. Whether a challenger ultimately earns the title also depends on connections."
"With AG's influence and ability to rally people in the Honor of Kings community, if we launch a boycott against you, I believe no Honor of Kings streamer or professional player will be willing to risk helping you."
Su Hang laughed.
His smile was brilliant.
"Then let's see what happens."
Seeing that his "threat" had failed, Manager Pei's tone turned icy. "Mr. Su, I've made the pros and cons clear. If you insist on going your own way, all that awaits you is self-destruction."
"Now that you've gone that far, if I don't give you a response, you might really think your team can cover the sky with one hand."
Su Hang's smile faded. "The more you threaten me like this, the more determined I am to take part in August's Overlord Feast. Go back and tell your Overlord players to watch a few more horror movies and toughen up mentally. Otherwise, if I beat them so badly their Dao hearts collapse, don't blame me for not warning you."
"You-" Manager Pei flew into a rage.
Su Hang hung up and promptly blocked his number.
"When the upper beam is crooked, the lower beams lean."
Having been a professional player in his previous life, Su Hang understood the twists and turns and underhanded deals involved. Many professional teams that had been inspiring in their early days often became thoroughly tainted by the stench of money after reaching the championship throne and establishing dynasties of their own.
It all stemmed from capital's profit-seeking nature.
When championships were no longer pure and became a means of harvesting fans and traffic, they lost their very meaning.
"Although I decided long ago not to go pro, I don't mind using my status as a gaming streamer to set the KPL professional scene straight at the Overlord Feast and stamp out some of this unhealthy trend."
Su Hang searched Baidu for [Overlord Feast].
"Threaten me? AG, you picked the wrong person!"
In the early hours of the morning, at the Chengdu AG Super Play Club training base.
Menglei, who had just finished streaming, arrived at the base for a visit, carrying a large bag of snacks and drinks.
As one of AG's veteran players and a shareholder in the team, he still cared deeply about AG, even though he had retired long ago.
He pushed open the door to the training room and saw that Yinuo, Zhongyi, Xuanran, and the other players all looked terribly upset. Standing beside them were the head coach, [Zhan Yuwen], and [Pei Qian], who had just been promoted to recruitment manager.
Both men looked a little uncomfortable as well, especially recruitment manager [Pei Qian], whose face was full of anger and whose nose was practically crooked with rage.
"What the heck? You all look like you've been in a fight. What the heck happened?" Menglei put the bag on the table and turned to ask.
"Oh, Teacher Meng is here." A trace of respect flashed in head coach Zhan Yuwen's eyes, and he nodded in greeting.
"Good evening, Teacher Meng."
"Whoa, Teacher Meng brought us treats again."
"Holy crap! Cao's duck necks, my favorite! You really splurged, Teacher Meng."
The players greeted Menglei warmly. A few newcomers from the second team had already hurried over to the snack bag and begun scrambling for the treats.
"Hey, slow down, slow down. There's enough for everyone." Looking at the young, inexperienced newcomers, Menglei's face was full of affection. These were talents their great AG had carefully nurtured, youngsters who would carry the banner in the future.
Menglei walked over to head coach [Zhan Yuwen], glanced at recruitment manager Pei Qian, then at Yinuo and the others. "Little Pei, what's going on with Nuozai and the others?"
"Teacher Meng, hasn't a streamer called [Exalted Emperor] appeared out of nowhere in the Honor of Kings community these past few days? The one who's really good at the game?"
"Exalted Emperor?"
Menglei nodded. "I've come across him."
Head coach Zhan Yuwen continued, "Nuozai thought Exalted Emperor had potential, so he had Zhongyi come to me to see if we could invite him to join our AG. I told Old Pei to call him and find out whether he was interested in going pro."
"That's a good thing." Menglei smiled. "Exalted Emperor is only eighteen, but his gaming skills are already comparable to a lane Overlord's. He's a rare esports prospect. With a little training, he could definitely become a top player capable of holding his own."
"What happened? Did he not want to go pro?"
Zhan Yuwen nodded, then said, "When Old Pei spoke with him on the phone, he made it clear that he wasn't going pro."
"Ah, what a shame." Menglei smacked his lips, his face full of regret. "But everyone has their own ambitions. Exalted Emperor is at an age when his blood runs hot. He probably doesn't want to be tied down and wants to carve out a world of his own."
"The problem lies in Exalted Emperor's hot blood."
Menglei paused, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"Old Pei-" Zhan Yuwen glanced sideways at Pei Qian, whose face was ashen. "He had a bit of an argument with Exalted Emperor and upset him. In the end, Exalted Emperor made a threat, saying he'd crush Yinuo and the others at August's Overlord Feast."
"Hm?" Menglei's expression changed slightly, and his brows gradually furrowed. According to Zhan Wenyu's account, the reason the argument had broken out and escalated into threats was that Exalted Emperor's blood ran hot.
But that logic simply didn't hold up.
At an age when blood ran hot, it was true that tempers flared and words and actions could be aggressive, but that was all on the basis of having been provoked.
Menglei looked at Pei Qian and asked, "Little Pei, did you record the whole call with Exalted Emperor?"
Pei Qian's expression eased. "Yes. I just played it for Coach Zhan, Nuozai, and the others."
"Play it for me again."
"All right, Teacher Meng."