In the early hours of the morning, at Chengdu AG's training base.
In the training room, Yinuo was on a video call with Nuanyang, while Pei Qian, Xuanran, Zhongyi, and the others sat silently beside him.
"Sorry, Nuozai. I let you down this time." On the other end of the call, Nuanyang's face was full of guilt. "I was like the King of Yelang, blind to how small my kingdom was, and underestimated him too much. I didn't take the match seriously before it began, and ended up as a stepping stone for Exalted Emperor's legendary climb to the top."
"I watched the whole stream. It wasn't your fault, so don't blame yourself," Yinuo said, his voice icy. "If that top-tier support Su Lie hadn't appeared out of nowhere, you definitely would have beaten Exalted Emperor."
Hearing that, Nuanyang felt a current of warmth flow through his heart.
"I'll come to Chengdu to see you in a while. We brothers can go out for a meal, same as always, and have your favorite carp."
"No need." Yinuo's voice grew colder. "I'll be focused on preparing for the Overlord Feast in August. I'll be too busy to get away."
"All right." On the other end of the call, Nuanyang also noticed that his good brother was in a bad mood. "Then I won't disturb you. Don't stay up late. Get to bed early."
"Mm."
The video call ended.
AG's recruitment manager, Pei Qian, had just opened his mouth to speak.
"That piece of trash!!!"
Yinuo snatched the IQ phone off the desk and hurled it to the floor. With a sharp crack, the screen shattered into pieces and the battery flew out.
"To think I had such high hopes for him!" Yinuo flew into a rage, an inexplicable fury crashing about in his heaving chest. "He even screwed up something as small as putting an end to Exalted Emperor!"
Zhongyi and Xuanran froze beside him.
Their Captain Nuo and Nuanyang were as close as brothers, blood brothers in all but blood. Even when they had disagreements, they never cursed each other, yet now he had unleashed a torrent of curses over Exalted Emperor.
Though he hadn't said it to Nuanyang's face, it was enough to show just how furious their Captain Nuo was at that moment!
"Nuozai, Exalted Emperor's hundred-star promotion match made it clear that Nuanyang's game skills have declined badly!" Pei Qian snorted. "He's no longer the Strongest Overlord who once ruled the KPL stage. Take Brother Pei's advice and make a clean break with him as soon as possible."
"If I make a clean break with Nuanyang, who'll help me do the dirty, backbreaking work that can't see the light of day?" Yinuo hadn't been blinded by anger and still retained some reason. He leaned back in his gaming chair and pinched the bridge of his nose. "He is, after all, my dearest friend, my brother in arms. Even on the esports stage, he's always treated me with genuine sincerity."
"Nuozai, you're here to play esports, not make friends!" Pei Qian raised his voice. "You're the future Farm Lane King of the AG dynasty! A super KPL player destined to become a Champion Emperor player!"
"Nuozai, there's long been a sorrowful barrier between you and Nuanyang."
Yinuo said nothing.
"Countless people want to be your blade. Players and everyday gamers stronger than Nuanyang are a dime a dozen." Pei Qian's gaze sharpened. "Just give the word, and Brother Pei can even find a former King-Titled Player to be the blade you hide in the shadows!"
Yinuo hesitated. "Let me think about that some more. The urgent matter now is the Overlord Feast in a few days!"
"Captain Nuo is right," Zhongyi said, stepping forward. "We have to establish one thing: whether Exalted Emperor is eligible to take part in the Overlord Feast in August!"
Disappointment flashed in Pei Qian's eyes, but he immediately followed the change of subject. "There are only two ways for Exalted Emperor to get a ticket to the Overlord Feast. One is to be jointly recommended by an everyday player and a professional player who have both held the Overlord title. The other is to have Overlord-level skills in Honor of Kings and more than a million followers on a single platform!"
"Then we can pass on the first one." Xuanran drew on his Huazi and spoke carelessly. "With AG's current influence and pull, no Overlord player or pro would dare vouch for Exalted Emperor."
"A rare sight, the warrior using his brain," Zhongyi said with a laugh.
"Get lost, get lost, get lost," Xuanran said, rolling his eyes. "I've always been smart, all right?"
"Exalted Emperor's skills are now fully comparable to an Overlord player's. It wouldn't even be an exaggeration to call him a potential King Title. That leaves only his follower count." Zhongyi picked up his phone and opened Douyin. "Reaching Legend with a hundred-percent win rate and an all-MVP record has brought Exalted Emperor to 500,000 followers. He's still a long way from the million-follower threshold."
"Then we don't need to worry at all." Xuanran stubbed out his Huazi. "There are only a few days until the Overlord Feast. Even if he turned into an iron man and streamed nonstop, there's no way he could reach a million followers!"
As soon as he said that,
Yinuo nodded, somewhat reassured.
"Cap... Captain Nuo!"
Zhongyi's voice suddenly began to tremble.
"What is it?"
Yinuo turned to look at Zhongyi, frowning. "What did you see while scrolling through videos? Why do you look so pale?"
Pei Qian and Xuanran both looked over, puzzled.
Zhongyi stared at his phone, his eyes wide. "Exalted Emperor's live."
"What's the big deal?" Xuanran said, unconcerned. "Going live in the early hours means Exalted Emperor wants to make a final push for a million followers, but it's bound to be a waste of effort. He might have a shot if he had a month."
Pei Qian said disdainfully, "The hundred-star sprint gimmick got him hundreds of thousands of followers before. With an ordinary stream and no gimmick, that little bastard couldn't gain 500,000 followers even if he worked himself to death!"
Zhongyi said with difficulty, "Brother Pei, he has a gimmick for this stream."
"What gimmick?"
Zhongyi enunciated each word. "Getting a Major National Badge on a mid-lane hero from zero experience in three days!"
Pei Qian and Xuanran froze!
Yinuo's pupils contracted. He hurriedly took out his own phone and logged in to check. His face darkened instantly. "That guy just won't give up."
"That's completely impossible." Xuanran was badly startled too. "A Major National Badge from zero experience in three days—even top KPL players like us couldn't do that."
Although it was the start of the season, the combat power required for a Major National Badge was generally above 15,000 points, and even unpopular heroes required 12,000.
Three days, 72 hours-even if gold-medal boosters who specialized in earning badges took turns grinding points, there was no way they could do it.
Zhongyi shivered. "Warrior, that's not quite right. A Major National Badge from zero experience in three days—looking across the entire history of Honor of Kings, no player has ever managed it!"
"That's why I said it's impossible! Exalted Emperor is completely lost in a fool's dream!"
"Didn't we also think he was spinning a fool's dream when he said he'd reach a hundred stars with a hundred-percent win rate and an all-MVP record?" Yinuo's face was extremely grim. "And he still managed it in the end."
"Brother Pei, I've made up my mind."
Pei Qian was taken aback at first, then overjoyed.
"Nuanyang is a blade I can't count on anymore." Yinuo's eyes filled with an icy chill as he gritted his teeth. "I need a sharper blade to cut off Exalted Emperor's path to the Overlord Feast!"
"Good!"
Pei Qian restrained his excitement. "I'll arrange for that King-Titled Player to snipe Exalted Emperor right away!"