Jiang Sui knew Su Hang very well.
Her brother was a typical gamer. Like many longtime players, he knew at most a few of the more famous players and teams, such as Menglei, Zhang Daxian, and AG Super Play. He knew nothing about the rest.
"Bro, let me name a few well-known Overlord players: the first-generation Jungle Overlord, Menglei; the first-generation clash lane Overlord, Saobai; the first-generation mid lane Overlord, Maoshen..."
Su Hang recognized some of the players his sister Jiang Sui named, while others were less familiar. After all, he had played Honor of Kings for ten years and encountered too many formidable players to remember them all.
"You don't play Honor of Kings, so how do you know so much about the scene?" Su Hang gave her a somewhat puzzled look.
When Honor of Kings first launched, he had dragged his sister into the game with him, only for her to quit a few days later. Her reason had been simple: she had been crushed by another player, felt awful, and didn't want to play anymore.
Later, he found the player who had crushed his sister and utterly demolished them dozens of times, avenging her.
Even so, his sister never touched Honor of Kings again.
"I don't play, but I watch it," Jiang Sui said with a grin. "After all, I really love the official Honor of Kings merchandise."
Su Hang nodded and mused, "So as long as my skills are on par with those hegemon players you mentioned, I can become famous?"
"Yes, but not entirely," Jiang Sui said. "To become famous, you also have to take part in the annual hegemon selection! Defeat the previous generation's lane hegemon and earn the title of the current generation's hegemon."
"Is it a professional tournament?"
"It's not a professional tournament." Jiang Sui shook her head. "It's a grand event held by the Honor of Kings officials. Its full name is the Honor of Kings Hegemon Feast."
"Simply put, ten players from the five lanes, drawn from both the public and professional scenes, who can rival hegemon-level players are invited to challenge the previous generation's five lane hegemons. That's how the new generation of hegemons is decided!"
Watching his sister talk endlessly, Su Hang suddenly felt that he was the one who didn't play Honor of Kings.
"How do you know so much about the Honor of Kings Hegemon Feast?"
"Because-"
Jiang Sui quickly pulled out her phone, swiped a few times, and handed it to Su Hang. "Every year after the Overlord Feast ends, the strongest Overlord is chosen from among the new generation, and that lane Overlord receives a specially customized Gold Badge from the officials for being the Strongest Overlord!"
"Do you know, bro?" Jiang Sui clenched both fists, her bright eyes full of longing. "I've collected Honor of Kings badges for ten years. I own every Honor of Kings badge on the market, but this Strongest Overlord Gold Badge is the one I don't have."
"Pain!"
"So much pain!"
"If I, Jiang Sui, could own that Gold Badge, even dying on the spot would be worth it."
Watching his sister act as though she were possessed by a drama queen, Su Hang muttered, "Isn't that a bit much?"
"Not at all."
Jiang Sui composed herself and said half-jokingly, "Bro, if you can get me the Gold Badge, I could even be your servant for the rest of my life."
"I can't afford a servant like you."
Su Hang picked up a piece of braised duck neck with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.
A sly look suddenly came into Jiang Sui's eyes. "Is the duck neck good, bro?"
"It's pretty good." Su Hang picked up another piece of duck neck and put it in his mouth, gesturing at her with his chopsticks. "What's with that look on your face? You look like you're up to something."
"Nothing."
Jiang Sui lowered her head in confusion and muttered, "I clearly bought the insanely spicy Cao's duck neck. How come he's eating it without any reaction?"
"I'm full."
Su Hang got up and headed for the bedroom. "Good night."
"Good night, big brother. Sweet dreams."
Jiang Sui answered, then picked up her chopsticks and lifted a glistening piece of braised duck neck, examining it over and over. "Could the seller have lied to me?"
Jiang Sui put the insanely spicy Cao's duck neck into her mouth and chewed with puffed cheeks. Within seconds, she was red all the way to her ears, sweat pouring down her face.
"Too spicy, too spicy, too spicy! Water, water, water!"
Jiang Sui's little face contorted in agony as she gulped down cold boiled water, but it didn't do a damn thing. The searing pain shot straight to the crown of her head, and her whole body felt as if it were being consumed by flames.
Thud.
She passed out from the heat at the dining table.
Like a newborn calf delivered naturally, she spoke in a voice as faint as a thread. "Bro, you tricked me."
Meanwhile.
After entering the bedroom, Su Hang spat out the Cao's duck neck he had tucked under his tongue and rinsed his mouth with sugar-free cola. He then peered through the crack in the door at his sister in the living room, who had already "died from the spice," and clicked his tongue twice.
"I've already played those tricks to death, and you still think you can make me look foolish? Go back to the furnace and remake yourself."
Lying flat on the bed.
Su Hang cradled the back of his head and stared at the ceiling.
"The Strongest Overlord badge?"
"If I could take part in this Overlord Feast, I should have a chance of getting the Strongest Overlord Gold Badge, right?"
"Let's see who got the Gold Badge last year."
He picked up the phone beside his pillow.
Su Hang opened Doubao and searched for the recipient of the previous generation's Strongest Overlord badge.
A young player bearing the KPL professional insignia appeared.
"Chengdu AG Super Play Club's Yinuo!"
Chengdu, in the Land of Abundance.
Although it was already the early hours of the morning, the AG Super Play training base was still brightly lit.
"'Exalted Emperor, the rookie who appeared out of nowhere, is suspected to be a King-Titled Player.' Damn it, these content farms make up the most outrageous stuff they can. They make King-Titled Players sound like cabbages by the roadside, cheap as dirt." A muscular young man with his chest bare held a cigarette in his mouth as he cursed and commented on a Douyin trending search.
"Xuanran, Exalted Emperor used Yuan Ge to crush three top streamer players. Could you do that?" asked Zhongyi, who was short and had a rather mature-looking face.
"Of course I could." Xuanran patted his belly and boasted, "I'm the current generation's clash lane hegemon, second only to Fly. Never mind three top streamers-even taking on five by myself would be no problem!"
"You, on the other hand, Zhongyi, still haven't managed to get yourself a hegemon title."
Faced with Xuanran's teasing, Zhongyi's forehead bulged with veins, and he gave a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Wasn't that because I was in poor form last year? What are you showing off for? This year, I'll definitely claim the Jungle Overlord throne."
Xuanran blew out a mouthful of smoke and said dismissively, "Anyone can talk big. If you can beat Xiaopang and claim the Jungle Overlord title, then our Captain Nuo can win a King title this year too."
"I really am planning to make a run at a King title this year."
Directly across the long training table, a pretty-faced young man playing a Peak Tournament match spoke with a smile.
As soon as he said that.
Xuanran and Zhongyi both turned to look at Yinuo.
Both wore expressions of utter disbelief.
Xuanran's eyes widened. He sat up straight and let loose a curse. "Fuck! I was just saying it, Captain Nuo. You're really planning to claim a King title this year?"
"Would I lie about that?" Yinuo shrugged. "If I miss this year, I'll have to wait another three years. Of course I'm going to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
For a moment, Xuanran's mouth went dry.
Although their AG was the strongest of the KPL's big three teams, none of its players had ever claimed a King title since the team was founded. By contrast, both Wolves and eStar, the other two teams in the big three, had produced King-title players.
If Yinuo succeeded, he would be the first King Title player in AG's history, and the glory he brought the team would be even greater than a league championship! After all, this was the dream of Menglei, Laoshuai, and the other first-generation AG players!
Yinuo put down his phone and looked at the victory results screen. "But the most urgent thing right now is to make sure Zhongyi can beat Xiaopang and claim the Jungle Overlord title."
"Zhongyi, give me a straight answer."
Yinuo looked at Zhongyi, his gaze sharp as a torch. "Against Xiaopang, what are your chances of winning?"