vstars Chapter 308 Professional Teams
Chapter 308 Professional Teams
Sanmao is recovering well recently.
In the days immediately following the surgery, the little one could only lie on the carpet, wearing an Elizabethan collar, utterly dejected.
Every time the little head tries to lick its fur or wound, it is always firmly blocked by the plastic ring.
After failing to achieve its goal, it will emit a low, extremely dissatisfied "gurgling" sound from its throat, loudly protesting to the heavens.
Every time Bai Li sees this, she feels heartbroken but can't help but want to laugh at the same time.
After several days of recovery, the Elizabethan collar can finally be taken off.
Sanmao was sprawled out on Baili's sofa, worth hundreds of thousands of yuan, frantically licking his fur, thoroughly enjoying himself.
It was as if they were trying to make up for all the losses from the previous days.
The midday sun shone on it, making it feel warm and cozy.
The little guy licked it while making "gurgling" sounds, as if he was muttering something.
If Shirai could understand cat language, she would find it both hilarious and absurd.
"Wipe your face, wipe your belly, and clean your bottom too."
"Mmm, so good!"
"Rinse your head, scrub your back, wash it over and over again."
"But! I feel like something very important is missing from my body, something's strange, something's not right... Ah! Damn it!"
"Toes, neck collar, clean from head to toe."
……
Seeing how engrossed it was, Bai Li didn't disturb it and sat down beside it, focusing on her work.
But after Sanmao finished licking its fur, it immediately snuggled up to its owner, rubbing its head against Bai Li's arm and forcibly squeezing itself into Bai Li's palm, purring and whining affectionately.
"The best owner in the world, Tie Tie!"
"The outside world is too scary, I'm never going out again."
"It's all thanks to Master! He actually managed to rescue this great king."
The experience of the past few days was still fresh in Sanmao's memory. This little cat had fully realized the "danger" of the outside world and had learned a great deal.
Now, when they see the gate open, they not only don't run out, but they also stay far away.
Little did it know that the mastermind behind this "disaster" targeting its "testicles" was none other than its beloved owner.
Unfortunately, the little kitten was too silly to notice and even mistook its owner for its savior.
Bai Li's working hand was lifted up by Sanmao, so she had to put down her work for the time being. She stroked Sanmao's hair, which Sanmao had groomed to be shiny, smooth and soft, and thought to herself that Sanmao had become so good at acting cute lately.
Before, they would never even come to rub against me, let alone come over; you could hardly ever see their shadow.
Bai Li even had the illusion that she was a completely different cat, and couldn't help but sigh in her heart that it was better to neuter the cat.
Just then, the cell phone beside me rang.
Bai Li picked it up, saw the name on the screen, raised her eyebrows in surprise, and then answered the call.
"Hey honey, what are you doing? Did I disturb you?"
Ying Xiangyang's voice came from the other end of the phone.
The sound was somewhat muffled, with a hollow echo.
Bai Li unconsciously scratched Sanmao's chin with one hand, saying, "Petting the cat. Where are you? You don't sound like you're in the dorm."
"Yeah, the training match just ended." In the hallway, Ying Xiangyang leaned against the wall with one hand in his pocket.
It was already dark here.
Looking out the window in the stairwell, a bright moon hangs in the sky.
Although the sky is the same as in China, the cityscape is completely different.
The houses here are generally low, one next to another, separated by gardens, and there are few pedestrians or cars on the road.
It's called a city, but it's more like a small town.
It was late at night, and all was quiet except for the faint sound of the coach and a few teammates talking in the training room at the end of the corridor.
Ying Xiangyang leaned against the wall and continued, "I was in the stairwell, so I sneaked out for some fresh air."
"Oh? How was today's training match?" Bai Li asked casually.
Ying Xiangyang pondered for a moment and said, "Hmm... the results are not bad, second in the whole competition, but we still need a little more practice."
"Where is the number one team?"
"They were one of the top four teams from Europe last year, called 'Valkyrie.' They were pretty strong, but in the end..."
……
Ying Xiangyang speaks very quickly and his logic is very clear.
Unfortunately, Bai Li wasn't cut out for esports. She wasn't very knowledgeable about team composition, tactics, or teamwork, so she could only get a vague understanding from what she heard.
But she listened quietly, mainly because Ying Xiangyang spoke calmly and attentively, with a hint of confidence in controlling the overall situation, which Bai Li liked very much.
Realizing that Bai Li hadn't spoken for a while, Ying Xiangyang paused, remained silent for a moment, and said with a hint of apology, "I'm sorry, did you find it tiring to listen to? You talked too much at once."
Bai Li touched the fluffy "scarf" around Sanmao's neck and said nonchalantly, "No, it's quite interesting."
Bai Li was not lying about this.
There's a reason why Ying Xiangyang was able to become a top game streamer on the platform.
He doesn't just rely on his looks and skills; he also has excellent speaking skills.
It was told in a vivid and engaging way, and was extremely interesting.
Bai Li has been talking to him on the phone lately, and without realizing it, she has learned a lot of new knowledge about e-sports.
For example, the operating model of professional esports teams, the situation of top teams, and their various tactical systems, etc.
Later on, she could occasionally imitate Ying Xiangyang and use a couple of technical terms.
Gradually, she gained a more concrete understanding of the intensity of international competition and Ying Xiangyang's position, and she also gained a clearer understanding of the tip of the iceberg of the pressure he faced.
The official major leagues alone have dozens of divisions, spanning the globe, and only the top ten teams from each division can enter the global league.
The level of competition has far surpassed that of ordinary traditional sports.
The commercial value and industry scale behind each top team and player also exceeded Bai Li's original imagination.
In order to win, the top teams scour the world for top talents every year, sparing no expense to acquire them.
A top player's golden period is only a few short years. Once their performance declines, they will immediately be watched by countless eyes that are eyeing them covetously.
At the highest level, even the slightest difference can make all the difference.
Those teams at the top of the pyramid have won every victory through hardships that are unimaginable to ordinary people.
After a victory, the team not only gains immense glory, but also huge business opportunities.
Those top esports players are no longer just players; each one has a multi-million dollar contract and possesses enormous commercial value.
Previously, Bai Li had only been developing her career in the entertainment industry and was not familiar with the e-sports circle.
Unexpectedly, the e-sports industry is quite large.
Although it can't compare to the exorbitant profits of the entertainment industry, it still has great potential for development.
Ying Xiangyang didn't talk much about himself, seemingly afraid that he would boast too much and lose face if he failed in the competition. He deliberately avoided topics related to himself.
But just because he didn't say it doesn't mean Bai Li couldn't guess.
Given that someone like Ying Xiangyang can go pro and join a top team whenever he wants, his skills are probably far more terrifying than she imagined.
At this point, the two chatted intimately for a while longer about everyday things:
How is Sanmao?
"She's doing great." Bai Li looked at Sanmao, who was sprawled out like a pancake in her arms, and laughed. "She's lying on my lap right now, enjoying herself. Her purring is almost as loud as a tractor."
As she spoke, she brought the phone's microphone close to Sanmao's mouth, transmitting Sanmao's adorable snoring sounds through the phone to the other side of the ocean.
Bai Li put the phone back to her ear: "Did you hear that?"
Ying Xiang didn't answer, but just clicked his tongue: "Tsk, I'm so unwilling, it stole my seat."
His voice contained three parts resentment, three parts grievance, and four parts accusation.
The seat he was referring to was Shirai's legs.
Previously at school, during breaks, Ying Xiangyang often liked to rest his head on Bai Li's legs.
Bai Li chuckled. She knew Ying Xiangyang was just joking, but she deliberately teased, "How pathetic, arguing with a cat. Besides, Sanmao is my son, it's only natural for him to lie on my lap."
“Then you’re my wife.” Ying Xiangyang gritted his teeth, his voice sticky. “It’s the middle of the night here, all alone in the hallway, cold and hungry. The food in the cafeteria here is awful.”
"Honey, don't just focus on petting it, think about me too. I miss you so much... so much." Ying Xiangyang rarely spoke so softly, with such a drawn-out tone.
Bai Li felt a pang of longing; it seemed he really missed her.
A smile played on her lips, and her voice carried a barely perceptible gentleness: "...Okay, I know. Train hard. I...miss you too."
Bai Li's voice wasn't loud, but it still struck Ying Xiangyang's heart precisely through the receiver.
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by a suppressed gasp of laughter: "...Yes, I received it."
He paused, his voice lowering, earnest yet gentle: "Wait for me to come back, my wife."
Just then, a loud, boisterous voice broke the silence from the empty corridor: "What are you guys doing here?!"
Immediately following was a flurry of hurried footsteps.
The newcomer's mouth was abruptly covered by the eavesdroppers: "...Uh?"
But it was too late.
Ying Xiangyang, who was making a phone call against the wall in the stairwell, stiffly turned his head, his eyes filled with terror, and made eye contact with several team members who were eavesdropping.
A brief, suffocating silence.
Several equally young men immediately stood at attention, as if some emergency switch had been flipped, and hurriedly explained:
"My grass!"
"Haha, the night is so beautiful~"
"Yang Shen, we're just passing by!"
Ying Xiangyang's smile grew even more "kind": "Do you think I believe that?"
The light in the passageway wasn't bright, but it was enough for the young team members to see Ying Xiangyang's expression clearly, making their hair stand on end.
The group readily offered someone to take the blame:
"It was the monkeys calling us!"
"Ugh, that monkey is no human being. I didn't want to listen at all, but he dragged me here."
"Exactly! Monkey, how could you eavesdrop on other people's Yang God's privacy? That's so immoral!"
These professional players, although they wouldn't betray their teammates on the field.
But at this moment, they betrayed their teammates without any psychological burden or hesitation, showing absolutely no camaraderie.
The skinny guy nicknamed Monkey immediately jumped up and shouted, "Damn it, who are you guys? I was trying to help you guys out, and you betrayed me!"
Bai Li heard some noise on the other end of the phone, but it wasn't very clear. She asked with concern, "What's wrong?"
Ying Xiangyang took a deep breath and said gently, "It's nothing, I just have something to take care of. I'll talk to you later."
Bai Li said "Oh," and then said, "Okay, you go and take care of your business first. See you in a bit."
See you in a bit.
Ying Xiangyang only pressed the hang-up button after confirming that Bai Li had hung up the phone.
He only took one step forward, but it scared several professional players so much that they took several steps back.
The guy with the buzz cut was the first to realize what was happening, slapping his forehead: "I suddenly remembered, I haven't finished my post-battle debriefing yet, damn it, I'm going back now!"
After saying that, he slipped away and made a quick getaway.
"Ah, yes, yes, yes."
The others suddenly realized what was happening.
My takeout has arrived!
"I haven't boiled the water yet!"
"I...I haven't washed my socks yet!"
Ying Xiangyang snorted and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "There's takeout here? The automatic water dispenser doesn't need to boil water at all. Do you really have to wash your socks now?"
"I see you guys have a lot of free time. Why don't you play a solo gunfight with me instead? Don't waste your precious time."
Ying Xiangyang had no intention of letting them go, and he chased after them.
A chase ensues in the corridor.
"No!"
"He's always looking for monkeys when he's having a gunfight; he especially loves gunfights!"
The monkey that was called out again felt its life was too miserable and immediately howled, "Damn it! Little K, are you even human?"
I don't want to train with anyone but this guy surnamed Ying; he's a beast.
With a 95% success rate in gunfights, their reaction speed is practically alien.
Anyone who trains with him for money will become withdrawn.
The monkey quickened its pace and ran as fast as it could.
Unfortunately, these professional esports players spend all their time in the training room and can't outrun Ying Xiangyang, who has long arms and legs and works out regularly.
Ying Xiangyang chased them like chasing chicks, it was so easy.
According to them, the culprit was the monkey.
With a clear goal in mind, Ying Xiangyang caught up with the monkey in a few steps and captured it.
The captured monkey, unable to break free, cried out in alarm, "Wrong! Wrong! Wrong! Yang Shen! No!"
Just then, the coach, who had heard the commotion in the hallway, poked his head out of the training room: "What's going on? You guys? You've got a lot of energy!"
The monkey saw its savior and quickly reached out for help: "Coach... Coach! Help me! I'm suffocating."
Ying Xiangyang did not let go.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" He looked at the coach seriously and said, "Coach, I'm just about to give Monkey some more pointers on recoil control."
Seeing this, the coach knew that Monkey must have offended Ying Xiangyang somehow. Hearing this, he shrugged, looking helpless, and went along with it: "Haha, good recoil control, Monkey needs to improve."
The monkey looked utterly disillusioned: "Coach, are you siding with your own people instead of being reasonable...?"
The others chuckled as they watched the monkey being dragged away.
One of them patted his chest, lowered his voice, and whispered incredulously, "Was Yang Shen just calling for his wife?"
Another person came over, looking excited as if he had discovered a new continent: "That's right, it's my wife! Didn't you see or hear Yang Shen's tone? That Yang Shen actually talks like that, it gave me goosebumps."
Flathead wiped his face, his expression complicated: "You haven't been playing professionally for the past few years, did you go off to find a wife?"
The group exchanged bewildered glances, realizing they had uncovered a shocking truth.
"..."
"Early marriage is a disaster. If they had joined our team a few years earlier, we wouldn't be getting crushed by foreign players..."