The camera shifted toward the defending team, the hostess still using sweet and perfect words to introduce their Battle Stage’s challenging system.
The five-man team of Luocheng, Da Luo, Zhou Yan, Wu Sen, and Lin Dong, sat as still as statues in front of the screen, slightly awkward smiles plastered on their faces. In all honesty, this was their first time being interviewed like this, so it was inevitable that they would be a bit nervous.
“Well then, let’s jump straight into a challenge match, it seems that there already is a strong team looking to fight for that 30,000 RMB cash prize!”
The bulky camera immediately swiveled to the team that Boss Lei had arranged to make an appearance.
Just as the reporter was going over to interview them, their regular customer, Bing Bing, walked over wordlessly.
Boss Lei was stunned, what was this Bing Bing doing, hadn’t they all agreed to do things as planned!? This was going to be broadcasted on television and the E-sports Storm!
Boss Lei wanted to grab the kid before he did anything stupid, but as he was being filmed by the corner of the camera, he didn’t dare to move a muscle. All he could do was watch helplessly as Bing Bing ran up to where Team Cameo were seated.
“Simply forming a team to challenge a long-term premade squad, the end results would obviously be you winning, increasing the prize money even further. This is just some dumb publicity stunt to attract customers with some cash,” Bing Bing said, his disdain for the defending team written clearly on his face.
Boss Lei furrowed his brows tightly, what exactly was Bing Bing trying to do!
The hostess wasn’t bothered one bit by the sudden appearance of Bing Bing, reacting smoothly by handing the mic over to him while saying, “It looks like this guest is one of the regulars here. So, you don’t think your defending team is as strong as people say?”
“Even without considering the LPL teams, there’s no way Shanghai’s strongest team is Demacia Cafe’s laughable excuse of a defending team. The reason the prize money hasn’t been won yet is simple, it just wasn’t worth the effort of the truly strong teams to come and take it,” Bing Bing said.
***
“Boss Lei, you didn’t arrange this, did you?” Duo Duo let out a small laugh upon hearing what Bing Bing had to say on screen, but when he glanced over to see Boss Lei’s expression, he felt that something wasn’t right.
“What do you think? Hmph, the kid really was sent over by that darn Xuhui Cybercafe! I can’t believe he’s pulling this sh*t right now, I swear I’ll end him!!” Boss Lei said, his words burning hot and bright in Duo Duo’s ears, his professional demeanor suddenly gone.
***
“Oh? Then in that case, do you think the prize now is high enough to be worth the time of some ‘truly strong teams’ as you put it?” The hostess looked as though she was enjoying the gossip.
You really had to give it to them, the improvisation of these hosts and reporters were very worthy of much praise. They were able to react to sudden situations such as this as if everything had been planned beforehand, even though the truth was that Boss Lei had never intended for Bing Bing to even appear, let alone stir up a drama like this. This Bing Bing was without a doubt sent by one of Demacia Cafe’s biggest competitors from Club Sunlight!
The homebase of Team Sunlight!
“It’s not a matter of money, it’s a matter of glory and honor! The strongest team in Shanghai is Team Sunlight, and millions of fans would agree!” Bing Bing said matter-of-factly.
“Team Sunlight, I’ve definitely heard that name before. After all, yours truly did her fair share of homework before she started reporting news on e-sports. Team Sunlight is the most popular team outside of the LPL, its fanbase already exceeding the original Team Fudan, garnering tens of thousands of supporters on all major streaming platforms!” the hostess elaborated.
“With their skills, they could easily win out against most of the competition in the LPL. It’s just that they didn’t like the restrictions that came with the LPL and similar e-sports competitions, and they can’t stand the organisers’ complete control over the battling system either,” Bing Bing said.
“So, what you’re implying is, your Team Sunlight is going to play in this challenge match, subsequently taking home the 30,000 RMB cash prize from Demacia Cafe?” the hostess asked.
“Exactly right. Previously, I’ve tried to make a challenge on the behalf of Team Sunlight, but we kept getting pushed back in the schedule because the manager said that there were already other teams waiting in line. I’d like to see how Demacia Cafe’s defending team rejects our Team Sunlight’s challenge this time!”
Bing Bing’s word’s provoked the entire audience in Demacia Cafe!
Honestly, none of the regulars had had a clue that Bing Bing was a spy sent in from Club Sunlight, he had been hiding his team very well in Demacia for so long. And now, here he was, shamelessly using Boss Lei’s media connections to not only knock Demacia Cafe down a peg, but to also stir up discussion about Team Sunlight! Those dirty businessmen knew no bounds to their lies and deceit!
Bing Bing had inadvertently stolen the spotlight of the entire interview, but Luocheng was listening to every word Bing Bing spat out, sitting quietly just out of focus of the camera lens.
Luocheng’s anger toward Team Sunlight’s use of video streaming and misdirection to disgrace the integrity of e-sports had already been brewing, but now, he was witnessing with his own eyes how this Team Sunlight used a few of their pawns to get what they wanted and how they misconstrued facts to sensationalise their message.
They thought they could easily get into the LPL?
Luocheng didn’t know whether to laugh at them or feel sorry for them.
Every LPL contestant had sacrificed so much time and effort to be able to fight for the chance to sit upon that throne of glory. Team Sunlight didn’t have the determination nor the skills to get in, and yet, they were parading around the internet, bragging about how they were above such competitions, even using Demacia Cafe’s exclusive interview time slot to make empty brags!?
Why were you coming to this insignificant little cybercafe? Why don’t you go brag straight at the LPL contestants’ faces? After all, didn’t you say you knew for a fact that Demacia Cafe’s defending team couldn’t be compared to the LPL teams!?
***
Boss Lei knew that things were getting out of hand, and if Bing Bing continued to be such a disturbance, this interview would never see the light of day.
Well, let’s play it by ear, shall we!
“Good, good. Since you say that our defending team isn’t what it seems, we invite your Team Sunlight to come onstage.” Boss Lei laughed coldly.
A beautiful show of hands, hiding under the radar for so long, all so you could spread your own message through the media at your enemies’ expense.
But, since you have declined on taking the high-road, let me show you the gates of hell!
Boss Lei knew very well that their defending team wasn’t just some ordinary team of career players. No, they were Team Skycrown who had lit up the skies of last year’s LPL like fireworks in the dark, only to disappear just as quickly!
They had originally planned to uncover Team Skycrown’s LPL status as soon as they finished the challenge match against Team Cameo, but who could have predicted that Team Sunlight who could “easily beat the LPL” would jump straight into the alligator’s mouth!
Team Sunlight was known for these tactics, avoiding LPL star teams at all costs but stepping on the heads of other non-professional teams.
Bing Bing must have observed the defending team for quite some time to come to the conclusion that Team Sunlight could beat them, which was why he had decided to use the media’s arrival as the perfect opportunity to show off.
Unfortunately, Team Skycrown still held a trump card in their hands.
Since you thought Team Sunlight could participate in the LPL with ease, then by all means, here’s the LPL challenge you’ve been waiting for!
F*cking show me what you’ve got!
“Well, Luocheng, what do you say we let them challenge us, hmm?” Boss Lei wasn’t going to stand by and watch, they had come into his territory and caused a scene, revenge against Club Sunlight would be served!
Luocheng nodded, trying to control the rage boiling up in his voice, “I thought you’d never ask!”
Team Sunlight, your games of trickery and deceit have come to an end!
I’m going to show you the true power of an e-sports professional player!
