December 18th, Sunday…
Wu Yue was counting the total number of travellers with Manager Lu in the office.
“Once we arrive in Los Angeles, we’ll hire a local tour guide, four bodyguards and a chauffeur, and rent a minibus.”
“FV Club’s first team, second team, SUG Club’s five main players, plus you, me, team leader, personal trainers, and the analyst, there are a total of twenty people. There are also two translators and three photographers shooting documentaries. In this case, there will be 25 people.”
“We need five more people.”
“Bring a doctor to ensure that the team members are healthy, he can also guide everyone in some simple physical training in the hotel to maintain their health.”
“Four more people.”
Wu Yue counted with his fingers, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not gather thirty people.
The main reason was that Boss Pei had given him too many slots. Wu Yue had even brought three photographers. The rest, including translators, team leaders, trainers, analysts, the doctor, and other logisticians that he had to bring along, had also been brought along. In the end, he still needed four more people. He really did not know who else to bring.
While Boss Pei did not have any special requirements for the employees’ identities, this was a business trip after all. The people he brought had to be related to the competition, right?
Boss Pei was very generous. He acted as if he was asking everyone to go on a public holiday to Los Angeles. However, Wu Yue did not dare to really turn it into a public holiday. Instead, he felt immense pressure.
He had given them a few million yuan. What if they could not produce good results?!
Manager Lu suggested, “Boss Wu, there are only so many people in our club. We really can’t think of any more candidates. Why don’t you ask Boss Zhang and see if he has any suitable candidates?”
“Boss Pei is the one who is sponsoring after all. The remaining four slots should be taken by Tengda. That would make the situation more acceptable. What’s more, Tengda’s employees would probably want to come on such a fully paid high expense trip.”
Wu Yue nodded in realization. “That’s right, I’ll ask Boss Zhang.”
“How about this? I’ll give Boss Zhang a call, and you can call Boss Ding Gan of SUG Club.”
…
DGE E-Sports Club…
Zhang Yuan: “There are four slots left? No one else to choose?”
“Hmm… it’s not a problem for us to send four people. Let me think about it.”
Zhang Yuan fell into deep thought after Wu Yue explained the situation over the phone.
Boss Pei had personally asked about FV Club’s expedition. He had given them very generous travelling standards. What’s more, he had forced them to bring 30 people with them!
What’s more, this did not include the tour guide and bodyguards hired in Los Angeles.
Why should he bring so many people?
The e-sports environment in the world was not proper, let alone in the country now. Professional players in the country often spent money to play competitions just two years ago. They often heard about them sleeping by the roadside and eating instant noodles with cold water.
This was especially so for international competitions like this. They would save as much as they could since the expenses would be huge when they went overseas. The fewer people, the better.
Yet, Boss Pei had given them a treatment that far exceeded the norm. Why was that?
After a brief consideration, Zhang Yuan immediately thought of two points. First, it would be to show the outside world Tengda’s financial resources and the significance Tengda placed on E-Sports through FV Club. Second, he would do his best to ensure logistics and achieve good results at all costs!
That was because FV Club was already tied to Tengda. The better FV Club’s results were, the more face Tengda would have. Comparatively, it would be a slap to Finger Games and Long Yu Corporation’s faces.
Whether or not he would get a bonus was secondary. The key was the popularity and advertising effect.
Therefore, the entourage this time was definitely not going on a holiday. They had to be more or less useful.
Zhang Yuan said, “If we look at the entire Tengda Corporation, there are four suitable candidates. However, I don’t know if they are willing to go.”
“Ye Zhizhou, Min Jingchao, Bao Xu, Zhou Pengyuan.”
“Ye Zhizhou is the person-in-charge of Shang Yang Games and a game designer. He was once in charge of the operations of IOI’s domestic server. He is very familiar with the various data of IOI. Of course, his understanding is limited to the old version.”
“Min Jingchao, GOG’s designer. He has been in charge of game design and balance since GOG was released.”
“Bao Xu, a veteran designer of Tengda Games and a veteran gamer. He is proficient in most games. GOG and IOI are not a problem for him. What’s more, he has a lot of experience in traveling. His physical fitness is good, and he is very resistant to pressure.”
“Zhou Pengyuan, the former commander of DGE Club’s second team. However, he is indeed older and his condition is deteriorating. Some time ago, he decided to retire and return to DGE Club to take on the role of head coach. He is very experienced in games and is very familiar with GOG’s various tactics.”
“These four people definitely have the best understanding of GOG and IOI. They should be able to provide guidance on tactical development and data analysis.”
“The only problem is… I have to ask Boss Pei about this.”
“Other than Zhou Pengyuan, who is now DGE’s head coach, whom I can arrange, the other three are either senior members of Tengda or department heads. They are on the same level as me, and I don’t have any control over them.”
Wu Yue was stunned on the other end of the line. “Boss Zhang, there’s no need for that, right?! That’s too much!”
“Our club is going to Los Angeles to play a competition yet, two core games department heads and chief designer are going to accompany us? That… doesn’t seem appropriate.”
Zhang Yuan said, “Don’t worry about that. Whether it’s appropriate or not is something Boss Pei has to consider. I’ll consider other candidates if Boss Pei is afraid of delaying their work and doesn’t allow them to go.”
Wu Yue thought about it and nodded. “Alright, Boss Zhang. I’ll wait for the news then.”
Zhang Yuan hung up and immediately called Boss Pei to explain the situation.
Pei Qian had just woken up not long ago on the other end of the line. He was having brunch at Fish-Catching Internet Cafe.
Pei Qian’s eyes lit up when he heard that Zhang Yuan wanted to transfer Ye Zhizhou and Min Jingchao away. He readily agreed.
“No problem! Let them go! What’s more, they have to go. They cannot turn it down!”
Pei Qian was still worried that he could not make appropriate arrangements for them.
Ye Zhizhou was in charge of the operations of GOG’s overseas version while Min Jingchao was in charge of the updates and domestic operations of GOG’s new version now. These two people could be said to be Boss Pei’s greatest threat.
If they worked hard, GOG’s market share would increase significantly!
The better their work, the harder it would be for Boss Pei to incur losses.
This time, Pei Qian had arranged a schedule for the entire FV Club until the end of next month, which was the end of IOI’s global finals.
Pei Qian did not think that FV Club could win the championship at all. After all, the European and American teams had started early and trained a lot. They had even adapted to the version first. FV Club was a team that had only been reorganized for less than a month. What did they have to fight against veteran European and American teams?
They would probably be eliminated in the quarterfinals at best.
However, being eliminated did not affect their tour in Los Angeles!
The other clubs had booked tickets to return to China the day after they were eliminated. That was inhumane. The team members had worked hard during their training. It was not easy for them to get a visa and go overseas. Why shouldn’t they have a few days of fun?
Thus, no matter what FV Club’s results were, Pei Qian would ask them to stay in Los Angeles until IOI’s global finals ended.
In that case, if Ye Zhizhou and Min Jingchao, the two greatest threats, went to Los Angeles, wouldn’t GOG’s work slow down and stagnate for an entire month?
Even if these two wanted to work online, Jingzhou and Los Angeles had a time difference of more than ten hours. One was during the day while the other was at night. Tengda would be done with work by the time they woke up.
Good!
Thus, Pei Qian did not think much about it and readily agreed.
As for Bao Xu and Zhou Pengyuan on the list, Pei Qian felt that they were dispensable. However, since Zhang Yuan had asked for them, Pei Qian decided to let them go. He would be able to spend more money.
Zhang Yuan was quite touched.
Boss Pei really trusted him. How could he give such an important department head away just like that!
He immediately called the four of them and asked them to arrange the handover of work and prepare an urgent visa.
A few minutes later, Bao Xu, who was happily playing games at his desk, received a call from Zhang Yuan.
His expression changed from ease to shock and confusion.
Bao Xu froze in his workstation and started thinking about life after hanging up. He did not move for a long time.
…
On the other side, Ding Gan also received Manager Lu’s call in SUG Club.
“What? Bring five members of SUG Club’s IOI branch to Los Angeles???”
Ding Gan almost thought that he had heard wrongly.
Ding Gan did not recover from his confusion after hearing Manager Lu explain the entire story.
He had not expected that his team would still be going to Los Angeles even though they had been eliminated in the domestic qualifiers.
The members of SUG Club would go as sparring partners.
That was because this team was considered a first-rate team in the country. Their strength was only on par with the other two teams.
In the last round, they were defeated 3: 0 not because they were not good enough, but because they had a mental breakdown and did not have enough tactical reserves.
The members of the IOI branch had been dejected for a long time after the qualifiers.
They initially had the chance to show their faces in the international competition. However, one step away meant the difference between heaven and earth. Who could stand that?!
However, things seemed to have taken a turn for the better now.
They might not be allowed to play in the international competition, but it would be good for the players to take a breather for such a high end trip!
Ding Gan thought about it and realized that he really had no reason to reject him.
The only question was, why would Boss Pei do that?
Ding Gan buried his head in his thoughts.
“Could this be… Boss Pei’s hint?”
“Boss Pei has always been a person who distinguishes between love and hate, rewards and punishments. Previously, SUG had conflicts with Boss Pei because of the GPL quota. Thus, it was removed from the GPL. However, Boss Pei did not kill them. Instead, he gave them the GDL quota.”
“It’s the same this time. After Boss Pei reorganized FV Club, he squeezed out SUG’s slots for the World Competition. However, Boss Pei is humane, this move wasn’t targeted at SUG club. He is spending money to invite our team members to Los Angeles. He treats them very well even though they would be there as sparring partners.”
“Boss Pei is such an open-minded person! SUG Club offended him, but he did not put the hatred to heart… On the other hand, Long Yu Corporation said that once SUG was eliminated, they would immediately abandon us…”
“The difference is obvious!”
Ding Gan immediately nodded and said, “Alright, I appreciate Boss Pei’s kind intentions!”
“However, I have a presumptuous request.”
“Can I go to Los Angeles with you? I have been thinking about going out to play for a few days. Don’t worry, I’ll pay for my own expenses. You just have to manage the expenses of the five players. I’ll play by myself when I get to Los Angeles. I won’t disturb the daily training.”
Manager Lu thought for a while. “Boss Ding, of course you can.”
Since Ding Gan was paying for his own expenses, there was nothing more to say. If he wanted to go to Los Angeles, could Manager Lu and Wu Yue stop him?
What was one more person with 30 people?
What’s more, the members of SUG were helping them train. Ding Gan was the boss of SUG Club. They had to give him some face.
…
After settling the SUG Club, Manager Lu returned to Wu Yue’s office.
“Boss Wu, we’ve arranged with SUG club!”
Wu Yue nodded. “Okay, we have the remaining four slots.”
“Boss Pei has taken FV Club’s expedition to Los Angeles very seriously. Our team can be said to be the Ultimate Fantasy Team now!”
“Look at the four coming with us. They are GOG’s designer, IOI’s former operations manager, Tengda Games’ veteran game designer, GOG’s former star commander… In addition, we have our own coach, analyst, and members of the three teams. Their reserve strength is off the charts!”
Manager Lu was shocked when he heard Wu Yue introduce the four new members.
Even GOG’s chief designer had to go personally?
It was too magical!
This was akin to GOG’s international invitational tournament where the chief designer of Finger Games personally analyzed the data of a certain club. Killing a chicken with a butcher’s knife was not enough to describe such behavior!
Now, FV Club’s data analysis team could be said to be the most gorgeous.
More importantly, Ye Zhizhou and Min Jingchao were not fighting on their own. Behind them were the games departments of Shang Yang Games and Tengda Games. The designers of the two departments could solve them together if they encountered any problems.
Manager Lu could not help but feel emotional. “If that’s the case, we don’t need the IOI World Server account anymore!”
“What’s the point of playing with high ranks? We are bringing three teams and fifteen people. It’s enough to train within ourselves!”
“The members of Team One can compete in the training competition with the members of Team Two and SUG respectively. Then, when Team Two and SUG test the strength of the lineup in the training competition, the members of Team One can listen to the analyst review and explain the tactics.”
“During the break time, the team members can be divided into several groups to practice together. They can maintain their hand sensitivity. Isn’t this much more efficient than playing with the high ranks?”
Manager Lu and Wu Yue had been hesitant about going to Los Angeles at first, mainly because they were worried that they would not be able to obtain high-end game accounts there. The training effect could not be guaranteed.
They couldn’t possibly go there and start from the bottom of the ranks right?
However, there was no need for that now. As long as he brought enough people, their training schedule would naturally be filled. It did not matter whether the high rankers would train with them or not.
Wu Yue immediately became full of fighting spirit. “Everything is ready. We have to train well this time. We will let Boss Pei down if we don’t get good results!”
