Chapter 149: Who Came To My Live Stream Room To Watch Lol?
Li Fan looked at Ai De Zhu’s long WeChat message, his expression shifting from surprise to finding the situation interesting.
He lay directly on the hotel sofa chair, repeatedly reading the messages Ai De Zhu had sent him.
“Form a PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds division… invite me as the core…” His lips couldn’t help but curl upwards.
“This plan is really great. If I were truly seventeen and the club treated me so well, especially considering the upcoming matches, and they specifically built a PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds division, I’d be overjoyed.”
Li Fan immediately understood the deep intentions of Boss Ai De Zhu.
This was by no means a simple business expansion, but a shrewd binding.
After winning the Mid-Season Invitational championship, coupled with his previous influence, he could already foresee his traffic and popularity reaching unimaginable levels…
Such commercial value even tempted Ai De Zhu, a real estate magnate who was merely playing around.
After all, real estate had always been labeled as a bubble economy. Although it was still booming, they themselves weren’t sure when it would burst.
Once it burst, it would be over…
The esports industry was becoming increasingly promising, making it understandable to consider a transition.
Moreover… Ai De Zhu clearly knew that with Li Fan’s demonstrated gaming talent across multiple games and his restless nature, he would never be content to stay solely in League of Legends.
Ai De Zhu knew Li Fan would likely participate in that Huya Bounty Challenge for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds…
That’s why he sent this seemingly probing WeChat message.
Rather than watching him roam outside as an individual player, potentially being poached by other clubs after gaining fame, or accumulating personal capital to break free from EDG’s control, it was better for the club to take the initiative, establish an official division, and bring him in.
This way, all his competitive actions and commercial value would be integrated into EDG’s system, and his bond with the club would naturally become deeper and stronger.
“He certainly has grand ideas…”
Having been made a scapegoat and benched by Clearlove, Li Fan still felt very disgruntled.
After all, he had asked for their consent when they first got off the bus in Brazil…
Turning around and selling him out like that, the feeling of powerlessness and anger remained vividly in his memory.
At that moment, he realized with utmost clarity how fragile talent and strength were in the face of capital and power.
A club could easily strip away your chance to play due to tactics, form, or even some fabricated internal team issues.
Capitalists change their tune faster than flipping a book.
Today they might praise you to the skies for winning, but tomorrow they might discard you like a worn-out shoe due to a loss or for commercial gain.
Li Fan did not want to, nor could he, entrust his professional career and destiny entirely to EDG.
Complete binding meant losing autonomy and bargaining power, which he absolutely could not accept.
Was he interested in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds?
Due to the system, he certainly was.
After all, Street Fighter had already earned him five thousand learning points.
However, this influence was still not enough, as he didn’t even have any freedom attribute points…
But PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was completely different. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was currently in its growth phase, with an unimaginable number of players joining daily.
Therefore, this Huya Bounty Challenge, as the first major competition for PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, would undoubtedly garner immense attention in China.
If he could win this championship, the rewards would be substantial!
Willing to represent EDG in the competition? It wasn’t impossible to discuss.
But the prerequisite was that it had to be based on a more equal and autonomous cooperative relationship.
After all, it was extremely difficult for an individual to establish a team.
He was also a professional player, and being spread too thin was no joke.
It required an already established club or the help of significant capital.
Li Fan took a deep breath, organized his thoughts, and began to type his reply.
【Boss, thank you for your trust and invitation. I am indeed very interested in the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds project, and I believe it will be an interesting challenge.】
【However, regarding joining the new division as a PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds player, I believe this is more than just a simple player contract issue. I personally feel that if I could participate in the decision-making level of the division and have more say and input on future development, it might better stimulate my potential and allow this new project to go further and more stably.】
【These are just some of my immature thoughts, and I hope to have a more in-depth discussion with you, Boss.】
Ai De Zhu looked at Li Fan’s reply, his brow furrowing slightly.
He understood that this kid Li Fan had big appetites; he was clearly aiming for shares in EDG, ostensibly just for the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds division, but at this level, could he be asking for more than just that?
To give, or not to give?
Ai De Zhu had indeed considered giving Clearlove shares. After all, as a veteran and iconic figure of the club, it would be both a reward and a binding.
But Clearlove had gone through thick and thin with the team since its inception; his feelings and seniority were undeniable.
After all, the team was initially founded because of Clearlove.
And Li Fan? Although he possessed extraordinary talent and limitless potential, his commercial value was visibly exploding, that was a fact.
But he had only been at EDG for half a year at most.
Was it too soon to promise shares? Would it make him feel like everything came too easily and make him arrogant?
And most importantly, the future was uncertain.
To ask for so much from the club at once…
“Isn’t he being a bit too greedy?” Ai De Zhu muttered to himself.
Overall, the club had treated him very well, enduring pressure to put him in as a starter, helping him secure a generous streaming contract, not even taking a cut of gift revenue, and now even willing to create a new division specifically for him.
The essence of capital is profit, and also calculation.
Ai De Zhu rapidly calculated the pros and cons in his mind.
Giving shares meant sharing a portion of the club’s ownership and future earnings. While it would deepen the bond, it would also dilute control.
This was a huge gamble for him.
He would rather give Li Fan a huge contract than directly hand over shares.
After a moment of hesitation, Ai De Zhu decided to discuss it later.
He picked up his phone…
【I’ve received your thoughts, and they are very constructive. However, this matter is indeed quite complex, involving the club’s future strategic layout and cooperation model. It’s not something that can be explained in a few words over WeChat.】
【Once we return to the country, let’s find a time to have a good face-to-face chat. I believe we can find a mutually beneficial cooperation plan that achieves a win-win situation for both of us.】
【For now, enjoy the joy of winning the championship and rest well… See you back home!】
…
At this moment, Yu Luo had also completed the final step of his epic masterpiece.
He looked at the final exported video file on his computer screen.
Although he was very sleepy, he excitedly rubbed his hands together and sequentially opened the highlight reel that condensed the essence of the entire MSI journey.
The screen lit up, accompanied by a stirring BGM, and Li Fan’s memorable moments from this MSI were meticulously edited and strung together.
His debut in the group stage, Kalista’s nimble movements in team fights, utilizing her passive Martial Cadence to dance on the edge of death, dodging fatal skills time and again, and piercing her spears into the enemy’s hearts!
The camera cut to Lucian, calmly positioning himself against Faker’s signature LeBlanc, dodging Phantom Chains with his E ability, then retaliating with a fluid Holy Shot followed by Penetrating Light, completing a tower dive solo kill on the Great Demon King!
Following that was the mind-bending Master Yi and Taric combination.
Under the invincible radiance of Taric’s Cosmic Radiance, Master Yi, activating Highlander, transformed into a true reaper, charging into the enemy ranks amidst a flurry of blades. SKT’s lineup was torn apart like paper, resulting in a Quadra Kill!
In the final decisive push of the group stage, Syndra, in a desperate situation, fired Dark Spheres, using the wall to push them an incredible distance, stunning the crucial Caitlyn and securing a perfect victory.
Each play was complemented by appropriate sound effects and intensely thrilling background music. Yu Luo even added slow-motion replays from the player’s first-person perspective, maximizing the blood-pumping intensity of the live experience.
The video concluded with Li Fan holding the FMVP trophy and smiling confidently at the camera.
Below it, a line of text appeared: “The legend has just begun.”
Yu Luo looked at the work into which he had poured countless hours of effort and passion, and let out a satisfied sigh.
He moved his mouse to upload the video and then solemnly typed a title in the title bar that he felt was worthy of the spectacular content.
《Demon Lord descends! Unreal’s MSI Demon-Slaying Chronicle!》
This title, carrying undisguised adoration and a hint of exaggeration, felt incredibly fitting to a devoted fan like Yu Luo, even feeling somewhat tame!
After all, the words spoken by Miller and Su Xiao Yan had already spread like wildfire in the community.
Like a Demon Lord descending from the heavens, truly a divine being on earth! This Master Yi… is possessed!
The word “possessed” also felt fitting for Li Fan.
After all, no professional player had ever been as insane as him.
Never training, yet easily winning championships.
After watching it, Yu Luo nodded with satisfaction.
Then, he forcefully clicked the upload button, his heart filled with anticipation.
He knew that on this night when EDG won the championship and Unreal became a legend, releasing this video during the day would naturally ignite a new wave of fervor.
As expected, as soon as the video was released, propelled by the immense traffic generated by keywords like EDG’s championship win and Unreal, the playback volume began to grow exponentially.
【Here it comes! Unreal’s little fan’s first-hand material!】
【Holy crap! This editing, this BGM, it’s explosive!】
【Watching it again, it still seems unbelievable. Is this Master Yi play humanly possible?】
【I screamed live when I saw that Syndra push in the group stage, it was so damn cool! This edit makes it even more impactful.】
【Great title! He really is the Demon Lord descended! What’s the Great Demon King compared to him? We have the Demon Lord!】
【Liked, subscribed, and favorited. Please make more Unreal videos!】
【From today on, I am an Unreal ten-year fan, no, a lifelong fan!】
Bullet comments and reviews quickly flooded the video page.
This compilation not only satisfied fans who stayed up all night and were still craving more but also attracted many viewers who couldn’t watch the live broadcast due to time constraints or simply wanted to see the highlights.
Yu Luo’s editing skills and precise grasp of highlight moments made this the best video for spreading the legend of Unreal’s performance!
The video’s popularity soared rapidly, soon climbing to the hot list in the gaming section and even spreading across the entire platform.
The name “Unreal,” accompanied by the title “Demon Lord,” penetrated deeper into more people’s hearts at an even faster pace.
However, Yu Luo was already sound asleep in bed at this point.
After all, his ability to stay up late decreased with age.
Senior year was nothing like freshman or sophomore year…
The same scene was also playing out in various places across the country.
After all, having stayed up late to watch the match last night, everyone had already prepared not to go to work or class.
After all, not resting properly after staying up late like this could lead to big problems.
EDG chose to stay in Rio de Janeiro for two more days, treating it as a relaxation after the intense battles.
After all, it would be too much of a shame to travel across the ocean to this passionate city and leave immediately after the competition.
During these two days, the team members completely shed the tension and fatigue of the competition and became ordinary tourists, lingering on the clear waves and white sands of Copacabana Beach, gazing up at the believers at the foot of Christ the Redeemer, and experiencing the unique exuberance of the South American continent…
They were indeed a bit overwhelmed by such exuberance.
On the road, they were frequently recognized by domestic fans who had come to watch the matches and travel, with requests for photos and autographs coming in non-stop.
The fans’ enthusiasm was like Rio’s sunshine, and it allowed the players to truly feel the immense attention brought by winning the championship.
After all, even A Guang, who usually had little presence on the team, had quite a few people approaching him for photos and autographs.
However, the short rest period had to end eventually.
The LPL Summer Split was about to begin, and there wasn’t much time for the team to adjust, so they only played for two days before moving on.
On May 25th, the entire EDG team boarded their flight back to their home country.
After another layover, they arrived at Shanghai Pudong Airport two days later.
As soon as they exited the arrival hall, the scene before them surprised them somewhat.
However, the dense crowd in the arrival hall, holding light signs and with deafening cheers, exceeded their expectations.
They had expected a reception; after all, they had been seen boarding the plane back to China at the airport, and it was normal for someone to post something on Weibo.
“EDG! Awesome!”
“Unreal! Look here!”
“Clearlove!! Become the master of the jungle again!”
“Champions, we are champions again!”
The fans’ shouts converged into a wave of sound.
EDG’s team flags and individual player support items were visible everywhere. Among them, the light signs bearing Unreal and his iconic “U” logo were particularly conspicuous, clearly indicating the terrifying popularity Li Fan currently held.
This, however, put the airport security guards to work, as they strenuously maintained order, shouting hoarsely, trying to carve a path through the ecstatic crowd.
Today, there weren’t any celebrities flying, so why did the EDG boy band suddenly appear at this hour?
They didn’t even know when this boy band emerged, and they were this popular?
The players were also caught off guard by the scene, but they maintained their smiles, walking quickly forward, not daring to fulfill the fans’ requests for photos and autographs.
If they started doing that, it would affect many people later.
Wasn’t Kris Wu’s fan reception criticized on Weibo and disrupted normal travel?
As an esports club, having won this Mid-Season Invitational, they were currently viewed positively. It would be detrimental if this situation were to be exploited.
Therefore, they didn’t linger. The players merely nodded occasionally in the direction of the shouts and quickly moved forward with the team.
Soon, under the escort of security and club staff, the entire EDG team successfully boarded the bus back to their base.
As the bus doors closed, most of the players let out a sigh of relief, their faces a mix of exhaustion and excitement, exchanging stories about the reception scene.
Sitting on a plane for one or two hours was nothing, but the ten-plus-hour flight back home was truly grueling.
Fortunately, the bus ride wouldn’t take too long, and they would soon be back at the base to rest.
The bus slowly started, leaving the airport, and headed towards EDG’s base.
Outside the car windows were the familiar streetscapes of Shanghai…
The news of EDG’s return immediately trended on Weibo, attracting more of Li Fan’s fans to join the discussion.
For fans, this not only meant the triumphant return of their champions but also that their beloved streamer was finally coming back!
Professional players were too distant for them, but streamers were different; they could stream every day and chat with everyone.
Especially Street Fighter, they had watched him practice it, went to Brazil, won a regional championship in Street Fighter, and would even attend the World Championship at the end of the year. Wasn’t all this thanks to his streaming career?
If it weren’t for the program effect of interacting with fans as a streamer, why would he have practiced Street Fighter?
“Brother Fan is back! I can finally watch his stream tonight before sleeping.”
“I’ve waited so long, I can finally hear my husband’s voice!”
“If you don’t know, ask. Will Unreal review MSI tonight? I want to hear Fan Ge explain those god-tier operations himself!”
“I’m all set in the live stream room, snacks ready, just waiting for the broadcast!”
Li Fan’s Huya Live Stream Room, even when black, was flooded with massive bullet comments from fans who had heard the news.
The popularity remained sky-high, and in no time, it climbed to first place on the Huya rankings. Various gifts and trend-setting bullet comments poured in, showcasing his terrifying popularity.
However, this time, the eagerly anticipating fans were left disappointed.
Li Fan’s live stream room remained dark that night.
The reason was quite simple: the EDG club was hosting a rather grand celebration banquet to commemorate their MSI championship victory.
Boss Ai De Zhu personally attended, and the venue was a high-end private club.
This was not only a reward for the players’ hard work; the banquet hall was brightly lit and the atmosphere was lively.
The huge circular dining table was laden with delicacies.
Ai De Zhu, with a beaming face, raised his glass to give a speech, thanking every player and staff member for their efforts and discussing the club’s future blueprint.
Simply put, it was more grand promises, though he did issue the Mid-Season Invitational championship bonuses promptly.
The players enjoyed the food, bantering with each other, creating a very harmonious scene.
Ai De Zhu, holding his wine glass, sat in a relatively quiet corner next to the head seat, his gaze unintentionally sweeping over Li Fan, who was laughing and talking with his teammates.
He felt a bit surprised. According to his predicted script, this young man, who had vaguely proposed acquiring shares via WeChat, shouldn’t he be somewhat anxious at this moment, or at least try to approach him and probe his stance?
But Li Fan didn’t. He acted as if he had completely forgotten about it, immersed in the celebratory banquet’s atmosphere, eating and drinking as usual, completely unfazed.
His casual banter with Clearlove and Meiko seemed natural, not feigned.
“Doesn’t he care at all about whether he gets shares next? Is he that confident?” Ai De Zhu took a sip of wine, muttering to himself.
This composure beyond his age and… it made him somewhat inscrutable.
After all, he had been involved in esports competitions for so long, he had seen all sorts of young people; Li Fan was the first he had encountered who was this unique.
At this moment, Li Fan truly wasn’t focused on Ai De Zhu.
It was a celebration banquet, and since it was a celebration, he should enjoy this moment of joy and relaxation.
As for the shares and subsequent negotiations, he had indeed thought about it, but his thoughts were pure.
In Li Fan’s opinion, the initiative in this matter was, to some extent, in Ai De Zhu’s hands.
If Ai De Zhu had the foresight to see his value far exceeding that of ordinary players, and was willing to gamble with a deeply binding method like shares, then he would naturally present a sincere proposal.
If the other party was only willing to offer a contract as an employee, buying out his current value with a high salary and not willing to gamble on the future, it would also indicate the club’s attitude and vision.
After all, Li Fan was a professional player, and his contract was still in the club’s hands.
If it was suitable, they would continue to cooperate; if not, they would maintain the status quo, or even consider other possibilities after the contract expired.
After all, he was grateful to EDG for the opportunity, but this gratitude should not be a reason to be tied down.
The celebration banquet drew to a close amidst a lively atmosphere.
Ai De Zhu ultimately did not seek out Li Fan for a private conversation. As Li Fan was leaving, he simply patted his shoulder: “Go back and get some good rest, adjust your state.”
Li Fan smiled and nodded: “Okay, Boss, I will.”
After returning to the base and finishing his routine, Li Fan lay on his bed and glanced at his mobile phone.
There were many people on Weibo urging him to start streaming and asking why he hadn’t yet.
Li Fan thought about it and decided to post a message on Weibo.
【 I’m not streaming today because the club held a celebration banquet. The banquet just ended, and it’s too late to stream now. I’ll be jet-lagged for the next couple of days, adjusting my state. I’ll find time to stream tomorrow or the day after. Thank you for your support. 】
He also attached a photo from the banquet earlier that day.
Within minutes of posting, the comments and likes surged, rapidly exceeding ten thousand.
【 So it was a celebration banquet! Congratulations EDG, congratulations Brother Fan! 】
【 I understand, I understand. Champions have worked hard, rest well! 】
【 Ahhh, I saw the photo! The food looks good! My Brother Fan is still so handsome! 】
【 So, streaming tomorrow? Give us a definite answer! This child is starving! 】
【 It seems he’s really tired. His eyes in the photo look a bit weary. Adjust to the time difference properly, we’ll wait for you. 】
【 Although I’m disappointed you’re not streaming tonight, the celebration banquet is more important. Looking forward to future streams. I request you play Crossfire on your first stream day. 】
【 What’s so good about Crossfire? You should play CS:GO first! 】
Inside the Top Esports meeting room, despite the late hour, the lights were still brightly lit.
The executives all wore a hint of anxiety on their faces. The core of their discussion was Li Fan, who was currently the absolute focus on Weibo.
“His commercial value is undeniable. MSI champion, Street Fighter champion, QQ Speed champion… his fan base has exceeded expectations; he’s a phenomenon-level player. We must find a way to connect with him. He alone can even help us achieve our strategic goals,” the head of the marketing department said, tapping the table.
“The problem is, how do we connect? We have our own League of Legends team. Are we supposed to sponsor EDG? Give money to our opponents? That’s impossible; the board of directors wouldn’t agree.”
Their current team, which entered the LPL in the Summer Split, was Dan… The person in charge was Guo Hao.
In such a situation, sponsoring EDG was out of the question.
Everyone in the room understood this clearly, so the statement was immediately rejected.
“Then, poaching?” someone tentatively suggested.
A colleague from the legal department immediately shook their head: “The risk is extremely high. First of all, we don’t know the details of Li Fan’s contract with EDG, and the liquidated damages would likely be astronomical… Even if we were willing to pay, such blatant poaching, even if successful, would trigger a huge public outcry and deal a devastating blow to our club’s image, which contradicts our long-term stable brand strategic goals.”
Everyone nodded; what was said was indeed true.
They wanted popularity… but not with such a stigma.
If Unreal were to switch teams like this, the impact would be immense.
If they could secure him after his contract expired, then there would be no problem.
But this was all next year’s business for them. Not being able to get a piece of the pie this year would be too painful.
“If this doesn’t work, and that doesn’t work, are we just going to watch EDG swallow this entire prize and watch his popularity skyrocket while we don’t even get a sip of soup?”
The meeting room fell into a stalemate, the atmosphere heavy.
Everyone recognized Li Fan’s value but was bound by the existing framework, unable to find a suitable entry point or cooperation model.
One by one, they were all distressed, thinking of a solution.
Just then, Xiao Lin, a young assistant who had been staring at his phone screen, repeatedly watching Li Fan’s celebration banquet Weibo post, suddenly looked up, his eyes shining.
He excitedly stood up from his seat!
“Minister! Leaders! Perhaps we can change our thinking!” Xiao Lin’s voice drew everyone’s attention. “Why must we focus solely on League of Legends?”
Minister Zhang nodded at his words, signaling him to continue.
Xiao Lin quickly walked to the front of the meeting room and picked up a marker pen to write on the whiteboard.
“Everyone, look. Unreal’s value isn’t just that he’s EDG’s League of Legends player, but that he himself is talented, generates traffic, and his… fans are drawn from various games. He has a large fan base in other games besides League of Legends!”
“Unreal competes in Street Fighter and even wins regional championships! Before that, he won the QQ Speed championship. He clearly expressed interest in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds during his stream, and EDG might even establish a dedicated PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Division for him! What does this signify? It means he’s not a player content with a single game; his commercial value and influence can extend across games!”
League of Legends was indeed the most influential esports game at this stage.
But other games also held value…
Xiao Lin became more excited as he spoke, his thoughts completely opened up: “Why must we at Top Esports be so fixated on the League of Legends path? We can start with other games he’s interested in! For example, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds… The upcoming Huya Bounty Match is a great opportunity.”
“If we, under the name of the Top Esports club, form a PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds team and invite Li Fan as a core player through cooperation to participate in the Huya Bounty Match! This way, we won’t be poaching from his League of Legends team; instead, it will be his personal diversified development within the scope allowed by his EDG contract!”
“This way,” Xiao Lin took a deep breath, “we can not only leverage his immense popularity to quickly establish Top Esports’ name among young people but also build a new commercial ecosystem around him, designing custom team uniforms and merchandise specifically for this PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds team. We can take the lead in all commercial development!”
The meeting room was silent for a moment, then a low murmur of discussion erupted.
This idea was truly eye-opening, showing everyone new possibilities.
Instead of being fixated on poaching, they would cooperate with Li Fan by utilizing his multi-game development needs in another arena, achieving a win-win situation.
This was indeed a clever way to break the deadlock.
“This is interesting… Xiao Lin, immediately compile a detailed feasibility report, focusing on analyzing the market prospects of the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds project and specific cooperation plans with Unreal… as well as potential obstacles and countermeasures. I want to see the first draft by tomorrow morning!”
“Yes!” Xiao Lin responded excitedly. For him, wasn’t this also an opportunity?
The next morning, in the EDG base manager’s office.
Li Fan sat opposite Ai De Zhu. The atmosphere was no longer as relaxed as it was during the celebration banquet; instead, it carried the seriousness of a formal negotiation.
Ai De Zhu didn’t engage in much small talk and directly presented the plan he had been contemplating for a long time.
“Li Fan, the club sees your performance and potential. To show our sincerity and our expectations for your future, I’ve decided to offer you a new contract.” He then stated a figure: “One year, fifteen million. This includes your League of Legends player contract and your contract as a core player for the upcoming PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Division.”
As he announced the figure, Ai De Zhu carefully observed Li Fan’s expression. He was confident that this price would be enough to entice any professional player.
He had privately estimated that Li Fan’s main income currently came from live streaming. With Huya’s signing fee and gift revenue share, it was around twelve million a year.
The salary he was offering was even two million more. This meant that while Li Fan kept his substantial live streaming income, the club would be offering him a top-tier salary.
It could be considered very sincere…
After all, even a veteran like Clearlove currently earned around five million per year, which was already one of the top salaries in the LPL.
He was offering Li Fan a price more than three times that of Clearlove!
“You should know that your previous contract was at a rookie minimum salary. Although it was upgraded after MSI, the base salary wasn’t high.
This new contract not only significantly improves your benefits but also indicates the club’s view of you as an absolute core player.”
“Of course, the liquidated damages clause within the contract will also be adjusted in accordance with the new salary level, which is standard industry practice. I hope you understand…”
He waited for Li Fan’s expression to show surprise or at least serious consideration.
However, Li Fan’s expression was calm…
After listening to Ai De Zhu, Li Fan did not hesitate. He slowly shook his head, his gaze directly meeting Ai De Zhu’s: “Boss, thank you for valuing me, and thank you for offering such a sincere price, but… I’m sorry, I cannot sign this contract.”
“What?” Ai De Zhu’s composure instantly vanished, replaced by disbelief and astonishment. He even suspected he had misheard.
Fifteen million! That was a solid fifteen million after tax! He refused? Just refused so casually?
“Why? Is it because you weren’t given shares?”
EDG’s value had increased significantly, but overall, it was still not over a hundred million.
Shares above thirty percent were impossible, and ten or twenty percent wouldn’t be much.
It simply couldn’t compare to this actual cash.
“I understand the weight of this price, but what I’m pursuing is not just a high-salary contract, but the ability to participate in decision-making to a certain extent, rather than being easily benched as a substitute…”
“I am very grateful for the opportunity the club gave me. Without EDG, I wouldn’t be here today… But that’s separate from this contract.”
Ai De Zhu fell silent.
Ultimately, this negotiation did not reach an agreement.
Leaving the manager’s office, Li Fan didn’t return to his room to dwell on it. Instead, he walked directly into the training room, as he had more important matters than the contract.
That was to earn learning points and express his willingness to participate in PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.
Finding teammates was also a very troublesome matter.
Since that was the case, it was better to let others find him.
He skillfully opened his computer, logged into the Huya Live client, and then sent out airplane tickets.
【 Unreal is live! 】
System notifications were pushed to countless fans’ mobile phones and computers.
The black screen of the live stream room suddenly lit up, and Li Fan’s incredibly handsome face appeared on the screen.
At this moment, the popularity in the live stream room surged like a rocket!
The number of online viewers surpassed six digits in almost seconds and continued to soar at a terrifying speed. The bullet comment scroll speed was almost too fast to read!
【 Here he comes, here he comes! He’s here! Unreal, it’s been so long, at least ten days. 】
【 Holy crap, he’s finally live! I’ve waited forever! Brother Fan, can you tell us how it felt to win the Street Fighter championship? 】
【 Husband!!! You’re finally back! 】
【 MSI Champion! FMVP! The conqueror has returned. 】
【 Bao, look here! Mommy loves you! 】
【 Did you just wake up? You look a bit tired. 】
【 Keep pushing in the Summer Split! I feel like we really have a chance to win the World Championship. 】
【 What are you playing today? LoL? Let’s review MSI! 】
【 What about the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds you promised? GKD! GKD! 】
The viewers in the live stream room expressed their excitement and enthusiasm with bullet comments and gifts. Various special effects gifts almost covered the entire screen.
The popularity index instantly topped the Huya rankings, leaving the second place far behind.
“Good morning, everyone. I just got back to the base and adjusted a bit. Seeing so many people waiting, I’m a bit overwhelmed.”
“What are we broadcasting today?” Li Fan looked at the requests for various games in the bullet comments, his finger sliding over the mouse. “I’m definitely not playing League of Legends. When have you ever seen me play League of Legends? And after playing so much League in the Mid-Season Invitational, haven’t you seen enough? Are there really people who come to my stream specifically for League of Legends?”
As a Professional League of Legends Player, saying he didn’t stream for League of Legends seemed outlandish, but that was the reality.
The viewers in the live stream room couldn’t help but burst into laughter upon hearing this.
【 Hahaha, damn! That’s so true, I can’t even refute it, because I came to watch you play QQ Speed. 】
【 Indeed, I came to watch you do crazy stuff, to see how far you can go. 】
【 Honestly, it’s mainly to hear you brag! 】
【 I just like seeing you neglect your duties. A League player winning so many championships just seems interesting. 】
【 So what are you playing today? Stop teasing us! 】
“Today, I’ll play two rounds of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Mainly because I have some ideas about that Huya Bounty Match. I find it quite interesting, and since it’s the first PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds competition in China, I really want to participate.”
He paused, then said half-jokingly, half-seriously: “The problem is, I don’t have teammates. I can’t just play squad queue alone against four, can I? As for solo duel matches, I’m not very interested.”
Then, facing the camera, he continued: “If any team is short a player, or if there are friends who want to form a team and think they can try it with me, well… I believe you can also find ways to contact me to discuss it. I, of course, welcome it.”
The reason was simple: if they could contact him through official channels, they would undoubtedly be skilled players.
If they couldn’t even reach him, then there was no point in expecting random strangers to participate in the competition – it would be a waste of time.
Li Fan said this casually, but the information contained within made everyone in the live stream room, and everyone following his movements, pause.
This was a public declaration of his intention to participate in the Huya Bounty Match and that he was looking for teammates!
What did this imply?
It implied that he might not be competing under the EDG banner, or that EDG’s PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Division was not progressing smoothly?
Xiao Lin was extremely excited at this moment!
It seemed there was a chance.
At the same time, at the LGD club base.
Wei Shen, who was watching Li Fan’s stream on his computer, frowned subconsciously when he heard this: “Looking for teammates? Hasn’t Clearlove told him about this yet? Or is it… he refused?”
He and Clearlove were previously trying to build bridges and connections, then form a team with Li Fan.
However, the reason Clearlove gave him at the time was to prepare for the upcoming Finals. After the Finals, it would be time for the Mid-Season Invitational, and under these circumstances, he naturally kept waiting.
But according to the current situation, it seems something is wrong.
Could it be that Clearlove never mentioned it until now? Forgot?
“Achoo! Achoo!”
In the EDG Base, Clearlove, who was playing Rank on the Korean Server, suddenly sneezed a few times, rubbed his nose, and wondered, “Strange, could I have caught a cold? Or is someone cursing me?”
And at this moment, the mobile phone on the table lit up again.
Wei Shen… requests interaction!
