Huayu: I'm reborn, but you still force me to be a scumbag?

Chapter 611 Cooperation with Penguins
On October 9, 2013, 17-year-old Lee Sang-hyeok felt he was standing at a huge crossroads in his life.

He listened blankly, without saying a word.

He didn't understand which path led to the championship, or whether he was destined to be a loser and would never be able to lift that glittering trophy in his life.
……

This is a coffee shop in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea.

Lee Sang-hyeok walked out with two men.

Standing at the door, he wanted to say goodbye.

At this point, one of the older men said, "Sang-hyeok, everything I just said came from the bottom of my heart. A gamer's career is very short. Although you are still young now, once you step onto the professional stage, time will be chasing after you. You shouldn't waste your time in Chinese clubs. Going to China was a completely wrong decision!"

Another man in his twenties chimed in, "Yeah, Sang-hyeok, although SKT didn't win the World Championship this time, we only lost to NJS in the finals. But your team, HXG, didn't even make it to the World Championship. Do you still have any lingering feelings for them?"

“That’s just an amateur team!” the older man chimed in. “Maybe HXG has some connection with Chen Nuoxi, but so what? You’ve been playing in China for a year, have you even met him? This club is completely irrelevant to him. No matter how much you like his movies, you shouldn’t gamble your life on them!”

The young man said, “Sang-hyeok, HXG really doesn’t deserve you. Every time I see you in the replays, trying to carry in the mid lane but ultimately unable to, it breaks my heart. You have top-tier talent, but your teammates can’t provide the support you need. League of Legends is ultimately not a game where you can 1v5. But SKT is different. We have Impact, the best top laner in the world, and Bengi, one of the best junglers in Korea. Our bot lane duo also has excellent awareness and skill. As long as you come back and fill our mid lane, we will have no weaknesses. I am very confident that we will achieve amazing results next year.”

The older man said, "This is the first time I've seen Coach Kim value someone so much. Sang-hyeok, you should cherish this opportunity. I think you don't want to waste your career, right? If you want to win a championship, then join SKT. It's that simple."

The young man said, "Sang-hyeok, don't hesitate any longer."

Lee Sang-hyeok knew that at this moment, he could no longer remain silent.

The other person's words felt like steel needles piercing his heart.

He knew in his heart that everything they said was true.

I've been a professional gamer in China for a year now. The initial excitement and curiosity have gradually faded, leaving only endless pain.

Language barriers, differences in lifestyle, and repeated failures.

If he can still treat these as life experiences.

So when the season ended and they ultimately lost to Royal Club, falling short of the World Championship, he conveyed his idea of ​​bringing in new teammates, only to be met with a cold and ruthless rejection, which truly broke his heart.

Those incompetent and unambitious teammates are all paycheck thieves who don't care about winning or losing and just want to get paid. Playing with them is torture every game.

Although he earns a lot of money, what he wants now is victory, not money! Youth is fleeting, and he doesn't want to cling to money and taste the tears of defeat night after night.

Perhaps it is time to make a decision, even if it means paying a penalty for breach of contract, making all his hard work this year go to waste.

"I……"

At 17, the boy had not yet grown into a stoic and unsmiling mastermind. Although he hadn't uttered any words, his expression betrayed him.

The two men in front of them exchanged a glance, both seeing the joy in each other's eyes.

But just as Lee Sang-hyeok uttered a single word, his cell phone suddenly rang in his pocket.

"Excuse me."

Lee Sang-hyeok stopped what he was saying, apologized, and then took out his phone.

The screen shows his translator in China, Wang Yu.

He thought for a moment, then looked up and asked, "Excuse me, Coach, Manager, can I take this call first?"

"Okay, no problem, Sang-hyeok, we'll wait for you here. We hope you can bring us good news."

"Ok."

Lee Sang-hyeok hurriedly walked away, feeling uneasy, after all, what he was doing was tantamount to betrayal.

Li, who is still a bit shy, can't quite keep his face from turning red or his heart skipping a beat, but he really wants to win and wants to take the championship.

"Hey, hyung, what's up?" Lee Sang-hyeok walked a short distance, turned into a small alley, and answered the phone as he walked.

"Sang-hyeok! I have great news for you!" Wang Yu's excited voice came through the microphone.

Lee Sang-hyeok was initially a little confused.

However, as the other person talked more and more, his mood began to change.

Before I knew it, I had walked further and further down this path.

……

The young protagonist has left, but the conversation at the café entrance continues.

The two men faced the direction Lee Sang-hyeok had left, discussing the match that had just ended in Los Angeles on October 5th.

They chatted for a while with expressions of regret, then returned to the matter at hand.

"It seems he's interested."

"Yes, I see that, too."

"Do you think he'll agree in the end? That's an astronomical penalty for breach of contract. If he pays it, he'll be left with nothing."

“It looks like he will; he’s not happy in China.”

Actually, I don't really like him; he seems a bit dull-witted.

“Me too, I hate traitors. He chose a Chinese player instead of us last year, which made me very uncomfortable. But Easyhoon’s performance is inconsistent, and sometimes he’s not very motivated in training. I think he needs some encouragement. I think this kid is quite suitable.”

"Haha, then why do you keep saying that with him, we can win the championship next year?"

“I’m not lying, I really think we have a good chance next year. It’s just that I can’t guarantee whether he’ll be a substitute or a starter. Anyway, we don’t have to give up anything, the only thing we’ll give up is his future salary. Let him hear whatever he wants to hear. After all, he should know that if he stays with HXG, he probably will never win a global championship in his life. A young man like him who is so eager to win definitely won’t want that.”

"As expected of Coach Kim, he's a true magician who can read people's minds. He's already taken the bait, shouldn't the next step be to pull him up?"

"Yes, but there are still some techniques involved, such as..."

The two were chatting enthusiastically.

Suddenly, a voice came from behind them, "Like what?"

Kim Jung-gyun was startled and turned around to see a boy with a bowl cut holding a cell phone, standing not far away, staring at them intently.

Even the most shrewd and calculating man couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed. He didn't know how much the other party had overheard, so he pretended to be nonchalant and smiled, "Sang-hyeok, why did you come out from the back?" "Oh, I accidentally went around in circles and came here from that alley."

Damn it. Kim Jung-kyun cursed inwardly. Although the other person didn't say anything, staring into the dead fish eyes behind the bowl-cut haircut and glasses, he inexplicably felt like he had committed a terrible mistake.

He forced a smile and said, "So, Sang-hyeok, let's continue our previous topic. What's your decision?"

"I'm sorry, Coach Kim, I can't give you an answer right now."

"Oh? Why!?" Kim Jung-kyun's heart skipped a beat, and his ominous premonition grew stronger.

Lee Sang-hyeok said, "Because Chen Nuoxi asked me to meet, I can only make a decision after I meet him."

"What? Really?"

"Really. I'm sorry, goodbye."

After saying that, Lee Sang-hyeok didn't look at them again and turned to leave.

His steps quickened, and his fists clenched tighter and tighter.

……

Just as Kim Jung-kyun was asking Lee a question in Korean with an incredulous look, in Shenzhen, China, in a magnificent skyscraper, a well-dressed person was speaking the exact same words in Chinese.

Ma Xiaoyi is the Senior Vice President of Tencent, responsible for Tencent's global game publishing business and the core coordinator for the promotion of "League of Legends".

When he heard the report from his subordinate, Huo Jin, who was in charge of operating the game IP, on this day, even with his deep-seated shrewdness, he couldn't believe it for a moment. It was as if such a huge gold ingot had fallen from the sky out of nowhere.

"Chen... he actually plays our game too???"

Huo Jin's expression was also quite interesting. "It's not just about playing around. What they mean is that Chen... is actually very skilled. I'd guess he's at a professional level."

Ma Xiaoyi could no longer sit still. She stood up abruptly, paced back and forth behind her desk a few times, and then turned back to say, "Say it again, what are their demands?"

"They demanded that the download link and promotion page of their live streaming platform be exclusively integrated into all game sharing portals on QQ and WeChat Moments. Also, during the event promotion period, a three-second unskippable promotional advertisement must be set on the waiting page when all domestic League of Legends users launch the game."

"What an appetite! A game streaming platform, huh? Our big star's crossed over into a new field, huh? Are they planning to go head-to-head with YY and the others?"

"After all, he's young and rich. Although he's ignored HXG for the past year, it seems he's really interested in games. Mr. Ma, this is an opportunity, a huge opportunity! Chen... his global fan base and our game promotion group are a perfect match. With his appeal and influence, having him play a game live in front of the whole world would be more effective than us shouting at the top of our lungs for ten years."

“I know, I know…” Ma Xiaoyi murmured, “However, this matter is too big, and it also involves QQ and WeChat. I can’t make a decision on it. Let’s go find President Ma.”

The "General Manager Ma" that Ma Xiaoyi was referring to was certainly not himself.

Tony Ma was no less surprised by the news than Ma Xiaoyi had been moments before. However, befitting the owner of the building, he immediately asked a sharp question: "Isn't he always filming? Where does he find the time to play League of Legends, and play it so well?"

Ma Xiaoyi said, "Mr. Ma, they are different from us. Actors generally don't work overtime, so they all have time."

Tony nodded thoughtfully and said, "That makes sense. But what's with this game streaming platform? Isn't he running a game club? Why did he create this platform?"

Ma Xiaoyi said, "I don't know about that."

Tony adjusted his glasses and said, "If you don't understand something, you should find out. Have your team do an industry analysis on game live streaming and submit it to me next Monday."

Ma Xiaoyi asked, "Okay. Mr. Ma, should we cooperate with him this time?"

"What do you say?"

"Mr. Ma, his influence and top-tier global reach, combined with the unparalleled user base and social penetration of QQ and WeChat in China, I think this should be a win-win situation where 1+1 is greater than 3."

Tony adjusted his glasses, nodded noncommittally, and then looked at the other person: "What do you think, Huo Jin?"

Huo Jin immediately said, "I agree with Vice President Xiao Yi's opinion. If we can reach a cooperation agreement with him, or even invite him to be the spokesperson for our game, then it would be an opportunity that is priceless for our League of Legends game."

Do you think he would agree?

“I think there’s a chance. After all, he must really like our game.”

“Alright, let’s give it a try. I agree to this,” Tony Ma said. “I remember how Sina took down our Weibo account back then. Now that we have the opportunity to stand in the same trench, let’s take the initiative. Call him later and tell him I’d like to invite him to dinner to discuss cooperation.”

"Okay, Mr. Ma, we'll get on it right away."

But when Huo Jin got through on the phone, the polite manager surnamed Li told her regretfully in a young voice that Chen... had something to do and wouldn't be back until the end of the month. However, the cooperation between the two parties could start today.

……

……

Liu Yifei slept on the large bed in the cabin.

Chen Nuo felt that he was indeed a bit useless. Although he had only slept for two or three hours in the past two days, he was still not sleepy at all while sitting on the sofa.

At an altitude of 30,000 feet, he felt as if he were floating in the clouds, as if he were in a fairyland.

Liu Qi really managed to make that thing?

Honestly, he still doesn't quite believe it.

It's estimated that we can only say whether it's truly successful after the algorithm has been fully validated on live streaming platforms.

What he needs to do now is to use every means possible to accumulate as many users as possible on the platform in the shortest amount of time. It's not about making money off them, nor is it about getting them to send gifts; it's simply about getting people to come, that's enough.

In this situation, partnering with Tencent, the internet company with the largest user base, becomes the best option for user acquisition. After all, while Tencent's user payment rate is low, its user base is massive.

So, are there any other promotional methods?
This time, the only passengers on the plane were him and Liu Yifei.

Qi Yuntian has multiple positions and it's impossible for him to leave. Gulinazha and Linghu haven't been home for more than half a year either, so it's neither reasonable nor emotional for him to ask them to accompany him on this long journey.

So he simply took Liu Yifei alone, boarded the G650, and flew towards the Serengeti.

Just as he was deep in thought with his eyes closed, the door to the cabin opened, and Liu Yifei walked out while yawning.

Ps:

I went to watch the game today, so I missed a bit.

(End of this chapter)