Chapter 1060: Can’t Understand
Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi
The question about Excellent Era caused the atmosphere to die down a little. It was only when the press officer asked for the third time if there were any more questions that a reporter finally stood.
"Hello, Captain Ye Xiu. Your words just now filled us with confidence for Excellent Era's future. However, I still want to hear your personal thoughts on Excellent Era being put up for sale. Thank you."
It was only until this person finished speaking that the reporters realized something.
Wasn't this the same question as before? However, Ye Xiu's response wasn't exactly answering the question. His answer was one that didn't answer the question directly, but followed from it. He had switched topics and left everyone in deep contemplation about it. It was good that there were people who managed to stay clear headed. With this reporter's emphasis and repetition of the question, the other reporters realized that this God, who had never really interacted with the media, would be very hard to deal with.
"Uh…..." Ye Xiu's expression wasn't so calm as it was before, "To be honest, it pains me and at the same time, I feel very disappointed."
Hearing this, the eyes of the reporters lit up.
"By pained and disappointed, are you referring to the decision to sell Excellent Era?"
"Yes," Ye Xiu nodded, "Excellent Era is at its most desperate times and, deciding to put Excellent Era up for sale at a time like this, I think, this is a complete betrayal and abandonment of what they once fought for. In this decision, Excellent Era has become nothing more than a commodity."
Ye Xiu didn't mention a specific name in his speech, but who else could make the decision to sell Excellent Era? Only the boss, Tao Xuan.
However, the reporters wouldn't lose out from making this all clearer. Immediately, someone asked, "So the one that caused you this pain and disappointment is actually the boss of Excellent Era, Tao Xuan, right?"
"Yes." Ye Xiu nodded. "If it was for the continued and better growth and development of the team, no matter in what shape or form, I could try to understand. Since everyone looks at problems differently, they would naturally come up with differing solutions. However, excuse me if I cannot bring myself to understand the decision to sell the team.
"But you just said that, no matter what, Excellent Era wouldn't fall."
"Yes, Excellent Era will never fall, but some people already have." Ye Xiu replied.
This time, no reporter stood to ask for clarification on who this person was. After these questions, everyone had more insight to what Ye Xiu meant. Excellent Era did belong to Tao Xuan, but this was only from a business standpoint. From an esports standpoint, Excellent Era was a team that existed in the hearts of all its fans. Even though Excellent Era belonged to Tao Xuan in name, he could only have the commodity. When he put Excellent Era up for sale, he had completely left the true Excellent Era that existed in the hearts of the people.
This time, the reporters truly understood. Some people were thinking to themselves quietly. Others had already opened up their laptops and started typing, and those who were more used to pen and paper started jotting stuff down.
With something to write about, the reporters seemed to be afraid to forget something, already beginning to draft their articles and forgetting their current situation.
The Alliance's press officer had attended countless interviews and press conferences, but this was the first time he had seen reporters forget where they were and start drafting up their articles. He was stunned for a long while before managing to react. "Ahem, are there anymore questions?"
His question managed to bring these reporters back to reality. Everyone snapped out of it, feeling unsettled by their actions just now. It was almost like they had been bewitched. They all hurriedly composed their thoughts. It wasn't until the press officer asked again that some people finally sat straight, focusing on Ye Xiu who was on stage.
Everyone was already very satisfied with what they had managed to elicit from this press conference. However, the one onstage right now was Ye Xiu. After all these years, this was his first time ever attending a press conference. They couldn't just let him go like that. After so many years, there were too many questions they had for Ye Xiu about all sorts of matters. They had to make the most of today. Even if they couldn't think of any big questions, using some small meaningless questions to drag things out was good, too.
Thinking of this, there were immediately some reporters who raised their hands. The one who was picked probably had yet to think of a good question to drag things out and made a few noncommittal sounds before gathering his thoughts and asking, "May I know why Team Happy didn't attend the press conference after the Challenger League?"
The reporters all stared at him.
This question was one that the reporters who had been stood up were desperate to know, but these reporters weren't so docile and well-behaved to wait until today to ask. They had already pried for an answer from the Alliance after the press conference came to an end with Happy's lack of attendance.
The Alliance made up a reason for why Happy didn't attend the press conference that day, so it was no longer a problem anymore. Now this person was asking again; this was rather tactless! The press officer that had given them the reason before was right there. Hearing this, he might think they had no more questions and end the press conference. That couldn't be allowed to happen!
It was a good thing that while the problem was resolved for the Alliance and media, it wasn't unexpected for Happy. This time, it wasn't Ye Xiu who answered, but Chen Guo.
"First of all, I'd like to apologize to everyone who came to the press conference that day." Chen Guo imitated a professional, official tone. "As everyone knows, Happy is a very ordinary grassroots team. We've never attended a pro match before and don't have any experience with this. That day, though we received the call about the press conference, we were delighted upon winning the championship and forgot. I really am sorry."
This explanation was more or less the same as the excuse the Alliance had given, but the reporter, looking at the stage, suddenly felt that something wasn't right. He gazed at Ye Xiu who was on the far right. "But, God Ye Xiu…" The reporter had only gotten there before his words got stuck. Ye Xiu, on the other hand, smiled and responded, "What about me?"
"No… nothing…" The reporter was about to say that God Ye Xiu had a lot of experience with pro matches, but then he remembered that while Ye Xiu had much experience with the matches, had he ever attended a press conference? Never! With the other's meaningful smile, the reporter decided to not bring it up.
With that problem settled, another reporter was called to speak. "May we have some information on what plans Happy has for the next season? For example, is Happy planning anything in the summer transfer window?"
"We've already settled a transfer," Chen Guo replied, tone serious.
"Can you give us some specifics?"
"Su Mucheng has confirmed that she will transfer for free to Team Happy next season," Chen Guo said.
This was something the reporters had guessed already with their sharp senses. However, an official announcement was still far more meaningful. With this, Team Happy wouldn't be just held up by Ye Xiu. Would the best partners in the Alliance resurface in Happy?
"Could we have some details on the contract Su Mucheng will be signing with Happy?" Since the transfer of pro players was a hot topic, reporters were interested in the contents of contracts, too. Logic said that an All-Star player like Su Mucheng wasn't someone an internet cafe team like Happy could keep. However, there was already an even bigger god residing there, so people couldn't judge Happy through this usual logic.
"Uhh we're still discussing some details, so we can't leak anything yet." Chen Guo's response was rather well formulated, but the awkwardness in her expression that had appeared in that split second didn't go unnoticed by the reporters. Pay and treatment was something Chen Guo worried about. They had managed to get through the Challenger League, but now it was the Pro League. Everyone was a pro player now. She couldn't have them play pro matches with just board and food in repayment. What sort of contract should she give to them? The very thought gave Chen Guo a headache. She had too little experience because no grassroots team had ever managed to slaughter their way to the Pro League before.
The thousand something RMB in being an Internet cafe employee? That definitely wasn't appropriate! But, going by pro player standards? Chen Guo had gleaned some understanding of it. Currently, the income for pro players was very high. For example, Team Tyranny's captain Han Wenqing had earned thirty million in three years. That meant ten million per year and two hundred thousand per week. In Chen Guo's eyes, Ye Xiu was an existence beyond even Han Wenqing, but, let alone something higher, just Han Wenqing's income would cause Chen Guo to cry to death.
However, Han Wenqing's contract ended this year. He'd have no problem renewing it, but his pay might decrease by a lot. After all, he was a veteran past his peak. His current record of having the highest salary might come to close this summer.
The most common contract in the teams of the Alliance was a three year contract. And, for the Golden Generation who had joined in the fourth season, most of their contracts would come to an end this summer after the ninth season. They were all at the peak of their forms as well, and then if you considered the growth Glory had gone through with the teams all flourishing, a new record for pro player income might appear this summer.
Under this circumstance, Team Happy dealt with their player's wage through board and food. This was extremely unscientific.
The reporters acutely sensed Chen Guo's awkwardness and they immediately keenly posed another question. This time, their target was no longer Ye Xiu. They focused on Tang Rou. She had already caught the attention of countless teams and was an extremely valuable player in the eyes of most.
"Ms. Tang Rou, may I ask, are you familiar with the current income situation of pro players?" The reporters asked.