Chapter 1, the "ding" of Ding Ding, the "li" of standing up
What? Xiao Ping couldn't help but sit up from the sofa, "Where is he now?"
Upon seeing Xiao Ping coming down, everyone voluntarily made way for him, creating a passage.
The voice on the phone was somewhat hurried, yet Xiao Ping took a sip of coffee, seemingly indifferent to it. He had seen such things many times before. Almost every so often, some amateur players who considered themselves quite skilled would come to the New Power Internet café to challenge the professional players of New Power. For those amateur players, directly challenging the professional players of New Power was a shortcut to instant success.
Being recognized by New Power and becoming a professional player would mean a good salary and an opportunity to stand out
The headquarters of the New Power Club is located in the bustling area of the Hexi District. Xiao Ping purchased the second and third floors of a twelve-story commercial and residential building. The second floor has been designed as one of the top internet cafes in Changsha, while the third floor has become the office and training venue for the New Power Club
Because almost everyone in the internet café had gathered behind the two individuals
Each interstellar player generally exhibits a distinct personality in their performance. Xiao Ping knows that Only's Protoss plays with great passion, but sometimes he inevitably falls into the trap of impulsiveness. In contrast, the second player from New Power, the Terran player Night, is much more composed. As long as his opponent is weaker than him, Night will absolutely not make a mistake
It is even more enviable to come from a background as an interstellar player and successfully establish a club with a commendable record
In fact, even if Xiao Ping does not look at the computer screen in front of Only, he can be certain that Only's failure is merely a matter of time
The young man also smiled at Xiao Ping and said, "I’m sorry, I don’t drink coffee"
After taking a sip of coffee, Xiao Ping merely said lightly into the phone, "What, do you really need to tell me about such matters?"
The challenger is a very young individual, dressed in a plain black T-shirt, a pair of faded jeans, and a pair of Nike sneakers
"Excellent tea." The young man sitting on the sofa opposite Xiao Ping exclaimed, "This must be high-quality pan-fried green tea"
"I would like to invite you for a cup of coffee, may I?" Xiao Ping also smiled faintly
Although the taste of coffee is quite pleasant, consuming too much can easily lead to feelings of restlessness and impulsiveness. The young man casually took a sip of tea in the office of the CEO of New Dynamics, showing no signs of tension at all. Restlessness and impulsiveness can be fatal for an interstellar competitor
Xiao Ping was momentarily taken aback. However, the young man's next words made Xiao Ping laugh and bring out the * picture * book. "But if you invite me for a cup of green tea, I would be very happy to accept."
You ... ...
Xiao Ping felt a chill in his heart, and the smile on his face vanished
Unfortunately, there is often a significant gap between amateur players who consider themselves to be quite skilled and professional players. Many professional players' techniques and subtle skills may appear unremarkable in match footage, yet when faced in real competition, many straightforward strategies can leave amateur players at a loss. The precise timing, competitive experience, and the ability to maintain composure in most situations are often insurmountable barriers for amateur players.
The "ding" of Ding Ding? The "li" of standing up?
Xiao Ping was momentarily taken aback, "Is it a matter of countering strategies? Let Night give it a try."
"Not bad, it seems you have quite a bit of knowledge about tea leaves," Xiao Ping said, curiously examining the young man. "But why don't you try my coffee? My coffee is all brought back from Ireland."
* * *
At that moment, Luo Rou, the dedicated secretary and lover sitting next to Xiao Ping, handed the phone to Xiao Ping
After taking a deep look at the young man and his long, strong fingers, Xiao Ping smiled again, "Alright, I won't waste everyone's time any longer"
In the Interstellar Club in Changsha, there are three well-known first-class clubs
The New Power Internet Cafe has always had a good atmosphere and selection of books, and today is no exception. However, at a glance, Xiao Ping noticed that the internet cafe seemed rather empty.
* * *
Only, who was wholeheartedly focused on the competition, did not notice Xiao Ping's arrival. However, Xiao Ping could see that Only's failure was merely a matter of time
Only and Night are the IDs of the StarCraft players signed by New Power. Each StarCraft player has a unique ID that reflects their personality
Interestingly, the owner of the New Power Club, Xiao Ping, along with the owners of two other clubs, Guo Hong and Li Xinglin, all hail from a background as StarCraft players and have previously served in the same StarCraft club. However, compared to the owners of the other two clubs, Xiao Ping has undoubtedly achieved greater success as a StarCraft player
Big Boss, someone has come to our internet café to cause trouble
Alright, since that's the case, I will take my leave first. The young man stood up with a smile and said, Thank you for the tea
Night and Jason have both been defeated by him
* * *
Since the club's second and third players, Night and Jason, have already been defeated by the challenger, how could Only, who is far less capable than Night and Jason, possibly compete against the challenger on the opposite side
Xiao Ping carefully scrutinized the challenger sitting across from him
On Monday morning, the madness of the two-day weekend left Xiao Ping somewhat fatigued. Therefore, as usual, Xiao Ping assumed the most comfortable position, leisurely reclining in his dedicated armchair while watching the replay of the computer city challenge from a couple of days ago.
Hexi New Power Club, Hedong Xiangjiang Club, and Thunder Club at Wuyi Square
As the young man walked out of Xiao Ping's office, he turned back with a smile and said, "I will be back. Also, I forgot to tell you, my name is Ding Li. Ding as in 丁, and Li as in 立."
Xiao Ping held down Only's rapidly moving mouse. Only turned around in anger, but upon seeing that it was Xiao Ping holding his mouse, he fell silent.
* * *
Four years ago, Xiao Ping had already secured a spot in the WCG National Qualifiers for the Hunan region. Although this achievement pales in comparison to superstars like Gou Xiaoyun, Nalan Rongrong, and Fang Shaoyun, for the vast majority of StarCraft players, it represents a height that is nearly impossible to reach in a lifetime
(Note 1: REP refers to the recordings of interstellar matches)
Therefore, those who know Xiao Ping are accustomed to calling him "Young Master Xiao"; even the people from New Power, including his lover, are no exception. It seems that Xiao Ping also enjoys being referred to as "Young Master Xiao" and does not like being called "Boss Xiao" or "General Manager Xiao"
Although it cannot be compared to super clubs like BAT in Changsha and *Tu* Book Department, New Power has performed well in the top league in terms of both achievements and operations. Xiao Ping, with a net worth of tens of millions, drives a BMW sports car and has a gentle, beautiful, and understanding secretary and lover, which certainly qualifies him as a successful individual
Xiao Ping stopped behind Only
A cup of green tea was quickly served in front of the young man
"Alright." Luo Rou nodded obediently. Before walking out the door, she couldn't help but ask, "Is he very impressive?"
No, sir, he has just defeated Only
He is in our internet café, playing the second match against Only
He glanced at Luo Rou and said, "He plays quite well, but he is not particularly impressive. However, he is the third interstellar player I have encountered since I started engaging with the interstellar world who believes that drinking coffee has no benefits."
The young man across from them also quickly stopped what he was doing, smiled at Xiao Ping, whose forehead was already glistening with beads of sweat and whose face was flushed.
Xiao Ping smiled as he looked at the young man's back, waved his hand to call Luo Rou, who was standing far away, over, and then, with a subdued smile, said, "Help me look into this young man who has stood up."
Xiao Ping stood up and walked towards the door without saying a word
As long as you can pass our entrance exam, I guarantee that you will become a key player for New Power in the second half of the season, how about it