Chapter 0001: The Exiled Master
"Put it away." Just as Sun Xiang was about to regain his composure, Ye Qiu had already released the account card, casually uttering a phrase before turning to leave
Indeed, some people have grown old and are outdated
What?" Sun Xiang was astonished
Kaka, dada ... ...
Retirement! Are you still insisting on this condition? Su Mucheng was greatly infuriated. Ye Qiu is currently 25 years old, which is considered an advanced age for professional esports players. It is not surprising to retire at this age. However, Ye Qiu had just indicated that he did not want to give up yet, and the manager of Jia Shi immediately proposed retirement as a negotiation condition, clearly targeting him.
As soon as he finished speaking, Sun Xiang noticed a sudden flash of sharpness in Ye Qiu's eyes, which had always seemed indifferent, only showing a hint of reluctance when handing over a leaf of autumn. He was astonished to find that Ye Qiu's hands, which had been trembling slightly, suddenly came to a steady halt.
"I have arrived." Su Mucheng's response was equally simple
"It's straightforward; all you need to do is announce your retirement," the manager said
Are you out of your mind? Su Mucheng exclaimed in astonishment
Termination of the contract? Are you intending to initiate the termination? The manager's expression appeared quite intriguing
Then let's go! Ye Qiu declined his opponent's invitation for another battle, gently removing a card from the specialized login device for the online game Glory. As he stood up and walked to the door, he casually took his coat from a nearby coat rack
"After so many years of hard work, what is wrong with taking a year off?" Ye Qiu smiled
"What are you talking about? What does this have to do with you?" Sun Xiang suddenly lost his composure. In that moment, for some reason, he felt as if he was a head shorter than Ye Qiu. He did not want to lose in terms of momentum to the other party. He had come to replace Ye Qiu; he had come to obtain the title of the Battle God, One Leaf in Autumn.
Fairly speaking, Su Mucheng is indeed more eye-catching than Ye Qiu; she is known as the number one beauty of the Glory Professional Alliance. Even outside this circle, thrown into the entertainment industry filled with beautiful women, she remains an exceptionally beautiful girl
Ye Qiu took one last look at the place he had stayed for seven years. He did not say any polite farewell words, silently turned around, and prepared to leave
The commercialization of the league has allowed us to survive and thrive, but now..." Ye Qiu could not continue, as he was uncertain whether this development was good or bad. The current league is filled with a sense of greed; the primary concern of every club owner is how to leverage their teams for profit. With a love for the game, striving tirelessly for honor, Ye Qiu reminisces about the early days of the league when it was just beginning to develop. Now, the pursuit of honor has merely become a means to seek greater profits. With a love for the game, striving tirelessly for honor, Ye Qiu reminisces about the early days of the league when it was just beginning to develop. Now, the pursuit of honor has merely become a means to seek greater profits
Not bad, you truly live up to the reputation of Ye Qiu that I know, you are indeed ambitious. Now, let us discuss the issue of the breach of contract penalty! To be honest, you have worked hard and contributed significantly during your many years at Jia Shi, we will not be so ruthless. Since you wish to leave, why don't we sit down and have a good discussion about negotiating the termination of the contract?
For the once-dominant champion team that achieved three consecutive league titles, this accomplishment stands out glaringly, now prominently displayed on the wall, as if it is mercilessly mocking everyone.
In the gaze of the crowd reveling in misfortune, the silver-white account card of Yi Ye Zhi Qiu was handed to Sun Xiang.
Even though the members of Team Jia Shi see Su Mu Cheng every day, they couldn't help but be momentarily stunned when they saw her enter. However, they quickly regained their composure, as they felt there was a more important focal point worthy of their attention.
The night was already quite deep, yet the Jia Shi Club remained brightly lit. Ye Qiu and Su Mu Cheng walked out of the room and made their way to the end of the corridor. Here was a spacious conference room, and upon entering, one could see an electronic display screen that almost covered an entire wall, showcasing the performance rankings and some technical statistics of the "Honor Professional Alliance".
"Do you like this game?" Ye Qiu suddenly asked Sun Xiang, looking him straight in the eye
This is the focal point of public attention at this moment. Sun Xiang, a new generation of genius players in the Glory Professional Alliance. He secured the Rookie of the Year title shortly after entering the league last year, and his personal statistics are not far behind those of the MVP (Most Valuable Player) of the same year. This season, Sun Xiang led the relatively average Yueyun team to rank eighth in the league, with hopes of advancing to the playoffs, but he transferred midway to the struggling Jiashi Club. This was all because, despite Jiashi's poor performance, it possesses the account character known as the "God of Battle" in the online game Glory: the Battle Mage One Leaf Autumn.
Retired players naturally do not qualify to participate in professional competitions. Although retirement can lead to comebacks, the Glory Professional Alliance stipulates that retired players must wait for a year before they can return. This is to prevent individuals from retiring one day and returning the next, thereby switching teams at will. Ye Qiu is already in the twilight of his professional career, and every day is precious. Now, he is forced to waste a year for no reason. After this year, even if he returns, his advanced age and the lack of a year of high-level competition to maintain his form raise the question of whether any team would be willing to accept him based solely on his past reputation. It is important to note that Ye Qiu has a significant flaw: he refuses to engage in commercial activities.
What are you really thinking?" Su Mucheng said, feeling utterly perplexed.
Ye Qiu did not look back, as if he had been waiting for this moment all along, and simply asked, "Have you arrived?"
Haha, what Brother Xiang said is quite appropriate for you to take this position. The others, coming back to their senses, quickly continued the previous conversation and seized the opportunity to speak.
"Ye Qiu, the club has decided that the newly transferred Sun Xiang will take over your captaincy. From now on, the control of 'A Leaf in Autumn' will also be in Sun Xiang's hands," the club manager said immediately upon seeing Ye Qiu enter. There was no prior communication, no gentle expressions; it was a blunt and cold notification, as ruthless as discarding a used tissue.
However, the atmosphere in the room was anything but dull; on the contrary, it was somewhat lively. The members of the Jia Shi team were currently surrounding one person like stars surrounding the moon, completely ignoring Ye Qiu as he entered the conference room. When they did cast a glance, their eyes were filled with indifference and mockery.
"This is not merely a matter of strength; it is business, and I have never held any commercial value," Ye Qiu said
Since that is the case, I ... ...
Do not act impulsively! Su Mucheng hurried over to intervene. The Alliance has its own regulations; during the contract period, unless for special reasons, any party that voluntarily proposes to terminate the contract must pay a penalty. Ye Qiu currently has a year and a half left on his contract with Jia Shi, and if he insists on terminating it, the losses would be substantial. However, for Su Mucheng, what she feared most was Ye Qiu's departure
At that moment, the manager suddenly called out to Ye Qiu
The club is quite dissatisfied with this situation. They see a mountain of gold right beside them, yet they are unable to extract any benefits from it. Fortunately, Ye Qiu's formidable strength has helped the club gain fame in the league and earn numerous honors, which has allowed them to endure for a time. However, with the current poor performance, everything has changed.
This young man, who has been in the league for less than two years, is not very old, yet the members of Jia Shi shamelessly refer to him as "brother." It is evident that they have already recognized that Sun Xiang will be the future leader of their Jia Shi team. Sun Xiang comfortably accepted these flattery and finally deigned to glance at Ye Qiu, his gaze filled with disdain.
Ye Qiu had already caught a glimpse of the smirk at the corner of the manager's mouth. He bitterly smiled and shook his head at Su Mucheng: "Mucheng, don't you understand? For me to leave is precisely the boss's intention. My existence has no value to the club anymore; I am merely a burden in terms of salary"
A pair of nimble hands danced as they manipulated the keyboard and mouse, the rhythmic tapping resembling a lively musical piece. The screen was filled with a dazzling array of lights, as the opponent fell, blood splattering in the air.
Su Mucheng fell silent. She had walked alongside Ye Qiu and had witnessed everything as an experienced expert. Her eyes were filled with tears; she knew that Ye Qiu was truly leaving. Trying to stop him would only cause him more pain.
"It won't be, how could it be a burden? Your strength is certainly not inferior to anyone else's," said Su Mucheng.
"It's nothing." Ye Qiu turned his head. The manager had already handed over several documents, and upon receiving them, Ye Qiu smiled. The other party was indeed well-prepared! With that thought, Ye Qiu quickly signed his name.
Sun Xiang's eyes sparkled with excitement and greed; he was willing to transfer to the Jia Shi Club, which had significantly declined in the past two years, solely because it possessed the top-tier account, One Autumn Leaf. The original player of One Autumn Leaf, Ye Qiu, had not performed well in recent years and had been in constant conflict with the club. Sun Xiang was completely confident that he could take his place.
Ye Qiu, please hand over the account card of One Leaf in Autumn to Sun Xiang! said the club manager to the librarian.
Hehe. Ye Qiu smiled, raised his hand to remove the cigarette butt from the corner of his mouth. The silver-white ash had formed a long string, yet it did not fall even slightly as Ye Qiu waved the mouse and struck the keyboard to carry out his operations. The removed cigarette butt was quickly extinguished in a strangely shaped ashtray on the table, and Ye Qiu's hand swiftly returned to the keyboard, just as he was about to say something to his opponent, the door was suddenly pushed open with a loud bang.
Su Mucheng opened her mouth to speak, but was gently stopped by Ye Qiu, who smiled at her and shook his head, indicating that he did not mind
"Just say it, what are your conditions?" Ye Qiu asked
A sparring partner... A master who once created a dynasty in the league and garnered all personal honors has now fallen to the point of becoming a sparring partner
Hehe. Despite this insult, Ye Qiu surprisingly managed to smile. He turned around to look at the manager and said, "No need for a sparring partner; let's terminate the contract!"
Ye Qiu's fingers trembled slightly. For a professional expert, steady hands are essential, yet now, this trembling occurred in Ye Qiu, a seasoned master whose mental fortitude was as solid as it could be. Su Mucheng turned her head away; she did not want to witness this scene, yet felt powerless to change it
Performance Ranking: Jia Shi Team is ranked nineteenth overall, second to last
I am about to leave
"You were supposed to have it; it was your own choice to give it up." The manager suddenly interjected coldly at that moment
"I will give this to you." Su Mucheng was the only one following behind him
This appears to be an entirely unacceptable negotiation condition, yet Ye Qiu nodded decisively and said, "I agree"
Sun Xiang was very interested in this arrangement and immediately took over, laughing and saying: "With your level, Brother Ye, there is definitely no problem in being a sparring partner; you are undoubtedly the number one sparring partner in the Glory Professional League!"
No need for that," Ye Qiu interrupted Su Mucheng with a smile, knowing what she was about to say: "Don't worry, I'm not at the point of despair yet; I will return.
Sun Xiang sensed Ye Qiu's reluctance and said with a proud smile: "Let go, Brother Ye. Look at your hands; they are trembling like this. How can such hands exert the power of the Battle God? Let me take over! I will make the name of the Battle God resonate throughout the entire Glory once again. As for you? Retired!"
"Not bad, this is my choice," Ye Qiu said. The Glory Professional Alliance is currently thriving, with sponsors emerging one after another. The star players in the league are naturally in high demand for advertisements and endorsements. However, Ye Qiu, as the top player, has always refused any advertisements and endorsements, even declining various interviews and press conferences. He resembles an old-school internet user, cautiously hiding his true identity in the virtual world. Yet, Ye Qiu, as the top player, has always refused any advertisements and endorsements, even declining various interviews and press conferences. He resembles an old-school internet user, cautiously hiding his true identity in the virtual world.
If you like it, consider all of this as honor rather than ostentation
The autumn of a single leaf should indeed be controlled by you, Brother Xiang, in order to truly unleash the power of the God of Battle
Ye Qiu paused, slightly tilted his head, and heard the manager say behind him: "Currently, the club does not have a suitable competition account for you, so you will serve as a sparring partner for now"
Although Ye Qiu appeared carefree, he could not help but feel a twinge of pain in his heart at this moment. Ye Qiu, "One Leaf in Autumn," as the name suggests, this account is intrinsically linked to him; it was the account he created when he first entered the world of Glory. For ten years, this account has accompanied Ye Qiu, transforming from a novice into a player renowned as a textbook-level expert in Glory. The once small battle mage has now become the legendary "Fighting God" in the game. However, seven years ago, upon entering the professional arena and signing a contract with the club, the ownership of One Leaf in Autumn was transferred to the club. Ye Qiu had long known that a day of separation would come, and that day has finally arrived
Upon receiving it! In the moment he caught the account card, Sun Xiang felt a surge of excitement, only to sense a slight resistance from the card.
"Brother Ye, I apologize for taking your seat right away." The first seat on the left side of the conference table—designated for the captain of the Jia Shi team—was supposed to belong to Ye Qiu. Sun Xiang casually sat down and said this, yet he didn't even glance at Ye Qiu, which was no longer indifference but rather a form of disregard. His gaze was more focused on Su Mucheng, who had entered alongside Ye Qiu.
I would like to terminate the contract
The boss has not arrived yet; let's wait until the boss comes before discussing it! Su Mucheng hoped that Ye Qiu could calm down