Chapter 778: An Incomprehensible Event
Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi
"Brothers! Let’s go! Let’s play for a bit."
After hearing Chen Guo’s confirmation, some began calling out to others. But it was evident that most of the spectators weren’t a part of the same group. Some began to stir, but the vast majority weren’t just out for an early morning stroll. They simply saw a commotion going on and stopped to watch. They still needed to go on with their day. How could they delay their work to take advantage of this kind of small convenience?
Only a few ended up entering the Internet cafe. Some of these few just came in to take another look. After clicking their tongue in astonishment seeing that they actually didn’t need to pay to use the computers, they continued on with their business.
For the first wave of people, the sound of thunder was loud, but the following raindrops were miniscule. Of course, the time of the day was the main reason. Relatively few people walked around in the early morning.
However, as time passed, Happy Internet Cafe became busier and busier. Chen Guo didn’t plan on going upstairs to play Glory. She prepared to stay at the front desk and keep watch.
Rumors had begun to spread already. Some of the customers came to the place after hearing about it. In the afternoon, even Grand Internet Cafe’s owner Ma Chenyi personally came to investigate. He stood outside the Internet cafe entrance, staring at the promotional banner waving around. Chen Guo saw him from the front desk and called out to him: "Hey, it’s boss Ma. What are you standing around for? Come in and take a seat!"
Ma Chenyi nodded his head. He walked in and looked around. Happy Internet Cafe was completely packed. Ma Chenyi ran an Internet cafe too. How could he not know the customer flow at different times of the day. Usually, the period of time between early morning and noon had the least number of customers. However, Happy Internet Cafe was unusually busy, obviously because it was free. This news had spread all the way to Ma Chenyi’s Grand Internet Cafe. At that time, a few customers directly logged out of their computers and booked it. Of course, not all of them were there to take advantage of the deal. The vast majority of the customers were Glory players. They ran over to Happy Internet Cafe because they were attracted by Happy’s ridiculous claim. The gossipers, who spread the rumors, emphasized that Happy Internet Cafe had formed a team, claiming that their goal was to make it into the pro scene.
Even ignoring the fact that this season, a powerhouse team like Excellent Era existed, Internet cafe teams were always just there for fun. How could there not be teams like that? A fair number of Glory players in Grand Internet Cafe were also participating in the Challenger League! But claiming to slaughter their way through to the Pro Alliance, wasn’t that too much of a boast? It was already ridiculous even without Excellent Era. But with Excellent Era participating, it only made Glory players even more furious. Who didn’t know that Team Excellent Era was in the Challenger League this season! You’re right across street from the club. What’s the meaning behind making such a claim?
This was the real reason why numerous Glory players rushed over. If it was just to say that they were going just because it was free would be a bit shameful. It was embarrassing to give that as a reason.
Some went because it was free, while others went because of the rumors. Little by little time, Grand Internet Cafe lost most of its customers.
Ma Chenyi was also a Glory player, but he was mostly a player to understand his customers better. When he heard customers talking about the rumors, he immediately guessed that Chen Guo was most likely running a promotion. When he thought about it some more, could this really be considered a promotion? The current Internet cafe industry relied on Glory. Chen Guo’s move offended these Glory players. In City H, the vast majority of Glory players were fans of Excellent Era. It wasn’t just because of Team Excellent Era’s achievements. The team was located in City H.
This kind of regional advantage couldn’t be ignored because fans gathered from the region were the most loyal. Even when the team was in dire straits, they were willing to stay with the team. They felt a deep connection with the team and tied their team together with their hometown.
Ma Chenyi pondered over it and felt like it didn’t make sense. But seeing that his side didn’t have many customers and that his employees were lying on the table, dozing off, he woke them up to keep watch and then went over to Happy to investigate.
After carefully taking a look from the entrance, he discovered that the rumors he heard from Grand Internet Cafe weren’t exaggerating it one bit. Happy Internet Cafe had formed a team and their statement was very clear and straightforward. The only thing it didn’t do was directly mention Excellent Era.
"Boss Chen, what are you trying to do? I don’t understand." Ma Chenyi entered. Chen Guo had personally come over to greet him. She obviously knew he wasn’t here to use the computer.
"I saw you standing around outside for awhile. Did I not write it clearly enough?" Chen Guo chuckled.
"It’s clear, but I really don’t understand the meaning hidden inside." Ma Chenyi said.
"Boss Ma, you’re too suspicious! There’s no hidden meaning. It’s just as you see." Chen Guo said.
"Just as I see?" Ma Chenyi stared blankly, "You actually think your team can make it into the pro scene? Are you joking?"
"Not at all. That’s really what I think." Chen Guo smiled.
Ma Chenyi was somewhat confused. Chen Guo was his competitor. They often came into conflict with each other. However, Ma Chenyi felt like Chen Guo wasn’t anyone too shrewd. Whatever she said was what she meant. She was very straightforward. If Chen Guo said there was no other hidden meaning, then she probably wasn’t lying. But it was just too incomprehensible! He couldn’t believe it even if you beat him to death!
"I say….." Ma Chenyi was still suspicious, "Last time, when we bet, you indeed had a few experts. Their skill level seemed quite good. In the past, if your team participated in the Challenger League with those experts, I would actually bet money on them making it through, but this time, Excellent Era is participating! Even if your team has some real skill, you don’t actually think they could beat a team with three All Stars, right?"
"We’ve never fought against them? How do you know it’s impossible? In order to find out a winner in Glory, you have to fight to actually know." Chen Guo said.
"Your words aren’t wrong, but that’s when both sides are fairly even. Your team is about as good as Team Excellent Era? Neither of us like to mince words when we talk to each other, so I won’t be polite. If you had such a team, I doubt they’d be under your control. Your Internet cafe... is it worth more than the price of a single All Star?" Ma Chenyi said, while sizing up Happy Internet Cafe.
"Hehe, nothing’s absolute!" Chen Guo laughed.
Ma Chenyi trusted in Chen Guo’s character. He believed that Chen Gou wouldn’t dupe him. She seemed to be very certain about her unimaginable claim. There was only one possibility. Che Guo had a trump card that he didn’t know about.
He and Chen Guo weren’t strangers, but as competitors, their relationship wasn’t great. If the other side wasn’t going to take the initiative to say it, Ma Chenyi reckoned that he wouldn’t be able to get an answer if he asked. As a result, he didn’t say much more. He turned his head to look at the busy Happy Internet Cafe and then said: "Are you really planning on keeping this up until the start of the new season?"
"Yeah!" Chen Guo nodded her head.
"Then it seems like I’ll have to take a break for this half a month." Ma Chenyi said.
"That might not be necessary. My place is already full. It’s almost peak hours. There definitely won’t be enough seats! At that time, there’ll definitely be people coming over to your place. I say, why don’t you do the same promotion as me?" Chen Guo said.
"Stop joking. Why should I be crazy like you?" Ma Chenyi said.
"Then don’t regret it!" Chen Guo said.
"More like you’d better not regret it. I’m quite interested in seeing what you’ll be doing next." Ma Chenyi waved his hands, "I’ll be going. I’ll go back and see if there needs to be any work done on the Internet cafe. Using this half a month, I’ll see if I can do a renovation."
"Take care! I won’t be sending you off." Chen Guo said.
"No need. You’re so busy. How could you have any time to spare?" Ma Chenyi said and then left.
Happy Internet Cafe was still packed. Some came in because it was free, but the majority of customers came because they were unconvinced by Happy’s claim. They went on the computers for free, while mocking Happy for not knowing the difference between heaven and earth. These people weren’t here to try out the computers at the Internet cafe. They enjoyed the free usage, while looking down on Happy’s promotion. They came in to laugh at Happy.
They said whatever bad thing you could think of, leaving those who didn’t understand Glory stunned. What’s going on? The Internet cafe was allowing them to use the computers for free, yet people were ridiculing them. The other customers couldn’t wrap their heads around it.
They didn’t understand it, but they didn’t need to. Chen Guo was mentally prepared for the insults and mockery coming her way, so she calmly sat there.
A few who recognized Chen Guo would sometime laugh at her.
"Boss, where’s your champion team? You’re not going to bring them out for everyone to see?"
‘Yeah, we’re here because of the rumors. We need to get a signature before we go. Maybe next year it’ll be worth a lot of money."
"What are you saying? What do you mean maybe? You mean definitely!"
All sorts of yelling bombarded her, but Chen Guo was uncharacteristically in a good mood. She just smiled, patiently replying to their insincere questions. She answered: "The team is currently practicing. It’s not convenient for them to come out and meet everyone."
"They’re even practicing! How professional!" Someone hollered, followed by a roar of laughter.
"Boss, it says outside that apart from being able to use the computers for free, we can have a chance to spar with the team! We’ve used the computers enough already. We’re waiting to spar with them."
"You’re not going to say, using the computers is free, but you have to pay money to spar them, right?"
"F*ck, could that be the real reason behind this event? Then I’d better run. The price for the champion team to come out must be really high. Can we afford it?"
Another roar of laughter. Chen Guo waited for the laughter to die down, before replying: "If you want to spar with them, wait until night time!"