Breaking Ties with Tao Xuan

After a series of intense battles, Dark Forest ultimately lost the match.

Li Hua was shocked. Although a Demon Swordsman's close combat ability is not strong, Liu Hao managed to play the Demon Swordsman like a Berserker. Li Hua tried to ambush him, but under Liu Hao's watchful eyes, any concealment was utterly futile.

Finally, the third member of the Misty Rain team came up, but even though Liu Hao's health was down to 40%, he still couldn't defeat Liu Hao. Thus, Liu Hao achieved his second perfect sweep of the season.

The Misty Rain team was very dissatisfied with this sweep because their captain, Chu Yunxiu, needed to take the stage. However, to say Liu Hao's sweep had no value would be wrong. Liu Hao single-handedly defeated Dark Forest, the number one ninja in Glory, and took down three professional players on his own.

At this moment, everyone started to think that Liu Hao seemed to have awakened entirely this season. A great player was about to be born, someone even Jiang Botao, the number one Demon Swordsman in Glory, couldn't compare to.

At the Excellent Era Club, Tao Xuan, who was watching the live broadcast of the match, frowned deeply. He realised Liu Hao might have played him. Was Liu Hao obedient? Yes. He isolated Ye Qiu and didn't follow Ye Qiu's commands. He also ensured Ye Qiu didn't get the MVP and lowered the audience's expectations of Ye Qiu.

Liu Hao accomplished all the tasks Tao Xuan set for him. But was their ultimate goal reached? Absolutely not. Excellent Era was on a smooth winning streak, taking three consecutive victories and crushing other teams. This momentum was clearly leading towards the playoffs.

Tao Xuan gradually sensed Liu Hao's rising momentum. The live broadcast comments were filled with praises for "Hao Ge," indicating Liu Hao's fan base was exploding. He was becoming the next star player.

Liu Hao had no intention of losing on purpose. His goal was to help Excellent Era win matches and increase his own fame, reputation, and commercial value, thereby breaking free from control! Tao Xuan finally realised this. He didn't want Ye Qiu to overperform, and Liu Hao met his request. Now, Ye Qiu was no longer the MVP, but who had become the MVP?

Liu Hao!

All his arrangements didn't hurt Ye Qiu much, but all the benefits went to Liu Hao. Team status, command authority, fame, even the team's voice—these originally belonged to Ye Qiu, but now they were gradually falling into Liu Hao's hands.

"If this continues, Excellent Era won't lose, Ye Qiu won't feel much pain, and Liu Hao's fame will soar. Even if Ye Qiu is forced to retire and Sun Xiang joins the Excellent Era, he won't be able to suppress Liu Hao!" Tao Xuan gritted his teeth in hatred, realising Liu Hao had outplayed him. "Liu Hao has started to disobey. I must take strong measures..."

Tao Xuan picked up the phone and called Liu Hao.

"Liu Hao, in this team match, you must lose. JExcellent Era can't keep winning. If Excellent Era wins, you will have to fall sick and be temporarily suspended. Only when Sun Xiang joins the Excellent Era can you return to the field?" Tao Xuan threatened.

Sure enough, Tao Xuan realised he had been played... Liu Hao's face darkened. Disobeying Ye Qiu, acting on his own, was following Tao Xuan's orders, but essentially, he was still striving for victory through his efforts. However, deliberately losing the team match was against his professional principles. He couldn't do it.

"I may be a bad guy, but I have principles!"

"Sorry." Liu Hao smiled faintly as if mocking Tao Xuan. "I can't let Excellent Era lose, so I can't follow your orders, boss."

"Liu Hao, are you rebelling?" Tao Xuan fumed.

"No, no, I'm not rebelling," Liu Hao said softly. As the saying goes, ' a general in the field is not bound by the orders of his sovereign.' I can lose a match due to lack of strength, but I can't deliberately throw the game to let the opponent win."

"Liu Hao, think carefully. If you continue to defy, you won't be allowed to play anymore. I'm your boss. Your contract is still with me. You must listen to me!"

"Falling sick, right? Just in time; I want to rest for a few weeks." Liu Hao smiled. "With my current fame and reputation, if I rest for a few weeks, Excellent Era will not withstand the pressure of public opinion and will have to let me play again. Then, I will prove with a grand victory that Jia Shi needs me!"

"Liu Hao, you... you're really rebelling!" Tao Xuan was enraged, not by Liu Hao's mocking tone, but because Liu Hao was telling the truth.

Liu Hao has proven his strength with two MVPs and two sweeps. Excellent Era had no reason to ban him from playing. Even if they forced him out by feigning illness, in a few weeks, fans would petition en masse for Liu Hao's return.

Tao Xuan couldn't stand Liu Hao's defiance. The once obedient dog had turned into a bloodthirsty wolf, biting back at him.

"Liu Hao, you're so confident I won't deal with you?" Tao Xuan laughed in anger.

"The old me, maybe. But after today's match, you can't control me anymore." Liu Hao laughed. "Because the fans won't allow it, and Excellent Era survives on fan support. You, as the boss, won't ruin your livelihood."

With that, Liu Hao hung up the phone.

Tao Xuan finally realised the situation. A shrewd businessman like him wasn't foolish. Liu Hao proposed the plan to make Excellent Era lose to weaken Ye Qiu's reputation and influence. But the plan failed. Liu Hao's task was to make Excellent Era lose matches, but JExcellent Era kept winning, and the one helping them win was Liu Hao, the plan's proposer.

Anyone could see something was wrong. Tao Xuan wanted to undermine Ye Qiu to elevate Sun Xiang, but if Liu Hao continued to play, Ye Qiu would be jeopardised, but Liu Hao would rise. Excellent Era's core would shift from Ye Qiu to Liu Hao, something Tao Xuan absolutely couldn't accept. Liu Hao's commercial value didn't match Sun Xiang's.

...

"Boss?" Ye Qiu glanced over.

Liu Hao nodded. "He wants to ban me from playing. We've fallen out. Although I expected this day to come, I didn't think it would be so soon. I thought I could play six or seven more rounds before Tao Xuan realised... I'm not easy to control."

Ye Qiu chuckled. "What will you do? If the boss insists on promoting Sun Xiang, you will definitely be banned, though probably for just five or six matches before the boss succumbs to public pressure and lets you play again."

Ye Qiu was smart too... Liu Hao shook his head and smiled. "My fame isn't enough yet. If I fall out with Tao Xuan now, he'll have the upper hand because my contract is with him. But after a few suspended matches, he won't be able to control me anymore."

(End of Chapter)

Advanced chapters are up on my Patreon.

pat reon.com/ReidAstrea