Liu Hao, Well Done

This question was very routine. The typical answer would be to deny the online comments, praise Han Wenqing's skill, and say he's still in his prime and as strong as ever...

But... what good would that answer do for me? Liu Hao pondered. What did he need now? He needed not to be manipulated by Tao Xuan, to have enough voice, recognition, and freedom, and not to remain mediocre under the glory of the Battle God.

But a mediocre answer wouldn't make him stand out.

Liu Hao steeled himself and made a decision. Since he decided to be a villain, he would be a true villain. He didn't need understanding or sympathy. In this cruel world, esports might be enjoyable for others, but for him, one wrong step could mean falling into an abyss.

Only by stepping over others' bodies could he rise. Only the boldest could reach the pinnacle.

Liu Hao knew what he needed now: attention, reputation, and commercial value. Only by being daring could he escape Tao Xuan's control and cease being a puppet.

Since that was the case, why not use Han Wenqing as a stepping stone, too? Liu Hao smiled slightly:

"Han Wenqing is a respected veteran; his skills are strong, his style is as fierce as ever, and his offensive desire is undiminished..."

As expected, the host felt disheartened. Liu Hao's answer followed the usual template, creating no waves.

"But..." Liu Hao suddenly changed his tone, "his current attacking ability can't keep up with his offensive desire. His reactions have slowed, and his stamina has declined... My words might be harsh, but I believe most viewers can see it. Desert Dust no longer has the suppressive power it once did..."

The host was so shocked that he forgot to speak. What did Liu Hao just say? He seemed to be saying Han Wenqing's reactions had slowed, and his performance had declined...

"When the flower blooms, it's already withering. No one can stay at the peak forever. This is a truth all professional players must accept. After reaching the peak, we start to descend... Actually, what I mean is... Han Wenqing is old!"

Sharp, what a sharp comment! Liu Hao was that bold? He actually dared to say Han Wenqing was old straightforwardly.

For a moment, the viewers watching the live broadcast went wild. Tonight's match was exciting, but they didn't expect the post-match interview to be even more so!

"Liu Hao is so bold? He dares to say Han Wenqing is old directly. I like his straightforwardness!"

"Damn, Liu Hao's words just further intensified the conflict between Excellent Era and Tyranny."

"I'm starting to look forward to what will happen when Excellent Era faces Tyranny again in the second half of the season."

"Liu Hao used to be inconspicuous, but I didn't expect him to be so explosive. Follow, follow!"

"When the flower blooms, it's already withering. Hey, Liu Hao is a philosopher. These words are profound and true!"

"Han Wenqing is old, taking so long to kill a Battle Mage; Ye Qiu is old too. He used to handle one-on-three easily, but now he can't even win a one-on-two and was easily surrounded and killed by Ba Tu."

...

Liu Hao's speech earned him a lot of praise but also many malicious curses from the audience. However, Liu Hao didn't care. His purpose was to gain attention. Even bad publicity is publicity. Topics create traffic, and traffic creates commercial value.

Of course, esports is about the players' skills. The stronger the skills, the higher the personal charisma. Liu Hao wasn't worried about having too many haters. As long as he played well, even haters could become true fans, just like that guy who trained for two and a half years.

...

After the interview, Liu Hao returned to Excellent Era's training room. Most of the team was there except for Ye Qiu and Su Mucheng, who were probably out having fun.

Qiu Fei sat on the sofa, head down, seemingly reflecting. Wang Ze, Shen Jian, and He Ming stood respectfully against the wall, not daring to approach Liu Hao. Even Guo Yang and Zhang Jiaxing were giving Liu Hao meaningful looks.

Liu Hao sensed something was off, then saw Cui Li coming towards him with a cold expression, like a corpse released after a thousand years in a cellar, incredibly chilling.

"Liu Hao, do you know what you've done?" Cui Li questioned.

"The interview?" Liu Hao guessed.

Cui Li's eyes shot out a terrifying light. In a cold voice, he said, "It's good, you know. Now tell me, why did you say those things? Han Wenqing is old? Even if he is, it's not your place to say it. Do you know how much trouble your words will cause for Excellent Era?"

Liu Hao's eardrums hurt from the shouting. He quickly stepped back to avoid further damage, worried he might become deaf.

"Stop, stop, I can explain!"

"How will you explain?" Cui Li gritted his teeth, looking like he wanted to kill Liu Hao. As the manager, he would be held accountable for any issues with the team members' behaviour.

"Though my words were blunt, they were true..." Liu Hao said.

Cui Li's frown deepened. He knew it was true. Han Wenqing was 27, which was very old for esports. But was the issue whether it was true or not?

"You...!" Cui Li clenched his fists in frustration. "Do you know how much PR expense it will take to handle this?"

"I really don't know, as I'm just a gamer and not good at operations or accounting." Liu Hao shook his head. "But I believe the benefits I bring to Excellent Era far outweigh the negative impact of this interview."

Cui Li was stunned, then laughed in anger. "Then tell me, what benefits do your words bring to Jia Shi?"

"Attention and traffic! Massive attention and traffic!" Liu Hao smiled slightly. He knew that being blunt would have negative impacts, but conversely, just watching matches didn't satisfy the audience. They wanted highlights and topics. Tao Xuan wanted traffic and commercial value.

Cui Li only saw the PR expenses Excellent Era had to incur but didn't realise the benefits Jia Shi would gain from this event.

After thinking carefully about Liu Hao's words, Cui Li found them very reasonable.

"And did the boss call to reprimand me?" Liu Hao asked.

Just then, Liu Hao's phone rang. It was Tao Xuan calling. When he answered, Tao Xuan's first words were, "Liu Hao, well done..."

(End of Chapter)

Chapters 83-87 are up on my Patreon. Chapter 67 is free on my Patreon.