The Dirty Plan

"Let's get to the point!" Liu Hao said with a smile.

Chu Yunxiu took a small sip of her milk tea, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "It's just that my influence within the team is too low. I'm exhausted every day..."

"The team members don't listen to you?"

"No, no." Chu Yunxiu shook her head, denying it. "It's the management. They only acknowledge my position as captain and in-game commander. Everything else, including team training, lineup arrangements, core tactics, and even my commercial activities, are all controlled by the management's coaches and managers. I barely have any time to train."

As Chu Yunxiu spoke, she was on the verge of tears, feeling wronged. As she mentioned, she was very emotional, even tearing up at Korean dramas. Su Mucheng gently patted Chu Yunxiu's shoulder. Although she sympathised with her friend's situation, there was nothing she could do to help.

Even though Su Mucheng was also a star player with a packed schedule of commercial activities, she didn't have to deal with Cui Li's control. In the Excellent Era, there was no coaching role; she only needed to listen to Ye Qiu without having to fight the management for authority.

After hearing this, Liu Hao remembered the issue of outsiders managing insiders in the Misty Rain Team. But why should he help Chu Yunxiu solve this problem? Wouldn't the Misty Rain Team's issue be beneficial for the Excellent Era?

Liu Hao smiled and said, "I'm sorry, I sympathise with your situation. Although I have a way to help you solve it, I don't seem to have an obligation to help you. Besides, isn't the issue of outsiders managing insiders in the Misty Rain Team beneficial for Excellent Era? We can win against you more easily."

"Hey, are you that realistic? Even if you don't want to help, there's no need to say something so nasty, right?" Chu Yunxiu retorted.

Liu Hao's mouth twitched. He thought, "Is your emotional intelligence really that low? Didn't you catch my subtext? Why should I go out of my way to help you without any benefit? In the adult world, everything is about interests."

Having been around Liu Hao for a while, Su Mucheng naturally knew that Liu Hao was a self-serving person who would use any means to achieve his goals as long as it was beneficial to him.

Su Mucheng quietly reminded, "Liu Hao can actually help you, but he wants some benefits."

Chu Yunxiu immediately looked wary, crossing her arms over her chest as if guarding against a pervert. "No way, I won't give in to you, no matter how handsome you are!"

Liu Hao's face darkened. "Crazy girl, what are you thinking? Even if you wanted to, I wouldn't want to. I have a girlfriend, but I don't get any ideas!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Yunxiu, who had been single for 21 years, couldn't stand it. "So what if you have a girlfriend? It's not like no one else has a girlfriend!"

Saying this, Chu Yunxiu hugged Su Mucheng's slender waist and pressed her cheek against Su Mucheng's, proudly saying, "Look, my girlfriend is the chief gunner of Glory, Su Mucheng. Jealous?"

"Xiu Xiu, stop messing around..." Su Mucheng blushed but didn't push Chu Yunxiu away.

Liu Hao watched the lovely pair of friends showing off, and his mind immediately started imagining a scene that nearly made him nosebleed.

"Ahem, back to business," Liu Hao said, feigning seriousness, crossing his legs.

"So, what do you want to help me?" Chu Yunxiu asked.

"Your Elemental Mage strategies!" Liu Hao stated his demand. "It's said that the first Elemental Mage in Glory masters all elemental playstyles: Elemental Explosion, Ice Binding, Light and Thunder. I want to learn them."

Chu Yunxiu frowned. "Aren't you playing the Demon Swordsman? Why do you want my strategy notes? You can't use them. Or do you want to find flaws in my strategies? Don't even think about it. My strategies are flawless."

"That's none of your business. Just say if you want to trade or not," Liu Hao smiled.

Both Demon Swordsmen and Elemental Mages rely on elemental magic for output. Maybe Chu Yunxiu's strategies could be a reference. Liu Hao had already learned a lot from Sun Zheping's strategies and was eager for Chu Yunxiu's insights.

Even though Liu Hao had the "Evil King's True Eye" for predicting everything, he knew his skills weren't strong enough. He beat Sun Zheping, but Sun suffered a hand injury that limited his strength. He had also beaten Han Wenqing, but Han was older and in decline. Defeating Tang Hao could have been more impressive, and he hadn't faced newcomer Sun Xiang. Though confident he could crush Sun Xiang, it was mainly due to Sun Zheping's Berserker strategies.

Moreover, he had never won in private solo matches with Ye Qiu. Ye Qiu's reaction and speed suppressed his predictive ability so that he couldn't beat him.

Liu Hao attributed his losses to Ye Qiu's expertise in all 24 classes, while he only mastered the Demon Swordsman. Their operational and game-understanding differences were significant.

Hence, Liu Hao decided to collect and learn strategies from all the top players to defeat Ye Qiu and become the number one in Glory.

Liu Hao was an ambitious man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

After thinking for a moment, Chu Yunxiu said, "I can give you my strategy notes, but you can't show them to anyone else. Only you can read them. Of course, this request is more about trusting a gentleman, not guarding against a thief. If you do show them to others, I have no way to stop you."

"Deal?" Liu Hao smiled. "Lean over, and I'll tell you how to counter the management and seize power from them. Though I can't guarantee you'll fully control the team, dealing with outsiders managing insiders won't be a problem."

Chu Yunxiu was sceptical. "Really?"

Su Mucheng chimed in, "Liu Hao may not be good at many things, but he's a master of schemes. He was appointed vice-captain and gained command in a few days, independent of Ye Qiu's orders. You can trust him."

"Impressive! Your boss trusts Liu Hao so much?" Chu Yunxiu was surprised. "Even as vice-captain, he has as much power as Ye Qiu and more influence than I do!"

"Hey, Su Mucheng, what do you mean by I'm not good at many things but great at scheming?" Liu Hao complained. "Do you want to hear my plan or not? If so, come closer."

Chu Yunxiu obediently leaned in, her red ears looking cute. Su Mucheng also leaned in, curious about Liu Hao's plan.

Liu Hao coughed twice. "Su Mucheng, I didn't allow you to listen. If you want to hear, give me your Gunner strategies!"

Su Mucheng, unhappy, raised her head. "Hmph, who wants to listen? Besides, Xiu Xiu will tell me after."

She got up, stood aside, and pretended to cover her ears, though not tightly.

Ignoring her, Liu Hao whispered to Chu Yunxiu for two minutes.

Chu Yunxiu's expression changed frequently, sometimes shocked, sometimes disgusted. After hearing Liu Hao's plan, she took a deep breath. "This plan... is too dirty."

Chu Yunxiu was confident in its success. She believed it could help her gain some influence and improve her status in the team. However, the plan was... unspeakable.

Seeing the two finish talking, Su Mucheng quickly hugged Chu Yunxiu's arm, curious. "Xiu Xiu, can the problem be solved? What's the plan? Tell me!"

Chu Yunxiu, looking troubled, gently patted Su Mucheng's face. "Sorry, Mucheng, I don't think pure-hearted you would want to hear this. The plan is just... too dirty."

Su Mucheng, with wide eyes, became even more curious. Shaking Chu Yunxiu's arm, she pleaded, "Xiu Xiu, my dear friend, tell me. If you don't, I won't sleep out of curiosity tonight!"

"Listen, Mucheng, trust me. If you hear it, you definitely won't sleep!" Chu Yunxiu said thoughtfully, then glared at Liu Hao. "Bad guy!"

Seeing Chu Yunxiu's refusal, Su Mucheng's curiosity grew, and she looked at Liu Hao.

Liu Hao calmly said, "If you want me to tell you, give me your Gunner strategies!"

Chu Yunxiu wanted to stop her, but Su Mucheng quickly agreed. "Fine, you only play Demon Swordsman. Borrowing them is no big deal. Now, tell me, I'm dying of curiosity!"

Liu Hao smiled slightly. Tonight's gains were good. Su Mucheng's Gunner strategies indeed included Su Muqiu's influences, the legendary ancient Gun God...

Su Mucheng leaned in. Two minutes later, she stared at Liu Hao with a complex expression and cursed, "Liu Hao, you're wicked to the core. How did you come up with such a dirty plan?"

Liu Hao, unfazed, chuckled. "As long as the goal is achieved, the means don't matter."

"Have fun, both of you. It's getting late, I need to go." Liu Hao waved goodbye, ordered another fruit-flavoured milk tea at the front desk, and left by car.

A week later, Excellent Era's opponent was the Misty Rain Team. But before that, Liu Hao had to deal with Tao Xuan's anger. According to the plan, the Excellent Era should have lost to Sun Xiang to pave the way for his arrival, but the Excellent Era won.

Even though Liu Hao underperformed in that match and MVP went to Su Mucheng's Deception, Liu Hao could shirk responsibility. However, the failed plan would surely anger Tao Xuan.

But Liu Hao was pleased that Ye Qiu seemed to realise Tao Xuan's resolve after the beef noodle incident. Originally planning to retire after winning the eighth season, Ye Qiu would likely join the competition, aligning with Liu Hao against Tao Xuan.

Liu Hao wanted to win matches, while Tao Xuan was just a profit-seeking businessman. Although the Excellent Era belonged to Tao Xuan, Ye Qiu built its glory through Ye Qiu's support, and Liu Hao's plan to counter Tao Xuan was significantly boosted.

(End of Chapter)

T/N:

Guys, I got busy for a week as I was binge re-reading BTTH( Been translating a fic based on hat and has been 4 years since I last read that story).

ALSO, I need to let the readers know that the fiction is updated till chapter 136 by the author, which is why the fiction is available til chapter 136 on my Patreon. The fiction will go on an indefinite hiatus once it reaches the amount of originally released chapters on Webnovel and I shall wait for the author to further update the story.

For advanced chapters do head to my patreon.

pat reon.com/ReidAstrea.