Threatening Ye Qiu!

"Ye Qiu, how about you let me command this time?" Liu Hao suggested.

Ye Qiu was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "No way. You never listen to me, so why should I listen to you?"

"I know how Misty Rain is set up tactically. Don't you want the most stable strategy to ensure victory? Listen to me, and Excellent Era will definitely win!" Liu Hao was tempted.

Ye Qiu was a bit moved by his words but still sceptical, "How do you know Misty Rain's tactical setup?"

"Because I met with Chu Yunxiu a week ago. She told me the management was constantly constraining her. So, I gave her an idea," Liu Hao said casually. "Su Mucheng knows about this."

"Mucheng knows?" Ye Qiu looked at Su Mucheng, his eyes filled with doubt, wondering why Liu Hao would interact with Chu Yunxiu and how Su Mucheng would know.

Su Mucheng nodded. "That day, Yunxiu flew to H City to hang out with me. We ran into Liu Hao at a café after shopping for clothes."

"That's not the point!" Liu Hao interrupted. "The point is the idea I gave Chu Yunxiu. She wanted more control over her team, so I told her the way to gain authority and break free from management was to showcase her charm on the field. Use the team as a stepping stone to highlight herself. Though it might make her teammates seem less prominent, it would boost her profile quickly, then leverage her fans to push back against the management!"

Ye Qiu suddenly understood. Liu Hao was being euphemistic, but essentially, he was suggesting that Chu Yunxiu turn Misty Rain into her supporter, with the teammates dimming their shine to make her stand out. This would enhance her reputation and fame. Then, by using fan support, she could indirectly pressure the team management. If the management continued to constrain Chu Yunxiu, both her teammates and fans wouldn't stand for it.

"This is a terrible strategy!" Ye Qiu shook his head. "Using teammates as stepping stones and exploiting fans' feelings to undermine the stability of Misty Rain's club relationships—do you think Chu Yunxiu would really listen to you?"

"Of course not. She's a competent captain with deep affection for Misty Rain. She wouldn't use her teammates or exploit her fans. But the idea alone, whether she acts on it or not, would make Misty Rain's management wary. If they think she might go through with it, they'd be less likely to pressure her," Liu Hao smiled.

"Ye Qiu, a smart person like you should understand the principle of 'shock and awe,' right?" Liu Hao said, smiling.

Ye Qiu's eyes grew cold. Liu Hao's explanation made his intention clear. "Such a despicable plan could only come from you. You're doing the same thing, right? Using teammates as stepping stones and exploiting fans' feelings, but instead of telling the boss, you went straight into action!"

Liu Hao spread his hands. "I had no choice. My situation is entirely different from Chu Yunxiu's. She's like a princess trapped in a palace while I'm a pauper struggling to survive. To change my status, mere words wouldn't suffice."

Ye Qiu was speechless, unable to fathom someone as evil as Liu Hao.

"Of course, I'm mostly just using you and Su Mucheng. As for the others, why don't you ask them if they're willing to be used by me?" Liu Hao said.

Ye Qiu glanced at Shen Jian and the others, who were all loyal to Liu Hao. Even Zhang Jiaxing and Guo Yang were cosying up to him, calling him "Brother Hao" warmly.

"See, they're willing to listen to me and be used. And Misty Rain's players? Li Hua and the others will certainly follow Chu Yunxiu's commands. Even if she uses them, they'd be willing. Back to the point, if Chu Yunxiu really wants to threaten the management, mere words won't work. She must act like an atomic bomb—people won't believe its power until it's exploded," Liu Hao said softly.

A chill ran down Ye Qiu's spine. Liu Hao's scheming was terrifying, but by now, Ye Qiu understood Liu Hao's plan.

Chu Yunxiu would make herself the absolute core of the team, showing off her skills to the maximum. As an Elemental Mage, she'd need her teammates' excessive protection for good performance, so Misty Rain's strategy would likely focus on defence. To break through their defence, they'd need someone with exceptional skills—either Total Darkness or One Autumn Leaf.

"You want me to break through Misty Rain's defence with my skills?" Ye Qiu asked.

Liu Hao nodded. "My dark martial arts style is strong, but it's nowhere near the offensive capability of a Battle Mage. You're more suited for it."

"And then you'll find an opportunity to take out Windy Rain and win the MVP of this team match again?" Ye Qiu said.

Liu Hao nodded again. "Are you jealous of the MVP title? Do you want to compete with me for it?"

Ye Qiu shook his head. "I don't care about the MVP. I just want to win!"

"Then go break through Misty Rain's defence. That way, I can take out Windy Rain, and Excellent Era will definitely win," Liu Hao said.

Ye Qiu shook his head again.

Liu Hao frowned. "Are you saying you don't have confidence in breaking their defence, or you don't trust me to take out Windy Rain?"

"Your skills can certainly take out Windy Rain, but…" Ye Qiu paused, his brows furrowing, "we could use the poke strategy, which has a higher chance of winning. Yet you want to break through their defence, which is much riskier. Are you trying to sabotage me?"

Liu Hao's face twitched, thinking Ye Qiu saw through his schemes again. It seemed that after the last time he tricked Ye Qiu, Ye Qiu became more wary of him.

"Think about it, Ye Qiu. Breaking through their defence and solo-killing Windy Rain would be much more exciting for the audience than a boring poke strategy. Isn't showcasing spectacular gameplay better?" Liu Hao was tempted.

"In the end, you still want to use your teammates to stage your grand entrance," Ye Qiu's sharp eyes saw through Liu Hao's plans. "Is it all to counter the boss using the strategy you mentioned?"

Liu Hao's face remained calm. "Since you've figured it out, I won't beat around the bush. The poke strategy relies on me and Su Mucheng, but if I don't cooperate, it won't work. So, you have two options: follow my command to force a breakthrough, or split into two groups and look for opportunities separately. The choice is yours, Captain Ye Qiu."

Ye Qiu fell silent.

Sacrificing a more stable poke strategy for a riskier, more spectacular play just for the show, threatening the captain—Liu Hao's cunning was on another level.

"Alright." Ye Qiu sighed, deciding to compromise. "But only this once!"

"Of course! I'm about to be suspended by Tao Xuan. This is my last counterattack against him!" Liu Hao smiled. "After tonight, Tao Xuan won't be able to limit me anymore. I'll gain the highest authority in Excellent Era, so there'll be no need to scheme or threaten you."

"I hope so." Ye Qiu sighed.

(End of Chapter)

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