An Unexpected Opportunity

"The great Wicha, back on the big stage…" Huang Yulan said while shaking her head, "With your infamous reputation?"

"I am unbanned and it has been ages." Wi Chang-Min tried to defend his ambitions.

"Still, this accident is not yet forgotten." Huang Yulan reminded Chang-Min.

"Is it only because of my reputation or…" he stuttered, trying to overcome his self-doubt, "Do they think I am not good enough anymore."

"Whatever it may be, for the big organizations, a deal like that is bearing too many risks. Their planners would never even consider it," Huang Yulan confidently leaned back in her chair.

"I am still good at the game. I have played every single day for the last year, I am just in ELO-hell. If they don't understand that, then it is their loss," Chang-Min got up from his chair. He knew that it was not their loss, it was his. But he could not admit it in front of Huang Yulan, trying to convince her to help him, no matter how hopeless it seemed after Huang Yulan painted such a grim picture of his chances to play in the Chinese Masterclass Era.

"After what happened with Amber, I cannot afford to be associated with another failure" Huang Yulan was concerned.

"Don't compare him to me! I have always given my heart and soul to this game" Chang-Min reassured her.

Impressed by Chang-Min's persistence, Huang Yulan had an idea. "Maybe there is something I could do for you. I have overheard a rumor, that next season with the arrival of EoE II a new contender is entering the Chinese Academey Era."

Chang-Min's eyes lit up with expectation. "A fresh team?"

"William Chen, the heir of the Chen business empire, is a billionaire and a long time fan of EoE. He was in a class below me at Harvard, already back then he was not too shy to tell everyone of his dream to own a prestigious and successful EoE team. Since then, I haven't heard much of him, families as wealthy and influential as the Chen Clan lead a withdrawn life, far away from the public eye. Nevertheless, I found out, that this time he is really serious about his team and he already came up with a name, William Esports Club."

"What a humble guy" Chang-Min laughed. "So, is there anything else known about this new team?"

"Not much, except that he is soon hosting tryouts at his mansion. On the release day of EoE II to be exact."

Chang-Min leaned forward onto Huang Yulan's table. "Tempting. How can we get me to participate."

"In case I would help you to have a shot at William's tryouts, what would be in it for me?" Huang Yulan asked skeptically.

Chang-Min raised an eyebrow, and picked up a ball of a Newton pendulum standing on the desk in front of him.

"Potential energy. Sometimes you have to take the first step to get an object moving. And often you have to overcome resistance in the beginning." Chang-Min let go of the sphere, and it swung and bumped new spheres, a ceaseless vibration in progress. "Click click click" "Just like this one ball, you have the power to set something tremendous in motion, something that lasts. A chain reaction that benefits both you and me." Chang-Min stopped the pendulum, the room turned completely silent. "So, what do you think?"

Huang Yulan just shrugged her shoulders unaffectedly after this long speech, "Your chain reaction is nice and all, but I need something tangible. Assuming the unlikely event that you are selected, your sign-on bonus is mine."

"Half my sign-on bonus" Chang-Min corrected her, not because he cared about the money, but rather to not appear desperate.

"So you don't want me to help you?" Huang Yulan challenged Chang-Min.

"60%" Chang-Min proposed new conditions.

"Alright, you are not as easy as the other nerds I am usually dealing with" Huang Yulan admitted. "65% of your sign-on bonus and I will help you."

"Word" Chang-Min said and nodded, before taking one of Huang Yulan's business cards. "I will call you tomorrow, I need you to find out everything about the tryouts until then."

Still sitting in her chair, Huang Yulan watched Chang-Min leaving her office without looking back at her. "On good cooperation" she called after him.

While leaving the office tower, Chang-Min found Ji Yuan, who was still trying to convince the doorman to let him in. Chang-Min tipped on Ji Yuan's shoulder, "Let's go home, tryouts in 3 days. I need you to practice with me."