Chapter 114: Rookie

If it weren't for Tangtang bringing Yang Chen to see it, Yang Chen would probably never have known that there are people in this world who make a living playing games—of course, they aren't amateurs like him who picked up gaming as a hobby later in life; they are professional players affiliated with eSports clubs.

In short, they compete by playing a certain competitive game, representing their club in regular matches and their country in world-class competitions.

Yang Chen knew that popular sports like football and basketball had such groups, but he never expected the same for gaming!

At the Zhonghai eSports Center, there is naturally an eSports team affiliated with Zhonghai City. The center features avant-garde designs and a highly layered sense of space. The competition hall is divided into various blocks for training and matches, but instead of sports equipment, it has rows of powerful computers.

The center is bustling with young people, mostly around twenty years old, and even as young as fifteen or sixteen. They are not only full of vitality but also seem much more mature in their speech and behavior than the average person.

Inside different halls, groups of eSports players are rapidly clicking their mice and keyboards. Yang Chen couldn't understand what they were playing—after all, playing "Link Link" only required mouse clicks.

"Are you saying these people make a living playing games?" Yang Chen glanced around in disbelief as they walked. It was hard for him to fathom that people could actually get paid to play games.

Tangtang gave Yang Chen a small look of disdain. "Uncle, you're so outdated. eSports became recognized as a professional sports competition by countries around the world years ago. Don't be fooled by their young age of sixteen or seventeen; these people are already online celebrities.

They have all represented their countries in competitions, and at the very least, they are second-tier national athletes. Some of them are even main players for the national team, and they are quite famous in the world of eSports."

"This profession is great, I want to switch to it," Yang Chen said enviously, wondering to himself if there were professional players for "Link Link."

Tangtang had no idea what Yang Chen was thinking. If she did, she'd probably be so exasperated she'd spit blood. She explained, "Uncle, don't think it's that easy to become a professional player.

Take the teams in this eSports center for example. Although they are backed by some financial support from companies, it's nowhere near the level of other popular sports. An annual investment of a few million is considered good, but the salaries given to each player aren't even higher than those of ordinary white-collar workers in regular companies. The ones who really make big money are the top players. Besides their high salaries, they earn from endorsements, live-streaming contracts, and competition bonuses. Their annual income can add up to millions. But for the majority of players, they can barely make ends meet."

Yang Chen suddenly understood. So it was a niche profession. Thinking about the benefits at Yulei International and the vibrant group of female colleagues, he quickly dismissed the idea and asked, "Where are you taking me?"

Tangtang replied with a grin, "Uncle, do you remember who else was present when we first met?"

Yang Chen thought for a moment and said, "You mean your two little sidekicks? Why haven't I seen them around since then?"

"Not them!" Tangtang retorted angrily. "Those two brats are too boring. I stopped hanging out with them long ago. I mean Brother Yuan Ye, the guy with the bodyguards."

Yang Chen finally remembered. "Oh, the young guy with the Audi R8? What about him?"

"Brother Yuan Ye is the owner and captain of the Zhonghai Warcraft III team," Tangtang said with a hint of pride.

"He's an eSports player too?" Yang Chen said, amused. "He can afford a two-million-yuan R8, so why bother being an athlete?"

"Because he loves it. Even though games like LOL, Dota 2, and PUBG are popular now, Brother Yuan Ye prefers the classic Warcraft. His family opposes it, but I support him," Tangtang said, waving her small fists.

Rich kids often turn out less capable than poor kids, not because they are stupid, but because they lack motivation. Their superior material conditions give them a clear view of a future filled with wealth and luxury from an early age, making their efforts seem futile. They will still walk the path laid out for them, regardless of their parents' claims of "donating the inheritance to charity after death." That's just an excuse to avoid inheritance tax!

Yuan Ye has been wealthy since childhood, to the point where money was essentially just numbers to him. However, unlike other wealthy youths of his age who squandered their money and youth, Yuan Ye became enamored with eSports and developed a passion for Warcraft III, a highly competitive game. As Warcraft's popularity waned in recent years, the prices of eSports teams dropped. Yuan Ye seized the opportunity and acquired Zhonghai's Warcraft team. Through relentless training and his innate talent, he successfully entered the ranks of the national team and became a renowned player.

Although he still had some way to go before achieving his dream of becoming a world champion, Yuan Ye lived a more fulfilling life than most other rich kids. He didn't seem as wasteful, at least—he had his own career. However, this success couldn't change his family's opposition to his choice of gaming as a profession. Despite Yuan Ye's insistence, his family didn't intervene directly, but the lack of understanding and support from his loved ones was still a source of pain.

Fortunately, Yuan Ye had the support of a childhood friend's younger sister—Tangtang. What could be happier than pursuing a beloved career while being supported by a girl he also adored?

But when a young man harbors beautiful hopes for a young maiden, only to find her frequently mentioning other men in his presence, and eventually bringing another man to meet him, discomfort is inevitable.

That's the situation Yuan Ye found himself in. When he saw Tangtang leading Yang Chen into the spacious training room with a radiant smile on her face, Yuan Ye's heartstrings tightened, and an inexplicable sense of crisis emerged.

"Tangtang, look who I brought," Tangtang, in her good mood, didn't notice Yuan Ye's subtle change.

"Hello, it's nice to see you again," Yuan Ye quickly suppressed his momentary unease and extended his hand to Yang Chen with elegance.

Yang Chen shook hands with him briefly, noticing Yuan Ye's guardedness and tension in that moment. He chuckled inwardly, "You don't seem too happy to see me."

"Of course not, I'm just curious why Tangtang brought you here. She's been mentioning you a lot lately. Thank you for helping Tangtang that time," Yuan Ye said sincerely.

Yang Chen regarded Yuan Ye with a bit more respect. It takes some social experience to handle the appearance of a "rival" so calmly and to express gratitude sincerely.

Seeing the polite conversation between the two, Tangtang, feeling impatient, cut in, "Yuan Ye, Uncle here is a bit behind the times. He thinks gaming is just for little girls. I brought him here to watch you guys play Warcraft, so he can broaden his horizons a bit."

Hearing this somewhat amusing reason, Yuan Ye felt relieved. He still had an advantage after all. He smiled gently, "Sure, Tangtang, take Mr. Yang around. Our team is in training now, but it'll be over in about an hour. I'll find you guys to play later."

Yang Chen didn't mind. He was already starting to get interested in the colorful games on the computer screens ahead. Following Tangtang's lead, he went to an available computer and began listening to her explanations.

Although Tangtang wasn't a professional player, influenced by Yuan Ye, she was a skilled amateur. She explained the basics of Warcraft to Yang Chen and guided him on how to play, speaking with confidence.

Yang Chen's memory far exceeded that of an average person. Although he couldn't understand many things, he could forcefully remember them after hearing them once. So, after half an hour, he had basically grasped the theoretical knowledge of the game.

Amazed by the complexity of the game, Yang Chen also felt a bit itchy to try it out.

Tangtang noticed Yang Chen's eagerness and asked uncertainly, "Uncle, do you really want to give it a try? I've only explained the theory so far. Actually playing the game is a different story. Skills, awareness, and tactics are all crucial."

"Let's give it a try. I think I've got the gist of it," Yang Chen replied subtly.

For the first game, Yang Chen naturally played against the computer, mainly to familiarize himself with the specific operations. He didn't bother choosing a race; he went with random selection because, in his opinion, each race had its own interesting aspects worth exploring, and there was no notion of suitability for him.

Tangtang sat beside Yang Chen, initially intending to play the role of a mentor and teach him properly. Beginners often forgot to build structures or deploy troops, but as soon as Yang Chen started playing, Tangtang realized—there was no need!

Yang Chen seemed to have memorized the steps of the battle plan as if he had rehearsed them thoroughly long ago. Every operation he made was exactly as she had described earlier. As time passed, he even began skillfully pressing the shortcut keys on the keyboard with his other hand, assuming the posture of an experienced player!

"Uncle, are you messing with me? Did you already know how to play?" Tangtang pouted, playfully tapping Yang Chen's shoulder.

Yang Chen shook his head, his eyes still fixed on the computer screen. "Absolutely not. Today is my first time learning about this game, but it seems quite fun."

After about ten minutes, Yang Chen had already wiped out the simple computer opponent with a large pile of low-level units. He flexed his fingers and said to Tangtang with a smile, "Looks like it's time to play against a medium-level computer."

Tangtang looked at Yang Chen as if she had seen a monster, her eyes filled with astonishment. "Uncle, you're the first person I've ever seen who can defeat a computer on their first try."

The time that followed passed quickly. Under Tangtang's attentive gaze, Yang Chen transformed from a rookie into a player who could effortlessly crush the computer opponents, all in less than an hour!

In fact, Yang Chen realized that the most basic aspect of playing such games is precise timing and micro-control of individual units, both of which his brain and body could easily handle. So, he found it quite easy to get the hang of it.

When Yuan Ye finished the team's training and approached Yang Chen and Tangtang, Yang Chen was already engaged in an online battle using Tangtang's gaming account, and victory was within his grasp.

Yuan Ye furrowed his brows. "Tangtang, didn't you say Mr. Yang couldn't play? He seems quite skilled."

Tangtang was also bewildered. "Brother Yuan Ye, weren't you looking for a Warcraft genius? It seems like Uncle here might be..."

Then, Tangtang briefly recounted what had happened in the past two hours, finding it unbelievable even as she spoke.

Yuan Ye looked puzzled. Seeing that Yang Chen had just finished his game, he said to him, "How about a match between us, Mr. Yang? It seems like you've learned enough."

Yang Chen was in the heat of the moment and nodded without hesitation.

As soon as the two entered the game together, various strategies and maneuvers began. Tangtang, watching from the sidelines, was somewhat dazzled, but she was incredibly impressed. If Yuan Ye was teasing Yang Chen, she could understand, but it seemed like a real contest between the two, with neither willing to concede defeat!

Yang Chen had only just learned how to play!

When the high-stakes competition finally reached its climax, Yuan Ye, relying on his economic advantage, barely defeated Yang Chen, and then heaved a sigh of relief.

Excitedly watching from the side, Tangtang couldn't help but ask, "Uncle, why don't you mine? If you did, you'd have the money to keep playing!"

Yang Chen scratched his head, awkwardly chuckled, and said, "I forgot I could mine. I'll remember next time."

Hearing this, Yuan Ye finally realized that Yang Chen was indeed a beginner, but achieving such heights in such a short time was quite remarkable. Although Yuan Ye was somewhat amazed and unwilling, he was more excited. He could clearly feel that Yang Chen's strength was far from being fully tapped. If he could recruit Yang Chen into his team, winning the national championship, or even achieving success in world-class competitions, seemed very promising.

"Mr. Yang, have you ever thought about joining the professional league? I believe you have the ability," Yuan Ye asked eagerly, ignoring any sense of tact.

Yang Chen smiled wryly, "I just play games, nothing else."

"I can offer you a very generous package, definitely more than what you're earning now!" Yuan Ye hurriedly added.

Yang Chen was somewhat reluctant, but he knew Yuan Ye wasn't being intentional. "I'm not short of money," he replied.

Yuan Ye finally realized he was being too impolite and apologized with a smile, "I'm sorry, I was just too excited. Can I have your contact information? I hope to have the opportunity to spar with you in the future. Only by playing with experts can one continuously improve."

"Of course," Yang Chen said readily, thinking he'd like to find people to play with in the future. So, he quickly wrote down the work QQ number given by the company and his own phone number for Yuan Ye.

Just then, Tangtang's phone suddenly rang. Checking the number, she answered with a hint of reluctance.

"Hey, sis, what's wrong again... Okay, okay, got it, I'm not fooling around, I'm playing with Brother Yuan Ye... Fine, fine, I'll head back now..."

After Tangtang finished the call with a dejected expression, she smiled helplessly at Yang Chen, "Uncle, I have to go home, or my older sister will explode. Can you drop me off first?"

Yang Chen glanced at the clock on the wall, realizing it was almost five in the afternoon. It was indeed time to head home, so he stood up and bid farewell to Yuan Ye.

Yuan Ye felt somewhat regretful that he couldn't play a few more rounds with Yang Chen, but what bothered him more was the fact that Tangtang had chosen Yang Chen to give her a ride instead of him.

As Tangtang wasn't paying attention, Yang Chen reached out and patted Yuan Ye on the shoulder, whispering, "Don't misunderstand, I'm like her uncle, it's not possible. You just need to keep up the good work."

Yuan Ye, caught off guard, blushed, but still nodded appreciatively at Yang Chen.

Walking all the way to the entrance of the arena, Yuan Ye reminded Yang Chen to keep in touch more often. Obviously, Yuan Ye already regarded Yang Chen as a sincere friend. Perhaps in Yuan Ye's eyes, anyone who could play Warcraft together was considered a good friend.

Love what you do, and Yuan Ye loved wholeheartedly.

As they sat in the car, Yang Chen suddenly remembered something and asked Tangtang in confusion, "Didn't you say you were a test-tube baby last time? How come you still have a sister? Did your mom have two test-tube babies?"

Tangtang chuckled, "The 'sister' I mentioned is actually my mom."

"Your mom?" Yang Chen was bewildered.

"Yeah," Tangtang's face showed a hint of stubbornness and pride as she explained, "When my mom gave birth to me, she was still very young. So whenever we went out, she insisted that I couldn't call her 'mom' but had to call her 'sister'. She was afraid of being seen as old.

Although I was young at the time, I was really angry. She was obviously my mom, so why did she force me to call her 'sister'? Couldn't I have a mom? So when I grew up and became sensible, I purposely called her 'sister', 'sister'. Eventually, she realized something was wrong and wanted me to call her 'mom', but I refused. I still occasionally call her 'sister', which gives her a headache!"

Yang Chen's lips curled up as he looked at the girl beside him, who was brimming with happiness. Suddenly, he felt a bit envious of the special warmth between this lively mother-daughter duo...

Having a mom is actually a very fortunate thing, Yang Chen thought to himself.