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“Ye Xiu, the Club has decided to bring in Sun Xiang to take care of the duties properly. This is for the better of Excellent Era’s future,” Cui Li stated pompously as he walked over to place a pen on top of the papers. “You will need to sign the last page first then we can discuss the arrangements after.”
It would be funny how these people who he had worked with for many years thought him stupid enough to sign without worries and Ye Xiu would have smirked in amusement were the situation not so dark. But he was being pushed out of the Club and team he had painstakingly brought up from nothing so he couldn’t scrounge up any positive feeling. “Don’t be vague, Cui. Say it to me straight.”
Cui Li visibly restrained himself from sneering but his lips curled in an ugly manner anyway. “You have not been doing your duties to Club Excellent Era, Ye Xiu. We have found a solution to this. Starting tomorrow, Sun Xiang will be taking over your duties and you… we will have to discuss you.”
“Nothing to discuss. If you want me to give up One Autumn Leaf, I am cancelling my contract.”
There was a chorus of nasty laughter from the peanut gallery. It wasn’t a mystery what they were thinking because they were simple-minded monkeys. Obviously, they thought that Ye Xiu saying he wanted to quit was an attempted threat to make Cui Li back down. This was far from the truth, however, because Ye Xiu had no intention of staying any longer no matter the concessions offered.
Abruptly demanding that he give up One Autumn Leaf was the last straw.
Originally, he was a very tolerant person but he also had his limits.
“You want to cancel?” Cui Li tried to act surprised. He was a terrible actor. “Since you’ve been with us for so long, we won’t make this difficult. We won’t ask for your cancellation fee if you retire.”
Ye Xiu smiled blandly. “You’re mistaken,” he told the other. “When I signed over One Autumn Leaf, there was a stipulation there. Only I can choose my successor. If you want Sun Xiang to take over my account then you will waive the cancellation fee and I will walk out of here without retiring. Deal?”
When he had planned on signing over One Autumn Leaf many years ago, the idea of a successor was not even a blip in his radar. That was, until one day Muqiu spoke about what their future could be like should Glory succeed. In the midst of all the talk of winning Championships, buying a home, sending Mucheng to college and et cetera, they had discussed their ‘retirement’ dreams and hopes.
A successor. It was a nice thought and Muqiu became passionate about it. They talked about how they would they would find their ‘successors’, how they’d train them, help them develop… Muqiu became so invested that he wanted to secure their right to a final decision over their successors and that’s how the stipulation on the contract came to be. He was thankful for the good bargaining chip.
“What stipulation?” Cui Li looked suspicious and panicked all at once.
“There is a stipulation that I have the final say over my successor. You can check the contract.”
Cui Li appeared as though he had swallowed an extremely sour lemon. “You’re making this difficult.”
“Am I?” Ye Xiu replied nonchalantly. It was telling how Cui Li didn’t bother to double check; naturally, it’s because the older man already knew and hoped he didn’t remember. “Isn’t it you?”
“…” Cui Li had been on the losing side of the ‘negotiation’ from the start but he was a proud man and also quite delusional like the rest of the rotten people in Club Excellent Era were so he didn’t think he would actually lose. Reality slapped him in the face. He had no rebuttal. “We’ll waive it.”
Ye Xiu nodded, a belittling smirk finally appearing on his lips. “Good, you still know how to think,” he said as he pulled out a ready-made agreement form from his pocket. It was folded twice but still very much legal and valid. Since it was already signed, he just place it on top of the retirement papers and then he left the room without another word. The victorious atmosphere had long since evaporated.
*~*~*~*
On the way out, Ye Xiu was caught by Su Muqiu who had apparently been looking for him.
“There you are,” Muqiu greeted with a confused look. “Where are you going? It’s late.”
Even if Ye Xiu had the intention to lie or skirt the truth to avoid any confrontations, it wasn’t possible to say anything else when he was clearly about to leave the building. Well, he had no intention anyway so he straightforwardly and succinctly explained his situation, “I was demoted so I quit.”
“…what?” Muqiu asked faintly, eyes blinking owlishly.
“I’m leaving Excellent Era,” Ye Xiu helped the other out kindly.
“They… this happened just now?” Muqiu questioned, shaking his head to throw off his confusion.
Ye Xiu nodded once. “Yes.”
Despite the act of shaking one’s head, Muqiu still looked slightly lost. “…where are you going?”
“Next door,” Ye Xiu pointed at the bright building across the street. “Internet café.”
Muqiu finally got his bearings back. “No,” he refused. “Go home and wait for me there.”
“?” Ye Xiu didn’t know why the other was suddenly acting like Han Wenqing. It wasn’t like he had no plans on going home eventually. After all, his bed was there and the Su siblings lived there as well. “Wow, Great Su!” he exclaimed sarcastically. “How domineering. You are ordering me around now?”
“Not ordering!” Muqiu protested with a frown. His brows were furrowed too. “Will you wait for me at home?”
Ye Xiu raised his hands in mock surrender. If it meant so much that he went home directly then he’ll go home directly and use the computer there. “Okay, okay,” he agreed. “I will wait for you at home.”
“Good. It’s cold tonight so zip up your jacket,” Muqiu said but he was doing the zipping. “Be careful on your way home.”
“I will. Don’t worry. See you later, Great Su,” Ye Xiu patted the other on the shoulder before leaving.
Su Muqiu’s words were true; tonight was cold and it was good to have the jacket zipped all the way.
*~*~*~*
Inside Excellent Era, Muqiu was not calm. There was a rage bubbling inside of him as dangerous as an active volcano. His opinion on Tao Xuan, Cui Li and everyone else had hit rock bottom for a while now but he sincerely thought it could not get any lower. He was wrong. Since they dared treat his Ye Xiu in this manner then they had better be prepared for what he was going to do to them now!
Muqiu grabbed his bag from the room assigned to him in the building which he only used as a locker because he lived at home with his sister and Ye Xiu. After pulling out what he needed and scribbling for a few minutes, he went to pick up his sister and explained everything along the way to the only meeting room with lights on. There were a few chatters but no more laughter like an hour ago.
If he had known what was going to happen moments after Ye Xiu was called in…
“Sister, don’t worry. Brother has things under control,” Muqiu assured his sister before he went in the room without knocking. The door opened with a bang and everyone startled at his appearance.
No words were spoken for a tense minute until Cui Li managed to successfully reboot his brain.
“Good, you’re here. Saves me from looking for you,” Cui Li spoke briskly and pulled out some papers from a black folder which he slid down the table. “You should also meet our new player properly. This is Sun Xiang, I’m sure you’ve heard of him,” he gestured towards the smug blonde. “Sun Xiang will be taking over One Autumn Leaf and he will be the Captain to your Vice-Captain. Understand?”
Although Muqiu had heard the introduction, he ignored it and looked at the papers. “What’s this?”
Dark clouds appeared above Sun Xiang’s head, his face darkening in anger at the obvious dismissal.
“Sponsorship contract. Sign it. The schedule is next Monday early in the morning,” Cui Li said.
Muqiu smiled without really smiling. “Let the new moneymaker sign it.” He clearly meant Sun Xiang.
“Don’t be jealous,” Cui Li chided condescendingly. “This contract is for you, Su Muqiu.”
“Then, that’s too bad because I’m not signing it,” Muqiu said. “Actually,” he produced his and his sister’s contracts which he threw onto the table with a slap, “I have signed something else. Today, you will not only lose the God of Glory but you will also lose me and Mucheng. I wish you well.”
He said the last part sarcastically because he didn’t wish Excellent Era well at all.
Cui Li startled and his face turned pale. “Wait, think about this carefully. You still have a year left!”
“You threw out Xiu and you think I’ll stay? You’re crazy. You and Tao Xuan have lost your humanity.”
“Su Muqiu, you – !!!” Cui Li’s face turned purple in abrupt rage.
But Muqiu didn’t care about what else Cui Li wanted to say to him, he slammed two bank checks on the table and turned to his sister. “Brother paid for your severance fee too. Let’s go. Xiu’s waiting for us at home.”
“Okay!” Mucheng beamed happily and tugged her brother’s arm in her haste to leave the room.
The trash left behind in the meeting room could say nothing with the money in their hands. It was true; they had thought that the Su siblings, their cash cows, would stay behind until their contracts were over. But just like Ye Xiu, it was like staying was the worst thing after years of persevering under their pressures. It was not scientific at all. They could only scramble to find more players.
*~*~*~*
When the two reached home, they found food on the dining table and Ye Xiu waiting for them.
“Tonight, Excellent Era lost three great players,” Muqiu stated firmly, chin jutted up.
“…” Ye Xiu didn’t react for a moment. Then, he pursed his lips and sighed. “Couldn’t leave it alone?”
“Really dare to ask me that?” Muqiu was deeply unhappy. “What have I been doing this entire time?”
Ye Xiu didn’t answer and said something else, “Your contracts still had one year left.”
“Then, what is your point? You think I will stay in Excellent Era without you?” Muqiu demanded.
At this point in their conversation, Mucheng quietly slipped away to her room to give them privacy.
“So, what’s yours?” Ye Xiu threw back. “We’re all unemployed. Do you have a plan?”
Muqiu didn’t react angrily anymore. “I have a plan,” he said assuredly. “You think I’ve been watching you suffer quietly all these years? I have only been waiting for you to give up on Excellent Era.”
“If you had said this, why would I wait… There’s no need to be polite. You know I will follow you.”
“You said it so there’s no backing out,” Muqiu smiled triumphantly. “We’re going to Tyranny!”
Ye Xiu: If I knew you would say something so crazy, would I have been honest?
*~*~*~*
Next day, news broke regarding the three main players of Excellent Era quitting. It became an instant sensation. Not only were these three players in the main roster but they were gods and a goddess! Such event was unthinkable and the Glory community was inconsolable. Many demanded answers. Why! Why did those three leave! They were not happy with the excuses that Club Excellent Era gave.
All three of them suddenly quit because they don’t want to play Glory anymore?
Pei!
These fans were not stupid. If it was only one of them who quit, maybe they could swallow the lie! But this unprecedented situation had all three top players quit in one night without warning. Obviously, the problem was not their loss of passion towards Glory. It should be a problem with Excellent Era! This line of thought became popular and many fans came out in droves to protest.
“BRING MY GODS AND GODDESS BACK!”
“SHAME TO EXCELLENT ERA!”
“NO GOD OF GLORY. NO GLORY!”
“WE DEMAND THE FACES OF THE ALLIANCE!”
“YOU DARE MISTREAT MY GODDESS SU!”
“GOD MUQIU DESERVES BETTER THAN YOU!”
Many slogans were thrown at Club Excellent Era and the GPA both in the real world and online. The Glory community had gone crazy from the sudden shock to their systems and they were out to clear the health bars of everyone who could, even remotely, be held responsible. The anger was palpable.
It was in the midst of this kind of atmosphere that a Weibo post caught feverish attention.
God Su Muqiu had logged into Weibo and posted online!
This alone was enough to cause a stir but, moreso, the post was not a solitary post and instead also tagged another God! The tagged God wasn’t just any God either. It was the eternal rival, God Han Wenqing.
(Sina Weibo)
Su Muqiu V
@Han Wenqing V We made a mistake years ago. Joined snakes. Is your offer still open?
Speculations ran wild.
Mistake? What mistake?
Joined snakes? Joined Excellent Era? Excellent Era were the snakes?
PAH!
These first two lines raised the heat on Club Excellent Era further. Proof! Proof that Club Excellent Era had wronged their Gods and Goddess for God Su to state such things! They were past inconsolable and they were not just angry anymore… They were absolutely furious! Pissed off!
Hoo… Club Excellent Era really dared to mistreat their Gods and Goddess? Without the three, what the hell was Club Excellent Era and who the hell was Team Excellent Era? Three time Champion? If Club Excellent Era dared to claim the dynasty after what they did to the Gods who won it, they will know pain!
While the fans of the Gods and Goddess threw more vitriol at Club Excellent Era, the rest of the Glory community stayed behind to speculate. What did God Han offer the Gods and Goddess of Team Excellent Era, the ultimate rival of Team Tyranny? This question was pondered on by the level-headed fans. However, the Tyranny fans demanded haughtily, “Come crawling to Tyranny?”
In fact, they were not so far off and this was proven when God Han replied:
(Sina Weibo)
Han Wenqing V
Come!
[Repost]
Su Muqiu V
@Han Wenqing V We made a mistake years ago. Joined snakes. Is your offer still open?
So cool. Just one word. Even without hearing the voice, the domineering tone could be felt.
Everyone experienced another shock at this Weibo post. Come? Really have God Ye, God Su and Goddess Su go to Club Tyranny? What alternate universe was this? The Tyranny fans experienced vertigo and the ex-Excellent Era fans floated in limbo, trying to come to terms with their new reality.
From now on… there will be no more rivalry? No Tyranny vs Excellent Era? No God Han vs God Ye?
What kind of world was this?
But then, the new concept kept sinking in with every minute until a wise voice started shouting noisily on the Glory forums. This wise person said: “NEW TEAM TYRANNY. WIN CHAMPIONSHIP!”
It was simple and crude yet everyone could supplement the details easily by themselves. God Han, God Zhang, God Ye, God Su and Goddess Su in one team? There would be no better team in the whole Alliance! Which team could compete with this group of people? Championship! It was theirs!
As this favorable reality was slowly understood by the Tyranny and ex-Excellent Era fans, they began to thaw. So what if there was no more rivalry? No Tyranny vs Excellent Era? No God Han vs God Ye? There was nothing better than the feeling of knowing how much more superior your favorite team was going to be next to the other teams in the Alliance! Everyone wants to feel superior! It’s natural.
That night, a new slogan appeared: “TYRANNY FAST FORWARD TO CHAMPIONSHIPS!”
Next to it was another slogan: “THIS NEW TEAM TYRANNY, WE APPROVE!”
Closely following it was: “DARE ABUSE OUR GODS AND GODDESS, YOU WILL FEEL OUR WRATH!”
Like this, the eventful day came to a close. Club Excellent Era was beaten black and blue with no face left, the GPA was slapped for good measure and miraculous new friendships were forged between the Tyranny and ex-Excellent Era fans. It was the start of a new era and the Alliance shook in fear.