Chapter Thirty-Five: The Professional Tournament

Ye Lingxue stuck out her tongue mischievously, hands clasped behind her as she leaned against the wall. “It’s nothing serious, really. I mainly just came to see you. But you seem to be doing quite well now—have you gotten used to things?”

Ye Yu’s lips curled slightly as he replied, “Miss Ye Lingxue, are you satisfied with my so-called current state?”

Ye Lingxue nodded approvingly. The smile on her peerless face seemed enough to upend the world.

“I am indeed a little surprised by your current state. At last, it feels like you’re back to how you were before entering high school. Getting into Qing University means your grades are solid, but even more impressive is your talent for games.”

She paused, her gaze shifting playfully. “You always liked sneaking around, pretending to be cool and suave.”

Ye Lingxue naturally understood Ye Yu’s command skills—his meticulous reasoning and practical theories meant that in any game he touched, he could calculate every move to perfection.

So when Ye Yu led only six players who had reached level thirty to take the rest through a guild dungeon, his abilities were already evident. The dungeon’s attributes were strong, especially since it was a gold-level instance.

Ye Yu’s achievements weren’t impossible, but they required players to have an expert grasp of game mechanics and calculations. Monster stats were closely tied to the number and strength of players entering the dungeon, so the difficulty increased with more participants. In the world of Divine Demise, players with such skills were not uncommon.

“Think about it, my class is String—a support path. If I made a big deal out of fighting, wouldn’t I just get beaten up?”

Ye Yu raised his hands in mock resignation, then proceeded to eat all the food Ye Lingxue had prepared for him, leaving not a crumb. Before he could wipe his mouth, Ye Lingxue spoke directly, “Alright, now that you’ve eaten your fill, it’s time to talk about something a bit more serious.”

Luo Feng and the others spoke up, “Then we’ll give you some privacy and step out.”

“No, you all should sit and listen as well. In fact, this concerns you too.”

Ye Lingxue crossed her arms, her posture against the wall accentuating her alluring figure, making the men in the room unconsciously take deep breaths, feeling a surge of heat rise within them.

“Ten years—by now, you all know the impact Divine Demise has had on this world. And I’d wager its influence goes far beyond what you imagine.”

She smiled warmly, clearly about to discuss something important related to Divine Demise.

“It’s just more advertising, more tournaments, nothing that stands out. I don’t think it’s changed the world that much.”

“Yeah, Snow, I don’t really see how Divine Demise has affected the world.”

“If there’s any influence, it’s not much—just more ads, more players, global online numbers topping the charts.”

Yet Ye Yu furrowed his brows slightly, saying nothing, arms folded across his chest. His eyes gleamed, as if pondering Ye Lingxue’s words.

Hearing the others’ comments, Ye Lingxue gave a wry smile and shook her head. “Think carefully—consider the status of professional gamers in Divine Demise, both past and present.”

Her speech slowed as she took a disk from her small bag and plugged it into Ye Yu’s computer. She opened a file containing three interconnected documents.

Ye Lingxue clicked on the first document and stepped back to her original spot, gazing at the screen. “This file details the status of professional gamers in Divine Demise, past and present. I bet you’re at least somewhat familiar with several of the figures mentioned.”

Indeed, Ye Yu and his companions had heard of the professional players listed in the document.

“One of them now runs a direct-owned Chinese restaurant in Green City—extremely popular. I believe you’ve heard of it: Broken Bridge Restaurant.”

Hearing this, Luo Wei asked, “Broken Bridge Snowfall from the Tianjian server? One of the nation’s top ten Yan-class experts?”

“Right. After winning the Yan-class championship in a national tournament, he started an online shop selling snacks and equipment. Business is booming, and many people visit his restaurant, mostly to meet him in person and seek advice on Yan-class gameplay.”

Ye Lingxue nodded, continuing, “He’s even auctioned off his Yan-class strategies online several times. I needn’t elaborate further.”

After her explanation, the others—except for Ye Yu—nodded unconsciously, realizing that Divine Demise’s impact on the world far exceeded their earlier assumptions. Professional gamers had quietly risen to a remarkable level.

“Now, the status of professional gamers is nothing like before. Their value is high, and Divine Demise’s tournaments aren’t just national—they’re global, with each country hosting its own region. The best of the best are worth fortunes and hold unprecedented status.”

Ye Yu spoke up, his eyes shining coldly like stars in the night sky.

“Yes, the top professional gamers today are worth millions. The highest transfer fees between gaming clubs have reached eight figures. With such limitless potential, these gamers are destined for greatness, and even after retirement, their futures are bright.”

Ye Lingxue nodded in agreement, marveling at how professional gamers have won recognition from all.

Ye Yu shook his head with a bitter smile. “Times have changed. Now, professional gaming is a real career. But the path is far tougher than anyone imagines—reaching those heights isn’t easy.”

“Indeed, these pro gamers are at the pinnacle of the gaming world. Snow, the players in your document are all elite, and their clubs are giants. When they retire, they have countless options, and the prize money they’ve amassed is more than enough for the rest of their lives.”

“That’s true.”

“But I trust you understand what it means to be a professional gamer. So, you must realize the scope of Divine Demise’s world-class tournaments. All the gamers mentioned in the file are involved in Divine Demise. The next national championship will have a six-million yuan prize pool, split across three categories: solo, team, and guild competitions. Each offers a six-million yuan prize pool.”

Ye Lingxue pursed her lips, then smiled, “And this year, the city-level championship team will win a thirty-thousand yuan prize pool, and with sponsors, the earnings could be unimaginable.”

Ye Yu shook his head, tapping his forehead in frustration. “But that’s not a lot, is it? In China’s first-tier cities, a six-person team splits thirty thousand yuan—five thousand each, and that won’t even buy a bathroom.”

“Hey, when did you start caring about real estate?”

Ye Lingxue blinked, then laughed and scolded him.

“Heh, just making a point.”

Ye Yu chuckled, then asked, “Sis, all this talk is just buildup, right? You haven’t gotten to the main issue.”

Hearing Ye Yu, Luo Feng and the others paused, only then realizing that what Ye Lingxue had shown them wasn’t the main point.

“As expected of my brother—always so perceptive. Yes, what I really want to say is this: I hope you and your team, and eventually your guild, will join Divine Demise’s professional tournament.”

Ye Lingxue’s smiling expression grew more serious. “I suppose you know Wang Yao?”

“I vaguely recall him—Sword-class player from the Tianxia server’s Seven Thousand Year Coast, right? I heard he won either three or four consecutive solo championships. The prize money wasn’t huge, but after so many wins, his worth reached seven or eight million.”

“Indeed. After that, he stopped competing and disappeared, though you can still see him in-game. He remains the top Sword-class player in Tianxia.”

Listening to Ye Lingxue, Ye Yu shook his head bitterly.

“I have thought about competing, but aiming for the national championship is no easy feat. The top players from every server fight for the title—it’s daunting. Championship? Even winning at the city level is tough.”

Ye Yu waved his hand. “Let’s leave that for later. Right now, we’re just beginners, and there’s a long line of veterans ahead of us. You know that, don’t you?”