The King's Avatar Chapter 1728 - After All, I’m a Pro Player

Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi

Retirement.

This topic inevitably surfaced every summer.

After Tyranny's playoff elimination, Lin Jingyan declared his retirement; following their championship victories, Ye Xiu departed silently.

Other veteran players in the Alliance also bid their farewells. Yet, unlike the spotlight on Lin Jingyan and Ye Xiu, these players lacked the fame, making their goodbyes seem far more routine.

Wei Chen counted himself among these retirees. His exit carried no trace of nostalgia, though. Instead, it resembled him slipping aside to tally the five million cash he'd just pocketed. He skipped any farewell to Happy too, heading straight to the guild department to stir up chaos in the game.

“Old Wu! Hurry up and bring a team to help. Hurry!!!” Furious shouts echoed daily from the guild zone.

Eternal conflicts raged in the game. From the moment Ye Xiu established it, Guild Happy drew heavy aggro from every direction. Back then, under Ye Xiu's lead, an alliance of mid-tier and small guilds stood firm against the giants. Now, as the fresh champions, Happy became the prime target for all. The guild's in-game position turned instantly more precarious.

Upon his game return, Wei Chen plunged into nonstop tasks. He fought with boundless enthusiasm each day. Wu Chen remained the guild leader, enduring daily scoldings as well. Yet, guild members saw nothing wrong with it. Given Wei Chen's stature and rank, none dared challenge Boss Wei's command. Even Guild Leader Wu Chen stayed exempt from exceptions.

As veterans departed, newcomers stepped up. Pro teams often ran their training camps, injecting new talent yearly to bolster rosters. Happy, being so fresh, lacked such a setup. With Ye Xiu and Wei Chen retired, the sudden void of two key figures forced reliance on transfers.

Su Mucheng and Fang Rui received this assignment. They served as Happy's captain and vice-captain now, wielding significant say in transfers. The team still wanted for a full-time operations head.

Chen Guo sensed their basic, rough-and-tumble setup falling short. Money no longer posed a hurdle for Team Happy. Post-championship, sponsors flooded in from all sides for collaborations. City H itself rolled out initiatives to back Happy.

Glory esports' reach kept growing. City H gained renown as birthplace of three-time champs Team Excellent Era. Sadly, Excellent Era crumbled and rebuilt from zero. The squad that dethroned them, Happy, returned the Glory trophy to City H after seven grueling years. Naturally, the city showered attention on its new heroes. Meanwhile, reborn Team Excellent Era claimed the Challenger League, set to clash in the Alliance next season alongside Happy.

City H favored no single team for glory. Their focus lay solely on the economic surge from Glory esports. As current champs, Happy drew far greater backing. Endless negotiations piled up for them. Plus, with sponsors besieging for deals, Chen Guo drowned in workload.

She juggled organizational growth on one side—setting up divisions, hiring personnel—while handling every minor and major detail herself for the moment. Tang Rou lent substantial aid in this period. Luo Ji and An Wenyi joined the R&D team, aiding Guan Rongfei in upgrading gear. Steamed Bun and Qiao Yifan assisted Wei Chen's in-game efforts. Mo Fan, meanwhile, poured all focus into training and growth.

In this offseason, Happy's members shunned vacations and idleness. They persisted in their united efforts since day one. Each poured maximum effort into team contributions, propelling Happy ahead.

That summer saw Ye Xiu's exit.

Yet, witnessing the frenzy around her, Chen Guo felt Ye Xiu's absence barely registered. His imprints lingered in every corner. The drive he instilled endured strong. Chen Guo yearned for these echoes to persist forever.

Post-Ye Xiu, Happy pressed on relentlessly.

Still, a later summer departure from him would've been ideal.

Peering out the window, Chen Guo took in the view. Two days earlier, a massive billboard had risen up. The gleaming golden Glory logo shone brightly under the sun. Over these two days, the buzz had spread everywhere. The whole Glory scene was abuzz with heated discussions about it.

The Glory Worlds Invitational.

The International Esports Association teamed up with the Glory game company, summoning sixteen teams from sixteen nations for the debut global Glory showdown. The reveal had hit, and crowds were hailing it as the Glory World Cup, with triumph there marking the supreme honor imaginable.

Set from July 17 through August 6, the event would unfold in Zurich, Switzerland. The selected sixteen nations included China, South Korea, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Russia, Canada, America, and Australia. Now, every one of those countries had locked in their commitment. Each was busy calling up players for their national squads.

Su Mucheng and Fang Rui from Happy got their summons and rushed to City B to train alongside the national team members. The complete lineup for the national team remained under wraps. Not even selected stars like Su Mucheng and Fang Rui had the full scoop.

“Who else could have been chosen?” Online forums erupted in wild debates and polls guessing the roster. Fang Rui shrugged it off, though. This squad was bound to feature the Alliance's elite tops. Though unannounced, most spots were already locked. Take healers, for instance—every team boasted top-notch ones, but Zhang Xinjie stood unrivaled at number one.

By chance, as Su Mucheng and Fang Rui reached the elevator for the training center's conference room, they ran into Zhang Xinjie.

“It looks like we won’t be late,” Su Mucheng joked to Fang Rui.

Zhang Xinjie clearly caught her drift and merely smiled. Then he offered congrats to Happy for snagging the championships.

“You’re alone?” Fang Rui wondered aloud. He and Su Mucheng shared a team and invites, arriving as a pair. Yet here was Zhang Xinjie solo. Did that mean Tyranny...

“Zhang Jiale went ahead,” Zhang Xinjie explained.

“Oh, how lucky for him, avoiding anything related to the championships,” Fang Rui nodded his head. The jab rolled off his tongue effortlessly. It showcased his pro-level snark. In one line, he wove in “lucky” and “championships,” landing dual digs at Zhang Jiale.

“Just you and Zhang Jiale?” Su Mucheng picked up the implication in Zhang Xinjie’s reply.

“Captain Han declined the invitation,” Zhang Xinjie stated evenly.

“Why?” Fang Rui asked.

“He said that his energy was limited, and he wanted to focus on Tyranny,” Zhang Xinjie said.

Trash talk flowed easy for Fang Rui, yet this time silence gripped him. The elevator turned utterly quiet. The saying “persevere for ten years as if it were one day” fit Han Wenqing’s loyalty to Tyranny to a tee. Ye Xiu had slipped away quietly, but Han Wenqing toiled on for Tyranny, even skipping a shot at greater heights. Such resolve commanded respect.

“Incredible,” Fang Rui said solemnly. Zhang Xinjie nodded his head. The trio stayed wordless till the end of the ride. Reaching their floor, they stepped out into the conference room.

“Like I said! How could Zhang Xinjie be late?”

The three hit the conference room right on schedule. No sooner had they entered than Huang Shaotian pounded the table, yelling at the top of his lungs. He spotted Su Mucheng and Fang Rui fast.

“Yo, the champions also came. Congratulations, you guys!” Huang Shaotian kept yapping away, though barely anyone tuned in. Su Mucheng and Fang Rui scanned the conference room. Arriving with Zhang Xinjie precisely on time meant the group was fully assembled.

Team Blue Rain’s Yu Wenzhou and Huang Shaotian.

Team Samsara’s Zhou Zekai and Sun Xiang.

Team Tiny Herb’s Wang Jiexi.

Team Thunderclap’s Xiao Shiqin.

Team Void’s Li Xuan, Team Misty Rain’s Chu Yunxiu, Team Wind Howl’s Tang Hao, Team Tyranny’s Zhang Xinjie and Zhang Jiale, Team Happy’s Su Mucheng and Fang Rui.

Thirteen in total, exactly the count needed for a tournament team. These gathered pros formed the national team.

“It’s really quite surprising that Han Wenqing didn’t come.”

Su Mucheng took a seat. Chu Yunxiu shuffled over to join her. The pair of ladies dove straight into conversation.

“Mm...” Su Mucheng gave a nod. Han Wenqing turned out to be the most shocking presence among those gathered. Beyond him, although players like Jiang Botao, Xu Bin, Yang Cong, Tian Sen, and others were all exceptional talents, the team slots remained scarce. Choices for those positions weren’t always purely skill-based. Other factors might have come into play—who could tell? It wouldn’t take much to justify replacing any of them. The sole true astonishment was Han Wenqing turning down the invite.

“Say... if Han Wenqing had joined, who would he have replaced?” Chu Yunxiu pressed further. Put another way, who reaped the benefit from Han Wenqing’s refusal? Who grabbed that fortunate final opportunity?

“Hard to say,” Su Mucheng answered.

“Ahem.” Li Xuan cleared his throat, drawing Chu Yunxiu’s notice. “Stop the guessing—it’ll sour the vibe from the start!”

“Why’re you spying on our chat? Bet it’s you, huh?” Chu Yunxiu shot back, irritated.

“Yeah, it’s me, it’s me. Sis, tone down the gossip, okay?” Li Xuan prized the team harmony.

Chu Yunxiu quit speaking, yet her gaze kept flicking about. Her curiosity about the matter was plain. Right then, Yu Wenzhou rose to his feet. All eyes swung his way as he opened his mouth.

“With Captain Han rejecting the invite and Captain Wang passing on the captain role, organizers planned to name me captain. Naturally, I need your input. Any objections?” Yu Wenzhou smiled. Such a statement might embarrass others, but he delivered it effortlessly. Once done, he waited patiently for reactions.

“None here,” Huang Shaotian boomed, backing his captain. The rest shrugged it off or had no issue, waving dismissively: “Fine, fine.”

“Wonderful, thanks for the backing, everyone,” Yu Wenzhou replied smilingly before settling back into his seat.

“So, you taking the lead on this meeting? What’s the topic?” Xiao Shiqin wondered. All had gathered, but nobody had stepped up to direct things. Casual banter flowed among them. Given their friendly ties, nothing seemed amiss.

“No, captain or not, my role’s pretty light. Organizers mentioned appointing a team leader with complete control over us,” Yu Wenzhou explained.

“A leader?” Looks passed between them. No one recalled hearing of this position.

“They aren’t tossing in some outsider to gesture wildly, right?” This was a worldwide contest. As national team members, they battled for Glory Pro League glory and national honor alike. The government’s General Administration of Sports might easily dispatch a Glory novice as coach. Total authority in those hands would spell disaster.

“Word is, he’s an expert,” Yu Wenzhou noted.

“Expert? In pro Glory circles, who outranks us? Who even qualifies for ‘total authority’ over us in a Glory event?” Tang Hao challenged, hitting hard on “total authority.” His signature cockiness shone through, but it sat well with everyone today. Nods rippled around. Right—who at this table could claim such command?

Hm?

Hm?

Hold on...

In a flash, half the room’s faces twisted. The others stayed steady. Pondering the question anew, one name popped inevitably into minds.

“No way?” a voice blurted. Two-thirds of those present turned toward Su Mucheng.

Su Mucheng merely smiled without a word. Just then, the conference room door creaked open.

“Hello, everyone.”

A figure stepped inside, reluctance etched on his face, steps thudding heavily.

“I’m here,” he went on, shuffling to the multimedia projector controls. With lazy, indifferent pokes at the buttons, a video popped up on the screen.

“No need for hellos. Let’s check our rivals,” he declared. The projector hummed to life, video still fuzzy, yet he plunged straight into commentary.

Nothing but his voice and the Glory VOD audio pierced the tomb-like hush. The quiet dragged on fully five minutes before at last...

“Fuck, who’re you? What’s your deal here?” Zhang Jiale broke the ice first.

“Didn’t you retire?” Zhang Xinjie adjusted his glasses.

“Yeah, and you’re already back? Pick a lane!” Xiao Shiqin chimed in.

Huang Shaotian snapped, “Can’t you be more reliable?”

Even the typically silent Zhou Zekai had to speak up: “Exactly.”

“Shut up, all of you!” Ye Xiu declared, his face clouded with gloom. He cut off any further interruptions before they could start.

“Did you think I wanted to come? I was forced,” Ye Xiu explained.

“Forced? By whom? Show yourself!” Huang Shaotian appeared ready to leap across the table.

“The head of my family,” Ye Xiu replied, his expression darkening further.

“What?” The revelation shocked the group. No one could figure it out. Silence descended instantly over the room.

Finally, Wang Jiexi offered a composed breakdown: “So after retiring, you returned home. But once there, your father pushed you out to take charge of this team?”

“Yes,” Ye Xiu confirmed. “The head of the General Administration of Sports phoned my father directly, insisting I must go win glory for the nation. Those words ‘win honor for my country’ hit my father right where it mattered most. I hadn’t even unpacked my bedding when he chased me out the door.”

The entire group stood dumbfounded. What kind of bizarre twist was this?

“Alright, cut the chatter! Here are all the videos I collected over the last few days on players from rival nations. You Gods, study them on your own. Compete fiercely. Don’t embarrass us. I didn’t bring my account card, so count me out for any substitutions.”

“You’re still eligible to play?” Sun Xiang picked up on the hint in Ye Xiu’s statement with keen insight.

“Per the tournament regulations, every national team caps at thirteen players, though an unofficial substitute can be added if circumstances demand it,” Yu Wenzhou explained. As the pre-appointed captain, he’d thoroughly reviewed the rules.

“What exactly counts as ‘if the need arises’?” the group inquired.

“Say, if a player can’t compete due to some mishap. The tournament officials make the ultimate call,” Yu Wenzhou clarified.

“Are we supposed to wish for a mishap?” The players exchanged uneasy glances. None would dare doubt Ye Xiu’s prowess.

“Better if no mishap occurs,” Ye Xiu remarked.

“Naturally, it won’t! Forget about that!” The team roared in unison while heading to the control station to grab the VOD files. With that, the gathering wrapped up, and they all departed. Not a soul hung back to chat with Ye Xiu—not even Fang Rui. Before long, only Ye Xiu and Su Mucheng remained.

“Isn’t this just maddening?” Ye Xiu vented helplessly toward Su Mucheng.

“Really?” Su Mucheng let out a light laugh.

Ye Xiu stayed quiet.

Years back, he’d abandoned it all, departing his home to chase Glory.

This time around, he’d chosen to release his grip on Glory, aiming to atone for past immaturity. Yet his family drove him out again, urging him to stick with Glory.

He couldn’t tell if he should laugh or weep over this irony. Still, he knew his old man meant it sincerely this time. After all, bringing honor to the country was a motive that swayed him completely. Glory esports had developed to t