Forming a Unified Front with Ye Qiu

"Liu Hao, let me remind you, you are a contracted player of Excellent Era, and I have the authority to decide whether you can participate in matches or not!" Tao Xuan threatened. "Think it over before you answer. Sun Xiang and Ye Qiu, whom do you choose to support in the end?"

A twitch appeared at the corner of Liu Hao's mouth. He thought, "Boss Tao, you are even more despicable than I am. Are you not ashamed to use your authority to pressure people like this? Do you not feel embarrassed?"

Although he was displeased, Liu Hao knew he didn't have enough power to resist Tao Xuan at the moment. He had signed a contract with Tao Xuan's team. If Tao Xuan refused, he really wouldn't be able to participate in matches.

Such a despicable and shameless businessman!

Liu Hao understood that he was just a pawn that Tao Xuan could discard at any time. The only reason Tao Xuan kept him was that he still had the ability to restrain Ye Qiu. But once he stopped obeying Tao Xuan and lost his usefulness as a pawn, Tao Xuan would ruthlessly abandon him.

At least before he grew strong enough, he absolutely couldn't break ties with Tao Xuan.

But fortunately, Tao Xuan was still on his side for now. From another perspective, why couldn't Tao Xuan be used by him? In the game of chess, the player was also a piece. If Tao Xuan could use him, he could also use Tao Xuan.

Liu Hao instantly came up with a clever plan to resolve the current dilemma.

With a brilliant smile, Liu Hao squeezed out his acting skills and didn't let Tao Xuan see any flaws. "Boss, you've misunderstood me."

Seeing Liu Hao's familiar flattering smile, Tao Xuan smiled with satisfaction. "That's more like it, Liu Hao. So, what do you mean?"

"Sun Xiang indeed has potential, but potential doesn't mean he can currently compete with Ye Qiu." Liu Hao spoke confidently. "Sun Xiang has at most a few million fans, but Ye Qiu has tens of millions of fans. In the hearts of Glory fans, Ye Qiu is much stronger than Sun Xiang by a mile. If we were to suddenly retire Ye Qiu and let the inexperienced Sun Xiang replace him, it would be too abrupt. Fans simply wouldn't accept it, and Excellent Era might face backlash from them."

"What do you think fans would accept?" Tao Xuan asked.

"We can't rush things. If we act hastily, Excellent Era will lose the support of the fans and become a target for everyone's criticism," Liu Hao said. "To make Ye Qiu voluntarily retire, we must wait for the right opportunity."

"What opportunity?"

"During the first half of the eighth season of the Glory Professional League, if Excellent Era's performance is unsatisfactory and the fans are extremely dissatisfied, Ye Qiu could take the blame for the decline in performance and retire voluntarily. Sun Xiang would then join the team, turn the tide, make it to the playoffs, and win the championship." Liu Hao said in a low voice. At this moment, he felt like a strategist like Jia Xu. With this plan, not only would Ye Qiu be forced to retire helplessly, but Excellent Era would also be eliminated, and Tao Xuan would have to sell the team and flee the country...

This plan could be considered the top poisonous strategy!

Tao Xuan's eyes lit up as he looked at Liu Hao, as if he were seeing a shining gem. With such a brilliant strategy, even if Ye Qiu could see through it, he wouldn't have any way to counter it.

"I understand, I understand!" Tao Xuan was extremely excited, like a madman, dancing and gesturing. "I was thinking too simply. Sun Xiang can't join now. We need to wait until halfway through the eighth season..."

Liu Hao calmly watched Tao Xuan, sneering inwardly.

Although this strategy was poisonous, it required his full cooperation for execution. If he didn't cooperate and Excellent Era kept winning, Ye Qiu's position would become even more stable, and he could gain a lot of fans with his outstanding performance on the field, paving his way to becoming a god.

By then, even if the plan failed, Tao Xuan wouldn't blame him, because he had already proven his commercial value on the field, and Tao Xuan would vigorously support him. At that time, whether Ye Qiu had any commercial value wouldn't matter, and whether Sun Xiang joined wouldn't be important either.

Wasn't Tao Xuan trying to cultivate a commercial player like Zhou Zekai? Then why couldn't he fulfil that role? Liu Hao wanted to use Tao Xuan's support, use Ye Qiu as a stepping stone, and become the man at the peak of Glory.

"Ye Qiu, oh Ye Qiu, I'm not only helping myself, but I'm also helping you. I hope you won't stand in my way. Otherwise, you'll only be able to retreat in embarrassment and join Xingxin to form a new team," Liu Hao sighed inwardly.

Having had his fill of laughter, Tao Xuan finally stopped and looked at Liu Hao with excitement, as if he could see the glorious future of Excellent Era and the influx of money from Sun Xiang joining.

"Liu Hao, the position of the vice-captain has always been vacant. Now, I appoint you as the vice-captain of the team. The appointment notice will be issued after this." Tao Xuan said with satisfaction.

"Thank you, boss," Liu Hao thanked him. He knew the purpose behind Tao Xuan's move—to elevate his status and give him enough strength to challenge Ye Qiu.

Tao Xuan waved his hand, indicating Liu Hao to leave.

Liu Hao didn't linger too long either, walking out of the office with a smile on his face.

...

Returning to the training room, only Ye Qiu was sitting at his seat playing Glory. Su Mucheng wasn't by Ye Qiu's side; it seemed she had gone back to the dormitory to sleep. Su Mucheng was a star player and usually trained during the day, rarely staying up late to play Glory.

"Ye Qiu," Liu Hao called out.

Ye Qiu ignored Liu Hao and continued playing Glory.

Liu Hao's face darkened. Damn, deliberately pretending not to hear and ignoring me, huh? I really dislike you...

"Captain?" Liu Hao called out again.

"What's up?" This time, Ye Qiu turned his head, his eyes carrying an inexplicable expression.

You deliberately ignored me when I called you Ye Qiu, but you turned around when I called you captain... "The boss intends to invite Sun Xiang to join Excellent Era..." Liu Hao said.

Ye Qiu remained silent, as if pondering who Sun Xiang was.

"The boss wants Sun Xiang to replace you as captain and wants you to retire."

"Heh." Ye Qiu smiled.

"Don't you believe it?" Liu Hao frowned.

"I believe it." There was no emotion on Ye Qiu's face. "After all, I have no commercial value. I already had a premonition when I talked to the boss before."

"What do you plan to do?" Liu Hao asked.

Ye Qiu shook his head. "I don't know."

"Aren't you afraid? Aren't you worried? Or is there nothing you want to say to me?" Liu Hao felt a bit annoyed. Ye Qiu was really annoying. I told you such a big secret, and you're just calm as if you've taken a whole bottle of sedatives?

"Oh, thank you for telling me." Ye Qiu smiled.

"...You're welcome."

"In fact, as long as you're willing to make public appearances for commercial activities, everything will be solved." Liu Hao reminded him.

"..."

Liu Hao returned to his seat, and the moonlight shone through the window into the room. The only sound in the training room was the clattering of keyboards.

That night, neither Ye Qiu nor Liu Hao returned to their rooms to sleep. They trained throughout the night.

(End of this chapter)