C15 Part3

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Chapter 15: Phoenix (Part 3)

Ever since Qiu Ying became Phoenix’s manager and no longer had the free time to be a commentator, STV could only replace her with Qiao Xin, Youxing’s First Jie. Qiao Xin’s commentating level was still terrible. Besides repeating other people’s words and laughing drily, there were often mistakes in her explanations of the heroes’ skills and details of the game. Even though STV was constantly trying to find another commentator whose strength was equal to Qiu Ying’s, they were completely unable to get anything. After all, this was an esports circle dominated by men. Female commentators with a deep understanding of the game, and moreover willing to work hard, were an extremely scarce resource.

Along with esports competitions’ sustained popularity, the dissatisfied voices of the internet regarding female commentators grew louder and louder. They cried out that under capitalism’s corrosion, the commentating seats became more and more like a showfloor for vases.

In the comments section, quite a number of esports fans expressed their dissatisfaction with this conclusion.

“You guys have never watched Qiu Ying commentate on games, have you? A proper esports Wang Yuyan.”

“Right! Qiu Ying’s great! Graduated from a professional broadcasting department, respectable skills, she’s pretty and her voice is sweet! They already figured out that ‘Recording-gate’ had nothing to do with her, she was forced to go step back by you gang of flamers flaming her!”

“I’m kneeling, please Qiu Ying return to the commentators’ booth!”

The thirst for Qiu Ying’s return made the masses’ dissatisfaction with Qiao Xin even stronger. Qiu Ying’s original exposé was brought back up and the “Qiao Xin substitute” incident became popular once more. With more and more evidence — a gamer even confirming on Weibo a few days ago that Qiao Xin’s high-score account was bought from him — one stone set off thousands of ripples.

Many streamers who’d previously endured it but didn’t speak the truth, now saw the winds of public opinion change and spoke out, one after another, in the hopes that Qiao Xin would give an explanation to everyone.

It was during this turning point that Qiu Ying, who’d long been motionless, posted a Weibo, @Qiao Xin.

“Let’s fight a solo mid in a live game, whether or not you’re using a sub will be clear at a glance. Do you dare accept?”

These words were like a bomb. They instantaneously made everyone’s blood boil up.

Right, still want to pump out an endless speech to refute the rumors? If you want to reject it, play!

STV and Tanuki Streaming Platform got together as soon as possible and decided to add on an extra segment after this week’s variety show to stream Qiu Ying and Qiao Xin’s mid solo game across the entire internet. Qiao Xin’s team twisted around before they were finally forced to accept the challenge under the strong demands of the vast esports fans and those in the industry who opposed substitutes.

The day of the match, all members of Team Phoenix arrived at the recording studio to cheer for Qiu Ying from the audience seating. When he saw Qiu Ying rubbing her hands together before she got on stage, Ji Xiangkong smiled. “Didn’t we already watch the video of her in a game? What are you nervous for?”

Qiu Ying shook her head. “I’m not nervous, I’m excited.”

There was a long table on the stage with two computers facing each other. After Qiu Ying and Qiao Xin took their seats, cameras pointed one by one straight at their hands that were operating the keyboard and mouse.

The host declared: “Game, start.”

The two people chose their heroes as the map loaded. It wasn’t long before Qiao Xin’s face grew pallid, sweat unendingly dripping down her forehead.

Compared to that online solo game several months ago when Qiao Xin commanded her substitute, when it was obvious that she could win from early on but deliberately dragged it on, unwilling to finish up the match, humiliating her opponent again and again, Qiu Ying’s playing was much more principled. It revealed to the audience what an overwhelming power gap meant.

From beginning to end, Qiu Ying’s last-hits were three times greater than Qiao Xin’s. Without a wasted word and before five minutes had passed, she destroyed the tower as the autumn wind swept up the falling leaves, declaring Qiao Xin’s loss.

A countless number of Qiao Xin’s fans in front of their screens took in a cold breath. This cr*ppy walk, this lousy last-hit technique, was this still Youxing’s First Jie that they watched every night in her streaming room abuse high-class gamers?

Seeing the host look at her with unconcealed contempt in his eyes, Qiao Xin drily laughed once. She put on a pitiful look for the camera and said with red-rimmed eyes, “I… I was too nervous.”

“No worries, relax, adjust your condition, let’s play another round.” Qiu Ying’s face was full of indifference as she laughingly said, “I’m not in a rush.”

Thus another game began. The result still came before a few minutes had passed. Qiao Xin’s defeat.

As she saw the other person cover her face at a complete loss, Qiu Ying smiled. “Another game, then.” She paused, then said, “Are you not feeling well today? We can change the date, I’ll meet you anytime.”

This sentence choked Qiao Xin.

The audience below the stage began jeering, “Yeah, perform well! Your millions of ‘Movie Fans’1 in front of their screens are all waiting to see it!”

Qiu Ying held her chin in one hand and lazily tapped on the desk with the other. “What’s wrong? Want to keep on playing?”

The host asked as well, “Another game?”

In the enormous screen behind them, the chat was exploding—

“Oh my God! She still dared to say that she wasn’t using a sub when she plays like this?!”

“Want face? This is a scam, alright!”

“Film Empress Qiao get out of the esports circle! You even arrogantly said that other people were vases before! Disgusting!”

To begin with, Qiao Xin was hoping to grab onto Qiu Ying’s level as an equal. If she didn’t play well, she’d pretend that she performed poorly under heavy pressure, plus her PR could fool everyone again afterward. But unexpectedly, Qiu Ying’s strength was so strong that after a few blows she was beaten back into her true form.

Beneath the audience’s boos, the chat’s insults, and the host’s incessant questions, Qiao Xin hurled her keyboard down, crumbled apart, and confessed that she was using a substitute.

She cried so much it was like pear blossoms were bearing raindrops, makeup all over her face, just like a white lotus that was bullied by the whole world. “I truly wanted to be a proper commentator, a Youxing streamer. I already worked hard, worked very hard, but my talent truly wasn’t enough. I didn’t do well no matter how I played. I truly lost myself for a bit when I found a sub to play for me, I wanted too much to get on the commentating seat. Please everyone, believe me, give me another chance…”

Qiu Ying rolled her eyes within her heart — Oh right, you practice 48 hours a day and don’t rest even if you have a 50-degree fever, right?

She handed a tissue to Qiao Xin and said warmly, “You didn’t do well no matter how you played? That means that you’re not suited for this profession.”

Qiao Xin sobbed and looked at her, gnawed at her lip, but didn’t dare to attack her in front of the camera.

“Valkyrie game streamer?” Qiu Ying raised her eyebrows and said into her ear, “You don’t deserve it.”

After Qiao Xin was led down the stage by her agent, the host gave the mic to Qiu Ying. “Let’s have the winner say some of her thoughts.”

“This field of game streaming really was extremely pure when it first began, and streaming, it’s letting the audience see our most authentic faces. I know a number of conscientious streamers who do all their homework, trying to help everyone improve their gaming level, so as to receive even more happiness. They don’t have that much popularity either, nor is their income very high, but throughout it all they stick to their own bottom lines. I’ll keep on saying it, that if finding a substitute and gaining fans for the money is esports, then what are the people who arduously train every day and are serious about this profession? I hope that the effort that everyone puts into it will have value.”

The host nodded with a solemn face. He could see Qiu Ying speaking slower and slower, the rims of her eyes slightly flushed, she took in a breath… and suddenly delivered with an extremely lively and cute voice, “Right now I’m Team Phoenix’s manager, our current members are everyone’s well-known Void, Summit, Xuan, the great ancient god Zy and newcomer Cloud! Our fan group is XXXXX, for more information please follow our official Weibo, if you forward our stickied post we’ll select ten people to receive signed pictures of our players!”

As she finished speaking, she blinked her eyes at the camera, tilted her head, and made a heart with her hand.

The host’s mic nearly dropped to the floor, the director’s group froze, millions and millions of melon-eating masses spat their melon seeds out onto their screens, this advertisement came too suddenly! It was all part of her strategy!

Just like that, the curtains finally closed on the “Qiao Xin substitute” incident, known by all throughout the lands. Youxing terminated their contract with Qiao Xin, D Corp. announced that they would ban her account, and STV also kicked her out of their commentating seats.

Qiu Ying’s last words were cut into a video, made into a positivity slogan, and widely circulated.

Several days later, Team Phoenix joyfully drew in their first sponsor. In order to celebrate, Qiu Ying waved her small hand and added several more chicken drumsticks to everyone’s lunches.

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1 I assume this is just a sarcastic name for Qiao Xin’s fans, a jab at how they must be fans of her acting facade.

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The best revenge is to live happily, don’t you think?

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