Chapter 18: Esports?
Chapter 18: Esports?
Liu Yun stared blankly at the screen.
Then...
She stared at the download numbers for "Desert Bicycle" as if seeing a ghost.
As of today, June 23, the game’s downloads had surpassed twenty thousand.
This figure might mean little compared to the company’s other games.
But.
This was a number achieved in just a few days!
At that moment,
she felt a surge of madness.
She opened the "Desert Bicycle" forum and saw that its membership had already exceeded thirty thousand...
The forum’s activity was skyrocketing.
There, she spotted a familiar figure.
Upon seeing him, a colleague nearby muttered in confusion,
“Isn’t that the guy you eliminated?”
They were all whispering among themselves.
Their voices drifted into Liu Yun’s ears.
She fixed her gaze on the screen.
In her mind appeared the image of that man who had suddenly set up a recruitment booth not far from her own stall!
At the time, she had found it somewhat amusing, even thought he was just seeking attention.
Not just her, but everyone at the job fair had mocked him then, calling him crazy, a nutcase driven mad by the desire to work...
Even HR staff chatting casually mentioned him...
Everyone treated him as a joke, mocking his self-recommendation speech!
But no one had expected that this man would actually...
succeed!
It must be luck, she told herself—definitely luck. One game couldn’t possibly prove anything!
Yes, it proves nothing!
She reminded herself repeatedly, trying to ease the sting of disappointment.
Yet her face suddenly flushed, burning hot.
She felt stifled.
“Liu Yun, are you alright?”
“Liu Yun, that guy just got lucky...”
“Liu Yun...”
“Don’t mind it. It’s just a game, it doesn’t mean much... Besides, this kind of thing happens all the time. After all, our hiring criteria are only an associate degree or above, with good appearance and health. It’s not your fault...”
“...”
Several colleagues nearby noticed and gathered around to comfort her.
She seemed somewhat consoled.
But just as she closed the forum, hoping to bury the matter deep in her heart, she suddenly heard hurried footsteps.
Then...
She saw the HR leader of her department rushing over.
His name was Shen Yi...
Usually calm and composed, he rarely showed such an expression.
At this moment, however, he seemed very excited, clutching a stack of documents!
What was going on?
Had something good happened? Had he won the lottery?
“Liu Yun, come to my office for a moment...”
Liu Yun instinctively followed him in.
Inside Shen Yi’s office, she saw him pointing at the computer screen, where...
Her heart trembled. Her flushed face turned pale.
On the screen was "Desert Bicycle" running!
“This game, ‘Desert Bicycle’—have you played it? It suddenly exploded in popularity these past few days. I downloaded it just now and tried it... The gameplay is simple but incredibly addictive...”
“...”
“I realized that Zhang Yang is a true talent. He understands the psychology of clients and users perfectly. His marketing methods are unheard of but astonishingly effective!”
“...”
“Also, have you checked the forum? That guy proposed the S1 competitive concept and his passionate words really stirred people!”
“...”
“Someone like him—I want you to call him and arrange a meeting. If possible, I’d like us to visit him together...”
“...”
“If possible... isn’t there a vacancy for a lead planner in our company? I can apply to Director Liu... This guy’s planning skills are really strong. His grasp of game concepts is deep. He gives me a kindred spirit feeling!”
“...”
“A talent like this not joining us would be a real loss. Hurry up and get his contact info. Call and invite him...”
Shen Yi spoke with great enthusiasm, spitting words with excitement.
His eyes shone brightly.
But Liu Yun’s lips curled into a bitter smile.
Shen Yi had no idea that Zhang Yang had actually applied for a job at their company before!
Nor did he know Zhang Yang’s resume had been thrown straight into the trash bin by them...
Back then, Zhang Yang was a nobody to Liu Yun.
She felt no burden.
But now...
Liu Yun lowered her head.
She didn’t even know how she left Shen Yi’s office. All she knew was her heart was sinking deeper and deeper...
It seemed this world offered no second chances.
Just as she sat down, her phone buzzed with a message.
It was from her close friend, an HR at another large tech company.
“I lost my job...”
“Because of that guy with only a high school diploma!”
“...”
……………………………………………
“Thank you, everyone...”
“Thank you to everyone at the internet café...”
“I... I will keep trying, keep pushing forward!”
The live broadcast on the forum continued.
Every now and then, interview videos or live footage were posted.
Ge Yumiao, known as “God Ge,” had red-rimmed eyes. Having experienced unprecedented glory, his hands trembled as he held the trophy.
After finishing his speech, he felt as if in a dream.
The interview shifted to Li Zongnan, the internet café owner.
Li Zongnan praised enthusiastically, spitting words rapidly.
“He worked so hard here!”
“Yes, I’ve never seen anyone so talented and so diligent!”
“Nowadays, few people like him are seen in society...”
“The first time I saw him was probably half a year ago...”
“...”
Listening to the café owner recount his backstory, Ge Yumiao’s face lit up with pride.
Was he proud of me?
Did I bring him honor?
His heart trembled!
Then...
He saw others from “Cosmos Technology” interviewing other netizens...
Each told different stories about him...
Yet all were filled with admiration!
Once upon a time...
Ge Yumiao’s heart had lost all light!
He seemed trapped in an abyss, unable to escape, lost and resigned!
But now...
His heart felt warm...
“The thirty thousand yuan prize for S1 is halfway done. There’s another twenty thousand in prizes—keep it up, everyone!”
“After the real rewards, we will update the player rankings...”
“This is a game!”
“But at the same time, it’s esports!”
“Just like physical sports competitions, the only difference is it exists online!”
“Every persevering player, whether they win or lose, deserves respect.”
“Everyone here, you are witnesses to the birth of esports!”
“...”
Zhang Yang’s words...
were like another ray of light.
Illuminating Ge Yumiao...
He stared at Zhang Yang in a daze.
At this moment...
he only felt this man was towering and grand!
The game he played...
Was this...
esports?
(End of Chapter)