National destiny: Global tower climbing skills have decreased by 10,000 times.

Three days ago, in the capital city, in the office of the president of the Dragon Kingdom Esports Council.

The potted plants on the windowsill had just been watered, and water droplets still clung to their leaves. Sunlight streamed in through the French windows, casting bright dappled patterns on the carpet.

President Shen Qianqiu sat behind his desk, holding a phone in his left hand and a pair of pruning shears in his right, slowly trimming a pot of Chinese elm.

He held the phone in his other hand, but it was Da Kun's voice that came through:

"...Yes, that's about it. I've said everything I need to say. Now, let's see what your instructions are."

After listening, Shen Qianqiu did not reply immediately, but reached out and cut off a few more broken branches.

"Okay, I understand the situation. Your idea is very good."

"I have always admired your long-term strategic vision."

His voice carried a peaceful quality unique to middle-aged people, and his tone was neither hurried nor slow.

"To be honest, this matter of reform in the Dragon Kingdom is indeed no small matter. In the past few days, you're not the only one who's mentioned it."

"To be honest, I just discussed this matter with Vice Chairman Zheng yesterday. We plan to hold a special discussion meeting in a few days."

"As for that so-called 'genius' you mentioned—Hei Xi..."

He paused, then continued:

Is this true?

Da Kun's tone was very certain: "That's right, it's true. He's a genius that only comes along once every ten years in China. I saw him fight with my own eyes."

Hearing this, Shen Qianqiu was also momentarily stunned.

All characters are A10, without any professional training or professional player status, just a pure player.

As the president of the Dragon Kingdom Esports Council, I have seen more so-called "experts" and "geniuses" than I have eaten meals.

Even someone as knowledgeable and well-traveled as him couldn't help but have some doubts when he first heard about such a situation.

But he believed that Da Kun's character and conduct were probably genuine, and since he had specifically called him, it must be true.

"Alright, I understand. If that's the case, it's indeed a tremendous opportunity for the Dragon Kingdom. I must say, your decision to keep it a secret was a very smart one."

"In that case, let him stay in your organization for now. Make sure to protect him well and keep all confidentiality measures in place."

"Regarding him, I will immediately set up a special confidential team to connect with your organization and be able to see him at any time."

"Until then, I won't tell anyone. For now, only the two of us know. As for your organization, you'll have to figure out how to handle it yourself."

Da Kun replied, "Understood! I will do my utmost to ensure the safety and privacy of the personnel."

"Yes, very good. I trust you to handle things."

"But do you have any information about him? Could you send it over for us to look at?"

Da Kun lowered his voice, as if he were conveying some secret, even though it was over the phone:

"Old Shen, yes, I definitely have it, but it's not convenient to say it over the phone or send it to you online..."

"I'll personally fly to your place in a couple of days and bring you everything I need, how about that?"

Shen Qianqiu understood what he meant and nodded:

"Okay, then we'll do it your way. Remember to coordinate things with the organization yourself."

Don't worry.

……

Let's go back to the present.

Zixia Club, waiting room.

The crowd had begun to disperse. The eliminated contestants left in twos and threes; some looked down at their phones, some whispered among themselves, and some walked silently toward the elevator.

The advancing contestants sat in the front row, awaiting notification for the next round.

Ye Fei stood up from his seat, walked through several rows of empty chairs, and went behind Chu Liang.

Chu Liang's massive body was turned away from him, his shoulders slightly slumped, looking somewhat tired.

He was slowly stuffing the keyboard into his backpack, as if he was thinking about something.

Ye Fei patted him on the shoulder.

Chu Liang turned his head and saw a strange young man standing behind him, wearing a black coat and with a calm expression.

(Latest Update on National Fortune: Global Tower Climbing Skills Have Decreased by 10,000 Times)

His instincts told him: Which fan or audience member has arrived?

"Hello?" Chu Liang forced a polite smile, his eyes naturally narrowing into slits.

"May I ask who you are...?"

"My name is Ye Fei." Ye Fei cut straight to the point, interrupting him:

"I watched your match just now. I believe you also noticed that your opponent was acting strangely, right?"

Chu Liang did not answer immediately. He sensed that this person's intentions were not so simple and instinctively became wary.

"Don't worry, I'm here to help you." Ye Fei's voice was soft, but each word was clear:

"His playing style and his way of thinking make him seem like someone who's just a random person running for office."

"It's more like a professionally trained veteran; you should have sensed that yourself."

Chu Liang remained silent for a few seconds, then his suspicions were bluntly stated:

He certainly had a feeling, but he couldn't explain why. It was just that person's words and actions that gave him the feeling that something was wrong.

This person, a mere bystander, was able to analyze the other person's unusual behavior simply by observing the match; this person must be quite remarkable.

"However, I have a feeling that you're likely to be in big trouble in the next round."

As he spoke, Ye Fei took out a slip of paper from his bag, on which his name and phone number were written, and handed it to him:

"This is my contact information. You can contact me if you need anything in the future."

Chu Liang glanced back, feeling somewhat bewildered, but still took the note, nodded, and looked completely confused.

"Oh... thank you."

Chu Liang put the small note into his bag, then took out a business card and handed it to Ye Fei:

"This is my business card. It shows how to join my fan group. If you're interested, feel free to follow my live stream."

Ye Fei took the note and smiled:

"Okay, I'll definitely take a look when I have time."

About ten minutes later, almost everyone in the waiting room had left.

The contestants who advanced stood in a row, totaling less than twenty people.

Bai Wu returned to the stage, holding a folder, her expression more serious than before.

"Congratulations to all the contestants who have advanced. Now, I will announce the rules for the third round of selection."

Everyone fell silent.

"The third round of selection will be a high-difficulty team challenge. The advanced difficulty level is A8, which is the entry standard for professional players."

"All qualified contestants can choose their teammates to form a team within the same track, or they can choose to challenge themselves solo."

At this point, someone in the audience gasped. A8 is an almost impossible height for amateur athletes.

"But don't worry, you don't need to clear the level, and there won't be a time limit—"

"If you can get out of the first level with at least one person surviving, all you need to do is give it your all."

"If the entire team is wiped out before reaching the first level, the entire team will be eliminated."

"For advancement, we will select the best based on the furthest progress made by all the teams or individuals present, without setting any specific criteria for advancement."

The white mist paused.

"In the previous round of the competition, the champion who remained in each track had the right to choose first."

"They can choose any player to be their teammate, and the chosen player cannot refuse."

In this world, it is often believed that it is easier to clear a level by teaming up with multiple people than by playing solo, and the more the better. Therefore, the ability to choose teammates at will is considered a unique advantage of the reigning champion.

After Bai Wu finished speaking, murmurs arose from the audience as the contestants whispered among themselves and began discussing team formation.

Standing at the back of the crowd, Chu Liang's mind suddenly went blank after hearing what was said.

He recalled what Xiao Chen had said to him in the previous round, and it now seemed to awaken in his mind like a spell.

He suddenly realized something, and a chill ran down his spine.