Chapter 121: The Meeting

Jiang Zheng began learning kung fu from scratch, primarily through instructional videos. As before, while watching these tutorials, he found that tricks and nuances of the martial arts would automatically surface in his mind, often differing slightly from what was shown on screen. He treated these videos more as a catalyst to unlock the knowledge already dormant within him. He was no longer limited to traditional martial arts; he explored instructional content from various disciplines as well. With each new style he studied, his understanding of combat deepened.

Beyond his training, Jiang Zheng was actively preparing for another task. After a few days, he felt he was sufficiently ready. He had familiarized himself with the abilities of every hero and had contemplated the strategies needed to counter them. His grasp of the game had reached a sophisticated level. During this period, his rank had climbed from Gold to Master. He hadn't reached a higher tier because he was often burdened by teammates; while he could dominate in low-to-mid-tier matches through sheer individual skill, once he reached higher ranks, team coordination became paramount. No matter how skilled he was, his opponents were no slouches, and even if he tried to dictate the pace, his teammates would inevitably become the weak link that the opposition exploited. This made Jiang Zheng realize that if he truly wanted to compete against professional players, a standard team-based format would not suffice. He lacked a strong team, and neither his coordination nor the average skill level of his allies could match a professional roster. Therefore, to successfully complete his task, it had to be a one-on-one duel.

After class today, Jiang Zheng headed off campus to meet someone. He hailed a taxi and went straight to the city center. Upon arrival, he stopped in front of a beverage shop, the agreed-upon meeting spot. Walking inside, he spotted a young man in a suit and headed straight toward him.

"Hello," Jiang Zheng said.

The young man stood up and replied, "Hello, are you Mr. Jiang Zheng?"

"I am," Jiang Zheng nodded.

"My name is Lin Yu. You can just call me Xiao Lin," Lin Yu said.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Lin," Jiang Zheng replied.

"Mr. Jiang is certainly an impressive young man," Lin Yu said with a polite pleasantry.

After exchanging a few brief greetings, they moved straight to the point. Both were young men who preferred efficiency over small talk; settling the matter directly was better than anything else.

"Mr. Jiang, is the one-million-yuan prize you mentioned online confirmed?" Lin Yu asked.

"That's correct. I want to host a duel tournament. Anyone who can defeat me walks away with one million yuan," Jiang Zheng stated.

"We won't be covering that million; at most, we can provide the publicity," Lin Yu noted.

"I understand. I will provide the million myself," Jiang Zheng said.

"Regarding the streaming revenue, our commission will be on the higher side. Since you haven't signed a contract with us yet, we can only split the proceeds according to the rate for a new streamer," Lin Yu explained.

"That's fine. I have no issues with the revenue split," Jiang Zheng replied.

He was organizing this tournament solely to complete his mission. As long as the mission was accomplished, the costs were irrelevant.

Lin Yu nodded. With the most critical issue settled, the rest were secondary. "Mr. Jiang, let me outline what we can provide in terms of publicity. First, we will handle the pre-event promotion and help you contact some professional players. Second, during the broadcasts, we will use internal accounts to send large tips, though we will reclaim these funds after the stream ends," Lin Yu explained, pausing before adding, "These are the broad strokes. I will send you a document with the specific, detailed terms."

Jiang Zheng nodded and said, "I hope the promotion will be aggressive, as I don't intend for this to last long—I plan to finish in about half a month."

"Mr. Jiang, I suggest extending the duration, or perhaps even making it a permanent fixture. It would be a great selling point for your channel," Lin Yu suggested.

Jiang Zheng had no aspirations of becoming a streamer, so he remained unmoved by the suggestion. "Long-term streaming leads to a decline in performance. You know that when facing professional players, any dip in form leads to defeat," he said.

Lin Yu pondered this for a moment and nodded; he had to agree. Prolonged streaming was exhausting and did affect one's edge, which was exactly why many skilled streamers eventually transitioned into entertainers.

"Actually, Mr. Jiang, you don't need to worry about that. We can invite specific professional players, ensuring you can win even if your condition isn't at its peak," Lin Yu hinted.

Jiang Zheng understood instantly—he was being asked to throw matches. It wasn't an impossible scenario; if the money was right, there were plenty of people willing to fix matches. However, doing so would violate his core intent. If he threw matches, he would never complete his mission, and besides, he despised match-fixing.

"No, let's forget about match-fixing. I trust in my own abilities," Jiang Zheng said firmly.

Lin Yu fell silent for a moment before saying, "Understood. There are two other matters. First, we need you to place the one-million-yuan prize money in our custody. If no one can defeat you, we will return the full amount. Second, before the live stream begins, we will organize a private exhibition match."

Jiang Zheng thought for a moment and nodded. He understood Lin Yu's reasoning. Since they were providing the publicity and endorsing the prize, if he lost and refused to pay, they would be forced to cover it to protect their credibility—a reputation far more valuable than a million yuan. It was only natural they wanted the money held in escrow. As for the private match, they were likely worried he would lose too quickly; if he lost immediately, the stream would have no appeal. The appeal of the stream lay in two things: the million-yuan prize and the spectacle of facing professional players. In the world of League of Legends, professionals were at the absolute pinnacle. There was a massive gap between casual players and pros, and to many, a regular player defeating a pro was seen as an incredible feat. To ensure their streaming revenue, Jiang Zheng couldn't afford to lose too quickly. He could lose, but not in the first few games. The longer he held out, the more profit they would make; the faster he lost, the less they would gain.