Chapter 1 Cristian's Silence

Cristian fell silent after hearing Zhao Xuming's words.

Indeed, they couldn't just sit and wait for death.

Judging from the current situation, the FV team was showing too much strength. Moreover, whether it was tactical reserves, player condition, or the environment of public opinion, they had reached an unprecedented peak.

Although it wasn't clear exactly who was on the FV team's data analysis team, there was no doubt that they had received support from the GPL league and even from Tenda Corporation's game designers!

Otherwise, it would have been impossible for their understanding of the version and tactics to improve by leaps and bounds in such a short period of time.

Judging by the current trend, the FV team would have an absolute advantage even in the finals.

If the FV team really succeeded in winning the championship, it would be an extremely bad situation for both Cristian and Zhao Xuming.

Logically speaking, Finger Corporation was the event organizer, and it shouldn't have made much of a difference to them which team won the championship.

But the IOI World Finals had changed its flavor. The FV team represented not only the domestic IOI e-sports circle, but also the Tenda Corporation.

In other words, Tenda Corporation's designers and data analysts were using the IOI World Finals as a battlefield to engage in a silent contest with IOI's designers and all the teams!

Therefore, Finger Corporation couldn't lose.

But as the organizer, Finger Corporation couldn't engage in petty tricks. There was no such thing as an airtight wall. If they were caught, it would be a super scandal that would shock the world, not only turning the fairness of the World Finals into a joke, but also tarnishing the reputation of Finger Corporation and even the Daoyake Group.

This put them in a dilemma.

If they didn't do anything, it would definitely be very damaging. If they interfered, there would be a glimmer of hope, but it would also be accompanied by huge risks. A single wrong move would be even worse than doing nothing.

From Finger Corporation's perspective, this was a difficult decision.

But for Cristian himself, there were other considerations.

If the FV team won the championship, all the popularity of the World Finals would be taken away by FV and Tenda, then Cristian, as the direct person in charge of this series of decisions, would definitely be fired by the higher-ups.

At least if the FV team was stopped at the runner-up position, Finger Corporation's face would be saved, the World Finals wouldn't be a complete waste of time, and Cristian's position could be preserved.

So, from Cristian's personal perspective, he didn't have much of a choice.

Involving his position as the head of the Greater China region, Cristian didn't dare to neglect it. After thinking it over, he lowered his voice and said, "You're right. I'll find two balance designers from the company to analyze the FV team's tactics and gameplay, combine it with the new version of the game data, and give it to the FRY team, to provide them with tactical support in private."

"No matter what, we can't let the FV team win the championship!"

After thinking it over, Cristian felt that he had to take this risk.

As long as he found two balance designers he knew well, and made it clear with the FRY team, and both sides kept their mouths shut, the news shouldn't leak out.

As long as the outside world didn't know, there shouldn't be any major problems.

There was only one week left before the finals, and there wasn't much time left for the FRY team to prepare.

Cristian suddenly thought of something else and looked at Zhao Xuming: "Can you get some information from the FV team?"

Obviously, simply sending two balance designers might not work.

Although Finger Corporation's official data balance designers had a much better grasp of data and understanding of the game than ordinary people, they might not be able to combine data and tactics very well.

From data to tactics, a large number of details were still needed, and the players' playing habits and proficiency in key heroes had to be considered.

So, Cristian felt that if he could obtain some information from the FV team, he would be more confident.

Zhao Xuming had a bitter face: "I can't get it, no matter how I try."

"I already fell out with Wu Yue, the boss of FV, before I left the country. If I go to try to be friendly with him now, I'll definitely be suspected. It's even more impossible to try to get information. That group of people hired four bodyguards. They usually train on the second floor of an internet cafe, which is completely booked by their own people for sparring. Not a single bit of information will leak out."

"This group of people is like an iron bucket, needles can't get in, water can't be poured in. They don't even play rAnk games. The outside world doesn't know what heroes the FV players have been practicing recently."

Cristian thought for a while and asked, "I heard that the FV team is playing scrims with the SUG team. You know Ding Gan, the boss of the SUG team, don't you? Can you find a way to get some information from there?"

Zhao Xuming's face became even more embarrassed: "This... I'm afraid he won't give me a good look now either."

Zhao Xuming was still very self-aware.

He had promised the SUG team a spot in the World Championship, but the FV team came out of nowhere and snatched the spot. Zhao Xuming felt that Ding Gan and the SUG team were no longer valuable, so he didn't pay any more attention to him. Ding Gan must be uncomfortable with that.

And Pei Zong paid out of his own pocket to bring SUG to Los Angeles. Seeing Ding Gan and Wu Yue chatting and laughing at the airport, it was clear that Ding Gan had already sided with Pei Zong.

Would Zhao Xuming get a good look if he went to Ding Gan now?

He was afraid that Ding Gan would turn around and tell Pei Zong and Wu Yue about this, making the FV team even more vigilant.

Of course, Ding Gan was just a club boss, and he might not dare to fall out with Zhao Xuming, but it was hard to say what he would do behind his back.

Zhao Xuming had no confidence in this.

Cristian was a little frustrated: "What's wrong with you! How come everyone who's even a little bit useful has fallen out with you? I can't count on you for anything!"

Zhao Xuming was angry, but he opened his mouth and was unable to refute.

Indeed, if Zhao Xuming had been a little nicer to Ding Gan, or if he hadn't chosen to abandon the FV team before, the current situation might have been different.

But Zhao Xuming couldn't have predicted this!

One wrong step, and everything went wrong. A seemingly insignificant decision made out of anger and impulse had now produced very serious consequences.

Cristian didn't say much, and could only sigh: "If that's the case, then forget it. I hope the FRY team can stop FV."

...

...

January 16th, Monday.

Pei Qian got up as usual, came to the company, checked the situation of the various industries, and considered where he should start his spending spree.

Pei Qian was completely unaware of the infighting in Los Angeles.

After seeing FV win 3:0 against their opponent and enter the finals last weekend, Pei Qian had strategically given up on them.

After the end of the exam week, the students had returned home for their winter vacation. Pei Qian always felt a strange sense of melancholy when he thought about how he still had to work hard to spend money.

He had only been looking at things for a couple of minutes when there was a knock on the door.

He Desheng reminded him: "President Pei, the street food competition that I mentioned to you before is starting this afternoon. Do you have any instructions?"

Pei Qian was stunned: "This afternoon?"

He Desheng nodded: "Yes, this afternoon. Oh, I didn't set this time. Meng Chang's original plan was for this afternoon, probably because he was originally planning to record it. If President Pei feels it's inappropriate, it's no problem to postpone it to the weekend."

Pei Qian raised his hand: "No, today is fine. Hold it as planned."

He Desheng had told Pei Qian that there would be a street food competition "next week," and Pei Qian had assumed that it would be on the weekend.

After all, these kinds of competitions needed popularity, and there would be relatively more people watching on the weekends.

But Meng Chang's original idea was not to broadcast it live, but to record it.

Because Meng Chang's fundamental purpose in holding this competition was to get street food vendors from all over the country to carry the sedan chair for Cold Noodles Girl. (A popular street food stall)

The program would first introduce how delicious and unique street food from all over the country was, and then highlight how outstanding Cold Noodles Girl's taste was, completely surpassing the best vendors from all over the country.

Live broadcasts were more prone to accidents, but recordings were much easier to control. Any emergencies could be cut out and reshot.

After editing, Meng Chang would spend a lot of money to promote it on video websites such as Aili Island, further increasing Cold Noodles Girl's popularity.

Before Cold Noodles Girl collapsed, this would be a very effective marketing campaign.

Although some people questioned that Cold Noodles Girl's grilled cold noodles were not as delicious as Meng Chang had touted, the overall taste was not bad, so opinions varied on whether "Cold Noodles Girl" was delicious.

In this case, marketing could play a role in guiding public opinion.

Like many catering brands, as long as the marketing was done well and everyone said it was delicious, many customers would choose to try it, even if the taste was just passable.

But now that Cold Noodles Girl had experienced the previous bankruptcy crisis, the situation was completely different.

The public opinion generated by excessive marketing had completely reversed, and most people would tend to downplay its value, regardless of the taste of the grilled cold noodles, they would think it was unappetizing.

He Desheng was about to leave when Pei Qian stopped him again.

"Wait a minute, you just said that this street food competition is a recording?"

He Desheng nodded: "It's a recording, mainly because we're worried that there will be some unexpected situations if it's broadcast live."

"According to Meng Chang's original plan, the judges have already been hinted that Cold Noodles Girl's grilled cold noodles must be the first place when evaluating the taste."

Pei Qian frowned slightly: "That won't do!"

"Change the recording to a live broadcast."

"Also, tell the judges that the evaluation must be based on facts, and don't save any face for Cold Noodles Girl!"

"The others are all street food. Cold Noodles Girl has already benefited from the fast-food industrialization process, so the taste should be more strictly required."

"When the time comes, give Cold Noodles Girl's grilled cold noodles a good scolding. Any problems must be pointed out strictly, and don't be lenient at all!"

He Desheng was stunned for a moment, but he didn't ask too many questions: "Okay, President Pei, I'll call the person in charge and ask him to do as you said."

Pei Qian's two requests didn't conflict with the overall process of the street food competition, and it was easy to change, just tell the judges.

The venue for this street food competition was in a luxury hotel in the capital. Meng Chang's original intention should be to raise the level of this competition as much as possible, so as to better set off the mid-to-high-end positioning of the Cold Noodles Girl brand.

Although Cold Noodles Girl was fast food, in Meng Chang's vision, it was mainly aimed at the petty bourgeoisie and white-collar workers, so it had to have a certain level of sophistication to make a clear distinction from the general street grilled cold noodles.

Cold Noodles Girl held a street food competition in a luxury hotel, and the grilled cold noodles eventually won.

This kind of thing sounded very topical, and it came with its own traffic.

Pei Qian didn't bother to make a special trip to the capital for this matter, so he wouldn't go this time and would just watch the live broadcast in Jingzhou.

To be honest, this street food competition was quite bizarre, and it might really generate some heat.

But Pei Qian wasn't worried at all.

He would directly tell the judges to severely criticize Cold Noodles Girl's grilled cold noodles, so that its already bad reputation would become even worse! Let everyone know that Cold Noodles Girl's grilled cold noodles were not as delicious as they were touted to be!

In this way, everyone would definitely be more disgusted with Cold Noodles Girl, and no one would go to Cold Noodles Girl's stores to spend money. Over time, this brand could only keep burning money...

Wouldn't that be great?