Chapter 177 - 177: Unable to Be Bribed
Unable to Bribe
After hanging up the phone, there was an unpleasant expression on Li Cheng’s face. What did this Star Rebel think he was? How dare he be so arrogant in front of them? Just because he held the top position?
He was well aware that the players from Hank Guild didn’t give their all in this tournament; otherwise, it’s hard to say who would have come in first. This was just a small practice competition for Hank Guild, nothing more.
“How was it, Li? Did he agree?” Hardy glanced at Li Cheng, who was the investor of Hank Guild in Country Y. Most foreign guilds were established by investors and recruited powerful players to join. They were paid a fixed salary every month.
Not many people had money and power, after all. So, how could these investors from Country Y possibly give up such a great opportunity like the Second World? Naturally, they would seize the chance and invest ahead of time.
Li Cheng shook his head. “No, he did not.”
“Humph, what a fool.” Hardy snorted. “He missed a great opportunity.”
Hank Guild, which he single-handedly nurtured, naturally wanted to secure the top spot on this leaderboard. Currently, they were in third place, with the foreign guild, Raye Guild, closely trailing them in points. It was a situation of being caught between a rock and a hard place.
“Having dealt with the Raye Guild on numerous occasions, he knew better than to expect their members to be easily bribed. Therefore, he decided to shift his focus to the Mad Dragon Guild instead.”
“Roger and the others don’t know about this, do they?” Hardy took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled the smoke slowly, looking at Lee Cheng with a complex expression on his face.
Li Cheng quickly explained, “I didn’t tell anyone. Roger and the others are unaware of this matter.”
Roger was known as the guild master of Hank Guild, responsible for battle strategies and commanding operations. He had long desired to go up against the Mad Dragon Guild, hoping to have a proper showdown with such formidable opponents.
If someone as stubborn as he knew that they were trying to buy off the opposition with money, he would choose to abstain.
“It’s fine as long as they don’t know. By the way, go and spread the word a little.”
Hardy was somewhat of a half-boss in the underground gambling scene. If this time the Mad Dragon Guild went against the Hank Guild, the number of people betting on the Mad Dragon Guild’s victory would be countless. Considering the losses they had already suffered because of the Mad Dragon Guild, he deliberately wanted to push them further into the abyss.
Li Cheng nodded and said, “Alright, I’ll do it right away.” Even if he was reluctant deep down, he had to uphold the interests of the Hankou Guild. Their fortunes were intertwined—as the Hank Guild grew stronger, it would benefit him as well.
Even before the start of the fifth-day match, players on the domestic side began receiving a message. Since the majority of people here didn’t gamble, they dismissed such news with disdain.
The Guild Master, Star Rebel, of Mad Dragon Guild, who was not short of money, would never get involved in any gambling affairs. However, unfortunately, as the news spread and more people heard about it, the authenticity of this information quickly raised doubts among the crowd.
On the company forum, many people were discussing this event.
“That’s a bit outlandish. I can’t wrap my head around it. Guild Master Star Rebel isn’t exactly short on money either!”
“I think you guys have idealized Star Rebel too much. If he didn’t do it, how could he have received the message? I believe the news came from abroad, which solidly confirms this matter.”
“I finally figured out why Star Rebel is so wealthy. It turns out they made their fortune in the underground industry of relationships. No wonder they can be so dominant in the game.”
“Anyway, I’m just a gaming enthusiast, solely focused on the competition. As for things like gambling, I strongly advise us, ordinary players, to steer clear and not get involved.”
Under Li Cheng’s maneuver, as soon as Han Xing came online, North Star jokingly said to him, “Guild Master, how would you like us to lose to the Hank Guild later?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Han Xing found his words rather perplexing.
One Sword Horizon grinned and spoke up, “Guild Master, you have no idea how crazy the rumors are spreading online. There’s talk about you running an underground gambling operation, some say you’re the house, and others claim you’ve bet your entire fortune on the Hank Guild, so today Mad Dragon Guild is bound to lose.”
Han Xing, upon hearing his words, understood it clearly. Li Cheng’s actions were quite swift. He had just declined, and the news was already released. Regardless of whether Mad Dragon Guild wins or loses today, it seemed that the pace wouldn’t slow down anytime soon.
The move executed by Li Cheng was indeed impressive, but it had no impact whatsoever on Han Xing, and the members of the guild had unwavering trust in Han Xing.
“The manager of Hank Guild did contact me, but 1 rejected it.”
Han Xing casually mentioned what happened this morning in a few words, and North Star nodded in acknowledgment.
“I’ve heard that guilds in Country Y have this kind of working style. I’ve watched several matches of the Hank Guild, and their Guild Master’s handling style is quite different, unlike their agent.”
“If today’s match pairs up with Hank’s guild, let’s go for a quick and decisive victory!”
Han Xing couldn’t be bothered to get entangled with those people on this matter; it’s quicker to prove them wrong with sheer strength.
In the tournament rounds, Mad Dragon Guild had consistently drawn other guilds, and their winning streak remained unbroken. Many players were incredibly nervous, while some had purely joined for the sake of gambling.
One by one, they had become enraged after losing, and now, seeing Mad Dragon Guild still winning, they were silently cursing their luck.
Finally, much to the anticipation of the crowd, the Hank Guild drew the Mad Dragon Guild. The match between the two guilds would commence in the next round.
After the game started, Roger’s side didn’t even make a move. Instead, he took a serious look at Han Xing and shook hands with him in a friendly manner.
“My friend, I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused you.” Roger’s voice carried a hint of apology, and his eyes were incredibly sincere.
He had no idea about this matter, as Li Cheng had kept it extremely secretive. However, the news spread within the country and Roger’s domestic fans went to his social media accounts, asking about the authenticity of the incident.
Now the truth couldn’t be concealed any longer. Roger had already prepared himself for the worst, but with Li Cheng’s actions, he didn’t even have the intention to fight against the Mad Dragon Guild.
“It’s alright. These things won’t affect me.”
Roger, filled with regret, responded to Han Xing’s words, “Unfortunately, we can’t be opponents this time.”
Before he could react, Roger immediately surrendered, just a minute into the game, ending the match and leaving everyone in awe.
Han Xing set a winning streak record on the guild leaderboard and also achieved the fastest match record.
Roger’s exit didn’t impact Han Xing’s subsequent battles. After waiting for ten minutes, he started another match with a member from another guild.
The internet and forums exploded simultaneously. They never expected the match against the Hank Guild to end so abruptly and unsatisfactorily..