Chapter 18: "The Five Trials!"

Ye Bo scanned the message board, weighing the offers from various teams one by one.

It was clear that his decision to play five full matches in the LDL had been remarkably wise. The most obvious change was that every team manager reaching out to him had shifted from their initial intent of "scouting academy prospects" to the serious business of "recruiting a starting roster player."

Without a doubt, Ye Bo’s performances in the LDL, which were on an entirely different level, had proven that he was more than ready for the LPL. Even RNG, which had turned him away time and again, had returned—with the very same manager!

Their chat history was still open to the message the manager had sent after the MSI victory last month: "So, what now?"

Even now, however, the tone of their approach felt as if they were doing him a favor by gracing him with their interest. Ye Bo thought for a moment and replied tactfully:

"I am truly honored by your invitation."
"I have already made my choice, and I am very sorry."
"The friendship offered is something I cherish."
"I am forced by circumstances to decline."
"^_^"

After sending the polite well-wishes, he turned his attention to the other chat boxes. After reviewing them all, he noted that BLG had offered the highest monetary value. This wasn't because they were foolish with money or just throwing cash around; it was simply because, compared to other wealthy top-tier teams, BLG’s current mid-laner, FOFO, was relatively lackluster, making their need for an upgrade much more urgent.

Of course, there was one thing Ye Bo didn't know: the influence of "Surfing King" Chen ZEBIN (Bin). Ye Bo's initial rise to fame had been triggered by a Bilibili user digging up an old comment thread involving Bin. But in reality, their connection went back even further.

On the eve of the MSI finals, in a match where Ye Bo had been queued against Doinb, he had also encountered a random top-laner who had brutally suppressed the Duke’s Camille with his Ornn. That player was actually Bin, training on a smurf account. When you really thought about it, how could a random player consistently suppress a professional?

Chen ZEBIN had "personally tested" the strength of this mid-laner, and when he returned to BLG from RNG for the summer split, he had given the team manager a glowing recommendation. That was what had prompted BLG to move so quickly to place their bet.

"Let's see, who’s on the BLG roster... Holy crap, Uzi!" Ye Bo was still checking BLG's summer lineup when a voice call suddenly popped up on WeChat.

It was from "Mike Abu."

Come to think of it, Abu had kept in touch with Ye Bo ever since the training camp, knowing that Ye Bo was a free agent available to any team. However, Ye Bo hadn't considered EDG at all. The reason was simple: the reigning champion mid-laner, Scout, had already announced his contract renewal with EDG at the beginning of the year. And Ye Bo wanted to start—or at least have a stable path to playing in matches.

Still, out of courtesy, he tapped "Accept."

"How are things, Ye Bo? Want to talk?" Abu’s high-pitched voice came through, cutting straight to the chase.

"Sure," Ye Bo said, curious to hear what he had to say.

"Honestly, I’ve been watching your progress every step of the way, and I know exactly what you’re capable of. In my eyes, your strength isn’t just about where you are now, but your future! If our current mid-laner wasn't Scout... I wouldn't hesitate for a second to put you in the starting lineup immediately."

Abu was being sincere. As the nominal head coach of the training camp, he had witnessed Ye Bo’s journey from his first day at the camp to his performance in the LDL a month later. His growth was visible day by day. He didn't take the rumors about Ye Bo "sleepwalking" seriously, but even just looking at the facts, Ye Bo practiced hours longer than anyone else in the camp every day. Diligence was one thing, but more importantly, Ye Bo was actually translating that effort into tangible improvement. As a coach with ten years of experience, Abu knew exactly what that kind of player meant.

"But as you said, you already have Scout," Ye Bo replied, not interested in empty platitudes.

"True, but what if I could guarantee—and even put it in a contract—that you would be the sole starter for EDG next year?" Abu continued, laying out his promise.

Ye Bo wasn't moved. Next season was too far off. Even if a team kept its roster intact, their performance the following year could be vastly different. Just look at EDG! As the reigning S-series champions, they had returned with the exact same roster, yet in the Spring Split, they had barely scraped into the playoffs as the seventh seed and were knocked out in the first round. Aside from SKT in season 5, no team had ever broken the "Champion's Curse."

Regardless of whether this was just a pie in the sky, the temptation of a starting spot next season wasn't enough. However, Ye Bo did pick up on a hint of gossip. Could it be that they already knew Scout wouldn't be staying with EDG next season?

"Sorry, Coach Abu. I don't want to be a substitute. To be precise, I want to play in matches. As for next year, we can talk about that when the time comes."

Ye Bo’s tone clearly signaled that the conversation was ending, but he had underestimated Abu’s resolve.

"I know many teams have approached you. As far as I know, BLG has offered you a two-million-yuan seasonal contract."

Ye Bo didn't answer, silently acknowledging it. It wasn't surprising that Abu knew. This was no small figure. The highest annual salary for a rookie top prospect was capped at 500,000. The record for a rookie contract was held by JackeyLove during the S8 era, who had signed a three-million-yuan annual contract—a record that stood to this day. But in reality, Ye Bo’s offer was a "seasonal contract," meaning it was for only half a year. Effectively, he had already broken the record.

There was a silence on the other end of the line, and Ye Bo could faintly hear the sound of someone rummaging through papers. After a moment, Abu spoke again.

"I have an idea I’d like you to consider. EDG can offer you a 'betting' contract. For the next five major regular-season matches, you will start as a 'performance assessment.' If you play these five matches—ten games in total—and lose no more than two, EDG will pay you a premium three-million-yuan seasonal contract. We will explicitly guarantee that for the remainder of the year’s matches, you and Scout will split the starting appearances at least 50/50. However, if you lose during this trial, we reserve the right to replace you at any time. I hope you understand."

"Even if you fail the challenge, we will still guarantee you at least 20% of the total starting appearances, pay you the same price as BLG’s offer, and keep the promise that you will be the sole starter next year. The only requirement is a '1+1' contract..."

Ye Bo was stunned. Had EDG lost their minds!?