Chapter 91 1/2

No one expected that after Shengquan bought the club, even before making a large-scale public announcement, the term “Shengquan Summon Order” would quickly become popular on various platforms.

I received the Shengquan Summon Order, put down the cold noodles I was making, and quickly bought a train ticket to rush here.

【What are you guys doing? When I received the summon order, I was getting my hair done, and now I’m on the road with the barber shop equipment】

【I didn’t even use the bathroom; I just flew here directly!】

Even netizens who didn’t pay attention to the esports scene came across it, asking in confusion: 【I know Shengquan, but what is the Shengquan Summon Order?】

Immediately, enthusiastic esports fans provided explanations.

Your Third Grandpa: 【You don’t know this? Let me explain it to you. Since Director Sheng bought the largest club in the country, he has been continuously summoning players from all walks of life. Some are from other teams, some have retired, and some have never entered the scene before. It can be said that heroes from all directions are gathering!】

【During this time, there are those who were working abroad and rushed back immediately after receiving the summon order. There are those who announced their retirement and immediately came back, and there’s even someone more impressive—they’ve gone home to inherit the family business, received the summon order, and didn’t even bother inheriting the family business. They packed their bags and rushed over】.

At the beginning, netizens learned that Shengquan was recalling players from a live broadcast by a girl nicknamed “Langzhong.” Her old fans knew that Langzhong used to be a professional player for DE and was once hailed as the season’s debut.

However, Langzhong had a conflict with the management, paid the penalty, and announced her withdrawal from DE. It was unclear whether she was disheartened, but she chose not to join any team or club and started her career as a live streamer.

Everyone knew that since that incident, Langzhong had been reluctant to return to professional gaming. However, with just a sentence from Shengquan, she swiftly left her live stream without even turning it off.

This was just the beginning. After Langzhong, there were successive recalls of former outstanding professional players who had retired or returned to school. Some were working abroad and, upon receiving the summons, immediately resigned and returned to China. Some had transitioned into becoming barbecue stall owners, captured by customers as they briskly left after taking off their aprons.

As these recalled players unexpectedly gained popularity, subsequent players didn’t need a third party to film them; they recorded themselves. In just four days, “Shengquan Summons” turned into a trending topic.

As the summoned players gained unexpected fame, marketers quickly summarized and humorously expressed the events. Coupled with the phrase “summons,” naturally carrying a sense of passion and adolescence, even those uninterested in esports found it amusing after watching the summaries.

In the esports industry, which had cooled down in the country for several years, these events seemed to rekindle its brilliance.

It was an unexpected delight for Shengquan. When recalling players, she hadn’t anticipated it would turn out this way. However, in promotion, not every move required meticulous planning and a step-by-step arrangement.

There was another type of promotion: riding the wave.

For example, if Shengquan hadn’t intervened, this trend might have faded in a few days. But by giving it a push, the outcome could be different.

Soon, the popularity of the “Shengquan Summons” continued to rise. Imitation and meme videos kept emerging, most of them featuring the background music from the plot of the “Cultivator” summons in the game “修者” (Xiuzhe).

In the internet age, talents emerged everywhere.

Shengquan stumbled upon some interesting videos while recalling players. She was currently watching one of the meme videos.

In the video, two girls obviously had no money to buy costumes. They stuck leaves on their foreheads, draped themselves in bedsheets, and stood on a flying sword with a TV playing continuously moving scenery in the background.

There were no special effects, yet they managed to create a scene of them swiftly moving on the flying sword.

Their faces were serious and anxious, giving a genuine feeling of cultivators.

“Sister, the Thousand-Year Spirit Wood only blooms once every hundred years, and it can only last for an hour. Can we make it in time?”

“Don’t worry, junior sister. I’ve calculated. As long as we keep moving without stopping, we can definitely get that spirit flower.”

“Great! Sister, I can relax then!”

The two continued to act seriously and anxiously until, suddenly, an eagle cried and a wooden sign fell, held by the “sister.”

She showed a shocked expression: “Ah?! Shengquan Summons?”

“What? Shengquan Summons?”

The junior sister showed a mysterious expression: “No! Sister! Hold on! Don’t do this! We’re just a little bit away from the Thousand-Year Spirit Flower!”

“I’m sorry, junior sister! No one can resist the Shengquan Summons!”

The flying sword suddenly made an emergency stop, and the “sister” jumped off, taking the “junior sister” with her, making a big turn, and pushing the air conditioner with the sign “Broken Water Club” in front of them.

It was a very short video, almost considered rough and crude.

But the performances of the two were quite skillful, especially the junior sister. The pain on her face and the tears in her eyes, whether they would fall or not, created a TV drama-like atmosphere in this short video.

When other people watch a short video with good acting skills, they like, comment, and share.

Shengdong, however, said, “Check if they are signed by any company. If they show interest in acting, sign them up. They seem to have some potential.”

“For this project, if there are suitable roles, let them try.”

Xili immediately agreed, took the tablet handed over by Shengquan, and quickly contacted Starlight Entertainment.

Shengquan herself continued to look at the documents sent by the club. The initial period of new assets was always the busiest, but busyness also meant the potential to make money.

Especially in the current situation, where the hype was pushed so high, there were many companies eager to cooperate with the club.

However, Shengquan didn’t rush to use the traditional esports profit model.

Firstly, this club was funded by mission funds, and its operation did not require her to spend a penny. She didn’t need to hurry to make money. Secondly, Shengquan’s own Starlight Entertainment still had to cooperate with eSports.

Yes, cooperation.

Why did DE choose to exit even at a loss? It was because they found that the esports market was declining. As the path to esports profitability gradually collapsed, they naturally preferred to cut their losses and survive.

But Shengquan was different.

No matter how many companies Shengquan had, her main battlefield was still Starlight Entertainment. The profit model of esports might be simple, but fundamentally, it is the same as that of the entertainment industry.

Popularity, admiration, and love

“So, since I own both an entertainment company and an esports club, why not try to make them complement each other?”

After reading the documents, Shengquan came to Tianying Company and briefly discussed with Tan Hongguang the direction he needed to cooperate with.

“Are we shooting movies related to games? Yes, rest assured, we will do it according to your requirements.”

Tan Hongguang was relatively knowledgeable about these matters. He asked, “But if it’s related to polar regions, have you obtained the authorization?”

 Shengquan turned her laptop towards him. “Rest assured, I obtained the year-round shares of the polar region. According to the polar region’s regulations, I automatically have all the authorization.”

Tan Hongguang suddenly realized this.

He suddenly remembered the news he had seen before about the “game tycoon spending two billion in a day on recharges”: “Could it be that you, who spent two billion, were preparing for this so early?”

After asking, Tan Hongguang felt like he had asked a silly question. He was familiar with Shengdong’s style. She always planned meticulously and thought ten steps ahead.

Since the broadcast of “Interstellar War,” Tianying has become famous overnight. This special effects company, which many industry insiders initially thought was too reckless and ambitious, had to hire more people within just a year.

As Shengquan had said, “Interstellar War” was the best advertisement for Tianying. The more people loved it, the more domestic and foreign production teams eagerly sought Tianying for special effects.