Chapter 235
Chapter 235
The online buzz was at fever pitch, but truth be told, nobody really had high hopes for the EW Club.
Sure, Cordelia managed to outplay the streamer Jungler in a solo match, but let's be real: there's a world of difference between a streamer and a pro player. Plus, Cordelia was clearly a newbie. Could someone like her really step up in the gaming world?
Right now, Cordelia was sitting through her final class of the day at school, after which she'd head to the club to train with her teammates.
Her phone buzzed. Glancing at it, she saw a flurry of messages from the Flame Union chat group:
Flame No. 1: "Damn, this Wade guy is asking for it! Back in the GoldGrasp Enterprises days, he wouldn't even stand a chance against the Demon King!"
Flame No.2: "EW Club is my heart and soul, man. I can't stand the thought of them losing..."
Flame No.3: "The thought of Floyd getting schooled makes me wanna burst into tears!"
Flame No.1: "Whoa, a shooting star has appeared. Who's this Learner? Why does it sound just like Lia's gamer tag?"
Merry: "Let me introduce, the starting shooter for EW Club, @LearnLover."
Flame No. 1: "What?"
Flame No.1: "Stop kidding around. Lia's busy cramming for the Math League finals. How could she possibly compete?"
"You've lost your mind? At such a crucial time, you choose to compete?" Daisy was utterly shocked, staring at Cordelia in disbelief.
Cordelia, while packing her textbooks, stood up. "I know exactly what I'm doing. I have to go."
She went to ask Mr. Waldron for leave, mentioning she was headed to an esports event but would return in time for her exams. Mr. Waldron hesitated, initially reluctant to let her go, even calling her parents, Lorna and Sanderson, in front of her.
Upon hearing about the esports competition, both were stunned. "Lia, are you serious about this?"
Mr. Waldron, hearing their worried tones, sighed in relief, thinking, "Thank goodness the parents are sensible. Who wouldn't freak out at their child ditching school for esports?"
He tried to talk Cordelia out of it: "Maybe you should focus on your studies, and..."
Before he could finish, Lorna chimed in excitedly: "Go for it, girl! Which team? Can we get tickets? I'd love to cheer you on!"NôvelDrama.Org holds this content.
Sanderson also added: "I'll come too!"
Lorna: "...Do you even have the time? I can go for both of us."
Sanderson sounded hurt: "I can make time. I want to see my girl compete. It'll be awesome."
Lorna and he began to argue. "You don't even deserve to watch it live. Have you made enough money? Is your work done? What right do you have?"
Sanderson:
"1
"
Mr. Waldron broke up the argument: "Wait, you're okay with Cordelia diving into esports? You folks are being too childish!"
Lorna stood firm: "Tell me, is there anything Lia doesn't know at school?"
"Well, no..."
"And she understands everything you teach?"
"Basically, yes."
Lorna sighed, "Then what's the point of her attending classes? It's a waste of time. Better she competes in esports. I don't want my daughter to be just another bookworm!"
Mr. Waldron was speechless!
Convinced, he packed a set of Math League problems for Cordelia, his tone serious: "Don't think you can overlook the National Math Olympiad just because you've got safety. It's the most prestigious competition in the country. You raight not win, like Keen here who's
a
eyeing the prize."
Cordelia took the papers with a simple "Okay."
Mr. Waldron, watching her handle the thick stack of problems, hoped she would at least finish half, if not a third, before the exams.
As she was leaving, he heard her promise, "I'll have them all done before the exam."
Mr. Waldron was puzzled, to say the least.
So, with her bags and the suitcase full of Math problems, Cordelia made her grand exit from school.
As she was leaving, Everard came to bid Mr. Waldon goodbye: "Seems like the students here don't need me anymore."
Mr. Waldon was left speechless as Everard and Cordelia left the school, only to find Yates's SUV waiting outside.
It had been three days since Yates's mishap, and he had just been discharged from the hospital. His stomach ailment required rest, and staying in the hospital was pointless.
He decided to recover at the EW Club. The three of them got into the car and headed there.
On the way, Yates eyed Everard, "What are you up to?"
Everard replied calmly, "I'm supporting my girlfriend."
Yates: "
"
He wanted to say more, but Cordelia interjected: "Though Everard might be a bit older, he has a good grasp of the game. He could be helpful." Everard, feeling slighted, thought: "I'm only 25, the prime of my life. How am I old?"
Arriving at the EW Club, they discovered it was actually a villa in Ontoky City. Living in such a place wasn't cheap, and Cordelia couldn't help but be impressed.
She knocked on the door, which was opened by Floyd. His demeanor was warm and welcoming, especially since Yates wasn't stepping into the competitive scene.
He stepped aside, letting them in.
What greeted them were scattered applause and the teary faces of the other EW Club members, who were visibly downcast.
Seeing the newcomers, they managed a smile that was harder to look at than tears, and then got back to training.
Floyd was the one who escorted Cordelia to her new quarters, a cozy room complete with its own bathroom, offering her the privacy any girl would appreciate.
Cordelia, after stowing away her two suitcases, wasted no time heading towards the training room.
Just as she approached the door, she overheard the murmurs of the other four players inside: "You know, I heard that Mr. Griffin has some beef with the captain. Maybe that's why he brought in a female player, to kinda throw us off our game?"
"That girl, Cordelia, she's drop-dead gorgeous, but does she even know her way around a controller?"
"Our teamwork has been getting solid, especially Karl, our marksman. He's been on fire lately. Just give us a bit more time, and next season we're not going to be the underdogs anymore."
"Bringing in a stunner like Cordelia, is the new management trying to turn us into some kind of celebrity squad? I just wanna play, not get caught up in all that drama."
"If we don't clinch the championship this season, is it really game over for us?"
"Shh, keep it down, don't let the newbie hear."
Right on cue, a boy stood up, his eyes the reddest, his expression the most troubled, and blurted out, "So what if she heard? I know I'm not the best marksman, and if the captain wanted to replace me with a top player, I'd have nothing to say. But bringing in a girl... I'm not having it!"