High School Belle Fell in Love with Me

Chapter 590: Chapter 257: Smooth Delivery

Even though the Koala Team didn’t perform exceptionally, their topic heat is definitely overwhelming.

On the final day of the pre-selection finals, the Moyu Live Stream platform had a peak viewership of seventeen million, almost on par with the LOL world championship finals.

However, the total number of viewers wasn’t that high, just about forty million, still a bit short compared to the LOL world championship which has over a hundred million global viewers.

The peak online viewership was completely comparable, it’s just that the game hasn’t been around long; it lacks the foundation and the audience hasn’t spread wide yet.

With Li Yang recently playing, the game’s popularity has shot up once again, making it clear that the game’s peak moment has yet to arrive.

As for Blue Hole’s PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, after lowering the entry barriers and with the promotion by the Penguin Game department, it indeed boosted its market share.

However, they couldn’t come up with the money for promotion.

With only around four to five million users at best, anything they do means loss.

Holding events? Not only would very few people watch, but with paltry prizes, no one is willing to participate, and teams can’t even be formed.

If the prize money were substantial, there would be a multi-million-dollar deficit annually, and Penguin Game wouldn’t sustain such losses indefinitely.

Especially since the game hasn’t passed approval domestically; if it had, Penguin Game would surely push it at all costs.

Interestingly, at the end of October, the LOL global finals were also underway, but PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds managed to surpass LOL’s world events in popularity locally through its national events.

Because there truly wasn’t much worth watching in the world events, the LPL players were transferring girlfriends again during the offseason, coaches and analysts were all incompetent, and players lacked any self-discipline.

Rarely were there two or three disciplined ones, who would get clung to by teammates: "You’re being disciplined, what are the rest of us supposed to do?"

In comparison, PCL players were generally more disciplined, partly because the prizes were ample, and partly because of the intense competition.

Moreover, each year they had a check-in system, and a future retirement bonus system, making players treat the competitions as an important job.

Their parents wouldn’t let them slack off.

All they need is to persist for three years, and after turning sixty, they’d receive subsidies each month, which is far better than most jobs.

Even though the subsidy isn’t much, other jobs offer nothing.

Most who come to play esports are young, not highly educated, and finding work that provides full benefits is inherently tough.

This is also one of the reasons why the Koala Team’s performance isn’t standout; the PCL teams are highly competitive.

The PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds Global Invitational is divided into two stages: the first stage has twenty-four teams competing over four cycles, each cycle lasting four days, including three days of competition and one day of rest.

The top eight from the first cycle move to the second round, while the remaining sixteen compete again in the second cycle to determine the top eight, who will compete against the top eight from the first cycle in the third cycle. The top eight from this cycle will directly advance to the finals.

The bottom eight from the third cycle will compete against the bottom eight from the second cycle in the fourth cycle, and the top eight will also enter the finals.

This way, the losers’ bracket gets two chances, and any team coming in can fully engage.

Ultimately, sixteen teams enter the finals, competing over six days, with five matches each day, totaling thirty matches.

The first stage is in Modu, and the second stage is in Jiangbei.

The first stage lets global players experience the most prosperous cities domestically; the second stage is convenient for award presentation.

Li Yang stayed in the Capital City for only two weeks, completing his last bit of coursework before rushing to Modu.

In Modu, he was training while also closely monitoring Jiang Banxia’s situation.

Jiang Banxia’s due date is in December, only a few days away.

But the necessary training can’t be missed.

Basically, Li Yang asks about Jiang Banxia’s condition daily, all the way until the first stage’s first cycle begins.

This sort of world championship provides the most emotional value for spectators.

Koala Team has been crazily training for the past fortnight, improving their cooperation.

On the first day out, they blasted through, racking up 76 points in just five matches, with second place only having 38 points.

A thrilling round!

On the third day’s outing, they gained another 65 points, securing their absolute leadership position and advancing to the third cycle.

Training continues.

Jiang Banxia’s due date is drawing nearer...

For Li Yang, he could have to return from Modu at any moment.

On December 10th, when Koala Team was supposed to compete in the third cycle, with a chance to directly enter the finals if they won, Jiang Banxia’s due date arrived.

Punctual, Jiang Banxia showed symptoms early in the morning and was immediately sent to the hospital.

Li Yang hurried to the Capital City upon hearing the news and, in the hospital delivery room, met the recently arrived Jiang Banxia.

Jiang Banxia seemed somewhat anxious, surrounded by many people yet unable to alleviate her emotions.

Until Li Yang arrived, she was surprised and excited.

"Hubby... Aren’t you supposed to have a match today? How come you’re here?"

For the first time, she called him hubby in front of so many people.

Li Yang came to Jiang Banxia’s side, holding her hand, he said, "Matches are trivial matters."

Unexpectedly, Jiang Yaoting couldn’t contain himself and said indignantly, "Since you knew that playing matches is trivial, and knew Xiaxia was going to give birth, why did you run off to play? What’s the use of an esports match?"

Wang Cuiping and Li Likun told Li Yang the same thing.

Only not as bluntly.