Chapter 364: The Gold-Medal Manager

“Li Na!”

Wangchuan rarely summoned his person in charge in person.

Most of the time, Li Na was responsible only for all the studio’s new hires, promoting regional Gold-Farming Team leaders and Land-Clearing Team leaders, with most of her work focused on management and oversight.

When she was called up to the fifty-first floor, exhaustion was written all over her face.

“You’ve worked hard during this period.”

Wangchuan knew very well how heavy Li Na’s workload was.

Besides the daily interviews, the distribution of gaming helmets, the coordination and placement of game characters, and comprehensive monitoring and supervision to prevent trouble before it started, she also had to receive messages from the 《spirit realm》 Online Guidance Center, as well as keep track of all kinds of international current events outside.

Back at Warring States Game Studio, Su Wan had started with only one or two hundred people, and that number had been built up bit by bit over the course of more than two years.

Li Na, on the other hand, had come straight out of the 《spirit realm》 Online Guidance Center and immediately taken charge of a game studio on the scale of a thousand people. The level of difficulty involved was not even remotely comparable.

In a very short time, Li Na had already walked seven or eight tenths of the path that had taken Su Wan years to traverse. One could well imagine what kind of first-rate workhorse she was.

Wangchuan had seen all of this with his own eyes. Naturally, he knew that the 《spirit realm》 Online Guidance Center had assigned him an exceptionally capable all-rounder, and he quietly carried a sense of gratitude toward Li Na in his heart.

Li Na’s expression stiffened for the slightest instant, then quickly returned to normal as she said,

“Boss, all of this is part of my job. Of course I have to do it with all my heart.”

“Boss, what do you need me to do?”

“Mm... Recently, I ran into a matter where I need your help to devise a plan.”

Wangchuan then told her about his intention to hold an internal tournament within the hall, including all the benefits it might bring him in a positive sense.

Li Na immediately grew serious and began thinking it through.

“If the goal is to please the great figures above, then it’s actually quite simple. It mainly comes down to three points!”

“First, this tournament must be grand and spectacular! It must attract the attention of those above!”

“Second, the tournament must raise the morale of the Caobang and achieve the intended effect!”

“And third, we must ensure that the tournament proceeds smoothly from beginning to end, without any mishaps.”

As she spoke, Li Na continued thinking.

“Boss.”

“First, we should make a point of working on the tournament’s scale and momentum! If it’s only the Four Helms, Three Islands, and Seven Mines of the hall, then once it’s actually held, it will be ordinary and unremarkable, without any especially distinctive feature... We can consider lowering the threshold and expanding the scale!”

“In what way?”

Wangchuan’s eyes lit up.

With an extremely serious expression, Li Na said,

“Bring in all the dock halls and subordinate factions throughout Sanhe Commandery! Raise the upper limit of the rewards! Increase the spectacle! Increase everyone’s enthusiasm for participation!”

Wangchuan nodded.

Was that not merely a matter of putting up a bit more money?

A small matter.

Li Na continued with her suggestions.

“We can also invite brothers from the surrounding halls and subordinate factions to come participate, to enlarge the spectacle and broaden the influence! That way, we can ensure that this tournament’s influence breaks out beyond Sanhe Commandery and spreads far and wide!”

A smile appeared on Wangchuan’s face.

As expected of a professional.

With only a few words, Li Na had already exposed the limits of his own thinking and opened up a wider horizon for him.

“And finally!”

“We can arrange for Jianghu factions and independent martial artists to come challenge as well! Set up a separate bout outside the main tournament, selecting people from the Jianghu to spar against challengers from our Caobang. The only problem is that this carries a certain degree of risk. If we win, naturally it will be a very good thing! But if we lose, the effect will reverse completely.”

Li Na reminded Wangchuan,

“Unless we are absolutely certain we can win on our side!”

At this point, Wangchuan fell into thought.

Li Na’s proposal was entirely correct!

Once the tournament’s scope was expanded to the entire Jianghu, the resulting spectacle would be immense!

The Caobang could use massive cash prizes to attract countless heroes and experts from the Jianghu to come participate in the tournament and fight for a place in the rankings.

The uproar that would cause would far exceed that of a mere internal hall competition.

But!

The degree of control involved would not be easy to grasp.

The spectacle would be enormous, the scale astonishing! Yet...

If they won, it would raise the Caobang’s prestige, and he himself would break into wider renown at once;

if they lost!

Then all would be utterly ruined!!

He would become the sinner of the Caobang!

“However, we still have another way to remedy things.”

Li Na suddenly said to Wangchuan,

“During the tournament, we can recruit the outstanding martial artists among them. If we can win over the best of that group, then instead of hurting us, it will actually highlight the Caobang’s breadth of spirit and financial strength! It will further raise the Caobang’s morale!”

This conversation with Li Na gave Wangchuan a great many insights.

It was as though clouds had parted and daylight had appeared.

Remarkable!

Wangchuan adopted Li Na’s suggestions, immediately returned to the game, and discussed the matter in detail with Chen Ergou, Zhao Heiniu, Wang Yuehui, and the others.

That very evening, he went to find Old Seven and reported the specific rules for the tournament.

What had originally been an internal tournament was elevated in scale into the Sanhe Commandery Grand Tournament!

As long as one was a Ranked Martial Artist who personally came to Sanhe Commandery to register within one month, one could participate in this tournament.

The structure, which had originally been limited to first-rank and second-rank internal competitions, was now expanded with three additional Jianghu challenge bouts!

First-rank tournament;

second-rank tournament!

third-rank tournament!

The top prize for first rank would be two hundred taels of gold;

the top prize for second rank would be five hundred taels of gold;

the top prize for third rank would be one thousand taels of gold!

When Old Seven heard this, his heart stirred violently.

He had not expected Wangchuan to raise the prize structure to such a height.

He could already foresee that once the news spread, the entire Jianghu would likely erupt!

A vast number of martial artists seeking fame and fortune would surge in from all directions to take part in the Caobang’s tournament and fight for a place within it.

Especially those disciples from famous sects and great schools who possessed special skills—they would be unable to resist coming to display their arts and rise swiftly to fame by stepping on the shoulders of countless Jianghu figures.

When that time came, Sanhe Commandery would become an enormous arena of Jianghu fame and profit!

Although he was also deeply worried that the Caobang might not be able to suppress the many disciples of those famous sects and great schools, Wangchuan’s suggestion—that they could recruit a number of those martial artists with lavish sums and rapidly strengthen the foundation of the hall—finally made him grit his teeth and nod in agreement.

“All right!”

“You can’t catch the wolf without risking the bait!”

“We’ll gamble on it!”

“Only by putting ourselves in mortal peril can we find life afterward!”

“But where would the tournament venue be most suitable?”

Old Seven frowned, hesitation showing on his face.

Previously, when they had only planned to hold an internal tournament, it would have been no problem to host it either at the hall or at the Main Helm.

But if five separate tournaments were to be held at once, with a great number of Jianghu people being drawn in, then a much larger venue would be necessary.

Wangchuan had already prepared for that.

“We can build raised fighting stages on the river itself. That way, everyone along the banks can watch the matches, and no matter how many people come, we will be able to accommodate them!”

“Wonderful!!”

Old Seven’s eyes lit up.

“Martial contests on the river—now that truly is an excellent idea! When the time comes, everyone on the passing boats will also be able to watch and help spread word of the grand spectacle of our Sanhe Commandery hall! An excellent idea! We’ll do exactly as you say! Notify the people at once and begin constructing the stages!! I will personally contact headquarters and have our Caobang people spread this news throughout the entire Jianghu!”

“Yes!”

Wangchuan cupped his fists and accepted the order.