"Did you record the video?"
"Yes."
The assistant was montarily stunned but quickly nodded.
The video referred to Nora Scott challenging three masters in the ring and speaking disrespectfully.
Nora’s actions were unexpected for them, so there was no prior arrangent. Luna Durant ca up with the idea after accidentally seeing the assistant filming during the recording.
The assistant pulled out the phone and handed it to Luna Durant, "I didn’t catch her first words, but I got the rest."
Luna Durant took the phone, opened the video shot by the assistant, and fast-forwarded it to watch.
Her eyes glinted coldly.
This episode of the show, with the the "Martial Arts," definitely aid to promote martial arts. These masters’ private bets and unseemly sides wouldn’t be aired even if they requested it.
It would be poorly received.
The post-production would edit it into a harmonious scene.
Therefore, Nora’s arrogant provocation, her ruthless deanor, will absolutely not be edited in. Knowing this, Nora dared to be so reckless.
In the video, Nora was arrogant and skillful, but after winning, she kept pressing, embarrassing the masters and forcing them to apologize...
This footage alone could ruin her entire persona.
"Find soone to edit it and release it during the days this episode airs."
Tossing the phone back to the assistant, Luna Durant’s brows knitted in anger, and she instructed sternly.
What’s the use of skills?
This isn’t a society for brutes to survive.
"Yes."
The assistant obediently replied.
After a pause, Luna Durant, still uneasy, added, "Be careful not to make it too obvious."
Even though she still didn’t believe there was anything between Nora and Pedro Langley...
But, just in case.
In the circle, Pedro Langley’s connections make it easy to dig up so information.
Repeatedly performing poorly, she noticed Pedro Langley was deliberately avoiding and suppressing her...
She couldn’t afford to tarnish her own image any further.
*
In the car.
Nora Scott nestled in the passenger seat and opened the thermal container Pedro Langley brought. Inside was only preserved egg and lean at porridge, but the aroma alone told it was made by Butler Loxley.
The porridge was kept in the thermal container, still warm despite a two to three-hour drive.
"Did you specifically ask Loxley to make it?"
Taking out a spoon, Nora Scott glanced sidelong at Pedro Langley driving.
"He gave it to before I left," Pedro Langley explained frankly without claiming credit, "He knew I was picking you up and that you’d finish late, so he made it in advance."
Pedro had planned to eat out with Nora after picking her up.
However, Butler Loxley, fearing they might not find a suitable restaurant in East Peak Town, prepared it in advance.
Butler Loxley had always been ticulous in his work.
ntioning Butler Loxley inevitably reminded Nora of what happened in the morning, "What’s with today’s live-stream gifts?"
"Butler Loxley watched your live stream early on and saw Miguel Smith causing trouble, so he muddled things up," Pedro’s words paused, and he frowned slightly, "Won’t you consider cutting ties with Miguel Smith?"
"No..."
Nora took a sip of porridge.
Two chilly gazes ca from the left.
She turned her head and explained, "He often sends gifts during live streams, I’ve gotten used to it."
"What about Henry Chapman?"
"I doubt that’s Henry Chapman; he’s not into this stuff." Nora replied casually, paused, and recalled when Pedro Langley and Henry Chapman had a bout, saying wryly, "Seriously, it’s fine if Butler Loxley chips in, but why did you have to stir things up?"
And you used your real na!
Afraid others wouldn’t know who you are?
Pedro Langley was straightforward and honest, "Jealous."
"..." Nora was at a loss, murmuring, "Couldn’t you be secretly jealous?"
Pedro retorted, "And you can be openly jealous?"
Miguel Smith and Henry Chapman might not cause much trouble.
But that Humphrey Jennings...
Pedro hadn’t let his guard down.
Especially since learning Humphrey Jennings and Benjamin Durant ca to Fenton City, their interactions with Nora would definitely increase.
"..."
With the taphorical accusation of ’the magistrate can set fires, but the people can’t light lamps’ hanging over her, Nora, for all her eloquence, could only remain silent.
She continued silently spooning Butler Loxley’s porridge into her mouth.
"Does Miguel Smith just stream all day without doing anything productive?"
Seeing that Nora had nothing more to say, Pedro took advantage and began nitpicking Miguel Smith.
Without Miguel, this whole debacle wouldn’t have arisen.
"..." After contemplating for a mont, Nora suspiciously countered, "Streaming isn’t considered proper work?"
Pedro frowned, "Does he want to do this as a career?"
He didn’t look down on the streaming industry.
Cool Ridge dia’s large portion of profit ca from its streaming platform. It was indeed a lucrative industry.
For soone like Miguel Smith, a forr star e-sports player and forr planner of a blockbuster ga, pursuing a career as a strear seed unnecessary.
If he wanted to earn money, with his skills, there should be plenty of avenues.
"No, he just streams for fun, and a big part of it is—" Nora paused and said helplessly, "Primarily to annoy his dad."
"..."
After taking another mouthful of porridge, Nora slowly explained, "He streams aimlessly, playing gas and loafing around, all to irritate his dad and get back at him."
"What’s the situation?"
Pedro considerately placed tissues by her hand.
"His relationship with his dad is quite strained."
Nora said while eating porridge and chit-chatting with Pedro.
"His hotown is in Mist City, Mr. Smith used to run a hotpot restaurant, I’m not sure about Mrs. Smith’s situation. They divorced when he was in middle school, and Mr. Smith, for reasons unknown, closed the restaurant, saved so money, took him to Fenton City, bought a house, and put him through school. Later, he opened another hotpot restaurant after saving so money."
"Life was okay until Miguel was in high school and wanted to enter the e-sports scene. Mr. Smith didn’t allow it, made him focus on his studies, and insisted he attend college."
"Coincidentally, during that ti, the hotpot restaurant’s business wasn’t doing well, and Mr. Smith started drinking excessively and beca bad-tempered. Whenever the father and son t, they quarreled, and their relationship rapidly deteriorated."
"After Miguel got into college, the hotpot restaurant went under completely, leaving a debt. Miguel took a break from school, entered the e-sports scene, and beca a professional player. The industry was quick money and also his passion, and within a year, Miguel paid off Mr. Smith’s debt..."
Here, Nora couldn’t help but praise, "Isn’t he impressive?"
"..."
After a few seconds of silence, unwilling to see her praise another man, Pedro didn’t agree but instead said, "Give a chance, and I’d be impressive too."
Nora: "..."
"How did it escalate to ’mutual animosity’?" Pedro asked again.
"After paying off the debts, Mr. Smith caused a stir. He felt playing gas wasn’t a legitimate occupation, brought sha upon him, and wasted academic potential, so he insisted Miguel return to his studies."
"Miguel naturally refused. They quarreled intermittently for a while. The more successful Miguel was in the e-sports scene, the more strained their relationship beca."
"Mr. Smith frequently interfered, even criticized e-sports for misleading youth during dia interviews. In his view, a son imrsed in e-sports was worthless, no different from a ga-addicted loafer..."
Pedro could imagine such a family dynamic.
He asked, "Did Miguel compromise?"
"Sort of," Nora said indifferently, "Two years ago, Mr. Smith fell ill and needed surgery. He refused surgery, telling Miguel he would rather die than have it unless Miguel quit e-sports."
"..."
Pedro listened, frowning.
"Mr. Smith used his life as leverage, leaving Miguel no choice but to agree." Nora felt a twinge of pity.
She t Miguel on the day he announced his exit from e-sports.
His last Weibo post was a statent regarding his decision to quit e-sports.
Miguel unilaterally terminated his contract, paid a hefty penalty, and nearly fell out with his team. Fortunately, there were no matches then, or quitting mid-season would have made Miguel the public enemy of e-sports, subject to widespread criticism online.
However, even during that period, many criticized him, but he chose to turn a blind eye.
For Pedro, there wasn’t much to say about Mr. Smith, so without comnting, he asked, "Didn’t he beco a ga planner later on?"
"Um..." Nora hesitated, lifting her gaze, "His dad always wanted him to pursue academics. Plus, when a friend’s child beca addicted to ’God,’ affecting their grades, his dad believed he was setting a bad example and misleading others, and went to the company to cause a scene, forcing him to resign."
"..."
Nora asked, "A bit much, right?"
"...Yes."
Pedro reluctantly agreed.
A prodigious e-sports player and a god-level ga planner hindered by a biased father.
Putting personal feelings aside and judging fairly and objectively, Miguel was innocent yet oppressed, and even while considering his relationship with his father, didn’t retaliate against him, showing an incredible level of kindness.
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