Chapter 41: Save Where You Can!

Damn it!

It feels like money is needed everywhere.

Indeed, without many monetization methods in the early stages, running an esports club is truly difficult for anyone who isn't a rich second-generation heir.

With the base in Jin Ling, the team's mobile base vehicle is a must; even if conditions are harsh at first, getting a Wuling Hongguang, the "God of Vans," will still cost at least thirty to forty thousand.

"No, no!" Jiang Ming shook his head vigorously, "Rules are rules, but I can't judge the present by the standards of future esports clubs."

Cut out the parts that can be saved first, and add them back slowly.

First is the personnel composition.

The club is currently small; there's no need to hire for every position all at once.

First, there's Lin Lin Lin Xuejie; she acts as the manager, and can also serve as the team leader when the team competes.

Amitabha, Lin Lin Xuejie, the capable bear more burdens!

The assistant coach is Xin, so we need to recruit someone; since we're starting from scratch, the best choice is naturally to find one from the high-rank ladder players.

For club logistics, we need a cooking auntie; the wage can be slightly higher, and if food and lodging are provided, it's best to have her also handle the hygiene of the club and the players.

Mainly the venue hygiene and clothes, which is just a matter of buying a washing machine.

Oh right, we also need a driver; this position can be combined with club logistics management; when not competing, he can help the auntie with logistics, buying rice and vegetables, carrying things, and so on.

When competing, let him act as the "God of Qiu Ming Mountain."

The construction talent market Lin Lin Xuejie mentioned is known to Jiang Ming; many there are older people with only physical strength, relying on waking up early every day to do manual labor at various construction sites; if the requirements are just life skills like cooking and driving, recruiting isn't hard, and the wage treatment is very affordable, just as Lin Lin Xuejie said.

Unlike other commercial enterprises, as long as the core issues of the esports club—the team players and the head coach—are solved, the rest are relatively easy problems to solve.

Coincidentally, Jiang Ming has a natural advantage in this regard that others lack.

"Then there's the player contracts..."

The LPL is ultimately different from internet cafe teams playing for fun; once the professional league label is attached, player wages need to be raised accordingly.

Before the computer, Jiang Ming pondered for a while, crossed out the originally set number, added a basic wage of 2800 yuan, and planned to add a bonus portion later.

Don't think it's low; in 2013, before the esports boom, except for a few stars who could get around ten thousand in high salaries, in reality, many team players' wages were pitifully low; one or two thousand yuan was the norm, not to mention that even this often suffered from delayed payments, bosses running away without paying, and neighboring teams even using instant noodles to offset bonuses.

The benefit of NXG is that the players were all cultivated by him personally, so there are no star players, meaning the wage increase isn't too large.

As for the contract duration...

Jiang Ming's expression changed, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to learn from a certain "Contract King" club and screw these young people to death.

After all, possessing foreknowledge, he knew clearly that it would only take one year for the gaming youths, currently at the very bottom of society, to transform into esports players, with wages growing exponentially.

Contract terms range from one to three years, signed entirely on a voluntary basis.

Swish! Swish!

From dusk until late at night, Jiang Ming finally finished the next development plan for the NXG club.

The team base should be established sooner rather than later; that night, Jiang Ming didn't stream too late, apologized to the viewers, and went offline early to rest.

The next day, 4 AM!

"Tsk, once I become a successful person in the future, I'll have a Versailles material."

Walking out the door, looking at the pitch-black surroundings, Jiang Ming sighed in his heart.

I am now someone who has seen 4 AM in Jin Ling.

Later, when asked about the secret of success in front of others, while showing off, just say, "Have you seen 4 AM in Jin Ling?"

Just thinking about it, the upward curve of his mouth was almost uncontrollable.

"Boss Jiang, I've arrived at the location! (Location)"

Ding dong, the phone displayed a message from Lin Jingyi, sent five minutes ago!

Damn, I was too rash; I didn't expect my subordinate to be so fierce.

After waiting in place for a few minutes, Jiang Ming finally hailed a taxi, showed the address to the driver, and said, "Driver, to Andemen!"

"Andemen?"

The Jin Ling driver, who usually didn't like to chat much, was curious and glanced at Jiang Ming through the rearview mirror.

"Young man, going to Andemen so early? Recruiting people?"

"Yes, Driver, are you very familiar with that area?"

"Familiar, how could I not be? It's the largest labor market in our Jin Ling city; how could someone in my line of work not know it."

Jiang Ming's eyes lit up instantly, and he said, "Driver, since you go there often, could you do me a favor later and shout out a bit, help me recruit two people, mainly a cook and a driver, not for free..."

"Small matter." The driver waved his hand, interrupting Jiang Ming's attempt to offer payment, "Don't talk about payment either; everyone around Andemen are hard-luck folks making a living by selling a bit of labor; for a young person like you to think of coming here to give them a decent job is already great; I also clawed my way out of this ghost place, so how could I ask you for money."

"Th-thank you."

Jiang Ming's mood was strangely complex.

Giving them a livelihood?

He was just taking advantage of the cheap labor here.

The city of Jin Ling at 4 AM was still soaked in the damp fog of winter; the outdoor temperature was terrifyingly low; the driver parked his car at a corner near the Andemen signboard, and the green light on the dashboard reflected Jiang Ming's somewhat sleepy face.

He hadn't felt it when he first got up, but now he was full of sleepiness.

However, on the concrete ground to the right of Andemen Square, many people were already squatting; hard hats and snake-skin bags formed blurred outlines under the streetlights.

Jiang Ming got out of the car; the morning wind, carrying the unique scent of life from the labor square, rushed into his nostrils, and he couldn't help but tighten his down jacket.

"Boss Jiang!"

"Lin Lin Xuejie!"

In the crowd, Lin Lin Lin Xuejie, who seemed to have been talking with job seekers for a while, waved her hand.

Following Lin Lin Xuejie's gaze, he saw hands full of cracks reaching out from the crowd under the streetlights—those hands either held crumpled "resumes" with only one or two paragraphs, or gripped chipped thermos cups, emitting faint white mist in the cold air of a December dawn.

Clearly, all kinds of breakfast carts were parked nearby, yet most of them could only afford to take a bite or two of their own steamed buns, then wash them down with large gulps of warm water from their cups.

He did not move forward, likely unable to bear this atmosphere.

Jiang Ming's mood at this moment was, in fact, the same as that of most people possessing the uniquely Chinese quality of gentleness and kindness.

Though his own life was hardly going well, he could not bear to see the suffering of others.