Just as Lin Haoming's Star Sea Team was honing its skills and gradually making a name for itself in various amateur competitions, a player with the ID "Wind Chaser" was rising at an astonishing speed in the high-tier games of the domestic server, attracting the close attention of team scouts.
"Wind Chaser," whose real name is Su Xiao, was only seventeen years old and an ordinary second-year high school student. Like many of his peers, he initially started playing league of legends for relaxation after school. However, unlike most, he became almost instantly captivated by the game, particularly fascinated by the extreme mechanics, the art of positioning required by the ADC (Attack Damage Carry) role, and the thrill of deciding the outcome of team fights.
He had no systematic training whatsoever, relying entirely on an astonishing talent and passion. Using his limited free time after school, he climbed the ranks solo, starting from the lowest "Iron" tier. His learning ability was exceptional; he could nearly perfectly imitate high-level plays after watching a single pro stream, and he possessed an almost instinctive intuition for damage calculation and skill ranges. His signature champions, Vayne, the Night Hunter, and Ezreal, the Prodigal Explorer, were feared in high-ranking games, often delivering devastating damage from incredible angles.
In just a few months, Su Xiao successfully reached "challenger" with an extremely high win rate. His sharp mechanics and calm ability to carry made him stand out even in challenger games. Naturally, he began his streaming career. In his live streams, he spoke little, but his fluid gameplay, various extreme reactions, and delicate positioning captivated his audience, quickly building a loyal fanbase. He also received numerous private messages inviting him to join what claimed to be professional team coaches or managers.
However, when Su Xiao excitedly showed these "olive branches" to his parents, he was met with cautious refusal.
"Xiao Xiao, it's not that your dad and I don't support you playing games." Su's father, a middle school teacher, adjusted his glasses, his tone gentle but firm, "Your grades are good right now, and we don't object to you playing games, but these so-called 'professional teams' sound too unreliable. There are so many scammers online; what if it delays your studies or you end up in some unregulated place? You're still young, and you have a long way ahead of you."
Su's mother also added worriedly, "Yes, I heard that those who play games often stay up all night and ruin their health. Let's prioritize your studies; just treat streaming as a hobby, okay?"
His parents' concerns were reasonable. At a time when the esports industry was not yet fully standardized, there were indeed many makeshift teams and shell clubs, and stories of scams under the guise of recruitment were common. Although Su Xiao was unwilling, he understood his parents' good intentions and could only temporarily bury his professional dreams, continuing his studies and streaming.
The data analyst for the Star Sea Team had long marked "Wind Chaser" as an S-tier priority target. After continuously observing his ranked and streaming performance and comprehensively evaluating his immense potential, a detailed report was placed before Lin Haoming and the team manager.
"This 'Wind Chaser' is young, has an extremely high mechanical ceiling, and a stable mindset; he's highly moldable," the team manager strongly recommended. "If we can sign him, it will be a huge boost to our team's future strength and popularity."
Lin Haoming carefully reviewed the report and saw the note about Su Xiao's parents' concerns. He understood that for such a talented young man, a conventional online invitation would likely not alleviate his family's worries. He immediately made a decision: to show the utmost sincerity and professionalism.
He personally instructed: "Don't just send private messages. While he's streaming, use our Star Sea Team's officially verified account to send a large number of gifts to get his attention. Then, have the team manager contact him directly, not just to send a contract, but to formally invite him, accompanied by his parents, to visit our training base in person. We will cover all round-trip travel, accommodation, and meals."
That night, Su Xiao started streaming as usual. Just as he was skillfully maneuvering Vayne in a team fight and securing a triple kill, the stream was suddenly flooded with a series of dazzling gift effects—the sender was the glittering "Star Sea Team Official" account!
The stream instantly erupted!
"Holy cow! An official account?"
"Star Sea Team is trying to poach him?"
"Wind Chaser is awesome! He's been noticed by the official team!"
Su Xiao was also stunned. His heart involuntarily quickened as he looked at the prominent official verification badge. After ending his stream, he indeed received a detailed invitation letter from the Star Sea Team manager, formally worded and specifically stating that his parents were welcome to accompany him for the visit.
This time, Su Xiao's parents, looking at the meticulously worded invitation letter that included company registration information and the base address, showed a change in attitude. After discussing it, they decided to personally accompany their son on the trip to see for themselves.
On the weekend, Su Xiao, accompanied by his parents, arrived at the Star Sea Team training base located in the suburbs. As they saw the beautiful detached villa, the professional and clean training rooms, the fully equipped gym area, and the orderly training scenes of the team members, the doubts on Su's parents' faces gradually disappeared.
The team manager and head coach personally received them, detailing the team's management model, training plans, player welfare, and future development strategies. They showed samples of standardized contracts signed with other players, emphasized the balance between academics and training (promising to arrange academic tutoring for Su Xiao), and introduced their nutritionist and physiotherapy partners.
"We are not a makeshift operation." Lin Haoming also made a personal appearance; his demeanor and conversation gave Su Xiao's parents great confidence. "We are building a long-term venture and are responsible for the future of every player. Su Xiao is very talented, and we hope to provide him with a safe, legitimate platform to pursue his dreams."
Watching all this and listening to the professional and sincere presentation, Su Xiao's parents' concerns were finally dispelled. They saw a team that truly treated esports as a serious endeavor.
"Xiao Xiao," Su's father patted his son's shoulder, his eyes filled with encouragement, "If you've truly made up your mind, your mom and I support you. But remember, once you choose, you must persevere and be responsible for yourself."
Su Xiao nodded vigorously, his eyes sparkling with the light of a dream coming true.
Shortly after, the Star Sea Team officially announced the recruitment of the talented young ADC "Wind Chaser" (Su Xiao). This news caused quite a stir in the esports community, not only because of Su Xiao's skill but also because the Star Sea Team's professional, transparent, and human-centered recruitment approach set a new benchmark for the industry.
A future superstar officially began his professional journey on the carefully prepared soil of the Star Sea Team. And Lin Haoming had found the most crucial piece for his team's puzzle.