"Struggling, huh?" Chen Yilun sneered coldly.
Catching the sarcasm in his tone, Pete felt a chill run down his spine.
"Well, things are looking up now that you're here, Mr. Chen. Feels like the sun's finally shining on us."
Pete bowed and scraped, piling on the flattery.
What else could he do? The gap between him and Chen Yilun was enormous. If Chen chose to make an example of him to establish authority, he'd be powerless.
His whole family depended on this job—he had no choice but to keep this boss happy.
Chen Yilun ignored Pete's groveling, rolled his eyes, and walked inside.
He was only here to support Anjali today, not to play the villain.
As for Pete? He'd serve as a small trial boss for Anjali to practice on—a chance for her to slowly level up.
...
Led by Pete, Chen Yilun and Anjali quickly toured the small gym.
Because of its modest size, both the team's home court and office space were crammed into the same building.
As they walked, Anjali's brows slowly furrowed.
"Don't worry too much about it."
Chen Yilun immediately picked up on her dissatisfaction.
"This is just the reality for grassroots teams. Honestly, conditions here are already pretty good. Some professional teams back home don't even have a proper arena."
"I understand!"
Hearing his reassurance, Anjali forced herself to straighten up.
"I came prepared for this. I'll work hard to make things better here!"
...
After the tour, the three entered the best-furnished office in the facility.
"I'll be heading back to Sacramento soon."
Chen Yilun lit a cigarette out of habit, then gestured for the others to sit.
"You'll use this office from now on. If you need my signature on anything, call me first."
"Got it!"
Anjali nodded firmly. Still, the way she clutched her briefcase revealed her nerves.
"Don't be too nervous."
Looking at her still-youthful expression, Chen Yilun sighed.
"I'll make a few calls over the next couple of days and bring in some reliable people to help you out. As for results, don't worry—with me around, the record won't be too bad."
What was Ranadivé thinking? His daughter had only been shadowing him for a few months, and already he was throwing her into the deep end.
A ruthless businessman indeed—he wouldn't even spare his own flesh and blood.
...
After giving a few last instructions, Chen Yilun was ready to leave. But before heading off, he shot Pete a meaningful look.
As a seasoned veteran, Pete understood immediately and followed him outside.
"Boss, what do you need?"
Pete stood nervously at the curb like a schoolboy awaiting orders.
"You know who she is, right?"
Chen Yilun tapped the cigarette pack in his hand.
"I know, I know—the young miss!" Pete said with a flattering smile.
"Good. I might not be able to stop by often. You've been here long enough—you know what's important."
"Of course, of course!"
Pete nodded vigorously.
"Your only job now is to take good care of her."
Chen Yilun pointed at him with his cigarette.
"Need money? I'll get you money. Need manpower? I'll get you manpower. But if she suffers any mistreatment, you'll regret it."
"Don't worry!"
"I understand perfectly. I'll make sure she's well looked after."
Chen Yilun stared at him for a moment.
"Alright. You'll get a 5% raise. Tell Peja—I'll sign off."
With that, Chen Yilun climbed into his black SUV and sped away.
Watching the exhaust fade, Pete finally let out a wry smile.
He'd just sent off one demanding boss, only to have another one waiting inside.
What choice did he have? Just keep serving.
Still, at least Chen Yilun was generous about raises.
...
On the way back to Sacramento, Chen Yilun thought for a moment, then pulled out his phone.
"Yeah, it's Chen Yilun. Drop by in the next couple of days—we're ready to sign contracts."
The actual results of NBDL games hardly mattered, but this was Anjali's first real position of authority. The proper formalities still had to be observed.
Soon, word spread across the league.
The Kings signed TJ McConnell to a one-year minimum contract and assigned him to the G League.
The Kings signed Cliff Alexander to a ten-day contract.
The Kings signed Mitch Creek from the German league to a ten-day contract.
With these guys in place, the team's record should stabilize.
Chen Yilun studied the roster carefully.
McConnell needed no explanation—he was bound to become a solid rotation player in the league.
Alexander, while not NBA caliber, was more than good enough for the NBDL.
As for Creek?
Fans probably remembered him most for looking after a young Chinese prospect during his time with the Melbourne Phoenix in the NBL.
He'd once been teammates with Ding Yanyuhang in the Summer League, repeatedly turning down lucrative offers to keep chasing the NBA dream—eventually managing a short two-month stint in the league.
Chen Yilun had picked each of these players carefully. While most weren't NBA rotation material, they all shared one trait: they were fierce competitors.
He found himself curious—if he gave these nearly-successful players another early opportunity, could things turn out differently?
The thought made him chuckle.
What kind of twisted experiment was this—throwing desperate fighters into the same pit?
No, no.
That sounded far too cruel. What he was really doing was giving every dreamer a home.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser