These past few days, Zuo Men, Hei Feng, Feng Xiaoyi, and Liu Shinian have all been training intensely.
Although this was a match between Zuo Men's first team and Liu Shinian's team, Hei Feng and Feng Xiaoyi, serving as sparring partners, were diligently fulfilling their roles.
However, time flew by, and the three days passed in the blink of an eye, quickly bringing them to the day of the official competition.
On the day of the event, to ensure everyone could witness this significant moment, I decided to bring all thirty thousand imprisoned soldiers to the training ground to watch.
This time, to ensure the formality of the competition, I personally served as the referee, Bi Yao and Liu Mei as scorekeepers, and Dao Lang and Fei Xiong as security personnel.
Almost all the personnel from Nanhai City were present.
The two competing teams, all four squads, were already waiting by the field early after dawn.
I called both teams to the center of the training ground and addressed the crowd, explaining the purpose of this competition.
"As you all know, this is a battle for honor. I promised all the imprisoned soldiers.
If Zuo Men's first team wins against our Heishan, I will release all the soldiers. If I go back on my word, may lightning strike me!"
Hearing my solemn oath and sincere words, everyone involuntarily became nervous.
What was originally just an ordinary match was, in a way, weighing heavily on everyone's hearts.
Each person, without exception, was cheering for Zuo Men's first team and Liu Shinian's team in their hearts.
To thank Hei Feng's first team and Feng Xiaoyi for their silent contributions, I decided to let them play the first half of the match, and so, amidst everyone's anticipation, I announced:
"This match is divided into two rounds, with each round having an upper and lower half. Each half will last for the time it takes one incense stick to burn. There will be a fifteen-minute break between halves. The first round will be Hei Feng's first team against Feng Xiaoyi's team, and the second round will be Zuo Men's first team against Liu Shinian's team.
For fairness, I've decided to use a coin toss to determine who kicks off. Now, Hei Feng and Feng Xiaoyi, your teams step forward. Everyone else can rest."
After they stood on their respective sides, I took a gold coin from my pocket and asked Hei Feng and Feng Xiaoyi,
"Do you want to guess heads or tails?"
Hei Feng thought for a moment and said, "I'll guess tails."
"Then I'll guess heads," Feng Xiaoyi decided.
Seeing them poised and expectant, I tossed the coin high in the air under their gaze, then covered it with my hand and opened it. It turned out to be tails.
I announced excitedly, "It's tails, Hei Feng kicks off first."
After handing the ball to Hei Feng, I left the field.
Hei Feng placed the ball at his feet and said to him, "Then I won't be polite."
With that, he kicked the ball powerfully. His teammate swiftly followed up and caught the ball, kicking it forward.
The initial kickoff was stable, but no one expected an unexpected challenger, Hao Yue Lan, the mountain lord of Da Yuan Mountain.
He rushed from a distance, using his momentum to charge forward, snatching the ball from the player and kicking it towards the opponent's goal.
Everyone cheered at such a bold and skillful move, shouting "Good!"
Liu Shinian, sitting on the sidelines, was also engrossed. He looked at that person with interest and asked the five mountain lords behind him,
"Who is that person? He's quite good."
The mountain lord of Baili Mountain, Baili Wenqing, replied,
"That person's name is Hao Yue Lan. He is the mountain lord of Da Yuan Mountain. I've heard that his ancestors were all renowned for their speed, and he is indeed more skilled than others in his footwork."
Liu Shinian gave a thoughtful "Oh" and sighed,
"I never expected there to be so many talented individuals in places we haven't noticed. I truly look forward to a good competition with you all in the future."
"There will be plenty of opportunities. However, my current concern is Zuo Men's first team. Although they may not be top experts, they are still elite soldiers.
In terms of coordination and overall teamwork, we are still slightly lacking."
Baili Wenqing's words were not unreasonable. Although they possessed courage and strategy, the other side was, after all, an organized and disciplined force.
In a direct competition, it would indeed be difficult to win. However, after these few days of training, Liu Shinian and his team had developed their own signature moves and full confidence.
During their casual chat, they saw that the blue team, marked on the black wooden board by the side of the field, had already taken a five-goal lead with Hao Yue Lan's assistance.
Hei Feng's side, on the other hand, had suffered consecutive losses, scoring only two goals.
Hei Feng thought that if this continued, they would surely lose, so he decided to devise a plan to catch the opponent off guard.
The current player was not Hao Yue Lan but Junzi Yi, the mountain lord of Ma Gan Mountain. Hei Feng signaled behind him, and the person immediately understood, pretending to casually retreat behind his opponent.
Hei Feng aimed for Junzi Yi, quickly swooped down to snatch his ball, but instead of kicking it backward, he kicked it towards his own goal.
Everyone on the field was confused, wondering what he was doing. He saw the opponent let down their guard, then turned and kicked the ball with all his might.
The ball soared into the air like an unannounced missile, heading towards a pre-arranged player.
By the time Feng Xiaoyi's team reacted and ran back, the player had already kicked the ball into the goal.
At that moment, everyone excitedly stood up, exclaiming in admiration, "Wow!"
Tian Long was watching intently when a pair of large hands clapped on his shoulder. He turned around in surprise and saw his three good brothers: Wang Yuan, Qing Yu, and Mu Han.
He couldn't contain his excitement and hugged them tightly.
Mu Han smiled and said, "Big Brother is still Big Brother. You haven't changed at all, even after being away from Penglai Island for so long."
Hearing the voices, Yue Yao turned around and saw three familiar figures. She was also very excited and exclaimed, "You are here too!"
Upon seeing the princess, the three men immediately knelt and cupped their fists, saying, "Wang Yuan, Mu Han, and Qing Yu pay their respects to the Princess."
Yue Yao smiled slightly and pulled them up, saying, "No need to be so formal."
During this brief conversation, Liu Mei hurriedly called out, "Yue Yao, Hei Feng's team scored another goal."
"Okay, coming, coming. You guys chat first, I need to get back to work." With that, she returned to her original position and diligently recorded.
Tian Long curiously asked them, "When did you arrive in Nanhai City?"
Mu Han replied, "A few days ago, I think. We originally wanted to see you, but we heard you were staying in Heishan, so we could only wait here."
"Now it's great, the four of us brothers are reunited," Wang Yuan chuckled.
At this moment, bursts of exclamation and applause erupted from behind them.
Qing Yu looked towards the field and saw Hei Feng dribbling the ball around the opposing team like an unstoppable black dragon. A slight smile touched his lips as he rested his chin on his hand and said,
"This Myriad Demon King is truly unique, to think of such a peculiar way of competition."
Tian Long also turned around, looking at the two teams running on the field, then back at Qing Yu, he smiled and said,
"The Demon King is an interesting and mysterious person. Being with her makes one feel an unprecedented warmth and happiness. The people of Heishan are like the source of that happiness; once you enter, you never want to leave."
Wang Yuan looked at him with a hint of doubt. He had only been away for a few days and already had such profound experiences. He couldn't help but feel more interested and curious about this Myriad Demon King.
As a loud whistle blew, followed by a voice shouting, "Halftime is over! Everyone rest for the duration of half an incense stick."
Only then did the people on the field slowly retreat, all sweating profusely, but with extremely contented smiles on their faces. Attendants, who were prepared nearby, leaped forward to fan them and wipe their sweat.
Liu Shinian sat in the distance, looking at me, who was seated in the main position, with a hint of dissatisfaction.
His gaze moved from top to bottom, lingering on the whistle I was holding. He felt that the whistle sounded so familiar.
It turned out to be the wooden whistle he had given her. Really, she didn't even say anything when she wanted to use it, which almost made him draw his sword and rush forward, saying coolly,
"Don't be afraid, I'll protect you."
Compared to Liu Shinian's dissatisfaction, Hei Feng's side seemed to be experiencing more fear.
After Hei Feng and Feng Xiaoyi's team descended to the sidelines to rest, a towel was suddenly handed to Hei Feng from behind him to wipe his sweat. Hei Feng, enjoying it immensely, exclaimed that the Demon King's service was very thoughtful.
He casually took the towel, only to see a familiar figure standing before him. This person was Shi San Niang.
He was slightly stunned, seeing Shi San Niang's plum blossom eyes, filled with affection and tenderness, looking at him along with a sweet smile.
His heart trembled, and various thoughts surged through his mind, leading him to speculate wildly.
"She's so strange today. Why is she looking at me with such affectionate eyes? Could it be that she's had feelings for me for a long time?
No, no, she's always liked Wan Xue Zhu. Could it be that she's abandoned Wan Xue Zhu and taken a liking to me?
It's not surprising, though. I'm naturally beautiful, heroic, and incredibly handsome. It's normal for her to like me."
Shi San Niang looked at him, suddenly becoming dazed and confused with a silly smile, which she found very strange. However, she didn't think much of it and only said to him,
"You performed well. I usually see you as gentle and timid, always fearful, but I didn't expect you to be so decisive and strong, with both courage and wisdom. You've truly surprised me."
Hearing Shi San Niang's words, he couldn't help but frown. Something felt off. He muttered to himself,
"Gentle and timid, always fearful." He suddenly realized what she had been thinking of him and felt as if he had turned to stone, struck by lightning.
After a long pause, he slowly replied, "Your thoughts are truly peculiar. I thank you for your attention."
Suddenly, a whistle blew, and another voice announced, "The second half is here. Hei Feng and Feng Xiaoyi, please enter the field."
Then, both teams returned to the field. Since Hei Feng kicked off in the first half, Feng Xiaoyi would kick off in the second half. With the command "Start!",
Feng Xiaoyi powerfully kicked the ball towards a large empty space behind Hei Feng. His team closely followed the ball. As the ball landed, it was caught by Hao Yue Lan, known as the "Unparalleled Flying Legs of the World."
With no other player intercepting the ball, he dribbled past three defenders and then powerfully kicked it into the goal.
Instantly, the crowd on the field let out shouts of "Wow!" This opening kick gave Feng Xiaoyi's team a great start and also put invisible pressure on Hei Feng's team.
Seeing this, Hei Feng felt a pang of bitterness. How could such a skilled player be placed on their opposing side? It seemed direct confrontation wouldn't work; he had to resort to cunning.
He then made a gesture of forward and backward movement to the three people beside him. They immediately understood and rushed forward, surrounding Hao Yue Lan and blocking him tightly.
Hei Feng, taking advantage of his unpreparedness, sidestepped and kicked the ball away, then kicked it forward forcefully. As his teammate waited to receive it, he caught the ball and kicked it into the goal.
"Wow!"
Another burst of enthusiastic surprise. It seemed Hei Feng was not just a mountain boss who only knew how to eat, drink, and play, but a mountain leader with both wisdom and courage.
Subsequently, the two teams exchanged blows, playing fiercely. In the last thirty seconds, if Feng Xiaoyi's team scored another goal, they could only lament their defeat.
However, the opposing team saw their weakness and had Hao Yue Lan bring the ball. This was a difficult situation for Hei Feng.
This time was different from the previous occasions. To ensure the ball successfully entered the goal, everyone gathered to form a defensive wall, blocking anyone who attempted to approach Hao Yue Lan.
Hei Feng had no other option but to wait for him to stop and then seize the ball.
As expected, as he approached the goal, he suddenly stopped and was about to exert force when Hei Feng seized the opportunity, slid out from the side, and kicked the ball.
Hao Yue Lan, seeing this, suddenly changed his strategy, stepping back on the ball. Hei Feng, caught off guard, showed a look of terror and then rushed towards the outside of the field, his lips seeming to mouth,
"You son of a b*tch!"
Hao Yue Lan showed a triumphant smile and then kicked the ball into the goal, securing the victory.
"Hao Yue Lan! Hao Yue Lan! Hao Yue Lan!"
For a moment, the entire stadium echoed with shouts and praises for this rising star.
I also went down from the stage and helped Hei Feng up. Walking to the center of the field, I took Feng Xiaoyi's hand and announced to everyone,
"The winning team of this match is Feng Xiaoyi's first team."
"Wow!" Everyone cheered again.
Although Hei Feng was a bit disappointed, he generously acknowledged Feng Xiaoyi, saying,
"I must admit, your ability is no less than mine. You are a worthy opponent."
Feng Xiaoyi responded with a slight smile, "This time, we only had Hao Yue Lan more than you. Otherwise, with your strength, it would have been difficult for us to win."
Hei Feng felt much more at ease with his sincere response. As he turned to leave, Feng Xiaoyi suddenly called out, "Wait."
Feng Xiaoyi walked up, took Hei Feng's hand, and said amidst his surprised gaze, "I don't think this honor should belong only to our team, but also to yours."
Hei Feng's eyes, which had been filled with slight disappointment, suddenly sparkled with starlight.
I stood by and watched, unable to resist applauding, "Well done! You are all the pride of my Myriad Demon King."
Saying this, I walked between them, raised both their hands, and announced to everyone present,
"I declare that this match is a victory for Hei Feng's team and Feng Xiaoyi's team!"
"Wow!"
Upon hearing this, the crowd erupted in an uproar, but after a moment, they collectively stood up, clapping, cheering, and shouting,
"Hei Feng's team! Feng Xiaoyi's team! Amazing!"
Amidst the cheers, I looked up at the sky. The sun was shining brightly, and the heat was intense, making it unsuitable for further competition.
So, I said to everyone, "After one incense stick, Zuo Men's team will compete against Liu Shinian's team."
At this moment, everyone's worries and anxieties surfaced, because this match was not like the one between Hei Feng and Feng Xiaoyi.
Instead, it represented Heishan and Nanhai City, and the fate of tens of thousands of soldiers in the dungeon.