Chapter 1 Wang Ze

Wang Ze couldn't be considered a veteran player at Excellent Era. When Ye Xiu was still around, he was just a rookie. He started getting some rotation opportunities in the eighth season, and then followed Excellent Era down the drain.

Still, quite a few teams were interested in Excellent Era's players. However, the relegated Excellent Era hadn't yet stooped to selling off players in a fire sale. The acquisition of Xiao Shiqin from Thunder showed their intention to stabilize the team, and most of Excellent Era's players chose to stay.

Wang Ze was one of them. However, compared to some of his teammates who had received offers from other teams and made a choice, he had no choice because no one was interested in him at the time.

This made Wang Ze feel quite embarrassed. Although he didn't think he was exceptionally talented, he was confident in his abilities. How could no team be interested in him under those circumstances?

Wang Ze cared a lot about this. He had been in the pro scene for two years, with limited playtime that hadn't garnered enough attention or praise, making him especially eager for recognition.

As a result, he spent his third season in the Challenger League. Even more depressing, the powerhouse Excellent Era was eliminated by the Internet cafe team Happy.

That moment was dark for every member of Team Excellent Era. Afterwards, Excellent Era disbanded, and teammates went their separate ways. Wang Ze was truly panicked at the time. Because he hadn't received any offers when they were relegated the previous season, and this season, they were in the Challenger League, receiving even less attention. He was truly afraid that no one would want him.

Wang Ze waited for offers, but none came. Watching his teammates leave one after another, a buyer finally appeared as Excellent Era was on the verge of collapse.

The players who hadn't left yet all received offers from the new owner, who urged everyone to muster their fighting spirit for another year and return Excellent Era to the pro scene.

Wang Ze clearly remembered that Qiu Fei, who had just come up from the training camp, resolutely stayed behind during that Challenger League season.

Idiot…

That's what Wang Ze thought. If there was one player from Excellent Era who impressed people during that Challenger League season, it was this new player, Qiu Fei. The young man with a promising future would have no trouble finding a place to go under those circumstances. But Qiu Fei believed in the new investor's vision and chose to stay.

But what did Excellent Era have now?

Su Mucheng took Dancing Rain, Sun Xiang and One Autumn Leaf left, and Xiao Shiqin also returned to his original team with his Soft Mist.

The remaining Excellent Era was no longer the powerhouse it once was. How easy could it be to pass the Challenger League?

Wang Ze, who had already wasted a year, didn't want to wallow in the Challenger League any longer. Unfortunately, he hadn't received any offers from other teams at the time. This was, at least, a way out – a way to continue being a pro player.

Wang Ze was unwilling, but he didn't dare to push away this last straw. Fortunately, Team Miracle appeared, showing interest in him. Wang Ze chose this new team without hesitation. In his opinion, staying in the pro league was better than anything else.

Wang Ze chose Team Miracle. Then, after a roundabout journey, Shen Jian also came grumbling. Shen Jian's situation was better than his. He had received offers from teams from the start, but he hadn't been able to come to an agreement with any of them. In the end, Miracle was his only choice. With a sense of wasted talent, he was packaged and sent to Miracle along with Wang Ze. There, He Ming, who had been sent away from Excellent Era when they were relegated and had been playing in the pro league for a year, was already waiting for them as the core player.

The three former teammates reunited at Miracle, but they didn't have time to be happy. Instead, they felt a sense of being screwed over.

But they had already fallen into the pit. If they wanted to climb out, they had to rely on themselves. With their own thoughts and expectations, the three began their miraculous journey at Team Miracle. As for Wang Ze personally, he hoped that this season would allow people to see his level and recognize his abilities. Even if Miracle was relegated this season, he wouldn't face the embarrassment of no one wanting him again.

His opponent in this match was Su Mucheng, an All-Star player. If he could defeat her, it would be proof of his strength. And Wang Ze believed that he had grasped the key to victory against this former teammate.

Five seconds to the start of the match.

The map: Wasted Town No. 7.

Wasted Town was a series of maps. If all 17 Wasted Town maps were pieced together, you would find that it was a complete town. But in actual matches, especially one-on-one matches, the complete scene was too large, so it was divided into 17 scenes. The 17 scenes were of different sizes. Wasted Town No. 7 was one of the smallest, suitable for single combat.

As former teammates, the three at Miracle knew quite a bit about which maps Su Mucheng was good at. Wang Ze's main target today was Su Mucheng, and his map selection was very deliberate. Wasted Town No. 7 was within Su Mucheng's range of expertise. As former teammates, they naturally understood Su Mucheng's preferred tactics on this map. This was Wang Ze's intention in choosing the map. He didn't want a map she was unfamiliar with; he wanted a map she was familiar with so that he could better understand her routines.

The characters spawned in opposite corners of the map and began moving forward. Wang Ze's Sharpshooter was called Cassibone. It was provided by the team after he came to Miracle, and it was inferior to his former rotation character at Excellent Era. He worked hard to configure it to his accustomed and adapted combination.

Cassibone strode forward, his gaze already fixed on the distant clock tower in the town.

The clock tower was the highest point on this small map. Seizing it would allow one to overlook almost the entire map. Wasted Town No. 7 was a part of town with many small streets and alleys, making the terrain quite winding. This type of terrain wasn't very conducive to ranged gun-type characters. It had to be said that Su Mucheng was forced to become proficient in this map. Because too many opponents wanted to use this map to restrict the No. 1 Launcher in the league, Su Mucheng naturally practiced specifically to deal with it, and it eventually became one of her favorite maps.

The clock tower was a spot that Su Mucheng often tried to seize. From that high vantage point, she could easily spot her opponent's location and then use her super-long range to launch a firepower attack. It was one of her usual tactics.

But… not today!

That's what Wang Ze believed. Because the relationship between teammates was mutual. Su Mucheng wouldn't be foolish enough not to consider his intentions in choosing this map. If she thought about it, she should intentionally avoid her favorite and most frequently used tactics, because those were the ones her former teammates would be able to anticipate.

So, if she abandoned her usual plan, what would Su Mucheng do?

Based on her habits and preferences, Wang Ze made a bold prediction. He was about to verify it, and he believed that his judgment shouldn't be wrong. As a fellow gun-type player, Wang Ze thought he had a pretty thorough understanding of Su Mucheng's thought process.

Cassibone darted through the small alleys, showing Wang Ze's resolute and clear strategic intentions. But from time to time, he would still glance toward the clock tower. After all, there was still a possibility that Su Mucheng would adopt her usual approach. But if she did, Wang Ze would only be happier. The route he had chosen was a blind spot from the clock tower's observation point. If Su Mucheng trusted the high ground's vision, he would give her an unforgettable surprise.

Truly flawless planning! Wang Ze thought with satisfaction.

But just then, Dancing Rain appeared.

Using the Fly Gun skill, she landed on the clock tower in a few leaps. This almost exposed Cassibone, who had assumed that Dancing Rain wouldn't climb the clock tower. Fortunately, Wang Ze noticed in time and quickly rolled his character, hiding in the blind spot at the top of the clock tower.

She still appeared.

Wang Ze mentally calculated the time. From the refresh point to now, Dancing Rain's ascent to the clock tower seemed like a very direct choice, without wasting any time at all.

Completely without scruples, not afraid that he would take advantage of this at all?

Although Wang Ze was confident, he didn't think of Su Mucheng as a complete idiot. So, when he saw Su Mucheng suddenly make such a seemingly unthinking move, Wang Ze had to stop and think.

If Su Mucheng understood his intentions but still did this, then what was her purpose?

Two possibilities.

First, she didn't take Wang Ze's strength seriously, so everything was as usual.

Second, she had guessed Wang Ze's response, deliberately luring him out, and was already prepared to meet him.

Su Mucheng wasn't a fool, nor was she someone who overestimated her own strength. So, it should be the second point.

Luring him out, already prepared.

Wang Ze smiled. This was the Su Mucheng he knew.

But this time, she wouldn't be able to lure him out.

What blind spots were there in the clock tower's field of vision? Su Mucheng might have already studied them thoroughly. But which of these blind spots had attack points that could directly reach the clock tower? Had she familiarized herself with them?

Wang Ze believed that Su Mucheng hadn't.

Because only ranged classes could attack like that. Ranged classes rarely chose such maps actively. Su Mucheng had never encountered a ranged opponent on this map before. This wasn't Wang Ze's guess; it was based on the statistics of all the solo matches Su Mucheng had played on this map.

Detailed statistics, understanding, and preparation – this was Wang Ze's trump card. It wasn't very cool, but it was the most practical.

Dancing Rain was still looking around from the clock tower, perhaps wondering where Wang Ze would launch his attack from.

There was no need!

Wang Ze smiled and pushed the mouse. Cassibone had already set up his Barrett Sniper.

All of the Sharpshooter's skill attack ranges were shorter than the Launcher's, except for the Barrett Sniper. But at this time, Wang Ze didn't want a long attack range, because a long distance would give Su Mucheng time to maneuver and dodge.

The sniping point he chose was just right in terms of distance.

Within this range, without intervening beforehand, it would be impossible to dodge the Barrett Sniper once the trigger was pulled, let alone since Su Mucheng couldn't see him at all. Relying on sound alone would be even more impossible.

In the ten-times magnified optical scope, Dancing Rain's forehead and the goggles holding her long hair back like a headband were so clear.

The shot rang out!

That forehead instantly sprayed out bright red blood, instantly dyeing the entire lens red.

"Tsk tsk, this kind of attack should have been a one-hit kill." Wang Ze sighed, ending the skill and putting away the sniper rifle.

"Huh, what's that?" In the sky, Wang Ze saw a point of fire, spinning as it flew toward him.