Chapter 4 End of the Fourth Round

The Xuanqi team finally defeated the overconfident team in the team competition, ending the round with a score of 7 to 3. The players from both teams walked off the stage. The Xuanqi team's players looked quite happy, but the players from the overconfident team didn't show too much disappointment at the loss. For a purely grassroots team of players, the overconfident team's performance in the offline competition was definitely the best of all the grassroots teams. Despite being considered cannon fodder, they actually snatched 10 points from two strong teams. After all four matches, they ultimately accumulated 28 points, temporarily holding the first place in the "group of death." An average score of 7 points per round was already quite amazing. Team Zhuxian from Group A, touted as a professional team, only had 29 points after four battles.

The overconfident team had done the best they could. As they left the stage, the audience generously gave them applause. After receiving the audience's generous applause, the players from the overconfident team left the competition arena with their heads held high.

As for the final situation in Group B, many people had already seen it. Many schadenfreude-filled individuals in the audience looked at the players from Team Happy and booed in various ways. Chen Guo couldn't even bother to get angry this time. The final situation was really making her worry.

"Let's go too!" Ye Xiu called out, and the Happy team also got up to leave. However, at the exit of the player通道 (xuǎnshǒu tōngdào, player's tunnel), they unexpectedly ran into the Xuanqi team.

Looking at this final battle, against opponents who would decide their respective fates, the Xuanqi team's players all seemed relaxed, as if qualifying was already in the bag. Coach Zhang Yiwei looked at the Happy side. Three of them were old acquaintances from back in the day, but those three were considered top-tier大神 (dàshén, experts) standing at the summit back then. And what about Zhang Yiwei? Although he was considered a core player in Samsara, the Samsara team back then wasn't the champion team it was now. The core player of that team couldn't compare to those top 大神 (dàshén, experts) at all.

But now, these big names from back then were firmly suppressed by him. He had never experienced this kind of thrill before. He never thought he'd have the chance to experience it during this Challenge League. Zhang Yiwei's mood seemed to be the most cheerful of the entire Xuanqi team.

"Hello, everyone!" This guy even came over to greet them personally.

The Happy team looked at him without saying a word.

"In the final round, everyone must work hard!" Zhang Yiwei's words were directed at the entire Happy team, but his gaze was fixed on the three former 大神 (dàshén, experts).

"If the overconfident team gets eliminated, how will we live up to all the attention we've received?" A Xuanqi team player who had followed Zhang Yiwei chimed in. In the Challenge League, not counting Excellent Era, Team Happy was definitely the most talked-about team. Even when the Xuanqi team was in the professional联盟 (liánméng, league), they had never generated this kind of attention, which made them quite jealous. And now, seeing this heavily watched team about to be eliminated so miserably, the Xuanqi team players felt even more joy than their coach, although they each focused on different things.

"We won't be eliminated," Ye Xiu replied calmly.

"Haha, as expected of the Ye Qiu 大神 (dàshén, expert). So confident. Have you calculated how many points you need to get in the final round?" Zhang Yiwei said with a smile.

Wei Chen stepped forward at this moment, looking directly at Zhang Yiwei. "Kid, are you trying to screw us over?"

Zhang Yiwei had once been a core player of a team and had been in the league for several years. Wei Chen's aggressive stance didn't intimidate him at all. Instead, he looked directly at Wei Chen. "What are you talking about, Wei-dui (team leader)?" He still used Wei Chen's former title.

"You think we can't see it?" Wei Chen said.

"So what if you see it?" Zhang Yiwei sneered. "I'm just choosing the most beneficial result for Xuanqi, not just for now, but also for the future. Your strength is actually above the overconfident team. I'm more than happy to squeeze you out of the next淘汰赛 (táotàisài, elimination round)."

"Hehe, don't talk like you've already qualified!" Ye Xiu suddenly said at this moment.

"In the final round, everyone must work hard." Zhang Yiwei's words from earlier were now returned to Xuanqi by Ye Xiu. "If the overconfident team gets eliminated, how will we live up to our identity as a professional team?"

"Hehe." Zhang Yiwei smiled upon hearing this. As a veteran player for many years, he wouldn't be provoked so easily. "Then let's wait and see!"

"See you in the match."

"See you in the match!"

The two teams returned to their respective hotels. Although Happy hadn't lost any ground in the earlier confrontation, the final round of the match was extremely unfavorable for Happy. This was an indisputable fact. Back at the hotel, no one could relax. Before long, in the hotel's Internet cafe training room, the members of Happy, one by one, two by two, three by three, eventually all arrived.

This tacit gathering made Chen Guo see the team's unity, and she felt invigorated.

"In the final round, we must get eight points and crush Xuanqi." Chen Guo didn't beat around the bush and directly encouraged them.

As a result, Mo Fan, who was in the corner, didn't even raise his head and replied expressionlessly, "Eight points won't be enough to beat Xuanqi."

"Huh?" Chen Guo was stunned. The others also turned their heads in surprise, obviously not expecting Mo Fan to be the first to respond.

"Yes, that's right. If it's just eight points, Xuanqi will get two points, which will tie them with the overconfident team at 28 points. But they have a 7-3 advantage in their match against the overconfident team, so according to the rules, the overconfident team will be the one eliminated in the end." Ye Xiu said, finishing by looking at Mo Fan. "I didn't expect you to care so much?"

Mo Fan didn't answer.

"Do you want to play in this round?" Ye Xiu asked.

"Can," Mo Fan didn't answer "want," but "can."

Everyone looked at Mo Fan. Although they usually didn't communicate at all, having lived together for so long, everyone had gotten used to having a cold-faced, silent guy in the training room. Mo Fan wasn't their friend, but he was a member of this team. Everyone felt that way. Moreover, everyone recognized Mo Fan's Glory skill. Even his initial incompatibility with team battles had been integrated into the whole after the副本 (fùběn, dungeon) practice after the new version, plus the battles against the professional players during the training camp. However, because of his personality, Mo Fan would never be a team-oriented player after all, and Ye Xiu wouldn't force him to be.

Whether or not someone is a team-oriented player has nothing to do with whether or not they can hold a position on the team. As long as the tactics are reasonable and used properly, non-team-oriented players can also become important roles in the team.

Tactics are based on people. Mature teams have their own most skilled tactical system, so finding the most suitable players to operate this system will naturally be more effective. But Happy is a newly built team. How can they have their own inherent tactical system? Therefore, mastering the characteristics of the players in hand and designing tactics tailored to the situation that allows everyone to operate efficiently is what these emerging teams should do.

Hearing Mo Fan's answer, Ye Xiu smiled and nodded, then looked at Luo Ji. "In the final round, we need to ensure the largest possible victory, so you probably won't be able to play for the time being."

"I understand," Luo Ji nodded, but his expression was also a bit dim. At this most critical moment, he couldn't give the team solid strength. This feeling wasn't good.

"Keep up the good work!" Ye Xiu said to him. It was no secret within Happy that Luo Ji's strength was weaker, so at this time, Ye Xiu could easily say this arrangement without any euphemistic explanation.

Then, Ye Xiu turned his gaze to Sun Zheping. "Is there any problem with fighting in this round?"

"If I don't play at a time like this, why did you even ask me to join you?" Sun Zheping said.

Ye Xiu smiled. Sun Zheping wasn't Happy's future, so in normal matches, Ye Xiu tried not to let him play, although those matches probably weren't a burden to Sun Zheping at all. But at this critical time, if he didn't let Sun Zheping play, wouldn't his trip here have been unnecessary?

"Are you playing in both the individual competition and the team competition? Is there a problem?" Ye Xiu asked. He wasn't too clear about the extent of Sun Zheping's injury.

"Dealing with characters like that is no problem at all," Sun Zheping said.

"Okay, then you'll be the first to play in the individual competition!" Ye Xiu said. Going out first would also allow him to rest more before the team competition.

"Then the second one to play needs to be prepared early. The match will probably end soon," Sun Zheping said.

Ye Xiu didn't say anything about his dismissive attitude toward his opponents. This was just his狂 (kuáng, arrogance), his pride. As for looking down on opponents, this low-level mistake wouldn't happen to experienced veterans like him.

"Mo Fan, you're the second to play," Ye Xiu said.

Mo Fan nodded.

The third to play... Ye Xiu hesitated a bit in his heart. There were two candidates in mind, one was Wei Chen, and the other was Wu Chen. Wei Chen had consumed too much energy in the match against the overconfident team that day and hadn't fully recovered yet. Ye Xiu could see that his condition wasn't at its best. As for Wu Chen, his skills were solid, and his condition had remained good since coming to Happy, but the equipment of his character, Xiaoqiang, wasn't very good. Compared to the strengthening of other characters during this time, Xiaoqiang wasn't the character Happy wanted to polish, after all, Wu Chen hadn't come to Happy to continue being a professional player.

"The third battle is so crucial, it seems only this old man is capable of it." As a result, Wei Chen shamelessly recommended himself at this time.

Ye Xiu smiled and then defaulted to this arrangement.

"摆台赛 (bǎitáisài, show match). Baozi, Tang Rou, me."

Baozi and Tang Rou nodded, as if they had already guessed that they would be playing here.

"The final team competition," Ye Xiu looked at everyone. "Me, Tang Rou, Baozi, Yifan, Old Wei, Sun Zheping."

"No healer? That's crazy!" Even Sun Zheping was shocked by the team competition list.

"Is this okay?" Chen Guo became even more worried.

Ye Xiu looked at An Wenyi. "The team competition will use as fast a fighting pace as possible. Your current ability can't keep up."

"Okay," An Wenyi nodded calmly. He could accept any arrangement as long as there was a reasonable reason.

"Two days, practice this lineup well!" Ye Xiu finally said.