The King's Avatar

3 to 7. In the end, Happy lost this round’s away game, despite the odds looking to be in their favor.

Their roster this round hadn’t seen many big changes, aside from Mo Fan, who had been penalized last round and couldn’t appear this round. Instead, they sent up the veteran Wei Chen for the group arena this time.

Happy won all three of the individual battles, entering the group arena with a 3 to 0 lead.

Like the previous round, Fang Rui was first up in the group arena, and he did even better than before. When Boundless Sea fell, he had taken down one and a half players. And then Wei Chen went up. As an extremely old veteran, his reaction time and hand speed had no way of competing with those of the younger players, but although his performance wasn’t flashy, Windward Formation still took down the second player and half of the third player’s health.

After that, what was left to Happy’s powerful anchor Tang Rou was just one opponent at half health. He wasn’t a star like Yu Feng, he wasn’t even Radiant’s core player, he was just a very ordinary player in this mid-low tier team.

The home audience had already given up on this match. No one thought that the 1v2 Tang Rou would miss a victory like this. Some neutral spectators thought this would be very boring. They were only interested in this match to see the pretty female player Tang Rou, but now she only had a player at half health left to face. What excitement was there in that?

Tang Rou lost.

The audience was incredibly quiet - it was clear that Tang Rou was already a very strong player in everyone’s minds. It was only after this pause that the home crowd exploded in excited cheering!

They all thought that she would bring the end, but it turned out that she was the one who met her end.

That eye-catching 1v2 performance was of course interesting, but no one wanted to be the victim of such a scene. And this time, Radiant managed it. A character at half health used by a player who was ordinary even by Radiant’s standards managed to defeat Tang Rou, the player who had become famous with a single battle.

Tang Rou left the stage. Of course, she was extremely upset with her loss.

In the team competition, she went onstage once again.

Tang Rou was undoubtedly a fierce fighter. But after two rounds of Alliance matches, the characteristics of her fierce style had been seen through. Radiant used tactics specifically to target her, which in turn affected Happy as a whole. Because of this, Happy’s rhythm was thrown into disorder.

”No victory is ever guaranteed…” In the prep room, this is what Ye Xiu said to the apologizing Tang Rou. Happy could defeat a giant like Excellent Era, but other teams could defeat Happy in turn. If raw strength was the only thing that determined victory, then what would be the point of competing?

But the factor that determined this match’s victory and defeat was very clear. Even the most ordinary viewers could tell that the problems were from Tang Rou.

”We’ll have to analyze this carefully during our review session. Now, for the press conference…”

”I’ll go!” Tang Rou said.

Ye Xiu nodded and didn’t say anything else. Tang Rou never backed down. She would always face any challenges head-on.

For this press conference, Happy sent out Ye Xiu, Wei Chen, and Tang Rou.

As soon as the three appeared, the camera flashes from below lit up the area. The target was Tang Rou, whom the reporters were rather surprised to see. During their wait, they all guessed that Happy wouldn’t send Tang Rou to this press conference. This level of pressure was frightening for a rookie to bear. The team would probably try to protect its new members, and have the veterans deal with this situation, right?

But as it turned out, Tang Rou just walked out at the very front, her expression unusually resolute.

Since she dared to come out, would the reporters hold back? Click click click, everyone took their fill of pictures before anything was said.

”Tsk tsk, how popular,” Wei Chen remarked.

”Hm?”

”Whether good or bad, at least she’s getting a lot of attention now, no?” Wei Chen said.

”How come I smell something sour?” Ye Xiu said.

”Tch, would I care about something as unimportant as this?” said Wei Chen, filled with righteousness. But no matter how you looked at it, the whispering of these two seemed very sneaky, so the reporters turned their cameras and took many pictures of these two as well.

The three took their seats, and the reporters all focused their gazes on Tang Rou, hoping to discover something from her expression. But they were disappointed, for there was no hiding, no flinching. If anyone looked at her, Tang Rou would look right back, and then give a polite smile.

”We can begin,” Ye Xiu said.

In their eagerness, the reporters almost raised their feet along with their hands. Ye Xiu randomly picked one.

”Question for Miss Tang Rou! What are your thoughts on your performance in this match?” This reporter couldn’t wait any longer. He was so eager that he didn’t even bother to begin with the standard phrases like ”this battle’s loss was unfortunate”.

”My performance dragged down the entire team,” Tang Rou said. ”Because of this, I’m deeply sorry.”

Tang Rou’s condition was clear to see. An apology now seemed like a very ordinary, standard, expected answer, and so the reporters were unsatisfied.

”I remember that after the last match, you said that you wanted to complete a 1v3. But in this match, you couldn’t even take down an opponent at half health. Why do you think that happened?” one reporter asked, with an air of ridicule. Tang Rou’s declaration last match about aiming for a 1v3 after her 1v2 was disliked by some people, who viewed her as too presumptuous. This reporter was evidently one such person.

”Victory or defeat is never guaranteed,” Tang Rou said, borrowing from what Ye Xiu had just said in the prep room. ”But I will definitely complete a 1v3.”

”In-game doesn’t count!” one reporter jeered, earning laughter from the crowd.

”Right here, on the pro stage,” Tang Rou said.

To the reporters, this unparalleled determination and confidence seemed to be unparalleled arrogance. This rookie’s skills weren’t bad, and she’d managed to complete a 1v2, but just because of that one accomplishment, she thought she could do anything?

Victory or defeat was never guaranteed, the reporters could agree with this. But the person who just said this then said that she would 1v3 for sure. How brazen was that?

The reporters couldn’t hold back anymore. After last round, there were already quite a few people who disliked Tang Rou’s attitude. Then, even after such a sad performance this round, she still didn’t correct herself. She was still overstepping with that bullheaded stubbornness of hers.

One reporter was particularly aggressive, directly shouting a challenge at her during this press conference. ”If you can’t do it, then what?”

”If I can’t do it, I’ll leave the pro scene.”

The crowd was shocked into silence. As a result, a whispered conversation suddenly happened to become clear for everyone to hear.

”Look look, that reporter over there really looks like a dog.” Wei Chen.

”Don’t be ridiculous. Which one are you talking about?” Ye Xiu.

There was a pause, and then an uproar.

Evidently Ye Xiu and Wei Chen realized that the sound of their voices had suddenly been magnified. In the midst of the commotion, they each coughed and looked to the left and right, as though nothing had happened.

The reporters didn’t even know which side to respond to first. Should they be amazed at Tang Rou ruthlessly betting her own pro career, or should they be amazed at these two Happy seniors, who, instead of protecting their rookie, were mocking a reporter for looking like a dog?

Say, which reporter was the dog anyway?

The reporters couldn’t help but look around and size each other up, and those who were stared at for too long turned red in the face. What are you looking at me like that for? Are you saying that I look like a dog?

The thought process of these reporters was shattered into pieces by Happy’s rookie-veteran combination, and it was quite a while before things got back on track.

Who looked like a dog? There wasn’t much meaning in discussing this question, and in the end everyone’s attention returned to Tang Rou’s oath.

If she can’t complete a 1v3, she’ll quit the pro scene?

Everyone looked at Tang Rou, and then at Ye Xiu and Wei Chen. Did Happy’s two veterans not hear what Tang Rou just said? They didn’t even stop her from pledging such a thing. In fact, they looked as though it didn’t matter at all.

”If you can’t complete a 1v3, you’ll quit the pro scene?” One reporter felt that these two had been distracted and really didn’t know the current situation, so, to prompt them, this reporter repeated the statement loudly.

”Yes,” Tang Rou nodded.

”Good determination,” Ye Xiu said.

”Very daring.” Wei Chen even began to clap for her.

The reporters were dumbfounded. These were supposed to be the reliable veterans of this team! How come it seemed like they were just here to stir up a ruckus?

”Do you two feel that Tang Rou can accomplish this?” One reporter took the opportunity to directly ask these two.

”With that kind of determination and daring,” Ye Xiu said.

”Even metal can be cut through,” Wei Chen quickly followed up.

What nonsense was this? The reporters who were taking notes found that they couldn’t bring themselves to write down any more. These two were just out to make trouble, right? Right?

But in the midst of all the reporters who had been thrown off, one reporter was still very clear-headed and asked, ”Miss Tang Rou, how many matches do you plan to use to reach this goal? Will you dedicate your entire pro career to this?”

The one who asked this question was gleeful, because he felt that he had found the key point. Tang Rou’s oath here was just a game of words. If she can’t 1v3, she’ll quit. But without a time limit, didn’t that just mean she would keep playing match after match trying to 1v3, and if in the end she couldn’t do it, then she’d just retire anyway?

You think you’re so clever! This reporter smiled coldly.

Tang Rou was about to reply, but Ye Xiu suddenly moved to speak before her.

Was he finally going to rescue her? The reporters all waited to see what kind of trick he would pull.

”Five matches should be enough, right?” Ye Xiu said.

Another uproar from the reporters. He didn’t come to her rescue? He actually gave Tang Rou even more pressure?

1v3 was something that many pro players never accomplished in the entirety of their careers. And now, to have a rookie swear to complete a 1v3 within five matches or else quit the pro scene… Did Ye Xiu have a grudge against Tang Rou or something?

”Five matches?” After hearing this number, Tang Rou actually revealed a happy smile. ”Then five matches it is!”