The King's Avatar

In the end, Happy only had a chance of facing Tyranny if they made it through this round; it was a little too early to worry about them now. More urgently, Happy needed to focus on playing well in their match against Blue Rain.

In this week, apart from familiarizing themselves with their new equipment, Happy actively prepared to face off against Blue Rain. They didn’t think about anything else, preparing themselves with only Blue Rain in mind. And now, it was time to bring all of this onto the battlefield.

During the regular season, Happy had twice met Blue Rain and lost rather miserably, 1 to 9 and 2 to 8. This time, what would Happy use to try and defeat Blue Rain? Today’s edition of the Esports Weekly analyzed this question. Esports Weekly, which had become daily issue after the start of playoffs, had its content divided into two topics. One part would focus on the match that had just ended the day before, while the other part would analyze the upcoming match that night. The content was detailed and substantial, and the gamers loved it, but these were busy days for the media workers.

From online polls, it seemed that Blue Rain was much more favored to win. About 73% of voters supported them, while only 27% were for Happy.

But Happy wouldn’t shrink back from such numbers. When they faced Excellent Era in the Challenger League, their support rate had been even more pathetic than this, but so what? If votes determined final results, then there wouldn’t be any need for the match at all, just give the prize after voting finished.

On the day of the match, there wouldn’t be any more heavy training, but the players still had to touch the computers a bit. There was no way they’d wait until the match began to start warming up, after all.

That afternoon, Happy’s players all arrived at Happy’s training room, each sitting down in front of a computer and opening Glory. Some played rather seriously, while others were more casual and relaxed. They no longer needed Ye Xiu to teach them. Warming up before a match, this was something they all had to do during the regular season, too. After going through this season, everyone knew what methods they liked to use to warm up, and so they each did their own thing.

And as they steadily adjusted their condition, they watched the minutes and seconds tick by.

When it was five o’clock, Chen Guo came over to call everyone to dinner. On match days, they generally ate earlier than usual. Right now, only three hours were left before the beginning of the match, and the atmosphere was incredibly heavy. Chen Guo only ate a few bites before feeling full, struggling to continue the act. In comparison, the players seemed somewhat more relaxed than her.

After they ate, they dispersed to do their own thing, until coming back together at seven o’clock, when it was time to go to the stadium.

Leave Happy Internet Cafe through the back door, cross the road, enter the stadium through the player passageways…

Happy had walked this route for an entire season now, but never as seriously as they did now. It was as though every step they took now would affect the final result of this match.

The preparation room was already ready, the air conditioning already running to bring it to a comfortable temperature. After everyone entered, they found a seat and sat down, and then they were silent.

Too stifling!

Chen Guo deeply felt the pressure in the air. At a time like this, she should really say something! Chen Guo looked at Ye Xiu, looked at Wei Chen. These two seniors among seniors would normally take great care in adjusting the team’s attitude and atmosphere, so why weren’t they saying anything now? Was it because they were also feeling suppressed by this atmosphere?

Should I say something?

What do I say?

Good luck? Relax?

There was no point in repeatedly emphasizing these sort of mottos! She should have prepared some jokes. Maybe those would have some effect right now.

Chen Guo thought and thought, but she still didn’t know what she should say. But at last, Ye Xiu began to speak.

“Everyone remembers the strategies? Do I need to go over them again?” Ye Xiu said.

Everyone exchanged glances and silently shook their heads. No one spoke.

“Mm, the key is just spontaneous changes, we have a large advantage there. In terms of typing, I’m sure I can leave Yu Wenzhou behind in the dust.”

There were a few dry chuckles.

“Yu Wenzhou, as a pro player, has a completely insufficient handspeed,” Ye Xiu said. “But he was still able to become an All-Star level player. Do you know why?”

Everyone shook their heads. To be honest, they weren’t much in the mood for guessing things like this right now.

“He plays to his strengths and avoids his weaknesses,” said Ye Xiu.

“Silly, right?” Ye Xiu laughed. “But this is the truth. In this Alliance, there is no one better than him at doing this. This is Yu Wenzhou’s style, and this is the strategic style of Team Blue Rain as a whole. Ever since their soul, the person they could never be without, their previous captain Wei Chen retired, Blue Rain has been on the rise…”

“Fuck off!” Wei Chen had to interject.

Everyone laughed again, and this time it wasn’t as strained as before.

“Since our opponent this round is Blue Rain, I advise you all to learn from our comrade Yu Wenzhou. Avoid your weaknesses and use your strengths. Every one of you, fiercely place your strengths onto this battlefield for all to see. If you can do this, then you won’t have a single regret left in your heart. Don’t worry if it’s not enough. Everyone has their lacking areas, and that’s why we’re a team. Where one person lacks, the other four come to bolster. This is what it is to be a team.

“Everyone protects their teammates’ backs, and so everyone has someone at their back protecting them. So, rest assured, and charge forward boldly!”

“Happy, it’s time to go onstage.”

Just as Ye Xiu finished speaking, a worker knocked at the door of Happy’s prep room, calling them onstage.

“Let’s go!” Ye Xiu called, and everyone stood up and walked out of the prep room. Across the hallway, Blue Rain’s players were also walking out of their room.

The two teams each lined up in the passageway, with the two captains standing at the very front. Because the speech that Ye Xiu had just given had begun with Yu Wenzhou, Happy’s members couldn’t help but take extra glances at this Blue Rain captain whose handspeed wasn’t up to par.

“Did you guess what ace we have up our sleeve?” Ye Xiu, standing at the front of the line, asked Yu Wenzhou.

“We did not,” Yu Wenzhou smiled. He hadn’t even bothered to try and guess.

“I don’t mind telling you now,” said Ye Xiu.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment as well,” said Yu Wenzhou.

“It’s equipment,” said Ye Xiu.

“Oh, your Myriad Manifestations Umbrella isn’t dragging everyone else down anymore?” Yu Wenzhou said. Lord Grim’s umbrella had been Level 70 for the entire season. Right now, never mind the core characters, any character with a Silver weapon would definitely have their weapon upgraded first, so essentially all of them were now at Level 75. For weapons, 70 was practically an extinct number.

“Hehe, I should say that you guys will be dragging me down,” Ye Xiu laughed.

“Would it kill you to stop bragging?” At last, the person standing behind Yu Wenzhou could restrain himself no longer.

“Whoa, how many sentences did we say to each other just now? He actually lasted until now without opening his mouth! Must have been very difficult, huh?” Ye Xiu said to Yu Wenzhou with extreme surprise.

“Haha…” Yu Wenzhou could only laugh. What else could he say!

“Later, when you see it, try not to cry with fear,” Ye Xiu turned and said to Huang Shaotian.

“Try not to cry when you lose, too,” Huang Shaotian retorted.

“How could I lose?” Ye Xiu said loftily.

“Have some shame! You already lost twice.” Huang Shaotian was referring to the regular season.

“I didn’t lose.” At this time, Ye Xiu abandoned the “team” he was always talking about. If just talking about himself, he indeed hadn’t lost. He had thirty-seven consecutive wins!

“That was luck.” Of course, Huang Shaotian stubbornly had to continue.

“How about you get lucky for me to see? I only won thirty-seven in a row. I purposefully left one out. The record’s just begging to be broken!”

“…” No matter how stubborn Huang Shaotian was, he didn’t dare take up that challenge. Fortunately, right then, the workers signaled to the two teams to begin entering.

“Let’s go.” The away team entered first, but Yu Wenzhou didn’t forget to acknowledge Ye Xiu as he left, before stepping into the stadium proper.

For a stadium that wasn’t their home stadium, getting polite applause was good enough. Cheers and whatnot, even if their own fans had followed them here, would definitely be suppressed by the home stadium fans. How would the home fans tolerate the visitors going wild on their turf?

The stadium lit up with a projection of Swoksaar, who did some random movements. The chance to act cool or whatever of course wouldn’t be given to the away team characters; it was good enough that they didn’t bash them. The live announcer gave some cursory introduction for Yu Wenzhou, before calling up the next onstage.

Huang Shaotian immediately came up, and his treatment was about the same as what Yu Wenzhou received. This sort of thing was commonplace, and it happened at everyone’s home stadiums. Blue Rain’s players had seen the world, so of course this wouldn’t bother them. One by one the players came out and up onto the stage. And then when it was time for Happy, the sound was immediately different. The moment that Ye Xiu walked out of the passageway, the shouting and cheering instantly filled the entire stadium.

In the projection, Lord Grim displayed the many changes of the Myriad Manifestations Umbrella, while Ye Xiu waved to the audience members on all sides. Even the amount of time that was given was different from what Blue Rain got. As for the introduction, they only wished they could describe all of his glorious accomplishments in the most extravagant way possible.

One by one, Happy’s players walked onto the stage, and then they shook hands, and parted. Two people were left, undoubtedly the first players of the group arena, too lazy to leave and then come back.

“Ye Xiu, it’s Ye Xiu!” Commentator Pan Lin was already shouting excitedly.

Ye Xiu was actually Happy’s first player in the group arena. It was already the playoffs, and he still wanted to go on first? Before the match, practically no one had predicted this arrangement. With Ye Xiu’s unparalleled 1v1 ability, everyone logically expected that he would be fourth in the lineup.

But now, he was the first one!

As for Blue Rain, the first one up was the Qi Master Song Xiao! Their Mister Clutch was thrown into first slot in the group arena. What sort of plans and hopes were behind that choice?

After greeting each other, the two headed to their own competitor booths.

“Happy actually sent Ye Xiu as the first player in the group arena,” Pan Lin marveled. “This is completely unexpected. Coach Li, what do you think about this?”

“Um, I would think that this is mostly to boost Happy’s morale! Happy has a lot of rookies, after all, and this is their first time in the playoffs. The pressure is definitely high. If Ye Xiu goes first, he can get a win and raise their spirits, as well as lessen the responsibility of those after him. I think that’s Happy’s plan,” Li Yibo said, doing his best to speculate.