Arc 3: Chances
Chapter 117: Playoffs (Part 4)
One of the functions of QQ chat is video calls. Currently, some members of the Glory Pro Alliance we're having a video call to watch the Challengers League Playoffs match.
The one who initiated the video call was Chu Yunxiu, the captain of Misty Rain. At first, she only thought of inviting her friend Su Mucheng to a new QQ group chat called « Challenger's League Season 7 Qualifiers Watchalong ». After being invited, Su Mucheng suggested to Chu Yunxiu to invite the others Glory Pro players if they were interested. The maximum number of people that they were planning to invite was 12.
More than 12 people were already too much.
Ye Qiu refused but considering that he would glance from time to time at Su Mucheng's room, he was joining on the watch alone and he didn't count on the number.
The next to be invited was Han Wenqing but he refused. Fortunately, Zhang Xinjie accepted. On team blue rain, Huang Shaotian was the only one available. In the hundred blossoms, after Zhang Jiale was compared to the Captain of Conquering Clouds, he still accepted and promised Huang Shaotian and Ye Qiu that he would have his revenge on tomorrow's match.
No one from Samsara accepted the offer of invitation. All of them are busy and practicing. At the end of the invitations, the individual that came are Yang Cong from 301 Degrees, Xiao Shiqin the captain of Thunclap, Fang Shiqian vice-captain of tiny herb, Tian Sen the captain of Royal Style, Fang Rui and Ling Jingyan from Wind Howl and Li Xuan and Wu Yuce from Void.
Before Chu Yunxiu started the video call and share the live stream of the match in the Chinese Glory Pro Alliance in video call for everyone to watch, she also doesn't forget to mute Huang Shaotian much to the latter's outrage. She also gave him a limit of only 100 words of text chat every 3 minutes.
When the first match of the team conquering Clouds happened, their first match since the online matches and it was also a playoff– some pros have commented with kowtowing emojis.
Drawing lots to make it to the playoffs– the captain of the conquering cloud's luck is godly. Sadly enough, these things can only happen in Challenger's league because of its rules.
No matter how similar they are, a challenger's league is a challenger's league. The professional league is the professional league.
The Conquering Clouds' ace player Cross Knife then stepped forward. Regarding Cross Knife, people who have watched Rex V Anima's live stream would know this person. Despite his only one-time appearance in Rex V Anima's broadcast (appearing only on that very first among us live stream), Rex V Anima has mentioned him so many times in his live streams that his username became unforgettable by the viewers.
“ Brother Cross Knife said that.. ”
" Brother Knife said.. "
" Brother Knife.."
" Brother Knife would like this.."
" Brother Knife dislike.."
" Unfortunately, Brother Knife..."
Because of that, there are various speculations ongoing regarding Rex V Anima and Cross Knife's relationship with them being relatives or siblings. And for those degenerate speculations, those people who have suggested were told to bathe themselves in holy water or burn in hell.
Of the pro players who haven't watched the online matches, some were confused about conquering Clouds' behavior of sending their ace player to the very first match. They were then reassured by Xiao Shiqin who watched all of the conquering clouds online matches.
[ Life Extinguisher (Xiao Shiqin): Don't worry. This is the regular strategy for Conquering Clouds.
Doubtful Demon (Fang Rui): What strategy? Tiring out their ace player?
Life Extinguisher (Xiao Shiqin): 1 V all
Troubling Rain (Huang Shaotian): The fuck?! Who does the brat think he is? I can understand Ye Qiu and me pulling out a 1 V 5 but that brat? He's quite confident in his skills.
Dazzling Hundred Blossoms (Zhang Jiale): Fuck you Shaotian! Are you the only pro player capable of pulling 1 v 5? I'm capable of 1 v 5 too!
Doubtful Demon (Fang Rui): I can pull a 1 v 20.. on regular glory players.
Immovable Rock (Zhang Xinjie): @HuangShaotian-Bluerain you're not talking on a 1 v 5 with regular players.
Troubling Rain (Huang Shaotian): I'm not! I can 1 v 100 regular players and I can 1 v 5 pro players.
Misty Rain (Chu Yunxiu): Sure.
Dazzling Hundred Blossoms (Zhang Jiale): Quite talking big Shaotian.
Troubling Rain (Huang Shaotian): Says the one who hasn't eaten his keyboard. @FangRui-Windhowl did you send proof of you playing in the glory pro match last week naked? Where's the evidence?
Dazzling Hundred Blossoms (Zhang Jiale): 🤬
Doubtful Demon (Fang Rui): I'm still in the process of editing the pictures. Should I zoom in on certain parts?
Troubling Rain (Huang Shaotian): QLSHFJDJARJFHAKVRKANDFJ!!
Life Extinguisher (Xiao Shiqin): .....
One Autumn Leaf (Ye Qiu). This junior is very shameless.
Scene Killer (Yang Cong): We have maidens in this chat. Have some shame Fang Rui.
Crying Devil (Li Xuan): I can't believe he did it. So that's why you fought inside a separate booth from your team the previous week?
Demon Subduer (Lin Jingyan): We would talk about this Rui after watching. ]
After a certain segment of shocking discoveries regarding a certain bet, the first round of group challenges started. Then it became the second, third, and became a final round of the group challenge.
When Cross Knife won the 1 v 5, the pros now understand why Cross Knife was sent out first. Then the Frontal Clear declared GG before the team challenge could even be started.
The pros could tell that the ace player of conquering clouds is very good. Skilled and talented. Even if his opponents aren't at the level of the pro players in the low tier of the glory pro alliance, Cross Knife is a prodigy.
What's more the one thing that stood out to him the most was his play style.
Berserkers are those players who prefer quick and rush battles.
On the other hand, Cross Knife was taking his time during the matches. Mostly avoided and dodged the attacks and skills sent out to him then attacks them with the fatal 2 combo combination of his skill.
If they would give a clear description of his playstyle, Cross Knife was acting like an Assassin trapped in a berserker's body. But to be more specific it was like watching a combination of Yang Cong and Huang Shaotian's opportunity-seeking play style.
After seeing Cross Knife's 1 v 5, Zhang Jiale was interested in the person playing the berserker class character.
Seeing Zhang Jiale's thoughtful expression in the video call, most of them have an idea or guess of what was going on with Zhang Jiale's mind.
[ Troubling Rain (Huang Shaotian): Seriously? You're thinking of poaching the brat for your team? Shameless!
Windy Rain (Chu Yunxiu): He was the team's ace player. He was their Zhou Zekai. You would end up destroying their team if you recruited him to your side.
Dazzling Hundred Blossoms (Zhang Jiale): They have their celebrity player. The speedrun guy. I'm sure they would manage. (^ ^)
Life Extinguisher (Xiao Shiqin): The celebrity speedrun guy that you are talking about might as well end up finding a way to PK you in real life. (^ ^)
Dazzling Hundred Blossoms (Zhang Jiale): Little thing, you're not serious aren't you?
Life Extinguisher (Xiao Shiqin): (^ ^)
Dazzling Hundred Blossoms (Zhang Jiale): Everyone please forget that I ever talk about recruiting the player behind Cross Knife.
Troubling Rain (Huang Shaotian): Little thing, how come you're familiar with the player behind Grand Caster?
Life Extinguisher (Xiao Shiqin): He added me in a QQ chat. Fang Shiqian is there too.
Troubling Rain (Huang Shaotian): WTF?! How come I am not added?!
Aweto/Wind Guard (Fang Shiqian): Don't worry, it was only filled with good mornings and good evenings, and Grand Caster wished everyone to have a good day or good dreams.
Doubtful Demon (Fang Rui): Are you sure we are talking about the same 'Grand Caster'?
Peaceful Hermit (Tian Sen): Grand Caster was acting most of the time.
One Autumn Leaf (Ye Qiu): I'm envious that Xiao Shiqin, Huang Shaotian, and Fang Shiqian are paid for their guest's appearances. I want some money too.
Troubling Rain (Huang Shaotian): Appear on the live broadcast yourself.
One Autumn Leaf (Ye Qiu): How about you 3 give me some money?
Troubling Rain (Huang Shaotian): 🖕
Life Extinguisher (Xiao Shiqin): Maybe I can ask Grand Caster to rig a 2D avatar for you Senior?
One Autumn Leaf (Ye Qiu): That's a lot of work. Forget about it. I'm also shy. There were a lot of people watching his live streams and even non-glory players. ]
Eventually, it was now time for the Semi-Finals. Team Conquering Clouds' opponent is the winner of the semi-finals of team A. Team Radiance who's to be not confused with Team Radiant who was a middle-tier team in Glory Pro Alliance.
Team Radiance was one of the relegated teams during Season 5. It was also an odd team. All of the members are composed of Priest Type players.
When another player was sent other than Cross Knife from the team conquering Clouds, the pro players weren't surprised. Even youngsters have a limit to their endurance.
The first match is an exorcist vs exorcist. The map is the Holy Hill. Among the pro player Tian Sen and Zhang Xinjie were the most interested in seeing the result of this match.
When the countdown ended, they watched the team conquering Cloud's exorcist equip his silver weapon.
Troubling Rain (Huang Shaotian): WTF?! What kind of player doesn't equip their weapon always?!
When the pro players saw Skyline's Express response toward the enemy player, most of them immediately guess that the captain of Conquering Clouds has sent out Skyline Express as a stall player. It doesn't matter if Skyline Express wins or loses.
If he loses, it was only 1 point. As long as he prolongs his match, their ace player Cross Knife would recover.
That was the sad truth for teams like conquering clouds, for teams who have their only ace player be the only one with exceptional skills in their team, the strategies would revolve towards the ace players.
Suddenly, in the public chat of the PVP, Skyline Express typed something.
[ Skyline Express: « The time for harvest has arrived. Sinful souls bloomed unpleasantly. I, Skyline Express one of the many fragments of death shall reap your sinful souls! Your end is here! »]
The pro players were confused at first but then they remembered that the conquering clouds are a roleplaying guild.
[ Skyline Express: « Curse you, Grand Caster! » ]
They watched as Skyline Express's scythe turned into a Pick Mattock. Various reactions could be seen in the QQ chat.
[ Troubling Rain (Huang Shaotian: Motherfucker?! A joke silver weapon?! What is he planning to do with that weapon? Farming?! ]
Not after Huang Shaotian commented as they watched the live stream, Skyline Express then raise his arms high while holding the pick mattock. The pick mattock collided with the ground.
[ Dig Skill is Used ]
[ Dig Skill is Used ]
[ Dig Skill is Used ]
Skyline Express started digging using the pick mattock.
All of the pro players who are in the watch along QQ chat group were confused. Even Ye Xiu was dumbfounded by the actions of Skyline Express.
' Farming on a match...This kid... They have taken their role-playing too far. '