Chapter 156

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

They think they can judge and dictate Chinese battleteams simply because they come from countries that are strong in eSports, on what basis?

Ji Zhiyao sighed and said, “It’s about to begin, let’s watch the competition first.”

“Mm.”

1v1, players entering the stage for both teams were Big Fish and X Battleteam’s top-laner, Bamboo.

Bamboo was one of the few top laners locally to be the best playing tanks, when his health becomes thicker in the later phase, he often gives his opponents the feeling that he was unshakable. Letting Bamboo go against Big Fish who had an aggressive playing style was quite a good choice.

The match officially began.

Bamboo specially picked a champion with the strongest resistance ability amongst all top lane champions, a round cartoon bear, which looked especially adorable. Whereas Big Fish chose a soft early game attack champion, which would become weak in the later phase of the game.

Judging by Big Fish’s actions, was he planning to finish off Bamboo in the early game?

It shouldn’t be easy... Ji Zhiyao thought.

The speed at which Cartoon Bear was moving forward was slightly slower, while the champion that Big Fish picked, Little Short Legs ran very fast. When Bamboo arrived at the spot between the two defense turrets, Big Fish had already wiped out half of his minions. Bamboo was tanky and walked directly towards Big Fish, using attack abilities on him.

However, Cartoon Bear as a champion focused on crowd control, his damage wasn’t considered too high; Big Fish was agile in his movements, his hand speed many times faster than Bamboo who was a defense top-laner. Before Bamboo realized, Big Fish had already cleared all the minions around them and risen to level two ahead of him.

Bamboo took Big Fish’s abilities into consideration and swiftly turned around and retreated. But Big Fish flickered forward without hesitation, catching up to start attacking.

Nian Nian: “Didn’t expect Big Fish to use that flicker without the slightest hesitation, not one bit of unwillingness. We can now see that Big Fish’s stunning ability has already caught Bamboo, Bamboo’s health is gradually falling. Judging by this, if Bamboo cannot react after two seconds, he might directly become first blood.”

Qing Tian: “Earlier on Big Fish took away a lot of gold when he wiped out the minions, now not only his level, even his equipment is better as compared to Bamboo. I’m a little worried about Bamboo’s circumstances.”

Two seconds passed in a moment, when the stun ended, Bamboo retreated. Because his speed was really too slow, when he arrived back in his turret, Big Fish following behind him had already successfully left him with a bar of health.

Bamboo was lingering on with his last breath of life when he entered the turret and prepared to return to the fountain to regain his health. Yet Big Fish was like a maggot in his body as he charged behind into Bamboo’s defense turret.

Bamboo was knocked out, when Big Fish escaped out of the opponent’s turret, he was only left with a trace of his health, even a passing minion would’ve been able to kill him.

This forced kill was truly a surprise.

Yet this was only the beginning.

Qing Tian: “Right now Bamboo’s level is already gradually catching up, the trick that Big Fish used earlier would not work again. Oh my god, he still wants to do a turret dive! I believe if the national qualifiers were to pick the most unforgettable playing style, Big Fish’s forced kills would definitely be right at the top!”

Nian Nian: “To attempt the impossible is really not too sensible, his earlier advantage has been ruined by himself. Indeed, Bamboo has worn Big Fish down, and gotten a kill. This also means, that the situation of our match right now is one to one, no one team has pushed down a turret first.”

Qing Tian: “After Big Fish respawned, he’s off to approach Bamboo again! What exactly does he want to do?”

Nian Nian: “I somehow feel, this is Big Fish preparing for another forced kill.”

Qing Tian: “Before today, I never thought I would see such a situation here. Absolutely insane.”

Nian Nian: “The both of them are already onto each other, Bamboo’s health has begun to drop! Let us take a look at the equipment stats on the top right corner, Big Fish has sold his mana equipment and bought an expose armor.”

Qing Tian: “Now the both are left with the last trifle of health, he won! Congratulations Big Fish! If I call him the ‘King of counter kills’, I don’t think anyone would refute that.”

Nian Nian: “I heard that Big Fish was given the nickname ‘Mad Wolf’ when he was still in the Korean Servers, we’ve witnessed it today, he has indeed lived up to his reputation.”

Qing Tian: “Indeed a name that suits him. Big Fish has now pushed down the defense turret, after a judging, this match has been deemed valid, let us congratulate Big Fish from Bug Battleteam!”

Thunderous cheers sounded in the gymnasium, although Ji Zhiyao wasn’t too fond of such a mad dog style, he still applauded.

Mo Huaifeng turned over and asked, “If you were the one solo-ing against Big Fish, how will you play?”

Ji Zhiyao thought carefully then replied, “Make use of the turrets, teammates or roam around to wear him down. With how Big Fish is as person, if you take him on face to face, his actions will turn even crazier. Earlier on Bamboo originally wouldn’t have died for the last time, but he was probably made impatient from the match, that’s why he persisted on a frontal gank.”

Mo Huaifeng nodded, indicating his silent agreement.

...

In the backstage waiting room less than 300m from the audience.

Qiang with a cold expression, “Who allowed you to sign up for the 1v1 on your own accord, without my permission?”

The translator that translates Korean speedily translated his words for Big Fish, while wiping his perspiration.

Big Fish sneered with an indifferent expression, then spoke a line of Korean very quickly. The translator turned pale and stuttered, “H..He..he said...”

Boom narrowed his eyes slightly, “Whatever he says, you translate it.”

The translator inhaled deeply and said quiveringly, “We’ve won anyway, don’t all of you Chinese pigs who are the best at sitting idle and enjoying the fruits of others’ labor like it like this?”

“F*ck you! You really f*cking thought you were somebody? Is China a country that a scumbag like you can criticize?” Qiang instantly flipped the table and seized Big Fish’s collar, about to punch him.

The translator and Boom were the closest to him and quickly grabbed him, Boom said, “Captain, calm down first. We’re still competing now, if there’s anything let’s wait until we return to the base. Even if we do raise a hand, we can’t be caught by outsiders, if not we’d be banned from competing!”

Qiang’s eyes were red as he struggled to escape from the two people’s hold. “F*ck the damn ban from competing! I’m telling you, I did not want to continue staying here for a long time already! I don’t care! Let go of me!”

Big Fish watched this scene with a cold smile, then gave a long reply, by the looks of his expression, it didn’t sound like anything nice. The translator was about to pretend that he didn’t hear it when Qiang said harshly, “Translate it!”

The translator sighed to himself, then said, “He asked if you wanted to kick him out of the battleteam, then bring the previous mid-laner with a problematic sexual orientation back. He even said, Chinese would be Chinese, so what if you’re capable, your blood is disgusting, you are absolutely unworthy of developing eSports.”

The translator finished speaking, did not wait for Qiang’s reaction, then continued to say, “Captain, let me do it.”

Qiang was dazed, and realized that the translator was removing his suit jacket and took off his spectacles to place them at a side.

Then, he viciously lifted Big Fish’s collar and threw a punch right onto his eye socket.

“F*ck you! Where did get the nerve to!”

Watching as the translator and Big Fish go at each other, Qiang’s movements seemed to be frozen.

Was he afraid that he would be banned from competing...

After a good while, he closed his eyes wearily. Turning around, he looked at his other two teammates in turn and said hoarsely, “Get the mid-laner reserve who was on the registration list that was submitted to get here within 20 minutes, Boom, Old Devil, we’ll go play the 3v3.”

...

“Hmm?” Ji Zhiyao sat upright and noticed something amiss with the lineup.

Normally speaking, mid-laners have a greater advantage in 3v3, Big Fish’s capability was also evident, why was it jungler, Boom, top-laner, Old Devil and ADC, Qiang coming on for Bug battleteam for this match...

He prodded at Mo Huaifeng’s arm, “Captain, do you feel that something is amiss?”

“Yes.” Mo Huaifeng replied.

“Talk about it, talk about it.”

“All their expressions don’t look too good, their eyes are so red like they’ve just been in a fight.”

Ji Zhiyao looked towards the expressions of the three people on the big screen and found that it really did appear so.

What was up with Bug?

This uncertainty continued till Bug battleteam took down the 3v3, when the 5v5 began, Ji Zhiyao realized, that the mid-laner had changed from Big Fish to a boy that he had never seen before, one probably even younger than himself.

Mo Huaifeng frowned and said, “He’s from the youth camp.”

Ji Zhiyao knew about the youth camp, it was where youths found to be talented in gaming stayed at when they begin to be trained since 15 to 16 years old, Mix Club also set up one last year. But since it was called youth camp, they were definitely youths who had never participated in official competitions. Why had Bug battleteam changed their mid-laner to this boy?”

Something must have happened.

Ji Zhiyao heard the complaints from the audience behind.

“What the hell are they doing? I still thought that Big Fish played well earlier, why has the player changed now?”

“Isn’t Big Fish the mid-laner?”

“The mid-laner reserve is so young, isn’t Bug battleteam being ridiculous?”

In the midst of such questioning voices, Bug battleteam lost the first 5v5 match.

It could be seen that the young reserve was indeed rather talented, his handling was excellent. But it seemed like he had never worked with the others in the team before, it affected the entire team’s chemistry.

Basically until the end, X and Bug were left with one turret each on all three lanes. Qiang sent a signal to instruct the team to take down the big dragon, but it turned out that there were ambushes around the dragon’s cave, because the young reserve arrived three minutes later, Qiang was killed and he also fell into the gank and was killed. The battleteam without both their center positions, was directly destroyed.

After the twenty minutes break, Ji Zhiyao took time and looked at his phone, whether it was Tieba or Weibo, both had already fallen.

He had a premonition, if Bug battleteam lost another match, their reputation for a period of time would be considered finished.

But during the second match, Bug’s condition took a turn for the better.

Because of their failure in the first match, they seemed to have loosened up in the second, the mid-laner reserve had also adjusted himself, doing his best to cooperate with the activity of the others.

Nian Nian: “It’s discernible, that in this match, Bug battleteam has found their specialty again, their mood very relaxed. Whereas X, because their earlier development had been too weak, currently their offense is gradually falling behind.”

Qing Tian: “Earlier on that handling flashed out by the mid-laner reserve is still clearly etched in my mind, ambushing in the bushes to snatch the big dragon, counter killing the opposite ADC. The standard of this handling is really not bad.”

Nian Nian: “I just caught a glance at the information, Bug battleteam’s little reserve is only 16 years old, this is the youngest player I’ve seen at the national qualifiers.”

Qing Tian: “Now that you’ve said it, I instantly feel like I’ve aged a lot. Look at the middle lane, Qiang is about to push down X’s last turret into their base! Nice!”

...

Because the second match was a relatively easier win, the expressions of all five players from Bug in the arena were all very relaxed. When the break time ended, both teams bowed and entered the stage once more.

In comparison, because X battleteam lost badly in the previous match, they were very spiritless since the start of this match. Qiang was the first to take down the first turret at the bottom lane, presently, as the carry, Qiang’s gold was already almost 1000 ahead of the opponents. The mid-laner reserve was ambushed, X’s mid-laner behaved as if he was disconnected, completely unaware of the reserve, at last he was killed off by the reserve and Boom who crept up from behind.

Ten minutes into the game, Bug battleteam had shown an evident advantage.

The game went on till the 37th minutes, ten players from both teams met at the big dragon’s cave.

Old Devil stood right at the front as the tank and was also the first to be sacrificed, but he took X’s soft mid-laner and ADC with him before he died. Both of X battleteam’s center positions were taken away, the team’s remaining damage was not enough to take down the dragon, much less when four remaining players from Bug were still eyeing them like prey. As such X retreated, Bug focused on finishing the dragon.

45 minutes into the game, one could see Qiang swinging his wrist forcefully on the big screen in the gymnasium, his expression seeming slightly annoyed.

At this moment the enemies have arrived at their gates for X battleteam, only one turret left hanging on at all three lanes.

X battleteam’s mid-laner wanted to secretly destroy the opponent’s crystal amidst the chaos and was discovered by Old Devil. Old Devil clicked the ‘recall’ button, successfully returning to their fountain before X’s mid-laner managed to destroy the turret, then forcefully tanked the damage and killed him!

At the same time, on the other end of the map, a crystal tower gradually collapsed.

Bug battleteam clinched the victory for the last 5v5.

Nian Nian: “Alright. After the judging, Bug battleteam’s victory is deemed valid. Congratulations to Bug battleteam for advancing with 15 accumulated points!”

Cheers sounded from the audience.

Ji Zhiyao sighed in relief.

Hearing the obvious sound of a breath, Mo Huaifeng was slightly surprised. “What were you nervous about?”

“Of course I would be nervous. If they hadn’t won this match, Bug battleteam would’ve exploded on T and Weibo. Originally, swapping out the Korean reinforcement would’ve already set them up for hate comments, if they’d lost the competition...”

Not only local media, how would foreign media report it? “Venting off anger on the Korean reinforcement due to internal conflict in the team”, or “Chinese naturally do not have the blood for eSports”?

Simply ludicrous.

Mo Huaifeng nodded, then asked, “There’s still another round. They want to return to the base, what about you?”

“I’ll go back to the base too, together, together. Bao Lu vs Rocket yeah, I’m blindly guessing that Rocket will win.”

The incident with Bao Lu battleteam being too weak and being beaten to tears was still vivid in his mind. If their mentality was too weak, they definitely won’t be able to play well in competitions.

“Me too.”

Ji Zhiyao looked at him, pursed his lips then could not help but laugh.

Then Ji Zhiyao told the news of everyone intending to return to the base to Yuan Wei. Yuan Wei who was seated right outside agreed, he stood up and a line of young boys dressed in red and white uniform followed behind him, everyone walking towards the passageway together.

In the course of it, many people even surrounded them and took quite a lot of photos.

The van waited for them in the internal carpark of the gymnasium, they found the vehicle and boarded in turn.

Ji Zhiyao crossed one leg over the other and leaned back after finding a comfortable position, then pulled out his phone to scroll Tieba, wanting to see if there were any revelations about today’s national qualifiers.