Chapter 1192: Imaginary Enemy
Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi
I lost!
The instant Flying Sword fell, Liu Xiaobie collapsed against his seat in a daze.
His adjustment after slowing his rhythm had become opening for the opponent. He had figured out this "correct" method with difficulty, only for it to be broken. Was this method not actually the best choice?
Liu Xiaobie now began to doubt himself, just like he had doubted himself when he had used his explosive hand speed time and time again and yet was unable to achieve victory.
Carrying this shock, he walked out of the player booth, offstage, returning to Tiny Herb's player area.
"You played well." His teammates tried to cheer him up, and Liu Xiaobie managed a weak smile. They patted him on his shoulders, but they didn't worry about him too much. It was normal to be disappointed and melancholic after a defeat. If he had come back in high spirits, that would be more worrying.
Liu Xiaobie sat in his seat. Lowering his head, he looked at his two hands.
His hands were still very warm, fatigued after the high-speed playing in that match, and they were still trembling nonstop. Suddenly, a cold drink landed in the palm of his hand.
Liu Xiaobie lifted his head and saw Xu Bin's face.
"Still feeling the aftertaste of that match?" Xu Bin chuckled.
Liu Xiaobie shook his head. There really wasn't too much of an aftertaste. It was just two players losing control of their hand speeds, making two different choices. One didn't care and continued to go wild, while the other recognized the problem and immediately corrected himself.
No matter how you put it, the second option sounded like the correct one. But the victory had gone to the one who continued to go wild.
"It's not a big deal if you lose a match. But don't lose your conviction with it!" Xu Bin said.
Liu Xiaobie was startled.
Conviction!
What was his conviction?
Liu Xiaobie looked at this player in front of him. Xu Bin hadn't even been in Tiny Herb for a whole season, he wasn't any more senior than him here, but he had integrated into Tiny Herb extremely well. And his playstyle was distinct and unique in the professional scene, a style that grinded away at time. Even the audience would become impatient watching him, so despite his skill, he wasn't a very popular player. Before he transferred to Tiny Herb, he always lost by a large margin in the All-Star poll.
Tiny Herb's stage allowed him to shine more, but he didn't abandon his usual style. This was his choice. No matter where he was, he would perform this style unwaveringly.
"Sometimes a choice isn't right or wrong. It just depends on whether or not you have the conviction to carry it out." As Xu Bin spoke, his gaze landed upon another person.
Wang Jiexi, captain of Tiny Herb. Ever since he entered the team, he was Tiny Herb's soul, a presence that every person here respected and admired.
When Liu Xiaobie had been unable to get the results he wanted with his early methods, he made changes with a determined resolve. Because there was this successful role model in front of him, he had complete faith that he could make these changes.
Wang Jiexi, the one called the Magician. But he threw away this title, and it wasn't until he changed many of his battle methods that he led Tiny Herb to its summit.
Wang Jiexi's story was the source of Liu Xiaobie's faith. It was what gave him the determination to change his style and make a breakthrough. But after this battle, his determination was now wavering.
This just showed that he wasn't determined enough. It also showed that he was far from mature enough.
The road was still long!
Liu Xiaobie cracked open the drink and took a long gulp.
By this time, Tiny Herb's second player of the group arena had taken to the stage.
Xiao Yun, Tiny Herb's Battle Mage, Euphorbia.
Number two!
Tang Rou quietly counted in her head.
1v3. After that day, she hadn't made any speech on the matter. Even on a normal day at Happy, it was never brought up, as though it didn't exist. But in her heart, she hadn't forgotten this for even a second.
I have to complete this! Tang Rou didn't know how many times she had repeated this in her heart. And now, this was the final chance in her bet.
This was opponent number two, and Soft Mist had 57% health remaining.
To take down an opponent in the group arena and still have over half health remaining was generally an extremely pleasing result, but for Tang Rou, this was far from enough, because her goal was to take down all three opponents by herself. But now, after only defeating Liu Xiaobie, she'd already used up 43% of Soft Mist's health. This 57% remaining to her was a tired remnant.
To clash head-on with a player who relied on his hand speed, the burden on her own two hands was unimaginable. Added to the crazy intense training Tang Rou had undergone these past 35 days, it would take a toll on even the youngest and most fit people.
And now, she still had to face two opponents, one of whom was Wang Jiexi. Tang Rou had known for a very long time just how fearsome this opponent was.
But now, there was not a trace of fear in her heart.
Defeat the one before her, and then, Wang Jiexi. Her thoughts about Wang Jiexi stopped there, nothing more.
At the start of the second battle, Xiao Yun's message appeared in the chat. "Pretty girl, your show ends here."
There was a taunt in Xiao Yun's words. 1v3? In his eyes, it was just a show.
Xiao Yun had strong feelings of hostility toward Tang Rou. In the team, he had heard that Tiny Herb was interested in Tang Rou and wanted to recruit her, but she had unfortunately turned them down.
Tiny Herb already had a Battle Mage player, himself, Xiao Yun. And yet, the team was now looking at another Battle Mage player. Xiao Yun wasn't at the point where he needed a successor. The fact that Tiny Herb had their eye on her, did that mean that this girl was better than himself?
Such a conclusion wouldn't sit well with anyone. Towards the team, towards Tang Rou, Xiao Yun was rather dissatisfied. And now he had a chance to face off against her. Tang Rou had made that promise of quitting if she couldn't complete a 1v3 in five rounds or whatever, and it just so happened that he was in the fifth round, stuck right in front of Tang Rou.
Xiao Yun was rather excited. To be able to send this Tang Rou, this player who had threatened to replace him, out of the professional scene, it was his pleasure. But he didn't dare to underestimate Tang Rou. In fact, ever since hearing the news that the team had interest in recruiting Tang Rou, he had started paying a lot of attention toward her.
Tang Rou became a powerful competitor in his eyes. Any of her matches, any reports about her, Xiao Yun paid particular attention, so much so that his teammates thought that he was trying to make some advances toward this pretty girl.
"Advances, hell! She'd better hope she doesn't fall into my hands!" This is what Xiao Yun said to Zhou Yebai, one of his teammates with whom he was close. And now, Tang Rou really fell into his hands.
I won't let you have a good time!
Xiao Yun reaffirmed his determination and controlled his Euphorbia to walk out of the spawn point. Although Soft Mist only had about half health remaining, Xiao Yun still hoped to move strategically if possible, instead of meeting her charge directly. Even if he didn't like Tang Rou, he had to admit her ferocity. Direct attacks weren't his forte, he didn't want to use his weakness against her strength. But the problem was, this Windy Pavilion map had hardly any cover on it. There was no way to strategically move to launch a sneak attack. Xiao Yun was helpless and could only direct his character to charge forward. At the opposite corner, Tang Rou's Soft Mist was doing the same thing as always, rushing without any hesitation.
What advantage did he have over Tang Rou?
Imagining Tang Rou as his opponent, Xiao Yun had thought about this comparison consciously and unconsciously many times now.
Experience.
Compared to Tang Rou, he was introduced to Glory earlier, he trained as a Battle Mage earlier, he became a pro player earlier, he played pro matches earlier. Even though he wasn't a very stable core member of Tiny Herb, he was still in Tiny Herb, this powerhouse that had won two championships. Even a casually discarded rookie from this team was picked up and treated like a treasure at Happy. To have a piece of land in this kind of team, this was already something of which to be proud. And a mere rookie wanted to replace him?
Xiao Yun grew angry.
He didn't care that this was just the subjective will of Tiny Herb, or that Tang Rou's refusal had in some ways helped him. He didn't dare express any of his feelings toward Tiny Herb, but this dissatisfaction accumulated in his heart until it finally found its target, Tang Rou, as though she had been the one who actively wanted to steal his position.
The more Xiao Yun thought, the more hatred and rage he felt.
Dragon Breaks the Ranks!
This was an opening move that Tang Rou liked to use, but in this battle between two players of the same class, it was Xiao Yun who used it first. Not only did he want to win, he wanted to win beautifully. He wanted to show his team that he was far superior to Tang Rou. Anything she could do, he could do better.
This Dragon Breaks the Ranks came very suddenly. But a powerful attack at the beginning rarely hit the opponent because the starting animation for such powerful attacks was generally more noticeable than the ones for smaller attacks. Tang Rou was now a skilled Battle Mage player, and as soon as she saw Euphorbia's pose, she immediately controlled Soft Mist to dodge. Even though Xiao Yun also immediately made adjustments, when his spear shot out, it didn't manage to land on its target.
Soft Mist dodge to the side, and after Euphorbia's powerful attack whistled by, Dancing Fire Flowing Flame leapt out.
Sky Strike!
Soft Mist's first attack in this round was rather plain.
Euphorbia immediately leapt backward, as though still carrying some remnants of the Dragon Breaks the Ranks. After avoiding this Sky Strike, his spear was already sweeping wildly toward Soft Mist.
From top to bottom, this was a Draconic Crusher, a level 50 Battle Mage attack. If this attack landed, the target was guaranteed to fall over on the ground. And the priority of a level 50 skill was much higher than low-level skills, so even if Soft Mist was able to adjust the angle of her Sky Strike, she wouldn't be able to parry this Draconic Crusher.
So Xiao Yun was completely confident. But Soft Mist's Sky Strike continued toward him.
Ridiculous, I'll flatten you!
Xiao Yun's mouse moved faster. The Draconic Crusher pressed down on Soft Mist and her Sky Strike.
Ping!
The two spears met in the air, and the result was decided in an instant. The parrying effect of Sky Strike didn't seem to exist and was immediately smothered by Draconic Crusher.
What about Soft Mist? It seemed that this attack was too strong, so strong that she had no way of bracing herself against it, instead rolling to reduce the force.
But that movement wasn't necessary, Xiao Yun was very clear. The Sky Strike was just crushed by the Draconic Crusher, but there was suddenly a jump, and a Dragon Tooth leapt towards him like a viper.
Chapter 1193: What’s Fearsome Is Her Overwhelming Determination
Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi
She's so fast! No wonder Liu Xiaobie lost.
Xiao Yun had Euphorbia dodge. Although he had been mentally prepared for this situation, when it actually happened, he became a bit nervous.
Indeed, this was not an opponent he could take head-on! With this, Xiao Yun's prediction was confirmed. And since he knew this long before, of course he had prepared a strategy.
If she wants to be fast, then I can't let her be fast. With my understanding of the Battle Mage class, I can definitely suppress her rhythm!
In a battle between two players of the same class, each side had a greater understanding of what changes could be made in battle. If Tang Rou weren't a Battle Mage, Xiao Yun wouldn't have this confidence, but since she was a Battle Mage, he believed that he could control the flow of battle. After all, his opponent was still a rookie, with limited understanding and control of the class. In this same-class battle, he had a slight advantage, Xiao Yun believed.
He calmly controlled his character to jump backward and avoid Soft Mist's Dragon Tooth.
Another jump let him avoid Soft Mist's subsequent Double Stab.
After the Double Stab, Dancing Fire Flowing Flame suddenly flipped up to a Sky Strike, the skill's cooldown having just ended. But Euphorbia stuck his spear downward and this Sky Strike was suppressed. None of Soft Mist's consecutive attacks managed to succeed.
The corner of Xiao Yun's mouth twisted into a cold smirk. He felt like a cat toying with a mouse.
But a Magic Chaser was already flying toward him, a Light Chaser accumulated from the earlier Sky Strike.
As expected, not a second of rest!
This Light Chaser wasn't outside of Xiao Yun's expectations either, and he very calmly dodged it. Soft Mist immediately came with another attack, even faster, with the speed bonus granted after firing a Light Chaser. This, too, Xiao Yun had accounted for, and after he dodged the Chaser, he was already defending against the sudden attack that would come next.
And his responses to her attacks weren't just ordinary dodges, as that would just give Tang Rou more space to increase her speed. Xiao Yun relied more on parrying attacks, limiting her ability to chain attacks and ruining her rhythm.
He did fairly well. After all, he was a member of Tiny Herb, and he had trained with the Battle Mage class for several years now. He was very clear on where and how to attack to maximally interfere with her attack rhythm.
This again…
Tang Rou was no stranger to this current situation. In fact, it could be said that she had just experienced this.
Last round against Heavenly Swords, even though Happy had won the two points from the group arena, Tang Rou, who was the first to come out, was defeated by the second person on their team. Heavenly Swords' second player, Wen Kebei, was a Battle Mage.
Tang Rou had just experienced a same-class battle last round, and this round she once again fought against a same-class player. Xiao Yun and Wen Kebei both fought with this interference style that could only be executed by someone familiar with the class. But Xiao Yun, compared to Wen Kebei, was more practiced, and Tang Rou was suppressed harder than she was last round.
It was harder, but she knew it better.
Tyrant's Destruction! Tang Rou still refused to give up on attacking.
That smirk continue to hang on the corner of Xiao Yun's mouth. With a practiced motion of the mouse, his Euphorbia also unleashed a Tyrant's Destruction, crashing toward Soft Mist's.
An instantaneous control, an instantaneous attack, and in an instant, the spears were about to collide once again. But suddenly, Dancing Fire Flowing Flame suddenly shot upward.
In the last moment, just before the two skills were about to hit, Tang Rou adjusted the direction of her skill. No time to delay, the timing couldn't be off by a hair.
She did it!
Dancing Fire Flowing Flame and the spear that Euphorbia swung toward her slipped past each other. And Soft Mist jumped into the air, and in the same way, with hardly a second to spare, she just barely dodged his attack.
Barely, but she managed to dodge it. And Xiao Yun? After discovering this change, it was already too late to react.
Tang Rou pushed her change all the way to the end, leaving no time for Xiao Yun to make any follow-up move.
Not just him, even someone with ten or a hundred times the hand speed wouldn't have been able to keep up with Tang Rou's change at that moment.
Shit!
Xiao Yun only had time to shout in his mind. He didn't even have the chance to retract the smirk on his mouth when Euphorbia was hit by Soft Mist's Tyrant's Destruction. At the same time, flames burst forth and landed upon Euphorbia's body, as Dancing Fire Flowing Flame's special effect "Flowing Flame" was activated.
After one attack succeeded, things got easier. The next skills came one after another in a combo.
This was a combo. If this offense could be casually broken, then it wouldn't be called a combo.
Xiao Yun's Euphorbia and the Dancing Fire Flowing Flame in Soft Mist's hands met over and over again. Tang Rou was completely immersed in the controls. Of course, she hoped with this one chain of combos she could defeat her opponent, but sadly, things didn't turn out that way.
Xiao Yun, who understood Battle Mages well, quickly found a flaw in Tang Rou's combo.
Furious Dragon Strikes the Heart!
Seeing the flaw, Xiao Yun directly used a powerful attack. Tang Rou hastily responded, Soft Mist drawing back her spear, but she had no way of completely parrying such a high-level attack.
Soft Mist's offensive came to an abrupt end, and Xiao Yun used this Furious Dragon Strikes the Heart to retaliate with a new high of attacks.
Tang Rou's response to this offensive was completely different from Xiao Yun's. Xiao Yun would observe, anticipate, search for an opportunity. But when she faced each of Euphorbia's attacks, she would always try to make a move, she controlled her character nonstop, as though Euphorbia's attack sequence contained flaws everywhere.
But in reality, Euphorbia's attacks were not interrupted. Tang Rou struggled endlessly, but to no avail.
But her struggling like this gave her opponent a lot of pressure. Xiao Yun felt a strong sense of danger, as though if he made the tiniest slip, it would immediately cause him to lose this match.
This state was unexpected for Xiao Yun. He was nervous, he didn't dare become careless, but the more he felt this, the more flawed his controls became, often scaring himself into a sweat. Thus, Xiao Yun was unable to maintain his offensive for long before he, too, finally revealed an opening. The unrelenting Tang Rou instantly seized the opportunity. Even death wouldn't have stopped her as she surged forward. One attack landed, and immediately a chain of attacks followed. If Xiao Yun seized a chance and interfered again? No worries, she'd just come again!
The two sides traded the initiative back and forth, but whether or not she was attacking or being attacked, Tang Rou's Soft Mist always maintained an offensive stance. When attacking, she was always moving forward; when being attacked, she caused a constant fear of counterattack in the opponent, like a thorn in the back. The sweat on Xiao Yun's forehead accumulated, and the string in his heart was wound tighter and tighter.
The tighter he was, the more he didn't dare relax his hands or legs, and Xiao Yun's apprehension only increased. The more he didn't want to make a mistake, the more often a mistake would come find him. The battle seemed like a continuous exchange of attack and defense positions, but Xiao Yun's attack periods grew shorter and shorter, and Tang Rou was seizing opportunities and attacking for longer and longer periods of time.
Under these exchanges, Xiao Yun watched as Soft Mist slowly closed the gap between their health levels. He grew panicked, and he started making more mistakes. He once again reminded himself to stay calm, stay stable, but his two hands were so stiff, so unresponsive, it was as though they were no longer his own. Where did his normal casual and easy controls go? Xiao Yun wanted to stuff his hands in his mouth and bite down hard.
His 43% health lead was pulled to a tie, and then, he started losing.
The more Xiao Yun played, the more chaotic he became. He no longer had a fraction of the confidence he'd had at the beginning of this match. All he had was overwhelming panic.
How could it be like this?
Xiao Yun didn't understand. He had prepared thoroughly to face Tang Rou, he was confident, so how come as soon as he was onstage, he couldn't perform? How was his condition today so bad?
Xiao Yun couldn't stabilize himself or control the situation. He could only lose.
Tang Rou completed the 1v2, successfully entering the third battle of the group arena.
The crowd was silent.
1v2. This result was already valiant, but because Tang Rou promised a 1v3, she wasn't done yet. Tiny Herb's next player onstage was their captain Wang Jiexi. And Tang Rou? Soft Mist, after this battle, only had 16% health remaining.
"Coach Li, what do you think… this…" Commentator Pan Lin spoke haltingly. To challenge Wang Jiexi with 16% health, it was very difficult for anyone to have hope!
"Haha, the wonder of competition is its unpredictability! Perhaps we will witness a miracle!" Li Yibo laughed.
"That's to say, Coach Li still looks favorably on Tang Rou?" Pan Lin said.
"We've already reached this point. Tang Rou is a player full of energy, so who knows, she might achieve the inconceivable!" Li Yibo said.
"Alright, let's look forward to the result of what has been the focus of the past five rounds! Team Happy's Tang Rou versus Team Tiny Herb's Wang Jiexi!" Pan Lin announced.
The television broadcaster made this announcement, and the live screens in the stadium displayed the next player from Tiny Herb who was about to play. But Wang Jiexi didn't hurry to go onstage, and instead waited for Xiao Yun to return.
Seeing the captain looking at him, Xiao Yun lowered his head, and looked for a corner in which to hide.
"What's most fearsome about Tang Rou is not her technique, nor her hand speed, but her overwhelming determination." After Wang Jiexi spoke, he stepped toward the stage.
Happy versus Tiny Herb, third match of the group arena.
The final opponent in the 1v3. Win this, and she would complete her promise. Just one last step.
However, Tang Rou was already powerless.
Vaccaria slid down from the sky, trailing behind him the glittering remnants of starlight from the dance of Star Extinction.
"A 1v3 is not so easy!" Wang Jiexi said.
In the third battle of the group arena, Wang Jiexi won. No damage taken.
The audience was once again silent.
If Tang Rou's 1v3 had succeeded, they would have been dissatisfied. But seeing her defeated so swiftly by Wang Jiexi, everyone felt a bit disappointed.
They themselves couldn't say for what sort of outcome they had hoped.
In Happy's player area, everything was even more still. Failing to complete a 1v3 was nothing. In fact, in terms of the match progression, for their first player to meet the opponent's third, they held a great advantage. But, the outcome that this 1v3 failure implied…
At this moment, no matter how hard Chen Guo tried, she couldn't squeeze out even a half-corner of a smile.
Chapter 1194: I Don’t Agree
Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi
She lost…
In the end, Tang Rou was unable to complete her promise of a 1v3 within five rounds. Chen Guo couldn't muster even the barest of smiles, but when Tang Rou returned, she was still able to smile at all of them, just like after her losses in all of the previous group arenas. That smile was to let them know that they didn't need to worry for her. But if they didn't worry now, when would they? Five rounds had already passed, there were no more chances!
Seeing how Tang Rou was still wearing such a smile, Chen Guo only felt more miserable. She wanted to go up and say something, but she didn't know what she could say. Tang Rou quietly sat back down in her seat, and her face finally revealed a trace of exhaustion. 35 days of crazy training, and a frenzied performance in every match. This time, facing the powerhouse Tiny Herb, she defeated two opponents in a row, but in the end, she fell so swiftly at the hands of Wang Jiexi.
Was everything already over?
Chen Guo felt a numbness in her nose. She looked at Tang Rou, whose head was lifted, staring at the replays on the screens, just like normal. They were all displaying shots from her match that had just ended.
Ye Xiu stood up, but he didn't say anything to Tang Rou. He still followed the progression of the match and said something to the next player who was about to go onstage. Chen Guo was right next to him, and yet she couldn't hear a thing he said.
Happy's second player in the group arena was Steamed Bun, a player that many people thought shared some traits with Wang Jiexi. This time, facing Wang Jiexi, he lost speedily.
Two opponents defeated consecutively, yet Vaccaria had barely lost any health. The audience's eyes were wide.
Everyone had been focused on whether or not Tang Rou could complete a 1v3. But now, it was actually shaping up to be a total reversal like this?
Amidst everyone's guessing, Fang Rui went onstage…
In the group arena, Tiny Herb won.
The dead silence in the crowd only belonged to Happy's reporters. The Tiny Herb fans supporting their away team were thrilled, excited, and screaming crazily. Even Pan Lin, in the middle of the broadcast, was nearly incoherent.
"This… This is truly…" Pan Lin tried to organize his words. "Just when Tang Rou defeated two Tiny Herb players and everyone was wondering whether or not she could create a miracle, Wang Jiexi, Tiny Herb's Captain Wang Jiexi, the Magician Wang Jiexi, with a crisp and clear 1v3, tells everyone: impossible! Tiny Herb maintains its record of never being 1v3'd! Wang Jiexi is truly one of the most reliable players in the Alliance! An awe-inspiring reversal!"
The excitement of the Tiny Herb fans conquered the entire stadium.
Tang Rou failed her 1v3, and the opponent pulled off a 1v3 to reverse the situation and win the match. One could only imagine how low Happy's spirits were.
How would the upcoming team competition play out? Very few people could concentrate on this question, as everyone was still worrying about Tang Rou's future. On the other hand, after Wang Jiexi's 1v3 to win back the group arena, Tiny Herb's morale reached its peak. With this shift, in the end, Happy lost the team competition to Tiny Herb as well. The match ended, 2 to 8.
To be honest, Happy losing to Tiny Herb wasn't any big news. The most attention-grabbing part of this match was Tang Rou's promise of completing a 1v3, and this too was a large reason why the live broadcast chose to show this match. And now, the dust settled. The reporters had all already gathered at the post-match press conference, discussing in a chaotic manner, some regretful, some gloating.
Esports Time's Ruan Cheng, of course, would not miss this press conference. It could even be said that he was the star of this conference. Right now, he acted like a victor, delightedly moving through the crowds of reporters, chatting with some here and some there, leaving the sound of his hearty laughter throughout.
"Are you happy?" Ruan Cheng suddenly heard someone speak up beside him. He turned his head and saw this person glaring right at him.
"Seeing such a talented player forced to leave the professional scene for a reason like this. Are you happy?" When Ruan Cheng turned toward him, Chang Xian spat out this sentence word by word, syllable by syllable.
He was the reporter closest to Happy, but among all of these people, Chang Xian was still just a junior. His identity and position couldn't compare at all to Esports Time's senior writer Ruan Cheng. But at this moment, Chang Xian mustered his courage and hurled this question at him.
"Haha," Ruan Cheng laughed. "Everyone needs to take responsibility for their choices, and I'm pleased to see a player meet such a result after their own arrogant words and actions. Of course, I prefer to see that she learns a lesson from this, corrects her shortcomings, and continues to improve. Something like this wouldn't actually force her to retire, no? Haha."
"You're exactly right, take responsibility for your choices. Everyone's very willing to accept a sincere apology!" Another reporter who disapproved of Tang Rou's actions came to support Ruan Cheng's opinion.
Seeing these seniors pretending to be innocent and sympathetic, Chang Xian truly felt disgusted. These people always put themselves on the moral high ground, casually pointing fingers at other people, as though anything that didn't fit their views was automatically wrong. They spoke as though this were all for Tang Rou's good, but Chang Xian was clear, they just wanted to see Tang Rou embarrassed, see this strong and tough player bow her head before them, thus proving the authority of their right to speak.
Chang Xian didn't want to see Tang Rou lower her head before these guys, but he was even less willing to see Tang Rou quit the pro scene like this.
"They're here, Happy's people are here." After this shout, all of the reporters took their positions. Ruan Cheng smiled and organized his appearance. With all the attitude of a victor, he prepared to thoroughly enjoy this evening.
Ye Xiu, Fang Rui, Chen Guo, and Tang Rou, these were the four people from Happy that came for this press conference. The reporters were quietly delighted, since they had worried earlier that Tang Rou simply wouldn't attend. But now, it seemed this girl was quite magnanimous! Not bad, lower your head! Apologize!
As long as you come with the right attitude, everyone will gladly accept it.
Although everyone was eager to jump right in, seeing the four Happy members take their seats, in the end they all turned toward Ruan Cheng. After all, this whole affair was his creation. At this time, they had to give him face, let him complete this topic.
"Ahem!" Ruan Cheng of course wouldn't pass up this opportunity. After the signal that he could begin, he gracefully stood up to ask a question. "It's a great shame that Happy was in such condition, only to suffer such a reversal." Ruan Cheng was in no hurry, and said these perfunctory opening words.
"Yes, it's a shame," Ye Xiu answered.
"It's a greater shame that Miss Tang Rou failed to complete her 1v3 by just one step." Ruan Cheng smiled as he hit upon the topic at hand.
Tang Rou sat on the panel. Contrary to everyone's expectations, she didn't appear to be in a rush to examine her mistakes, nor did she show any sign of disappointment or loss. Like every other time she had appeared in such a press conference, she simply sat there, upright and proper.
What was the meaning of this?
More than a few reporters were already having second thoughts.
Promise?
To be honest, not many people really took this very seriously. Tang Rou, with her looks and skill as a player, had an immeasurable value in the pro scene. There was really no way to strictly enforce this so-called promise. But for the sake of the team's most immediate interests, at this point, they had to smooth over their public relations somehow, right? Even if they used the reasons Ruan Cheng had exposed earlier, "for love,""for the team,""for the supporters," or other such arguments. Or if they really had nothing else, even a reason like "to generate interest" could very well be brazenly announced!
But, with this calm and stability in front of them, as though this whole situation didn't exist, what was she planning to do? Was she pretending to have amnesia?
Everyone looked at Ruan Cheng. Stop playing around, get to the point!
Ruan Cheng was also beginning to have doubts in his heart. At this time, this player seriously didn't have any intention of lowering her head? What an infuriating person!
Ruan Cheng's mood worsened, and so he picked up the pace.
"If I've counted correctly, this is now the fifth round since your promise of five rounds. Although Miss Tang Rou only missed it by one step, the 1v3 was not completed. It seems that, Miss Tang Rou, you said earlier, if you couldn't complete a 1v3 in five rounds, you would quit?"
Ruan Cheng had initially intended for Tang Rou to stand up of her own volition to admit her wrong and beg forgiveness, but now, she was just sitting motionless at the panel, as though she would completely ignore the topic if no one brought it up. Ruan Cheng couldn't stand it any more, and so he directly dug up the promise.
Instantly, everyone's gazes swiveled to Tang Rou.
Tang Rou smiled. "Quit? I don't agree. Go on."
I don't agree, go on?
What was that?
The reporters were instantly in an uproar. Even Ruan Cheng was stunned. Chang Xian hadn't expected Tang Rou to do this, either.
Refuse to lower your head, but refuse to quit as well, what can you do?
Chang Xian hadn't expected that even this pretty girl would have delinquent tendencies. To put it bluntly, she was admitting that she was breaking her word? This this this… She was completely destroying her reputation!
A promise, no matter in what context, held significance. The words you said, the water you spilled, you could find this or that ridiculous excuse, but in the end you needed to find an explanation to give yourself a place to stand.
But Tang Rou wasn't standing on anything, she just gave that sentence: I don't agree.
Exactly!
If the player didn't agree, there was truly no one who could force her to quit, so this reason was very strong. But to do this was to burn your image and reputation to ashes. Having a good appearance couldn't save you. Character, integrity, those were forever a person's most important traits.
"You don't agree?" This response caught Ruan Cheng completely off guard. His voice had gone strangled, he had no idea how to go on. "You… you shameless!"
He couldn't hold back, Ruan Cheng just couldn't hold back. To directly hurl such insults was of course frowned upon, and these writers often had to use very roundabout ways to insult someone. But in this moment, he truly couldn't hold back anymore. This was shameless. No word could describe this more accurately.
"You can say what you will," Tang Rou said. "I will continue as always. Thank you."
Thank you? What the fuck! The reporters were instantly enraged. Are you trying to make fun of us?
Chapter 1195: Each Crazier than the Next
Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi
The atmosphere of the press conference reached a boiling point. Even those who hadn't initially harbored any ill-will toward Tang Rou could no longer hold themselves back after seeing her current attitude.
What was this? The stubbornness of a mule? You clearly lost the bet, but you don't apologize and recognize that you were overly confident, nor do you quit the Alliance like you said. You just toss the sentence "I don't agree"?
In the ten years of the Glory Pro League, there had never been a player like this before, a player who simply refused to recognize the words they had previously said.
Pro players were public figures, so it was crucial that they had a good reputation. A player like this who didn't keep her word, no matter how good her appearance or disposition, what kind of business would dare endorse her? Without these endorsements, who would be willing to use her in advertising? Even pro teams, in order to avoid affecting the image of the team as a whole, would stay far away from a player with such a bad image, no matter how skilled the player was.
Tang Rou's action was completely self-destructive. Although the reporters were boiling, aside from Ruan Cheng's accusation of "shameless," none of them could find any other condemnation. None of them had ever experienced such a situation before, they didn't have experience!
For now, the reporters were like wasps whose nest had just been attacked, filling the air with their buzzing. In the midst of it all, it was possible that a few wanted to ask some questions, but in such a noisy and chaotic situation, no one could hear anything clearly.
"Everyone quiet down, quiet!!" the Alliance's media spokesperson shouted. Normally, a pro team had its own spokesperson, who would act as the host for any press conferences a team held. Happy didn't have one, so the Alliance's employee was a temporary fill-in. A worker from the Alliance would defend a pro team to some extent, but in the end they wouldn't be as exhaustively dedicated to the team like a worker from the team itself. This worker right now just wanted to restore order and didn't particularly care about Happy itself.
The reporters' uproar lasted for almost five whole minutes. As it slowly settled down, everyone adopted faces of indignation. This time, none of them felt that they understood Tang Rou's actions. Chang Xian had been pleased at first to see the reporters utterly flustered and anxious, but after that passed, he too started to worry about Tang Rou. He understood clearly how disadvantageous Tang Rou's attitude was, and he didn't know what sort of public relations strategy this was. With his understanding of Happy, they didn't have any dedicated public relations team. Their press conferences were all very casual, otherwise this wouldn't have attracted so much hatred.
Amidst the reporters who had regained order, Ruan Cheng acted as the voice of general opinion as he stood at the front, face filled with resentment.
"Miss Tang Rou, may I ask, what the meaning of your words was just now?" Ruan Cheng asked, exceedingly sophisticated. Although he had already carefully considered this, he still feared that Tang Rou had hidden some sort of trap in her words. After all, this whole situation was too incredible and ridiculous, and had never happened before in all ten years of Glory.
"I mean that I will not quit the Alliance, I will continue to play," Tang Rou said.
Alright, this time she made herself clear. There was no way for her meaning to be twisted, was there? Ruan Cheng was suddenly full of energy.
"Then, what do you think your earlier promise was all about? You think that your simple 'I don't agree' is enough to erase it? What do you have to say to all those Glory players that cared about you, wished you well, supported you?" Ruan Cheng said.
"Oh." Hearing this, Tang Rou stood up.
"I deeply regret being unable to complete a 1v3. I have disappointed all those who have cared about me, wished me well, and supported me." As she said this, Tang Rou made a short bow, and then straightened. "However, I will not retire because of this. Even if it hurts me, I will continue, and I will bear the burden of the disgrace that results. I only worry that my teammates will be dragged into this, and I hope that the team will not be harmed by any of this, because this is all my own decision. I hope that all of the criticism and accusations will only be aimed at myself, and not at Team Happy or the other team members."
"Your behavior tarnishes the reputation of your team," Ruan Cheng said.
"Yes, you are correct, the team is implicated because of me, they are victims," said Tang Rou. "Thank you for being so reasonable."
The atmosphere of the press conference became twisted again.
What's this? She wants to bear all the consequences of her faults? After this clear spiel of words, those who wanted to defame Happy along with her could no longer open their mouths. But to take all responsibility like this, this Tang Rou, has she not considered her future?
All of the reporters sensed how insane it was for Tang Rou to destroy her reputation and future prospects like this. But they had no way of attacking this point.
"Do you know what effect this will have on your future?"
For a question like this, a simple "none of your business" was enough of a retort. If the other party really didn't care about their future prospects, it was idiotic to make this a point. So Ruan Cheng had opened his mouth to point out to her supporters how Tang Rou harmed her team. But Tang Rou accepted all of this, in a "if you want to curse me, just bring it" attitude.
Any other possible position was unsustainable!
Were they supposed to say, so many people were looking forward to seeing you leave if you failed the 1v3, so now that you really failed, how can you make it up to those who were anticipating your departure?
An attack like that would probably only make Tang Rou more earnest in breaking her word, right?
The experienced reporters actually had no idea what to say next. They could only quietly swear in their hearts that as soon as they left they would figure out how to attack this Tang Rou. But looking at Tang Rou's stance, they couldn't help but feel a bit timid again. She already made it clear that she didn't care about her reputation and that she didn't need your support or understanding. What use would their attacks have? Would it just be a catharsis?
The reporters were at a loss because of Tang Rou's toughness. Ruan Cheng had been prepared to taste the fruits of victory, only to be faced with this unexpected scene. Tang Rou embraced the situation and took everything upon herself. Then what about Happy? What do you think of this?
"To Happy's members, what do you think of Tang Rou's performance today?" Ruan Cheng said in a low voice. He finally avoided Tang Rou, he had no way of facing her toughness, he had to find a new breakthrough.
"Tang Rou's performance today…" Happy's Captain Ye Xiu opened his mouth, "was excellent." He nodded his head, filled with certainty. And then in the face of a field of dumbstruck stares, he continued, "In the group arena, she defeated two opponents and fought all the way to the third person. A performance like that is truly powerful."
The reporters felt like crying. God, could you please stop playing dumb! You know that that's not what we're asking. But then again, disregarding the promise, for one player to fight all the way to the third was indeed very strong! Some reporters fell into a trance. But the rest were just about to accuse the God of playing dumb, when Ye Xiu continued to speak.
"The ones who should be strictly criticized are the two players who went up next. Two players, and you couldn't take down the opponent's one player? Especially the third player, the great general anchoring the group arena, Fang Rui! The team didn't spend so much money to get you over here just so you could be a useless dim sum! You couldn't even take care of a Wang Jiexi?" Ye Xiu berated him. The tone of that "couldn't even take care of a Wang Jiexi" was deafening! Ever since Wang Jiexi had entered the Alliance, the reporters had never heard this kind of sentence before.
"Yeah yeah yeah." To the side, Fang Rui confessed, ashamed, "I messed up, I couldn't focus my spirits to play well. Someone like Wang Jiexi, I should at least be able to fight ten of him."
"That's a bit much!" Ye Xiu said.
"Eight?" Fang Rui said.
"Mm." Ye Xiu nodded.
The reporters were going crazy. They had no way of reporting talk like this. Anyone could hear that it was a joke. If you actually talked about this seriously, everyone would doubt the judgment of your report. They could only record this talk while cursing this shamelessness, and when Wang Jiexi came out later, they could interview him and see if he objected to this. Only that would be reasonable.
But the main topic right now shouldn't be this!
"God Ye Xiu, as the captain of Team Happy, what are your thoughts on your teammate's retraction of her promise? I seem to remember that before, you very firmly believed Tang Rou could complete a 1v3?" One reporter, through gritted teeth, strung together a few clear keywords to spit out this question.
"Those were necessary words for the public," Ye Xiu said dismissively. "Is this your first day as a reporter or something?"
The reporters spat blood. But they had to admit that he had a point. When facing doubts about a team's player, the captain, or even any member of the team, had to defend the player, unless there was some serious conflict! Whether or not you believed in your teammate, when facing the world, the answer was always a public "yes."
But Ruan Cheng seized a flaw in Ye Xiu's words.
"That's to say, God Ye Xiu, in reality, you didn't actually believe that Tang Rou could complete a 1v3, right?" Ruan Cheng aggressively asked.
"How could that be the case? Have you forgotten, I was the one who set the five round limit?" Ye Xiu laughed.
"But now, she failed to complete it," said Ruan Cheng.
"Mm, in the end, no one can be one hundred percent certain about the outcome of competition, not even me," Ye Xiu said.
"But she made that kind of promise," said Ruan Cheng.
"And now she doesn't intend to uphold it," Ye Xiu said calmly.
"What do you think of that?" Ruan Cheng said.
"The team cannot interfere in a personal decision. I'm very glad that Tang Rou could make such a decision, allowing us to avoid losing such an outstanding player. Thank you." Ye Xiu's last two words were directed toward Tang Rou.
"You're welcome," Tang Rou replied with a smile.
Insane! Everyone on this team is insane!
The reporters were dumbstruck. Could these people not tell the severity of this situation? They were still relaxed as they responded with ridicule. If this were any other team, the public relations team probably would have already burned to ashes from this, no?
Tang Rou said that her promise was her individual decision and had nothing to do with the team. But, as a member of this team, her reputation was part of the team's reputation as a whole. Even with her statement, the team would still experience a negative effect. Regarding this, did the manager of this team, their boss, have no objection to this? She must be enraged in her heart? As it happened, Happy's boss Chen Guo was also on the panel of this press conference, and the reporters turned their fire.