Chapter 1348: Misty Rain, Helpless
Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi
The coffeeshop was fairly remote. It hadn't been too long since the match ended, and the more eye-catching places along the road were popular hangouts for gamers who had just finished watching the match. If the three of them had gone to one of these places, there would definitely be onlookers. Fortunately, this was Misty Rain's home stadium, and Chu Yunxiu was extremely familiar with the area. She led the two to this very quiet location.
They took their seats, each ordering a cup of coffee. The cigarettes were already finished during their walk over here. Ye Xiu stared blankly at the prominent no-smoking signs hanging in the coffeeshop.
Finally, Chu Yunxiu opened her mouth. "Happy really is doing well."
"What about Misty Rain?" Ye Xiu didn't dance around, going straight to the topic. He could tell that Chu Yunxiu was really feeling quite depressed. There must be some problems with the team, for her to ask to meet them after the match.
"What do you think?" Chu Yunxiu asked Ye Xiu.
Misty Rain's problem right now was one of strategy, everyone knew this. In general, things like strategy should be kept secret from competitors. But unlike the stats of Silver equipment, strategies were publicly demonstrated in battle. So, strategies themselves weren't considered some secret weapons. The key was their execution. 301 adapted to their new strategy of the Knight covering the Assassin like a fish to water, but if you tried to get a different team to emulate it, it probably wouldn't be as effective. Different players and characters required different strategies. There needed to be adaptability.
So, there wasn't anything taboo about talking strategy. Anything you can do, everyone else can too. It just came down to whether or not it'd be useful or effective. Still, mutually asking for tips and advice was rarely seen. Who had time to help the competitor improve?
But now that Chu Yunxiu said this, Ye Xiu didn't seem like he cared about all that, and he directly said what he had to say. "It's clear that the current strategy isn't suitable. Let's make an analogy! In basketball, there's a strategy of having one tall player with four perimeter players, but there's no strategy with a short player running around with four perimeter players. Misty Rain right now is the latter. You could play with this strategy occasionally to trip people up, but it's not suitable as a main strategy."
"Who said that wasn't the case?" Chu Yunxiu said.
"If you know the problem, then why don't you adjust?" asked Ye Xiu.
"How do you think we should adjust?" said Chu Yunxiu.
"Sun Liang should play in the starting lineup for the team competition," said Ye Xiu. Sun Liang was a member of Misty Rain, a Striker. He used to be a main player for the team, but after Misty Rain changed its strategy this season, he became a rotating player.
"Oh, then who should be switched out?" Chu Yunxiu asked.
Ye Xiu hesitated.
For such a simple question, Chu Yunxiu didn't need to ask him step by step. Who should be switched out? When Chu Yunxiu said this, the frustration and bitterness on her face was plain to see. Clearly, there was more to this question. After Ye Xiu thought for a moment, he realized where the problem must lie.
"When it comes down to it, that pair of sisters will just have to be separated," said Ye Xiu.
"That's the problem. They can't be separated," Chu Yunxiu said.
"Oh…" Ye Xiu understood and fell silent. He had already guessed the general situation.
The Shu siblings couldn't be separated? How could something like that be so absolute? Their partnership wasn't guaranteeing the team's success. On the contrary, it was because the two of them were on the field at the same time that the team couldn't adjust their class composition. They couldn't be separated, not for strategic reasons, but for other reasons. And the only thing that could supersede strategic demands were the decisions of the club itself. This wasn't a problem of strategy. This was a problem of the operations of Club Misty Rain. The club required that both of the Shu siblings be on the battlefield.
Just from how Misty Rain had specially requested the Alliance to change the genders of these sisters' characters, the hope and importance placed on these two was clear. And for pro players, value was ultimately demonstrated on the battlefield. So it wasn't strange that the club directly required that these two had to appear together on the field.
And this was something that players could hate, but could do nothing about.
Business operations overrode strategy. The outside directed the inside.
Chu Yunxiu hadn't asked to meet Su Mucheng to try and find some solution. She was simply feeling depressed and wanted to chat and share with a good friend. Now that the situation had been made clear, the three sank into silence. For a problem like this, if Chu Yunxiu was powerless to fix it, then how could outsiders like Ye Xiu or Su Mucheng help?
Chu Yunxiu, Li Hua…
This was the true strategic core duo of Misty Rain. The value of this pair was higher than that of the Shu siblings. If it came down to it and this pair needed to sacrifice in order to achieve a more suitable class composition, then it wouldn't just be an individual sacrifice. The team as a whole would be sacrificing its fighting strength. If Misty Rain resorted to such a method to get a reasonable class composition, how much strength would they ultimately have remaining, anyway?
Furthermore… between these two players, if they had to choose one to remove from the roster, then Chu Yunxiu was a better choice than Li Hua. After all, the Shu siblings were both long-range Sharpshooters and had some overlap with the use of an Elementalist. Keeping Li Hua's Ninja on the field would allow greater flexibility of tactics. But with that, the problem became even more unsolvable. Chu Yunxiu was this team's captain; Windy Rain was this team's core character. If she didn't play on the main roster, was Misty Rain planning to start over from zero?
Ye Xiu combed through Misty Rain's situation in his mind, and he discovered that this really was a frightening problem with no clear solution. No wonder Chu Yunxiu was so helpless.
"Then what do you plan to do?" Su Mucheng suddenly asked. She hadn't said anything since entering the coffeeshop, but she'd thought of everything that needed to be thought of.
"I don't know…" Chu Yunxiu's gaze was somewhat empty. This season, she had truly felt rather lost and confused. The heads of the club had ordered that the Shu sisters be placed in the main roster, but Misty Rain's core wasn't suited for the sudden addition of two Sharpshooters.
But no one talked reason with her. The club simply wanted all of these players on the field at once. Windy Rain, Dark Forest, Lower Your Head, None Dare Attack, all four characters had to be there.
Ye Xiu had proposed the hypothetical of either Chu Yunxiu or Li Hua sacrificing themselves, but in reality, even that wasn't possible! Misty Rain was greedy; they wanted not only the beautiful sisters, but their core partnership as well. They demanded that this irrational roster win results. Misty Rain had already drifted unsteadily through half a season, but the upper management still refused to change. In their view, Misty Rain just needed to push a little more to get results. The players needed to work just a little harder, the strategies needed to mature just a little more, and then they would begin winning matches beautifully.
While they treated this as an obvious fact, they overlooked the reality.
While Misty Rain's players were working hard, the players of all the other teams were working just as hard.
While Misty Rain's strategies were maturing, the operations of the other teams were only growing smoother and smoother.
And Misty Rain's class composition gave them a natural handicap that they could never overcome.
A Misty Rain like this could not win.
Chu Yunxiu had racked her brains for half a season, but in the end, this was all that Misty Rain could accomplish. What else could she feel, beside frustration and bitterness?
"If you can't make adjustments, then you can only try even bolder things!" Ye Xiu suddenly said.
"Say it." Chu Yunxiu looked at him.
But Ye Xiu only said two words: "Wind Howl."
"So that's how it is?" Chu Yunxiu looked not at Ye Xiu, but at the ceiling.
"You've already noticed it, haven't you? Misty Rain could possibly emulate Wind Howl's playstyle," said Ye Xiu.
"It's a desperate playstyle," said Chu Yunxiu.
"Do you all have any other choice? If you don't want to give up right here."
Chu Yunxiu was silent.
Anyone could use a strategy. The question was whether or not it was suitable. Misty Rain was traditionally viewed as soft, so much so that it was basically considered part of their style. To have such a soft team try and emulate Wind Howl's ferocious and desperate style, it clearly wasn't a very suitable choice. This was a choice made when there were no other options, a choice to beg for victory in the midst of defeat. Even Wind Howl themselves wouldn't have gone to such extremes if their performance hadn't been so unstable. A fight without a healer was just too risky.
The three fell into silence once again. Chu Yunxiu rested one arm on the table. Her other hand held a small spoon to stir the coffee in front of her. She stirred it for a very long time, but in the end, didn't take a sip.
"Let's go, let's head back." She suddenly stood up.
"You're leaving like that?" Both Ye Xiu and Su Mucheng were surprised at her suddenness.
"I still have two episodes of my TV drama to watch," Chu Yunxiu said.
"This late?" Ye Xiu looked at the time.
"You think I'm watching it on TV?" Chu Yunxiu scoffed.
"Alright, then!" Ye Xiu said helplessly, as he and Su Mucheng also stood up to leave.
Night had already fallen. There were no streetlamps around this out-of-the-way coffee shop to which Chu Yunxiu had brought the two of them. Under the starlight, her blurred silhouette walked at the very front. Misty Rain's troubles were both internal and external, but as the team's captain, Chu Yunxiu could only quietly carry this burden. On this point, she needed to be even tougher and more resilient than too many of her fellow male pro players. Misty Rain was in a disastrous situation, the outside world all criticized their strategies, the club was unwilling to change. But even in this situation, she had never said anything. She only continued to try and think of solutions, think about how she could use this unreasonable roster to earn results with which people could be satisfied.
"Alright, I'm going this way. What about your hotel, where is it?" At the intersection, Chu Yunxiu stopped and asked them.
"That way." Su Mucheng pointed.
"Okay! When you get back, let's chat online." Chu Yunxiu walked back and hugged Su Mucheng.
"Keep your chin up," Su Mucheng said. In reality, they hadn't really talked about much this night. Everything that Ye Xiu said, Chu Yunxiu had understood long ago. Perhaps she only wanted to lay bare her emotions to her girlfriend; perhaps she wished to draw from this the courage and faith she needed to continue.
In any case…
"I will," Chu Yunxiu said softly. She turned, waved her hand, and disappeared into the distance.
Soon, Round 32 was upon them. That night, Misty Rain presented a shocking roster to everyone who believed they were already done for the season.
Six attackers. No healer.
Chapter 1349: Team
Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi
The current round was Misty Rain's home game against Team Void. In the 1v1 matches, Misty Rain won one individual round and the group arena afterwards, gaining a lead of 3 to 2. Then, when their formation for the team competition appeared onscreen afterwards, the entire stadium erupted.
Team Wind Howl had created an all DPS formation, but they were smart about it, arranging for their healer to appear in the starting lineup like any normal team. As for if they'd switch their healer out for an all DPS formation, that was something their opponents had to contemplate. They might do a man-to-man offense, but they might do a normal one healer four DPS formation.
However, Misty Rain's formation didn't even have a healer in it. This was something that hadn't happened in the Alliance for who knows how many years, but now it had appeared with Misty Rain, a team which was often considered rather soft.
Were they cutting off all chance of backing down?
Everyone could feel their determination with this lineup.
"How fierce…" Team Void's captain, Li Xuan, looked over at Misty Rain, where Chu Yunxiu was telling the players of Misty Rain something. This captain, the only female captain in all twenty teams in the Alliance, might truly not have as much hot-blooded passion that was typical of male players, but her dedication to her team didn't lose to anyone.
"But is Misty Rain's formation really suited to this playstyle?" Wu Yuce looked up at the player lineup on the big screen.
Chu Yunxiu and the Shu sisters, one Elementalist and two Sharpshooters, these three ranged fighters had no problem with DPS, but they lacked CC. Melee classes, even if they didn't have any control skills, usually had an easier time restricting an opponent's actions. Could Misty Rain use three ranged fighters to completely pin their opponents?
"Don't let your guard down," Li Xuan said. Misty Rain wouldn't neglect to consider such simple problems. If they still dared to use such a formation, then there must be a reason. After all, didn't Happy get crushed by Misty Rain's sudden switch in tactics, despite having a home game advantage? Perhaps Misty Rain was now preparing to use a different strategy every round and hoping to win through catching their opponent's off-guard.
"It's time." After the referee approached to call them over, the players of the two teams entered the stage.
For Void, their starting lineup was comprised of Li Xuan and Wu Yuce's Ghost Duo, Li Xun's Assassin, Ge Caijie's exorcist, Tang Lisheng's Paladin and their sixth player was Ge Zhaolan's Spitfire.
How would Void's typical team arrangement face off against Misty Rain's extreme?
Currently, Misty Rain's fans were extremely anxious. Thought they were 32 points away from the current eighth team, but what if they really did achieve a miracle?
Last round, Misty Rain had crushed Happy with their sudden and drastic change in playstyle and rhythm. This round, they had made significant adjustments too, so maybe they would claim victory again? If and only if they continued like that, would their opponents' mistakes be of use. Perhaps the conditions of the top eight teams would suddenly slide, allowing Misty Rain into the playoffs?
You have to win...
All of the audience members in the stadium were all thinking of the same thing, even those players who had given up on their team this season felt the embers of passion flicker to life.
Just maybe, there was still hope?
They hadn't seen a victory, but they saw Misty Rain's attitude. This attitude reignited their hope.
The team competition between a Misty Rain with a six DPS formation and Void begun! Unfortunately, this wasn't the match that had been chosen to be live broadcasted on television, so there was no way of drawing everyone's immediate attention. The match broadcasted this round was also much anticipated.
At Tiny Herb's home game against Thunderclap, the two sides had reached the team competition.
In the 1v1 matches, Tiny Herb had claimed 4 points and Thunderclap only 1. It was a good lead and should've given them a huge morale boost, but when the opponent was Thunderclap, then a lead in the 1v1 matches didn't mean much for a morale advantage. Thunderclap had always relied on their performance in team competitions to achieve such heights, after all.
In the current round, they were playing their away game against Tiny Herb. How would their team competition end?
Oh...
After several rounds of exchanges, Team Tiny Herb's Wang Jiexi understood what was happening.
So everyone has started to focus on me? It was probably because the match against Happy had given everyone too clear of a message.
If you defeated Wang Jiexi, then you've defeated Tiny Herb. That's probably what everyone believed! So, was that Thunderclap's current plan as well?
Divide, encircle, reserve Box-1.
Wang Jiexi had noticed Thunderclap's strategic intentions, but what should he do? Wang Jiexi gazed at the team members at his side. Under his leadership, it was true that Tiny Herb had obtained two championships, but he couldn't be their pillar forever. Ultimately, he would retire, and the team would have to depend on themselves.
Be a role model instead of a crutch, huh?
Wang Jiexi recalled Ye Xiu's words. In the past, he really hadn't considered that much, simply carrying Tiny Herb on his shoulders unthinkingly. Perhaps, it was precisely because of their previous successes that the team had developed such a strong dependence on him.
However, he would eventually be incapable of bearing such a weight, so they had to find a way to break away from this dependence. Gao Yingjie, Gao Yingjie had grown up under his careful attention and protection. The other had gained confidence, but it seemed that he had yet to gather the courage necessary to truly bear the weight of Tiny Herb.
They had to grow under a trying situation! Those who overcome adversity would gain more courage, and their confidence would be fortified. He couldn't continue to shoulder all their difficulties; he had to leave some for them to overcome on their own.
Yes, just let them deal with it themselves!
Wang Jiexi made this decision, and Vaccaria fell into Thunderclap's attempt at divide and encircle.
Perhaps he had the ability, the chance to throw off this attempt at dividing them, but this time, he decided to try and brute force his way out of the encirclement and destroy it. Of these two choices, there wasn't one that was particularly better or worse. Wang Jiexi's choice had always been to deal with it himself if he could, though. Butnow, he had chosen the latter, depending on the power of the entire team to destroy Thunderclap's strategic arrangements.
Would it work?
Wang Jiexi didn't know, but this was a trial, a trial for all the players of Tiny Herb.
Happy had added more chess pieces to hone for the playoffs, Tyranny's veterans were adjusting their pacing and condition in preparation, and as for Tiny Herb? Tiny Herb had to prepare for the playoffs, and even the future beyond them. They had to change their ways, completely.
"Ah… Tiny Herb's been divided by Thunderclap!" the broadcast commentator Pan Lin cried out in surprise.
"Yeah…" Li Yibo gave a very simple reply. He had a feeling that the reason Thunderclap's strategy was executed so successfully was because of Wang Jiexi's choices. If it were the Wang Jiexi of the past, it definitely wouldn't have been so easy. Perhaps, he would've once even managed to crush Thunderclap's attempt at dividing them with a peak in performance. Yet this time, it felt like he was going with their plan and letting it succeed. What for? To push Tiny Herb as a team? Was it because he didn't want what happened with Happy to repeat?
No one knew about the words Ye Xiu and Wang Jiexi exchanged post-match, so Li Yibo felt like there was a barrier, preventing him from truly understanding. He had long since developed caution and didn't dare make a hasty judgement. He needed to continue observing. He thought to the last round where Tiny Herb faced off against Hundred Blossoms and lost their away game 4 to 6. Since that match wasn't broadcasted on tv, Li Yibo simply checked the post-match report, not bothering to rewatch the match.
Did any specifics happen with Tiny Herb in that match?
Li Yibo didn't know. After Tiny Herb had lost to Happy, they had fought another four matches. Did they make any adjustments? Li Yibo didn't know. Since they hadn't broadcasted any of the four matches, the attention he paid to Tiny Herb had fallen to such lows.
He wasn't like this before...
Even if he didn't watch all of the matches, he would at least follow the matches of the powerhouses. Not watching four rounds of matches of a powerhouse like Tiny Herb is something he wouldn't have even been able to imagine.
Why did it end up like this? Was it because now that Glory was growing in popularity, the number of reports by the media and commentaries also grew in number, making it easier to obtain large amounts of information, so he got lazy?
If he continued like this, then what was the point of his presence?
Never able to see deeper into the match, getting his face slapped all the time, was it fun?
No, not at all!
The stockpile of Glory knowledge he had was running out. He had to keep learning, keep up with the pace at which Glory was developing!
The match was still continuing and Li Yibo once again admonished himself for not daring to express his own opinion.
"Ah, Vaccaria's been surrounded; Thunderclap has focused fire. They're trying to one wave rush him! They're keeping Tiny Herb's healer under careful control. That's right, their goal is to get rid of Tiny Herb's captain, Wang Jiexi first," Pan Lin explained excitedly.
"Tiny Herb's other members have reacted quickly, coming to Vaccaria's aid! Can they break through? Thunderclap will probably continue trying to take down Wang Jiexi first! In the match between Happy and Tiny Herb, Team Happy had sacrificed two characters to kill Vaccaria."
"Huh?! They've doubled back, switched targets… Thunderclap has adjusted their offensive, this… They've gone back and surrounded the rest of Tiny Herb's players. Vaccaria has been thrown to one side…"
"This… is isolation! Thunderclap has isolated Wang Jiexi! How to say this… This is probably a reverse of Happy's strategy. Thunderclap may have realized that they didn't have the power to finish off Vaccaria quickly, or they thought they might not be able to assure their final victory after the sacrifices needed to get rid of Vaccaria. Thus, in the end, their strategy was isolation! Vaccaria is still on the field, but he's been cut off from the rest of Tiny Herb. Thunderclap has gone to fight a Tiny Herb without Wang Jiexi, while Wang Jiexi is actually still on the field, right? Coach Li?" Pan Lin gave commentary after commentary and suddenly realized, didn't it seem a little too quiet over here?