Chapter 217
More than ten minutes later, Ji Zhiyao came out with a sallow face and dropped into his seat.
Mo Huaifeng asked concernedly, “Still hurts?”
“Much better than earlier.”
With that, he looked towards Nuo. Nuo raised both his hands in a surrendering position. “I really didn’t drug the food! Believe me!”
Ji Zhiyao gave him an eye roll, he no longer had the energy to continue a nonsensical talk with Nuo, and only wanted to return to the hotel for a nap.
Everyone also had their fill, hence they walked out and took a taxi back to their hotel together.
Yuan Wei and the others stayed behind to settle the taxi fare whereas Ji Zhiyao and Mo Huaifeng took the elevator up first. Once the doors of the elevator opened, they saw Ji Qingge seated on the sofa outside playing her phone. She’d gone to watch their competition in the morning but had returned to the hotel before them in the afternoon since she was tired.
Ji Qingge also turned her gaze towards the elevator, seeing the weak Ji Zhiyao, she stood up and instinctively said to Mo Huaifeng, “You youngsters must know some control.”
Ji Zhiyao growled, “Are you asking for a beating?”
Ji Qingge then came to the realization that they’d gone out to compete, so she cleared her throat and asked, “Brother, what happened to you?”
Ji Zhiyao had no strength to lecture her, only answering with a wave of his hand. “From eating hotpot.”
“What? You actually went for hotpot without me?”
Ji Zhiyao did want to respond to her and simply instructed Mo Huaifeng to help him to his own room, then slammed the door shut.
Lying on the bed, Ji Zhiyao felt much more comfortable.
Mo Huaifeng was picking up his laptop, preparing to re-watch and analyze their game, Ji Zhiyao asked enviously, “Captain, does your stomach not hurt?”
Mo Huaifeng shook his head. “I’m not as delicate as you are.”
“Bullsh*t, what has it got to do with me! It’s all because you guys wanted iced water to go with hotpot!”
Mo Huaifeng was reluctant to argue with a patient and pretended that he did not hear him.
Ji Zhiyao stared at the ceiling, recalling the games that they played the whole of today, he turned his body towards Mo Huaifeng, saying, “Captain, I feel like the league is going more smoothly than I imagined it to be.”
Mo Huaifeng shot a glance at him. “Why do you suddenly say that?”
“Look, we played against three opponents, with the exception of the first game against Tall Boots being extremely vexing, the other two games went without a hitch. Do you think we have a chance of becoming the champion?”
“Wake up.”
“You don’t want the championship?”
“How’s that possible?”
He wanted it, but it absolutely wasn’t as simple as what Ji Zhiyao was thinking.
“Then why don’t you have any longing for it? I didn’t even hear yearning in your tone.”
“Do you remember the remaining battleteams?
“Seems like you don’t, then let me remind you, King.”
“What the f*ck?”
Ji Zhiyao sat up on the bed with a roll. “That’s not right, King is in the same group as us? Why did I not know at all, I totally don’t have any impression?”
“On the first day your entire mind was filled with Tall Boots so you probably didn’t read the list in detail. Following that, the games after were very closely packed, it’s normal that you can’t remember.”
Ji Zhiyao was instantly overcome with sorrow. “I just f*cking thought that I was unbeatable in the world and you told me this... Can’t you let me be happy for a few days first?”
“There’s something that will make you even happier, want to hear it?”
“I refuse...”
“The day after tomorrow, we have a game, against Korean’s second best battleteam, ZERO, afraid?”
“Are you a devil?”
Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Mo Huaifeng nodded gladly. “If it can make you recognize yourself, then I am one.”
He grudgingly turned back and picked up the laptop on the table.
He would start training instead of slacking off, would that do?
He just didn’t believe that the imposing Yao-god, won’t be able to defeat the Korean players.
His skills were personally handed down by Korea’s uncrowned King, A.K!
All of you trash! Prepare to tremble in fear!
Filled with fine and beautiful thoughts, Ji Zhiyao finally started his training.
...
Group A, Mix battleteam’s second last game.
Opponent, ZERO battleteam.
Mix battleteam entered their fourth game with the results of full scores from the previous three games played, something that surprised the audience at the venue. And many of their local eSports enthusiasts had, because of this, retracted their prejudice towards Mix battleteam, deciding to wait till the league ended to decide on anything else.
With the exception of Yuan Wei and the stats analyzer who would occasionally go on Weibo and Tieba for some looks, the seven people who had deleted all their apps and isolated from the world for a long time were left in the dark.
But for this game, the opponent they’d met was also a zero losses, full score, ZERO battleteam.
So once they walked into the hall, everyone’s faces held a grave expression.
The stats analyzer sighed. “We’ve encountered the violent storms and waves, how is it possible that we will capsize in a drain, although this drain is slightly wider, but don’t you worry, we definitely can easily send them to the West.”
Yuan Wei agreed. “Precisely, can each of you not look so mournful, with a person like Captain around, can’t you guys create an opportunity for him to lead and carry us to a win?”
Mo Huaifeng made him choke on his words at once. “I can’t.”
Nuo cried out with a forlorn expression, “Did you guys hear that, Captain said he can’t!”
Mo Huaifeng continued. “Yes, so would you like to consider staying at the fountain from the start to the end, without you jinxing us we might have a greater chance of winning.”
The others burst into laughter.
“Are all of you still human? Actually laying such vicious hands on this little kitty here!”
Heng said, “I suddenly thought of something, NoHomo, isn’t your sister here to watch the competition? Why didn’t you bring her along?”
Ji Zhiyao replied with a straight face. “Today’s scene is too bloody, I’m afraid it would scare her.”
Everyone else rolled their eyes.
Their game was arranged to be the second game of the morning, after waiting for about 20 minutes, the host went on stage and announced, “Zone B second match, China Mix battleteam vs Korea ZERO battleteam, both teams please prepare and come on stage to greet each other!”
Ji Zhiyao waved towards Xiao. “Brother Xiao all the best!”
Xiao returned with the same wave and went on stage, looking rather insecure.
The match started.
At the start, Mo Huaifeng was a step slower from selecting his equipment, Nuo followed closely after Mo Huaifeng, if Mo Huaifeng did not move, he stayed still too, seemingly for fear that Mo Huaifeng would really leave him at the fountain to watch the gates. About ten seconds later, they then leisurely walked towards the bottom lane.
Meanwhile the red buff happened to spawn, Mo Huaifeng had probably came to a consensus with Xiao that the first wave would go to him, thus he walked in the direction of the red buff... When he was almost there Mo Huaifeng stopped, suddenly releasing an ability towards a bush that was slightly further away.
Then suddenly three more people appeared.
Commentator A: “My god! Even seated here on the stage I did not get a clear look of when ZERO sneaked to the opposite side to counter-jungle, really wonder how Mix.Fi managed to tell, could it be luck? Very surprising!”
Commentator B: “It’s not luck, we can only saw that his judgment and sixth sense is better than the ordinary man. Now their support has completely hidden at the back, as if already forgotten that he was a tank.”
Commentator A: “Mix.Fi’s expression is extremely thought-provoking, I keep feeling that he is especially tempted to pull him out to give him a vicious beating.”
In fact, when Mo Huaifeng was left with a fraction of HP after a fight with the three opposing players and let all three of them escape, glancing at Nuo’s position on the map after that, he indeed had such a thought.
Mo Huaifeng: “So scared of dying, why not become the mid-laner huh? Now that I think about it it’s very possible, anyways our mid-laner is so tough, not easily afraid of death, the two of you can swap positions, easier to find someone who will tank for me.”
This sentence embarrassed two people, yet they could not find any words to rebut it.
Hence they could only be even more cautious in their play.
And the situation in the jungle was completely different, the opposing jungler had very fast hand speed; though it couldn’t be compared to speed class, it wasn’t far from it. As Xiao was overly careful, he kept being caught and attacked and was in a disadvantageous position from the start.
Mix’s jungle’s early development couldn’t keep up, Mo Huaifeng could only jump into the jungle occasionally to jungle, so as to avoid being repressed too much on their gold.
In the middle lane, due to being constantly surrounded by Mo Huaifeng’s vicious nagging from the start of the match, a spell of wrath rose from Heng’s heart, grabbing on intervals of the opposing mid-laner attacking Mo Huaifeng, he kept engaging him and continuously wore him out again and again, finally forcing the opponent to dizzily recall. His ambition was written on Heng’s face and he hurriedly followed the minions to go push the turret. By the time the opposing mid-laner came back, Heng had already retreated completely and was safe and sound.
Heng: “Don’t b*tch that I’m useless, did you guys see that, one turret and one kill, all came from my hands!”
K: “Alright, my mid-laner is mighty and formidable today.”
Mo Huaifeng: “Potential is something that is forced out, if I hadn’t forced you, you would still be leeching EXP and using frivolous plays, what’s there to be cocky about, even if someone must be cocky it ought to be me.”
Heng: “Damn, why does my Captain have so much to say today?”
Mo Huaifeng breezily dived into the turret, taking the kill as he replied, “Being forced.”
The two Korean commentators on the platform were completely puzzled, they weren’t skilled in lip reading or Chinese and totally did not know what rubbish Mix’s Captain and members were on about. After clearing his throat, the only words that commentator A had were, “China’s battleteam is really full of vitality.”
Commentator B: “Yes, seems like every game that we’ve seen, they’ve always been like this, makes one envious.”
In actuality, Mix battleteam’s current circumstances weren’t the best.
Heng was insatiable after pushing down a turret and continued to move forward, almost pushing the minions till the second turret in the middle lane, but good days don’t last. Before long, he was killed by the jungler that had leaped out of the bushes.
In the top lane, ZERO’s ADC ranked no. 6 internationally, someone not to be trifled with, not only had he trapped Xiao, he even worked with his support to lock down Xiao. The jungler’s motility wasn’t strong enough, Mix’s jungle almost became the home of the opposite jungler.
In their voice chat channel, Heng roared, “The opposing jungler is almost walking all over me, where’s our jungler? Where has our jungler died?”
In the end, as his last word fell, the jungler’s head instantly dropped to the ground, Xiao said faintly, “Died in top lane, are you happy with that?”
Mo Huaifeng: “Did Heng and Nuo make a duo and go to pray to Buddha previously?”
The situation wasn’t optimistic; all the laughing and joking looks had long disappeared. Because he was continuously totally repressed, Xiao began to grow irritable. “Captain, I solemnly ask to change the player for the next two matches to NoHomo.”
Mo Huaifeng: “Don’t even think about it, no way.”
Xiao: “No, I’m totally stuck with how fast the opposing jungler is responding, NoHomo...”
Mo Huaifeng: “I said no means no. You should be clear at heart what your problem is, you didn’t put yourself in a proper state of mind, who can you blame?”
Xiao did not speak, the others, no matter who, all tucked their tails between their legs, those who could cower under the turret did so, firmly not daring to feed. In such a mood, Mo Huaifeng added, “One more time, you’ll be playing for all three matches today, I’ll see if it’ll make you learn.”
Even the two commentators sensed the silence in Mix’s channel, exchanging a look, they both figured the message in each other’s eyes: Why wasn’t this battleteam bantering anymore?
Under the stage, Ji Zhiyao and the stats analyzer had understood the whole situation and managed to guess why Mo Huaifeng was suddenly pulling a long face... Yet in less than a few minutes, they realized that Mo Huaifeng’s long face seemed to have taken effect, Xiao was no longer overly restrained like before, and was instead focused on engaging ZERO’s jungler.
But this boost came a little too late, on top of various other reasons, Mix lost the first match.
This was also the first point that Mix had lost since the start of the international league.
Mid-game break, Xiao was the first to walk off. What was surprising was that he did not look upset, but seemed to be in thought, as if he had thought of something. Mo Huaifeng had also put away his solemn evil-stepmother face and sat down beside Ji Zhiyao. The three others were brought to a side and murmuring away with the stats analyzer
Mo Huaifeng said, “Let Xiao go on first for the next match, he has some faults, they need to be corrected.”
Ji Zhiyao nodded. “Sure, I know. Then I’ll wait for the third match.”
“Don’t be upset.”
Ji Zhiyao laughed. “I’m f*cking past 20 years old, Fi-god, can you not take me for a child? At the very least I’m a professional player who has seen the world, my dignity cannot be provoked!”
Mo Huaifeng looked at him and also lifted the corner of lips and smiled.
Hence Ji Zhiyao was pleased.
The break ended very quickly, the five of them stepped on stage once more. Before the match started, as Ji Zhiyao looked at Mix’s area, he also did not forget to look at ZERO battleteam.
Five people who were similarly young, their eyes were also filled with the will to fight.
Meeting on the narrow path!
Commentator A: “The ending of the previous match was a little baffling, but seeing Mix’s lineup for this match, I’m also slightly surprised.”
Commentator B: “You’re not alone, it’s the same for me. As noticed from the previous few games, Mix has always been rotating their junglers, but for some reason, they did not swap Xiao out for Yao in this match. I thought that Yao would find it easier to control such a situation as compared to Xiao.”
Commentator A: “Let’s believe that Mix has a better plan in mind, alright, we will now continue to watch the match.”
Once this match began, audience with keen eyes would realize that Mix had changed from the previous match. Xiao became much more clever, since the opposing ADC and support at the top lane were so good at locking people, he would simply stay away from the top lane.