Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  What was even more despairing was that, Lan Guang, as if he had disconnected, did not realize that the blue buff in his own jungle had disappeared and charged forward as before into the cave, fortunately, Xiaoye caught sight of that and reminded him through the headphones before he stopped in his steps and changed his direction…… yet with this delay from moving to and fro, a minute and a half had passed, Xiao who had counter-jungled had settled into his routine, their gold now a few hundred higher than Tall Boot’s.

  For this match, Lan Guang’s rhythm had been messed up, the only thing worth rejoicing was that his mentality managed to be kept on the edge and had yet to collapse. The assassin spun in circles several times before recalling that there was another thing known as red buff that he could harvest and then ran into the lower half of the jungle.

  Ji Zhiyao laughed a little.

  The overwhelming advantage in the earlier stage placed Mix in a stable and unflappable condition at all three lanes, in the course of it Heng was caught by Xiaoye once, but because of Xiaoye’s inadequate damage due to a shortage in equipment, Heng managed to dash into the safe space under the turret with a shred of HP left, Xiaoye’s attack was more or less in vain.

  Seven minutes into the game, in the situation of three deaths and lagging behind by more than a thousand gold, Tall Boots could not contain the impulse and started the fight for the little dragon, wanting to make use of the gold from killing the little dragon to turn the game around. Initially Xiao wasn’t too bothered, only preparing to run over for the last strike when the little dragon has been brought down to it’s last HP, yet he did not expect Lan Guang to suddenly become smart as he sold all other equipment with the exception of accelerated boots and bought weapons with high damage, the little dragon went into Tall Boot’s sack without any struggle.

  This was purely the suffering of a serious setback as the result of a careless mistake.

  The camera was aimed at Xiao, him on the screen looked slightly annoyed but overall, his emotions were still in check. Xiao slapped his own forehead, naggingly saying something before he jumped into the jungle to continue his work.

  Tall Boots temporarily turned the game with the little dragon and was now on an equal footing with Mix. Everyone’s levels was about the same too.

  The match entered a period of stalemate.

  Yet though Mo Huaifeng was older, he had a restless heart. He called out to his mid-laner and jungler once again, wanting to go steal Tall Boot’s newly spawned red buff.

  This time round Tall Boots was prepared beforehand, Xiaoye, Lan Guang and their ADC all ran into the jungle to wait, both teams fought directly, starting a small-scale team fight.

  The outcome of the team fight was extremely terrible, two in exchange for three, leaving Heng who was cowering behind Mo Huaifeng and Xiao to recall back to the fountain with a trifle of health.

  A mini team fight ended, whether they were aggressive or cowardly, both teams began to develop themselves timidly.

  Up till the 45th minute, Tall Boots headed for the dragon first, as they attacked, they realized that Mix had also unsure when, arrived, all 10 members of both teams were gathered in the big dragon’s cave. Due to the trauma left behind from being robbed in the jungle by the three cunning foxes, Lan Guang first threw his ultimate ability onto Mo Huaifeng. Yet Mo Huaifeng moved faster than him, slickly jumping behind Nuo, using Nuo to tank the damage.

  Though Nuo felt aggrieved, but at the thought that he was a tank and did not seem to have any other use except for tanking damage, he charged towards Lan Guang and Xiaoye with a yell, stunning the both of them with the collision. Mo Huaifeng instantly stepped forward with his ultimate ability and finished off the both of them with a double kill……at the end of a chaotic fight, Mix successfully gained a big dragon with all players safe and sound.

  With the dragon behind them, they pressed on, directly charging towards Tall Boot’s base.

  First match, victorious!

  Ji Zhiyao and the rest applauded their team mates from under the stage, but as they met eyes, they all saw the silence in each other’s eyes.

  To have beaten Tall Boots battleteam on the international stage, to them, wasn’t anything worth being happy over.

  Commentator A: “Honestly speaking, this match was unexpectedly exciting, to my surprise, this also gave us a taste of the charms of Chinese eSports players on the international stage, they’re all very capable eSports players, I’m about to become a fan.”


  Commentator B: “Alright, let us first take a look at the judge’s established outcome.

  At this point, the male host walked on stage from a side, and announced, “This match has been deemed valid, let us congratulate Mix battleteam for first earning one point!”


  Applause sounded from the audience.

  Just then, a person seeming to be a crew member walked to the male host and murmured something, the host appeared to be very surprised and lifted his microphone after confirming several times…… A certain premonition suddenly rose in Ji Zhiyao’s heart and he pursed his lips tightly, looking towards the large screen, then sure enough he heard the host say, “After thorough consideration, Tall Boots battleteam from China has decided to give up on their right to compete in the next two matches. As such, Mix battleteam from China has won all the matches of their first round and shall enter the next with a full score.”


  At once, a stir could be seen from Chinese section of the audience, some agitated ones had already stood up.

  The male host said, “Next, may we invite China, Mix battleteam’s MVP of this match, Mix.Fi for the post-game interview.”


  Following the music, Mo Huaifeng walked on stage.

  Under the brilliant lights, the man’s handsome face held an even more unspeakable charm, his disposition was mature and firm, as if he hadn’t been affected by the audience’s displeasure or Tall Boot’s sudden withdrawal. Under the attention of millions, he sat onto the high chair prepared by the organizers specially for use during the zone B interview and took the microphone from the host’s hand.

  The host greeted. “Hello.”


  “Hello.”


  “Let me first ask on behalf of all our audience here, a question that everyone has. Mix.Fi, may we know why Tall Boots battleteam suddenly gave up on the subsequent two matches? Is it because you guys have talked about it earlier and hence they made such a decision?”


  Mo Huaifeng glanced at the host, then said unhurriedly, “No, I too, only got the news from the crew members after the first match ended.”


  His fluent English sounded very charming, as if it could placate people’s feelings. “But as a Chinese player, I am able to understand why Tall Boots made such a decision and I am very thankful. I hereby, representing all members of Mix, make a promise to them and all the Chinese audience present. No matter how arduous the league is, Mix battleteam will definitely spare no effort to achieve a placing that will please everyone.”


  For a moment, the host was speechless.

  It took quite a while before he remembered what he had wanted to say and continued to ask a few questions, all of which Mo Huaifeng answered with ease.

  Three minutes later, the questions segment ended. Mo Huaifeng bowed to the audience then walked off stage and returned to the participants’ waiting room.

  Not just everyone in Mix was in the waiting room waiting for him, Tall Boots was also present. The room was entirely filled with people, looking especially crowded.

  Yuan Wei said, “This isn’t the place to talk, let’s find a place to eat.”


  Only Yuan Wei suppressed the second half of his statement and did not vocalize it.

  Everyone agreed, hence they found a barbecue restaurant nearby, then ten of them all sat together.

  Today’s atmosphere was silent, as usual, the only difference was that the previous time was because of the awkwardness from replacing their spot, while this time, it was due to the sadness before a farewell.

  But because they were the ones who had initiated giving up their rights to compete, all the Tall Boots members looked much more peaceful than Mix. Xiaoye glanced at Mo Huaifeng, then shifted his gaze to Yuan Wei and said with a smile, “We were the ones to be eliminated in one much and are to be repatriated, what’s with you guys? Your faces look longer than ours. Cheer up please?”


  Yuan Wei began to speak, “Actually Tall Boots……”


  “Oh man, I know what you guys want to say. But from the first match, everyone has already figured out what they ought to, our battleteam’s ability is indeed beneath you guys for now. To stop competing here, is also to save some face for ourselves.”


  It wasn’t totally so.

  Everyone was clear why Tall Boots was unwilling to complete all three matches. The biggest part of the reason was to help Mix to conserve their capabilities and not let other battleteams have more information about them to analyze. That their capabilities weren’t evenly matched only made up a very small part.

  But, the general fans would not be thinking as deeply as they had.

  By doing this, Tall Boots would definitely be met by all sorts of questioning and mockery when they return home. If Mix could achieve a good placing, things wouldn’t be that serious, but if Mix were to be eliminated in the next few matches too……

  Both battleteams will be ridiculed by the public.

  Besides, like them, Tall Boots also waited three years to restore the honor of China in the international league.

  But now……

  At the thought of these, Ji Zhiyao became increasingly upset. He buried his head and downed a glass of beer.

  For this meal, everyone felt like they were eating but not tasting anything.

  A meal ended, Xiaoye waved to them. “We’ll leave first, all the best to you all. We’ll be waiting for your good news at home.”


  Mo Huaifeng bumped shoulders with him. “Goodbye.”


  Ji Zhiyao stood behind, watching as the van carrying all the Tall Boots members drove away.

  Ten minutes later, a new post appeared on his Weibo feed.

  [Gtx.YeV:

  From the moment I stepped into this scene, during many lost moments, I would always think, in my eSports career, just what kind of situation would make me happy? Would be it continuous victories in games, or hearing my teammates shouting for joy by my ear, or progress that can be seen by the naked eye with each training session? I’ve thought about this question time and time again, but many years have passed and I still haven’t found my answer.

  What was beyond all doubt was that, giving up on competing, would definitely make me upset.

  Because the spirit of eSports tells me that, if you do not persevere till the end, you won’t know if you can turn the game around.

  But this time it’s different, I feel very happy.

  No matter what sort of skepticism we would be subjected to, I believe that my teammates and I will not regret this decision.

  China eSports waited for so many three years, and for me, at the very most, I have another three years, before it would be time to retire.

  Perhaps such an act of putting one’s hopes on others is a selfish one, but I firmly believe, this entrusting, no matter to who in Mix, they will not find this weight on their shoulders too heavy.

  Because this is their goal.

  China eSports, all the best!

  From Gtx.Ye]……

  Mix did not have any competitions on the second day, but because they’d heard that King had a competition against North America’s ASI battleteam in the morning, after a discussion, everyone decided to go spectate this match.

  King battleteam was in zone A. When they arrived, all the participants’ viewing seats closest to the stage had been taken up. As the champions of the previous league, there was almost no one who wasn’t interested in King’s competition, everyone who could make it was here.

  They quickly found a few seats. There weren’t many seats that were all together, hence Yuan Wei and the stats analyzer separated from them, and the seven others sat together.

  Then the competition began.

  Contrary to everyone’s expectations, ASI was completely clobbered.

  Though in the North American league, ASI was not considered well-renowned, but a battleteam that eight of ten eSports lovers would know about, this did not stop King’s competition with them from looking like an 18 year old adult going against an 8 year old child at all. ASI’s all three lanes collapsed and were completely unable to fight back.

  After watching one match, Ji Zhiyao only felt that his entire mind was only left with the sound effects of kill, double kill and triple kill. He shook his head, then said to Mo Huaifeng, “Isn’t this match too hasty?”


  Mo Huaifeng nodded. “ASI shouldn’t have lost that badly. They couldn’t help their mental breakdown.”


  “If I were to find out someday that we were going up against King, I reckon my mentality would be the same.”


  “You don’t want to win.”


  “Bullsh*t, no one wants to win more than me alright? Tell me would they be able to figure it out if I pretend to be composed? In my heart the sky is falling and the earth is opening up, but on the surface, it’s clouds and wind, this way King might find that I’m a hidden pro and do not dare to set their hands on me……”


  “Wake up.”


  “Your life is so uninteresting.”


  “I’m living realistically.”


  Ji Zhiyao curled his lip, yet he could not come up with anything else to rebut Mo Huaifeng and hence pretended that he did not hear him.

  The second match began very soon.

  ASI seemed to have sensed the problem that they had in previous match and started to actively improve themselves in this match. Yet the feigned composure was still a feigned one after all, when Boxer turned ASI’s mid-laner and the turret over in the middle lane, the mentality of ASI’s mid-laner had already crashed. After respawning, he basically seemed to be wearing a label that said ‘ATM’, terribly producing the results of 0/7/2 at the midway point of the game, an unbearable sight.

  This way, the third match had yet to begin and Mo Huaifeng suddenly stood up. “Let’s go, back to the hotel.”


  Ji Zhiyao was slightly surprised. “There’s still another match that has yet to begin, we’re not watching it?”


  “It’s a competition that we already know what the outcome would be, no point watching on, it’s purely a waste of time.”


  That made sense after some careful deliberation, Ji Zhiyao nodded and stood up too.

  The group of them left the hall though the participants’ passageway and returned to their hotel.

  Throughout this morning, they did not seem to have gained any useful information. Ji Zhiyao observed for a long time, but only found out that everyone in King, including support An, all had very fast hand speeds and response capacity, they almost did not have any weaknesses individually.

  This was also the scariest part.

  Ji Zhiyao was in a daze for a while, then called out to Mo Huaifeng, “Captain.”


  “Hm?”


  “Let me ask you a question, what do you think is the probability of our battleteam winning against King?”


  Mo Huaifeng was quiet for a moment, before he replied, “30 against 70, if we perform slightly better, 40 against 60.”


  Ji Zhiyao nodded.

  That was also what he thought.

  Though he wasn’t too willing to admit it.

  Mo Huaifeng said, “No point thinking about all these. It would be better to train, have you done your colored block training for today?”


  Ji Zhiyao shook his head and gloomily opened up his laptop. “Not yet, I’ll start on it.”


  With that, he loaded the program.

  Captain was right, it was already too late to think about anything else, they’d be better off using this time to train.