[FLOTG] Chapter 35: Friendly Match

After confirming their strategy for the team battles, the group began training intensively. It wasn't an easy task to realize and perfect Song Xue-Yang's play-style — it not only required superior skills, but also a high level of coordination among the team members.

And so, in the following days, the training room pretty much became hell on earth.

"Xing-xing, you''re too slow. What are you doing strutting about in front when everyone else has retreated?"

"Zhou Jing, your reaction speed in that last team fight was slower by a full 0.5 seconds. In an official game, that might have caused the whole team to waste their skills."

"You acted too fast, Shi Yi! You already used your special when Zhou Jing's damage buff hasn't been applied yet. That's half the damage gone!"

"Zhou Ning already used up all his skills in that last wave. Why didn't you push forward, Ming?"

Even Shen Huai wasn't spared.

"You have to be decisive. If I'm not on during a 6v6, it will be entirely up to you to direct the team's attacks. Any hesitation would create openings for the opponent. You have to trust your teammates."

Shen Huai nodded solemnly. For the past few days, their training time had almost exceeded 16 hours every day. This was the first time Shen Huai experienced how dry and difficult the training of an esports player was. They often sat for long stretches at a time in front of a computer desk, not even having the time to go to the restroom.

That afternoon, Song Xue-Yang unexpectedly called an early end to their training.

Fan Jing-Ming slumped in exhaustion in his chair. "I can't take it anymore. I'm old now and can't endure these struggles anymore. Let the future blossoms of our motherland realise the esports dream! I, a withered tree with broken branches and scattered leaves, would just like to be gone with the wind."

Hai Xing rolled his darkly-circled eyes at him. "So that's all you got?"

Shi Yi nodded emphatically. "We can't do without Ming."

Fan Jing-Ming guffawed and ruffled Shi Yi's hair. "My roommate's still the best. I like you best in the whole team."

Shi Yi quickly ducked his head to hide his flaming cheeks.

Shen Huai also breathed out a long sigh of relief. It was 3 a.m. by the time he left the training room last night, and then he had to rush back again for training at 9 a.m. today. He had skipped breakfast just so he could sleep for a little longer. His vision had begun to waver erratically whenever he looked away from the game interface, and his shoulders were incredibly sore.

Song Xue-Yang noticed his discomfort and helped rub his shoulders. "Half of our teammates are new this year, and team rapport is very important. If we don't seize every moment we have, you will all have to work things out in-game."

Fan Jing-Ming clapped his hands. "That's a good idea! Maybe we'll have a breakthrough and perform beyond our limits on the field? That's why we haven't seen any improvement over the last few days. It's totally because we weren't facing opponents of equal strength! How can anyone get fired up going up against wooden dummies all day long? Once we actually get into a real arena, all of us might just take off flying!"

Song Xue-Yang's smile deepened, as if he had just been waiting for words like this, and everyone suddenly had a very bad feeling.

"Opponents of equal strength, you say? I'll satisfy your request." Song Xue-Yang cheerily glanced down at his watch. "It's 5 o'clock now. Rest for two hours and gather back here at 7 p.m. sharp. We'll be playing a friendly match against WG."

What? WG? Friendly match?

We've only been training for less than five days, and now we're going to play against the second runner-up of this year's competition? Are you serious?

Song Xue-Yang was very considerate. "Don't worry. WG is a very strong and established team, so I won't blame you all even if you lose this friendly match."

Just as everyone was about to relax, Song Xue-Yang airily added:

"But just be mentally prepared for the post-game review then~"

The group: "..."

No matter how cute you try to act, we can't sense any trace of warmth at all from your words!

Although WG had placed third in this year's national finals, the strength of the team went beyond their ranking.

Captain Zhang Jia-Yan played a good machinist. As the activation of a machinist's skills required switching back and forth among their mechanical followers, it was a great challenge in terms of hand speed. Thus, Zhang Jia-Yan was also known as the professional player with the fastest hand speed, and had been dubbed "The Fastest Man" by commentators, though he himself was extremely disgruntled by the moniker.

The vice-captain Jia Yun-Ge was the only player in the China division who played an offensive holy priest. He had very keen situational awareness, and was a tricky opponent in both arena fights and team battles.

WG's team battles were even considered a major feature of the professional scene of "City of Despair". Their unique chained bonus play-style was capable of dealing extremely high damage to a large area instantly. Countless teams had suffered going up against WG in team battle modes.

But that's what makes it challenging, no?

Shen Huai had long been interested in WG's chained bonus play-style. Now that he had the chance to observe it firsthand, he wouldn't miss it for the world.

"Can I play?"

Shen Huai looked up and Song Xue-Yang couldn't help but chuckle at the eagerness in his eyes. "Of course. If you don't play, I'm afraid Zhang Jia-Yan may object."

Maple Moon had not bothered to keep their training secret from others over the past few days. Anyone who was interested could study the game records, and they could then easily find out the IDs of the new players this year. Zhang Jia-Yan had probably realized later that the assassin's ID was most likely Cang Yu, and so he had come to challenge them openly.

Zhou Ning was hesitant. "Is it okay for us to expose our tactics so early?"

Song Xue-Yang was extremely confident. "There's nothing wrong with that. By the time we finish our first game in the league, our tactics will immediately be dissected by all of the pro teams anyway. The chance to play against WG is harder to come by."

Shen Huai agreed with his assessment. Instead of holding themselves back out of fear that their tactics would get exposed, it was far more important to learn and gain experience from competing against strong teams.

What's more, it wouldn't be that easy to counter Song Xue-Yang's tactics!

********

At 7pm that night, both parties entered the custom room at the designated time. All of WG's team battle players were there, including Zhang Jia-Yan, Jia Yun-Ge, and Liang Ming-Hui, a perfect replica of their grand line-up for the finals. Meanwhile, on Maple Moon's side, since Shen Huai would be playing in the team battle, Song Xue-Yang would be sitting the game out.

Zhang Jia-Yan saw Song Xue-Yang among the audience and asked in the public chat: [ Fox, you aren't joining? ]

Song Xue-Yang replied: [ They're enough. ]

Oho, old fox, so you really think that Maple Moon is invincible now that Ash Wing is joining the team?

The WG players were all gearing up, mentally vowing to tear their opponent to shreds!

The little lambs of Maple Moon who had been tormented for five days without pause chuckled internally when they read what their captain had to say. They didn't even have the strength to comment on it.

Zhang Jia-Yan then asked, "What mode?"

Song Xue-Yang considered it for a moment and then turned to ask aloud in the training room, "What mode shall we play?"

The old members knew well enough to ignore him, but Shi Yi innocently raised his hand and suggested, "MOBA!"

MOBA was the mode they had been practising recently. The fixed concave U-shaped map would minimize the uncertain variables they had to deal with.

Song Xue-Yang nodded. [ Let's go with our strength and play Protect the King! ]

Shi Yi's face turned pale and the corners of Hai Xing's mouth spasmed.

That would indeed play to one's strength... WG's strength.

Zhang Jia-Yan was surprised. [ You sure? ]

WG had no changes to their roster this year so their line-up was very stable. Their team rapport and strength was certain to be greater than Maple Moon. Zhang Jia-Yan had intended to play the MOBA mode which Maple Moon was better at, which would also have given him more opportunities to observe each player.

But the wily old fox Song Xue-Yang had requested to play Protect the King right off the bat. This mode was pretty much a mob fight with both teams clashing in close range. If WG played aggressively, the entire battle might be resolved in 10 minutes. When would he have the time to observe Maple Moon's new players?

In WG's training room, Liang Ming-Hui turned his head to ask, "What should we do, Captain? Should we discuss it with them again?"

Maple Moon's line-up had changed a lot this year. Not only had they absorbed Shi Yi, a regular from Primo Wolf, there was also speculation that the skilled live-streamer Ash Wing had joined them too. Add in the tactical genius Song Xue-Yang, and Maple Moon would be a tough opponent to deal with no matter how you look at it. The objective of this friendly match was to test out the waters in advance, so WG could avoid being caught by surprise in the official games.

Zhang Jia-Yan was very concerned about the female assassin called <MuWanGe>. From his understanding of Song Xue-Yang, it was impossible for the old fox to be interested in any assassin other than Ash Wing!

He was just about to try to persuade Song Xue-Yang to switch modes when the other posted on the public channel ――

<Shattered Snow>: [ What? You scared? ]

Goddammit!

Some people are just asking for it!

Even though he knew Song Xue-Yang was just trying to provoke him, Zhang Jia-Yan still felt really, really, really, annoyed!

Expression dark, Zhang Jiayan eked out a smile that was comparable to that of the Prince of Hell. "Let's just go with Protect the King. What do you think, Yun-Ge?"

With that, the WG players all knew that the captain had already made up his mind. Whever he didn't want anyone to refute him, he would always ask the vice-captain for his opinion, and hardly any of them have ever heard their vice-captain speak!

Seated at the computer right beside Zhang Jia-Yan, a man in a black skin-tight leotard cosplaying an assassin in "City of Despair" made an 'OK' gesture.

It's worth mentioning that although this vice-captain of theirs never speaks, he wasn't a gloomy character at all. Not only was he all smiles everyday, he also loved to cosplay and was extremely reliable in official games. He was pretty much the darling of the WG team.

Zhang Jia-Yan replied directly in the public chat: [ Okay! I guarantee the match will be over in 10 minutes! ]

[ And if it isn't over in 10 minutes? ] Song Xue-Yang looked up as he typed and asked, "What do you all want to bet for?"

This time, Shi Yi didn't say anything but the rest of the team responded enthusiastically.

"Let them post on Weibo that Maple Moon is the strongest!"

"Make them all change their names for 24 hours!"

"Let them all shave their heads!"

Whoosh, six pairs of eyes all turned as one to stare at Fan Jing-Ming.

Making others shave their heads... That was savage!

Shen Huai's voice drifted out from his corner, "Make them cancel their holidays for New Year's Day."

Everyone's eyes lit up! That was good! They were destined to continue their own hellish training on New Year's Day anyway, so why should WG get to spend their New Year's Day in comfort? Good comrades should share their joys and sorrows and make progress together!

Satisfied with the suggestion, Song Xue-Yang typed: [ If the match exceeds 10 minutes, all WG members need to attend extra training on New Year's Day. ]

The WG team members sprang out of their seats and leapt towards their captain's computer, but in the end, they still couldn't stop "The Fastest Man". Zhang Jia-Yan's finger had already lifted from the enter key, and on the screen...

<WeGo!>: [ OK! ]

F*ck! Instead of OK, they were headed for a KO, all right?! Captain, you fell completely for that old fox's trap!

While the WG players channeled their rage and sorrow into motivation, the Maple Moon players found motivation in pulling WG down with them! Morale on both sides were at an all-time high... This wasn't any normal match ― it was a battle with 3 days of the New Year's Day holidays at stake!

And the game officially began!

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