Chapter 30 A Change in Rhythm

In the arena, Yu Ye Sheng Fan (Night Rain Sound Troubles) finally killed Luo Hua Lang Ji (Fallen Flowers in Disorder), securing victory for Team Blue Rain. Adding to their two wins in the individual competition, Team Blue Rain entered the team competition with a 4-1 lead.

Ultimately, Team Blue Rain, with the home field advantage, won the team competition again, achieving a dominant 9-1 victory over Team Hundred Blossoms.

In the same round, Team Happy also defeated Team Seashore with a score of 9-1. Team Yueyun was completely crushed by Team 301 away, failing to score a single point and losing 0-10. Team Howling, fiercely competing with Team 301, faced Team Misty Rain at home in this round. Although they ultimately won 8-2, their previous 2-point lead was once again erased by Team 301. They remained in eighth place only due to a slight advantage in small score differential.

Two other notable matches in this round were Tiny Herb at home against Void and Tyranny at home against Thunder.

Ultimately, both home teams ended the match with a score of 8-2. Team Thunder's team competition failed again against Team Tyranny. What was more surprising about Team Tyranny in this round was that Han Wenqing, Zhang Jiale, Lin Jingyan, and Zhang Xinjie, the four players who had never fought together in the team competition this season, finally appeared together in their starting lineup.

Was it a coincidence of rotation?

No one would think so. Team Tyranny's rotation was clearly designed to have Han Wenqing, Zhang Jiale, and Lin Jingyan rotate. But now, all three were on the field. Team Tyranny's lineup was neither injured nor ill, and there seemed to be nothing wrong. Why?

"Tyranny is starting to exert themselves for the playoffs," Ye Xiu concluded after Team Happy received the battle report for the match and glanced at the opponent's lineup.

In the past, Chen Guo would definitely ask why, but this time, she didn't need Ye Xiu to explain. She could understand the meaning herself. Happy also had similar arrangements, namely Wei Chen, and Wei Chen's situation was even more serious than the Tyranny players.

The veterans' energy was no longer sufficient to cope with the entire season, let alone the even more tense, intense, and concentrated playoffs after the regular season.

Last season, Team Tyranny was so strong, but ultimately lost in the grand finals.

Perhaps they had already felt the fatigue, but they had been trying to persevere with the belief in their hearts. One match, then another... Perhaps that was the voice constantly ringing in their hearts. Being able to reach the grand finals and fight Team Samsara in three fierce rounds, the veterans' will was extremely tenacious. However, at the end of their rope, their strength could not penetrate silk. In this state of extreme fatigue, they encountered the strongest opponent in the league. Tyranny finally lost, losing in a way that made countless people feel regret.

As a result, they lost their momentum from last season in the new season, and their opening record was bumpy. People were regretting, sighing. The spirit of the veterans was respectable, but how much use could such stubborn insistence be?

Calls for Tyranny grew louder, but they did not heed them, continuing to move forward in this way. Their results gradually stabilized. Although not as strong as last season, entering the playoffs didn't seem to be a major challenge. People still felt regret about this. They missed the four Heavenly Kings gathering last season, sweeping the league with their high spirits.

Yes, high spirits, but ultimately losing the grand finals.

This time, Tyranny would not act impulsively. They were playing it low-key. Several veteran players, including Han Wenqing, who had never retreated in ten years, were taking turns. He was the team captain, the soul of Team Tyranny. Currently, no one of that level on any other team was in such a stable rotation list. Even the occasional rest was rare. But now, this was happening to Han Wenqing, the Han Wenqing who always moved forward and never knew how to retreat.

Everything was for the championship.

The players of Team Tyranny clearly understood, after their final defeat last season, that they could no longer squander their energy like young people. They needed to conserve it, they needed enough spirit to cope with the final finals. Therefore, they were rotating this season, moving forward in a low-key manner. Each of the three veteran players played about one-third fewer games compared to last season. They maintained their condition with the intensity of professional matches, but without so much consumption.

And now, in the thirtieth round of the regular season, after this round, there would be eight full rounds of the regular season left before the even more brutal and intense playoffs.

Team Tyranny's low-key approach ended there. In the match against Thunder, they revealed their ferocious face. Three veteran players joined forces with Zhang Xinjie to start, conquering Thunder, which had been writing miracles with their team this season, announcing their return and declaring that they had entered the playoff rhythm. They would use the next eight rounds to help the team find their feeling, find their final state, because this was their true reliance, the weapon for winning the championship. From the moment they formed such a team, which the public regarded as old, they had never doubted this point.

"Get ready to start."

At the post-match press conference, Han Wenqing simply and neatly answered the reporters' questions about the starting lineup.

It began.

All the major teams were about to begin.

Those who had not yet secured a spot would engage in a final killing spree in these eight rounds. Those who had already stepped into the playoffs were starting to adjust their teams to enter the playoff rhythm.

Tyranny was sending out three veteran players to play together. Happy was also allowing Luo Ji and Wei Chen to find their state and feeling in actual combat. And some teams that seemed to have little hope at this point were starting to change their strategies. Some were starting to go all out, while others were no longer concerned about their results, starting to boldly experiment more. Each team, due to their different situations, would enter their own different rhythm in these final eight rounds.

And this collision of different rhythms would often inexplicably create some chaos, some being implicated, and others taking advantage of it.

Happy was unfortunately reduced to a victim. In the thirty-first round of the match against Team Misty Rain on the road, Happy was ultimately defeated 1-9. Apart from Ye Xiu's first victory in the individual competition, Happy lost in a magnificent fashion.

If it had been the Misty Rain of last season, it couldn't be said to be too unexpected for them to achieve such a large score against any team. But this season, Misty Rain's condition was obviously poor, and their tactical system design was considered a failure. As a result, Misty Rain played an unrestrained match in this round and actually defeated Happy by a large margin.

"Don't underestimate us too much!" Chu Yunxiu said to Ye Xiu with a smile during the post-match handshake.

"I'm not underestimating you, I really didn't see it coming," Ye Xiu said helplessly.

The individual competition was fine. Happy sent Luo Ji and Wei Chen to play, preparing to lose points. The main thing was the team competition this time. Misty Rain really didn't pay any attention to the criticisms from inside and outside the circle. This match, they played even more flamboyantly. Chu Yunxiu led Shu Kexin and Shu Keyi, the twin sisters. The three ranged players played with a dashing and elegant style. Li Hua, the ninja, simply didn't act as the close-range aggro-drawing guerrilla T this time. He was also running all over the field, setting traps everywhere.

Misty Rain completely drifted in this round, catching Happy off guard, and finally snatched the victory.

"How was it? What do you think of our playstyle?" Chu Yunxiu was still actively seeking Ye Xiu's opinion.

"You should just laugh secretly after getting a cheap advantage, don't show off anymore, okay?" Ye Xiu said.

"Hehe." Chu Yunxiu didn't have much of an opinion about this. Obviously, she also knew that their match was purely a performance, and Happy was caught off guard and tricked into it. If they had prepared and dealt with it carefully, their tactics wouldn't have been very reliable.

"Good luck!"

After Ye Xiu walked past Chu Yunxiu, Su Mucheng came up and took Chu Yunxiu's hand, giving her such an encouragement, as if they had won this match, not Misty Rain.

Of course, Chu Yunxiu understood Su Mucheng's intention. She was encouraging not this match, but the entire situation of Team Misty Rain.

Facing her friend, Chu Yunxiu no longer had the triumphant look of winning the match in front of Ye Xiu. After shaking her head, she actually gave a bitter smile.

"Let's sit together for a while!" Chu Yunxiu said to Su Mucheng.

"Okay!" Su Mucheng did not refuse. Neither of them wasted any more time here. The players continued their post-match greetings and returned to their respective war rooms to prepare for the post-match press conference.

Misty Rain was the winning side, and the press conference was after Happy's. The sudden victory seemed to excite the reporters. They asked enthusiastically what the creativity of Misty Rain's playstyle was in this round and what Misty Rain thought about the playoffs.

Chu Yunxiu answered the questions one by one. Tactics were what the team had been exploring and researching. Achieving this victory today seemed to have a good effect, and the team would further deepen its research. What about the playoffs? Until the very last moment, no one knew who would win. Misty Rain had no intention of giving up, and so on.

Looking at the satisfied reporters, Chu Yunxiu could only keep her sigh in her heart. Misty Rain... did they really still have hope this season?

After the press conference ended, the Misty Rain players dispersed. Chu Yunxiu was the last to leave the war room. She opened her phone and saw a text message from Su Mucheng: "Waiting for you at Exit E."

"Coming."

Chu Yunxiu replied and headed towards Exit E.

Chu Yunxiu saw the slim figure under the dim night light as soon as she came out of Exit E. There was also a guy standing next to her, with a little red light flickering on and off.

The slim figure waved at her, and Chu Yunxiu quickly walked up.

"Why are you here too!" Chu Yunxiu didn't greet Su Mucheng, but glanced at Ye Xiu, who was smoking.

"Seeing that Cloud Embroidery goddess seems to have doubts, I don't know if you need guidance from a senior?" Ye Xiu said.

"Give me a cigarette!" Chu Yunxiu said unceremoniously.

Ye Xiu didn't hesitate, took out a cigarette, handed it over, and then approached with a well-placed light. Chu Yunxiu took the cigarette, lit it, and her movements weren't clumsy.

"Let's go to that coffee shop!" Chu Yunxiu said after taking a puff of smoke.