Chapter 111 Old and New

Once on the field, Lin Jingyan put away all his emotions about Team Wind Howl. He was now a member of Team Tyranny, and victory was his top priority against any opponent.

But when he entered the match, loaded his character, and moved forward, when the rogue Tang San Da appeared in his field of vision in the approximate center of the map, Lin Jingyan couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.

Sometimes, he envied Zhang Jiale a little.

He had transferred to Team Tyranny, but he hadn't been separated from his character.

Characters belonged to the team, and Lin Jingyan understood this, of course. But after seven years of cooperation, he felt as if he and Tang San Da were one. The rogue character, Leng Anlei (Cold Dark Thunder), that Team Tyranny had created for him was actually not bad at all, not much worse than Tang San Da, and perhaps even more suited to his style.

But, it was still different...

Not just the name. The emotional bond formed with a character over many years of cooperation was difficult for Lin Jingyan to transfer immediately to a character with similar attributes. This was probably something that today's rookies couldn't understand. They would probably be more than happy to switch to a stronger, more suitable character.

Finally, it had come to this.

Lin Jingyan sighed inwardly. Since leaving Wind Howl, he had been thinking about what it would be like to face Tang San Da on the field one day. But before, they had only met in team competitions, where everyone was in a chaotic melee, and the feeling wasn't particularly clear. But now, in the individual competition, with the whole world seeming to consist only of him and Tang San Da, Lin Jingyan was filled with mixed emotions.

Tang San Da was spinning in place. Tang Hao seemed to have guessed that Lin Jingyan would choose tactical positioning, and was now carefully examining the surrounding terrain.

Lin Jingyan watched him, slowly and carefully manipulating Leng Anlei to follow Tang San Da's rotation, subtly adjusting his position.

This was it!

Lin Jingyan's mind flickered. Leng Anlei flicked his wrist, and a ma-zhen (numbing needle) shot out.

Such a simple sneak attack, everyone thought.

But, it hit!

Although the ma-zhen (numbing needle) was silent, Tang Hao had been constantly changing Tang San Da's perspective, so how could such a naive mistake as leaving a blind spot occur on a top-tier god's character?

But he actually hadn't noticed this ma-zhen (numbing needle). This simple sneak attack had actually hit Tang San Da.

Leng Anlei jumped out from his hiding place.

This was a map with excellent weather. Sunlight dappled the ground, and Leng Anlei was quickly rushing towards Tang San Da, the messy shadows constantly swaying on the ground.

Paralyzed by the ma-zhen (numbing needle), Tang San Da couldn't move. Leng Anlei threw a handful of sand in his face.

Paralysis, then blindness...

With successive abnormal statuses, even if Tang Hao's skill was high, he couldn't possibly cope with an attack from an experienced expert like Lin Jingyan under these circumstances.

Lin Jingyan calculated the duration of the blindness accurately. Just as it was about to end, he slammed a brick on the back of Tang San Da's head.

After blindness, there was dizziness.

So, a new round of offensive began. When he couldn't continue, Lin Jingyan wasn't greedy at all. After knocking Tang San Da down, he immediately hid again.

Tang Hao was a little frustrated. This wave of attacks had come so inexplicably. How had he been hit by a ma-zhen (numbing needle)? A quarter of his health had been taken away, and he was still completely confused.

Poor Tang Hao didn't have the multi-functional perspectives or replays of the broadcast or the on-site electronic screen.

The audience hadn't been clear about why Tang Hao hadn't noticed the ma-zhen (numbing needle), but after giving Tang Hao's first-person perspective and replaying it repeatedly, everyone realized that Tang Hao's vision really hadn't included the ma-zhen (numbing needle) at that moment.

Where did the ma-zhen (numbing needle) go?

Through various perspectives and analysis, the audience finally discovered the trick.

It was the sunlight!

It was the shadow!

It was Lin Jingyan's choice of position that allowed Leng Anlei's ma-zhen (numbing needle) to be released from a position where shadow and sunlight intersected. So, for a moment, the ma-zhen (numbing needle) seemed to disappear.

Was this something that could be done in Glory?

The audience was stunned.

It was a little embarrassing to use the term "profound" to describe an online game. Even the designers of this game couldn't have imagined so many details. It was these professional players, the guys at the top of Glory, who constantly explored the subtle aspects of the game and then created things in the competition that even the designers would be dumbfounded by.

Did Tang Hao know about this?

Looking at Tang San Da's frantic appearance after getting up from the ground, everyone felt a little sympathy for Tang Hao. The feeling of being inexplicably beaten up right from the start must have been terrible.

Tang San Da moved frantically. The inexplicable ma-zhen (numbing needle) had Tang Hao baffled, and he didn't dare to let Tang San Da stand still. He ran around in circles, but still couldn't find Leng Anlei.

Wretched style, it was the wretched style again.

Tang Hao gritted his teeth. Team Wind Howl was in poor condition, and there was much criticism from the outside world for abandoning the wretched style. Tang Hao only hoped to prove to people as soon as possible that their style was much stronger than the wretched style. But now, on the individual competition field, he was being beaten to a pulp by the wretched style. And this person was still Lin Jingyan, the former operator of Tang San Da, the old guy he had defeated in the All-Star Game.

"Hiding!" Tang Hao said in the channel, feeling disgruntled. He wasn't one to communicate with his opponents through text during a match. He preferred to use his fists. But now, he couldn't find his target, and he was feeling frustrated.

"Hiding is also a means of winning," Lin Jingyan replied.

"See how long you can hide for," Tang Hao said.

"Just be careful," Lin Jingyan replied.

Tang San Da continued to turn around, searching. Where was Lin Jingyan's Leng Anlei? Under Tang Hao's intense search, he couldn't hide too comfortably. But he was clearly very familiar with this map. If he could create that incredible situation earlier, his understanding and utilization of this map was beyond question.

Tang Hao searched and searched, but couldn't find him. Lin Jingyan had already finished adjusting again. Leng Anlei once again secretly held a ma-zhen (numbing needle), waiting for the right opportunity. This time, Tang Hao was making Tang San Da run around so much that it was not as easy to strike as last time.

But Lin Jingyan's perspective at this moment was not locked on Tang San Da, but waiting for Tang San Da to suddenly enter his field of vision.

He attacked!

The ma-zhen (numbing needle) flew out again. Tang San Da's perspective was also turning, and clearly aimed in this direction.

But...

The audience in the arena looked up at the electronic screen. Tang San Da's perspective was indeed pointing in the direction of the ma-zhen (numbing needle), but there was a wall there! Tang San Da's perspective came over, but the needle was still flying behind the wall. He didn't see it at all! When the needle came out, Tang San Da's perspective had already turned away, and then... he was hit by the needle...

A repeat of the opening.

Tang Hao was almost going crazy, but what could he do? His emotions couldn't negate the abnormal statuses on his character. Lin Jingyan, with the same set of attacks he had used before, repeated them steadily, all seamless combos that his opponent couldn't break at all.

Tang San Da's health was down another quarter. As for having lost half of his health, Lin Jingyan's Leng Anlei was unscathed. Everyone's eyes were about to pop out.

It was said that Team Wind Howl's team performance wasn't good, but their individual strength was still solid. Tang Hao versus Lin Jingyan, this pair of new and old rogue experts, had actually already been decided at the All-Star Weekend two years ago. Everyone could see that Tang Hao's level was indeed above Lin Jingyan's.

But that level, in fact, only referred to operating skills. In this regard, old players couldn't compete with new stars. But in this match, did Tang Hao have the opportunity to show off his stronger operating skills?

No, not at all.

Both times were sneak attacks with the ma-zhen (numbing needle), hitting the mark with one strike. The character couldn't be controlled, so how could they talk about operation?

Lin Jingyan used the terrain in this way, without losing any health, and knocked out half of Tang San Da's health. If it hadn't really happened before their eyes, who would have believed that this match would have been fought to this extent?

Tang San Da was knocked to the ground again, but when he jumped up in a rage this time, he found that Leng Anlei hadn't disappeared, but was right in front of him.

"Why aren't you running?" Tang Hao said through gritted teeth, and immediately wanted to launch an attack, but Leng Anlei had already rushed up first. He hadn't run, but had stayed to continue the attack!

"Well done!" Tang Hao's spirits lifted. The two sneak attacks he had been hit by inexplicably had made him extremely depressed. Seeing that Lin Jingyan had taken the stance to fight him head-on, he was extremely excited.

Was he afraid of fighting like this?

The two rogue characters exchanged blows.

In terms of operating skills, Tang Hao was indeed better. In this kind of hard-hitting confrontation, Lin Jingyan didn't have the advantage.

But in the end, it was Tang San Da who fell, and this time, he couldn't stand up again. His health had reached zero.

"If I can't take you down with 50% of my health, then I'm afraid I should really retire." Looking at Tang San Da who had been knocked down on the ground, Lin Jingyan left this last sentence. His Leng Anlei still had 17% health. Tang Hao used 50% to take away 83% of his health. Very strong, very domineering, worthy of being the number one rogue, but he had lost.

The arena cheered, giving it to Lin Jingyan.

Although he was no longer the number one rogue player, no longer selected for the All-Star Game, and the aura of a top god was fading, he had won.

In this arena, what was more important than victory, regardless of fame or skill?

Only victory was the most real. What was the use of even the most superb skills if they couldn't win victory?

The current Wind Howl team was a collection of players with superb skills, but they lacked victory, so they lost the trust of their supporters.

When Lin Jingyan left the field, he looked towards the away team's stands. The already dissatisfied seats were silent. Lao Lu held their Wind Howl flag, just standing there...