Chapter For iAg_启神 Alliance Master

…

As the final match concluded, the top 16 nationwide were determined.

However, the advancing students were instructed to wait where they were, forbidden from leaving.

The defeated students, along with their supervising teachers, left the People's Stadium under the guidance of the event staff.

The number of people in the audience stands was already less than 50, and this departure cut it in half, making the stadium even emptier.

Competition, rankings – it was all so cruel.

The victors and losers were decided in the same arena, even brushing shoulders in the stands, facing different fates and walking towards different lives.

When feelings as opposite as loss and dejection versus joy and celebration appeared in the same frame, the extreme contrast was truly jarring.

Since ancient times, the winner takes all, nothing to say about it.

But if you were directly involved, would you really be so magnanimous, able to let it go immediately?

Jiang Xiao watched as a supervising teacher comforted a dejected student, his arm around the student's shoulders as they slowly left the arena, their desolate figures causing Jiang Xiao to sigh.

Jiang Xiao thought that Beijing Star Warrior University sent too few supervising teachers. This time, all three of Beijing Star Warrior University's students advanced, so no one left early. But what if one had failed and two had succeeded?

With Fang Xingyun's personality, he would probably comfort the failed student and return to the hotel with the loser, right?

Jiang Xiao silently watched that group of people leave, disappearing into the player's tunnel.

After half of the audience stands were cleared, a staff member's voice came from below: "Top 16 contestants!"

As he spoke, the staff member clapped his hands, attracting everyone's attention.

The staff member said loudly: "You have two hours of rest time. During this period, you are not allowed to leave your seats. If you have any requests, you can ask us, and we will try our best to meet reasonable requests."

"We will provide lunch for everyone later. The dining area is right here. Manage your time well. After lunch, you can rest, or you can warm up on the field with staff supervision, but any form of combat is prohibited."

Jiang Xiao was taken aback. What did this mean?

Round of 16? Directly start the matches in two hours?

Since the event organizers had been keeping everything secret, no one knew how the schedule was arranged. The only thing that was certain was that the National Team Selection Competition was being conducted strictly according to the World Cup match standard, a 1v1 elimination tournament.

However, in Jiang Xiao's mind, the Round of 16 would at least be tomorrow.

Staff member: "No one! Is allowed to disclose any information about the competition to the outside world in any form. Remember this. I believe that you have already made it this far, and you wouldn't want to be kicked out of the national team for violating the rules."

"Everyone, if you feel unwell or have injuries from the previous battles that have not healed, please report to us immediately. We have the most professional team that will ensure your condition for the next match."

While the staff member was still making announcements, several staff members had already pushed the food carts in.

For a moment, the participating students looked at each other.

Was it so difficult to eat in the cafeteria? Did they have to eat in the audience stands?

Was it not possible to sleep in the locker room for a while? Did they have to rest here?

However, Jiang Xiao didn't feel much about it. He believed that all the students here were not delicate young masters or ladies. After all, they were people who had been tempered in harsh other-dimensional spaces. This level of "roughing it" was nothing.

It was just that everyone didn't understand these requirements.

Staff member: "The draw will start on time in 2 hours, and the advancement matches will begin immediately afterwards. The winners will be directly selected for the national team roster."

"Losers, don't be discouraged. Among the eight players in the losers' bracket, two will have the opportunity to become substitutes. Under certain circumstances, substitutes can replace the top eight starting players."

Although that was what was said, everyone wasn't very interested.

According to past national team individual competition member lists, the so-called substitutes were nothing more than mascots and had no chance to play. Only if a starting player had an accident before the World Cup would they automatically fill the position.

Such situations were rare, especially with top-notch medical teams accompanying them; the possibility of a starter withdrawing was very small.

But even so, if the eight players in the losers' bracket were given a chance to advance to the roster, these Star Warriors would surely fight hard to seize it.

Even setting aside the national team roster, Star Warriors would not allow themselves to be perfunctory or give up in any ordinary match.

At least the Star Warriors present were cultivated by the country. Under the ideological education of "training for battle, born to win," some concepts were deeply ingrained.

"Oh yo~ Two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes." Jiang Xiao rummaged through the boxed lunch and found that the dishes were almost the same. He directly took out a box and grabbed a chicken leg...

He couldn't help but lick his lips; he was indeed hungry.

Just as Jiang Xiao was about to pick up his chopsticks and start eating, he sensed that the atmosphere was a bit strange.

Jiang Xiao looked up and around, and found that the students were all looking in his direction. The staff member who had been talking non-stop also stopped and looked helplessly in Jiang Xiao's direction.

Fang Xingyun hurriedly walked over, snatched Jiang Xiao's chopsticks, and raised his hand apologetically to the staff member.

Staff member: "Good luck to everyone."

"Don't eat too much, it will affect your performance." After the staff member finished speaking, Zhao Wenlong spoke up and advised, "It's already one o'clock in the afternoon, after eating, you might feel sleepy."

Jiang Xiao directly tore off a bite of the chicken leg: "If I'm sleepy, I'll just sleep. Why did you only grab a cup of tea?"

Zhao Wenlong's expression was serious, and he said in a deep voice: "Hunger keeps me motivated."

Jiang Xiao was silent for a long time, and blurted out: "Hunger makes me lose my mind."

Zhao Wenlong: "..."

The contestants had all sorts of habits. Some students were really like Zhao Wenlong, refusing to eat. Of course, there were also those who ate heartily like Jiang Xiao, such as the Southwest Single Combat King Xing Yan!

This bald giant was eating enthusiastically, and the more Jiang Xiao looked at him, the more his appetite grew. He actually ate two boxed lunches. As for that big bald head... he ate a full five.

To be honest, Jiang Xiao could always come into contact with competitions, but this kind of "collective break activity" gave Jiang Xiao a very fresh feeling.

Many students closed their eyes and rested in their seats. One hour before the start of the match, they asked the staff to go down to the field to do warm-up activities to ensure their combat readiness.

There would undoubtedly be at least eight matches later, and the players in the last few matches might sit in the stands as spectators for a while, so the students really needed to move around.

Since he didn't have a phone, Jiang Xiao specifically told Teacher Fang to wake him up 20 minutes before the draw.

With the help of the human alarm clock, Jiang Xiao slept comfortably. After washing his face in the bathroom with the staff, he felt much more energetic and quickly returned to the field to move his body.

In the Land of the Fallen Shadow, Jiuwei had not rested all this time. He thought to himself that next time he restocked here, he should bring a clock so that he wouldn't need to bother Teacher Fang to be a human alarm clock. Jiuwei could wake Jiang Xiao up in his mind.

However, there was no sparring master here, and Jiuwei was a little lonely. He had been sitting cross-legged on the ground for a long time, carefully digesting and absorbing the swordsmanship skills that came through telepathy. The absolutely unexpected method of use opened the door to a new world for him.

Unfortunately, Jiuwei didn't have Green Glow. Although his own skill level was enough to support him to complete any form of "blade parrying," it would undoubtedly be even more powerful with the help of Green Glow.

Sigh... when will my alt account have a Star Chart?

Time flew by quickly.

In the blink of an eye, the staff once again invited the six-year-old child up.

Obviously, the child's sense of novelty had passed. He seemed to be tired of this game and wasn't as happy as he was in the morning. He pouted his little mouth, grabbing the balls very quickly.

"First match, number 77!"

Xie Yan stood up and raised his right fist wrapped in black bandages.

Some of the students secretly prayed, hoping they wouldn't run into this fiend.

"Versus... number 12!" As the staff member's voice rang out, Jiang Xiao even heard some sighs of relief.

Number 12 was a male student of medium build, who didn't show anything, and raised his hand to indicate that he had no objection.

"Second match, number 58!" As soon as this number was heard, there was another commotion among the students in the arena.

Having reached the top 16, everyone was a great player, but there were still differences in strength between the great players.

Obviously, Hou Mingming, number 58, the local carry-on, was the student that most people didn't want to encounter.

"Versus... number 61!" The staff member unscrewed the ping pong ball that he took from the child and showed the cross-section.

"F*ck......" A young man couldn't help but raise his hands, not to confirm that he had no objection, nor to admit defeat, but rather the subconscious body movement when feeling very helpless.

Some were secretly happy, some were secretly laughing, but there were also some who secretly regretted.

Hou Mingming was one of those who secretly regretted. Reason prevented her from challenging Jiang Xiao off the field, but for Hou Mingming, the sooner she could have a real fight with Jiang Xiao, the sooner she could fulfill her wish!

To be honest, judging from Hou Mingming's character and past performance, she had really been able to endure it. She really couldn't wait any longer.

"Third match, number 81!" The staff member shouted. In the audience stands, the bald giant Xing Yan suddenly stood up, his face full of fierce flesh, raised his muscular arm, and turned around to look fiercely at everyone in the audience stands.

An overwhelming pressure swept over, Xing Yan's aura was majestic, domineering, and fierce.

There were only a dozen people in total, and his beast-like eyes easily saw who was a coward and who was an opponent.

Obviously, he had taken the initiative to overwhelm everyone with his aura, and at least some of the players avoided his gaze.

"Versus......" The staff member took the ping pong ball, unscrewed it, and shouted loudly, "Number 57!"

For a moment,

Everyone looked to the left rear.

Jiang Xiao raised his right hand, indicating that he had no objection.

When Xing Yan saw that his opponent was Jiang Xiao, he was immediately stunned...

Xing Yan's fierce expression turned into a dumbfounded look. He rubbed his big bald head with one hand and muttered, "Damn it..."

How could it be this kid!?

This kid is... purely a crooked path!

It's toxic...