Chapter 113: A Battle of Wits and Courage
Sure enough, after losing two more rounds, the captain of Cats Love Fish immediately requested a timeout and a substitution from the referee.
In an official match, each side was entitled to one one-minute timeout, one twenty-second timeout, and one substitution.
Even so, professional teams rarely used them.
For one thing, they could easily disrupt the rhythm already established, and making a substitution in the middle of battle was considered a major taboo.
For another, calling a timeout also gave the opposing side time to rest, which was highly disadvantageous.
Only when the battle was going badly and the team remained unable to break through or open up the situation would they calmly replace a player.
This was a standard rule, whether in games, real-world competitions, or warfare.
Zhou Yang rose and strode toward the competition room on the left side of the stage. As a world champion, he possessed an aura that made him shine, dazzling enough to draw a wave of cheers.
“Old Duan, this isn’t good,” She Shiyu suddenly said, frowning.
“Yeah, Brother Duan. I’ve played plenty of games, and I know Zhou Yang pretty well. He’s strong—extremely strong.” A wealthy young man quietly echoed her, evidently possessing some understanding of the situation.
“Not good? What’s so bad about it?” Duan Rulong snorted disdainfully.
Just as several of them were about to question him, Duan Rulong suddenly turned toward Zhao Cheng, the president of the Pepsi Club.
“President Zhao, what do you think?”
Zhao Cheng smiled faintly. “President Duan, you and I are both grasshoppers tied to the same rope. There are some things I can’t hide from you. Li Xin was personally invited by President Jiang after an enormous amount of effort—she practically had to make three visits before finally persuading her to come. Since she trusts Li Xin so completely, I naturally trust her as well.”
Duan Rulong smiled in satisfaction and looked proudly at She Shiyu and the others.
“Could someone Miss Jiang values so highly really be mistaken?”
At that moment, Jinhua suddenly smiled and nodded lightly. “The result of a single match actually isn’t important. We’re businesspeople; what we care about is profit. What Li Xin represents isn’t merely victory in a competition, but abundant capital.”
Hearing this, the privileged young men and women nodded thoughtfully one after another, learning quite a bit from Jinhua.
Inside the competition room.
The Pepsi team also used the one-minute timeout to exchange information rapidly. Compared with Li Xin’s calm composure, excitement and exhilaration flickered across the faces of the other four players. Looking at the plump man now, one could truly see how overjoyed he was.
“Hello, my name is Li Gang.” Li Gang suddenly extended his right hand.
Li Xin paused, seemingly surprised, then smiled. “Hello. My name is Li Xin.”
Their hands clasped tightly, each secretly exerting strength. This was not a contest of power, but an expression of admiration and respect for one another.
The barriers and grudges between them vanished after those two brief clashes.
The other three players followed suit, and Li Xin properly became acquainted with the members of the Pepsi Counter-Strike division. Behind them, Jiang Chuxue’s eyes curved with delight. She was indescribably happy.
“We have thirty-three seconds left. We should work out a strategy.”
Li Xin spoke as she accepted the suction cup from Jiang Chuxue, then quickly discussed their ideas with Li Gang. The other three also offered their own opinions, and a new battle plan was soon established.
“What an incredibly precise sense of timing,” Li Gang thought to himself, a certain person coming to mind.
“She’s somewhat similar to the Nine-Time Gun King, Dawn. Their command styles are equally unpredictable, and their sense of timing is just as precise. If I hadn’t observed her carefully, I might have thought she was Dawn himself. But compared with Dawn’s steadiness and solidity, she’s more aggressive and passionate. If Dawn were leading the team, he wouldn’t play with such abandon.”
“But what does that matter? In the end, the only goal is victory.”
Li Gang gave a self-mocking smile and shook his head slightly. At that moment, his admiration for Li Xin was beyond words. More than anything, however, he was curious. Where had President Jiang met this expert? Why had he never heard of her before?
The match resumed. Since the score had already been four to zero, only three more rounds needed to be played before the first half ended and the sides switched between attack and defense.
Zhou Yang had already entered the match and taken over command. As the newly crowned world champion, his return to his original team as a support player naturally earned him a central position among the main lineup.
That was beyond question. Cats Love Fish would never make the same mistake as Pepsi had at the beginning, allowing doubts and resistance to arise among its players.
“Push forward in a two-three formation! Flashbangs in front, grenades behind!”
Zhou Yang’s commands were swift and decisive, displaying the bearing of a champion.
Advancing in separate groups could both strike the opponent effectively and spread out the duration of the enemy’s utility effects. It was one of the most commonly used tactics among professional teams, and it had originally been pioneered by his own Tiger team. Now he employed it with effortless familiarity.
Because of Zhou Yang’s fame, the broadcast director kept the camera focused on him. At that moment, the enormous liquid-crystal screen was filled with a sheet of white light.
Clearly, the Pepsi side had thrown utility as well.
The audience watched with excitement, guessing which side would gain the upper hand in this white world.
Suddenly, a red name appeared in Zhou Yang’s field of vision. Without hesitation, he raised his rifle and unleashed a rapid burst from his AK.
Headshot!
On the other side, three grenades also did their work, scoring another kill.
When the flash effect ended, Pepsi had already lost two players. The entire venue erupted in cheers.
This was the bearing of a world champion. This was true, blood-pumping competition.
“Quickly, quickly! Two-one-two formation through mid, split up!”
Zhou Yang issued another rapid command. No enemies had appeared in the middle.
He held mid himself, while two players pushed up to scout and the other two rotated toward the B passage. This created a perfect three-lane lockdown. The instant anything happened in any direction, they could pull their guns over and provide support.
“This side is clear.”
“This side is clear.”
Reports came over the radio from both flanks. Zhou Yang wore a serious expression as he moved in short, staccato steps around the angled box in mid, watching the enemy side.
Strange. There were no enemies there either.
At that very moment, another wave of jeers and cries erupted from the audience.
“Holy crap, what an incredible tactic!”
“My God, they’re actually using two players as bait while the other three have already reached the A site!”
“That Yiran has terrifying talent as a commander. In my opinion, she’s good enough to rank among the very best leaders.”
The spectators were stunned, exhilarated, impressed, and envious.
Relying on Baishi Kairy and Baishi Manman to lure the enemy through mid, the Pepsi team’s other three players had silently slipped along the short A route and reached the A site.
The C4 was planted successfully!
“Damn it!”
Zhou Yang’s expression darkened. He had assumed the enemy was holed up at home defending their position. He never expected them to use this tactic.
The broadcast camera switched back to Zhou Yang. He rapidly issued orders as players from three directions moved to encircle the A site.
Five against three, with an eighty-percent chance of victory. Against a professional team with synchronized coordination, that probability was nearly one hundred percent.
Twenty seconds remained on the C4 timer. All five players from Cats Love Fish synchronized their utility and stormed into the A site from three directions.
They swung their rifles and opened fire!
Baishi Lele, hiding beneath the small observation point, was killed instantly.
“Force through short!” Zhou Yang growled quickly, bunny-hopping into the corner to search for enemies.
No one was there!
Then, suddenly, a rapid succession of gunshots erupted.
At some unknown moment, an infiltrator had appeared at the entrance to long A, and another at the small observation point. Both were facing away, exposing pale, gleaming heads.
Headshot! Headshot! Headshot! Headshot!
Four players were eliminated in a single second.
The vast Wankai International Convention Center erupted in a deafening roar of disbelief.