Chapter 159

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Qing Tian: “Right now on Mix’s side we have reserve Xiaofei as mid-laner, starter Xiao as jungler. I remember the first time I saw Mix’s official Weibo announcing that Xiao was recovering from an injury, I was almost shocked to death. But in slightly more than half a year’s time, Xiao has made a comeback and is competing again. And earlier we’ve just seen his reserve Yao, also very capable. It may be said that Mix Battleteam is at the peak of their abilities.”

Nian Nian: “I feel that doesn’t sound right. Mix has never claimed to have a peak period, it’s merely that their capabilities are ever-growing.”

As the incessant superfluous words from the two commentators on stage flowed into his ears, Ji Zhiyao focused his attention on the screen. There was nothing to worry about with Xiao jungling, he was mainly watching Xiaofei and Stickers Battleteam’s jungler.

Yet Xiaofei seemed like he had suddenly eaten Popeye’s spinach. Though he was all jittery before, it was as if he using hacks on stage. Knowing that his skills weren’t enough for a single-handed kill, he directly chose to defend his lane while developing cowardly, suddenly it seemed as if there was a fourth turret added in the middle lane.

Then Ji Zhiyao looked towards the opposing jungler.

Both his motility and cooperation with the battleteam were up there, but his handling was really average, losing a bar of health after taking a blue buff, nothing to be feared.

Top and bottom lanes were still as stable as a mountain. Mo Huaifeng stole a creep from Xiao, Ji Zhiyao clearly saw Xiao indignantly saying something when the camera swept past him... Yet when Mo Huaifeng leveled up from the creep, he teamed up with Nuo right away, taking the head of Stickers’ top-laner who had yet to develop.

Ji Zhiyao felt that there was no need to watch on anymore.

Glancing left and right, he found that he wasn’t the only one distracted and not wanting to continue watching the game. Heng was leaning and dozing off on the cushion on the sofa, the stats analyzer was holding a pen and doing calculations on his notebook, Yuan Wei was playing with his phone, a trace of a sleazy smile hanging on his face...

Ji Zhiyao tugged at the corner of his lips as he leaned back, closing his eyes for a rest.

Yet resting with his eyes closed gradually became a totally different thing, unsure of how, he fell asleep, when he woke up once again, it was from Nuo’s shaking.

Ji Zhiyao opened his eyes with a confused look and found Nuo’s palm only a few inches away from his face, as if in the next second, this palm would be landing on this face.

Seeing him open his eyes, Nuo swiftly pulled back his hand, and commented with a look of admiration, “NoHomo you’re amazing, this is my first time personally seeing anyone being able to fall asleep during the national qualifiers when his own team is competing.”

Ji Zhiyao wiped his face, then pointed to Heng.

Heng defended himself. “... Yet I did not fall asleep. At first I thought you were closing your eyes and resting like me, in the end your eyes were still closed even after Captain and the rest had returned.”

“I woke up a little too early today.”

Mo Huaifeng chimed in, “9:40AM, indeed early enough.”

Ji Zhiyao shook his head back and forth, drinking another few mouthfuls of water after feeling more awake before completely sobering up. His voice was still slightly hoarse from just waking up. “Am I going on for the next match?”

Heng questioned, “If you aren’t, are you still thinking of sleeping a while more?”

“I might consider.”

“Then I’m very sorry, just now Captain said that both of us are up for the next match.”

Ji Zhiyao instinctively looked towards Mo Huaifeng, realizing that he did not refute it, and hence made a “tsk” sound, feeling very regretful.

When the break ended, they returned on stage.

He did not know if it was a problem with his own ears, but Ji Zhiyao somehow felt that the cheers from the audience for this round were much louder than those for the 3v3.

They sat down in the arrangements of top-laner, mid-laner, jungler, support, ADC like how they do at the base and put on their ear-mics.

Before selecting their champions, Ji Zhiyao saw Stickers’ captain speaking for a long time into the ear-mic, and the remaining four members nodded firmly in response, he suddenly had a not-so pleasant premonition. Hence when it came to picking their champions, he said, “I’ll take a conservative one for this round, jungling and roaming the three lanes, whoever needs someone just call me.”

His teammates already had some understanding towards his certain ability to foresee things in a game, Heng asked with a smile, “Why, feeling something amiss again?”

Ji Zhiyao frowned and replied, “Not sure. I just saw the opposite all listening to their captain speak, the things that he is saying at this time with a wholly solemn expression cannot be a comedy act yeah?”

Mo Huaifeng pondered for a moment and said, “Both K and Nuo change to tank champions, lest they gang up on any of the lanes.”

Thus they adjusted the champions they picked and prepared to play.

The match began, Ji Zhiyao plunged into the jungle. He first killed a few creeps, then found a bush and groped around all the way till the middle lane and hid there.

Presumably waiting till Stickers’ mid-laner appeared and he and Heng tested each other while beginning to clear the minions, Ji Zhiyao thought that he had misjudged and was about to return to the jungle to continue jungling when Stickers’ jungler suddenly crept unexpectedly into the bush beside him, his movements extremely hidden. If it wasn’t because Ji Zhiyao did not blink, he might not have caught that.

The opposite jungler was hiding face-to-face with him yet could not sense his presence, there was a trace of subtlety in this feeling.

Ji Zhiyao: “Heng, you retreat, the opponent’s jungler is now beside me. If I haven’t guessed wrongly, there’s one more hiding in the other bush.”

Heng: “What the f*ck? They might be thinking to gank the middle lane. NoHomo, are you okay hiding there on your own?”

Ji Zhiyao: “I’ll engage him first, later on when someone appears from the bush then you can come over. K come here too, there’s also a mid-laner behind the defense turret.”

K: “OK.”

Heng: “Alright. Who doesn’t know how to pretend.”

Seeing Little Short Legs the mage retreat into the turret, Ji Zhiyao threw an ability onto Stickers’ jungler, stunning then started using his auto-attacks, saving his abilities. Stickers’ support hidden in the other bush had yet to react, his jungler was already left with a bar of health.

Stickers’ support and mid-laner rushed over at once, Ji Zhiyao moved swiftly, while calling out, “Heng, K, I’m about to get killed by these three bastards.”

K: “Already at the turret, can you see me?”

Heng: “Right away, right away, calm down.”

Suddenly two more devious people who attacked from the back appeared behind them.

Heng and K worked with Ji Zhiyao to eliminate the jungler, then killed the support, the mid-laner escaped with a trifle of health back to his turret.

K: “Damn it! Was it easy for me to come all the way from the top lane? Both of you took a kill, not even leaving any scraps for me.”

Heng: “Well you weren’t fast enough to snatch it. You can have the minions gold at the middle lane, bestowing you a bite of food.”

K: “Okay, thank you daddy.”

Ji Zhiyao returned back to jungle extremely well geared-up , continuing to develop peacefully.

He guessed that because Mo Huaifeng was at the bottom lane, most people wouldn’t dare dream of pushing the lane, so it could only be top and middle lanes that might be ganked on. Hence he first cleared the right jungle, took the little dragon with Mo Huaifeng’s help, then plunged into the left side, observing the mini map as he jungled.

Heng returned all pleased to the back of the turret, waiting for the third wave of minions. Yet following behind them was three players, the opposing mid-laner, jungler and top-laner, Heng’s jaw was about to drop from shock. “Are they seeing me as the breach?”

Ji Zhiyao chuckled at his misfortune. “It seems so.”

Heng: “Damn it NoHomo stop laughing! If you don’t get here, I won’t give you the daddy blue in the next round even if I die.”

Ji Zhiyao: “Captain, keep your eyes on this side. Prepare to escort at all times.”

Nuo: “No, have you guys considered that there’s still this lonely, weak, pitiful and helpless person? Captain obviously exists for the sake of protecting my existence.”

Mo Huaifeng: “What am I protecting you for? Protecting you to gift the enemy kills or turrets?”

Nuo: “You are insulting my character.”

Mo Huaifeng: “What character is there to speak about for a support who almost snatched the ADC’s red buff in the previous match?”

Heng: “Quickly wake the f*ck up! I’m already being blocked right at the door, yet all of you are still messing around and not bothering about me!”

Ji Zhiyao: “Stop rushing me, aren’t I here now?”

Heng stayed below the defense turret, shivering while focusing on the three people blocking the way in the middle lane.

When Ji Zhiyao shifted into the bushes closer to the turret, did Heng appear following behind the minions line, going forth to cling on to Stickers’ mid-laner.

Seeing the remaining two opponents swarm forward after their mid-laner was attacked by Heng, and was increasingly nearing the turret, Ji Zhiyao calculated the distance and as they were approaching a certain point, rushed out and released his ultimate ability, both the top-laner and mid-laner were pushed into the turret at once.

Heng: “Nicely done! This bunch of rascals, really took it that their grandfather had no way of dealing with them!”

Heng smiled grimly, a stunning ability aimed perfectly at the two little rascals under the turret, keeping them locked in place, till they were left with the last trifle of health. Heng then used auto-attack and finished them off before the turret did.”

K: “That was too insidious.”

Ji Zhiyao: “Damn it, noob Heng, there’s still one more person alright? This top-laner is too tanky, I’m about to be pushed to the opposite.”

Heng: “Captain release your arrow! I have no more health left.”

Ji Zhiyao: “I feel slightly aggrieved and hurt.”

As Ji Zhiyao worked hard to free himself from the top-laner’s stun, an arrow came flying from the bottom lane, Stickers’ top-laner fell to the ground.

Mo Huaifeng: “The bottom lane is about to push through, come here directly.”

Hence the remaining people who were wandering about all arrived at the bottom lane where there was only one last Stickers turret left.

This round of victory had come easier than imagined.

After the results were announced to be valid, five of them left the stage and returned to the waiting room, Ji Zhiyao and Heng collapsed right away on the sofa.

There was one match left, but it wasn’t their business anymore.

K swung his arm, his tone noticeably filled with some sense of envy, jealousy and despise as he appealed, “Captain, I also want to have a reserve.”

Nuo followed, “Me too...”

Mo Huaifeng gave his evaluation very quickly. “Shameful.”

K and Nuo met eyes.

They were waiting for the fifth round when a girl with a staff pass around her neck knocked on the door and said, “Hello Mix Battleteam, I am one of the staff. Stickers Battleteam has chosen to admit defeat directly for the fifth round, may I know if you have any questions? If not, we would be announcing it as such, Mix will be advancing with a full 20 points.”

Yuan Wei exchanged a look with Mo Huaifeng, then replied, “We do not have any questions, thank you.”

When the staff member left, Yuan Wei commented, “Didn’t expect that there would be someone admitting defeat at the opening round. That’s the end of today, do you guys want to stay here or return to the base?”

Everyone chose to return to base, hence after the commentator announced Mix’s result, they left through the back door and boarded the van.

Since the national qualifiers officially opened, competitions were held only on each weekend. This meant that, Mix Battleteam could take a break for the entire week to come.

They arrived back at the base in the van. Once they were indoors Nuo began grumbling that he was hungry, Ji Zhiyao was speechless. “You just had two bowls of rice during lunch and it’s gone after playing two rounds of game?”

Nuo was confident in his reply, “Yes!”

Mo Huaifeng dropped his jacket, instructing with an indolent tone, “Day off today, no training, but do not get into trouble.”

At once cheers and shouts of joy sounded through the base as they began to form groups to head out to relax. Nuo grabbed Xiaofei and Xiao, intending to go out for a meal, K and Heng agreed on a bar... Heng very kindly suggested bringing Ji Zhiyao out to experience a bar but before Ji Zhiyao could speak, Mo Huaifeng was already rejecting on his behalf, “No.”

Heng questioned, “Why? Captain, NoHomo is already of age, time for him to see the world! It’s not any lewd place, just a total of half an hour away from our base, very safe, you know that.”

Ji Zhiyao looked towards Mo Huaifeng, from this tone, it seemed like he used to visit the place very often.

Mo Huaifeng remained unmoved. “Being young, he would have poor control, if you lead him astray, what will he do about the competition next week?”

Heng instantly gazed sympathetically at Ji Zhiyao.

But Ji Zhiyao didn’t think it was anything much and also did not have the desire to go, hence he said, “You guys go have fun, I’ll have dinner with Captain tonight.”

Heng nodded. “If there’s anything fun, I’ll tell you about it when I come back.”

“Thanks man.”

Ji Zhiyao then went upstairs and took a shower.

When he had blow-dried his hair and came downstairs, the entire base was only left with Mo Huaifeng sitting on the sofa by himself playing with his phone.

“They’ve all left? So fast?” Ji Zhiyao asked as he walked over.

Mo Huaifeng looked at him, nodding.

“What a pity.”

“What a pity? You want to go to the bar with Heng?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Not that. I’m finding it a pity that I’ve had to dig out your dark history from Heng’s mouth.”

“There’s no dark history. No hard-drinking, not a chain smoker, don’t flirt with girls, don’t sleep with fans, completely clean.”

“Your life is so uninteresting.”

Mo Huaifeng was stumped.

Ji Zhiyao teased Mo Huaifeng, then picked up his phone and started to scroll Tieba.

What he was reading was naturally posts on today’s qualifiers. Among them, Ji Zhiyao very satisfactorily found that there were many about himself.

[Seriously speaking, who said Yao was a completely incapable player who got to his position with the help of a backer. Just this standard of handling and acting skills, he’s definitely not inferior to Xiao. If I was their captain, I would be willing to keep him in the team regardless of all the rumors of him having a backer too.]

[Those people who were looking forward to Mix falling, how does it feel to be eating your own words? Does it hurt?]

[I’ve long said that my melon’s standard certainly isn’t as poor as the haters claim, those who hate for the sake of hating, you guys might be out of job soon xoxo.]

[I’ve watched three seasons of national qualifiers, objectively speaking, this standard is considered above average.]

[I feel like an arrow suddenly shot into my heart when I saw the little brother playing so seriously, suddenly became a fan. Mix is indeed still in their invincible state.]

Of course, there were still many people who maintained a hateful attitude towards him.

[It’s just an opening game. If they could even lose a competition of such standards, then this previous champion can directly jump into the Huangpu River.