641 Times Have Changed

Tang Rou and Steamed Bun had leveled their characters from Level 1, so they each had a good grasp of their respective classes. However, their understanding of the other classes were far from enough. Even though they had an incredible win record in the Arena, that was mostly through reliance on their superior mechanics. Just their mechanics alone allowed them to stand at the top of the game. However, in the pro scene, their mechanics weren’t good enough to beat others.

Their characters were almost max leveled, but because they had decided to enter the pro scene, there was no need to study things like dungeons or bosses. PvP had its own set of knowledge that needed to be mastered. They didn’t have much time on their hands, so they couldn’t waste their time studying pointless things.

“It seems like an encyclopedia like you, who is proficient in all of the classes, is finally finding some use.” Wei Chen patted Ye Xiu’s shoulder.

Directly practicing PvP was the most enjoyable way to learn. Ye Xiu had to agree too, but if Tang Rou and Steamed Bun tried to accumulate experience through the Arena, their harvest wouldn’t be very fruitful. Their skill level surpassed the scope of difficulty that the Arena could provide them with. They could overwhelm opponents with just their mechanics alone. Very few players could provide any sort of challenge for them. It was like killing Level 30 monsters as a Level 60 character. The experience gained couldn’t even be considered a consolation prize.

In-game leveling, as well as improving one’s PvP skill, were similar in this way. At this point, Ye Xiu might need to personally train them.

“This type of practice is necessary.” Ye Xiu didn’t avoid the subject, “It looks like we’re going to need another set of accounts.”

“Ha ha, that shouldn’t be a problem.” Wei Chen was a rich man now. He looked online and bought a set of accounts.

Ye Xiu had finished watching Tyranny’s VODs, so he closed them. It was a pity that no one could share the same feelings that he felt right now.

Once the match between Tyranny and Misty Rain ended, the first half of the first round had been completed. Each team would play two matches in the first round before their points were tallied up and the winner was declared, so for these first matches, no one would really win or lose them. People looked at their total points and examined which team had the advantage or which was at a disadvantage. Whether the team was playing in their home stadium or in an away stadium mattered. The team that could choose the maps for the match had a large advantage, especially in the playoffs. The teams would naturally choose their most proficient maps.

On the fifth day, the second match between Samsara and Thunderclap began. This time, the match took place in Samsara’s home stadium

Samsara had already obtained a huge lead in their away game. All of the pressure was on Thunderclap, who relied on analyzing and planning appropriate strategies to counter their opponents. With Samsara’s sudden improvement in characters, even after a four day rest to adjust their strategies, it didn’t seem likely that Thunderclap would be able to defeat Samsara. Even Xiao Shiqin wouldn’t be able to calculate exactly how much of an advantage the skill points that Samsara’s characters had gained would give them. In addition to that, a strategy-centered team like Thunderclap relied greatly on the map that was chosen. It could be seen from their regular season that Thunderclap won significantly more home games than they did away games.

In their second match, Samsara won handily. This match could be considered an effortless victory on their part. However, after the first match ended, when others analyzed the match, quite a few people, along with Xiao Shiqin, had noticed that the skill points on Samsara’s characters seemed to be different. After all, when a skill was leveled up, there would be a slight change in the effects. This sort of change was easy to perceive by experienced players.

In the post-match interview, the keen reporters asked about this issue. Unfortunately, they encountered Samsara’s team captain, Zhou Zekai. Everyone wanted to know the answer to this question, but all they got was a “Mm.” Was that “Mm” a “Mm?” Or a “Mm!” No one understood what he was trying to say. All of the reporters wanted to slam their heads against a wall.

Seeing the reporters want to cough blood when they heard Zhou Zekai’s response to their question was a sight that Samsara enjoyed very much. Today, they had won the first round of the playoffs, so they were even happier right now, but they couldn’t ignore this question forever. In the end, the vice-captain Jiang Botao came forward for an interview and gave a definite answer.

This definite answer confirmed that Samsara’s characters had improved in terms of skill points, but Jiang Botao obviously wouldn’t say the exact increase in skill points. It would soon be figured out, but the longer they could keep it a secret, the better!

As for Thunderclap, after Xiao Shiqin expressed his feelings for being eliminated in the first round, he didn’t immediately convey his confidence for the future, like what most players usually did. Instead, Xiao Shiqin suddenly began talking about his career.

Xiao Shiqin had been a player, who had become famous early on. Starting from when he was first discovered, he had become well known for his decision-making and control rather than his mechanics. The Thunderclap players, who had noticed his potential, regarded him as a team player.

Xiao Shiqin didn’t fail to live up to his expectations. Starting from the fourth season, he soon became the cornerstone of Team Thunderclap and took over the team as the captain. He and his character Life Extinguisher were frequent guests at the All Stars. Along with Tyranny’s Zhang Xinjie, Blue Rain’s Yu Wenzhou, and Excellent Era’s Ye Qiu, he was the last of Glory’s Four Master Tacticians.

But compared to the other three Master Tacticians, Xiao Shiqin’s career was less successful.

He was an incredible tactician and strategist, but it was a pity that he didn’t have an ace player on his team. This was what most people felt towards Xiao Shiqin. Team Thunderclap wasn’t a powerhouse. Apart from Xiao Shiqin and his Life Extinguisher, there were no other All Star level players or characters on their team.

As for the other three?

Zhang Xinjie had Han Wenqing and the King of Fighters, Desert Smoke, by his side. Yu Wenzhou had Huang Shaotian and the Sword Saint, Troubling Rain, by his side. Ye Qiu was even better. He himself was considered the Alliance’s number one attacker and controlled the legendary Battle God, One Autumn Leaf. These three were not only incredible tacticians and strategists, but all of them had God-level teammates or God-level accounts to support them. Only Xiao Shiqin didn’t have any strong helpers. He could only rely on his tactics to utilize his team’s lackluster potential to its fullest.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to become the champion, let alone maintain a stable position at the top of the standings in the regular season.

“Times have changed.” After reminiscing about his career, Xiao Shiqin sighed.

The experienced reports instantly sniffed out a few leads.

Times have changed.

Is he talking about Team Thunderclap making changes? Or is Xiao Shiqin talking about himself making changes?”

From how emotional Xiao Shiqin was being after recalling his career, it was more likely that he himself would be making changes.

Before the reporter could ask any further questions, Xiao Shiqin already began speaking: “That was my final match with Thunderclap. I am grateful for the Club that I’ve been with for so many years, my teammates, and my fans. I have grown with this team for my entire career and it has not been an easy decision for me to come to. I am sorry that I cannot continue moving forward with everyone for another season, but no matter where I go in the future, Thunderclap will always be the team that raised me.”

The reporters immediately became excited. An ace player like Xiao Shiqin was actually going to transfer teams. It was as if a huge bomb had been dropped. From the reactions of his teammates, it seemed like they already knew about this decision. They didn’t look shocked. They wished him well and gave him their blessings.

“I hope everything goes well for him!”

“He has the ability to become a champion. We’ve been dragging him down.”

“No matter where he goes, I’ll always be his number one fan!”

All of Team Thunderclap’s other members expressed their good will towards Xiao Shiqin’s departure. Even though none of these players were stars in the pro scene, through the tactics and teamwork that brought them together, they had a deeper relationship with one another. No one felt betrayed by Xiao Shiqion’s departure. They sincerely gave him their blessings.

His departure was saddening, but also warm. Xiao Shiqin thanked his teammates for the support they gave him and his words were sincere.

“He’s actually planning on transferring.” Xiao Shiqin was someone in the younger generation, who Wei Chen had never fought against before. He was currently at the peak of his career, so Wei Chen had obviously heard of him before, “I don’t think the core of a team like him has ever transferred to another team before, no?”

“Sun Xiang?” Ye Xiu said.

“That monkey came out of a thatched cottage. Does that even count?” Wei Chen expressed.

“That doesn’t count?” Ye Xiu said.

“Fine!” Wei Chen didn’t argue, “Where do you think he will go? Blue Rain? Tyranny? I don’t think any of those teams will take him. His capabilities would collide with Yu Wenzhou or Zhang Xinjie. He wouldn’t be able to fully display his strength. Tiny Herb has Wang Jiexi. They probably don’t need him, unless Tiny Herb plans on having Wang Jiexi change playstyles and become an offense-oriented Witch. Oh, that’s actually quite possible if you think about it.”

“There’s another team who needs him even more than Tiny Herb does.” Ye Xiu said.

“Which team?” Wei Chen was thinking.

“Excellent Era……” Ye Xiu said.

“Sh*t!!” Wei Chen was startled, but he immediately realized the likelihood of it happening.

“Excellent Era’s future core will definitely be Sun Xiang. In order to get him to be accepted by the team or develop a good set of tactics for him, they need someone like Xiao Shiqin.” Ye Xiu said.

“Excellent Era just got f*cking relegated. Would he actually be stupid enought to run over to Excellent Era?” Wei Chen shook his head.

“With Excellent Era’s foundation and Sun Xiang still there, no one doubts that they will return to the Alliance next season, no? If they had Xiao Shiqin, they will definitely have the strength to directly win the championships, or perhaps that isn’t his thoughts?” Ye Xiu said.

“No, no, that’s not good. He can’t think like that.” Wei Chen was still shaking his head.

“Why not?” Ye Xiu said.

“Then that f*cker wants us to die!!” Wei Chen cursed.