A coaching match was a match focused on teaching. This type of match wasn’t about victory. The coach would purposefully leave openings during the match, prompting the other to make a decision. The coach obviously had be an amazing player, but the trainee also had to have some degree of skill. If a coaching match was fought with an amateur or someone who simply played for fun, they wouldn’t be able to understand the prompts.
Out of the people who knew Glory, those from the training camps of pro teams were most familiar with coaching matches. Occasionally, they would have the opportunity to practice against pro players, and these face-offs would usually be in the form of coaching matches. As for normal players, even if they were skilled enough to participate in a coaching match, they wouldn’t get the chance.
As this match between Soft Mist and Qiu Fei went on, the onlookers had that sort of feeling. This was clearly a coaching match. The pauses to give openings were rather obvious. This sort of tempo would wouldn’t be found in a usual match, only in a coaching match. The first one to voice this, directed his suspicions to Li Rui, the most skilled among them.
Meanwhile, Li Rui was dumbstruck, because he had similar suspicions, but at the same time, he could hardly believe it, so he didn’t say anything.. But when they saw the uncertainty on his face and the same expression reflected on one another, they knew that their conclusions were similar.
To be able to fight a coaching match with Qiu Fei, wasn’t this opponent a bit too terrifying?
Though everyone could guess that Ye Qiu was probably the one fighting, they never realized that Ye Qiu’s strength was so overwhelming.
The Ye Qiu from half a year ago could fight a coaching match with Qiu Fei, and half a year later he still retained the ability to do so...
No one knew more about the diligence Qiu Fei had shown this half year than the members of the training camp. They could envy him, they could be jealous of him, but none of them could ignore the efforts he had made.
Qiu Fei was already very good, and after half a year of nonstop training, he would only be better.
Yet, he could still be pulled into a coaching match.
Was this coaching match not a blow to his pride?
Never mind Qiu Fei who was in the arena, even those on the sidelines felt a bit discouraged. Had half a year of effort not made any difference in the chasm between their skill? These Gods, just how much better were they?
After careful consideration, they each still ended up worrying for themselves.
They suddenly realized, the Gods they met within their clubs were far more imposing than they had thought. Yet in the Alliance, those on par with the Gods weren’t uncommon.
What was a God? Today, these children truly began to understand through the presence of the obvious disparity in skill displayed in front of them. In the arena, the match raged on.
But after having suspicions of the true face of this match, the training camp members could gradually confirm that this really was a coaching match.
But that didn’t mean Qiu Fei knew.
This was something that those who often participated in coaching matches understood. When you knew about the intentions behind it, it would become obvious, but to the participant involved, it may not be so clear.
This victory was one they no longer had hope for.
If the person who dared to pull you into fighting a coaching match played seriously, you had no chance of winning. And for Ye Qiu, he didn’t seem to care about victory either. Rather than prompting good decisions, the coaching match exposed all kinds of flaws and problems Qiu Fei had.
Under Ye Qiu’s guidance, Qiu Fei’s technique was full of holes.
But who here hadn’t fought Qiu Fei before? If it wasn’t for this match, none of them would believe Qiu Fei could end up like this.
This battle had gone on for quite a while, the two characters seemed to be continuously fighting for the upper hand, and the audience kept cheering for Demon Fighter.
However, everyone in the Excellent Era workroom had long since gone quiet. They knew that the entire situation was under Ye Qiu’s complete control. The only reason the battle had dragged on was because Ye Qiu was fighting a coaching match, not seriously trying to win. Many of the openings that Qiu Fei revealed were intentionally ignored.
They couldn’t help but look towards Qiu Fei. He wasn’t still oblivious, was he?
And what they saw on Qiu Fei’s face was intense focus, teeth gritted, he seemed to be giving it his all to win. … He had no idea!
That was something everyone realized immediately.
Despite his efforts, the first one to fall was still Qiu Fei’s Demon Fighter.
A deafening thud drew everyone’s attention. Qiu Fei had slammed his fist against the table. His displeasure with the result was clear as day.
Qiu Fei was, indeed, displeased.
Just a little more!
That’s what he thought.
Yet, at that moment he heard the other speak up. "Save the video and have a good look over it later!"
Just as Qiu Fei wanted to demand an explanation, Soft Mist left the arena.
Qiu Fei, feeling a bit lost, glanced around around himself only to see everyone staring at him with shock. Qiu Fei knew he had lost his cool. No one had seen him behave so uncharacteristically before.
But his desire for victory was strong. He had wanted to use a match of Glory to teach the other a lesson. Unfortunately, he had failed.
"You okay, Qiu Fei?" Someone asked.
Qiu Fei shook his head, he was still going over the last words Ye Qiu had given him.
Demon Fighter was still lying prone in the arena. Qiu Fei saved the match, and then withdrew from the it.
Happy also finally switched players with Steamed Bun Invasion standing ready.
As soon as Qiu Fei saw that it wasn’t Soft Mist, he exited the arena. Chen Yehui started ordering another to take his place, but Qiu Fei’s attention was elsewhere. He opened the recording at once.
Not long after, he was dumbstruck.
Coaching matches were clear the audience, but not to the one playing in the match.
During the match, Qiu Fei gave it his all and fought to win, but eventually lost in the end.
He really had thought so.
But looking at the recording now, he knew that wasn’t what happened.
This was a coaching match, a patient and meticulous coaching match. Even when Ye Qiu was still at Excellent Era, the coaching matches they had fought had never been so thorough.
A full 23 minutes!
To fight one on one for 23 minutes was probably harder than ending it in two minutes.
The execution of such a patient coaching match was performed despite the fact that Qiu Fei had no idea, and gave it his all, trying to win over his opponent.
Seeing the two figures on the screen exchange blow after blow, Qiu Fei was completely stunned.
His flaws, his problems, the things he needed to work on, after Ye Qiu’s departure, how long had it been since these were pointed out to him?
But in just this one match, they were revealed to him scene by scene.
What painstaking care was put into these 23 minutes?
If Ye Qiu had wanted to win, it would’ve taken only 2 minutes.
If he wanted to fight a coaching match just to mock him, he didn’t need to put in so much effort to unveil all of Qiu Fei’s flaws.
If it was someone who had abandoned their team, someone who had used retirement to escape responsibility, would he really put so much care into guiding their juniors?
Qiu Fei couldn’t continue watching the recording anymore. He suddenly stood up.
Everyone looked over in surprise, but Qiu Fei didn’t speak to anyone, swiftly walking out the room.
"Where are you going, Qiu Fei?" By the time Chen Yehui had asked his question, Qiu Fei had already left.
On the computer he had been using, the screen was still frozen on the images of the recording.
"That guy, after realizing it was a coaching match, I bet he couldn’t take it." Someone guessed.
After leaving the workroom, it didn’t take Qiu Fei long to walk out of the club and head directly towards Happy a little ways down on the other side of the road.
He had to know.
Before, he hadn’t looked for answers because he thought there was no need. His faith in the God he respected was immovable, and he believed he could do no wrong. That’s why all the accusations, all the rumors, even from within the club, failed to convince him. To him, none of it was real.
As for Ye Qiu never coming out to explain anything, he didn’t think it was strange. From what he knew of captain Ye Qiu, he only cared about Glory and victory. As for this other nonsense, say what you want, you think the captain cares?
Yes, he never cared.
Our captain was always like that! When he thought of his, Qiu Fei had felt proud.
Which was why when the club officially confirmed some of those rumors, Qiu Fei seethed. Then when the media exposed that Lord Grim wasn’t Ye Qiu, and after, he found that Ye Qiu was using Happy’s accounts to stand opposing them in the arena, Qiu Fei’s conflicting emotions were something no one would be able to understand.
Yet now, he had seen the coaching match Ye Qiu fought with him, with that same patience, that same care. He was so thorough, too, using over 20 minutes. For him, it was like being told that this was the last time, everything that could be taught was given to him in this match, because it was possible that there might not be another chance.
Qiu Fei couldn’t sit still anymore, he had to confirm it for himself; he had to know the truth.
Happy Internet Cafe’s free internet usage promotion was still going on, and the place was still crowded with people, but those who came to talk trash even while taking advantage of the free internet were no more.
Team Happy’s skill had been revealed, sarcasm and mockery needed some basis of truth, but this basis the players thought they had were being shattered over and over again by Happy.
Today was a little different.
The undefeatable Soft Mist from Happy finally met her match today.
It was unfortunate that most of the faceslappers had long since left. Having to eat your words every time you tried to mock someone wasn’t appealing, so none of them dared come back, even with the free internet.
Qiu Fei charged into the Internet cafe, but there were people everywhere.
Ye Qiu… where on earth should he go to find him?