If the game tomorrow was the usual battle of strength, he wouldn't have set up this meeting. But because of the changes made in the tournament's gameplay, they could no longer rely on strength alone. Especially since the theme for tomorrow's match was 'Amazing Race.'
He knew that their success would depend on more than just raw power. The 'Amazing Race' theme required quick thinking, adaptability, and flawless teamwork. He hated to admit it, but thinking strategically wasn't exactly their team's strong suit. But if they wanted to win against Yunyue, they had to push past that.
Even more so because the team that won tomorrow would most likely face Team Fenghuang in the semi-finals. Team Mozu still hadn't gotten back at that annoying bird team. He Zhi Long remembered their previous loss and the frustration that came with it. Just remembering how people said Fenghuang was the better team made him want to smash something.
So winning tomorrow wasn't just about advancing; it was about getting their revenge and proving to everyone that they were far superior to Fenghuang. But for that to happen, winning tomorrow was imperative.
He Zhi Long looked at his team members once more. "So, is no one going to offer any helpful advice?"
"Captain, do we really need to make a plan?" Wang Bin, known in the game as Korrinth, said in a complaining tone. "It's not really our style."
"We can just eliminate them one by one. If there are no opponents left, we automatically win, right?" Su Yu, known in the game as Zephyr, said with a straight face, clearly believing his own words. "I want to go one-on-one with the latest Rookie Carnival champion."
Zhuo Meimei, the only female player among the four leading members of the team, rolled her eyes. "You two really do share the same brain cell."
Wang Bin narrowed his eyes at Zhuo Meimei. "Hey, Zhuo Meimei, what do you mean by that?"
"The fact that you have to ask that just proves my point," Zhuo Meimei said sarcastically.
"You--"
"Stop it. Focus on the Captain's question," Liu Jun, known in the game as Draeken, said, cutting off the two before they could bicker. "You all know we can't afford to lose tomorrow, right? If we lose and Fenghuang wins, we'll be a laughingstock to their supporters. They'll say we're inferior to Fenghuang. Is that what you want?"
The faces of Team Mozu's members immediately darkened upon hearing that.
He Zhi, who was on the verge of shouting, managed to calm down after seeing their reaction. It was a good thing there was at least one voice of reason around here. Thanks to Liu Jun, the others now seemed motivated for tomorrow's fight.
"If you have any ideas, say it now."
After he said that, he didn't receive silence this time. Instead, everyone started offering their ideas. Now, this was more like it.
----------
The next day, the long-awaited time for the Arcadia Cup's quarter-finals finally arrived.
All eight remaining teams gathered in the central plaza of Lunaris Vale. The two NPC hosts, Lila and Lena, appeared once again to lead the event.
"Hello, everyone! Did you miss us?" Lila asked, winking at the audience gathered around the central plaza.
The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, clearly delighted by her greeting.
"Come on, Lena, greet them too. Maybe give them a flying kiss while you're at it."
Lena ignored Lila and announced, "Today, we have the Arcadia Cup's quarter-finals. As you all know, the theme of this round is 'Amazing Race.' Each team will be given a track and will race against another team. There will be four tracks in total. The four teams that manage to reach the finish line first on each track will advance to the semi-finals."
Then she turned to Lila, silently urging her to do her job properly. Lila pouted but continued from where Lena had left off.
"The teams racing against each other will be transported to different starting points. Each team will receive a unique set of clues, so while their tracks won't be identical, they will all lead to the same finish line. Don't worry, we care about fairness here. Although the clues are different, they have been carefully designed to ensure the same level of difficulty for all teams.
This way, every team has an equal chance to demonstrate their skills and strategy."
"You will now receive the rules for this round. Please read them carefully. In five minutes, you will be transported to your starting points and given your first clue, which will lead you to the next checkpoint," Lena added.
After that, the teams began receiving the rules for this round.
[Amazing Race - Arcadia Version!
- Upon arrival at the starting point, each team will receive their first clue. Clues will guide you through various checkpoints until you reach the finish line.
- You have one hour to reach the finish line. If no team reaches it within this time, the team closest to the finish line will be considered the winner.
- You are allowed to obstruct the opposing team, but remember to balance this with focusing on your own progress. Decide whether it's better to hinder your opponent or concentrate on the race.
- Teams must complete all checkpoints in sequence; skipping any checkpoint will result in disqualification.
- All methods of reaching your destination are permitted, except for teleportation scrolls or teleportation skills.
Good luck!]
Luo Yan read the rules and subconsciously smiled. Teleportation was the only restriction, which meant flying was allowed. Their team had four members who could fly, two of whom were dragons. However, transforming into their original forms might not be the best method in this scenario. Since they would be like moving targets if they did.
Anyway, knowing they had this advantage was better than nothing.