translator: Oyen editor: Ciel
Qin Mo and Xiao Han beat Lin Song combination 2:0, which was a result expected by many. After all, Song Changdong was a newcomer, and his strength was quite different from that of Han and Mo. In addition, if Lin Shuangcheng met Qin Mo and Xiao Han alone, it would be difficult to reverse the situation, especially when taking into account that neither Qin Mo or Xiao Han would take the initiative to give their opponents opportunities to counterattack. Thus, Lin Shuangcheng and Song Changdong’s loss was a normal result.
Although he lost the game, Lin Shuangcheng’s use of the secret book ‘Tall Mountains Flowing Waters’ in the second game to incite infighting between the Twin Stars provided the players backstage new ideas. It also raised awareness about the various possibilities of the secret book system among both professionals and audience members alike—— the rich secret book skills could be used by all sects, which not only added a lot of fun to battles, but increased tactical variability countless times.
In the future team battles, it would become more difficult to predict the opponent’s tactics in advance.
***
Upon walking off the stage, Qin Mo and Xiao Han were immediately stopped by the reporter, who came forward to congratulate them. “Congratulations on your first win!”
“Thank you,” Xiao Han replied politely.
“Everyone is concerned about the second game where god Han killed captain Qin,” the reporter questioned. “How did you feel at that moment? Many fans are worrying over whether you will have to kneel on the keyboard when you go back at night.”
Turning to face Qin Mo, Xiao Han blinked. “Do you want me to kneel on the keyboard?”
“No need,” Qin Mo replied evenly.
Xiao Han’s lips quirked upwards slightly. “My family’s captain Qin said that there is no need to kneel on the keyboard. Thus, everyone can feel at ease.”
The reporter smiled. “It seems as though captain Qin doesn’t mind being killed by god Han at all?”
“In the event where two teammates are under the chaos control at the same time, it is beneficial for one of them to die,” Qin Mo explained placidly. “Otherwise, both of them will continue attacking each other, consuming their blood and blue. I believed that Xiao Han would definitely be able to kill the opponent after I died, and I was proven correct. In the end, the final result is a victory for us, and the process isn’t important.”
“…” When trying to crack jokes with Qin Mo, it was easy to end up in an awkward silence. This captain always explained the battle situation calmly and seriously in a professional manner.
Embarrassed, the reporter immediately changed the topic. “Cough, Mojue’s competitions for today have come to an end temporarily. In the morning, Qingyue and Xiao He, A-Hong and Pei Yu all won themselves a victory. In the afternoon, Shen He and Li Muran lost their first match, while the Twin Stars won theirs. Is captain Qin satisfied with the results on this first day of competition?”
“It’s satisfactory,” Qin Mo replied. “As for the areas that need improvement, I will task everyone to review their experience later.”
“In god Mo’s opinion, who did the best in today’s match?” The reporter asked.
“Everyone performed well.” Qin Mo’s answer was diplomatic.
“Then, in god Han’s opinion, who did the best in today’s match?” The reporter asked.
As soon as this question was asked, the audience watching the live broadcast immediately began to spam the bullet screen crazily——
“Of course it’s our family’s Xiao Mo!”
“Of course it’s our family’s Xiao Mo +1”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“Yo mbegrf la’r beg ojwlis’r Wljb Zb +3”
Ktf cewyfg bo qfbqif gfakffalcu atf ilcf lcrajcais ygbxf atgbeut 100, jcv atf ilnf ygbjvmjra rmgffc kjr lcrajcais bnfgktfiwfv ys mbecaifrr mbqlfr bo atlr rfcafcmf. Cr fzqfmafv, Wljb Ljc jirb gfqfjafv la kbgv obg kbgv: “Yo mbegrf, la’r beg ojwlis’r Wljb Zb.”
Reporter: “…”
As god Mo’s biggest fan, Xiao Han would always praise god Mo.
Qin Mo glanced at him, before adding one more sentence. “Xiao Han’s performance was also very good.”
“Thanking the captain for the affirmation,” Xiao Han replied seriously.
—— These two people were professionals at praising each other; once they started, no one could hold them back.
Defeated, the reporter had to let them go.
***
When interviewed, Lin Shuangcheng showed an excellent demeanour, and smiled when the reporter asked him how he felt about losing the match. “I’m convinced.”
“Does vice-captain Song have anything to say?” The reporter asked.
Song Changdong blushed. “I still need to study and improve on my skills. I always feel as if I’m holding captain Lin back…”
Lin Shuangcheng gently put his arm around his shoulder. “Don’t say that,” he coaxed. “During the game, the key mistake was made by me. We’re all newcomers, so we can just work hard together.”
“Does captain Lin regard yourself as a newcomer?” The reporter asked again.
“Of course,” Lin Shuangcheng smiled. “I have been an esports anchor for several years, but I have never played in an official competition. Although I am much older than the typical newcomer, as a professional player, I will consider problems from the perspective of a newcomer. In fact, I have always told Sword Song’s members to enjoy the game, and not put too much pressure on themselves.”
Many fans could not help but applaud upon hearing this sentence. Lin Shuangcheng’s demeanor was indeed impeccable, and when coupled with his handsome appearance, even if Sword Song’s performance wasn’t fantastic, his popularity was still increasing.
Seeing that he was so calm about losing the match, the reporter didn’t purposely embarrass him, instead asking a few simple questions before letting them leave.
On their way back backstage, Lin Shuangcheng suddenly whispered. “Xiao Song, you don’t have to be so honest in front of reporters.”
“I- did I say something wrong?” Stunned, Song Changdong stared at him nervously.
Looking at the teenager’s cautious expression, Lin Shuangcheng couldn’t help smiling. “Don’t be so nervous. I’m not blaming you, but I’m afraid that you’ll be blackened by fans. Next time, don’t say that you’re holding me back, understand?”
“But I still feel that I’m not qualified to be a vice-captain, and not strong enough to stand by your side.” Song Changdong lowered his head in embarrassment. “Compared to god Mo, I am so much worse…”
“You can’t say that,” Lin Shuangcheng explained gently, dropping an arm over his shoulder. “Qin Mo has been playing for much longer than you. Naturally, you can’t match him now, but you have an advantage that he lacks…?”
“…What advantage?” Raising his head, Song Changdong asked earnestly.
“You have more room for improvement than him,” Lin Shuangcheng nodded. “Qin Mo is at his peak now, but it’s not the same for you. One day, you can reach him, or even surpass his current level.”
“…” Song Changdong’s eyes suddenly lit up. Captain Lin made sense; he might not be as good as Qin Mo now, but it didn’t mean that he would never be as good as Qin Mo. He could work hard and proceed in this direction!
Qin Mo sent Song Changdong to Sword Song. Because of Qin Mo’s kindness by ‘recognising his worth’, Song Changdong’s attitude towards Qin Mo was full of gratitude and worship. If his thoughts were that ‘he couldn’t compare with the great god’, then his development would be greatly limited. Today’s encounter with the Twin Stars made Song Changdong aware of just how wide the gap between himself and Qin Mo was. However, Lin Shuangcheng’s words cleared everything up, allowing Song Changdong to realise that when he played against Qin Mo, he had placed himself under too much psychological pressure. Suppressed by the influence of the other party, he even failed to play to his normal level.
Song Changdong was moved by Lin Shuangcheng’s encouraging gaze. “Thank you, captain. You are truly very kind to me. You spent so much to break my contract, letting me transfer and take on the role of the vice-captain, but after I moved to Sword Song, I failed to win matches…” Pausing for a few moments, Song Changdong pushed on. “Don’t worry. I will definitely become stronger as soon as possible, and become qualified to stand at your side!”
Listening to Xiao Song’s firm answer, Lin Shuangcheng smiled in satisfaction.
He believed that Xiao Song was like a piece of unpolished jade, and there would come a day when he would truly shine.
Perhaps Song Changdong was still a little immature now, but as a captain, Lin Shuangcheng wasn’t particularly good either. The combination of their long and short swords was still growing, still needing mutual tolerance and encouragement, instead of mutual blame and abandonment.
***
After returning backstage, Qin Mo and Xiao Han took their previous seats next to each other. “Xiao He, have you finished your task just now?” Qin Mo queried.
“En,” Shen He replied excitedly. “It was difficult to sum up everyone’s highlights and mistakes in operations. There really are too many highlights; master’s group attack and control of the field in the beginning, and god Han’s cooperation in attacking the rear. Lin Shuangcheng’s key highlights were his usage of Sword Remnant to counter-control the field, and the chaos control effect of the secret book ‘Tall Mountains Flowing Waters’ in the second game…”
Shen He chattered on and on for a long time, and by the time he finished reciting all the highlights, his throat was already parched. The fact that he could remember so many things clearly without taking notes proved that his memory was excellent.
Qin Mo was satisfied. “The summary of the highlights is good, but what about the mistakes?”
“For the mistakes…” Shen He replied. “Xiao Song made more mistakes. He was slow in the first game and didn’t seize the initiative. In the second game, his choice of moves were too obvious and was predicted by master, forcing him to kill himself by the reflected skill.”
These were all superficial mistakes that could be easily seen, so Qin Mo followed up with another question. “Where was Lin Shuangcheng’s mistake?”
Stunned, Shen He scratched his head, thinking about it for a little while. “I– I haven’t noticed it yet.”
“What does Muran think?” Qin Mo asked.
Li Muran was silent for a few moments, before he replied seriously. “His biggest mistake was in the map selection.”
“What was the mistake?” Qin Mo questioned.
“Captain Lin’s original intentions in choosing Xuanbing Palace’s map ought to be to use the acceleration characteristics of the ice, combining the long and short swords to fight a close-ranged battle,” Li Muran answered. “However, he did not expect god Mo to hit Song Changdong, successfully dividing the battlefield. His quick joint attack rhythm was interrupted, and the terrain’s advantage was reversed.”
“Go on,” Qin Mo pressed.
Li Muran continued. “Captain Lin’s biggest bet was the chaos confusion of the ‘Tall Mountains Flowing Waters’ secret book. If captain Qin had not split up with god Han at the beginning, and instead moved together, the sequence of events would have played out differently. First, you would have been beaten by Lin Song’s fast break joint attack, then controlled by the secret book, which would likely leave you both in a residual blood state. Lin Shuangcheng would then swoop in to reap the profits.”
Qin Mo nodded. “What else?”
Li Muran was silent for a few moments, ashamed. “I haven’t thought of anything else for the time being.”
“Your analysis is entirely correct, but you missed out a key point,” Qin Mo explained. “Lin Shuangcheng forgot that the knockback effect of ‘Riverbound Sword’ would become 15 metres on the ice, which allowed me to send Song Changdong over to Xiao Han. He made a mistake in choosing where to start the fight. If he had picked a corner instead, it would not have been so easy for Xiao Han to dispose of Xiao Song, and his routine of causing damage using the chaos control would perhaps have been realised.”
Li Muran’s gaze brightened in admiration. “God Mo is amazing.”
Suddenly, Lin Shuangcheng’s words of “I’m convinced” and “During the game, the key mistake was made by me” came to mind—— obviously, Lin Shuangcheng had also realised this point. What he admired was not only Qin Mo’s ability to seize opportunities in fights, but also his excellent adaptability. Qin Mo was instantly able to calculate the distance bonus to the knockback effect because of the ice, delivering Song Changdong to Xiao Han’s dagger, successfully separating the Lin Song combination for a beautiful counterattack.
The scariest part of Qin Mo was that he could use any terrain back against the opponent, and had both a terrifying ability to calculate and an extremely fast response. No wonder Lin Shuangcheng was convinced by his loss.
The more Li Muran thought, the more shocked he felt—— in this one battle, he saw a fraction of the tactics used by both sides, but what Qin Mo saw and thought was far more comprehensive than his own.
Looking at Li Muran’s earnestly-thinking expression, Qin Mo offered him some praise. “Being able to see so much is not easy. Continue watching the next game, and summarise your findings for me afterwards.”
“Yes, captain,” Li Muran acknowledged.
Naturally, Xiao Han would not interrupt professor Qin’s class time, choosing to sit by his side to listen enthusiastically.
Qin Mo was growing more fond of Li Muran—— while he spoke little, it was because He Beiguang, Shen He, and Pei Yu gossiped every day. Li Muran was not fond of such things, so he kept silent most of the time, seemingly unable to fit in. However, when asked to analyse the competition, he was able to express his own views. Furthermore, he could concisely point out the key issues, and every word was both precious and sharp.
This teenager was worth cultivating properly.
Hearing his master speak with Li Muran, Shen He was extremely ashamed, almost wanting to drill a hold and hide in the ground. Hesitating for a moment, he leaned in, whispering in Li Muran’s ear, “You’re really amazing, brother Ran. Before, I really underestimated you… I was completely unable to see what you said about the ice and fast breaks.”
“It’s just that the focus is different,” Li Muran replied calmly.
Scratching his head, Shen He smiled. “Then, for tomorrow’s game, you can arrange it. I’ll listen to you!”
It was rare that the little monkey was this agreeable, and Li Muran was happy to be recognised.
He was silent for so long because of the outstanding performances of the other three newcomers on the team. As a healer, he followed after his teammates quietly, and when playing qualifying matches, Twin Stars were in the front row, killing gods and buddhas alike. They brought everyone to win while lying down, leaving him no room to play…
Whenever a game was won, most people focused on the outputs in the front row who killed the opponent, and ignored the existence of the healer in the back.
But now, captain Qin’s discerning eyes had discovered Li Muran’s strengths.
Although Qin Mo did not say it directly, Li Muran was clever, and had picked up that Qin Mo wanted to guide him, training him in tactical concepts. He was very happy for his keen observational skills to be able to catch the captain’s notice, and was happy to be able to contribute to the team.
However, none of this showed on his face. With his usual expressionless look, Li Muran continued watching the game seriously.
Li Muran is really a strange character lol Not wanting to show his emotions~? 🤣 I’m looking forward to see more of his ability~ I bet he will make a good captain in the future~! But really…. 🤭 Qin Mo is so amazing~! He is able to calculate that so precisely!! I want to see more matches ahh~ Thank you for the chapter! 💕💕💕
aahh, I want to see Li Muran becomes Mojue captain, but it will be beyond the novel story then 😭
Yes, Qin Mo is really amazing~ and there will be more amazing matches~ You’re welcome ~ 💕
Indeed… What a pity… I also want to see~ 😭😭😭
😭😭😭😭
yes, i also want li muran to be recognised!!