Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi
Yu Wenzhou wasn’t certain. As one of Glory’s four Master Tacticians, there was no way he wouldn’t recognize a common tactic when he saw one. It was just that Zhou Zekai’s focus towards Qiao Yifan didn’t seem to fit the goals of a BOX-1.
The purpose of a BOX-1 was to shut out the opposing team’s most important player. Everyone recognized Qiao Yifan’s capabilities. Happy’s advantageous opening had required his Darkness Boundary. Ye Xiu separating Jiang Botao from the rest of Samsara had been thanks to Qiao Yifan’s interference towards Zhou Zekai. He had been a crucial component in Happy’s plans.
But was Qiao Yifan’s importance to Happy greater than Zhou Zekai’s importance to Samsara?
In a BOX-1, the core player rarely carried it out because you would lose your own most important player. It wouldn’t be an effective play. If it were core versus core, then it was sort of understandable. But with Zhou Zekai carrying out the BOX-1, didn’t it seem like Samsara was the one losing out?
Yu Wenzhou glanced towards Xiao Shiqin. Xiao Shiqin glanced towards Zhang Xinjie. The three Master Tacticians all looked at each other. In the end, no one was able to give a reason.
But this was the way the match was going. Cloud Piercer chased after One Inch Ash. With Random Firing and Rapid Firing, Cloud Piercer had been able to cover all five players on the enemy team. Now, his focus was entirely on one target. Qiao Yifan had no way of fighting back. His only option was to run for his life.
One ran, one chased. Qiao Yifan obviously didn’t want to lose contact with his team, but with Zhou Zekai chasing closely after him, just being able to dodge attacks was impressive enough already. How could he have the time to pick where he wanted to go?
“Is Zhou Zekai planning on taking advantage of his class?” Xiao Shiqin suddenly thought of something and said.
What was the advantage that Sharpshooters had? As pro players, the answer was practically instinctive. Combined with the present situation, everyone instantly understood that Xiao Shiqin must be talking about their range. Because Cloud Piercer was a long-ranged attacker, while he chased away Qiao Yifan’s One Inch Ash, he could still provide support to his other teammates. In other words, his BOX-1 wasn’t only to separate an important component in the opposing team’s tactics, he was relying on his class’s advantages to continue coordinating with his own team.
Xiao Shiqin also played a Gunner, so he figured it out a bit faster than Yu Wenzhou, Zhang Xinjie, and the other players. When everyone realized what he was saying and looked back at the match, they felt like that really was the answer. Once Qiao Yifan’s One Inch Ash was pushed far enough away, Cloud Piercer suddenly turned around and fired a few shots at Lord Grim and Soft Mist.
For now, Zhou Zekai wasn’t Samsara’s core, but he could still help the rest of his team. His attacks towards Lord Grim and Soft Mist hadn’t been random. He was perfectly in sync with his team’s tempo.
With Wu Qi’s Cruel Silence arrival and the assistance from Zhou Zekai’s Cloud Piercer, Jiang Botao was finally able to find an opportunity.
Empty Waves used Earth Wave Slash. Mid-swing, he changed directions, turning it into a Wave Wheel Slasher so that he could threaten both Lord Grim and Soft Mist. Although neither of the attacks landed, he was able to create an opening for himself.
Retreat!
Empty Waves immediately retreated. Lord Grim and Soft Mist were too close to him to the extent that even after Wu Qi’s Cruel Silence joined in, Jiang Botao still felt like he was in trouble. Spellblades needed enough space to fully utilize their strengths. Although Wave Slashes were instant cast skills, their start-up animation was slow compared to most other close-ranged skills. It was easy for Spellblades to get overwhelmed at very close distances.
After taking a step back, his situation became much better. For a top player like Jiang Botao, a distance of one step was like the difference between heaven and earth.
Light Wave Slash!
Empty Waves swung his sword as he retreated, using the Spellblade’s fastest attack. Before, there hadn’t been enough time for the attack to start up. But with a bit of distance between them, the attack would come out, and it would be too late for the other side to dodge.
Light flashed.
Saying that the attack arrived in the blink of an eye would be an insult to the speed of the attack. A distance of one step was practically non-existent. As soon as Empty Waves swung his sword, the attack landed.
This wasn’t something that you could react to unless you had predicted it. As a result, Jiang Botao didn’t attack Lord Grim. In his eyes, Ye Xiu was more likely to predict it, so he went for Tang Rou instead.
Sure enough, Tang Rou wasn’t able to dodge it.
But just because she wasn’t able to dodge it didn’t mean that she hadn’t done anything. Tang Rou had reacted. After dodging Empty Waves’ Earth Wave Slash and seeing Empty Waves retreat, she had reacted. It was just that her reaction wasn’t to dodge Empty Waves’ following attack, but to immediately give chase.
Soft Mist took a step forward. She stabbed with her spear, and the sword light arrived.
Hit!
The Light Wave Slash left a bloody mark on Soft Mist. As for Jiang Botao’s Empty Waves? He had been hit by Soft Mist’s spear and thrown into the air.
Circle Swing!
It didn’t matter which attack hit first. In any case, neither of them was able to interrupt the other. Soft Mist was hit by Light Wave Slash, and Empty Waves was hit by Circle Swing.
Tang Rou’s control over the skill wasn’t affected. Empty Waves, who had just gotten away, was thrown back in the blink of an eye.
Ye Xiu’s Lord Grim quickly followed. He wasn’t in a hurry to attack. He positioned himself so that Empty Waves was pincered by Lord Grim and Soft Mist.
Wu Qi, who had been ready to rescue Jiang Botao, missed. Just like Jiang Botao, he hadn’t been ready for Tang Rou’s sudden attack. Cruel Silence was very close to Empty Waves, but Lord Grim and Soft Mist were closer. Not only that, the two had Empty Waves pincered. Wu Qi couldn’t directly charge in.
Suddenly, a gunshot!
Cloud Piercer’s attack came again, forcing Ye Xiu and Tang Rou turn their attention towards it. If the two dodged Cloud Piercer’s attack, they would give up their positioning. Empty Waves was getting back onto his feet right when Cloud Piercer attacked. And with Ye Xiu and Tang Rou distracted for a moment, Empty Waves was able to get back up.
“Sure enough!”
The pro players were certain now. Zhou Zekai was doing what they thought. Not only was he pinning down Qiao Yifan, he was also using his range to provide support to his team at crucial moments.
Jiang Botao had Empty Waves get up. Wu Qi didn’t miss this opportunity for Cruel Silence to attack. Along with Cloud Piercer’s support, the two on Samsara quickly switched positions. Empty Waves was finally protected behind Cruel Silence.
As a result, Samsara was able to relieve the pressure on Jiang Botao’s Empty Waves. Ye Xiu and Tang Rou originally had a firm grasp of the situation. However, Zhou Zekai’s interference had broken it.
“Rather than saying it’s a BOX-1, it feels more like a Star Tactic,” Xiao Shiqin said. Everyone nodded their heads.
“The true BOX-1 is on the other side,” Zhang Xinjie suddenly said.
Zhang Xinjie emphasized details. When he saw Zhou Zekai supporting Jiang Botao and Wu Qi again and again, he immediately realized that something wasn’t right. Ye Xiu and Tang Rou weren’t receiving any help at all.
This was truly strange. Happy had one of Glory’s best supports, Su Mucheng. Her synergy with Ye Xiu, and her synergy with Battle Mages were second to none. Her support towards Ye Xiu and Tang Rou should be excellent.
Yet where did she go?
Everyone had been focused on the battle taking place on one side, but Zhang Xinjie had started paying attention to the other battle long ago.
Su Mucheng was being forced back by Sun Xiang.
But Zhang Xinjie wasn’t someone who would jump to a conclusion, so he spent more time looking at the battle taking place there. Now, he was completely certain. This was the place where the true BOX-1 was being carried out.
Sun Xiang versus Su Mucheng.
One Autumn Leaf versus Dancing Rain.
BOX-1.
