Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Before the competition began, Ji Zhiyao had thought so.
Yet, the third match lasted past 40 minutes and was still in a deadlock.
Ji Zhiyao stared unblinkingly at the screen, his lips pursed as he looked towards Xiao who had collapsed to the ground a few seconds before.
Qiang had suddenly appeared out of the bushes earlier and caught Xiao off-guard. Xiao hurriedly moved backwards and dodged, originally the movement of his fingers were very fast, but in the moment as he was about to break away from Qiang’s range of attack, the actions of the assassin champion lagged for a second.
Qiang grabbed the chance and gave Xiao a fatal strike.
Ji Zhiyao frowned deeply.
From the close up that flashed by earlier, he clearly say the Xiao had swung his arm forcefully, as if he didn’t feel too good.
Was his wrist injury acting up again?
Ji Zhiyao lifted his head. “Brother Ning, Brother Yuan Wei, Xiaofei, you guys caught that?”
Xiaofei nodded, Yuan Wei stayed silent, the stats analyzer’s expression was also very solemn as he replied, “Mm.”
Ji Zhiyao questioned out loud, “Isn’t Brother Xiao’s hand fully recovered?”
“It might be because the duration these two matches have been rather long, I’m not too sure now. When we return to the base, we’ll get the physiotherapist to take a look.” The stats analyzer’s brows were knitted tightly. “He happened to be on leave today for something he had on, originally we didn’t think too much of this competition, didn’t expect it to be such a coincidence.”
Ji Zhiyao was becoming nervous even in his breathing. Previously for every match they had, the physiotherapist would follow along, yet today, it was just unfortunate.
Yuan Wei chimed in. “Don’t be too worried for now, once the match ends we’ll ask Xiao. If it isn’t considered too serious, we still have the stabilizing spray, it’ll help him hang in there for some time.”
The stats analyzer agreed. “Mm. So long as we win this match and be promoted to second placing, we can directly take Xiao to the hospital.”
Ji Zhiyao nodded silently, continuing to look at the electronic screen.
If it wasn’t because he was reckless in a moment and fought on the streets, he should have been Xiao’s reserve for this match. This way, Xiao wouldn’t have to continuously play long durations of bladder matches [1. Refers to long matches where both teams are unable to quickly push their opponent’s crystal to attain victory and have to hold their bladder to continue playing.].
It was all his fault.
Ji Zhiyao bowed his head, only lifting it up again after quite some time.
The match was still on-going.
At the 50th minute, no matter which lane, both teams had no turrets left, the total number of kills had also risen to 46, yet the outcome of the match remained unknown.
Ji Zhiyao saw Xiao’s gradually paling face that flashed by from time to time on the screen, feeling so nervous that his knuckles turned white from his grip, not forgetting to pray deep down for the match to end quickly, with their battleteam clinching the victory so they can then quickly send Xiao to the hospital.
Yet nothing ever works out the way you want it to.
In the last team fight that occurred in the middle lane, as Xiao couldn’t dodge in time in addition to his position being too front, he was killed in a matter of seconds, Heng who hid behind him also couldn’t move in time and was left with shreds of health as he quickly recalled back to the fountain.
Losing two main forces all of a sudden, Mix was naturally disadvantaged in the team fight.
Finally as Xiao was anxiously waiting to respawn, Qiang together with the mid-laner and support marched in, first finishing off Heng with a far range attack, then destroyed Mix’s crystal.
They lost.
The atmosphere in the waiting room instantly became very somber. The stats analyzer knocked himself on the head with a pen and said after sighing, “So close. Now we definitely have to play on.”
“Can Xiao still hang on?” Yuan Wei asked with a frown. After he got the stats analyzer reply of “I don’t know”, he restlessly paced two rounds around the room. “We cannot take such things lightly. I’m calling the club, get them to remove NoHomo’s ban.”
The stats analyzer nodded. “We’ll do just that, make the call.”
Yuan Wei had just picked up his phone when he saw the five people representing the battleteam entering the waiting room successively, their expressions weren’t as bad as he had imagined. Ji Zhiyao jumped right up from the sofa and went forward asking, “Brother Xiao, is your hand okay? Are you alright?”
Xiao swung his arm, making nothing of it. “Don’t worry, what could happen to me, it’s just the competing duration is too long, my wrist is slightly swollen, it’s normal. If you don’t believe me, you can ask Heng and Captain, positions like ours that rely heavily on handling will cause our wrist to swell very easily.”
Ji Zhiyao looked blankly towards Mo Huaifeng, Mo Huaifeng lifted his left hand, gesturing as he said, “My hand is a little swollen too.”
Yuan Wei was still raising his phone, upon hearing that he first put his hand down and confirmed once more. “Xiao you sure?”
“If not? Where are the stabilizing sprays that we bought, let us use them. By the way, why are you raising your phone?”
“Thought your wrist injury acted up, I was about to call the club to get them to remove the ban.”
“Worrying for nothing.”
The stats analyzer brought out the little bottles of sprays for traumatic injuries from his bag, Ji Zhiyao obediently ran over and fetched them, then stuff a bottle each to Mo Huaifeng and Heng, the last, he hugged onto himself and ran towards Xiao, eagerly saying, “Brother Xiao give me your hand, I’ll massage it for you.”
“Hm? My son’s so good today?”
“That’s of course, I’ve always been this good. Is this amount of force alright?”
“Not too bad, not too bad, rotate it a few times too.”
“Sure, if I’m using too much force, you must tell me yeah!”
Mo Huaifeng with a spray bottle stuffed in his hands looked on.
He coldly watched a certain someone who was all over Xiao, his mood unpleasant to the limit.
Ji Zhiyao massaged and suddenly sneezed.
“What’s wrong, did you catch a cold?”
Ji Zhiyao rubbed his nose and said casually, “No. I don’t know which idiot is scolding me.”
Mo Huaifeng the “idiot” was speechless.
Ji Zhiyao finished helping Xiao massage his wrist, unsure whether it was purely mental or what, he felt that Xiao’s wrist wasn’t as swollen as it was when he first entered the waiting room. Hence he heaved a sigh of relief while capping up the spray.
Turning back to return the spray to the stats analyzer, it happened that Mo Huaifeng was standing behind him. Ji Zhiyao happened to meet his eyes.
Ji Zhiyao was shocked. “Captain why aren’t you sitting down and resting, what are you standing up for?”
Mo Huaifeng sneered through his nose then sat back onto the sofa without turning back.
Ji Zhiyao was completely baffled.
He handed the spray over and moved to Yuan Wei’s side, giving him a look. Yuan Wei read him very quickly and mouthed.
“Captain is jealous! My big brother!”
What the f*ck, was that for real?
Ji Zhiyao couldn’t help but turned over to look at Mo Huaifeng and found him with his arms crossed before his chest, seated with his head bowed, appearing especially aggrieved. He tugged at the corner of his lips and dashed over, his eyes curving from his smile. “Captain, does your hand hurt, want me help you massage it?”
Mo Huaifeng lifted his head, but before he said anything, Nuo who was seated on the other sofa shook off all the goosebumps on his body. “NoHomo could you behave more normally? That tone sounds like an actual gangster, if Captain was a young lady, you’d definitely be arrested.”
“Who’s a young lady, you repeat yourself.”
Nuo unwillingly shut his mouth.
Ji Zhiyao commented indignantly, “WTF? I’m an all-rounded young man who serves the public assiduously, a professional player with an annual salary of 700 thousand, a person with such a personal worth becoming your little massage boy, shouldn’t you guys be extremely thankful for me?”
Mo Huaifeng replied snidely, “You shut up too.”
“This is hegemonism!”
Everyone in the room was cackling, seeming very delighted that their Captain had been stumped. Mo Huaifeng looked all resigned, unable to do anything with Ji Zhiyao who was filled with righteous rage… In the end he could only use his hand and push Ji Zhiyao’s face away, feigning disdain. “So greasy, stay away from me.”
Upon hearing that, Ji Zhiyao paused for a short moment then moved back quickly. “I don’t think I washed my face in the morning.”
Captain’s expression turned from looking stumped to disgust, disdain written all over his face and inside out.
Ji Zhiyao felt especially pained with regard to this, as he was about to say something, the bell for the fourth match sounded.
Everyone stood up, Xiao said, “Comrades, let’s put in more effort, if we can’t take this match down, you might not see a complete me anymore.”
Mo Huaifeng instructed, “Let’s end it fast, don’t drag the time.”
After vocalizing his eight-word motto, he undetectably nodded to Ji Zhiyao, then took the lead in walking in the passageway. The others followed behind.
Ji Zhiyao exhaled deeply, sat down and stared fixedly at the electronic screen.
This match was of utmost importance.
If they win, Mix would directly advance to the second placing of the national qualifiers; if they lose, then Mix and Bug would be standing on the edge of the cliff together and they even had to bear the risk of Xiao’s wrist being unable to handle a fifth match.
His teammates, must win!
The match began very quickly.
Once the match started, Xiao hid in the bushes, jumping out at the critical moment and helped Mo Huaifeng to take first blood. Though he was also left with a bar of health himself, but being able to force his opponent to miss a wave of minions at the start of the match was still very worth it.
Then Xiao plunged into the jungle, Ji Zhiyao also shifted his focus from him to the top lane, where K was.
Probably because Xiao’s warning before the match worked, Ji Zhiyao realized that K was very stable in this match, staying conscientiously under the turret since the start, no matter how tempting the opponent looked, he just wouldn’t step out.
Ji Zhiyao heaved a sigh of relief, according to the current situation, as long as K remains stable and does not wander, there shouldn’t be any problem with them clinching the victory for this match.
Except for the first kill that happened at the bottom lane, everyone securely developed till the seventh minute, even if they bumped into each other from time to time, they were all near misses, the condition of Mix’s gold was still slightly better than that of Bug.
Such a situation sustained till both teams had essentially reached level four. Xiao hid in the bushes just after jungling, seeming like he was preparing to help Heng tempt the opponent.
Heng behaved as if a drama-queen had possessed him, he pretended to cautiously take two steps then quickly retreated back under the turret. Bug’s mid-laner had not experienced much competition and was naturally baited very quickly. As he walked towards the Mix’s turret, Heng stepped forward with a smirk, Xiao also jumped out of the bush.
What seemed like an almost perfect ambush, took on a complete turn of events after Qiang and Boom leaped out from another bush.
Heng and Xiao were instantly stunned.
Ji Zhiyao nervously gripped both of his hands together tightly.
As Boom was jungling and was extremely close to the middle bushes, the fact he jumped out wasn’t surprising. Yet with regards to the top lane, Ji Zhiyao had just saw Qiang go forward to engage K and did not notice when he had started to shift to the middle lane.
3v2, and the skills were extremely aggressive. By the time Mo Huaifeng rushed to the middle lane, the dust had basically settled.
The scales tipped towards Bug battleteam at once.
Ji Zhiyao frowned, Xiaofei also followed, sighing deeply.
Yet at present, the mood of the Mix players on stage weren’t any better than theirs.
Heng threw down his mouse in annoyance. “Shouldn’t have been greedy for that kill earlier, it’s all great now, 2 deaths in exchange of none.”
K: “This time it’s mainly on me, I didn’t notice that Qiang had gone to the middle lane. This fellow is also shady enough, wanted to go to the middle lane but still insisted on making a huge round from his original route.”
Xiao: “Brothers please work hard, if we have another 60 minutes match, I’ll be dying on the spot.”
Mo Huaifeng was very calm as he said, “Their levels aren’t much higher. I will go for the opposite mid-laner in a while, we can catch up.”
With that, he hurriedly swiped a glance at Xiao’s red and swollen wrist, asking, “Still okay?”
Xiao: “Not too good at the moment, reckon I need to take a break soon.”
Mo Huaifeng: “Go for the little dragon once you respawn, bring the pace up, but don’t be impatient.”
Xiao: “Okay, don’t worry.”
Hence when he respawned, Xiao saw that the opponents were far away and took down the little dragon, then worked with Mo Huaifeng to kill off Bug’s little mid-laner reserve.
Mix was catching up bit by bit from their inferior position.
Yet when the match continued on past 20 minutes, it was evident to the audience that Xiao was having difficulty. The speed at which he flickered wasn’t as quick, there were several times when he couldn’t dodge attacks and collapse directly, becoming Mix’s ATM for kills.
Each time he was killed, he would instinctively swing his wrist hard, as if by doing so he would not feel any pain.
Yet it did not work.
Xiao as a jungler, seemed to be disconnected, dragging down the pace of the entire team.
Yet Mix did not drag on, in the subsequent period of the match, Mo Huaifeng used his actions to show everyone who was watching the match, the cultivation of an ADC; killing madly, pushing turrets, even jungling from time to time. Only although Mo Huaifeng played aggressively, due to the Xiao’s wrist injury and his motility deteriorating, he could only be considered half a player, hence the match still dragged on to 43 minutes, before Mix clinched victory.
Only when the commentator announced that the results were valid, did Ji Zhiyao finally relax completely.
“A win at long last, feels like even the match for the championship title at the previous national qualifiers did not even make me this worried.” The stats analyzer stared at the screen, speaking as he brought out the spray from his bag. “Xiao’s condition isn’t too good, Xiaofei, take this and go meet them.”
Xiaofei quickly stood up and ran over. “Sure, leave it to me.”
He grabbed the spray and dashed into the participants’ passageway.
While Yuan Wei walked out with his phone, as he accounted, “Thankfully we kept the number of the hospital where Xiao did his surgery, I call and check if the doctor is available, we’ll head to the hospital directly from here.”
The hasty atmosphere affected Ji Zhiyao at the same time, he stood up and glanced left and right, not knowing what he could do and decided to start packing up their belongings, so that they could leave quickly later.
He had arranged the bags properly when the others walked out of the participants’ passageway, the one being crowded around was Xiao. Ji Zhiyao hurriedly went forward and asked, “Brother Xiao, are you okay?”
A small, resigned smile tugged on Xiao’s lips as he lifted his left wrist that was twice the size of his right. “Just looks a little scary, I’m good for now, don’t worry.”
He was obviously lying. Ji Zhiyao pursed his lips.
Heng rebutted directly. “Stop putting on a strong front, we’re not blind, do you think we can’t tell?”
