Volume 1: The Beginner's First Cry Chapter 45: Conference (6)
Seeing that Afeng still didn't believe it and wanted to continue asking questions, I quickly winked at him and said to him in a low voice: "Long Piaopiao has already made an appointment with me to do an exclusive interview after the game. I will take you with her then." I had a hunch that if he continued to dwell on this topic, something that was originally very simple would become more and more troublesome.
Ah Feng was stunned at first, then his eyes showed joy and he immediately changed his tone, "That's true. You only said a few words in total. It doesn't look like an interview. Could it be that she came here to accuse you of refusing to accept her interview?"
As soon as these words came out, the faces of the beauties immediately eased a lot. They really didn't understand. Long Piaopiao was neither an enemy nor a spy. She just talked to me for a few words. Why did she react so strongly? Ah Feng must have been experienced. He cleared me of the suspicion of "collaborating with the enemy" with just a few words.
Naturally, I had to cooperate with him in playing the trick well. "I didn't give her face and kept ignoring her interview invitations. She must be a little angry. It's reasonable for her to say a few words to me." I told them a story with both truth and falsehood. Even if they knew the truth later, I guaranteed that they wouldn't be able to find fault with it.
Just at this time, the organizing committee notified the top ten teams to send representatives to draw lots to decide their opponents for the next round, which immediately attracted everyone's attention. Xue Wuxia and Yun Wuying went to participate in the draw, and we were anxiously waiting for the fateful moment to come, secretly hoping to continue our good luck in the group stage, and not to run into Long Xingtianxia or Yamato Spirit in the first round, because those were tough battles, and even if we could win, we would be seriously injured. If we couldn't endure it, the next games would be difficult.
God has favored us again. Fortunately, we avoided the two seeded teams in the first round and were drawn to a team led by the lightning magician Dongying Hero. Judging from their names, they should all be players from Japan. According to official information, there are five knights, three axe warriors, three swordsmen, four archers, two fire magicians, two wind magicians, and one lightning magician among the twenty people. Apart from him, there are no other hidden professionals. They can make it into the top ten with their superb combat experience and skills. They belong to a traditional strength-based team.
In comparison, we were much poorer, with only two knights, four archers, and one wind magician, one ice magician, and one lightning magician. Especially the selection of me, an apprentice thief, was not understood by many people. It was impossible for a junior thief to do anything in such a battle, and going up would only be suicide. Except for my identity as the first job changer in "Tianxia", which still made them somewhat excited, most people had already determined that we would not be able to reach the top six and were the team most likely to be eliminated.
After reading a report analyzing our group's match published by Tian Media, Little Pepper pouted angrily, "What is written in this report? It says that we are worthless, as if we are sure to lose. Isn't this reporter too short-sighted?"
"That's right, this article must have been written by a Japanese reporter. Family members are supporting family members, so of course we hope they win." The Guardian of the Heart couldn't help but complain.
"Okay, stop complaining. The winner and loser is not decided by what the reporters write. Facts will prove everything. As long as we win in the end, it will be the best counterattack against them." Xue Wuxia looked determined and issued the final battle declaration.
The time for the competition has come. Due to time constraints, five games are being held simultaneously. However, the design of the "Heroes of the World" is very reasonable, with no visual blind spots. With special glasses and different communication channels, the audience can choose any of their favorite games to cheer.
The Japanese hero personally led the team with two knights, an axe warrior, a swordsman, two archers, a fire magician, and a lightning magician. He obviously saw through our weakness. As our opponent was stronger, we left behind Wuyin and Xiao La Jiao. I was qualified to start for the first time, but Xue Wuxia had no instructions. After entering the field, I had to follow her instructions. Without her order, I was not allowed to use "Summon the Dead" without authorization. She still didn't want to expose our last trump card unless it was absolutely necessary.
The other side arranged a traditional formation of four in front and four in the back, with melee professions in the front, and archers and magicians in the back, while we arranged a formation of two, three, two, one, with Afeng and the Guardian of the Heart in the front, followed by archers and magicians, and I, a thief, was arranged at the end of the team, in the core position of the team. The audience was in an uproar, talking it, and expressing their incomprehension of such an arrangement. On the surface, in my position, the thief has no offensive power and can only play the role of a commander. However, in such a small battle, no matter how good the commander is, he can't be as effective as a master. Many viewers are completely disappointed with my identity as the first job changer. Maybe I will be an excellent commander in future group battles or alliance battles, but I will definitely not be a hero on the battlefield.
This is the first time for me to make a public appearance in such a grand and formal occasion. It would be a lie to say that I am not excited. Things that I have not done in reality have been realized in this virtual network. Everyone is a little vain, and I am not a saint, so I am naturally no exception. Deep in my heart, I actually developed some expectations. Standing on a high podium and accepting the cheers of the crowd, a real man should be like this, so that his life will not be in vain.
"A-Dai, don't be affected by the outside world, concentrate, the game is about to begin, remember to follow me and don't fall behind." Xue Wuxia was still worried about me, a rookie, and reminded me one last time. The comments outside were almost one-sided. From the perspective of strength, most people thought we were bound to lose. The audience supported us only because we were all Chinese and our opponents were Japanese players. For this "Sino-Japanese War", they cheered us on out of patriotism.
I agreed and focused my attention on my opponent. This was my "first battle" at the "World Heroes Conference", and I absolutely could not afford to lose . I suddenly had a hunch that defeating my opponent was actually defeating my past, honor, ideals, and life. I took a deep breath. Perhaps from now on, a new chapter in my life would begin.
With the referee's order, the crowd cheered, and our game began. The four people in the front row of the opponent rushed towards us quickly, aiming directly at Afeng and the Guardian of the Heart. If we kill them first, we will lose our barrier, and the subsequent battle will be difficult to fight. At the same time, the shooters and magicians carried out long-range harassment, "Critical Hit", "Fire Bomb", and "Thunder" attacked our shooters and magicians to contain our support for Afeng and others, especially "Thunder", which has a dizzying effect. I accidentally got hit by one, and I was caught off guard and felt dizzy. If Xue Wuxia hadn't been quick to help me, I would have almost fallen down, causing a burst of laughter from the audience. I made a big fool of myself at the beginning of the battle, and I hated the Japanese hero half to death on the spot. I summoned my undead brother in a while, and I must treat him well.
Afeng and the Guardian of the Heart fought and retreated, Xue Wuxia and Diewu supported them with "Lightning Arrow" and "Ice Bullet", the attached paralysis and freezing effects could delay the opponent's actions, giving Afeng and the Guardian of the Heart time to fight. Yun Wuying and the other three also used skills to attack back at the four Japanese heroes, and both sides restrained each other.
The key to the outcome of the battle depends on whether Afeng and the Guardian of the Heart can withstand the opponent's attack. The Guardian of the Heart's innate skill is "blocking", which has a certain chance of parrying the enemy's attack. Afeng wins because of his rich fighting experience. The two cooperated with Xue Wuxia and Diewu, and it was unclear who would win for a while. Everyone else was busy, and I was the only one who had the most free time on the stage. I only needed to avoid the opponent's bows and magic attacks. I was too lazy to even take out the iron dagger used by thieves. It was useless anyway. Facing these masters, I didn't dare to dream of stabbing them with a small dagger. A "stab" or "slash" would probably put my life in danger, so I had to go down and be a spectator. As for the skills of the necromancer, I couldn't use them without Xue Wuxia's orders, so as not to reveal my true colors and fail to achieve the effect of a surprise attack.
