Chapter 1378: Playoffs Experience
Translator: Nomyummi Editor: Nomyummi
The team competition of the very last round of Season 10 of the Glory Pro League began one after the other in the home stadiums of ten teams. Twenty teams, six players per team, a total one hundred and twenty players. Sixty of them would end their season here with this last battle. Fourty-eight of them would step from here to a more intense journey called the playoffs. And the last twelve would be bidding this stage a farewell after this match.
Happy’s home stadium, two teams…
One had already confirmed that they would be continuing their journey. The other was still working hard to reach that point.
They had to win.
301 Degrees had no other choice. Only by winning, could they make sure that their efforts this year weren’t wasted.
As for Happy…
“It’s the last round of the regular season. Let everyone see how much you’ve all grown this year!” Ye Xiu exclaimed.
All the players gazed back in silent determination.
“Especially you, Fang Rui,” Ye Xiu called Fang Rui out.
“Fuck off!” Fang Rui bristled. As an All Star player, hearing a word such as “growth” used on him pissed him off. Even though he was still transitioning between classes, Fang Rui felt that “integrate” was a much more appropriate word than “growth”.
“Let’s crush them. This is a rare chance to warm up for the playoffs. 301 Degrees definitely has the determination and lust for victory as a playoffs team. Take this chance to familiarize yourself with this rhythm!” Ye Xiu said.
This wasn’t just a pep talk.
Playoffs experience, finals experience, these things were a whole new level in and of themselves. The playoffs were engulfed in a far more tense pace and atmosphere, and this tension would peak at the finals. Under these situations, a player’s mental fortitude would be tested. Some inexperienced players might get too nervous or too cautious, resulting in careless mistakes.
Those with experience knew how to face the playoffs, and even the finals, allowing them to adjust their mood and mental state. They would be cautious when required, and strike without mercy when necessary. Many players might not be noticed much during the regular season, but they would shine during the playoffs. These were clutch players who had laudable mental fortitude. The more stressful and critical the situation, the better they performed.
Amongst Blue Rain’s current players, Qi Master Song Xiao was a renowned tough hearted player. From his performance and the statistical data gathered in the regular season, he was nowhere near god level, but during the playoffs, his combative ability would rise dramatically. Having debuted during the fifth season, he became a core member of Blue Rain after his debuting season, helping Blue Rain achieve the championship in the sixth season and earning himself the title of “Mister Clutch”.
Team Blue Rain’s lineup had gone through many changes these years, but Song Xiao had retained his position throughout all of that. He was usually in rotation during the regular season, but during the playoffs, his match time would greatly increase. It was clear that Team Blue Rain knew where his value lay.
Song Xiao was a player that had natural talent in this area. Most clutch players were born through accumulating playoffs experience. These experienced, composed veterans might not play much in the regular season, but they shone bright in the playoffs, and that was were the value in playoffs experience lay.
Team Happy’s rookies naturally didn’t have such experience. Though, from Ye Xiu’s observations, it was clear that Happy’s rookies had shockingly powerful mental fortitude, there was no saying if they would be able to last through the playoffs. This match was a rare opportunity. 301 Degrees would definitely be playing with the same energy that they would in the playoffs, so Ye Xiu hoped that his teammates wouldn’t let themselves relax. They should find the appropriate attitude to face the intense atmosphere of a battle to the death. Though the previous few rounds were very intense, it was nowhere close to a match like this that would decide a team’s survival. After all, they couldn’t compare to the intensity of the playoffs matches.
“Understood.” Once Happy’s onstage players replied, they each went into their own player booths. On the other side, 301 Degrees had finished preparations as well. The map loaded in, and the two sides soon began the match.
Happy’s map choice: Paulownia Tower
A map with a high point, clearly considering 301 Degree’s current preferred strategy. So long as there was a high point, then Happy could use it to observe 301 Degree’s movements and prevent their Life Risking Strike from hitting.
Thus, their strategy became clear and straightforward: fight for the high ground!
301 Degrees naturally wouldn’t be clueless about this map and they didn’t take any long routes, all of them charging out as soon as the battle began.
As such an important strategic point, Paulownia Tower naturally wouldn’t be closer to one spawn point or the other. Whoever arrived first would depend entirely on movement speed.
301 Degrees had charged out as a team but soon enough, the characters pulled away from one another.
Scene Killer!
301 Degree’s captain, Yang Cong’s Scene Killer charged at the head, having no intentions to move with the team. He sped up ahead of the rest and charged out towards Paulownia Tower first.
Team Happy’s Silver equipment was relatively few in number, making their stats more transparent. It was already Round 38, and Happy had garnered enough attention for their characters to be researched thoroughly. Movement speed wise, Yang Cong had confidence that he wouldn’t lose to any of Happy’s ordinary characters. Unfortunately, Happy had a very much extraordinary character.
Lord Grim.
If this unspecialized character used movement skills, then his movement speed would probably top Scene Killer’s.
However, Yang Cong predicted that Happy wouldn’t have Lord Grim stand guard over the high ground. In Happy’s core lineup, Lord Grim was a core melee DPS. The one to stay on the high ground would naturally be Su Mucheng’s Dancing Rain.
However, Dancing Rain couldn’t outpace Scene Killer in speed. This, Yang Cong was certain, that Happy knew as well. Thus, having Lord Grim temporarily stand guard here before switching with Dancing Rain when she arrived was their most stable plan of action.
Yang Cong’s thoughts were clear and thorough.
Although 301 Degrees had never gotten a particularly good result in the playoffs before, they had participated enough times. As a player who debuted in the third season, Yang Cong had plenty of playoffs experience and knew all too well the suffocating atmospheres that surrounded these battles to the death. He didn’t lack playoffs experience, and so he was able to analyze the situation calmly and carefully.
Heading out alone with Scene Killer wasn’t just to fight for the high grounds, but also to do reconnaissance. Happy’s Lord Grim was slightly faster than he was. It wasn’t a good idea to engage while he had the initiative. The playoffs rhythm was to work towards a position of absolute advantage, so Yang Cong currently had no intentions of engaging.
He was just here to observe Happy’s arrangements and see what Happy was planning. If he had a chance, he’d strike. If not, then he’d wait. In any case, before his hand was forced, then he’d only come out when he had a solid grasp on the situation.
Paulownia Tower soon appeared in Yang Cong’s view. He took a look at the terrain around it and then had Scene Killer begin to circle closer.
From his understanding of Lord Grim’s speed, if the other went all out, he’d have arrived by now.
It didn’t appear that anyone was on the top of the Paulownia Tower. Where would Lord Grim be hiding? Under the tower? Inside the tower? Or somewhere close by? Was he planning to ambush Yang Cong?
Even as Yang Cong calculated his opponent’s movement speed, he trusted that his opponent also had a clear understanding. Though his Scene Killer was donned entirely in Silver equipment with his stats hidden, after fighting in this circle for all these years, Scene Killer’s stats had probably been figured out ages ago even if there was no exact data. Happy had a few veterans amongst their midst, so they had an idea.
He was circling to make certain that Lord Grim wasn’t hiding around.
However, after making a complete circle, he didn’t see anyone.
Yang Cong took a look at all the hiding spots around Paulownia Tower. Lord Grim wasn’t anywhere to be seen. If Lord Grim had arrived, then there was only one possibility: he was hiding inside Paulownia Tower.
Paulownia Tower’s interior comprised of a spiral staircase going all the way to the top. There were no open windows in the tower, so if Lord Grim wanted to hide inside, then Ye Xiu wouldn’t have any way of figuring out if 301 Degree’s people had arrived or not. He could onlt sit there and wait.
Yang Cong didn’t bother with further confirmations. After circling around, he had a new plan. He had found a good hiding spot next to the Paulownia Tower, so Scene Killer moved over and prepared to ambush.
He didn’t dare bet on if Lord Grim had arrived or not.
However, was certain that Dancing Rain had yet to arrive, and if she wanted to gain that high spot, then she’s soon come. As for the place Scene Killer was currently in, it was perfect for ambushing and killing Dancing Rain. If he managed to stall Dancing Rain, then he would’ve dismantled Happy’s plans. Yang Cong’s Assassin wouldn’t be at a disadvantage at all in a melee fight against a Launcher. If he made it so that the rest of Happy was forced to come and assist, then he would have managed to cause their formation to break up entirely.
Yang Cong’s plans were detailed and precise. This was exactly what an experienced veteran should be like.
Thus, Scene Killer hid there. This position was perfect. It was good for ambushing anyone that arrive in the direction of Happy’s spawn point and it was also out of range of an ambush from the top of or under the Paulownia Tower. This was a blind spot from any direction.
Yang Cong had only just hid Scene Killer away when he heard the sound of cannonfire.
She’s coming!
Yang Cong knew it this was Dancing Rain, heading over with Aerial Cannon.
The sound approached steadily and Yang Cong was already counting down in his head, aiming to attack at the optimal time. Boom! Boom!
Boom!
Yang Cong could practically see Dancing Rain jumping and firing to glide over!
Boom!
She’s here!
With another boom, Yang Cong had this clear idea in his head. This was the result of years of experience. He didn’t need to calculate. He could feel it.
Scene Killer jumped up, Dancing Rain’s figure immediately flashing by.
Shining Cut!
Scene Killer charged out.