OIAA: Chapter 40

On the day of the preliminaries, the morning would have the matches of Group A and B while the afternoon would be the turn of Group C and D. Once it was all over, the total points ranking would be announced directly and the list of all six shortlisted teams would be determined.

Soon after Yi Jiamu and Gu Yesheng returned to the lounge, Lu Zexiu finished his interview and also returned. No one said much. The Group A matches officially began and it was watched live from the spectator projection system.

Perpetual Full Moon and Burning Wood were worthy of being high-profile teams in the past two years. The first match had just started but they directly started with a crushing scoring rhythm.

Xu Yi looked a bit stunned. “I remember that the two teams haven’t changed captains. This style is a bit fierce!”

Lu Zexiu spoke calmly. “The command has changed.”

The captain played a cohesive role in the team but in the course of a match, the main rhythm control was with the team commander.

The first match was almost over. Xiang Zhuo glanced at the points and couldn’t help shaking his head. “It’s cruel.”

Apart from the two teams whose points were far ahead, the other schools in Group A basically did nothing but shave their heads. It was almost as if they had dropped out of the qualifications in advance. In this way, it would depend on who got higher points out of Perpetual Full Moon and Burning Wood. This scoring was really insane.

Lu Zexiu watched the standings without saying anything.

The first match ended with a two points lead for Burning Wood. Two points. In this type of high-intensity score-grabbing system, this number was so small it couldn’t be considered a gap at all.

Sure enough, in the second match, Perpetual Full Moon directly surpassed them by 10 points in one go. In this way, the third match became crucial. Unfortunately, Burning Wood failed to seize the opportunity. The points difference was narrowed but they still failed to surpass Perpetual Full Moon. With a slight gap of three points, they missed out on the first place ticket to enter the second half of the competition.

The camera lens moved to the winner. At this time, the Perpetual Full Moon had just walked out of the virtual cabins. The camera passed on Ji Wenxing’s face and his smile was so brilliant it could be seen how he got the nickname of ‘Little Sun’.

Lu Zexiu cut off the power directly and the screen disappeared.

According to the rules, Perpetual Full Moon had successfully advanced to the top six. As for Burning Wood, they might’ve temporarily lost but based on their total points, they should be able to get a ticket to the second half as long as there were no accidents.

Xu Yi’s brain was full of the thrilling combat situation just now. He shook his head emotionally. “The total points that Burning Wood got… tsk, the pressure is a bit heavy.”

“What pressure?” Zhou Ming glanced at him. “Just wait until we take first place in the group and then it is over. Are you still planning to compare the total score with them?”

Xu Yi saw this omega’s attitude and wanted to say something, only for Lu Zexiu to interrupt him. “Yes, we must get first place in the group.”

Yi Jiamu looked up when he heard these words. The blood that had been calm for a long time seemed to boil and he clenched his fists. On the other side, Gu Yesheng saw the bright eyes the child directed at his friend and he frowned even deeper.

A staff member knocked on the door, reminding them that the three matches of Group A had ended and the teams of Group B needed to prepare. According to the schedule, there would be five players for each preliminary match. Substitutions were allowed in the middle but the average team wouldn’t choose to do so in order to not affect the tacit understanding on the field.

The five people representing Sublime Star were Lu Zexiu, Gu Yesheng, Xiang Zhuo, Zhen Jingyao and Gong Yue.

The cooperation between the doubles partner had a great advantage in this type of team match. Gong Yue was the only healer in the team and could play an important role in special times. The team leader Guan Xueming took the five participants to the office to report. Apart from Yi Jiamu, only Xu Yi, Zhou Ming and the substitute Ji Xing were left in the lounge.

The liveliness of the official matches was five times higher than that of the opening ceremony. In contrast, the projection screen in the lounge was clear and could be changed at any time. The people remaining simply sat in front of the projector and waited for the live broadcast to begin.

At this time, Xu Yi couldn’t help wanting to have some fun. “Come on, place a bet. Guess who will score the most in the end?”

Zhou Ming answered without hesitation. “It is naturally the president.”

Ji Xing agreed. “I think it is also the president.”

Xu Yi turned to Yi Jiamu. Yi Jiamu thought for a moment. “My guess is Senior Gu.”

Xu Yi was surprised. “It looks like Gu Yesheng’s words and actions have attracted your attention very well!”

Yi Jiamu, “?”

“Nothing, nothing.” Xu Yi laughed. “In fact, I also think that Gu Yesheng will score a bit higher today.”

Zhou Ming disapproved. “Aren’t you guys holding Gu Yesheng too high?”

Xu Yi shook his index finger in a secretive manner. “Just wait and see.”

Once someone like Gu Yesheng was ‘stimulated’, the potential for an explosion was endless. Among other things, today’s stimulation definitely wasn’t small.

Soon, the first match officially began. Group B didn’t have two strong teams like Group A. Sublime Star’s strength might be recognized as the top but the other teams were fairly evenly matched. After the noisy opening, they were quite lively for a while.

According to the previous arrangement, Gu Yesheng and Lu Zexiu acted in partnership. Almost every time they met an opponent, they cleared the opponent up. There was no chance at all of a struggle.

“This isn’t right! What is with Gu Yesheng today? This guy is grabbing heads?” As Sublime Star’s points rose steadily, Zhou Ming looked like he had seen a ghost. “He is abusing them in this type of preliminary competition. Based on his personality, shouldn’t he be too lazy to do this?”

Xu Yi’s smile became more unpredictable when he saw that he had guessed correctly. “Look, didn’t I say it?”

Zhou Ming glanced at Lu Zexiu’s name that had 0 points and his mouth tightened stubbornly. “This is just the beginning. It isn’t certain who will be the final winner!”

Xu Yi raised his eyebrows. “Do you want to gamble a month’s breakfast?”

Zhou Ming exclaimed, “Who is afraid? Who!?”

Next to them, Yi Jiamu heard these words and looked over with an expression of expectation. “Senior Zhou Ming, can you add me to the bet?”

Zhou Ming choked up and had to keep smiling. “…Of course, no problem.”

Yi Jiamu also smiled. “Thank you, Senior.”

Based on this attitude, it was like he already won.

Zhou Ming couldn’t help feeling depressed again. He cast his gaze toward the live broadcast and still found Gu Yesheng’s abnormally active attitude today strange. Even Zhou Ming, who always acted intuitively, noticed it. There was no need to mention Lu Zexiu.

Lu Zexiu saw the opponent who just appeared collapse under Gu Yesheng’s strong oppression and finally asked, “What happened today?”

“Nothing.”

Lu Zexiu obviously didn’t believe it. “Then why are you like this?”

Gu Yesheng really looked a bit impetuous today. He rolled his eyes and the corners of his lips slightly curved up.  “Don’t ask. I’m very protective today so I don’t want anyone to touch you.”

Lu Zexiu, “?”

Gu Yesheng stopped talking. He knew the child was watching the live broadcast. Rather than explaining to Lu Zexiu, he wanted to end all the matches quickly. Gu Yesheng gently twisted his wrist and the unhappy expression on his face became more distinct as he thought of Yi Jiamu’s concern. Yesterday, they had chatted until so late. He hadn’t expected to feel bad today.

[Shana – Liu Lexian has been eliminated.]

[Two Towers Mountain – Dai Yongan has been eliminated.]

[Subduing Mountain – Rong Ping has been eliminated.]

Just 10 minutes after the match started, Gu Yesheng had already eliminated eight players. Zhou Ming was stunned. “Did he open a game cheat today?”

There was an uncontrollable smile on Yi Jiamu’s face and his tone was extremely sincere. “Senior is really good!”

Xu Yi silently took a sip of water and agreed. “Yes, he can be great…”

By the time the first match was about to end, Gu Yesheng alone had eliminated a total of 15 people for Sublime Star. These people barely managed to endure with the support of their own healers and they left the field overwhelmed with hate. However, even with players of the healing department present, they probably wouldn’t be able to recover from the trauma

Before the start of the match, almost everyone expected that Sublime Star would qualify as first in Group B. However, no one thought it would be in such a bloody manner. By the end of the first match, all the other school teams were eliminated while all of Sublime Star survived. They didn’t lose a single point.

Xu Yi might not be at the venue but he guessed the commentators were probably going crazy. He couldn’t help wanting to laugh. “Today’s headlines will probably all be taken by Gu Yesheng.”

He couldn’t help glancing at Yi Jiamu. For a moment, he didn’t know if Gu Yesheng liking such a fresh and refined omega was a good thing or a bad thing. However, judging from the current situation, Gu Yesheng, the number one hoodlum of Sublime Star, had developed a bit of an enterprising spirit thanks to the little classmate’s blessing.

Zhou Ming had been too nervous to watch. Once the first match ended, he leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh. “It turns out that Gu Yesheng can be so violent? Then how much power did he hide in the previous official competition and training competitions?”

He had clearly forgotten to investigate the cause of today’s sudden outbreak.

“I’m going to bring them water!” Yi Jiamu had just got up when he was pulled by Xu Yi.

Xu Yi glanced at Gu Yesheng on the screen, who was leaning against a chair and closing his eyes. Then Xu Yi put away the slyness beneath his smile. “Don’t interrupt their momentum. You can give it after the match. There is no hurry.”

Yi Jiamu felt this person had a point and sat back down obediently.

The rest time soon ended. Gu Yesheng slowly opened his eyes, placed his hands in his trouser pockets and walked toward the virtual cabin with an unclear expression.

The second match seemed to be a repeat of the first one. Gu Yesheng’s personal score was the best, all of Sublime Star survived and they absolutely crushed in points. At the start of the third match, everyone from the other schools tried to avoid him so Gu Yesheng didn’t harvest points like the first two rounds. Even so, this didn’t affect the final result at all.

Sublime Star had undoubtedly advanced to the second half of the competition with the first place in Group B. In terms of total points, it was more than twice as high as Perpetual Full Moon who was first in Group A.

This was already a very exaggerated score.

At the same time, the media made a more surprising discovery. Lu Zexiu’s personal score in the three matches was only 8 points. He ranked fourth in Sublime Star and was only ahead of the healer, Gong Yue!

The Star Media reporters at the scene exchanged glances and saw speculation in each other’s eyes. Lu Zexiu’s strength was well-known but after all, he was already a senior this year. Such an abnormal situation occurred in the preliminaries. Was it possible to say that Sublime Star was ready to replace the old captain?

The members of Sublime Star obviously didn’t know what the outsiders had guessed. In the lounge, Xu Yi looked like a villain. “How about it? You lost! Do you remember the one month of breakfast?”

Zhou Ming curled his lips unhappily. “Do I look like I am someone who will default on my promises?”

Yi Jiamu leaned in at the right time and reminded him in a low voice, “Senior, don’t forget mine.”

Zhuo Ming, “……”

There was a swear word but he didn’t know if it was appropriate to say it.

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Under Mumu’s encouragement (?), Narcissus’ motivation finally burst!