Sharpening The Knife Doesn’t Delay The Cutting of Vegetables With The Bow[eSports]: Chapter 102

102. Bite Bait

Echo: “Welcome back to the Karma Cup regular season! I’m your commentator, Echo. We’re about to start the third match of the day. According to the draw, this match will be between the players from Group Three and Group Five.”

He Ye: “I’m the commentator for this match, He Ye.”

The female commentator beside him, Zhi Zi, also chimed in, “And I’m Zhi Zi. The first two matches have already showcased some fantastic plays, but today’s third match is the one I’m personally most looking forward to.”

Echo: “Indeed, those who have checked the schedule probably know that Group Three includes a very well-known team, our ZMD. After their recent reorganization, this will be ZMD’s first time competing with their new lineup. I’m sure everyone is eager to see how they’ll perform.”

He Ye: “Group Five also has a powerhouse team that everyone is familiar with—Team Sheng Tang. Although their performance in the last Karma Cup was less than ideal, the data from this season shows that Sheng Tang has clearly come prepared to redeem themselves.”

Zhi Zi: “Alright, the players are in position, and now we’re seeing the interface where each team selects their drop points… It seems like the players are being very cautious, with many teams opting to start in less populated jungle routes.”

Echo: “High-resource areas are tempting, but once the fighting starts, it never ends, and there’s always interference from other teams. It’s understandable… Okay, the camera is focusing on ZMD and Sheng Tang. Sheng Tang has chosen to drop at Remnant Sun Temple, indicating they’re ready for a fight, while ZMD… Are they starting at Hunyuan City?”

Yang Yunche made his choice without hesitation, selecting Hunyuan City on the map. It’s the central and most resource-rich main city on Wanyuan Island, closely tied to the backstories of many heroes. For example, the popular hero Zang Ying is the leader of the shadow assassins under the lord of Hunyuan City.

ZMD had already formulated and practiced their strategy extensively during training matches. In this match, they had three rounds to play, so they could afford to take risks in the first round. If they could secure Hunyuan City, they would gain a significant amount of resources and defeat points, quickly establishing their score advantage.

If their opening didn’t go well, they could recover points through their strategy in the subsequent rounds. This tactic was risky, but with ZMD’s strength, it was worth attempting.

Team Sheng Tang, another powerhouse, had a similar idea, but they chose to start at Remnant Sun Temple instead, avoiding the same resource point as ZMD.

He Ye: “Alright, the drop points for each team have been selected. As expected, no one wanted to miss out on the prime location of Hunyuan City. Five teams have already dropped there at the start, and we can see players also landing in nearby areas like Wucun(Black/Crow Village), Ancestral Temple, and Hundred Bird Forest, likely planning to gather resources before moving in on Hunyuan City for a fight.”

【Going all out in the first round? As expected of ZMD.】

【Shen Tang also dropped at Canyang Temple. Too bad, we won’t get to see them fight right after landing.】

【Isn’t this a bit too risky? Yun Shen’s operational advantage won’t come into play this way.】

【True, starting at Huntian City relies a bit too much on luck. If luck isn’t on their side, they might lose players right from the start.】

【Stop arguing, just watch the match.】

“Stick to the plan.”

Yang Yunche looked at the countdown overhead and said, “Search the buildings after landing, then regroup. If there are too many people at the high-resource points, don’t take unnecessary risks—just retreat. No early casualties.”

“Got it.”

The three others nodded.

As the countdown ended, all players were transported into the game.

Chen Xingran opened his eyes and quickly scanned his surroundings. He spawned inside the City Lord’s Mansion in Huntian City, incredibly lucky—only one support hero nearby, and the area was glittering with purple and gold lights, like stumbling upon a treasure trove.

Echo: “Alright, the screen is now on ZMD’s side. Chen Xingran is off to a great start, spawning right inside the City Lord’s Mansion. Vent’s support, Li Ao, is nearby. Will they engage?”

As soon as Chen Xingran could move, he dashed straight toward the golden armor, picking up a purple gun along the way while keeping an eye on the other hero who landed in the mansion with him.

He Ye: “It looks like Li Ao is planning to retreat. Not going to fight?”

Li Ao hesitated for a moment, moving slightly slower than Chen Xingran. The moment Chen Xingran picked up the gun, Li Ao immediately gave up on grabbing the golden armor. He quickly scavenged some items from a nearby building and slipped out through a side door.

Li Ao didn’t know that the opponent who had picked up the weapon was Chen Xingran, but even if it wasn’t, he wouldn’t take the risk. The opponent had a weapon and clearly got to the golden armor faster, putting him at a disadvantage in a fight. With the caution of a professional player, he’d rather give up high-level resources than put himself in a risky situation right at the start.

If he lost the fight, his entire team would be put at a disadvantage, and if his teammates tried to come to revive him, they might get caught and team-wiped.

So, Li Ao decisively left the City Lord’s Mansion to Chen Xingran and moved on to search elsewhere.

“Report positions.”

Yang Yunche’s voice came through in the team chat.

While looting, Chen Xingran said, “I’m in the City Lord’s Mansion. Golden armor, purple gun, and a blue bow, with six armor plates, three health packs, and one repair kit.”

The last part meant he found six armor plates, three health packs, and one weapon repair tool.

“Bring the blue bow to me,” Yang Yunche said. “I found a blue broadsword, but no armor.”

Luo Baibai and Xiao Nan also reported their positions. They weren’t far from each other. After a quick search on the first floor, Chen Xingran didn’t head upstairs but instead left through a side door. Before the team regrouped, fighting alone was meaningless and extremely dangerous.

Luo Baibai and Xiao Nan also reported their positions. Just as Yang Yunche was about to mark a gathering point, he noticed Luo Baibai’s health rapidly dropping on the team info screen, and his white armor soon broke.

“I’ve run into someone here!”

Luo Baibai’s voice sounded anxious, “It’s a three-man team, they’re chasing me.”

“Pull back a bit, we’re coming now.” Yang Yunche said, “Regroup at Luo Baibai’s location.”

Chen Xingran, who had spotted a purple cannon not far away and was about to pick it up, immediately abandoned the action when he saw Luo Baibai’s health drop and dashed towards Luo Baibai without hesitation.

Echo: “ZMD’s Luo Baibai is the first to encounter WET’s players. Their team gathered quickly. Three of them have locked onto Luo Baibai, and they’re engaging… Luo Baibai is in white armor, quite fragile. Okay, his armor is broken. It’s clear he wants to escape, but WET doesn’t seem willing to give him the chance!”

In professional player battles, it’s very difficult to win a one-versus-three. Professional players are well-coordinated and won’t give you the chance to pick them off one by one. Once they catch someone alone, they immediately surround from multiple angles. Even if it were Chen Xingran facing Luo Baibai’s situation, the best move would be to run first.

Luo Baibai started using the surrounding terrain to pull away, running around the buildings, but WET’s three players wouldn’t let a lone and easy target escape. Their player-catching awareness was very strong—they didn’t just chase directly behind him, allowing him to lead them on a chase, but instead, two chased while one cut him off from the side. Luo Baibai was soon cornered, and three weapons of varying quality surrounded him from all sides. The professional players’ swift and precise knife skills quickly broke through his defenses, and even though Luo Baibai used his ability to heal himself, it was to no avail.

Luo Baibai’s health bar was instantly depleted, turning into a still soul tomb lying on the ground, giving WET one point.

“I’m down.”

Luo Baibai bit his lip. “Sorry, couldn’t escape.”

It’s tough to get away when facing a three-versus-one situation, especially against a top-tier domestic pro team. Their pursuit awareness and vision control were strong; while Luo Baibai’s maneuvers would’ve easily confused an average player, making them lose sight of him, WET’s players consistently tracked his every move. Even when they briefly lost sight of him, they quickly deduced his escape route and caught up. Luo Baibai falling was only natural.

Yang Yunche: “No point in saying that now. Are they still there?”

“I can’t see from my perspective. They might have left, but they could also be camping my body.”

Luo Baibai had died inside a small building on a narrow alley in Huntian City, with limited visibility. He couldn’t determine whether the opponents had left or were lying in wait to ambush his teammates who might come to revive him.

“I’ve encountered enemies.”

Chen Xingran was heading towards Luo Baibai’s location. “Two of them, on the same team—it’s the Wind Seeker and the Voodoo… They’ve spotted me.”

“I’m in the area behind you; I’ll be there soon.”

Xiao Nan quickly asked, “Should we engage or…?”

Yang Yunche thought briefly and said, “Xingran, go up and engage them, but don’t push too hard. Lure them over.”

“I’ll go help,” Xiao Nan said.

“No, stay near him and don’t show yourself,” Yang Yunche stopped him.

“Got it.”

Chen Xingran had been working with Yang Yunche for a long time. Although he didn’t fully understand his intentions, he didn’t question them.

As soon as the Wind Seeker and the Voodoo spotted him, Chen Xingran’s feet moved. Instead of running, he rushed forward to fight. The two on the other side were momentarily stunned when they saw Chen Xingran charging directly at them. He had no teammates behind him, and they couldn’t tell if it was a bluff. After a careful look, they confirmed it was just Chen Xingran and moved in to engage.

A free kill point—they weren’t going to let it go.

Clang—!

Chen Xingran thrust his purple gun forward like a tiger breaking free from its cage, with a swift and crisp metallic clashing sound, meeting the broadsword in the opponent’s hand. At the same time, Voodoo lunged from the side, twirling his nunchaku, creating gusts of wind aimed at Chen Xingran’s vital spots.

Echo: “Chen Xingran is engaging! It’s Voodoo and Wind Seeker from Dream Ghost Team; they’ve already regrouped. Engaging in a two-on-one, so bold? Oh, wait, Xiao Nan is approaching from not too far behind, so support should be there in time. However, their teammate Luo Baibai is still down—are they planning to start a full team fight now?”

He Ye: “Not a wise choice; Dream Ghost’s other two teammates are also nearby. ZMD is down a player, so fighting like this puts them at a disadvantage.”

Zhizi: “Huh? Xiao Nan crouched in a building near Chen Xingran, not planning to assist?”

On screen, Chen Xingran’s gun tip flicked rapidly, his movements incredibly smooth, but strangely, he performed several unnecessary actions. He even took a few hits that he could have easily avoided. Fortunately, he was wearing golden armor, so with five bars of protection, taking some damage wasn’t a major issue.

However, Chen Xingran appeared to be under heavy pressure from the two opponents.

The barrage of comments questioned this display.

【What’s going on? ZMD throwing the game?】

【This gunplay is pretty off… doesn’t seem like his usual level.】

【Is he taking damage to charge up his ultimate? Or is there some other reason?】

【But Luo Baibai is already down, why start a team fight now…】

【Too nervous? He is a rookie after all, lacking major competition experience.】

【Speechless. This isn’t a ranked game, why take on a two-on-one alone? And Xiao Nan’s not helping—is he planning to sacrifice his teammate?】

Chen Xingran’s armor soon dwindled to just one bar. In the next moment, he swept his spear to deflect the oncoming nunchaku and broadsword, then quickly retreated towards Luo Baibai’s location.

Seeing that they were about to secure the kill and with Dream Ghost’s other two players about to arrive, the Voodoo and Wind Seeker clearly weren’t going to let this opportunity slip. With Chen Xingran wearing golden armor and wielding a long spear that dealt significant damage, likely a purple-tier weapon, this juicy target was too good to miss.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Voodoo and Wind Seeker chased after him.

After waiting for them to move far enough away, Xiao Nan also exited the building and followed.

Chen Xingran led the two enemies on a chase through Huntian City, and soon reached the area near Luo Baibai’s soul tomb.

Luo Baibai’s decaying soul tomb progress bar was down to 40%, with little time left. If they didn’t find a chance to revive him soon, the soul tomb would completely fade away.

Yang Yunche had already secured a high vantage point in advance. His view was wide and unobstructed, and the spot he chose was quite tricky, exploiting a blind spot so that no one else noticed him. From his position, he could clearly see two people camping on the rooftop outside Luo Baibai’s soul tomb.

As expected, they were camping the body.

Yang Yunche squinted, glanced at Chen Xingran and Xiao Nan’s current positions, and then pulled out the white-quality bird rifle he had picked up earlier, taking a shot.

“Bang!”

The WET member crouched on the rooftop was immediately hit, losing a small portion of their armor. Since Yang Yunche still had an empty soul jade, there was no attack bonus, and the damage from the white bird rifle was negligible—barely noticeable. Nonetheless, the WET players quickly detected his presence.

“Someone’s up there!”

The WET team member glanced up, quickly pinpointing Yang Yunche’s location from the trajectory and sound of the shot.

“Not sure which team they’re from, just ignore them for now.”

The WET captain glanced at the damage and commented. At this point, all four WET members had regrouped. There was no need to be aggressive; they just needed to ambush the teammate who had just used the soul jade. In a four-versus-three situation, it would be easy to take down the weakened team.

“Whoosh—”

In the next second, Chen Xingran, leading Voodoo and Wind Seeker, charged directly from around the corner. He didn’t slow down, as if he already knew where the WET players were hiding, heading straight towards them.

Ghost Shadow Shadow!

His figure turned into a blur, slicing through the air instantly. The spear shook, and the spear shadow shot forward, aiming directly at WET’s support!

Chen Xingran and Dream Ghost’s Wind Seeker and Voodoo appeared almost simultaneously, and as soon as they entered WET’s line of sight from around the corner, they immediately launched an attack. It was clear they intended to strike first. From WET’s perspective, it would be instinctive to assume that Chen Xingran and the Wind Seeker and Voodoo behind him were on the same team.

After all, in Destiny, player names don’t display overhead, so there’s no way to know which team the opponents belong to. From WET’s viewpoint, it was obvious that these three were teammates of Luo Baibai, who had just been downed, making them feel a rush of excitement.

They took the bait!

“Attack!”

At the WET captain’s command, the WET members who had been lying in ambush sprang out instantly. For a moment, the clash of blades filled the air, and skill effects lit up.

Chen Xingran activated a skill and charged at the support. He was low on health, with only one bar of his golden armor left, appearing to be in a critical state. Though he was in close combat with the support, his spear still lacked any aggressive thrusts.

WET’s support clashed blades twice with Chen Xingran, feeling confident about winning the fight, especially since the opponent was low on health. He announced, “I can handle this Demonic Blade; you guys deal with the other two. Don’t let them escape!”

“Got it.”

The other three WET members simultaneously received the message and rushed towards Dream Ghost’s Voodoo and Wind Seeker. To WET, it seemed that the two were trying to help Chen Xingran divert the attacks, and naturally, WET wasn’t going to let them succeed.

From above, Yang Yunche watched the scene unfold and curled his lips slightly.

No, it’s you who took the bait.

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