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Sharpening The Knife Doesn’t Delay The Cutting of Vegetables With The Bow[eSports]: Chapter 111
111. Round 1 Routine Termination
The quiet Sunken Boat Beach was abruptly pierced by the sounds of battle, like a bonfire igniting in the dark wilderness. Before long, the third team lurking within the beach also joined in upon hearing the commotion.
What started as a clash between ZMD and Shen Tang evolved into a chaotic three-way melee.
Shen Tang was the first to lose a support. Facing ZMD’s relentless assault, combined with the constant threat of Chen Xingran stalking them like a venomous snake ready to strike at any moment, the team was under immense pressure and barely holding on. However, the arrival of the third team somewhat alleviated Shen Tang’s burden.
In the thick white fog, it was nearly impossible to distinguish friend from foe beyond one’s teammates. The third team, arriving in search of action, targeted the frontliners and began a flanking maneuver, attempting to disrupt the battle and claim kills.
Yang Yunche had no intention of retreating. He understood that Chen Xingran’s playstyle became more effective in chaotic scenarios. Rapidly firing arrows, he disrupted Shen Tang’s attempt to revive their support at the soul shrine, all while directing Luo Baibai and Xiao Nan to hold the frontline.
Echo: “None of the three sides seem willing to back down; they’ve started fighting directly at the wreckage area of the Gobi Beach!”
Xiao Nan raised his massive sword-shield, standing firm at the front. Luo Baibai supported him by drawing fire, using skills to reduce damage and heal Xiao Nan. Special effects from countless skills illuminated the battlefield from all directions, while the clash of swords and weapons created a never-ending cacophony. What was once a tranquil foggy village had now turned into a chaotic battleground, leaving the audience dazzled by the spectacle.
Amidst the turmoil, Chen Xingran’s figure moved like a ghost, weaving through the enemies’ ranks.
Shadow Sprint!
Hidden Shadow’s ultimate ability allowed Chen Xingran to traverse between the shadows of his enemies. Activating his ultimate, he became the sharpest blade on the battlefield. His body seemed to dissolve into a pool of darkness, merging into the ground before reemerging from the shadow of an unsuspecting enemy.
A slash to the throat, a stab to the heart, a strike to the kidneys—then a quick retreat back into the fog.
By the time his enemies felt the numbness in their bodies and realized their health had dropped drastically, they would panic and turn around, only to see nothing but a sea of white fog. The attacker’s form remained unseen.
With his Cat’s Feet item equipped, Chen Xingran moved silently. He wasted no time in prolonged engagements, landing a decisive hit before vanishing, using his ultimate to pinpoint the next target. Whenever someone with low health appeared, his figure would emerge like the herald of death, striking from behind, the side, or even above, ending their life with precision.
A perfect assassin.
By the end of the battle, apart from Chang Zan, who had spotted Chen Xingran at the start, no one else even got close to him. In the heat of combat, turning around only to find that the teammate who was just beside them had already been reduced to a dim soul shrine lying silently on the ground was an eerie realization.
“Sunken Boat Beach…”
The third team that arrived later shuddered. “There’s something unclean here!”
“Unclean, your sister ah!”
Their captain snapped irritably, “Didn’t you notice there’s an assassin? Laozi’s kidneys are almost shredded, and you’re here telling ghost stories!”
【Hahahahahaha, it’s a ghost!!】
【Watching from the spectator view is such a relief… If it were me in there, I’d already be calling a priest.】
【Getting randomly hit like that and losing a chunk of health—who can handle it?】
【Oh my gosh, so Cat’s Feet is actually this useful? I used to just toss it whenever I picked it up.】
【True, I always thought Cat’s Feet was a trash soul jade, but now it looks like a god-tier item!】
【Wake up. This depends on the player. First, you need assassination skills like that.】
【Chen Xingran with Cat’s Feet: Top-tier stealth assassination. Me with Cat’s Feet: Scaring my teammates.】
【…Yeah, that checks out.】
Before the poison circle could cover the entire Sunken Boat Beach, the chaotic battle on the Gobi finally came to an end.
Echo: “Unfortunately, Shen Tang didn’t make it to the end…”
He Ye: “That’s right. This match was quite a setback for Shen Tang, but luckily, they earned quite a lot of points in the first match. There’s still a chance for them to catch up.”
Zhi Zi: “The director just switched to the damage stats… Wait, is this real?”
The screen displayed a small stats panel in the lower-right corner, clearly showing data such as healing done, damage output, and kills for all players.
Chen Xingran, a stealth player who had barely appeared in anyone’s direct line of sight throughout the match, had shockingly dealt the highest damage of the game—a whopping 20,000 points. The numbers were right there, leaving everyone stunned.
Many players couldn’t even achieve that much damage in a full ranked match ending in victory. Yet, in just one chaotic three-way skirmish, Chen Xingran alone had managed to deal such a staggering amount of damage!
His movements were so elusive that even the director struggled to capture him during the team fights. But whenever the camera did catch him, the audience would see nothing but a dagger bringing up a burst of blood mist.
Echo: “As a damage dealer, I think Chen Xingran’s output ability is already among the best in the league.”
He Ye, hurriedly: “Uh… yes, it’s safe to say his output is definitely impressive. We’re looking forward to his future performances.”
Echo: “Even Oulongfei, from Ice Leopard, the domestic league’s best dagger player, wouldn’t be able to achieve such high damage in this situation.”
He Ye, cutting in: “…Oulongfei’s dagger skills are also excellent. We’re really looking forward to seeing them face off in future matches. By the way, Echo, do you have any thoughts on Chang Zan’s earlier diversion play?”
Echo: “What’s even more remarkable is that Chen Xingran is proficient with all weapons, which means his damage potential isn’t limited by his choice of tools. Furthermore—”
He Ye, hastily: “…Alright! Let’s switch over to Huntian City, where the action is also heating up!”
【Hahahahahahahaha】
【He Ye: Echo, please have mercy on me.】
【Just casually throwing shade during the commentary—is that even allowed? LOL】
【Echo’s career as a commentator is going down the drain, hahahaha. How many times has he slipped up now?】
【Echo: Please don’t interrupt my praise fest, thank you.】
【I’m going to die laughing.】
In the second match, ZMD continued their smooth sailing. After defeating two other teams and emerging from Sunken Boat Beach with fully upgraded equipment, they maintained their momentum. Following the poison circle’s path, they pushed forward triumphantly and racked up a significant number of kill points.
Yang Yunche knew this was Chen Xingran’s first official match, so he intentionally left the spotlight for him. He allowed Chen Xingran to finish off low-health enemies and gave him ample room to showcase his skills whenever the situation wasn’t urgent. As a result, in this evening’s match, Chen Xingran single-handedly dominated nearly half of the match highlights. His Hidden Shadow and Demonic Blade both offered the audience a spectacular visual feast.
Chen Xingran’s melee combat style has always been unique in Destiny. Beyond its ferocity and precision, it carries an unrestrained, fluid elegance, making his gameplay both dazzling and highly watchable. This unique trait has made him a fan favorite, evident even during livestreams. On the grand stage, with countless spectators watching, this same charisma effortlessly earned him a massive following.
In the second match, ZMD didn’t have the best luck in the final circle, but they still secured fourth place and earned 2 ranking points.
In the third match, when Chen Xingran picked up a golden Tang Dao at the start in Cloud Palace, the entire game took on a different tone.
If in the previous match he was a shadowy assassin striking from the darkness, then with the Tang Dao in hand, his style transformed entirely. His blade work was sharp and elusive, the gleaming arcs of his strikes weaving like dense rain and fog. He resembled a god of war descending, offering the audience a cinematic-level performance centered around the Tang Dao.
“Clang!”
On-screen, Chen Xingran was locked in a duel with an opponent. Sparks flew like molten iron in a forge as he engaged directly with his blade. With a clean strike, he twisted his blade, and with a crisp sound, the opponent’s weapon was sent flying high into the air.
Then, Chen Xingran took a ghostly step back, sheathing his blade in a flash. He placed his hand on the hilt, and in that moment, his entire presence condensed into an intense focus. The familiarity of the scene caused everyone to hold their breath.
Echo’s voice rose with excitement, “It’s here! This is Chen Xingran’s signature technique…”
But before he could finish, the surrounding audience erupted with deafening cheers, stealing his lines:
“Thunderclap—”
“Thunderclap! Thunderclap!!”
Whether in qualifiers or regular matches, many professional players have tried to imitate this move. But in terms of damage output or sheer presence, none have come close. This high-damage skill, invented by Chen Xingran, has been studied and mimicked by countless players, yet no one has successfully replicated it.
When the original creator executed the move on the battlefield, drawing his blade with unstoppable momentum, the atmosphere in the arena ignited instantly. Cheers roared like boiling water, wave after wave!
Then, the blade struck!
A flash of lightning seemed to arc through the air, carrying the weight of a mountain crashing down. Even through the screen, the overwhelming pressure was palpable. The lightning-like slash illuminated Chen Xingran’s eyes, and for a moment, the screen seemed to freeze. Then, the damage number floated upward—a record-breaking single hit for the tournament so far.
-1455!
As the damage appeared, both the live commentary and the barrage of comments exploded with excitement.
【1455! What kind of godly damage is this?!】
【What a terrifying execution threshold!!】
【Max attack soul jade plus a golden blade—absolutely terrifying!】
【Chen Xingran!!! You are my god!!】
Many viewers still remember that when ZMD announced Chen Xingran’s promotion to the main team, countless people were skeptical. They believed that letting someone with a streamer background, someone who had never competed professionally, take the stage was tantamount to digging their own grave.
Even more vividly remembered is the time of the cheating scandal, when Chen Xingran found himself embroiled in controversy. Skepticism and disparagement flooded in from all directions, with a torrent of malicious words aimed at this young man.
But today, at the Karma Cup—the pinnacle of honor in Destiny—Chen Xingran, with his outstanding performances in these matches and that indescribably breathtaking slash, proved them all wrong.
After three matches, ZMD ended with a staggering 61 points, securing the top spot without suspense.
Chen Xingran stepped out of the operation pod, leaving the quiet chamber for the vibrant and fervent arena. For a brief moment, his ears buzzed with the overwhelming noise.
The night sky was as dark as ink, but the passionate cheers and applause merged into one, like blazing torches igniting the brightest star in the night.
Tonight, he was undoubtedly the king.
“Let’s go.”
Yang Yunche walked up to him.
“Go where?”
Chen Xingran froze for a moment. Weren’t all three matches over?
Yang Yunche looked at him, eyes brimming with laughter.
“To your very first… interview.”
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