Sharpening The Knife Doesn’t Delay The Cutting of Vegetables With The Bow[eSports]: Chapter 18

18. Victory or defeat has been decided.

In Yang Yunche’s live stream room, from the moment he started broadcasting, hundreds and thousands of new viewers flooded in every second. As the most popular star player in the current Destiny Professional League, his influence was evident.

With Yang Yunche’s skill, playing a Platinum solo match, everyone believed it would be an unmatched battle, akin to using a cannon to kill a mosquito. There was no suspense.

After all, although Yang Yunche’s close combat skills were notoriously weak among professional players, not a single one dared to claim they could confidently defeat the former world champion of Black Tide. Even in officially organized solo competitions, Yang Yunche’s support rate was astonishingly high, nearly on par with Lu Mingyu, the captain of the All Stars Deer team.

Because solo matches weren’t solely about close combat skills. Many top-tier professional assault players known for their close combat abilities had been defeated by Yang Yunche.

His formidable control over ranged weapons such as bows and arrows, his extraordinary gunfighting techniques, and his mind that remained cool to the extreme, always finding absolute countermeasures in dangerous situations—these were Yang Yunche’s strongest weapons.

However, the scene unfolding before them overturned the audience’s previous understanding.

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!”

“Is this reaction or anticipation? This is just too terrifying!”

“This Aerial Snipe shot was definitely not watered down, and he can directly cut the arrow? It’s a bit unbelievable.”

“Who is this Shadow Dancer on the other side? A professional player?”

“It’s someone called Ye Shao, he has a live stream room in Starry River. I watched his live stream yesterday. He’s the one who’s famous for using Thunderclap on the forums.”

“I recognized it as soon as he used Thunderclap. Is he the only one who can use it in the game now?”

“Oh my god, this is truly an epic battle. I feel like I’m watching a professional solo match.”

Chen Xingran’s stunning act of slicing through the spinning feathered arrow ignited the barrage of comments, and the scrolling text overwhelmed the screen.

However, the two figures in the scene had not stopped yet!

Yang Yunche’s gaze slightly narrowed.

Even though he had faced numerous professional players, he had to admit that Chen Xingran’s swordsmanship and reaction speed had reached an unprecedented level.

Yes, unprecedented.

Yang Yunche finally became serious.

Chen Xingran flicked his wrist, and the Tang Sword swung with a swift arc. At this moment, Yang Yunche’s body was descending under the force of gravity. Chen Xingran quickly rushed forward, followed by a graceful leap, reaching towards Yang Yunche’s landing spot!

“Clang, clang—”

The Chain Scythe skill of the Iron Chain Reaper could be used twice with its cooldown. After the Flying Sky Sniper missed, a brief moment of surprise passed, and the Hook Bind was once again released. Yang Yunche’s body, which was still descending, rose again. His longbow’s durability was about to run out, so he directly switched to a new one from his backpack. Then, in mid-air, he continuously plucked the bowstring, and two arrows flew towards Chen Xingran, one after another!

The angles of these two arrows were extremely delicate, completely blocking all of Chen Xingran’s retreat routes.

The white-clad assassin’s figure was still suspended in mid-air, and the tip of his sword quickly tapped the ground. His entire body smoothly changed trajectory, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water, narrowly avoiding the first arrow.

However, the second arrow followed closely behind, and he was too late to react, so he could only bear the damage head-on.

Both of them were on the verge of death, their HP reaching critical levels. Chen Xingran had the upper hand in the sword fight, but he failed to pursue twice, and the momentary distance created was enough for Yang Yunche to unleash the high damage of his bow and arrow, reducing Chen Xingran’s HP to the brink of death.

At this moment, both sides were in an unhealthy state. It only took one more strike to defeat Yang Yunche, but Chen Xingran’s HP could only withstand one arrow.

Just when all the viewers thought that the two would soon engage in a final showdown, almost simultaneously, both of them assumed a posture of retreat. Chen Xingran swiftly disappeared behind the walls of the City Lord’s Mansion, while Yang Yunche used the recoil of the Hook Bind to leap onto the rooftop.

They simultaneously used armor kits to restore their health.

“They’re both so cautious.”

“It really feels like meeting a worthy opponent. God Yun seems completely serious now.”

“The serious God Yun is my husband!!”

“The opponent is really strong too. I’ve become a fan. I’ll immediately go to his livestream and follow him!”

“I heard he’s a master in training rooms?”

Just as Chen Xingran had just applied an armor kit, suddenly, there was another disturbance in the air!

He thought it was the archer launching another surprise attack, but when he looked up, he saw an Old Six approaching from elsewhere.

This Old Six had no idea what had just happened in the city. He was a jungle player near the city, and while rotating in the zone, he heard the sound of a fight, so he stealthily approached and happened to witness the scene of the two players in critical condition.

A bounty!

Old Six excitedly pulled out his bird Bird Musket, thinking of getting a kill for himself. It would be an effortless two kills for him, bringing him great satisfaction.

However, just as he fired a shot, Chen Xingran rushed towards him without any regard for reason. He had only taken two hits on his armor, and his health was in a perilous state, yet he exuded an imposing aura as if he were at full health.

“Clang, clang, clang—”

The Tang Sword continued its consecutive slashes, leaving no chance for the opponent. Chen Xingran was a bit annoyed by Yang Yunche’s pulling ability, so he didn’t hold back with his strikes. With just a few swift movements, he explosively finished off the enemy with his sword.

Old Six hastily tried to retaliate but heard the trembling sound of a bowstring coming from the rooftop of the city lord’s mansion. Soon after, two feathers flew towards him, precisely piercing his head!

Although the Shadow Dancer was the one low on health, these two arrows could have easily claimed his bounty. However, the hidden archer in the shadows showed no intention of attacking the Shadow Dancer and instead aimed every arrow at Old Six’s vital spots.

What’s going on? Weren’t you two just engaged in an intense battle a moment ago?

Why is it that as soon as I arrived, both of you turned to surround and attack me?

Are you playing the role of enforcers? Are you putting on a coordinated act? Are you two in cahoots?

Old Six, feeling deeply wronged, even felt like crying. He couldn’t help but suspect that these two individuals in front of him were intentionally teaming up. However, no matter how unjust he felt, he had no place to voice his grievances. Accompanying the arrival of the feathers was Chen Xingran’s fully charged Thunderclap—

-411. -387.

-1208!

At this moment, Chen Xingran and Yang Yunche achieved an astonishing harmony. The damage floated above Old Six’s head, swiftly taking down the player clad in purple armor.

There was no communication between them, yet it seemed as if they had already agreed upon their actions. Chen Xingran casually licked two armor kits from the nearby soul mound and went back to continue healing.

Yang Yunche didn’t pursue further. His health was at full capacity, but he remained still, waiting for the Shadow Dancer to replenish his status.

“Hahaha, this scene had me laughing.”

“Old Six, the chicken thief: Do you two have some business?”

“So this is what it feels like when skilled players appreciate each other, loving and fighting each other, rejecting the entry of third parties.”

“God Yun & Ye Shao: We fight at the head of the bed and make up at the foot. Old Six, what are you doing here? Just die!”

“Hahaha, the CP feeling is strong!”

“Sisters, it’s so visually appealing. I’m already hooked!”

After a moment, both sides prepared their statuses. Chen Xingran only used two armor kits, replenishing four slots of his five-gold armor. His armor bar was now on par with Yang Yunche, who wore purple armor.

Although he despised archers the most, Chen Xingran still acknowledged his opponent’s skill level. He didn’t want to take advantage of his opponent in terms of health.

The second round began.

This time, both sides were more cautious in their approach. Chen Xingran didn’t solely focus on attacking but allocated more mental energy to counter Yang Yunche’s elusive arrows.

In close combat, Yang Yunche had no counterattack ability. However, at a slightly longer range, his arrows found their way through, gradually lowering Chen Xingran’s health.

The viewers in the livestream rooms were captivated, and more and more viewers flocked to Chen Xingran’s stream from Yang Yunche’s stream. The barrage of comments on both sides was rolling incessantly. However, the two players at the center of the battlefield had no intention to pay attention to what the audience was saying.

Another Hook Bind was released, and Yang Yunche created distance, quickly turning around and shooting an arrow. Chen Xingran followed with a Blink Step, his blade dancing in an impenetrable net, sealing off all escape routes for Yang Yunche.

He fled, he pursued, he was trapped…

Finally, Yang Yunche seized an opportunity. Pretending to attack with his bow and arrow, he swiftly drew his longsword in the moment when Chen Xingran was on the defensive, dealing a sneak attack with a melee weapon.

This move completely went against his previous habits, catching Chen Xingran off guard. Although the damage was not high, the gap in their health had widened.

Yang Yunche took a step back, drawing his bowstring to its full extent, aiming at the Shadow Dancer from a distance.

Chen Xingran couldn’t guess whether he was bluffing or actually preparing to shoot an arrow. With his health already low, he didn’t dare to take that gamble and had to choose a safer approach.

Secret Technique: Shadow Attack!

The Shadow Dancer unleashed his secret technique, instantly becoming transparent, and refreshing the cooldown on his Blink Step.

“Swish—”

At this moment, they were standing in the plaza in front of the Lord’s Mansion, with no cover around. In such terrain, it was almost impossible to avoid Yang Yunche’s arrows. To find cover and evade the attack, Chen Xingran had only three routes relying on Blink Step.

Behind the surrounding wall, inside the Lord’s Mansion, or behind a massive ancient tree in the Huntian.

In the instant when Chen Xingran activated the Shadow Attack secret technique, his thoughts were racing at high speed, analyzing the pros and cons of each position. The next moment, he directly initiated Blink Step, and his transparent body vanished from the original spot.

“I’ve got you now.”

Finally, Yang Yunche smiled.

Releasing his fingers that held the arrowhead and bowstring, a crisp humming sound instantly echoed throughout the Huntian.

“Thud!!”

But there was no expected damage number.

Could it be that he missed his shot?

Just as this thought flashed through Chen Xingran’s mind, he suddenly heard a strange sound from above. He quickly looked up!

The feathered arrow had already penetrated in the direction above his head. The sharp arrowhead of the arrow severed the connection of the massive plaque hanging at the entrance of the Lord’s Mansion. The next moment, the plaque fell downward, smashing directly onto Chen Xingran!

He was instantly knocked into a rigid state.

Plaques, hanging lanterns, and other destructible objects were special terrain items. When they hit a person, they would cause a range of rigidity and dizziness effects and could interrupt ongoing skills.

Chen Xingran had never expected such a mechanism to exist. In the moment the plaque fell, he was prepared to unload the force, but he didn’t expect the in-game effect of the falling plaque to be completely different from reality.

Yang Yunche released his hand, and another arrow shot swiftly towards the rigid Chen Xingran, hitting him precisely between the eyebrows without any surprise.

Weak Point Attack!

The scene before Chen Xingran turned black, and his body shattered into fragmented white light, scattering like fluttering butterflies.

Truly shady ah…

That was Chen Xingran’s first thought.

Does the plaque actually have this kind of effect?

That was Chen Xingran’s second thought.

Yang Yunche lowered his longbow, a slight smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth.

From the Shadow Dancer’s position, there were only three paths to reach a safe cover. The area behind the ancient tree was not spacious enough, while the direction of the surrounding wall offered a fairly flat terrain, most suitable for an archer to excel. As long as Yang Yunche climbed to a higher position, the view behind the wall would be completely exposed.

Inside the Lord’s Mansion, the terrain was complex with two floors and numerous cover options. The walls surrounded the interior from all sides, so there was no need to worry about being attacked by arrows. More importantly, if Yang Yunche chose to pursue, the intricate terrain and narrow space within the mansion would allow the Shadow Dancer’s close-combat skills to be fully utilized, creating an excellent graveyard for the archer.

Considering all factors, the escape route for the Shadow Dancer became evident.

Blink Step allowed the user to freely choose the distance of the teleportation, but given the Shadow Dancer’s current low health, he certainly wouldn’t take the gamble nor dare to test Yang Yunche’s archery accuracy. He would undoubtedly choose the maximum distance for Blink Step and swiftly enter the mansion.

All he had to do then was wait for the opportunity to present itself.

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