Sharpening The Knife Doesn’t Delay The Cutting of Vegetables With The Bow[eSports]: Chapter 68

68. In warfare, deceit is essential.

Snake King Quiller’s livestream on the domestic server has been running for three days. During these three days, his Martial Arts Challenge Room has defeated numerous well-known domestic streamers, ordinary players, and professional esports players. So far, he remains undefeated, allowing domestic players to intuitively feel the strength of foreign experts for the first time.

At the same time, the contempt Quiller subtly displayed towards the skill level on the domestic server ignited the anger of countless domestic players. As the news reached the European server, it gradually evolved into European players mocking their counterparts on the domestic server, sparking a heated exchange of insults between the two sides. However, Snake King’s livestream continued to hang there, with numerous challengers going up against him and returning empty-handed. These were genuine achievements, leaving them somewhat helpless against Quiller for a while.

Both Chen Xingran and Quiller are newcomers from prestigious esports teams, and they are also the recently popular figures in the discussion about the top three Dueling King players in the domestic server. Whether in terms of qualifications or strength, he is the most suitable candidate to challenge Snake King. This has led many domestic players to hope that he can take the stage and restore the honor of domestic players.

However, over the past three days, Chen Xingran has remained hidden. Although there were rumors that he went abroad for medical treatment, many people still doubted this information. Conspiracy theorists suspected that he was using his illness as an excuse to avoid the battle when faced with challengers from the foreign server. After all, how could it be a mere coincidence that he happened to fall ill just when he needed to test his skills in a real situation, especially when he was known for chaotic killings in ranked matches?

This situation led many infuriated domestic players to collectively criticize and blacken Chen Xingran.

But at this moment, just as Snake King was about to end his livestream on the third day, Chen Xingran finally appeared. He logged into the account named “Ye Shao” and entered Quiller’s Martial Arts Challenge Room, issuing a simple “come,” instantly igniting the enthusiasm of countless players.

He’s here!

Later on the forum, some players captured the scene of Fu Zhou and Chen Xingran getting off the plane at the airport, confirming the news that the ZMD new member had been out for medical treatment these past few days. The rumors of avoiding battles were naturally dispelled. However, all of this became unimportant because countless viewers had already flooded into the livestream, eagerly awaiting their showdown.

Who will win?

If Chen Xingran loses, then the next to appear will likely be veteran players like Fei Wei, Lu Mingyu, Yang Yunche, and others. But by that time, for domestic players, this battle would have lost some of its significance. They could only endure the mockery, and people’s expectations for the skill level of the new generation of players in domestic teams would be disappointed.

In the livestream room, Quiller smiled, choosing not to speak and directly initiating the match.

“Come? Quite arrogant. Let’s see how capable you are.”

The countdown quickly reached its end, and the two were then transported into the map.

The randomly selected map for this match was the Worry Free Forest. Looking around, lush and vigorous bamboo forests stood tall, swaying in the wind. The bamboo rustled as it bent with the direction of the wind.

The map was spacious, with almost no cover except for a temple in the upper right corner.

“Very well.”

Quiller licked his lips, excitement flashing in his eyes.

After all, Chen Xingran was the one who had defeated Lu Mingyu head-on. Winning against Chen Xingran in this livestream would be a significant achievement for him. It would enhance his influence in the boardroom of All Stars, and the various business resources of Lu Mingyu might become his. Thinking like this, Quiller tightened his grip on the dagger and looked across.

Chen Xingran used the same character as him, a Shadow Dancer, and held a simple long spear diagonally towards the ground. His gaze was calm and composed, showing no signs of nervousness or discomfort when facing Quiller.

This guy had used a Tang Sword when fighting against Lu Mingyu, and now he’s using a spear. Is he looking down on me?

Quiller sneered inwardly, feeling that this newcomer in front of him was overly confident. No matter, after this match, he would make this newcomer pay the price for his current disdain.

As the countdown above their heads gradually reached zero, the two opponents stared at each other from a distance, neither making a move.

Is he waiting for me to make a move?

Quiller speculated in his mind. The attack range of a dagger was much shorter than that of a spear. To gain an advantage, engaging in close-quarters combat would undoubtedly be the best choice.

Another gust of clear wind blew through, and the sound of bamboo leaves rustling arose. In the next moment, Quiller’s figure became elusive, as if even his breath and sound had converged. Without using the Blink skill to close the distance, he reversed the grip on his dagger and charged directly at Chen Xingran.

Quiller swiftly approached, reaching Chen Xingran in no time. He leaped into the air, his entire body soaring high, dagger held forward, stabbing downward!

Chen Xingran’s eyes narrowed slightly, instantly tightening his grip on the spear’s shaft.

Blink!

Just when everyone thought Quiller was going to break through frontally with a leap, in the next moment, Quiller’s figure was still in the air, already utilizing Blink. He transformed into a whirlwind-like afterimage and instantly appeared behind Chen Xingran. A cold light flickered in the air as he turned around to stab!

“Sneaky!”

Seeing this scene, Luo Baibai raised his pitch, and this seemingly frontal breakthrough turned out to be a feint. If it were the first encounter, it would be easy to fall for. At least from Luo Baibai’s perspective, he really thought that Quiller had leaped upward to prepare for a direct confrontation. The deceptive move was challenging to anticipate. Once the Snake King gained the initiative, dragged into an offensive rhythm, it would be much harder for Chen Xingran to find an opportunity to counterattack later.

A hint of surprise flashed in Chen Xingran’s expression. Quiller’s opening move was indeed quite cunning, using Blink to change his position, then turning around for a deep stab, which was difficult to defend against.

In the past, Chen Xingran might instinctively dodge vital points and then counter accordingly.

However, the present him no longer approached the game of Destiny with the mindset of real-life combat.

Swoosh!

Just as Quiller’s figure disappeared and reappeared, Chen Xingran moved.

The spear’s tip touched the ground, and the metal pole abruptly bent at an angle upon hitting the ground. Chen Xingran withdrew his left foot slightly, took a light step, and his entire body suspended itself on the spear’s shaft!

With a motion resembling a monkey leaping onto a tree, completely overturning the template of system actions, even Quiller did not expect such a move. His blade grazed Chen Xingran’s clothes corner, making this highly confident assault end in failure.

“How is this possible?”

Quiller’s eyes were filled with shock, as if he had seen a ghost.

However, Chen Xingran didn’t give him time to react. His spear skills had already reached the pinnacle, and the long spear, as tall as a person, seemed to have integrated into his very bones, moving with his will. In the next moment, he used the spear shaft as a fulcrum, kicked out decisively, landing a forceful kick on Quiller’s shoulder!

Quiller stepped back two paces. He knew it was not the time to hesitate. Although this kick didn’t cause much damage, it disrupted his attacking rhythm. The Snake King tightened his grip on the dagger again, taking advantage of Chen Xingran’s mid-air state, and attacked once more.

“Swoosh!”

Chen Xingran moved again. Leveraging the elasticity of the spear shaft, he swung the long spear in a large circle in the air. A downward swing, like a heavy hammer descending from top to bottom, resounded!

The spear shaft stirred the air with a mournful whistling sound, resembling the cries of ghosts and howls of wolves. This full-force spear strike, infused with Chen Xingran’s strength, felt like a swinging sledgehammer. Before it landed in front of Quiller, he felt a strong warning that danger was imminent.

The forceful momentum of this spear strike made people have no doubt that it was directed at Quiller’s life.

Unable to withstand it head-on!

Quiller decisively gave up the attack, swiftly retreating backward, attempting to evade the range of the downward swing of the spear.

In the next moment—

As if anticipating it in advance, Chen Xingran’s wrist shook. With a momentum that could destroy the heavens and earth, the large spear abruptly halted. The front hand stopped the spear’s momentum, and the back hand pressed down on the spear handle, transforming it into a thrusting motion, like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, the spearhead darted out with lightning speed!

“Splut—”

Quiller, with no remaining strength, could no longer change direction. He could only watch as the spear tip pierced through his chest, and the armor on his head dropped by two points.

“Brilliant!”

Luo Baibai stood up directly, applauding!

Chen Xingran’s spear seemed to have integrated into his body. Although the spear’s shaft was longer than his height, and less flexible compared to a dagger, in Chen Xingran’s hands, his spear seemed to come alive. Luo Baibai, in a daze, even felt like he saw a roaming dragon in the air. Switching from a smashing move to a thrusting one, it was a completely different technique, but Chen Xingran executed it with extreme fluency, as if he had rehearsed it countless times in advance.

What is acting? This is acting!

Compared to Chen Xingran, Quiller’s feigned attack just now was like a child’s trick.

Quiller’s armor dropped by two points, and he stepped back two paces, looking at Chen Xingran with a puzzled and suspicious gaze.

“What move is this?”

Quiller frowned tightly, not because of the disadvantage in health, but because… he actually couldn’t comprehend Chen Xingran’s previous attack!

There were also players in the European server who used spears, but their styles were vastly different from Chen Xingran’s. That spear strike just now, in his eyes, carried a terrifying force and pressure, as if it was aimed directly at his head. Why, in the next moment, could it seamlessly transform into a thrust? Quiller even had no idea how Chen Xingran accomplished it. That was the most surprising part.

Facing an opponent he couldn’t understand, he naturally didn’t know how to proceed!

Chen Xingran’s lips curled with a hint of disdainful smile.

Feigned attack?

In his past life, having been through numerous battles, real-world spear duels were far more dangerous than in this game, where victory or defeat lay in the balance of a single thought, with details being everything. Revealing an opening, selling vulnerabilities, feigning defense while launching a real attack—using all means to deceive the opponent, hiding the lethal move in layers of mist…

Just basic maneuvers.

The art of war is vast and profound. Since the place considered the birthplace of cold weapons is so unbearable in your opinion, why not test its depth and shallowness?

Chen Xingran’s gaze slightly darkened. With a sweep of his spear, he attacked again, as if writing, the pen moving like a dragon, force penetrating the paper and penetrating into the wood!

The stance of the Green Dragon Offering Its Claw!

Quiller, busy suppressing his surprise, swiftly met it with his dagger. At the same time, he stepped forward, trying to encroach on Chen Xingran’s front. However, the long spear was faster than him. Even in mid-air, the weapon changed its shadow again, the spear shaft swayed, exploding into a burst of spear blossoms. The highly elastic spear shaft swept sideways, directly smashing into his neck!

If this were the real world, this sweeping spear would be enough to break his neck, separating his head from his body.

-98!

The damage was not very high. This technique’s changes completely contradicted the motion correction system, so it only dealt the basic damage of the long spear.

Are you deceiving me again?

In an instant, Quiller’s anger surged, feeling as if he had been toyed with, spinning around like a top. This sense of humiliation turned into flames, almost burning his sanity to ashes.

He once again wielded his dagger to meet Chen Xingran head-on, like a cheetah pouncing on a sheep, attempting to dive into the space in front of Chen Xingran, not giving him the opportunity to unleash the full potential of his spear.

The dagger was an assassin’s weapon, not advantageous in a direct confrontation, but highly flexible. As long as the distance was closed, the exquisite spear technique wouldn’t be of much use. In close quarters, the enemy was as good as surrounded!

Facing Quiller’s swift charge, Chen Xingran took a step back as if trying to create distance. However, Quiller didn’t give him the chance; he rushed forward, closing the gap.

“Hum—”

Like the roar of a tiger, the spear tip hidden behind Chen Xingran took a strange angle, followed by a sudden turn as Chen Xingran swiftly rotated, and the spear shadow burst open like a flash of lightning in the air, thrusting forward!

There was no flashy move, just a straightforward thrust!

If one only looked at the charge of the “Reverse Lance” that Yun Yin had used earlier, they might feel that this move was full of danger and crisis, as if it was an all-out, unstoppable killing move—either you die, or I die.

However, when Chen Xingran used the Reverse Lance at this moment, it gave a completely different feeling. If you had eyes, you could easily see the difference between the two.

Chen Xingran’s Reverse Lance was free and unrestrained, like an old and experienced painter casually wielding a brush. All the killing intent was hidden, making it impossible for anyone to perceive it. By the time one reacted, their body had already been pierced through!

So effortless, so sharp.

The essence of the Reverse Lance lies in deception. It does not necessarily have to behead the opponent every time it’s used, nor does it aim for maximizing the damage. In the vast sea of myriad spear techniques, impossible to master in a lifetime, whether it’s a killing move or a feint, as long as it can deceive, it’s a good move—

“FXXk!”

Quiller forcefully endured a blow from the Reverse Lance. At this point, his armor was already broken, and his health was only at half. His eyes were filled with anger, as if he wanted to rush up and tear Chen Xingran to shreds.

Deceive, deceive, deceive—once again, it’s deception!

He thought Chen Xingran was going to use a smashing spear technique, but what he encountered was a stabbing spear. He thought he was facing a straightforward stab, but Chen Xingran’s spear shadow swayed, changing the stab into a sweep. It seemed like a retreat, but in reality, hidden killing intent was present. Once again, the Reverse Lance deceived his brain.

The reason why Quiller is called the Snake King is because his dagger is sharp and cunning, like a venomous snake roaming around unpredictably. Quiller’s dagger style has deceived countless experts. Every time he sees the horror on his opponent’s face after being deceived, he feels extremely pleased.

However, now, it’s as if a small swindler on the street has encountered a master of deception. Chen Xingran’s deceitful techniques are more profound, more unpredictable, and more… diverse!

He finally understands the feeling when his previous opponents were deceived.

Helpless, fearful, not knowing what is real and what is fake.

“This… Why does it feel like the Snake King is being pressured?”

“Fight fire with fire, huh?”

“Hahaha, it’s so satisfying to see him raging helplessly after being deceived three times in a row!”

“The Snake King’s bewildered expression must be recorded and watched repeatedly! It’s really refreshing!”

“Xingran is awesome! Ye Shao is awesome!!!”

Quiller has completely fallen into Chen Xingran’s rhythm. A hint of amusement flashed in Chen Xingran’s eyes. He knew that the Snake King’s mindset was now completely different from the beginning. Being deceived three times in a row, his judgment had already started to falter.

Chen Xingran decisively wouldn’t let go of this opportunity. The spear shadow emerged once again—

This time, it was a plain and unadorned jab with the spear!

Quiller held his breath and focused his attention on the tip of the spear!

Calm… Stay calm…

As a top-notch expert, he knew that in such situations, impatience and hot-headedness would be the deciding factors for failure. He adjusted his breathing, and between each inhale and exhale, his mind calmed down, dispelling distractions and assessing Chen Xingran’s next move.

His eyes focused on the spear, while his peripheral vision carefully observed Chen Xingran’s waist. — The spear could deceive, but the body couldn’t. At this moment, Chen Xingran’s waist was tilted, arm supporting the wrist, the spear tip radiating a cold light that seemed ethereal yet tangible. This move was undoubtedly not a jab but a double-sweep spear technique!

He saw through it!

Confident, Quiller felt he had deciphered Chen Xingran’s strategy. He slightly bent his body, holding the blade in a standard grip, left foot slightly forward. With a bow of his head, he moved like a winding snake, boldly meeting the attack with a sense of life and death!

“Pluff!”

The next moment, his throat was pierced by the long spear again!

This jabbing spear was straightforward, without any changes. Even the newest of players could execute it, and in professional matches or higher-ranked games, this type of straightforward spear technique was rarely seen. However, it happened just like that. The ordinary jabbing spear unpretentiously hit Quiller’s throat, and from the audience’s perspective, it looked as if Quiller himself had presented his head to the spear. It was like a child constantly jumping around in front of an adult, showing off in a gorgeous manner, only to be slapped down directly in the end. Besides disbelief, there was a sense of inexplicable humor.

-711!

Although the spear technique was plain, the damage was substantial. The spear, infused with a significant amount of force, pinned Quiller’s throat, dealing a high amount of damage and directly emptying Quiller’s remaining health. Chen Xingran didn’t even use any skills; the battle was already over!

“Thud—”

The Snake King’s body stiffened and fell backward. The moment it touched the ground, it turned into a soul mound and dissipated.

Chen Xingran calmly approached, pulled out the spear, and lightly shook it, leaving several ink-like bloodstains on the ground.

Each move was a feint, not deception.

False and true, changes in reality — even the points of force in the body could lie when necessary. When you think what’s in front of you is an illusion, that’s when reality becomes the most effective deception.

In warfare, deceit is essential.

TN:

I agree with one comment I read on NU. Chen Xingran would have been better off in solo competitions. It’s these one-on-one duels that get my blood boiling and allow him to fully spread his wings and dominate.

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