Chapter 227
Before the Bone Extinction Team could even react to why there was a female member, Tu Ning saw the team members' information and character IDs appear on the main screen of the booth:
The assassins roamed the wilderness.
Zero the Demon Lance Sorcerer – Pei Ling.
The ritual shaman Hong Yueling – Tang Hong.
Pastor Qingtian – Yuan Qing.
When I saw the last team member...
A collective sigh rippled through the audience.
Swordsman Yu Yu – Yu Yingning.
The drone's camera stopped in front of Ying Ning. She was wearing a fitted black team uniform with the team's name tag pinned to her chest. Her eyebrows were slightly arched, and her long, dark hair was tied into a high ponytail, which added to her heroic air.
She smiled gently at the camera.
The drone transmitted her image to everyone at the convention center and uploaded it to gaming platforms across the internet. The following terms immediately appeared as trending topics on Weibo:
#MiLingTeamYuYou#
#Swordsman Player#
#Yu You You Ying Ning#
......
The audience then realized that Youyou, the 21st ranked player on Fairnd's top 100 online game list, second only to the number one swordsman in the Chinese server, was actually a female player!
The members of the Bone Destroyer Squad began to whisper among themselves.
The host of Fairyone had already received the information and witnessed the shocked expressions on everyone's faces. Seizing the opportunity, he raised the microphone and shouted:
"Fellow players, let's welcome the team that ranked second in the celebration—MiLing Team!!!"
The players in the audience were brought back to reality by this voice. Regardless of whether they were female or not, the MiLing team was, after all, the runner-up of the Magic Festival and a strong contender for the Fairnd King's Cup.
The cheers from the audience instantly reached their peak:
"Mi Ling!!"
"I've joined your fan club! Hurry up and get me an autographed photo!"
"Great God Migenye, you must help us win the King's Cup!"
"Damn, Mi Genye is good at games and he's so handsome too."
"So, this team is really good-looking," another audience member remarked.
Yuan Ye has a very masculine appearance with a strong sense of hormones, while Tang Hong and Yuan Qing are quite eye-catching in the crowd.
Although Pei Ling was thin and somewhat sickly, the Pei family genes allowed him to attract most people's attention even when he stood on the stage without saying a word.
The live stream chat was so large that it almost completely covered the screen.
"Aaaaaah, I've become a fan of the Mi Ling team because of their looks!!"
"Although I'm a fan of the Bone-Destroying series, I have to say, Captain Mi Ling is really handsome..."
"Great God of the Wilderness!!"
"Help! Pei Ling looks like a noble young master, so fair and delicate."
"I'm getting married today, and my wife is out enjoying herself."
...
One unusual comment floated by: "How ridiculous, when did Fairyone start prioritizing looks? I'd rather follow another team."
"Heh, they're ranked second. If you're so capable, go and be the top. If you're not, don't be so sour here."
The hashtag #GodlyBeautyTeam# quickly climbed to the top of the game forum rankings.
...
The host walked up to Yuan Ye, took the microphone, and asked him, "Yuan Ye, as the captain of the Mi Ling team, is there anything you would like to say to the team's fans and teammates during this league?"
Yuanye took the microphone and stood under the spotlight:
"As captain, my only obsession is to lead my team to victory."
A cheer erupted from the audience.
He stood on the bustling exhibition stage, surrounded by thousands of people, and heard voices calling his name from afar. Yuan Ye felt as if it were all a dream.
light...
League...
Teams...
And a future that seems as radiant as summer flowers...
Yuan Ye turned slightly to the side, his gaze meeting Ying Ning's. The noise around him blocked her voice, and he unconsciously took a step forward, wanting to know what she was lip-syncing to.
As he leaned closer, he caught her last few words:
"...My first time on stage."
The photographers in the audience immediately captured the two of them together.
This photo later became one of the classic photos on the Fairyone League's memory wall, so much so that many players can still recall the scene of the Assassin and Swordsman fighting each other in the League when they see this photo.
......
The host gestured for the audience to quiet down and began to speak again:
"So, as you may have noticed, there is a female member in the Mi Ling team."
"Currently, according to the list I have, there are indeed very few female players participating in this league."
Seeing that the atmosphere was quite good, the host suddenly had an idea:
"Contestant Yu, are you nervous standing on this stage?"
"It's alright," Yingning replied.
"It seems our swordsmen performed quite well."
"So, Ms. Yu, did you have any concerns about your abilities or mindset in this competition because of your gender?"
The host was still holding the microphone, which made the issue somewhat pointed in front of Fairyone's camera.
Captain Tu Ning, the Bone-Extinguishing Captain, snorted coldly after hearing the host's words:
"What kind of questions are these?"
There was no microphone in front of Tu Ning, so only a few people around him heard it. The deputy captain of the Bone Extermination team immediately blocked the camera.
Many audience members were unaware of the host's question; their eyes were fixed on Ying Ning's image on the main screen, awaiting her response.
Until Yingning picked up the microphone, looked at the crowded audience seats not far away, and her clear voice came out:
"I don't worry about gender issues."
"If I have the energy, I will only think about whether my knife is fast enough, whether my skills are accurate enough, and where to go next."
"I am not the only female player in this league, and in the future, more female professional players will appear on this stage."
"As for what we should be worried about?"
"Excuse me."
"The fact that we are able to stand on this stage today is a testament to our strength, as evidenced by the invitation."
"So the people who should be worried are not me, but those who carry stereotypes about women."
"They should be worried..."
"I will shine brighter than them."
*
This year's Fairyone competition is divided into five stages:
Elimination rounds, promotion rounds, round-robin matches, semi-finals, and the King's Cup final.
The rules for the knockout stage are as follows: 10 teams will be randomly selected to complete a challenge map, and they will be ranked according to their completion time. The teams that rank last or last will be eliminated.
The top eight teams advance.
Promotion Tournament Rules: Eight teams will engage in a "battle royale" on the same map, eliminating the bottom two teams.
The round-robin tournament will be played by drawing lots among the six qualifying teams. Each winning team will earn one point, and the top four teams in the final standings will advance to the semifinals.
*
The priest's white staff emitted a holy light, and Qing Tian, hidden beneath his hood, immediately cast a spell:
"Sacred rain, may it bestow upon you a bountiful blessing..."
The Holy Heal spell caused Yuanye and Hongyueling's health to surge by 20%, and they took the opportunity to slaughter another wave of Soul Sharks that were swinging in front of them, and immediately crossed the finish line.
"Congratulations to Team Miling! They finished in 18 minutes and 6 seconds and are currently ranked fourth."
The game ended, and the holographic game pod's door slowly opened.
When Pei Ling stood up, he looked at Qing Tian's position: "Yuan Qing."
"Your luck is really bad."
Before the competition started, Yuan Qing was eager to participate in the draw, while the others left it to him.
Unexpectedly, Yuan Qing drew an S-level difficulty map – “Below the Abyss”. Compared to the land and sky maps of other teams, the player’s vision was obstructed in the seabed, and the character he controlled always made mistakes.
"I had no idea I could get an S-rank," Yuan Qing said, feeling wronged.
“We’re currently ranked fourth, so advancing shouldn’t be a problem.” Yuan Ye walked over to Ying Ning’s side after leaving the competition room.
Tang Hong withdrew his gaze from Yuan Ye.
"The promotion tournament is on Thursday, so let's prepare well now," Yuanye said.
When the group returned to the club, it was getting late. They quickly ate dinner at the restaurant and then went to rest.
As soon as Yingning closed the door, 0067's voice came through:
"Master, Xia Yueyue's system has been upgraded again."
Lately, Xia Yueyue has been riding high, casting a wide net online to find high-quality men and gaining affection points with her "fake" face.
She also registered a Weibo account, which already has several thousand followers.
0067 secretly checked Xia Yueyue's fishpond by following her fans, and this search really cracked its system.
Xia Yueyue...
It really appeals to all ages...
The S-rank map beneath the abyss, the pitch-black deep sea, is hard not to make one dizzy.
Yingning was resting at this moment, her head still a little foggy.
“Little 7, I remember that in the storyline, Yuanye and Xia Yueyue were also connected at this time.” Yingning walked to the window, gently pushed it open, and the night slipped in, bringing in fresh air.
0067 immediately told its owner:
"Yes, Master."
"In the storyline, Xia Yueyue met Yuanye in an online game. Later, Yuanye, as one of the top quality men in Xia Yueyue's pool, provided her with a lot of love points."
"In the storyline, Yuanye sold his account to the Fallen God Guild, and was then recruited into their team by Fallen God."
In the storyline, You Yingning is falsely accused of being a playboy.
Once the post was published, many classmates spoke up for the original poster and helped clarify the situation with school leaders. Finally, after communicating with the school, they prepared to report the incident to the police.
However, the culprit, Xia Yueyue, out of fear, immediately sought help from Yuan Ye, who was somewhat well-known in the team at the time, asking him to publicly repost You Yingning's "dirt" on Weibo.
As a result, incriminating photos appeared on Pei Yuqing's desk.
Young Master Pei had someone disfigure that face.
...
"Master, it seems that Xia Yueyue is not involved with Yuanye this time." After quickly reviewing the plot, 0067 couldn't help but feel sorry for the original owner.
"The original owner clearly did nothing wrong..." 0067's soft and cute voice, coupled with his dejected mood, easily evokes the image of a little dumpling lying there crying.
"yes."
"She was just a passerby, but Xia Yueyue, who possessed the Love System, drained her of her life force and then forced her to be a scapegoat to solve all her problems."
Duan Shen completely ignored it.
"A fleeting liking, a fleeting end."
"Silent treatment is not a good way to resolve a relationship issue."
She smiled faintly:
"The wilderness is indistinguishable from the white."
"It's not wrong to like someone, but when was he given the right to harm innocent people?"
"The most ridiculous one is Pei Yuqing..."
"I'd rather destroy a toy I can't have."
"But it's impossible to tell which one is the toy."
"As for the culprit—Xia Yueyue."
"Doesn't she believe that love can change one's appearance, money, and everything else in life?"
"Then let Xia Yueyue take a look..."
Just how powerful must her 'love' be?
*
After the first round of elimination matches, fairy-one eliminated the last two teams, leaving eight teams.
Backstage waiting area.
The somewhat refined host clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention: "Captains and contestants, you should all have received the temporary notice sent out this morning, right?"
The host's surname is Liang, and he has a very pleasant voice. The previous host of the opening ceremony was said to have taken sick leave, so he was temporarily brought in to fill in.
The host, Liang, quickly became familiar with the captains of each team.
"Our performance in the last premiere was very good, so today we're going to film a little behind-the-scenes clip before the match."
"Everyone, please don't be shy or nervous."
"Our filming team will take turns going to each team's waiting room to film without interfering with everyone's pre-match warm-up."
All eight team leaders nodded, indicating that they understood.
The host, Liang, immediately straightened his clothes and, upon seeing the director's signal gesture, immediately addressed the camera, saying, "Hello, fellow players, this is the waiting area for Fairy-one."
"The league has now reached its second round..."
...
"All the teams are preparing for the match in their backstage preparation rooms. Let's go visit the Extinction Team's room first."
When Liang pushed open the door to the room with the sign for the Bone Extinction Team, he saw a man with a buzz cut holding a small dumbbell.
A bespectacled man was looking at data in the room, while the rest of the people were gathered around the computer, discussing something.
"Hello, Captain Tu Ning." Host Liang walked to the man with the buzz cut and then spoke into the microphone:
Are you warming up before the match?
"yes."
"Has the Bone Extinction Team already devised their tactics for the upcoming promotion matches?" Host Liang walked aside, not wanting to disturb Tu Ning's actions.
Tu Ning did another 20 reps before putting down the dumbbells and walking in front of the camera:
"We don't have any tactics at the moment. The promotion tournament is a free-for-all, and no amount of tactics can be as effective as kicking the opponent out of the game directly."
The abbot was amused by Tu Ning's words and knew that he was right.
The promotion tournament's free-for-all mode places the eight qualifying teams on the same map, where players either eliminate other teams' players or push them out of the map's boundaries to be eliminated.
The final ranking is based on the number of remaining players and their remaining health.
"That's not right either. In the chaotic battle mode, cooperating with another team to eliminate players from other teams is also a good approach."
Sui Xing put down the documents in her hand: "Master Liang, what you said is indeed very true."
"The best tactic in the Brawl mode is to form an alliance."
"Captain, I told you to form an alliance with another team in advance." Although Shattered Star looked helpless, he was confident in his abilities.
Upon hearing this, Tu Ning asked, "Then who will you ally with?"
Sui Xing picked up a pile of data from the table, and the camera was pointed directly at him. He smiled and covered it up, saying, "Confidential, confidential."
"If you take pictures, you'll have to pay compensation."
...
A dozen minutes later, the filming crew had noticeably grown by a few more people.
Host Pei was unaware that Sui Xing held analysis data on various teams, yet Sui Xing demanded compensation, which involved taking the Extinction Team to raid the rooms.
The second room belongs to the Fallen God Team.
As soon as Captain Wu Xin of the Fallen Gods opened the door, he came face to face with Tu Ning: "Tu Ning?"
What are you doing in our team?
"Sweep the room."
Shattered Star watched from the side: "Let's see if you Fallen Gods have secretly come up with any tactics."
Host Pei said apologetically, "Captain Wu Xin, I'm sorry, we were filming with the Bone Extinction Team..."
He turned to the photographer and said, "Now we've arrived at the Fallen God Team's waiting room with the Bone Destroyer Team. Let's see what everyone's doing."
The camera panned to show Knight Arao of the Bone Extinction Team shaking hands with each member of the Fallen God team:
"Hello, I am Arao."
"Hello, Arrao."
"Hello, I really like your playing style."
Finally, A-Rao walked up to Nicole: "Hello, I'm A-Rao from the Bone Extinction Team. My friend really likes you, so could I have your autograph...?"
This prompted Nicole to retort: "Captain Tu Ning, is your A Rao acting crazy again?"
Tu Ning pulled him back directly:
"You little rascal, trying to get on my good side again. If you want to go to the Fallen Gods, I won't stop you after the competition."
"Captain, I'm trying to infiltrate the enemy and create an opportunity for you to win."
Tu Ning's face darkened, but with the camera filming, he really didn't want to criticize him to his face.
Those who know him well know that he always tries to get close to people first, then resorts to dirty tricks to steal the boss...
The Fallen God and the Bone Destroyer are mortal enemies, so they naturally know Arao's habits.
Oh well, they're our own team members, we can only spoil them.
After touring the room, Shattered Star, having just finished her interviews with Captain Fallen God and Nicole, stretched her neck.
"There's no secret weapon."
The Fallen God Wu Xin said, "Even if there is a secret weapon, it shouldn't be kept in the room."
Sui Xing waved his hand helplessly; after all, he had left it in the room.
"Let's go, let's go, next one." Tu Ning waved and led his team away.
Zhui Shen Wu Xin sensed something was off about the Extinction Bone Team. Although he didn't think sweeping the rooms could uncover any other team's tactics, he still gave the team members a few instructions before taking Nicole and following them.
"Wu Xin, what are you doing following along?" Tu Ning asked.
"If you guys can all join in the fun, why shouldn't I?"
The photography team, now larger than before, continued on its way.
......
The group walked into the fourth room.
"This must be the room for the Mi Ling team."
Nicole, standing beside the captain, said:
"Their team members Yuuyu and Mikoto are quite strong."
"Someone of this skill level doesn't even have a guild."
When Yuan Ye opened the door, he saw a large group of people. The camera was pointed at him. He subconsciously glanced at the person behind the camera and thought it was Captain Extermination - Tu Ning.
And what about Wu Xin, the fallen god?
Host Pei, unsure how to explain the situation, could only force a smile and say, "This is the waiting room for the Mi Ling team. Let's see what the team members are doing before the match..."
"...What...preparations...are needed...?"
When the camera focused on the face next to the table, host Pei was clearly taken aback and momentarily speechless.
There were four people at the table, three of whom had their faces covered with funny paper strips.
"You... what is this...?" Host Pei asked in a low voice.
Everyone craned their necks to look into the room.
Then he noticed three "ghosts" and a person gathered around the table.
"Let's play Dou Dizhu (a card game)." Ying Ning, the only one whose face wasn't covered by the ghost face sticker, said from the table.
Everyone was speechless.
Whose preparations are needed before the match...?
Is it Dou Dizhu (a popular Chinese card game)?
Although Dou Dizhu is a kind of competition, but... what's going on on their faces?
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you would arrive so quickly," Yuan Ye explained, standing at the door.
"They're determined to finish this game."
As the team leader, he was also helpless.
When Yuan Qing saw the photographer's equipment, she immediately realized what was happening and frantically covered her face.
"Don't film! Don't film!"
"How did the photographers arrive so quickly?"
Pei Ling also looked astonished, and the ghost-faced paper note on his face had a somewhat childish look.
Tang Hong remained relatively calm, but his words stung Yuan Qing: "Stop covering it up, it's all been photographed already."
"My image..."
Yuan Qing was wailing when A Rao, for some unknown reason, walked around to the table, glanced at the mahjong game, and suddenly pointed at Ying Ning's cards:
"Play a pair of k".
Upon hearing this, Yuan Qing forgot all about filming and covered Ying Ning's sign:
"You can't give Youyou random instructions."
“I didn’t give any wrong orders.” Arao raised an eyebrow.
“Correct command is even worse! Look at my face, it’s covered in her stickers!” Yuan Qing said, looking aggrieved.
There were four people at the table, but only Youyou didn't have any on her face.
Why is he the one who posted the most?
Another person walked up behind Yuan Qing and studied his cards.
“If she plays a pair of Kings, you play a pair of Twos.” Nicole’s voice reached Yuan Qing’s ears.
"Deploy bomb 4." Tu Ning stood behind Pei Ling.
"Let me see your cards..." Wu Xin wouldn't miss the chance to be Tu Ning's opponent, so he bent down to look at Tang Hong's cards.
......
A card game involving three teams.
The photographer adjusted the angle and captured the entire scene of the three teams battling it out in the card game, while the host, Liang, smiled silently on the side.
The host, Liang, stood quietly at the door and took advantage of the brief moment to ask Yuan Ye:
"Captain Yuanye seems to be quite lenient with his team members."
Is this how the team gets along?
"Compared to them, our team can be considered to have come from a humble background." Yuan Ye was referring to the Extinction Bone Team and the Fallen God Team.
"So let them do whatever they like."
*
The pre-match highlights of the promotion competition will be edited and broadcast on time after the competition ends.
The photography team collected enough material and then stopped disturbing the teams' pre-match rest time. Fallen God and Extinction Bone also returned to their rooms.
On the way back, Tu Ning was walking ahead when he heard A Rao's voice from his left rear:
"Captain, what do you think of the Mi Ling team?"
Tu Ning replied without hesitation, "That's a good team."
Arao then asked, "Captain, have you decided which team you'd like to team up with for the promotion tournament?"
They had already discussed it in their team meeting. Their strategy for the promotion tournament was to find allied teams. It's likely that not only they, but most teams would choose this approach.
After all, eliminating the minority by the majority is much more likely to succeed than going it alone.
Tu Ning didn't answer his question, and Sui Xing, who was standing to the side, just smiled and didn't say anything.
A moment later, Arao smiled:
"I think Mi Ling is good."
*
*
Suzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center.
The shouts from the audience broke through the light barrier formed by fireworks and lights, and the holographic image of the entire map reappeared in the air above the convention center.
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