In the group stage, Long Sky's fierce momentum was repeatedly curbed by the Dynasty and Fish-Fragrant Eggplant. High expectations are a double-edged sword. When Long Sky's performance was unsatisfactory, the media's opinion was one-sided, unanimously pessimistic, and they were not optimistic about Long Sky's ability to advance.
As a veteran team, Long Sky has shown great resilience under pressure. The number of viewers for the last few matches in Group A reached a new high. However, in the match against the Dynasty, they were defeated by Kings and Generals Arena, who swept four opponents. Dynasty climbed to the top of the group with a steady momentum, basically securing their qualification. This left only one qualifying spot, while Long Sky's points dropped to fourth place.
Amidst widespread pessimism, the final round of the competition began. Long Sky's opponent was Fish-Fragrant Eggplant, ranked second, with a significant point difference between the two teams. To overtake Changkong, he would have to decisively defeat Fish-Fragrant Eggplant, with the maximum number of players required to win the match. However, Fish-Fragrant Eggplant was also a powerhouse team, and Long Sky clearly had little chance.
However, Long Sky, whom the audience generally thought was finished, staged a comeback. Hao Tian and his teammates were like they were on steroids, and they fought a perfect team fight in the team battle, wiping out Fish-Fragrant Eggplant. In the arena battle, Long Sky made zero mistakes and completely dominated Fish-Fragrant Eggplant. The "Three Horse Carts" [Fish and Dragon Dance in Beijing], [Fragrant Bear], and [Sun Eggplant] were stunned by Long Sky's explosive combo.
On the broadcast screen, the live chat was in a frenzy every second, a dense and surging sea of comments. Fans of both sides were on tenterhooks, and every crucial turning point elicited gasps from the audience.
Long Sky's points surged, tying with Fish-Fragrant Eggplant. In the end, based on head-to-head results, Long Sky surpassed Fish-Fragrant Eggplant and qualified for the next round as the second-place team in the group.
"A stunning comeback unfolds in Long Sky!"
"A clash of titans: Fish-Fragrant Eggplant suffers a crushing defeat!"
"Long Sky's momentum is unstoppable, aiming for the championship!"
"Fish-Fragrant Eggplant has been eliminated; its former Glory is over!"
"The qualifying teams from Group A have been decided: Dynasty and Long Sky have advanced to the regional finals!"
Long Sky's comeback victory caused an uproar on the forums. Long Sky's fans were as excited as if it were New Year's Day. The media, which had previously been pessimistic, changed their tune again and unanimously praised the team. No matter how pessimistic they were before the match, they would support whoever won.
Dynasty, Long Sky, and Fish-Fragrant Eggplant held a joint post-match press conference. Reporters first congratulated Dynasty Long Sky round. Spokespersons for these two powerhouse teams spoke eloquently and made a series of polite remarks, mainly about their stable performance and thanking the audience for their support.
Finally, the reporter turned to Fish-Fragrant Eggplant), asking, "You were unfortunately eliminated and didn't make it to the final round. What are your thoughts on that?"
The spokesperson for Fish-Fragrant Eggplant a popular online gaming platform) said with a somber expression, "This is not a good result, nor does it meet our expectations. We made many mistakes during the competition and should have done better. Long Sky is a very strong team; their strength is undeniable..."
This was a prepared speech, full of platitudes. First, he admitted his poor performance, made a self-criticism, and apologized to his fans. This was already the standard procedure, and the reporter was patient, not even bothering to take notes.
Suddenly, the team leader, [Sun Eggplant], stood up. Although he was ranked last in the nickname "Fish-Fragrant Eggplant," he was the leader of the trio.
Sun Eggplant snatched the microphone from the spokesperson, interrupting the speech. Facing the confused gazes of the crowd, he stared at Long Sky beside him and said in a deep voice, "I don't want to spout nonsense like 'I've done my best.' The fact is, I lost. I'm not reconciled. I'll win next time. Hao Tian, we've both made it into the top 16 of the individual competition. If you meet me, you can expect to be shut out."
Hao Tian was very assertive. "You can't beat me this time, and you won't next time either."
The two stared at each other, neither giving an inch.
This kind of heated exchange is what makes a conversation interesting, and the reporter got excited and quickly took notes.
The people from the nearby Dynasty glanced sideways; their group's first place finisher had become a mere foil.
Tai Erzi clenched his fists tightly, protesting, "If the reporters won't interview us anymore, I might as well go and challenge them myself..."
The Kings and Generals, their eyelids drooping as if they were dozing off, heard this and casually slapped Tai Erzi on the back of the Tai Erzi, saying, "Don't get involved."
Tai Erzi slapped away the hands of the Kings and Generals, his face full of displeasure, "You fucking hit me again, what business is it of yours if I go to challenge them?"
"You idiot, you didn't even make it to the top 16 in the individual competition, what are you doing here?" The words of the Kings and Generals were casual, but they pierced Tai Erzi's heart.
An angry blush spread across his cheeks. Tai Erzi glared angrily at the Kings and Generals, wishing he could first give them a set of "Friendship-Breaking Face Kicks" and then a set of "Restore My Beauty Punches."
He felt this was a blatant mockery. Kings and Generals to the individual finals, and were even the individual points champions, and were invited to participate in the international all-star exhibition game, while he himself had been eliminated. Tai Erzi was very upset.
Meanwhile, the Temple was also holding a press conference. The Temple was very lucky, as they were assigned to a relatively weak group, but their team points ranked first, and they were also invited to participate in the All-Star game.
At the press conference, Li Ge spoke eloquently, expressing their determination to win glory for the country in international competitions, represent Huaxia in battles outside the country, and bring back trophies.
The Temple considers itself the top leader among the elite families, and Li Ge has always followed this "representative team of Huaxia" route. Although he is ranked second among the Huaxia players in the International Federation, the first-ranked Kings and Generals very low-key and has a sloppy and casual image, while Li Ge is handsome and strong, with high popularity and a large number of fans.
His fans are predominantly female, while Kings and Generals's fans are almost entirely male. The two fan groups engage in a series of dramatic feuds, making it a major annual spectacle. This recurring show will only begin when Kings and Generals and Li Ge finally face off.
The teams and players who qualified from the regular season all held press conferences, displaying a variety of attitudes. Some boasted about winning the championship, while others remained low-key and conservative, showcasing the diverse and often chaotic nature of the professional gaming world.
The list of finalists for the regional finals is now complete.
The top eight teams are: five teams from Huaxia – Dynasty, Long Sky, Temple, Rainstorm, and Nine Gates; and three teams from abroad – Son of Wind, Raging Beast, and Orange Gold.
The top 16 in the individual competition: Kings and Generals, Sun Eggplant, Hao Tian, Li Ge Frenzied Saber, Jiang Yuluo...
Looking at the list, Han Xiao smiled, a smile reminiscent of a farmer celebrating a bountiful harvest.
"Hehe, quite a few of them are renowned top players from my previous life." Han Xiao smiled. He had another reason for paying attention to the competition: the professional league was an opportunity for him to select top players.
Those who can reach the finals of the Planet Aquamarine region are all talented, and they speak very well. Master Han is planning to take a group of skilled players to StarCraft. This time, he's not just taking a few people, but a large group of players to act as his henchmen and assistants!
They won't die and can be resurrected, making them a very useful helper to players. Although they are a bit weak at first, they have room for improvement in future versions. While robots can also be used as cannon fodder, they cost money!
It's free for players!
Han Xiao plans to cultivate a group of family heirs, starting with children; he already has a rough idea in mind.
Establish your own faction!
In version 1.0, players had no way to travel to interstellar space. If he provided this channel, even professional players would flock to it. Although Han Xiao had a considerable amount of mission credits, they were not much when spread out, which limited the number of players he could train. However, traveling to interstellar space would give players the opportunity to experience a wider world and have endless missions. This was very attractive to players, even more so than his own appeal, thus freeing him from the limitations of mission credits.
Players who travel to interstellar space first gain a significant advantage, an opportunity that everyone envies. They also get to make a splash and generate headlines.
The selected players will spontaneously gather around him and develop a sense of belonging. Han Xiao already has a blueprint for the specific operation.
However, the number of players that can be brought along depends on the actual situation.
In the secret base, Han Xiao got up from the sofa, went to the equipment warehouse, and entered the password.
A metal wall folded open, revealing a transparent glass column filled with a gel solution, inside which was the Flying Serpent Mecha that had never been used.
"It's almost time, we should go."
Pressing the button releases the colloid, Flying Serpent Mecha.