Fifteen minutes before the third game's time ran out, FFS really did forfeit just two minutes after Xiao Qiu's advice.
Xiao Qiu paused the stream and looked at his audience with a serious demeanor. "No, I'm not a fortune teller or a prophet. No, I didn't rub my brother's head to see the future… I didn't send a telepathic message to Xue! You need to understand FFS - they laid the foundation for the esports space and paved the way for us, no matter how they did in this game… Forfeiting is their pride."
Xiao Yi couldn't help but nod along mentally.
FFS members were at the age to retire from the e-sports world and may not enter the next worlds. To forfeit and take second place is better than losing by a massive landslide. They were going to lose either way, they just decided how to lose.
It's a graceful way to leave the e-sports world after so many years of shining on the stage.
If Xiao Yi were in the same position he would have done the same. Xue was a good captain who signed a long contract and could only carry his team on his back so far. It could be said that if FFS didn't have Xue then they couldn't have stepped into the first bracket of the worlds, let alone make it to the finals.
Xiao Yi, who knew the situation, couldn't help but think. 'It probably wasn't the company's idea to forfeit - but Xue's.'
'Interesting.'
The counter until the end of the game had been changed to three minutes but the winner had already been decided. The kills generated after the forfeit wouldn't count, affect ranks, or make a difference - it was only a cooldown period added for people to give advice after the game.
In most matches, the players of both teams would just respawn to their safe zone and shit talk in the main chat while waiting for the window to switch over.
Xiao Qiu pressed play on the stream and leaned forward with a low hum. "Hei Lu won't come out to comment anymore until he brings the teams forward to accept their trophies and give interviews. Do I even need to stream anymore, ah?"
[Continue!]
"Well, what should I do?"
[Practice matches?]
[Aren't you going to commentate on the replay?]
[Q Shen's just trying to send us off so he can monopolize Sleeping God!]
Xiao Qiu's lip twitched at the comments and he swatted his free arm as he bickered. "Practice matches can't be streamed, Lee might end up killing me one day if I do - do you want me to die? I'm too young and handsome to die! Commentate? There's not much I can say that I haven't already said, but you're welcome to look for another streamer."
[Where's Xue going?]
The mouse that had moved to the close button on the window paused and Xiao Qiu leaned forward. Xue's character had turned invisible and he was stalking through the forest, looking for the members of Solar who decided not to respawn.
"Is he… Going for revenge?" Xiao Qiu contemplated.
Xue's live cam popped up on the bottom of the stream, showcasing the insane situation backstage.
The four players of FFS were in various stages of emotions.
Their healer sat lifelessly, staring down at the headphones in his hands as he thought about the second defeat on the world stage.
Their tank was screaming, but the audio was turned off already so no one knew what he was saying - only that he was looking viciously at Xue who sat patiently next to him, guiding his character in the forest.
Their mage was fighting with their manager, but they couldn't see anything but the manager's back.
Their lance had also removed his headphones, but instead of putting them back in his bag, he sat with his arms crossed as if he were a child as he glared at the computer screen.
Really… Was this an esports team?
Were these middle-aged men?
Yet, the captain of the team sat in the middle of his teammates with his headphones still on, calmly guiding his character. He had no emotional reflections on his face and completely ignored the situation around him.
Xiao Qiu looked at him in a whole new light, his fans could swear that they saw stars in his eyes. A god! A true god!
Just as he opened his mouth to comment, Xue began to power up an attack. Xiao Qiu's finger twitched. "He found someone. Let's call this… Hunting time."
Xue didn't find one person.
He found the entirety of Team Solar in the middle of the arena.
Still invisible, his slender fingers quickly moved across the keyboard, and the tank who was screaming widened his eyes.
"No way…"
The invisible Xue cheekily stood in the middle of the five Solar members and tilted his head with a smirk as he hit the last key. His character became visible and hundreds of swords made of ice spawned into the frame circling the group.
Moon was the first to react. He raised his sword while the other members instinctively attempted to flee from the radius.
Xiao Qiu glanced at his barrage and chuckled. "Why isn't Moon fleeing? Frost was the first person to perfect the mechanics for form seven of the ice blades - he knows very well what the radius is. Hence, he's opted to 1v1 Xue to cancel the attack."
Xue met Moon's great sword with two twin daggers and the two danced around the arena, neither taking damage nor damaging the other player.
Ten seconds later, the swords rained down on the arena.
[Xue has defeated Solar-Flen]
[Xue has defeated Solar-RRun]
[Xue has defeated Solar-Ash]
[Xue has defeated Solar-Laaazy]
[Xue has defeated Solar-Moon]
Xiao Yi opened his eyes at that moment. "Fuck, that's so sexy."
The barrage. "!!!"
Xiao Qiu. "… Close your eyes!"