Late at night, Excellent Era's practice room was filled with a heavy, tense atmosphere. The glow from the computer screens reflected on the worried faces of the team, their eyes glued to their characters on the monitors, but their minds were elsewhere.
Ye Xiu, Liu Hao, He Ming and Su Mucheng were all gathered around the main console, having watched Tiny Herb's flawless victory earlier that day. It had shaken them. The unpredictability of the event, the forced character switch, and Tiny Herb's unsettling ease with the changes had raised too many questions. Now, with just one night left before their match, the pressure was mounting.
Liu Hao broke the silence. "What if we have to switch characters like them?" His voice was sharp with frustration. "We've only got one night. How can we possibly prepare for something like that?"
Su Mucheng, leaning against her chair, sighed. "It's not like we have a choice. Tiny Herb wasn't just prepared, they were perfect. It's almost like they knew the rule was coming. How do we compete against that?"
He Ming, who was still new to such matches or competitions shared his thoughts, "I think we can master each other's characters, I mean we can teach each other how to play with our characters, it would be easier than using something we are not sure about"
Ye Xiu, seated at the centre, was quiet for a long moment, his fingers drumming on the desk. His mind was working, but the feeling of unease from earlier lingered, especially after seeing the way Tiny Herb's coach had reacted. That smirk—it was still haunting him.
"We don't know if the same rule will apply in our match," Ye Xiu said calmly, his voice cutting through the tension. "But we have to be ready for anything. I think He Ming has a point."
Liu Hao grunted. "That's easier said than done. It took us years to master our characters, and now we might have to abandon them in a single night and learn something we aren't completely aware of"
Ye Xiu turned to look at him, his expression unreadable. "We've always faced the unexpected. This isn't any different."
"But it is," Liu Hao retorted. "If we go into the match without being fully prepared, we're walking straight into a trap. We could be humiliated, just like Blue Rain was."
Su Mucheng, usually the calm voice of reason, chimed in, her brows furrowed in concern. "I agree with Liu Hao. Tiny Herb wasn't just good—they were perfect with those new characters. It's like they've been practicing this for weeks. And we only have one night."
Ye Xiu leaned back, eyes narrowing as he stared at the screen, deep in thought. "That's what bothers me. They were too perfect."
Liu Hao's brow creased. "What do you mean?"
Ye Xiu's gaze drifted to the screen showing footage from earlier in the day. The match, the flawless executions, Tiny Herb's composure—it didn't sit right with him. "It's as if they knew exactly what was coming. Almost like they had insider information."
He Ming's eyes widened, "You mean they have someone backing them up??"
Su Mucheng raised an eyebrow. "So, you think someone's feeding them information? But how? The rules were only announced right before the match."
Ye Xiu shrugged slightly, but his eyes were sharp. "I don't know, but something about that coach—Bao Rongxing—doesn't feel right. There's something off about the way they were so prepared."
Liu Hao clenched his fists. "So, what do we do? We can't exactly spy on them or find out if they've been tipped off. All we can do is prepare."
Ye Xiu nodded. "Exactly. We need to focus on adapting. If they force us to switch characters, we'll deal with it. Tonight, we need to familiarize ourselves with as many alternative characters as possible. Especially with the ones we use, Lui Hao can teach He Ming and Su Mucheng I can handle your character, and visa versa. We're not trying to master them—we just need to be versatile enough to survive."
Su Mucheng agreed. "Right. It's about survival. We need to make sure we don't get eliminated early, and that means being flexible."
Ye Xiu stood up and stretched, his usual calm demeanor masking the storm brewing inside him. He glanced at his team. "We'll split up and start practising all the different characters. Focus on classes that we're not used to but could be useful in a pinch. It doesn't matter if it's not perfect—we just need to get a feel for them."
Liu Hao nodded, though there was still tension in his posture. "Alright. I'll start with classes that have more control abilities. If we're forced to switch, I'd rather be able to slow down the fight."
He Ming smiled his eyes flickering with determination, "It's going to be my debut match I can't let them make a fool out of me"
Su Mucheng smiled slightly. "You're right He Ming, we can't let them make us look like minors, I'll focus on range. I'll take a shot at some of the different gunners along with mastering Ye Xiu's character."
Ye Xiu cracked his knuckles. "I'll take a look at some of the tanker options as well. We might need someone to absorb hits if things go wrong. Su Mucheng, just let me know the key skills and attacks of your character."
The four of them dispersed to their stations, the air buzzing with the quiet sounds of keyboards and mouse clicks. Time was ticking, and the night stretched on as they plunged into character after character, trying to familiarize themselves with new abilities, playstyles, and strategies.
Every moment was crucial, and the stakes had never been higher.
Hours passed, and as dawn approached, the weariness began to set in. But none of them stopped. They couldn't afford to.
By the time the first rays of sunlight peeked through the windows of the practice room, Ye Xiu finally stood up, rubbing his tired eyes. "That's enough for now."
Liu Hao stretched his arms, exhaustion lining his features. "Do you think it'll be enough?"
Ye Xiu looked at his team, at their weary but determined faces. "We'll find out tomorrow." His voice was steady, but his mind was racing. This wasn't just about skill anymore. There were deeper forces at play—forces that might already have a hand in their fate.
As they packed up for the night, the unspoken fear hung heavy in the air. Tomorrow's match wasn't just about winning—it was about survival.
And as Ye Xiu led his team out of the practice room, one thought remained in his mind: Tiny Herb may have won today, but we're not out of this yet.