It was a quiet afternoon when Ye Xiu received a call from Huang Shaotian. He wasn't the type to make casual calls, especially not to someone like Ye Xiu, so when the invitation to meet at a restaurant came, Ye Xiu hesitated for a moment. The competition had just ended, and tensions were high, but curiosity got the better of him. Despite the oddness, he agreed, knowing that if anyone had insights, it would be Huang Shaotian.
The evening came, and they met at a small, inconspicuous restaurant in the city. The moment Ye Xiu stepped inside, Huang Shaotian waved him over, already seated at a table by the window. The two exchanged brief nods, and after placing their orders, the conversation began, casual at first.
"So, you dragged me all the way here just to talk about the last match?" Ye Xiu smirked, leaning back in his chair.
"Don't flatter yourself," Huang Shaotian shot back with a grin. "It's not like I enjoy your company. But yeah, there's something weird going on with Tiny Herb."
Ye Xiu's expression grew more serious. "Weird how?"
Huang Shaotian's eyes narrowed as he leaned in. "They were way too calm. Did you notice that? Especially with that rule change—switching characters. Even for pros like us, it should've been a mess. But they didn't flinch. It was like they knew what was coming."
Ye Xiu thought back to the match. He had noticed it too—Tiny Herb's precision, their lack of hesitation, as if they had rehearsed every possible scenario, even with unfamiliar characters. "You're right. Their moves were too... calculated. Even the best players struggle with unfamiliar characters."
"Exactly!" Huang Shaotian said, his voice low but intense. "There's no way anyone, not even the best of the best, can be that good with random characters. Unless… they knew something we didn't."
The conversation drifted back and forth between speculation and strategy, with both of them mocking each other in their usual style. Huang Shaotian took jabs at Ye Xiu's laid-back attitude, and Ye Xiu responded by teasing Shaotian for his non-stop talking. But underneath the banter, both players knew they respected each other's skills deeply.
"Still," Shaotian said after a while, "you're not bad for someone with one foot in retirement. I almost thought you'd lost your edge."
"And you still haven't learned to shut up," Ye Xiu quipped, a smile tugging at his lips.
But as the light-hearted exchange continued, the two couldn't shake the feeling that Tiny Herb's performance was more than just practice and talent. There was something off. By the time they finished their meal, they'd agreed: something strange was going on with Tiny Herb, and they needed to be prepared for whatever came next.
As they parted ways, they both had the same thought on their minds: their upcoming matches with Tiny Herb would be tougher than they had imagined, and they needed to be ready to face them head-on—without any dirty tricks.
Later that night, after returning to Excellent Era's camp base, Ye Xiu couldn't sleep. His mind was racing with the conversation he had with Huang Shaotian. The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. Deciding to clear his head, he grabbed his jacket and went out for a walk around the dorms.
The night air was cool, and the city was quiet, but as Ye Xiu strolled down the street, something caught his attention. A man in a black hoodie was lingering near the dormitory, his movements too deliberate to be someone just passing by. Ye Xiu's instincts kicked in. At first, he brushed it off—maybe it was just another student or someone from the team. But something was unsettling about how the man moved.
Without thinking, Ye Xiu found himself following the hooded figure, keeping a safe distance as he watched the man head toward a sleek, unfamiliar car parked at the corner. The car was an S-class luxury vehicle, far too expensive for any of Excellent Era's players to afford. None of their families had that kind of wealth.
The man got into the car without a glance behind him, and as it pulled away, Ye Xiu caught a glimpse of the license plate. It sparked a flicker of recognition in his mind—he had seen that car somewhere before, but he couldn't place where.
"Where have I seen that plate?" Ye Xiu muttered to himself, frustration creeping in. But the car sped off, disappearing into the night before he could think any further. He shook his head, deciding it was something to keep in the back of his mind.
He returned to the dorm after an hour, but the strange encounter left him on edge. As he walked inside, he found Liu Hao sitting in his room, just getting out of the shower.
"You're up late," Ye Xiu said, leaning against the doorframe. "Practicing new characters again?"
Liu Hao grinned sheepishly. "Gotta be ready for anything. That last match was too close for comfort."
Ye Xiu nodded, but the earlier incident weighed heavily on his thoughts. He didn't mention the man in the hoodie or the car, not yet anyway. There were too many questions and no answers.
As Ye Xiu lay down that night, his mind wandered back to Tiny Herb, the mysterious calmness of their players, and now, the strange figure outside their dorm. Something was happening behind the scenes, and he was determined to find out what before it was too late.
The next morning, the air inside Excellent Era's meeting room was tense. After the unsettling events of the previous night, Ye Xiu knew they needed to be prepared for their upcoming match with Tiny Herb. As the team gathered around the large screen, the room filled with the murmurs of his teammates, flipping through notes, strategizing, and rewatching the videos of Tiny Herb's latest match.
Su Mucheng, He Ming, Liu Hao, and the rest of the team sat around the table, their eyes glued to the screen as clips of Tiny Herb's match played out. On the screen, the members of Tiny Herb moved with ease—every step was calculated, their actions fluid. Despite the unexpected rule of switching characters, they hadn't faltered. Each movement had been precise as if they had been training with these unfamiliar characters for years.
Coach Wang, the head of Excellent Era's training staff, stood at the front of the room, his expression grim. "Look at this," he said, rewinding the footage and focusing on Wang Jiexi. "Every move is flawless, and even when they switch characters, there's no hesitation. This kind of composure isn't normal. Most teams, even the best, struggle when they're forced to switch characters mid-match."
The team watched closely as Wang Jiexi effortlessly pulled off a series of complex manoeuvres, using skills that should have taken weeks of practice to perfect. His attacks were clean, his defences impeccable, and all while using a character he supposedly hadn't mastered.
"They're too calm," Liu Hao muttered under his breath, echoing the thoughts that had plagued Ye Xiu and Huang Shaotian the night before.
Coach Wang nodded. "Exactly. This kind of gameplay indicates they've practised with these characters in secret. They were prepared for this rule change, and that gives them a massive advantage."
The screen shifted to another player—Gao Yingjie. Despite his youth, Gao's performance with the unfamiliar character was equally impressive. His movements were sharp, and his understanding of the new character's mechanics seemed second nature.
"Every character has their own unique skill set," Coach Wang continued, gesturing toward the screen. "They've figured out how to use these characters to their full potential, and that's what we need to counter. Our goal isn't just to play well; it's to anticipate their next move and make sure we can disrupt their rhythm."
As the footage played on, each member of Excellent Era jotted down notes, scribbling furiously as they analyzed Tiny Herb's tactics. They noted down key moves, timing, and attack patterns. Ye Xiu remained focused, his mind already racing with new strategies they could use to counter Tiny Herb's seemingly flawless coordination.
"We're going to practice using those same characters today," Coach Wang announced. "Get used to their moves, understand their strengths and weaknesses. And most importantly, figure out how to exploit any gaps in Tiny Herb's defence."
Ye Xiu nodded, determined. "We'll have to play smarter, not harder. Their calmness is unsettling, but it can be their downfall if we use it against them. No team is invincible."
Meanwhile, at La Vienne, one of the most lavish restaurants in the city, Tiny Herb's team gathered around a large, elegantly decorated table. The room was filled with laughter and light conversation as the players celebrated their victory over Blue Rain. Plates of gourmet food covered the table, and the mood was one of relaxation and confidence.
Wang Jiexi, the leader of Tiny Herb, sat near the head of the table, alongside their new coach, Bao Rongxing, and their manager. The players joked with one another, recounting moments from the match with Blue Rain, their spirits high after such a decisive win.
Coach Bao leaned back in his chair, swirling his glass of wine. "You all played exceptionally well the other day," he said with a smirk. "But don't get too comfortable. Our next match is with Excellent Era, and they won't go down as easily."
The players exchanged glances, the lighthearted mood giving way to a more serious tone. Gao Yingjie spoke up, his usually shy demeanour replaced with quiet confidence. "We've already practised with the new characters enough. We know how to adapt."
Coach Bao nodded approvingly. "Exactly. You've all mastered these characters to the point where it's second nature. That's why we're ahead. Excellent Era may have been a top team in the past, but they're struggling to keep up with the changes. They'll be expecting us to slip up, but that's not going to happen."
The players listened carefully, their confidence growing. Liu Xiaobie added, "They rely too much on Ye Xiu's leadership. If we break their coordination, they won't be able to recover."
Coach Bao's smirk widened as he leaned forward, his voice low but filled with a quiet certainty. "Exactly. We've got the upper hand. No matter how hard they try, they won't win this easily. Victory is ours."
The Tiny Herb players leaned back in their chairs, satisfaction written on their faces. They had every reason to be confident—their performance in the last match had been near flawless, and with the knowledge they had gained from their intensive practice, they felt untouchable.
As the evening went on, they continued to discuss strategies and tactics, their confidence unwavering. But behind that calm, controlled demeanour was the cold, calculated mind of Coach Bao, pulling all the strings, making sure that Tiny Herb would leave nothing to chance in their upcoming showdown with Excellent Era.
Back at the dorm, Ye Xiu sat quietly, reviewing the footage one last time. Tiny Herb's calmness, their precision—it all pointed to something deeper. But whatever it was, Ye Xiu knew one thing: he and his team wouldn't go down without a fight. Tiny Herb might be confident, but confidence could lead to arrogance, and that was something he planned to exploit.