The morning light filtered through the windows of the team's hotel, casting a soft glow across the room. Tang Rou was already awake, sitting at the small desk in her room, her hands resting lightly on the keyboard. She had been awake for hours, replaying her matches from the previous night in her head. Every move, every slight mistake—it was all laid out before her, and she couldn't help but feel the weight of the upcoming tournament pressing down.
The World Invitational was tomorrow. There would be no second chances.
A knock at the door snapped her out of her thoughts. She stood and crossed the room, opening the door to find Su Mucheng, her bright smile a stark contrast to the heavy thoughts swirling in Tang Rou's mind.
"Good morning! I thought you might be up already. Ready for another day of training?" Su Mucheng's voice was light, but there was an undertone of seriousness.
Tang Rou smiled back, her usual fire returning to her eyes. "I'm always ready."
"Good," Su Mucheng said, stepping back to let Tang Rou out of the room. "Ye Xiu wants to run a few more team simulations before our match against Europe. He thinks they'll try to catch us off guard with an aggressive early push."
Tang Rou nodded, her mind already racing with possibilities. The European champions were known for their quick, brutal attacks. If they weren't careful, they could find themselves overwhelmed in the opening minutes. But Ye Xiu was prepared for that—he always was.
When they reached the training room, the rest of the team was already there. Ye Xiu stood at the front, his back to the group as he studied a massive screen filled with statistics, match data, and team formations.
"Alright, everyone," Ye Xiu began without turning around. "We've got one day left to iron out any kinks. The European champions are going to come at us hard, right from the start. They've got some of the best offensive players in the world, and they know how to overwhelm an opponent. But they're not invincible. Their aggression is both their strength and their weakness."
He turned, facing the team, his expression serious. "If we can hold them off for the first five minutes, they'll start to lose momentum. That's when we strike. We use their own strategy against them, turn their aggression into overextension."
Tang Rou's hands twitched at her sides. She was ready to go. The fire in her had been ignited the moment they received the match schedule. European teams were a challenge, no doubt, but that's what she lived for—the thrill of facing down the best.
"How do you want to set up the defense?" asked Zhang Jiale, a key team member known for his tactical acumen.
Ye Xiu pulled up a new set of diagrams on the screen. "We'll use a layered defense. Su Mucheng and Zhang Jiale will hold the backline, offering support and counter-attacks when they see an opening. Tang Rou and Bao Rongxing will take the front, dealing damage and keeping them busy. I'll move between the lines, adapting as necessary."
Tang Rou's eyes lit up. She loved being on the front lines, right in the heat of the battle, where every second counted. It was in those moments that she felt most alive, and she trusted Ye Xiu's plans implicitly. His strategies were always sharp, always a step ahead of the opponent.
"We've practiced this setup before, but this time we need to be even tighter. No gaps, no hesitation," Ye Xiu continued, his gaze sweeping over the team. "They'll be looking for any weakness. If we give them one, they'll exploit it. Everyone needs to be in sync. Understood?"
A chorus of nods followed, the team's resolve visible in their eyes. There was no room for mistakes, no room for doubt.
"Let's run it," Ye Xiu said, his voice cutting through the air like a command.
Everyone moved quickly to their stations, the familiar sound of keyboards clicking and mice sliding across pads filled the room. Tang Rou's heart raced as her hands settled on her own setup. The character she controlled on-screen was nimble, powerful, and precise—just like her. She felt the adrenaline spike through her veins as they launched into the simulation.
The European team's aggressive tactics were immediately on display. Within moments, they were pushing hard, their damage dealers charging straight for the frontlines with a relentless barrage of attacks. But Tang Rou was ready. She darted through the chaos, blocking and dodging, her counterattacks hitting like thunder as she danced between the enemies' strikes.
"Stay tight!" Ye Xiu's voice rang out through the comms, calm but commanding. "Don't let them split us apart."
Tang Rou gritted her teeth, her focus narrowing on the screen. She could feel the weight of every decision—every step, every attack, every block. The Europeans were good, as good as she'd imagined. Their coordination was nearly flawless, and their pressure unrelenting. But they weren't perfect. And Ye Xiu had seen their flaw from the start.
"They're overextending! Push back now!" Ye Xiu barked through the headset, and Tang Rou's fingers moved faster than ever.
She surged forward, her character moving like lightning, exploiting the gap that had just opened in the enemy lines. Her strikes landed hard, cutting through their defenses, and for a moment, the enemy team faltered.
"We've got them!" Zhang Jiale shouted, his excitement bleeding through the mic.
"Not yet," Ye Xiu cautioned, though there was a hint of satisfaction in his tone. "Stay sharp. Don't let your guard down."
Tang Rou didn't need the reminder. She pushed harder, her mind clear as she focused on the task at hand. The enemies were staggering now, their initial momentum completely reversed. They had come in too fast, too confident, and now they were paying for it.
With a final coordinated attack, the simulation ended. The screen flashed Victory.
The room erupted into cheers, but Tang Rou stayed quiet, her breath still coming fast from the intensity of the simulation. She wiped a hand across her forehead, a grin spreading across her face. This was what she lived for—this rush, this victory.
"Good job, everyone," Ye Xiu said, his voice a little softer now. "But don't let this go to your head. The real match is tomorrow. We've still got work to do."
Tang Rou nodded, even as her hands trembled slightly from the aftereffects of the adrenaline. The simulation had been intense, but she knew the actual match would be even more so. Still, she felt more confident than ever. If they could execute that well tomorrow, they stood a real chance of taking down the European champions.
"Alright, take a break," Ye Xiu said, leaning back in his chair. "You've earned it."
As the team began to file out of the room, Tang Rou lingered behind, her gaze fixed on the screen where their victory was still displayed. Su Mucheng noticed and walked over, her expression soft as she placed a hand on Tang Rou's shoulder.
"You did great," Su Mucheng said with a warm smile. "You've really grown since we started this journey."
Tang Rou smiled back, grateful for the support. "Thanks. But I know we still have a long way to go."
Su Mucheng nodded. "That's true, but you've proven that you belong on this team. Tomorrow's going to be tough, but we'll face it together."
Tang Rou's chest swelled with pride. It had been a long road to get here, and there had been moments of doubt, but now she felt more ready than ever.
"You're right," Tang Rou said, her voice filled with determination. "We'll face it together, and we'll win."
As they left the training room together, the evening sky outside had darkened into a deep blue. The city was quiet, the world outside unaware of the intense preparations happening behind closed doors. But tomorrow, that would all change. Tomorrow, the world would watch as the best of the best clashed in the biggest tournament Glory had ever seen.
And Tang Rou was ready. No matter what happened, she knew she had given everything she had to get here. Tomorrow, she would show the world what she was capable of.
But for now, all she could do was rest and prepare for the battles to come.
The next chapter continues to ramp up the intensity, building on the team's preparations and setting the stage for their first match in the World Invitational. The focus remains on Tang Rou's growth as a player, while also highlighting the team's dynamics and Ye Xiu's leadership.