The victory over the Korean team sent a ripple through the tournament. Teams that had once viewed China as a formidable but beatable opponent now realized they were dealing with something much more dangerous. The team's performance was tight, their execution flawless, and under Ye Xiu's leadership, they appeared almost unstoppable.
Yet, as the day wore on, whispers started to spread throughout the arena. In a tournament full of seasoned veterans, one team, a relative unknown, was making waves. They were a dark horse, and no one had seen them coming.
Tang Rou sat at a long table with the rest of her team in the break room, her body still humming with adrenaline from their match. Su Mucheng was beside her, scrolling through her phone, reading the latest news about the tournament, while Bao Rongxing and Zhang Jiale were discussing strategies. Ye Xiu, as usual, was focused on reviewing their previous matches, his calm demeanor betraying nothing of the pressure they were under.
Suddenly, Su Mucheng broke the silence. "Hey, have you guys heard about this new team from North America?"
Tang Rou's attention snapped to Su Mucheng, her brow furrowing slightly. "New team?"
Su Mucheng nodded, her eyes still fixed on her screen. "Yeah, they're called Starlight, and apparently, they've been dominating their matches. They've already knocked out two of the top European teams and a South American team, all without losing a single round."
That caught everyone's attention. Even Ye Xiu looked up, his curiosity piqued. "Starlight? Never heard of them."
Su Mucheng shrugged. "No one has. They came out of nowhere. But from what people are saying, they're ridiculously good. Their captain is some mystery player who hasn't revealed his identity yet."
Ye Xiu's eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the information. "A mystery player, huh? Sounds like someone who's been hiding in the shadows, waiting for the right moment."
Tang Rou couldn't help but feel a strange excitement at the thought of facing this new team. The World Invitational had been full of familiar faces—legends, champions, and veteran players—but the idea of a dark horse, a team no one had prepared for, sent a jolt of adrenaline through her.
"What's their playstyle like?" Zhang Jiale asked, leaning forward, clearly interested in any tactical details.
Su Mucheng scrolled through the tournament app on her phone, finding highlights of Starlight's matches. "From what I've seen, they're aggressive, but not in the same way the Europeans or Koreans were. It's more… methodical. They push hard, but it's like they're always two steps ahead of their opponents. Every time the other team tries to counter, Starlight already has an answer."
Ye Xiu rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Sounds like they're good at adapting. If they're this good, we'll probably face them soon enough."
Tang Rou's pulse quickened at the prospect. It was true that they had just taken down two of the most feared teams in the tournament, but the unknown factor always added an extra layer of challenge—and excitement.
"Are there any videos of their matches?" Tang Rou asked, leaning closer to Su Mucheng.
Su Mucheng nodded and tapped a few buttons on her phone, pulling up footage of Starlight's most recent match. She handed the phone to Tang Rou, who watched intently as the game unfolded on the small screen. Immediately, she could see what Su Mucheng had meant. Starlight's movements were sharp, their tactics calculated to an almost eerie precision. Every attack flowed seamlessly into the next, and their team synergy was perfect. There were no moments of hesitation, no second guesses.
Tang Rou frowned, impressed but wary. "They're fast, but not chaotic. It's like everything they do has already been planned out."
Ye Xiu stood up, stretching his arms. "We'll need to study them closely if they're going to be a threat. Let's run some drills. If they're as methodical as they seem, we'll need to prepare for a team that can change their approach on the fly."
The team quickly fell into step, the usual banter and casual chatter replaced by a more focused energy. Tang Rou could feel the intensity in the air. They had faced tough teams before, but this was different. A dark horse team like Starlight was dangerous because they were unpredictable. The unknown could be the most difficult obstacle of all.
Hours passed, and the team had run drill after drill, practicing counter-strategies for Starlight's adaptive playstyle. They knew that their upcoming matches would likely pit them against this mysterious North American team, and none of them wanted to be caught off guard.
As they finished up their final practice round, Ye Xiu called for a break. The players slumped back in their chairs, the tension beginning to melt away as the long day of preparation came to a close.
"Let's take five," Ye Xiu said, standing and stretching his arms over his head. "We'll head to the main arena after this. The next round is about to start, and we should keep an eye on the other teams."
Tang Rou stood, her legs stiff from sitting for so long. She rolled her shoulders and let out a long breath. As they headed out of the practice room and down the corridor toward the arena, she felt a strange mix of excitement and anxiety. They had trained hard, they were prepared, but the thought of facing a team like Starlight—so methodical, so precise—had her on edge.
When they reached the arena, the energy was palpable. The crowd was buzzing, the massive screens displaying live feeds of the current match. As they made their way to their seats, Tang Rou glanced up at the screen and saw the team currently on stage.
It was Starlight.
Their opponents were a European team that Tang Rou recognized immediately. They were strong, top-ranked, and well-known for their balanced playstyle. But as the match unfolded, it became clear that they were no match for Starlight's calculated aggression. Starlight's team captain, the mysterious player with the hidden identity, led the charge with an efficiency that was almost robotic.
Tang Rou watched closely, her eyes narrowing as she analyzed every move. The way Starlight's captain moved was unlike anything she had seen before. He wasn't just fast—he was deliberate, as if he was controlling the battlefield like a chess master. Every action had a purpose, every movement a calculated step toward victory.
"This guy's a monster," Bao Rongxing muttered, his eyes glued to the screen.
"He's not even showing his full strength," Ye Xiu commented, his tone measured. "He's holding back, keeping his cards close to his chest. He knows he's being watched."
Tang Rou swallowed hard. The European team was crumbling under the relentless pressure, unable to mount any kind of meaningful counterattack. Starlight's captain was always one step ahead, predicting their every move with unnerving accuracy. It was almost as if he could read their minds.
The match ended in a decisive victory for Starlight, the European team barely putting up a fight in the final moments. The crowd erupted into cheers as the mysterious captain stood from his seat, his face hidden behind a mask that had become his trademark throughout the tournament.
Tang Rou felt a shiver run down her spine. Whoever this player was, he was unlike anyone they had ever faced.
As Starlight's captain exited the stage, Tang Rou's eyes followed him, her mind racing. She could feel the weight of the challenge ahead. The tournament was getting tougher, the opponents stronger, and now they were up against a team that seemed to have no weaknesses.
"You're quiet," Su Mucheng said softly, nudging Tang Rou's shoulder. "What are you thinking?"
Tang Rou took a deep breath, her gaze still fixed on the screen where the match results were displayed. "I'm thinking that we need to be better than we've ever been. If we face Starlight, we can't afford a single mistake."
Su Mucheng nodded, her expression serious. "We'll be ready. We always are."
Tang Rou forced a small smile, but the weight of the upcoming matches pressed down on her. They had already proven themselves in the first two rounds, but this—this was something different.
As they headed back to the break room, Tang Rou's mind was spinning with thoughts of strategies, counterattacks, and ways to dismantle Starlight's methodical playstyle. But there was one thought that kept nagging at her, one question that wouldn't leave her alone.
Who was Starlight's captain? And why did he feel so… familiar?
This chapter introduces the looming challenge of the dark horse team, Starlight, and its mysterious captain. The tension is built through the analysis of their playstyle and the uncertainty surrounding their identity, setting up the next big conflict in the tournament. Tang Rou's growing anticipation and determination continue to drive her development as the stakes rise.