The King's Avatar

He couldn't pursue, but he couldn't not pursue either.

This wasn't the first time Yang Cong had been met with an awkward situation like this in a match where no matter what he chose, it wouldn't help. Was there a third option? Yang Cong didn't know. Perhaps there was, but he couldn't see it, so he could only pick one of two actions. Even if neither option was optimal, he had to make a choice. For every moment he hesitated, the worse the situation became.

After her!

In the end, Yang Cong decided to pursue Dancing Rain. Letting Happy take hold of the high ground would throw them into even worse straits. This was why when they saw the map, 301 Degrees' players all felt their heart stutter, and they ended up sending Yang Cong forth to perform reconnaissance. Yang Cong noticed that their mistakes started from here, from letting their minds focus on the high ground of this map. As for him realizing that he wouldn't be able to trap Su Mucheng, this was a very minor mistake. Even if he didn't make this mistake, he'd had turned back to try and close in on Dancing Rain anyways, and then Su Mucheng would have Dancing Rain kite him, which might lead him in circles using the tower anyways.

They hadn't been prepared enough from the beginning and hadn't considered that Happy could use this high ground to trick them and counter trap them.

What would they do if they were met with such a situation again?

This thought flashed through Yang Cong's head, but was soon pushed to the side.

This wasn't the time for think about that. First, he had to focus on dealing with the current situation. If they managed to get into the playoffs, then it wouldn't be too late to resolve this issue then.

Scene Killer ran like the hounds of hell were at his feet, charging right up the tower. He could clearly hear the sounds of cannonfire; who knew how much ranged support Dancing Rain had been able to provide already? In addition, the entrance to the tower was clear in her view. Su Mucheng immediately saw Scene Killer when the other charged up. Then, despite there being no voice, Yang Cong felt like he could hear Su Mucheng giggling; despite characters having no expression, he felt like he saw Dancing Rain flash him a smile.

Without any hesitation, Dancing Rain jumped off the tower roof.

Yang Cong didn't hesitate. He had been expecting this. He too jumped off the roof without hesitation.

Diving Arrow!

Anti-Tank Missiles!

Scene Killer stomped on Dancing Rain in midair, but, at the same time, he was struck close range by Dancing Rain's cannonfire.

Light and fire exploded in the sky. Below, Happy and 301 Degrees' eight were deep in battle and didn't have the time to pay any attention to it.

They knew what was happening over there. In comparison, 301 Degrees was naturally under more pressure. Without Yang Cong, their strategy lacked the most important aspect. They didn't have to use Life Risking Strike, but after demonstrating their success in using it these few times, Yang Cong's Scene Killer's presence in and of itself became a huge hindrance to their opponents. So long as he was here, then their opponents would have to keep a careful eye on his movements, on what he was planning to do.

Team 301 Degrees would expand on this to claim victory. The ultimate goal of the match was victory. Using Life-Risking Strike was just a means to an end, but not the only means. It was just that this means had too large of an impact, making the opponents wary and making 301 Degrees' openings successful. However, this time, Yang Cong's Scene Killer wasn't even there, so Team 301 Degrees couldn't use the strategy they had been using for the latter half of the season. The remaining four weren't performing so well against Happy right now. However, Bai Shu's performance in the team competition was more striking than his performance in 1v1s. Protecting his teammates, synchronizing with them, even charging at the forefront, no matter what, he performed excellently. It was clear that he had already become an integral part of this team.

Unfortunately, a 301 Degrees with only him had still lost its sharpest sword. They could stall and stand up against Happy, but they couldn't find a way to win.

As for Happy's four? Under the mix of offensive and defensive maneuvers performed by Ye Xiu's Lord Grim and Fang Rui's Boundless Sea, Qiao Yifan's One Inch Ash set ghost boundary after ghost boundary.

Ghost boundaries were inanimate, and players had life. A noob would probably think that ghost boundaries were easy to deal with: I'll just stay far, far away from it, then my opponent won't have any way to get to me.

It wasn't that this was incorrect, but when a pro level Phantom Demon started setting ghost boundaries, they were also weaving a tight web. If they wanted to struggle out of it, if they wanted to get through it, then just staying far away wouldn't be nearly enough, especially in a team competition.

Ghost Boundaries were inanimate, players had life, but these living players included a Phantom Demon's teammates.

In a team competition, if you wanted to retreat, then you had to make sure that everyone on your side could retreat successfully. This clearly wasn't as simple as escaping on your own in a 1v1. In a team competition, Phantom Demons would cooperate with their teammates to capitalize on this. There was no need to trap everyone on the other side. Just trapping one person was equal to trapping everyone. After all, they couldn't just leave one of their teammates here to die.

Not good!

Seeing the ghost boundaries appear one after the other around them, 301 Degrees' players knew that things weren't looking up for them. They desperately needed Yang Cong's support, but Yang Cong couldn't come over.

What should they do?

"Here" a single word suddenly popped out in the chat. It was Bai Shu.

Here? What's here?

301 Degrees' team members knew that it wasn't the time to ask, and all turned their gazes towards Bai Shu's Tide.

Knight's Spirit!

Bai Shu's Tide activated the Knight's awakening skill and then bellowed, waving his sword and shield in the air.

Sacrificial Roar!

Bai Shu had finally gotten a chance where he'd be able to take control of all four of Happy's characters at once. He swiftly grasped this chance and then released this Sacrificial Roar, which just so happened to reach all four of Happy's members.

He had waited a long time for such a chance. From the beginning, he had realized that Happy was on guard of his taunt skills and the occasional chance that appeared were all traps.

As expected of Ye Xiu!

Bai Shu's opinion of Ye Xiu had gone through a huge metamorphosis by now. Not only did the other have skill that not even he could rival, his team worked together like a well oiled machine. However, Bai Shu believed that there would be an opportunity. No one could work flawlessly like a robot, so he waited patiently, endured patiently, observing the situation and preparing to grasp this opportunity.

It had come.

Under the effects of Sacrificial Roar, Happy's four all forcibly turned to attack him. However, Roar and Provoke were different. Provoke inflicted a Taunt that had a time limit on a single target. Roar would affected everyone within range, but only lasted until the taunter was attacked once.

For ranged fighters, it was easy to get rid of Roar's effect. All they had to do was attack the target once. It was more troublesome for melee fighters. If they were far away, then they would have to close in first, and the skills unleashed while not closed in would be judged by the system to see if they counted as attacking the taunter. Currently, it seemed that the system wasn't so easy to trick. It would make a judgement using the range of the attack to see if it posed a threat to the Knight or not.

Ye Xiu and Fang Rui both had ranged attacks, so within a second after Sacrificial Roar, Lord Grim and Boundless Sea immediately sent attacks at Tide and resolved the effect. Yet, even so, their original offensive was interrupted for a moment, allowing 301 Degrees' other three members to do as they pleased without hindrance for a moment.

For Happy, the one most affected was Qiao Yifan. Ghostblades could use the power of the Phantom Ghost to execute attacks of a longer range than Blade Masters and other Swordsmen. However, right now, he wasn't close enough to reach Tide with his attacks, so Qiao Yifan had no choice but to have One Inch Ash rush after Tide. Unfortunately, Bai Shu's main target was this Ghostblade of his. He wanted to pull away, making it so that One Inch Ash couldn't strike, and thus destroying his Ghost Chaining technique.

From this point of view, Roar's effect really was rather disgusting. If the opponent couldn't execute an effective attack, then the taunt would remain forever.

However, it wouldn't be that easy to maintain this effect because Happy had two characters that could cleanse it.

The Qi Master's Calm and Composed.

The Cleric's Focus.

These were both skills that could remove the taunt status, and Happy just so happened to have both classes.

By now, if 301 Degrees' players didn't think to support Bai Shu, then they might as well retire.

Triple Slash!

The moment Sacrificial Roar was executed, Gao Jie immediately understood what Bai Shu was trying to do. Stellar Sword swung his white lightsaber, carving a brilliantly white sword light into the air and dashed towards Fang Rui's Boundless Sea, not giving him a chance to use Calm and Composed.

Bai Shu, on the other hand, used Knight's Spirit to charge at An Wenyi's Little Cold Hands with a Heroic Charge.

Li Yihui's Grappler, Moving Mountains, charged towards Ye Xiu's Lord Grim.

Normally, an unspecialized wouldn't have any skills that could remove taunt, but Lord Grim's Myriad Manifestations Umbrella could have a skill equipped to each form, so they had to be wary of the possibility.

As expected!

Seeing Lord Grim's movements, 301 Degrees began to panic.

His Myriad Manifestations Umbrella had been folded into two parts, a tonfa in each hand, his palms held towards each other, qi flowing, it was the Qi Master's Calm and Composed.

Don't even think about it!

Li Yihui was desperate. His Grappler's attack range was absolutely appalling, and he most likely wouldn't make it in time. However, an ex All-Star level Grappler player wouldn't give up so easily.

Circle Sweep Kick!

Li Yihui's Moving Mountains leaped into the air, shooting forwards. He seemed to grab for an opponent in midair with his legs, but there was no target within range. However, with this leap forward, he managed to catch up with One Inch Ash's movement, blocking Lord Grim's target for Calm and Composed and making him unable to target One Inch Ash.

This was a small trick, but it was effective.

Lord Grim's Calm and Composed failed, in the end, and he used it on himself in order to not waste it. Li Yihui sighed in relief, yet that was when he saw Lord Grim's tonfas reconnect and then, with a click, it turned into a scythe.

A Priest weapon!

Li Yihui paled again.

There were too many Taunt removers for Priest skills. The Cleric's Focus, the Knight's Immovable Mountain, the Exorcist's Calming Talisman, the Paladin's Purify. All four classes had a skill of this kind and apart from the Knight's, which could only be used on oneself, the other three could all be used on other targets.

After setting a Calm and Composed on his Myriad Manifestations Umbrella, had Ye Xiu then added a skill with a repeat effect?