28 To Fight the Canadians

"Canada is going to be a tough opponent to defeat."

This statement was made as the entire team was gathered in the training room. Some sat behind their computers, hands rapidly hitting their keyboards as they attempted to meet or beat some kind of personal record. Others bunched in groups discussing equipment, recent news articles and tactics.

The sentence was nothing earth-shaking; they were all aware. The Canadians were going to be difficult to put down.

"What do you think makes Canada a difficult team to beat, though?" Tang Hao asked. The question was part of his attempt to be more team-oriented. It was a slow improvement but now, he participated in conversations and asked more questions.

This question, although simple, was quite difficult to answer as evidenced by the silence that fell upon the room. Yes, Canada was difficult to beat but why? They were not as ferocious as Denmark or as stable and immovable as France. So why?

"Don't you think that they are… quite similar to us?" Everyone looked to the speaker and Xiao Shiqin shrugged. "I'm right, aren't I?"

There was a brief silence before Lu Xuan nodded. "You're right. We are quite similar. From the team composition to the tactics, we give off a similar impression."

Zhang Xinjie folded his arms, looking deep in thought. "Then I guess the question is: What makes us difficult to beat? If we are so similar to the Canadians in battle, then what makes us difficult to beat?"

Su Mucheng laughed, her shoulders shaking. "That is a question I never imagined we would be asking ourselves but here we are, it seems."

Another bout of silence followed as the team pondered the unique quality that made them one of the most formidable opponents in the competition.

"We don't have a particular style." Ye Xiu looked to the people in the room and continued speaking. "As we all know, Denmark is ferocious. That is their style of battle. Everyone knows them for it and they have spent years honing that skill. The same with France. They have built their team playstyle around the fact that their captain is an assassin. They have played matches as the France national team. But as for us and Canada, although we are talented individuals, this is our first outing as a team. And so, we have not had the time to build up a particular style."

The room was silent and Ye Xiu carried on. "They too are just like us. With one exception."

The blank faces of the team members lit up with his statement. "What exception?"

"They've not had the time to build up a style and so they decide, unlike us, to use a style for this competition. Team Tiny Herb."

Ye Xiu said those words and everyone in the room immediately understood, with Wang Jiexi trying not to show his displeasure. What Ye Xiu meant was that the Canadian team picked their captain to be the centre of the team. Kill him and you'll take them down.

"But there is a problem with that plan. Their captain is their most skilled player. It will not be easy to take him down. And if we can, it will cost us valuable time. And may even cost us a player."

Ye Xiu nodded. "That's why we'll put two people on the job. The rest of the team will keep their other teammates at bay."

"If we put two people on the job, then the rest of the team will suffer," Wang Jiexi said. The match Happy fought with Tiny Herb had a similar problem. Wang Jiexi had not been easy to take down and the rest of Tiny Herb did not watch idly as Happy attacked their captain wildly.

Ye Xiu shook his head. "No, the team will be fine. I have an idea."

Everyone looked unhappy except Fang Rui's and Sun Mucheng. They had been teammates with Ye Xiu and so, they already knew where this was going.

"What idea is this?"

***

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to the second round of matches here at the Glory World Championships. This is a great occasion and we are very happy to be here." Pan Lin spoke enthusiastically into the microphone, a smile shining on his face. He was truly happy to be here.

The win over Australia had been on his mind since the match was concluded. It shocked him how much national pride he had. He wanted the Chinese team to be victorious in the World Cup and that desire only intensified after the first match.

Beside him, Li Yibo was not feeling any less patriotic. "Yes, we are truly happy to be here. This match will be the first in a series of matches of the quarter-final. The remaining eight teams will begin the intense struggle for the World Cup.

The duo watched on, speaking freely as the team filed out and took their seats at the front row of the stage. The stage lights dimmed a few minutes later, a signal that a match was about to begin.

"Without further ado, we will begin the first individual match of the semi-finals. Who will Team China send up? It is… HUANG SHOATIAN!!" Pan Lin shouted the name and the crowd shouted with him.

The Master Swordsman was the one starting this round of battles. How epic. It was certain that this would be a battle to remember. As Huang Shaotian made his way up the stage, the fans chanted his name much to the delight of the Blue Rain player.

He waved and smiled as he walked to the booth. Once the door to the booth closed, however, the sounds of the stadium were cut off, leaving only a heavy silence.

As he inserted his card and made sure his equipment was in good order, Huang Shaotian remembered his Captain's words from the day before. It had been Yu Wenzhou's idea to put Shaotian as the first player and it was yesterday as they headed back to their rooms, alone in the elevator that Yu Wenzhou had explained why.

"Among all the other members of our team, who do you think that the other teams fear the most?" He had asked that almost rhetorical question in his typical calm voice.

"Ye Xiu, of course. Everyone fears him."

Yu Wenzhou nodded. "They do and they should. He is the best player here. But Ye Xiu has retired. This is his last professional outing. It is up to us to carry on the torch he has passed on."

Yu Wenzhou paused, saying nothing as the elevator brought them closer and closer to their floor. The elevator halted and as the door whistled open, Yu Wenzhou said, "I want you to show them tomorrow that Huang Shaotian is the next person they need to be on the lookout for. I want you to show the world how good you can be."

Huang Shaotian had always been a competitive person. He never wanted to lose. But as he moved his mouse over the Ready prompt on the screen, recalling his captain's words, he realized he had never been ambitious. Well, that was about to change.

***

The individual matches had been intense. China was leading but not by much. There was a haze of excitement and tension surrounding the stadium as the team lineup was revealed. Everyone watched with bated breath as the six names representing Canada flashed on the big screen. The Canadians cheered and whistled, their voices drowning out the stadium.

This was no empty cheer. All of the players chosen for the team competition were veterans, experienced Glory players. They were juggernauts on their own but together, they were an almost insurmountable wall. It was time.

The Chinese fans waited, readying their cheers and whistles when the names of the players for the team competition was revealed. The six names flashed on the screen and the Chinese began to cheer but halted, their praises stuck in their throat. An unnatural silence fell upon the stadium.

But only for an instant. The next second, the Canadians began to jeer, mockery loud. And it was not only at the stadium. Everywhere. In bars, online. The audience of the World Cup had begun to predict the doom of the Chinese team.

Like the Chinese section of the stadium, the pro group chat was silent. Not a word, not an emoji was anywhere to be found.

Until Han Wenqing typed into the chat. "Ye Xiu."

The chat blew up instantly, the pros filling up the space quickly. Different words but they all had one thing to say. What kind of strategy is this?

Pan Lin was even more dumbfounded. In the Glory World Cup, in this great competition, Ye Xiu ─he knew he was the one behind this─ had done something so daring. The Master Tactician had fielded six attackers with…

"No healer." Li Yibo completed the thought. "Six attackers, no healer. This will be a very… interesting match."

Li Yibo said these words very calmly but inside him, like Pan Lin, his blood was boiling. Ye Xiu. What did he think he was doing? This was not Team Happy. How dare he…

Wait a minute, Li Yibo thought. Yes, this was not Happy. Ye Xiu was not the captain. Few members of the Chinese National Team were not Captains and Vice-Captains of their team. No one could say that Ye Xiu bullied them into this. So why? Why did they agree to such brazen tactics?

Because we want to win.

The Chinese Team could feel the stares of people on them. They could feel the atmosphere of the stadium. They knew that they would be queried for making such a decision in such an event. And they had only one answer.

We want to win.

Everyone here was talented. There were no individuals or teams that made it to the Glory World Cup without the skill and dedication they needed to represent their country and so, for the Chinese National team to win, they had to go the extra mile.

Especially when fighting a team like Canada. A team so similar to themselves.