Counter-Ambush Strategy

"Liu Hao, you...you... you're simply unreasonable!" Su Mucheng was instantly infuriated. She had never imagined that participating in a competition could be exhausting, and the most frustrating part was that her teammate, Liu Hao, was causing her exhaustion.

"Aren't you supposed to be playing to win the match?" Su Mucheng questioned.

"You're half right. I definitely want to win, but I also want to get the MVP. There's no MVP for the losers," Liu Hao laughed. "If the opponent is strong enough, I have no problem cooperating with Ye Qiu. But against a team like Hundred Blossoms, I think I can lead Excellent Era to victory."

"Alright," Ye Qiu suddenly agreed. He wanted Liu Hao to stay on track with team morale. "We can adopt a 2-2 split strategy. However, if you want the MVP, you'll have to rely on your skills."

"Deal," Liu Hao laughed.

Seeing the two reach a sudden agreement, Su Mucheng became anxious. "Ye Qiu, are we really going with a 2-2 split? We might end up getting completely wiped out..."

Ye Qiu sighed inwardly. He was fully aware of the risks involved with a 2-2 split. But Liu Hao was not going to listen to him. Allowing a disobedient ticking time bomb to stay would be far more dangerous than the 2-2 split. He still remembered how Liu Hao intentionally sabotaged him in the last match, catching him off guard.

"I have no choice. I have to guard against both the enemy's blade and arrows from behind," Ye Qiu said wistfully.

"Don't worry. Even the arrows from behind will pass through you and strike the enemy," Liu Hao mumbled. "Remember the last match? I dragged Tyranny down, didn't I?"

---

Excellent Era Team

Ye Qiu, Battle Mage, One Autumn Leaf

Liu Hao, Magic Swordsman, Total Darkness

Su Mucheng, Launcher, Dancing Rain

Shen Jian, Striker, Successive Striker

Zhang Jiaxing, Priest, Woven Shadows

He Ming, Elementalist, Emotionless Magic

Hundred Blossoms Team

Zou Yuan, Ammunition Specialist, Dazzling Hundred Blossoms

Zhang Wei, Summoner, Endless Forest

Tang Hao, Rogue, Delilo

Du Wenhao, Berserker, Blossoming Chaos

Mo Chuchen, Priest, Arrogant Flowers

Zhu Xiaoping, Summoner, Wind Carving

Map - Marketplace

Marketplace is a town map featuring winding streets, buildings of varying heights, and spacious squares, along with indoor scenes.

Hundred Blossoms Team needed a fixed commander; they followed whoever was the strongest. Thus, Tang Hao took the initiative to issue commands. Upon reaching the centre of the map, Zou Yuan had to jump to the rooftops to scout for the team.

In team competitions, the enemy's position is crucial. A surprise attack can disadvantage the entire team.

Following their tactical plan, the Hundred Blossoms team advanced to the centre. Zou Yuan, cautious not to alert Excellent Era, climbed to the rooftop using jumps instead of his gun's firing mode.

Fans of Hundred Blossoms watching from the sidelines covered their faces in embarrassment. They felt such cautious movement lacked any excitement. Despite the need for caution, climbing to the roof like a lizard seemed to tarnish Hundred Blossoms Dazzling Hundred Blossom's reputation.

Nevertheless, Zou Yuan's rooftop observation paid off as he spotted someone standing nearby.

Liu Hao's Total Darkness?

Is he alone? Where are his teammates?

Could he be bait with an ambush nearby?

Given the professional setting, Zou Yuan was highly cautious, reporting his observations and suspicions to his team.

Knowing Liu Hao was alone, even the impulsive Tang Hao had to be cautious, fearing a trap. "We...wait and see."

---

Meanwhile, Liu Hao, scanning his surroundings with his right hand on the mouse and sipping sponsor-provided milk tea with his left hand, looked more like a relaxed internet café patron than a serious competitor.

Su Mucheng, intensely focused on her screen, was startled by Liu Hao's nonchalance. "Liu Hao, what are you doing? Not only are you exposed, but you're also using one hand?"

"Relax, they won't dare engage. Besides, Ye Qiu knows what I'm up to..." Liu Hao smiled.

Ye Qiu chuckled. Although he didn't want to figure out Liu Hao's intentions, he understood them instinctively. "Counter-ambush strategy."

"Counter-ambush?" Su Mucheng admitted she wasn't as cunning as Ye Qiu and Liu Hao in devising underhanded tactics.

"Counter-ambush means we anticipate the opponent's strategy and pretend not to know, setting up an ambush of our own. When the enemy moves, we can strike them unexpectedly," Liu Hao explained like an older brother.

Su Mucheng suddenly realised Liu Hao's cunning. "Brother Hao, what do you think their strategy will be?" Shen Jian asked, puzzled.

"Sigh, how can you be even denser than Su Mucheng?" Liu Hao sighed.

Su Mucheng turned to Liu Hao, displeased. "What do you mean? I'm not dense. I already know how Hundred Blossoms will act."

Liu Hao laughed. "Only because I reminded you."

"You...!" Su Mucheng blushed, unable to out-argue Liu Hao. She could only complain, "I'm not stupid, and you shouldn't say I am!"

Ignoring Su Mucheng, Liu Hao explained to Shen Jian, "Listen, I'll need your cooperation. When the battle starts, I'll distract Tang Hao. Your job is to block any skills from hitting me and disrupting my casting!"

"Yes!" Shen Jian was excited. The task seemed simple, and he could help Brother Hao.

Ye Qiu gave Liu Hao a long look, impressed by his tactical thinking. In such a short time, he devised a counter-ambush strategy and took command.

But time was pressing. Seeing the opportunity, Ye Qiu shouted, "Mucheng, attack!"

At that moment, the Hundred Blossoms team, ready to target the exposed Total Darkness, was caught off guard by Mo Chuchen's sudden shout, "Watch out above! There's a fire machine? No, it's a heat-seeking missile!"

The Launcher's heat-seeking missile skill involves throwing a small fire device, followed by a giant missile landing on the device's location, causing massive AOE damage.

Hundred of Blossoms team members were stunned. How did the missile find them? How were they exposed?

Commentator Pan Lin was also baffled. "How did Excellent Era find Hundred Blossoms's position? Hundred Blossoms's movements were cautious, and they didn't appear in Excellent Era's line of sight or make any noise."

Li Yibo, frowning, recognised the tactic. In the fourth season, Zhang Xinjie used a similar strategy, baiting the enemy into specific movements and then launching a surprise attack.

"This is a bait-and-counter-ambush strategy," Li Yibo said. "Using a key player to bait the opponent into setting up a counter-strategy, then predicting their movements and launching an immediate offensive!"

Fans finally understood. Liu Hao wasn't mindlessly exposing himself but was smartly designing the entire setup.

(End of the chapter)

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