The battle loaded, revealing the map: Magic World.

It was a bit difficult to pin down exactly what kind of world the world of Glory was. There were firearms and cold weapons, there was magic, the Glory world truly encompassed too many things. So, in terms of maps, there was everything from magical dreamlands to a parking lot.

The map that Fang Rui chose was a strange, shifting little world crafted from magic, one of his preferred maps. Lin Jingyan would certainly know this, but Fang Rui wasn't deterred because of that. He was skilled at many maps, so even if Lin Jingyan told Tyranny everything, they wouldn't be able to guess which map Fang Rui would use for this match, and they couldn't specially prepare for every possible map. That was why choosing the map was such an advantage for the home team. Even if the opponent had some understanding of you, it would still be difficult to make any preparations.

The match began, and both characters began to move.

Song Qiying was a rookie that had never appeared onstage before. Aside from age and class, there was no information on him. Although he was only 17 years old, Fang Rui didn't dare underestimate him. After this season finished, Han Wenqing would have played for a full decade. If he still wasn't finished within two years, then some scientists should really take him apart for research.

Needless to say, Tyranny needed a new player to step up. And Song Qiying's age fit quite well. For now, he could play a few matches, gaining real experience and steadily growing up, and in two or three years he could play a big role.

Although Tyranny had made a mistake in the past, there was really no way of underestimating someone who was being raised to be a core player. After the battle opened, Fang Rui opted to lie low as he moved, strategically weaving this way and that as he moved.

On this map were countless magic lights and shadows which were unbreakable. If you touched some of them, you would take damage. Fang Rui knew the distribution of these magic lights like the back of his hand, but if a player was unfamiliar with them, then the battle would become extremely difficult.

In the three individual battles, Happy's map choices were all very distinctive. Su Mucheng chose a scenic map where the props could all be destroyed, Ye Xiu chose a simple and bare stadium map, and Fang Rui chose a magic map where nothing could be destroyed.

The carefully-moving Fang Rui neared the center of the map. He looked outwards, but he didn't find a trace of River Sunset.

Was he also strategically moving? Fang Rui found this unexpected. This was Han Wenqing's successor. Although every player had their own style, it was generally easier to transition if the successor had a similar style to the original. If possible, the team generally hoped that the familiar style of the core player could be passed down.

"Strategically moving? What a personality!" Unable to see his opponent, Fang Rui began his trash talk attack in the chat.

The message was sent, but the opponent didn't respond. The audience members exchanged looks with each other.

Because they knew, Song Qiying was not, in fact, using any strategic movements. He was heading straight toward the center of the map. He hadn't arrived yet only because his movement speed was a bit too slow.

Even with no opponent and no obstacles, Song Qiying had River Sunset move slowly, very slowly. The display screen showed Song Qiying's viewpoint, and everyone could see his camera constantly turning this way and that. But even if you were trying to defend against the opponent, you didn't need to start this early? It wasn't like the opponent could instantaneously teleport to any position on the map. For the two characters to meet, there was a minimum amount of time that would have to elapse first. But Song Qiying acted as though he were defending against something and continued to walk this slowly. After Fang Rui launched his trash talk attack, the crowd anticipated his response, but in the end, he didn't even acknowledge this message, like a stone facing the roaring ocean.

"What's up, too embarrassed to talk? The rookie's quite shy, this isn't like Team Tyranny's style at all!" Fang Rui continued.

"If there's no need, then a reply isn't necessary, it wastes time." Song Qiying suddenly sent this reply.

"Haha, then how come you just talked? Logically, your message wasn't necessary, a waste of time!" Fang Rui replied.

"No, this was my explanation of my position to you. After this, meaningless talk will be ignored as stated above," Song Qiying said.

"Oh really? Then what's considered meaningful talk?" Fang Rui asked.

No reply.

"How is this question not meaningful? If a discussion of what has meaning doesn't have meaning itself, that's just too ironic." Fang Rui was almost talking in tongue twisters, but still, no response.

"My friend, you're really quite resolute!" Fang Rui still didn't give up.

"You really won't say anything?" Fang Rui said.

"Looks like I'll have to think of a meaningful question, then!" Fang Rui said.

"Hm Did you eat dinner yet?"

The crowd was about to die of impatience. This Fang Rui was only focusing on the trash talk, but River Sunset was already very close to his position, approaching in a roundabout way. Fang Rui had wanted to strategically maneuver around his opponent, but he was the one about to be strategically maneuvered. And he was still trash talking. Spewing this nonsense without losing control, do you think you're Huang Shaotian or something?

Straight Punch!

River Sunset finally circled around to a position with which he was satisfied. While Fang Rui was happily trash talking, he suddenly unleashed a Straight Punch. River Sunset darted forward and was at Boundless Sea's side in an instant, a fist flashing out.

But Boundless Sea seemed as though he were long prepared for this. With a roll, he easily dodged this punch, and even typed another word in the chat: Haha.

This guy!

The crowd was speechless. So Fang Rui had detected River Sunset's movements early on, but he purposely didn't do anything. He continued to use trash talk to pretend that he was distracted, luring Sunset River to take the initiative to attack.

The Straight Punch missed. Song Qiying knew that Fang Rui had noticed him before. At this moment, when the attack was already started, even a normal player would probably continue to attack and see what they could accomplish. But Song Qiying, after this one attack missed, immediately jumped backwards twice. He didn't continue to attack, instead taking a defensive stance.

"What's this, my little friend is a bit of a scaredy-cat? I didn't scare you that much, did I?" Fang Rui continued to blab in the chat, but in his heart he was a bit alarmed. He knew that Song Qiying was about to ambush him, and so he had prepared to defend against it and launch a counterattack. Once the opponent's attack missed, he would seize that chance to attack. But in the end, this Song Qiying immediately retreated after missing that one attack, completely throwing off his plans.

Was this guy really that scared, or did he see through my intention? Fang Rui couldn't help but wonder. Their two characters couldn't just maintain this three body unit distance without moving, of course. When he saw the opponent retreating, Fang Rui finally decided to attack. Boundless Sea's fist swung forward with a low-level Qi Bullet. Attack and disrupt, and then follow through.

But River Sunset didn't dodge this Qi Bullet. He sunk his stance, lifted his chest, left hand protecting his front, right hand bracing his waist, and then after he completed this pose he didn't move, as though he were a statue. Boundless Sea had already prepared a follow up to the Qi Bullet, but he saw River Sunset just take the bullet and sink into this stance.

"Fuck!" Fang Rui suddenly realized what was about to happen and he hurriedly tried to adjust, but the right fist had already swung forward.

A seemingly very ordinary fist, but Fang Rui knew what was about to happen. The attack that Boundless Sea had been preparing was shattered by this one punch, instant proof of its power. And then the punch reached Boundless Sea's chest, and with a burst of power, Boundless Sea was sent flying.

Emperor's Fist!

A punch that looked very ordinary, but hid a vast amount of power.

"You little brat!" Fang Rui was normally the one taking advantage of people, but now he was the one made a fool of. He was rather upset, but could the opponent's attack really be considered taking advantage? It was an upfront and noble punch, was there an attack any more unembellished?

In the end, this unembellished attack became the single thing that broke through Fang Rui's complex plan of attack, with his distraction, interference, preparation, follow-through, and so on.

One strong can defeat ten clever.

Realizing this, Fang Rui calmed down. He needed to carefully deal with this opponent, study his every movement.

Striker River Sunset, Qi Master Boundless Sea, these two Fighters began to brawl.

In the end, Fang Rui's skill was a step higher and he smoothly killed River Sunset. But his Boundless Sea didn't have much health remaining either, only 14%.

When the match ended, Fang Rui let out a relieved sigh, feeling a bit stiflingly hot. This match had not been won easily.

After thinking over this match in the competitor booth for a moment, Fang Rui finally prepared to leave the stage, but then he inadvertently saw Song Qiying standing right at the center of the stage, looking at him.

What's he doing? Standing in the middle of the stage, is he posing for the cameras? Fang Rui was mystified and continued to walk offstage, but suddenly he saw Song Qiying quickly making his way over.

"He's looking for me?" Fang Rui continued to wonder, stopping his footsteps and waiting. Song Qiying came over, and extended his right hand.

Fang Rui hesitantly shook his hand, and heard him say, "Thank you Senior for your teachings."

"Mm." Fang Rui didn't say anything, feeling that Song Qiying must have something else to say.

But no, that was it. After he said this, Song Qiying turned around and headed back.

Fang Rui stared after him, dumbfounded. As it happened, the judge came by to check on the competitor booth, and so Fang Rui asked him, "What's up with this kid?"

"Hm?"

"What'd he run over here for?"

"Shaking hands and giving thanks, normal etiquette for a match," the judge said lightly.

Fang Rui blinked. Indeed, it was the traditional etiquette to shake hands before and after a match. But now everyone was much more casual. Typically, they would just shake hands before a match, and shake hands after a team match, and that was it. For the individual and group rounds, they would skip on this post-match handshake, but this kid still came over to shake hands with Fang Rui.

"Did I inspire him in this match or something?" Fang Rui pondered over whether he had done any deep, significant thing in this battle. When he returned to the player area, he immediately complained to Ye Xiu. "This kid, he's nothing at all like Han Wenqing."

"Yeah," Ye Xiu nodded. "He's more like Zhang Xinjie."