Chapter 16

In front of the open audition venue, there were portable battle devices. Each machine was about the size of an arcade game, and players only needed to connect their helmets to the machine to enjoy the thrill of battle.

Although these machines looked simple, their actual operation was very complex.

These machines could almost eliminate lag in the game, while also constructing virtual worlds within the game. They also had a basic anti-cheating system.

In the early years of the e-sports tournament, the players generally used officially provided virtual helmets. However, the official helmets somewhat limited the players' performance, leading to unfair situations. Therefore, in later competitions, players were allowed to use their own virtual helmets. Of course, in return, they had to prevent players from cheating with their helmets.

The group from Dragon Tomb followed the participating teams and entered the venue.

Once inside, everyone began to look for their positions.

"Zhang Taihao, we support you!"

"Go, Zhang Taihao!"

As soon as they entered the venue, Zhou Xian was blinded by two banners he saw from a distance.

"What's going on?" Zhou Xian poked Xu Tianyun.

"It's Old Zhang's fan club," Xu Tianyun said helplessly. "There were some yesterday, but you were busy being a hero, so you didn't see them."

Zhou Xian couldn't help but turn his head to look at Zhang Taihao.

Zhang Taihao, known as Dragon Tomb's top fighter (according to Xu Tianyun), had a fierce and visually stunning berserker style. Of course, more importantly, Zhang Taihao was handsome and very cool.

However, Zhang Taihao was a pure dueling enthusiast. If a girl appeared in front of him, the first thing he thought of wasn't a romantic relationship, but a duel...

After entering Zhongzhou Academy, Zhang Taihao had already defeated several schools—yes, using the term "schools" to describe what Zhang Taihao had done wasn't an exaggeration.

Zhang Taihao's intense fighting spirit, in the eyes of Dragon Tomb's president Xu Tianyun, made him worthy of being called the "top fighter" or even the "golden fighter."

"Tsk, this is even more intense than the first day..." Tao Shan looked at the situation and sighed.

"Of course, yesterday we eliminated a batch of incompetent players. From today on, the competition will get harder, no doubt about it," Lai Yiming coldly observed the surrounding players. The unusual situation in this competition made Lai Yiming realize that things might be serious.

"It's just a game, how did it turn into this?" Tao Shan, hearing Lai Yiming's words, also felt the somber atmosphere in Dragon Tomb.

In Tao Shan's view, the High School Cup should be an exciting and intense competition where they would pour their passion and win the championship. But now, a conspiracy loomed over Dragon Tomb.

"Zhou Xian, you're here!"

At that moment, Senior Huang Yingyue smiled and greeted the Dragon Tomb group, then walked over.

"Senior!"

Xu Tianyun and the others also greeted Huang Yingyue.

"Senior, it seems the Ever-Victorious Club isn't doing well?" Zhou Xian looked at the Ever-Victorious Club members, who had gloomy faces, clearly in a bad mood.

Huang Yingyue, the captain of the Ever-Victorious Club's vice team, was strong and had once guided Dragon Tomb's battles as a senior, so the relationship between Dragon Tomb and her was quite good.

Zhou Xian noticed that the Ever-Victorious Club's participants were either frowning or glaring angrily at the e-sports club members.

Huang Yingyue smiled bitterly after hearing Zhou Xian's words: "That's right. Yesterday, the president was in a car accident, and it was intentional. Now, everyone in the Ever-Victorious Club suspects that the e-sports club is behind it."

"Sure enough."

It was as if someone was deliberately stirring up trouble.

Wait—

Deliberately stirring up trouble...?!

Suddenly, Zhou Xian's previously chaotic thoughts were all cleared up!

Yes, if the goal of Li Zheng—or the mastermind—was to "deliberately stir up trouble," then the problems they faced could all be reasonably explained!

"Sorry, Senior, we haven't finished our tactical arrangements yet. Can we talk after the match?"

Hearing Zhou Xian's words, Xu Tianyun looked at him in confusion. But seeing Zhou Xian's serious expression, Xu Tianyun immediately added, "Yes, we haven't arranged the tactics for the upcoming match yet. We're about to discuss it."

Hearing the two of them, Huang Yingyue shook her head: "Really, you're too careless. You should have taken care of this before coming—never mind, I'll go first. You guys hurry up and get things sorted out, so you don't panic during the match."

Seeing Huang Yingyue turn and leave, Xu Tianyun turned to Zhou Xian: "Old Zhou, what are you planning to say? Why did you suddenly want to separate Senior Huang Yingyue?"

"About the person who hacked my and Zhang Taihao's phones, incited Lu Zhong, and injured the Ever-Victorious Club's vice president... I think I know his purpose."

Xu Tianyun was surprised: "Old Zhou, you know his purpose?!"

On the other side, Lai Yiming noticed another detail: "Zhou Xian, your phone was also hacked?"

Zhou Xian nodded: "Yes. And I strongly suspect that this person's purpose might be to simply stir up trouble."

"Deliberately—" Zhang Taihao pushed his glasses, seemingly deep in thought.

"Are you kidding, Old Zhou? Why would that person do such a thing? Isn't the culprit the Sky Swallowing Club?" Xu Tianyun looked in the direction of the Sky Swallowing Club, but they were on the other side of the venue, and from Dragon Tomb's perspective, they couldn't see clearly.

But at that moment, Lai Yiming seemed to have a sudden realization: "Yes, if their goal is just to stir up emotions among the students, to disrupt the school's atmosphere, and even to create conflicts and even bloodshed among the students, then the previous incidents make sense!"

"But Old Xu said it doesn't make sense!" Tao Shan was also puzzled: "It's not like these people are cult members, collecting students' negative energy to summon an evil god... Come on, this is the real world, not a game!"

Tao Shan's words made sense.

Zhou Xian also smiled wryly: "Yes, that's the hardest part. We know their goal, but we don't know their motive."

"..."

Indeed, the Dragon Tomb members probably had no good ideas. Tao Shan's complaint seemed... well, quite reasonable.

"Could they really be cult members?" Tao Shan looked at everyone.

"..."

Dragon Tomb fell silent.

"Attention all participants, the match will begin in ten minutes." At that moment, the venue's loudspeaker suddenly sounded.

The match was about to start.

"Let's do it this way—" Zhou Xian suddenly said: "I'll take the lead in the upcoming matches."

"Old Zhou? What are you doing?" Xu Tianyun didn't understand.

"You're planning to take the risk yourself, right?" Lai Yiming said, guessing Zhou Xian's intention.

Zhou Xian nodded: "Yes, because I noticed that their targets are all players with high competitive skills. And more incidents might happen after this."

In fact, Zhou Xian also understood what would happen after this.

The top ten clubs would all experience "incidents," and Dragon Tomb would be forced to withdraw from the competition at the 32-strong stage.

"Old Zhang, can I take your place?" Zhou Xian turned to Zhang Taihao, who had been silent.

"Without an opponent, the match is meaningless. I just want to fight more people."

Hearing Zhang Taihao's words, Zhou Xian nodded.

"Please take your positions, the match will start in five minutes."

Hearing this, Zhou Xian and the Dragon Tomb team returned to their competition area.

In the open auditions, the top ten seed clubs would not participate. Only the vice teams and branch teams would enter this battlefield. Their main teams would directly enter the 32-strong stage. This is why they were called "seed clubs."

Of course, there were occasional dark horses, but this was more common in the university cup, and less so in the high school cup.

So the team facing Zhou Xian was a new team that had just appeared this year.

"This kid is actually using an antique from eight years ago..."

The five people on the opposite side saw that Zhou Xian was using an antique helmet with a mechanical keyboard, and their faces showed a strange expression.

"Tsk, it's an antique, but thinking back, it was really nostalgic. When I was in elementary school, I always hoped my dad would buy me a helmet like this..."

"Be careful, don't be careless! The opponent is definitely pretending to be weak to make us let our guard down. We can't be careless!"

"Right, whether the opponent is the Wuma Lord or the Rainbow Devil, we must be cautious!"

Hearing the conversation from the opposite side, Zhou Xian felt a bit speechless. He put on his helmet and connected to the game. Zhou Xian's consciousness quickly entered the virtual world, and on the screen in front of them, Zhou Xian's all-rounder Taoist appeared.

"Let me take the lead!"

At that moment, the main player on the opposite side also put on his helmet and entered the game. This person was a berserker, facing Zhou Xian from a distance.

The scene used in the open auditions had no map, only an open battle space. The changes in terrain and scenery would only appear in the 32-strong stage.

"Please get ready, the match is about to start..."

The match announcement sounded again in the venue.