Chapter 327 - 309: Mu Qingye Is an Expert After All

Chapter 327: Chapter 309: Mu Qingye Is an Expert After All

After the first round of matches, the 228 advancing contestants would once again face off in pairs, following the same format, to determine the 114 players entering the third round.

The third round would continue with one-on-one matches, ultimately leaving 57 contestants to enter the fourth round.

The 57 contestants would then draw lots to be paired up for another round of matches, with the winners advancing to the fifth round.

One person would receive a bye, automatically advancing to the fifth round.

This would leave 29 participants for the fifth round.

These 29 people would be divided into ten groups by drawing lots. Nine groups would have three people each, and one group would have two.

Each group would then hold its own round-robin tournament, with the first-place winner from each group advancing.

This would result in a total of 10 advancing contestants.

These 10 people would be the top ten of the tournament, and all of them would receive a prize.

Then, these 10 contestants would compete according to a new set of rules to determine the champion and the final rankings.

Li You explained the tournament rules to everyone present.

All the contestants understood, and so did all the spectators.

A low murmur of discussion spread through the crowd. Everyone agreed that the rules were great—simple, clear, and promised plenty of excitement.

It made them all the more eager for the tournament to begin.

With that, it was time for the contestants to draw their numbers.

There were two sets of numbered cards, from 1 to 228. Two people who drew the same number would be opponents.

A circle on the card designated the Player 1 (1P) station, while no circle meant the Player 2 (2P) station.

The rules were simple and clear.

The drawing began.

All the contestants were excited and eager, but also a little nervous.

One by one, they drew their numbers.

"Number 8! I’m Number 8! Where’s the other Number 8? Hey, come on over, let’s meet! HAHAHA!"

"Number 56, calling Number 56! Where is the other Number 56?"

"I’ve got a circle. Looks like I’m Player 1. Nice! Hope my opponent isn’t too strong. HAHAHA!"

"..."

The venue was buzzing with activity. Every contestant who drew a number immediately started searching for their opponent.

They wanted to meet each other first.

It was also a great opportunity to make new friends.

And what about the female contestants, especially Mu Qingye? What numbers did they draw?

This was the question on the minds of every guy in the room, both contestants and spectators alike.

The first female contestant drew her number.

Number 123.

As soon as the number was announced, a guy with glasses in the crowd became ecstatic. "I’m Number 123, too! I’m Number 123! I’m Player 2, and the beauty is Player 1!"

All the male contestants around him shot him envious looks. ’This kid’s got some good luck!’

’This girl might not be on Mu Qingye’s level, but she’s still pretty. Playing against a beauty like her... just thinking about it is exciting.’

The guy with the glasses basked in the envious stares from the other male contestants, feeling utterly smug.

Then, both excited and a little nervous, he walked over to the girl.

’I have to seize this amazing opportunity and get to know her. Otherwise, I’d be wasting this incredible luck.’

The drawing continued.

It was Mu Qingye’s turn to draw. Every eye in the venue was fixed on her.

The male contestants who had already drawn their numbers but hadn’t found their opponents yet were filled with an unprecedented sense of hope.

They were all hoping Mu Qingye would draw their number.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire crowd, Mu Qingye calmly drew a number.

Number 23.

As soon as the number was announced, all the male contestants who had been filled with so much hope let out a collective, disappointed sigh.

Mu Qingye’s opponent wasn’t them.

So, who was the lucky guy?

Everyone waited to see which guy also had Number 23.

A girl smiled faintly and said, "That’s me. I’m Number 23, too."

’It’s another girl?’

’There are only about ten girls in total, and they end up matched against each other?’

The male contestants all shook their heads in disappointment. Not only did they miss the chance to be Mu Qingye’s opponent, but another female contestant was now off the table.

’What terrible luck.’

But, looking at it from another angle, at least this way they didn’t have to be jealous of some guy who got matched with Mu Qingye.

Because there wasn’t one.

’That’s not so bad, then.’

Soon, the first round of the drawing was over. All contestants had their numbers and had identified their opponents.

At 10 AM, the tournament officially began.

The four arcade machines were designated as Station One through Station Four.

Matches would be held simultaneously on all four stations.

The match order would follow the drawn numbers.

"Numbers 1 through 4, begin your matches."

To the sound of applause and excited cheers from the crowd, eight people stepped forward. They waved to everyone, clearly enjoying the feeling of being in the spotlight.

Then, they sat down at the arcade stations, a mix of excitement and nerves.

Soon, the matches began.

Ling Xiaoru, Chu Yiwei, Xia Xiaoyue, and Mu Qingye were each responsible for recording the match results at one of the arcade stations.

The four pairs of contestants began their matches.

The intensity of the battles varied from match to match.

At Station One, the skill gap between the two players was obvious. The Player 2 contestant easily won three rounds in a row, ending the match.

It took less than a minute.

The first contestant to advance to the second round had been decided. The venue erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.

The advancing contestant was thrilled, waving repeatedly to the crowd.

The eliminated contestant shook his head in resignation. ’Looks like my skills were only good enough to get knocked out in the first round after all.’

’But it was also bad luck, running into an expert like that.’

’If only I’d been Number 2...’

The contestant glanced at the two Number 2s, who were still in the middle of their match. Neither of them was very good. He was pretty sure he could have beaten either one.

’So yeah, luck is a huge factor.’

But either way, he was out. Now all he could do was watch everyone else play.

"Will the two Number 5 contestants please come to Station One for your match," Chu Yiwei announced.

The two Number 5 contestants were already prepared. At the announcement, they walked toward Station One, waving to the crowd as they went, ready to begin their match.

Just then, the match at Station Four also concluded. The second contestant to advance to the next round had been decided.

The crowd once again burst into applause and cheers.

The two players in this match were evenly matched, so the winner had advanced by the skin of his teeth.

The winner was relieved and ecstatic, while the loser was full of regret and frustration.

’A narrow loss like that is the most frustrating kind. Just a little more, just a tiny bit, and I would have been the one who won.’

But that’s just how it is. That’s competition for you.

And so, the tournament continued. Contestants were constantly advancing, and just as many were being eliminated.

Some advanced with ease, while others moved on through difficult, hard-fought victories.

However, an easy win didn’t necessarily mean a player was strong. And those who struggled to advance weren’t necessarily weaker than those who had a cakewalk.

It all depended on the skill of their opponents.

The matches on screen ranged from spectacular duels and complete blowouts to two unskilled players making one mistake after another.

There was a bit of everything.

But no matter what was happening, the crowd watched with rapt attention.

Gradually, the time for the first highly anticipated match arrived.

The two Number 23s stepped up for their match.

It was the match between Mu Qingye and the other female contestant.

Finally, it was the beautiful Mu Qingye’s turn to play.

Almost everyone in the venue had been waiting for this moment.

Including Li You.

Just how skilled was Mu Qingye, really? Li You had been incredibly curious.

And now, he was finally about to find out.

’The moment Mu Qingye makes her move, I’ll be able to get a good read on her skills, regardless of her opponent’s strength—even if she’s deliberately holding back.’

’When it comes to this game, you can tell if someone is genuinely unskilled or just pretending.’

Li You was filled with anticipation.

The rest of the crowd felt the same. And almost all of them were hoping for Mu Qingye to win.

Because they wanted to see her play more matches.

Watching such a beautiful woman compete was a thrill in itself.

Mu Qingye and her opponent nodded to each other before taking their seats at the arcade station.

Mu Qingye was at the Player 2 station, which put her at a slight disadvantage.

They began selecting their characters.

Mu Qingye picked Yagami, Shenle Qianhe, and Mary. Her opponent chose Red Pill, Da Men, and also Shenle Qianhe.

Soon, the first round began.

Mu Qingye’s starting character was Yagami, and her opponent’s was Shenle Qianhe.

Right from the start, Mu Qingye’s Yagami hit her opponent with a Scum Gale, ghost-stepped in, and launched into a full Triple Flower combo. The entire process was as smooth as flowing water, executed in one fluid motion.

Holy shit!

’She really is an expert.’

From that single sequence, Li You was certain: Mu Qingye was definitely an expert.

’That execution was just too slick. Even I couldn’t pull off something that flashy.’

’She’s better than me!’

Li You figured he probably wouldn’t stand a chance against her.

He’d never imagined Mu Qingye was actually an expert. Li You was stunned, and also strangely thrilled.

’For Mu Qingye’s skills to be this good, it must mean she loves this game and plays it a lot.’

’Or at least, she used to.’

A gorgeous woman who loved this game... for Li You, who loved it just as much, this was of course an exciting revelation.

Li You could tell Mu Qingye was an expert, and so could everyone else in the crowd.

This left everyone surprised, delighted, and incredibly excited.

A beautiful woman being an expert player was far, far more thrilling than seeing a male contestant with the same level of skill.

A female expert was rare enough, let alone one who was also stunningly beautiful.

This was, without a doubt, the biggest surprise of the tournament.

From that moment on, the tournament had found its main attraction: Just how far would Mu Qingye go?

Everyone was eager to find out. Including all the other contestants.

This was going to be good!

Mu Qingye’s battle with her opponent continued.

Her opponent wasn’t weak, either. In fact, she was better than many of the male contestants who had already played.

Including some of the guys who had already advanced.

But unfortunately for her, the skill gap between her and Mu Qingye was just too wide.

In the end, her opponent lost three straight rounds. The match was over. She hadn’t even gotten to see Mu Qingye’s second character.

Mu Qingye advanced with ease.

After advancing, Mu Qingye gave her opponent a small smile and said, "Sorry about that."

Her opponent shook her head. "It’s a tournament, don’t worry about it. You’re really strong. I’ll be cheering for you in your next matches."

"Thanks!" Mu Qingye replied.

At that moment, the entire venue erupted in excited cheers.

For the first time, the atmosphere in the venue was absolutely electric.

...