Chapter 139

Chapter 139 – Pre-season Meeting (2)

Chairman Nan Jiangang didn’t like to speak very much, especially official words. Thus, every time there was a meeting to open the Miracle League, he would speak particularly simple and concise words.

This time was the same. He first read the changes to the system before letting his assistant put the details on the big screen.

“The first division’s regular season has more changes compared to the second division. The second division doesn’t divided between home and away games for Team A and B.  The first division will have one match played at home and one match on the road. It is a practice in previous years to go to the city where the home team is located.”

“Unlike previous years, the home team has the right to freely choose the maps and the mode.”

“It is the so-called right to choose. In other words, every match in the first division will have three games. The three games can all be the arena or they can all be the team battle. The rules of the team battle will be the same. The home team can specifically choose if the mode will be the arena or team battle.”

The venue fell silent as it seemed that many people couldn’t respond to this ‘free choice’.

Nan Jiangang said, “You can ask questions if you don’t understand anything.”

Cheng Wei, vice-captain of Time, immediately raised his hand and asked, “Chairman, what does free choice mean?”

Nan Jiangang explained, “In other words, the form of the three games can be freely chosen between either the arena or team battle.”

Cheng Wei was stunned. “Isn’t this unfair? For example, the Canglan team is strong in the arena. If they keep choosing the arena and don’t choose the team battle, how will the other teams face them?”

Nan Jiangang said with a smile, “The home side can freely choose but it will be different for the away matches. If today was the Time team’s home match against Canglan, then you can choose the team battle that the Time team is confident in for all three games.” Nan Jiangang paused before continuing his explanation, “Every team has advantages and disadvantages. This will be exchanged for the home and away matches, making it very balanced overall.”

“Oh, I get it. The home match you can select the advantages but you will be targeted during the away matches. This is similar to the map selection!” Cheng Wei finally realized what was going on. He scratched his head and sat down.

Zhang Shaohui, the vice-captain Ghost Spirits, immediately raised his hand and asked, “Is the right of free choice for all three games? For example, when we are at home, I can choose one team battle and two arena games, or two team battles and one arena game? The order is also decided by us?”

“Yes.” Nan Jiangang said, “This change is also in line with the World Competition. The free selection will actually test the ability of competitors to adapt on the spot.”

The group finally understood the meaning of the game system change.

In other words, when playing at home, they could choose both the map and game mode beneficial to them. If a team was very strong in the arena, they could continuously choose to play the arena, giving them the advantage.

Of course, the captains weren’t likely to select the advantageous mode for all matches in the regular season. Otherwise, the weaker players wouldn’t get any exercise and the team was sure to be eliminated in the playoffs.

A team had to get good results while continuously developing. There must be no obvious shortcomings. The right to freely choose meant that in addition to being able to score points in key moments, the captain could conveniently train the team in their weaker aspects.

Chairman Nan Jiangang went on to say, “The playoffs are still a five game, three win system. Like the previous promotion match, the order will be Team A, team B, team A and Team B. If the four rounds are a tie, the decisive game will be a team battle on a randomly selected map.”

The main changes to the first division were to the home and away games of the regular season which gave captains more freedom.

After reading the rules, Nan Jiangang had his assistant place the player data of the eight teams on the big screen.

Most of the player data had been compiled by Wu Zewen from the sixth season. However, today Li Cangyu found that many teams had changed in the seventh season. Some old player retired and newcomers were added to supplement them. There were many names Li Cangyu didn’t know.

The biggest change should be the Cheetah team. The captain was Jiang Xu while the vice-captain was replaced by Chen Anran.

Li Cangyu wasn’t familiar with Cheetah’s captain, Jiang Xu but he had least heard this name. Jiang Xu was currently the strongest elf hunter in the Miracle League. Li Cangyu was a bit surprised at Cheetah’s vice-captain becoming Chen Anran.

Ling Xuefeng saw his doubts and whispered an explanation, “The former vice-captain of Cheetah retired so Chen Anran took over as vice-captain. He is the same age as Qin Mo. Do you remember the terran hunter who won the rookie award last season?”

Li Cangyu suddenly realized. “I remember, he is the 16 year old hunter. Isn’t he too young?”

“Yes, he is only 17 this year.” Ling Xuefeng said, “Jiang Xu making him captain means he is very sure of this young teenager’s talent. The gameplay of a terran hunter is special. You will know after you face him in a match.”

Li Cangyu nodded.

Next, the schedule of the seventh season appeared on the big screen while the printed version was distributed to the captains and reporters.

***

The pre-season meeting ended in half an hour. Next was the interview time for the major teams. Most reporters asked about the preparations of the players, their views on the new system, etc. At 5:30, Chairman Nan Jiangang called everyone to dinner.

The dinner was booked at the banquet hall on the third floor of the hotel. The media reporters filled the hall while the professional players had a quiet private room arranged. The captains and vice-captains of the eight teams sat at two tables.

Wind Colour’s Ling Xuefeng and Yan Ruiwen, Flying Feathers’ Su Guangmo and Yu Pingsheng, Time’s Tan Shitian and Cheng Wei and Canglan’s Li Cangyu and Bai Xuan sat at one table.

Next to them was Ghost Spirits’ Lou Wushuang and Zhang Shaohui, Pure Cleansing’s Chu Yan and Zhu Qingyue, Red Fox’s Liu Xiang and Yang Muzi and Cheetah’s Jiang Xu and Chen Anran.

Li Cangyu had contact with the other teams at the first World Carnival. He was just unfamiliar with the Cheetah team and wanted to say hello. The result was that Jiang Xu brought Chen Anran over with a smile. “Cat God, Vice-captain Bai, it is nice to meet you for the first time.”

Li Cangyu and Bai Xuan stood up and shook hands with him. “Captain Jiang is well.”

Jiang Xu continued, “This is Cheetah’s new vice-captain, Chen Anran. Xiao Chen, say hello to your seniors.”

“Yes.” Chen Anran raised a glass of orange juice and toasted the people at the table. “Captain Ling, Captain Su, Captain Tan and Captain Li, I hope you’re well.”

Li Cangyu was called Captain Li for the first time. He was unaccustomed to it and couldn’t help correcting him, “You can call me Captain Cat.”

“What?” Chen Anran stared at him. His expression made Li Cangyu laugh.

This guy was really young. He was small and his round face looked very tender. If he wore a school uniform then people would think he was a middle school student.

The gameplay of a terran hunter, Li Cangyu should have Zhuo Hang study it well.

Li Cangyu smiled and clinked glasses with him before sitting down, not wanting to embarrass him anymore.

Once Jiang Xu and Chen Anran finished, the waiter started to serve the dishes. There was a plate of braised fish on the table. Li Cangyu hadn’t done anything when Ling Xuefeng consciously transferred the plate of fish to him.

Li Cangyu smiled at Ling Xuefeng before placing a large chunk of the fish into his bowl to eat.

Everyone, “…”

They had long heard that Cat God loved to eat fish but this was the real thing!

Everyone seemed to want to confirm whether he could eat a whole fish or not and stared at him.

Li Cangyu looked puzzled. “Aren’t you eating?”

Cheng Wei cried out, “Cat God, I will watch you eat. If I can see you eat, I will become full!”

Everyone, “…”

The power of the brainless fan was really terrible!

Su Guangmo stated, “Cat God is a cat. This fish belongs to Cat God. What do people think?”

Tan Shitian smiled and wondered, “If we give this fish to Cat God to eat, will he show mercy in the game?”

Yan Ruiwen echoed it. “How about Cat God give us one pet?”

Su Guangmo shook his head. “How can one pet be enough? He should let us kill two, the water spirit and fire spirit!”

Zhang Shaohui interjected from the next table, “What if we give the fish at our table to Cat God? Then will you give us your thunder spirit?”

Cheng Wei couldn’t help saying, “Don’t you have any shame? How can Cat God fight us without any of his pets?”

Su Guangmo smiled. “There is still the wind spirit. He can use a gust of wind to blow us away.”

The group were chatting when Yu Pingsheng suddenly grabbed Su Guangmo’s arm and whispered, “The fish is going to be finished.”

Su Guangmo turned and saw that the plate in front of Li Cangyu was empty.

Everyone, “…”

Cat God was so fast!

Everyone was just discussing the matter of him sacrificing a few pets when he ate the fish, leaving only the complete fishbone.

Li Cangyu ate the fish and wiped his mouth in a satisfied manner. “Isn’t a few pets okay? No problem. I will make the fire, water and thunder spirits hide behind trees so that you can’t see them.”

Everyone, “…”

Wasn’t this digging a deeper hole?

Li Cangyu couldn’t help smiling as he saw everyone’s expressions.

Many years ago, many people didn’t like to eat fish when there were dinner gatherings. He would grab the fish to eat and the others took the opportunity to bargain with him.

Nowadays, many players had retired and the rookies became the pillars of the Miracle League teams. However, there were still many customs that had been passed down.

For example, the warm atmosphere when everyone ate together. There were no malicious jokes between the competitors.

Apart from on the field, there were no grudges or knots between them in real life. They could actually become good friends.

Ling Xuefeng was right. The Miracle League was his real home.

He had been away from Miracle for three years and always missed his friends here. Now he was finally back.

With so many familiar friends and opponents present, Li Cangyu was full of expectations towards the upcoming seventh season.