Chapter 276: We Can Definitely Win!

The weather in late May was clear and beautiful. Apart from the heavy rain two days ago that disrupted people’s travel plans, almost every day was perfect for outings.

However, this good weather had nothing to do with Fang Zhou.

He was busy live streaming in the mornings and spent the afternoons and evenings at the base, training with his team members. He hardly ever went out for a walk.

Fang Zhou himself wasn’t competing. Although he was skilled, his age meant his hand speed and reaction time couldn’t match those of the younger guys in their late teens.

But he excelled in experience and strategy-making, contributing significantly during the training sessions.

Day after day, they finally arrived at the day of the provincial competition.

Out of the eight teams that made it through the preliminary rounds, only one would advance to the national competition, making the competition extremely fierce.

The competition followed a traditional battle royale format, with eight teams totaling 32 players. Points were awarded for each enemy player killed.

There were three rounds in total. The team with the highest points and the most survivors at the end of the three rounds would earn the spot in the national competition.

The venue was buzzing with excitement. Countless spectators eagerly awaited, cheering for their favorite teams.

Rows of glow sticks and support signs waved like a sea of stars, providing endless energy.

Fang Zhou was among them, his seat higher up, giving him a clear view of the entire field.

“Brother, what are you looking at so intently?”

Fang Wenjing had also been brought out to enjoy the rare excitement.

The little girl rarely attended such grand events, and her lively spirit was instantly ignited. Seeing her brother observing something, she became very curious.

“I’m looking for our team’s supporters, but I don’t seem to see many.”

Fang Zhou retracted his gaze, feeling a bit disappointed.

Although his team had been newly formed and had never participated in the “Autumn Sacrifice Cup” before, they had easily made it through the preliminary rounds.

Even if they weren’t well-known, they should have attracted some fans, right?

Why did it seem like there were hardly any people with their team’s light-up signs in this vast sea of people?

Except for the big banner he and his sister were holding, there weren’t many obvious supporters.

Fang Wenjing’s attitude was much better than her brother’s. She waved her light-up sign and said with a smile, “It’s okay! You’ve got me! I’m your biggest fan!”

The bright smile on her face showed her enthusiasm as she cheered passionately for their team as soon as they appeared, fulfilling her role as the ‘biggest fan.’

This lively version of his sister was completely different from the one confined to a hospital bed, making Fang Zhou feel that bringing her out was the right decision.

A flower nurtured indoors for too long also needs to see the sun.

Fang Zhou adjusted his mindset, realizing he was being too narrow-minded. Regardless of the support, they still had to compete.

He chuckled, refocusing on the big screen where Su Yang’s team was making their entrance.

Four young men stood on the stage, looking a bit nervous since it was their first time in such a large live competition.

In stark contrast, their opponents were relaxed, chatting and laughing like seasoned veterans.

Fang Zhou had done his research and knew that any team making it to the provincial competition was formidable. He had analyzed data on these teams and developed strategies.

He sincerely hoped that his team would be the one to make it to the end today.

However, as if fate was toying with them, they faced a setback in the first match. Due to a team member’s mistake, they lost the match quickly, getting wiped out.

Fang Zhou’s heart sank. If they lost another match, they would be eliminated.

Even Fang Wenjing, who rarely watched competitions, began to worry.

“Brother, can they win?”

The little girl furrowed her brows, looking like an old lady fretting endlessly, which amused Fang Zhou.

He patted his sister’s head, reassuring her, “Don’t worry, we have to believe in them. They can definitely do it.”

Having 100% trust in his team members was the first principle Fang Zhou taught them. Even though the situation was tense, if he didn’t believe in his team, how could they win?

After the first match, Su Yang and Li Siming urgently devised new tactics during the break, seriously instructing everyone.

“We can’t afford to lose this round, or the boss won’t pay us.”

The four team members instantly became tense, exclaiming, “No way, Brother Jie!”

“We’ll work hard! We won’t let the boss down!”

“Salary is my life! That was just an accident; I swear it won’t happen again!”

Perhaps the threat of withheld pay was too effective, or maybe the team truly resolved to fight to the end, but the second match went incredibly smoothly.

In the big screen’s overlooked corner, the ‘Wind Breakers’ team’s score was climbing rapidly.

They quietly ascended to first place, surprising and thrilling the audience.

“Holy crap! What is this dark horse team? Never seen them before!”

“Weren’t you guys just unknown? How did you suddenly get to first place?”

“They won! Everyone survived! So exciting!”

As the second match ended, Fang Zhou’s heart finally settled, and his smile grew wider and more infectious.

“Bro! They’re amazing! Aaaaah!”

Fang Wenjing cheered, slapping her brother’s back and almost jumping with excitement.

The feeling of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat was exhilarating, even for girls who loved roller coasters!

Fang Zhou laughed heartily, baring his teeth in pride, “I told you to believe in them!”

He had personally trained this team, selecting each member carefully. They were no less skilled than any other team.

More importantly, they had great synergy, comparable to teams who had played together for years. They wouldn’t lose unless they underperformed.

In his field of expertise, Fang Zhou had absolute confidence.

Not far behind Fang Zhou, a woman in a light yellow sun jacket lowered her hat brim and pretended to take photos of the big screen, actually capturing images of Fang Zhou.

*Click.*

The sound of the camera was insignificant in the bustling venue but captured an everlasting moment of Fang Zhou’s smiling profile.

The noisy arena was filled with cheers and shouts, celebrating the match.

Fang Zhou was happy but didn’t relax. After all, there was still the third match, and it was too early to draw conclusions.

He took out his phone to message his teammates, cheering them on.

Yiye Fangzhou: Good luck, guys. After this match, we’ll have a seafood feast!

In the resting room, Li Siming relayed the message to the team, smiling, “See? Brother Zhou has spoken. We must give it our all!”

The team responded in unison, “Got it! We’ll win this match!”

The third match began soon. Unlike the light-hearted atmosphere of the previous two matches, the tension was palpable.

The audience’s cheers were subdued as they focused on the big screen.

The broadcast director cleverly switched to shots of handsome men and beautiful women in the audience, capturing their tense expressions and amusing everyone.

Coincidentally, Fang Zhou and Fang Wenjing were selected, and when their faces appeared on the big screen, the audience exclaimed, “Wow!”

Not for any reason other than their exquisite looks and outstanding demeanor.

Fang Zhou and his sister waved to the audience, leaving a deep impression with their natural charm.

Fans watching the live stream quickly recognized Fang Zhou and excitedly commented.

“Wow! Isn’t that Fang Zhou? Why is he at the competition?”

“Well, this is his game, so it makes sense.”

“Honestly, I was hoping he’d compete. It’s a pity he didn’t have the chance; he could’ve been a rising star in esports.”

“His sister is so pretty, her smile is melting my heart!”

The interlude soon passed, and the broadcast director switched back to the game.

The audience watched as the ‘Wind Breakers’ team’s score steadily climbed, consistently leading even with the second-place team close behind.

The competition reached its climax with three minutes remaining to decide the winner.

Fang Zhou’s heart raced as he silently prayed for his teammates: Please, let this be their success, a chance to prove themselves!

To his delight, his team didn’t disappoint, maintaining their lead until the final second of the countdown.

The ‘Wind Breakers’ score remained at the top, meaning they had won the night’s competition.

“We did it! Brother, they did it!”

Fang Wenjing excitedly hugged Fang Zhou’s arm, pointing at the scoreboard and cheering.

Tears glistened in her eyes, showing how much she understood her brother’s efforts.

Fang Zhou had once aspired to excel in esports, to shine as a star.

But due to various circumstances, he had to stop.

This success of his studio’s team was no less than his own personal victory.

Fang Zhou was thrilled, eager to hug his team members.

They had truly done it!

The intense training over the past month had paid off.

The national competition was a dream for many but often unattainable.

The ‘Autumn Sacrifice Cup’ had seen countless champions and outstanding players, witnessing numerous exciting moments.

Even if they didn’t win the championship, earning a spot in the competition proved their efforts were worthwhile.

They were already better than many.

Fang Zhou waved his light-up sign enthusiastically, shouting the team’s name.

‘Wind Breakers!’

He had named the team, hoping they would break through all barriers and win the national championship!

Behind him, Han Xi was silently watching and was also infected by their joy, a smile unconsciously forming on her lips.

Her assistant, waving a glow stick and cheering for the winning team, noticed the unexpectedly gentle and pleasant expression on her boss’s face.

Feeling mischievous, the assistant joked, “President Han, no wonder you invested in esports. You foresaw this team’s strength. You’re truly far-sighted!”

A small advertisement for their company brand at the national competition could be seen by countless viewers.

Especially since many women watched these matches.

It would greatly benefit their company, more effective than spending millions on advertising!

The assistant looked at Han Xi with admiration, thinking, No wonder she’s the president, so clever!

Han Xi lightly nodded, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

She hadn’t thought that far at the time.

She simply felt that if Fang Zhou wanted to build a studio, she would help him make it the best.

She offered 5 million as an incentive, knowing no one could resist.

Now, the results were promising, and Fang Zhou seemed very happy.

Feeling satisfied, Han Xi got up and headed to the VIP room.

Fang Zhou and Fang Wenjing went to the resting room to join their teammates.

After congratulating each other, Li Siming excitedly said, “The boss said we did great tonight and wants to talk to us!”

“Let’s go, the boss is in the VIP room. Let’s see her.”

Su Yang patted Fang Zhou’s shoulder, leading him outside.

“Everyone’s curious about who this boss is, investing so much in a relatively unknown team.

But he has a good eye. We are now a dark horse.

Tomorrow, reports about our team will be all over the internet and platforms.”

Su Yang said cheerfully, feeling a strong sense of achievement as the head coach.

Fang Zhou laughed heartily, also curious about who this mysterious boss was.