Superstars of Tomorrow

Panda Novel

This special guest match was filled with the unexpected, yet it was also a pleasant surprise for everyone.

The first ten minutes had been a leisurely facade. Once those ten minutes had passed, the scene turned on its head into a thriller.

The members of team 9 were being eliminated every 30 seconds and were greatly affected.

Having no control made them panic.

Furthermore, the BOSS of this match could always conceal itself each time after quickly disposing of a player. Even if team 9 members could catch a glimpse of its shadow, they were unable to pursue. And even if they were tracking the BOSS, they might find themselves eliminated when the time was up.

“This style… this…”

Schwarzer was so excited his voice was shaking. He immediately went into his Global Esport Elites chat group and sent a celebratory fireworks emoticon.

This immediately made the previously quiet chat group burst to life. People sent messages one after the other, especially those eight who had once been tricked by Jinro into a match against Fang Zhao.

“This ‘I will let you run at the start before mercilessly slaughtering you after you are done running’ style! It’s definitely Fang Zhao!”

“Didn’t that lowlife Jinro slink off after instigating us to fight Fang Zhao last time? Coward!”

“Indeed! It was him!”

“Hahahahaha, karma will get you! Have your just desserts, Jinro!”

“Light a candle for Old Jin.”

“No candles here, let me set off a few celebratory fireworks!”

“Wait, are you all forgetting that you all have fellow teammates participating in this match too?”

The few who were happily setting off virtual fireworks: “…”

After a momentary lull, the group chat started to explode with fireworks once again.

While the elite chat group was buzzing, the live audience watching the special guest match had also received some information regarding this.

“My classmate’s neighbor’s cousin’s niece says that this BOSS is Fang Zhao!”

“From an entertainment reporter I follow, a certain gaming god said that this BOSS is Fang Zhao!”

All sorts of forwards, screenshots and shares very quickly let more and more people know that the BOSS of this match was Fang Zhao!

Wasn’t it said that he wouldn’t come?!!

However, entertainment reporters seemed to have forgotten all about the “Fang Zhao won’t be coming” news from the past few days. They retracted their words. Choosing to “forget” and be thick-skinned were required skills.

“Just as I forecast, he has really come.” A certain entertainment reporter who previously had posted “Fang Zhao cannot come” changed his tune.

“He is the stuff of legends after all. It’s as if the point-sweeping demon from the top of the individual leaderboards so long ago is back,” a certain entertainment reporter who had vilified Fang Zhao the previous month posted.

Yanzhou reporters immediately showered Fang Zhao with a whole wave of flattery. At this time, the continent was united as one. Naturally, their own experts would stomp the players from other continents.

“See that? Yeah, that BOSS slaughters in an extremely cool fashion. That is our Yanzhou’s star!”

Any hopes for entertainment reporters’ moral principles had long been shattered.

At this moment, inside team 9’s internal chat.

Jinro: “I suspect our boss has come.”

Other members of team 9: “???”

Jinro: “The one I am afraid of.”

The others could guess that it was Fang Zhao. They could also guess as much even though they didn’t know Fang Zhao as well as Jinro. If Jinro couldn’t surmise that, then his captain position might as well be swapped.

Jinro gritted his teeth. “The reporters lied!”

He had been really too naive to actually believe the reports of those entertainment reporters! Indeed, if the reports of paparazzi were to be believed, then even pigs could fly!

If it was really Fang Zhao, it would mean that whatever plans he had made yesterday wouldn’t be of any use at all.

Jinro was in a total panic.

The remaining members in the team had realized the pattern in the eliminations of their teammates. It was reasonable to say that players who were invited to the All-star Match all had outstanding ability. However, here they were dwindling at a fixed rate. It was as if they had encountered an unknown and powerful force. Everyone could only trudge about, unable to stop it.

When the team members understood all this, they started to search for ways and methods to escape. After all, surviving was winning. But when they realized what they were doing, all of them felt that this was inconceivable.

Thinking about escaping rather than meeting the enemy head on?

They had clearly told themselves that regardless of the opponent, circumstances, or type of match, they would meet the challenge head on.

On the special guest match’s public channel.

Huangzhou’s Phoenix-Bruce: “Fang Zhao?”

The large screen in the competition arena had finally switched. The audience saw Fang Zhao’s in-game character with the two scars across his face.

Fang Zhao was using his own account at the All-star Match.

Many people still kept tabs on [AliveAfter500Years] despite him being gone for so long. However, they hadn’t received any notifications when Fang Zhao went online!

Right, the All-star Match and Battle of the Century had separate servers. Other Esports stars didn’t show as online either.

But it was still very shocking!

Shrieks broke out in the competition arena all of a sudden. These weren’t from shock, but rather from the pleasant surprise.

There were even esports fans who were crying tears of joy. “My Zhao God has finally chosen Esports! Esports is this true love indeed!”

When the scene changed, everyone saw the slight smile on Fang Zhao’s character.

The smile faded very quickly. As his figure raced through the forest like a monster, the audience was unable to keep up.

In team 9, although some had become unsettled, there were also some who were excited.

“Bruce, are you saying the BOSS is Fang Zhao?”

A player from Rongzhou laughed heartily. “Hahaha, I never imagined I would really get the chance to meet in game! I have no need for hiding and biding my time!”

As a Rongzhou citizen, one needed to face challenges head on!

“Fang Zhao——”

“Come out! Let me see how much patience you have!”

He had just said it when a bullet pierced his skull, sending him offline right away.

The half a minute interval was up. It was so precise that it made one’s blood run cold.

Furthermore, this Rongzhou gamer had four team mates nearby! And not a single one had sensed anyone nearby!

The Rongzhou gamer who had been eliminated with a shot to the head was in his seat facing the “You have been eliminated” notification in a daze. Before he had been killed in-game, he had seen a flicker of a shadow in the shrubbery nearby. It was too fast, so fast that he simply didn’t have time to react before being sent offline.

He had also encountered many experts in game. These experts either moved quickly or had accurate marksmanship. However, until now, only Fang Zhao could evade every single pursuit, move with such speed and do a one shot one kill every time.

“Is… is this a cheat?”

It was really difficult to accept.

He wasn’t the only one. A large portion of the audience was also skeptical.

“Is this the true survival mode? Did Fiery Bird raise the BOSS’s speed and marksmanship to make it easier for the BOSS to exterminate the entire team?”

“Isn’t Fang Zhao nicknamed ‘Godly Ears’?”

“That ear of his can even hear in-game?”

“Regarding his mobility and speed, I heard that Fang Zhao experienced actual combat when he was undergoing military service. His natural physical ability is not bad.”

“But it also wouldn’t be this ridiculous!”

“Cheating! Definitely cheating!”

“Reported!”

“I am puzzled. Why did he choose to become an artist? Are games not interesting enough for him?!”

Fiery Bird was used to the doubts and skepticism from gamers and fans. Thus, they responded calmly: Fiery Bird doesn’t allow cheating software nor permit anyone to cheat!

In this match, when the member equipped with the stealth cloak was kicked offline, Schwarzer clutched his chest and sympathized. “Ahh… this really brings back the horrors.”

While watching his team 9 members disconnecting in succession, Jinro lamented, “I haven’t seen this despairing tempo for a long time.”

Many people were waiting for Jinro to be eliminated, especially those eight who had previously been conned by Jinro. They had even started to record their live streams, competing to be the first to share screenshots of Jinro being eliminated in the group chat!

After a while, team 9 only had three members remaining.

Of the 20 who had started the match, Jinro, Bruce and Black Sis were the only ones remaining.

Bruce: “What do we do?”

Black Sis: Although I am hidden, I think that he caught a glimpse of me just now.”

Bruce: “There’s still 17 seconds.”

Jinro: “Do you guys wish to win?”

Bruce: “That goes without saying!”

Jinro: “I have an idea, but I would have to sacrifice myself.”

Bruce: “The time has come for your ordeal! Old Jin, I will remember you!”

Jinro: “I shall go then.”

Black Sis: “Go ahead.”

The audience couldn’t hear team 9’s internal comms. They watched the time and counted down. The 30 seconds were almost up, and they wondered who it would be this time when they saw Jinro leap up confidently from his hiding spot.

“Boss! Don’t shoot! It’s me, Jinro!”

Jinro had raised both hands up and was walking forward in a bold and confident manner…

The audience waiting for Jinro to be shot to death: “This lowlife!”

“Coward!”

“Bah!”