Wandering Circus meeting room.
Wang Shun opened the panel and displayed the information from various aspects while clearly explaining the upcoming process step by step:
"We've now achieved a phased victory, and the preseason is coming to an end. Our upcoming opponents are all top-tier teams. Although their combat strength isn't quite on par with the Fanatic Lambs, we must not let our guard down."
Just as he was speaking, Bai Liu pushed the door open and walked in. He headed straight for the frontmost chair, turning around before sitting down, then raised his hand to signal Wang Shun to continue.
Wang Shun nodded toward Bai Liu after his signal and continued explaining. "Guild Master Bai, Captain Tang, and I have all discussed it and agreed that your training and coordination have almost reached a sufficient level. From here on, your main focus in the league will be on team battles."
Bai Liu turned his body, leaned back against the chair, and reached out to tap the tabletop in front of the dozing Mu Sicheng with a bent finger. "Does everyone know the main focus of the team battles?"
Mu Sicheng was nodding off with his head propped up, drifting in and out of sleep. He had been injured when he exited the game and had exhausted a lot of energy, leaving him completely worn out. It wasn't until Bai Liu cued him that he shook his head and snapped out of it, blinking drowsily as he looked toward Bai Liu. "…Teamwork awareness?"
"No." Wang Shun worriedly looked at Mu Sicheng. "It's stamina, God Mu."
"Next, you won't just be playing a singles match and a doubles match, but also a team match. And unlike the training sessions in the game pool or the relatively light preseason skirmishes before, the intensity will be roughly on par with today's doubles match."
"Unlike mental value and stamina, which can be restored with potions, during these high-intensity matches, your consciousness is forced to remain in a hyper-aware state. This is extremely draining and will cause you to feel fatigued, and your condition will deteriorate significantly."
Wang Shun anxiously looked at Bai Liu. "Guild Master, playing two consecutive matches against strong teams, the stamina of newcomers like God Mu and the others might not keep up. The order of deployment needs to be carefully discussed."
"The main reason I came back was to discuss this matter with you all." Bai Liu crossed his arms in front of him. "Liu Jiayi is the most important player in team matches and needs to maintain her condition. Moreover, her skill doesn't suit single and double matches, so she can only come out in team battles."
"Mu Ke, when your condition becomes better, you can go in a singles match. Mu Sicheng and I will pair up for the doubles match."
Bai Liu lifted his eyes and looked at everyone. "The fixed players for the singles matches will generally be Captain Tang and me. The fixed pairs for the doubles matches will be Mu Sicheng and me. Does anyone have any objections?"
Tang Erda was the first to nod. "I can handle it, no objections."
"I have an objection." Mu Sicheng immediately objected.
"The fixed players for the singles matches include you, the fixed pair for the doubles matches also includes you, and you're also the tactician in the team battles?" Mu Sicheng's eyebrows were furrowed so tightly they could tie into a knot. "No, Bai Liu, you said that after playing two matches, we newcomers might not have enough stamina to keep up. You're also a newcomer. After playing three matches in a row, will your stamina be able to keep up?"
He had just played that one match, and after Yang Zhi and Kong Xuyang used their skills on him, Mu Sicheng's head was still buzzing. As soon as he stepped off the field, his eyelids kept drooping, and all he wanted was to sleep. There was no need to even imagine how much more serious the damage to a player's awareness would be from facing those even more absurd skills in the future.
If Bai Liu had to endure it for three matches, just imagine how exhausted he would be.
When Mu Sicheng finished speaking, Tang Erda was momentarily stunned and relaxed a bit.
At the time, he didn't think there was anything wrong with this arrangement because, in other world lines, Bai Liu often played three matches in a row. But now that he thought about it, the current Bai Liu was still a rookie in his first year on the league stage, so playing three consecutive matches against strong teams was indeed a bit unreasonable.
Even if it were him, he might not be able to maintain his performance for all three matches.
Liu Jiayi raised a suggestion: "I have no objections to my own assignment, but Bai Liu, your allocation has major issues. I won't comment on the solo match, as skill-wise, you three—Mu Ke, you, and Tang Erda—all have offensive skills, which makes sense that you three are the best choices to alternate between the matches. But for the doubles match, there's no need for you and Mu Sicheng to be a fixed pairing."
Mu Ke thought deeply. "For the doubles match, the pairing can be fixed with either Mu Sicheng or me, and the other teammates will be rotated. Would that work?"
"But Mu Sicheng's level of coordination isn't enough to support rotating with other teammates." Bai Liu's tone was flat as he analyzed. "The only player that can be fixed in the doubles match is me. I can coordinate with anyone."
"But Tang Erda and Mu Ke will rotate in the solo matches, so choosing Mu Sicheng as my partner for the doubles match is the most suitable."
Liu Jiayi pressed her lips together. She couldn't argue back.
Actually, everyone knew deep down that the plan Bai Liu proposed was the best, but at the same time, this plan would also be the most taxing on Bai Liu himself.
"If everyone has no other objections," Bai Liu stood up, having indifferently announced the decision, "then let's settle the tactical lineup like this for now. Everyone's very tired today, so let's all go back and rest first."
Everyone clearly had objections in their hearts, but seeing the dark circles under Bai Liu's eyes and the look of exhaustion on his face in front of them, they forced those objections back down their throats.
…Today, the most tired person was Bai Liu. He indeed needed a good rest.
Wang Shun couldn't help but glance at Bai Liu.
Actually, Bai Liu had already decided on this lineup earlier. At the time, Wang Shun strongly opposed it but was easily convinced by Bai Liu's few words. In the end, Wang Shun could only reluctantly retort that the other team members wouldn't agree.
Bai Liu only smiled, saying that they would agree.
At that time, Wang Shun thought it was unlikely. These team members still cared about Bai Liu and wouldn't let him exhaust himself like that. But in the end, things turned out this way. Bai Liu, taking advantage of the team's concern for him, casually settled the matter.
Wang Shun sighed as he organized the documents in his hands.
Once again, under the pretense of consulting with them, it was still Guild Master Bai who had decided everything on his own.
He didn't know who could possibly make this overly self-centered tactician change his mind.
By the time Bai Liu and the others logged out of the game, night had already fallen in the real world.
This time, Du Sanying didn't log into the game to watch the match because he forgot. Only when he saw Bai Liu come home did he suddenly remember.
Du Sanying bowed to Bai Liu at a full 180 degrees in a frenzy, panic written all over his face. "I'm sorry, Mr. Bai Liu! I completely forgot!"
"It's nothing." Bai Liu entered the door, taking off his tie and hanging it on the clothes rack. Walking inside the home, he smiled as he looked at Du Sanying. "We won. What did you eat today?"
In Bai Liu's words, winning was mentioned so casually, as if, to him, it was something as effortless and natural as eating three meals a day.
Du Sanying was naturally strung along by Bai Liu. He began trying hard to recall what he had eaten. "In the morning, I ate beef noodle soup, and at noon, I ate a roast goose box meal."
"Have you not eaten dinner?" Bai Liu lay on the sofa, taking out his phone from his suit pants. He leaned back lazily and looked up at Du Sanying. "I'll treat you to hotpot—how about that?"
Because Bai Liu had taken off his tie, from Du Sanying's angle, he could see Bai Liu's Adam's apple subtly move up and down beneath the first unbuttoned button of his shirt. His collarbones and spine relaxed and spread outward, his shoulders and neck draped naturally against the sofa, his eyes half-closed.
This posture of Bai Liu made Du Sanying pause for a moment in a daze.
He didn't know why, but today Mr. Bai seemed very relaxed, as if his mood was good.
Is it because he won the match?
But when Mr. Bai Liu won matches in the past, it didn't seem like he was like this…
Bai Liu tilted his head slightly and looked up at Du Sanying, shaking the phone in his hand. "Are you eating? If you are, I'm going to call some other people to join."
Du Sanying was overwhelmed by this unexpected favor. "N-Not spending money?"
"Not spending money." Bai Liu laughed. "Then I'll call someone?"
In less than a second, Du Sanying heard Bai Liu already making the call. "Lu Yizhan, have you gotten off work?"
Du Sanying vaguely heard some complaints about overtime from the other end of the phone, and Bai Liu let out a laugh.
"Old Lu, I won the match against Fanatic Lambs in the game." Bai Liu lowered his gaze, mentioning it as if he were bringing up something trivial. "Let's celebrate today. Head to your place for hotpot?"
Du Sanying was stunned—Wang Shun had explained to him that talking about things inside the game to ordinary people was pointless.
Why was Mr. Bai Liu suddenly telling an ordinary person about the things in the game?
Bai Liu stretched out his hand on the back of the sofa, tapping his fingers rhythmically one after another. Unable to help himself, Du Sanying counted along—seven taps.
Seven taps later, Du Sanying heard a confused voice come from Bai Liu's phone. "Bai Liu, what did you just say?"
Bai Liu smiled again, a very faint smile, like a thin layer of cloud floating above his face, dispersed by a gust of wind.
"It's nothing." Bai Liu said, "I just thought I hadn't gone to find Dian-jie1 for a meal in a long time."
Lu Yizhan, on the other side, grew silent for a moment, then he laughed. "Right, after your birthday the year before last, I don't know what happened, but you suddenly seemed to grow up and absolutely refused to come to my place for a meal anymore. Before, at least you'd still bring two jin of discounted oranges to mooch a meal."
When Lu Yizhan mentioned it, he found it hard to hide his sigh. "In the past, Fang Dian and I would celebrate with you every year; afterwards, you weren't even willing to celebrate your birthday."
"Speaking of which, are you coming over for your birthday this year?"
Bai Liu gave a noncommittal "mn."
Lu Yizhan's voice carried a bit of a teasing smile. "What, now that you're 25, have you regained your youthful vigor, or are you just feeling nostalgic? Have you finally decided to come to your Dian-jie's place for a meal and let us celebrate your birthday?"
"But it's still too early to celebrate now. Let's just have a simple hotpot today." Lu Yizhan reminisced, "I still haven't gotten off work. You go buy groceries first. Dian-jie is home. You have our house key—buy what you want to eat yourself and go back to let your Dian-jie cook it for you. I'll return the grocery money to you later…"
"Ei, forget it. Your Dian-jie can't cook. You two first handle the groceries and wait for me to get home to…"
"Lu Yizhan." Bai Liu suddenly spoke, interrupting Lu Yizhan. "If one day there was a game where both you and I want to win, would you deliberately lose to me?"
There was a long silence from Lu Yizhan's side, then a very soft, almost breath-like laugh. "I won't."
"I will do everything I can to defeat you, Bai Liu."