“What did you even train?”
Si Lian clearly couldn’t understand what Jiang Ke’er had been training every day, assuming the girl was just trying to comfort her.
‘Qing Yi is a good kid,’ Si Lian thought, ‘but she’s just too arrogant.’
Si Lian’s face was clouded with worry.
Previously, she had praised the girl in her heart for being bold without losing her mind, but Jiang Ke’er’s decision today made her worry so much that she felt like she was losing handfuls of hair.
She had a vague feeling that the girl wasn’t the type to let fame go to her head so easily, yet she still couldn’t believe the Bagpipe Squad could achieve a feat like one versus 125 — even with two teams already out, there were still 123 teams left.
Undoubtedly, the news was spreading like wildfire outside.
The whole world knew of Jiang Ke’er’s boast, and she had pushed the attention on this match to a true peak.
At the same time, it forced the Bagpipe Squad into a position where they couldn’t back down.
If they chickened out now, it would be a massive embarrassment.
The current members of the Bagpipe Squad would likely be disgraced as sinners of the Demon Race, unable to hold their heads up for the rest of their lives.
That would be more unbearable than death.
Therefore, whether they lived or died, they had to participate in this match. They had to at least fight a decent battle, like martyrs.
Six months of hard work, all gone down the drain.
Si Lian smiled bitterly.
What pained her even more was the uncertainty of their future.
They had finally gained a glimmer of hope by making it into the Semi-Finals after so long, only for Jiang Ke’er to pull a stunt like this.
She couldn’t blame Jiang Ke’er; she just felt a sense of reluctance… but it wasn’t reluctance for the effort put in over the last six months.
“I will do my best to collect intelligence and counterstrategies for you,” Si Lian said, her voice raspy.
In just half a day, her voice had become so hoarse she could barely speak.
When Jiang Ke’er saw her the next day, Si Lian’s already pale sky-blue hair had become even more faded, turning almost completely white.
Jiang Ke’er felt incredibly guilty. She knew her actions had put too much pressure on Si Lian.
However, she believed she could do it. Even though it would be difficult, as long as she didn’t make a mistake, there was a chance.
“Qing Yi, if you have any other ideas, you’d better make them clear now,” Si Lian said weakly.
“I want to make it to the Top Four first, and then surrender in the match to determine the top two,” Jiang Ke’er said.
If she could secure a spot in the Top Four, she could complete the **[System Mission]** and restore her strength.
She believed that at her full capacity, dealing with these opponents would be as easy as chopping vegetables.
Si Lian nodded, then led the team into the arena.
‘The Top Four isn’t bad,’ she thought. As for what came after, she could slowly convince these hot-blooded youngsters later.
The atmosphere in the arena remained heated. The two teams that had just finished their match were bidding each other friendly farewells, and the Bagpipe Squad was up next.
Before the match started, the Bagpipe Squad couldn’t see the schedule, so Si Lian went to find the brackets first.
When she returned with the schedule, her face was deathly pale.
“Your opponents today…”
Jiang Ke’er saw the schedule and froze.
On the white paper, written in black ink, was a name in red.
Heavenly God Team One.
Heavenly God Team One, also known as the Deity Team — Deity was the exclusive title for the main combat team of the Celestial God Sect.
They were also the champions of the previous Shenzhou Cup.
Jiang Ke’er’s scalp felt numb. Her greatest fear had finally happened.
This completely threw her plans into disarray.
Her original plan was to encounter Heavenly God Team One and Battle Wasteland Team One at the very end.
As long as her luck wasn’t too bad, there was a high probability she wouldn’t encounter them before the Top Four.
That way, she could face these super-strong opponents who had once severely injured Qiao Xiaoxian while at full strength.
However, her bad luck attribute had flared up once again.
Jiang Ke’er pondered for a moment and said bluntly, “We surrender.”
“Won’t we at least try?” Jie Shui looked eager to fight, showing no fear despite their opponents being the former champions.
Jie Shui was like a newborn calf unafraid of a tiger, but Jiang Ke’er knew exactly what kind of power the people who could injure Qiao Xiaoxian possessed.
Even in a two-on-one situation, her current self was no match for them.
Rather than facing such opponents now, she believed it would be simpler to use her current state to slaughter every other team in the Resurrection Match.
Plus, succeeding there would lead them directly into the Top Four.
Since she had to surrender once anyway to enter the Loser’s Bracket for the Resurrection Match, she might as well do it now, preserve her strength, and give it her all in the Resurrection Match.
“The Resurrection Match is even more difficult,” Si Lian argued.
“Even if they’re the former champions, they are still only five people. But in the Resurrection Match, you’ll have to face a siege from hundreds.”
“Two members of the Heavenly God Team were the ones who injured Qiao Xiaoxian,” Jiang Ke’er explained.
Si Lian’s heart tightened.
She understood instantly, filled with shock.
No matter what stage Qiao Xiaoxian was at, and regardless of how many opponents she faced, being able to wound her was the mark of a super-level powerhouse!
However, the first thing she said was, “Was the injury serious?”
“Not too bad,” Jiang Ke’er lied.
Si Lian visibly relaxed.
“Then as you say, we’ll surrender immediately and enter the Loser’s Bracket,” Si Lian said dejectedly.
The situation seemed to be getting worse and worse.
Even though she had watched every single match since the Shenzhou Cup Semi-Finals, Si Lian realized she had still underestimated the strength of Heavenly God Team One and Battle Wasteland Team One. When she learned those guys had actually wounded Qiao Xiaoxian, her heart sank completely to the bottom.
Even if they managed to fight their way out of the Resurrection Match, the Bagpipe Squad wouldn’t be able to overcome this hurdle. She knew the squad’s true strength.
“The Top Four is enough,” Si Lian said with a bitter smile. “It has already far exceeded my expectations. Just make sure you can fight your way out of the Resurrection Match. Remember, in the Resurrection Match, do not be impulsive. Your goal…”
“To kill them all. I meant what I said,” Jiang Ke’er interrupted.
Si Lian was speechless.
“No, your goal is to hide yourselves well and wait for them to kill each other before finding a way out of the Loser’s Bracket!” Si Lian released a bit of her Honored One pressure and spoke sternly.
But no matter how much she increased the pressure this time, not a single member of the Bagpipe Squad bowed their head. They all trembled while resisting the pressure to meet her gaze.
After spending so much time together, the members of the Bagpipe Squad knew that Si Lian was a woman with a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
No matter how much she tried to intimidate them, she would never actually punish them.
Those who were cared for always felt emboldened.
Si Lian dejectedly withdrew her pressure.
“Fine, every one of you has your own ideas,” Si Lian turned around, her voice so hoarse and broken that it was difficult for others to hear. “Let’s go.”
“Leaving just like that?”
“Did you chicken out?”
“How boring.”
The members of Heavenly God Team One had just arrived. Seeing the Bagpipe Squad turning to leave, they couldn’t help but mock them.
Jiang Ke’er turned around, memorizing each of their faces.
One was a man who looked like a scholar, holding a folding fan and sitting on a wheelchair-like Power-Enhancing Artifact.
A strong man stood behind him, pushing the wheelchair.
A woman with light makeup and the elegant air of a fairy, though the mockery in her eyes was no less than that of the commoners around her.
A masked killer.
And a hunchbacked woodcutter with an ax on his back.
“I suggest you all go enjoy a big meal, sing some karaoke, and visit your friends and family as soon as possible,” Jiang Ke’er advised sincerely before turning to walk away.