Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

First place: C9; Score: 460!

Second place: SKK; Score: 450!

Third place: 4AM; Score: 400!

Fourth place: …

…

Player of the Match: 4AM-Vic!

Individual kill count: 17! (Highest)

Headshot rate: 84.5%!

Damage output ratio: 78.3%!

Upon seeing these statistics, the live audience cheered once more!

While Liu Zilang had not been able to claim victory in this match, everyone bore witness to his accomplishment of single-handedly carrying his squad into the top three from the third circle onward.

GodV and the others had been eliminated early in the game, so naturally, Liu Zilang’s proportion in damage output was far above average.

However, being perched at the top of the individual kill count leaderboard and headshot rate was a testament to his incredible skill.

Unfortunately, even though SKK’s individual kill count was not as impressive as Liu Zilang’s, their team kill count was terrifying; only one kill away from the first place!

Therefore they earned a solid second place!

If C9 did not happen to be in the destiny circle, which gifted them many kills from gunning down incoming teams, SKK might have even overtaken them and clinched first place.

That was why Su Changming’s comment, ” Fortunately SKK had not chicken-dinnered their way into the finals”, was easy to comprehend.

If SKK had won this match, they would have scored an extra 300 points. Adding that to their terrifying squad team kill count, they would have had an insurmountable lead over the other teams from the first match onward!

With only a 50-point gap from the next team, they were still within reach.

After C9’s victory interview had ended, the first match of the tournament came to a conclusion.

In the backstage players’ lounge, Long Shenjue called for a team meeting as he clutched his thermos flask.

What better way to improve than team meetings?

In a short while, the players in the backstage lounge received notifications from the game marshals that the second match was about to begin.

As he was about to leave the room, a familiar ringtone rang out from the locker in which Liu Zilang had stored his phone.

A text message?

He hesitated for a moment, then raised an arm and waved toward GodV and the rest, indicating for them to go on without him.

He opened the locker, took out his phone, and saw the words “Xiaotong-chan” on the lit-up screen.

Why would she send a text?

Without thinking further, Liu Zilang unlocked his phone and saw two messages.

The first message was very brief; just two words, “add oil”, unadorned and without punctuation.

Liu Zilang smirked as he saw this.

Reading the next message, perhaps she thought that the first message was too plain, for she had appended a “(ง•̀_•́)ง”.

(ง•̀_•́)ง?

‘Is she going to punch me if I don’t win?’

Liu Zilang scratched his head and typed out a reply. He retaliated with a similar “(ง•̀_•́)ง”!

He returned the phone into his bag and moved briskly to catch up with GodV and the others.

Meanwhile, thirteen time-zones away, in the Jianghai District of Hua Xia. It was five in the morning.

In her dimly-lit bedroom, Zhang Xiaotong wrapped herself in a blanket with only her head poking out. She was lying on the edge of her bed, staring at the live stream on her computer monitor.

She was holding on to her mobile phone with a bit of apprehension.

Buzz buzz buzz!

Her phone vibrated.

Zhang Xiaotong’s face instantly lit up and she brought the phone to her face.

(ง•̀_•́)ง!

She saw the reply on the screen and was slightly puzzled. “Is… he telling me to do my best in school?” She whispered to herself doubtfully.

Thinking of this, a cheerful smile spread across her face. She flipped over onto her back, facing the ceiling.

She lifted her two little arms straight, staring at the phone screen with absolute joy.

Yup! Let’s add oil together!

…

Colt Arena, California.

After a short break, the live audience seemed to have replenished their passion.

As the players emerged from backstage, tens of thousands of audience members in the arena immediately burst into deafening cheers!

Most of these cheers were for C9, the team that had claimed victory in the last match. Of course, many others were cheering for their favorite teams!

On the Hua Xia commentary platform, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, Su Changming and the others delved into the analysis and predictions for this match.

“In the last match where we saw the victory of C9, we have also seen the many shortcomings of our Asian teams. Has anyone here thought about why we are unable to defeat the teams from other regions?” Lord Rong opened the discussion with a stinging question. All the viewers in the major Chinese live stream channels were taken by surprise.

Lord Rong continued as if it were a rhetorical question. “Firstly, I think it’s the mode. First-person perspective mode has great competitive and spectatorship value. But this kind of offline competition might be a first for many of the players in the six competing Asian teams. The unfamiliarity may be a disadvantage.”

“I agree, Lord Rong.” Su Changming nodded, and continued, “Not to mention we still have a ways to go in terms of squad tactics and coordination.”

“In FPS tournaments, this has always been a weak point of our Asian teams. To a certain degree, this has been a traditional problem. European and American teams have dominated FPS championships ever since their inception,” Su Changming sighed.

“But if I’m not mistaken, there was a team called Se7en that once broke this stereotype.”

“Right! So, after running the gauntlet in the first match, let’s hope that our Asian teams, especially the Hua Xia teams, can produce different results in the next two matches,” Ruofeng continued with a smile.

“Yes,” Lord Rong said, nodding while watching the big screen, “We have just received information from the caster. Our players have assumed their positions on the stage. Next up, we will bring to everyone the second match of the California PUBG Squad World Invitationals!”

Just as Lord Rong finished speaking, there was a loud rumble of an airplane!

The four big screens on stage displayed an airplane cruising in from the horizon.

The second match has started!

“Alright, let’s take a look at the flight route! In this match, the flight route starts from seven o’clock on the bottom left, and will head toward one o’clock on the top right of the map.”

“That’s right, that’s a very typical flight route, cutting across the map. You can jump at Sosnovka, or you can jump at Pochinki. If that’s not to your liking, it’s not impossible to jump at Georgopol either.”

“Yup, this is a forgiving flight route compared to the one last match. The resources are evenly distributed along the route, and the safe zones wouldn’t be too disastrous no matter how they appear.”

While the commentators were analyzing, the airplane had reached the top left corner of Sosnovka Military Base.

Under the watchful eyes of everybody, the first team jumped…

“It’s 4AM!”

Ruo Feng’s cry attracted the attention of countless Chinese viewers.

Wait a minute. Jumping at Sosnovka again?

…