Chapter 41: The Wealthy Woman's Willful Ways

Who was Wang Xiaoqian? A notorious female thief from Gaoyou, a heroine, a wealthy woman, and a beauty all in one. As she sat there, resting her cheek on her hand and watching the match, her gentle and striking presence became part of the scenery—impossible to ignore. Now, as she spoke boldly and placed a bet of ten thousand, it was as if she had hurled a high-explosive grenade into the already passionate crowd, sending the atmosphere into a frenzy. Her injury only added fuel to the fire, making the single men in the audience howl with excitement, each wishing they could seize the chance to approach her with concern and flattery.

“Miss Wang, which side are you betting on?”

“Beautiful Wang, can I help you?”

“Step aside. With your looks? You think you’re fit to chat up Miss Wang?”

The crowd erupted into a noisy squabble, all vying for her attention. Wang Xiaoqian, of course, saw right through their intentions. Rising gracefully, she made her way toward the stage, her steps light and elegant. Ignoring the commotion, she watched as the men sensibly parted, making way for her with a half-meter wide path.

“I’m betting on the Infiltrators!”

A collective gasp swept through the crowd—shock and disbelief writ large on every face.

The Defenders were a professional team, leading by a wide margin and firmly in control. Wang Xiaoqian was known throughout Gaoyou for her shrewdness; how could she make such an obvious blunder?

The betting clerk’s expression grew awkward as he whispered, “Miss Wang, did you make a mistake?”

“No mistake.” Her tone was firm, with no hint of jest.

“The last round was won by the Defenders,” the clerk reminded her gently.

“I know. Stop dawdling, the match is about to start. Hurry up and place my bet,” Wang Xiaoqian pressed impatiently.

The clerk could only exchange glances with the host and the boss before reluctantly recording her wager. Bet slip in hand, Wang Xiaoqian turned and walked back to her seat. The crowd was puzzled, but no one dared question her further—this was not a woman to be trifled with.

Besides, as a multimillionaire, ten thousand was a trifling sum to her.

Wealthy, willful—who could fault her?

Back at her seat, Wang Xiaoqian bowed her head and started fiddling with her phone, while the crowd returned to their own bets. The five-minute halftime break was nearly over.

At that moment, a text appeared on Wang Xiaoqian’s phone.

Li Xin: Place a bet, Liu Ran, bet heavily.

“Unbelievable, where is that guy? Why haven’t I seen him yet?” Wang Xiaoqian muttered. Li Xin’s phone had been turned off earlier, but suddenly powered on just to send her this message. By the time she tried to call back, it was off again.

A strange fellow—just like a ninja turtle.

Suddenly, she recalled the scene when both teams entered the competition room. The chubby man in black beside Liu Ran looked a lot like Li Xin in build. A spark of delight flared in Wang Xiaoqian’s eyes as she got up and edged closer to the competition room. He could change clothes and wear a hat to hide his identity, but people often forgot about their shoes.

Wang Xiaoqian distinctly remembered that today, Li Xin was wearing a pair of sky-blue New Balance sneakers.

The competition room had frosted glass walls, opaque at eye level but clear for the bottom fifteen centimeters. Shielding her injured left hand, Wang Xiaoqian bent down to peek, and instantly broke into a smile.

“Well, well, aren’t you the crafty one?” she murmured, her large eyes sparkling with mischief. No doubt up to something again.

…

Inside the competition room.

One minute remained before the second round began. Suddenly, Yang Yu stood up and looked through the soundproof glass at Li Xin. Tall and striking, with neatly parted short hair, bold brows, and red lips, his eyes sharp as torches and his nose proud as a mountain, Yang Yu was the sort who stood out among men and would be idolized among women.

At that moment, a smirk tugged at the left corner of his mouth, his disdain and mockery clear. His dark eyes glittered with pride and authority, radiating an aura that could overpower anyone who met his gaze.

“Is that Yang Yu? Could it be?” Wang Shuai’s face changed with surprise.

“It’s… it’s really him…”

“It’s Yang Yu! It’s Dongjia! No wonder they’re so strong…”

Seeing the three of them dumbstruck with shock and anxiety, Liu Ran sighed with a wry smile. Yang Yu had revealed himself, not only as a show of contempt for Li Xin but also to put pressure on their side. With their nerves shaken, winning would be a tall order. It was even uncertain whether they could perform at their usual level in the upcoming demolition round.

“Don’t get worked up. If we beat Dongjia, then we’ll have something to brag about,” Liu Ran advised in a low voice, but it seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Li Xin slowly opened his eyes, smiled back at Yang Yu, then closed them again in silent reflection.

“Hmph! Let’s see how long you can keep up the act,” Yang Yu sneered, sitting down and putting on his headphones, ready for the match.

“Li Xin…” Liu Ran was about to speak when Li Xin tapped the computer screen, confirming the map for the match.

Second round, Demolition Mode: Satellite Base.

The LCD screens outside simultaneously displayed that both sides had entered the second match.

If Team Mode was the perfect showcase of individual marksmanship and awareness, then Demolition was the ultimate test of teamwork and coordination. In casual demolition games, nobody knows or obeys anyone—pure entertainment, devoid of the exhilaration of coordinated command.

Those with any real skill spend their time in the elite servers. There, players recruit teammates, gather squads, hop on YY voice chat for quick introductions, and then dive into the chaos of battle.

Skill isn’t just about talk—everything is settled with the gun in your hand.

Playing on the elite servers immerses you in the blood-pounding thrill of a true squad, outwitting and outgunning enemies on the battlefield.

Compared to this, offline tournaments are a testament to a player’s devotion and love for the game. The excitement on site, the tense atmosphere, the lure of victory or defeat—everything sets the heart racing and draws you in completely.

That’s why both small scrimmages and major leagues are flooded with teams of experts. Rankings don’t matter; what counts is unleashing your passion and igniting your youth.

Back to the match: Demolition is split into two halves, each with nine rounds. The first to win ten rounds claims victory in this match.

Just as before, Dongjia would defend, while Li Xin and Liu Ran’s team would infiltrate.

Li Xin played the first position—the one carrying the C4 charge.

“Liu Ran, you scout the alley; Wang Shuai, you two hold the B iron gate; I’ll cover mid. This first round isn’t about winning or losing—let’s get a feel for their defensive setup.”

“Alright.”

The five split up, each controlling their avatar and advancing.

In casual elite matches, defenders often relied on aggressive pushes with their rifles, sometimes catching the other team off guard. But in tournaments, especially the opening round, defenders preferred to hold positions and study the opponents’ attack patterns. Both Li Xin and Liu Ran hailed from Dongjia and knew their opponents well.

Dongjia was a powerhouse but never arrogant. Total focus and respect for every match—that was their team creed.

But today, Yang Yu had no intention of playing defense.

He wanted to overwhelm his opponents with a direct assault, crushing the infiltrators as swiftly as possible and seizing victory in the demolition round. His pride was on the line—this was his first chance to defeat Dawn in a formal match.

“Baobao, KK, switch to rifles—let’s rush mid, all of us.”

“Got it!”

Five rifles swept down the middle, a torrent of grenades and smokes raining down, filling the corridor with chaos.