Chapter 150: Mad Dog Dual Assassins
Translated by Karai of Exiled Rebels Scanlations
Editor: Addis
The appearance of buffs on the Platform of Sorrow and Joy at the start of the match took everyone by surprise. During the few seconds when the livestream commentary was paused, all the invisible buffs had manifested on the field, spread out over a wide area. Fortunately, there was still enough space left for the teams to engage and maneuver.
ScarletFruit couldn’t believe it, “Are we really this unlucky? Buffs appeared right at the start!?”
Watermelon said, “Hurry up, their people are coming!”
The Platform of Sorrow and Joy had a bizarre setting where players couldn’t use their own dispel skills to clear debuffs; only teammates could help with that. The responsibility for dispelling fell on the healers of both teams. ScarletFruit quickly used a light-footed skill to reach Watermelon and dispel the debuff before the enemy could engage him, rescuing him from the immobilization.
As soon as Watermelon was dispelled, he turned and fled. Using the assassin’s sharp instincts in critical moments, he evaded the follow-up control from the opposing Doaist priest and escaped smoothly. All that was left was for ScarletFruit to face the three enemies eyeing him closely, especially the physical swordsman and Doaist priest, who immediately locked onto ScarletFruit as soon as Watermelon disappeared.
“Damn it!” ScarletFruit couldn’t think of anything else and ran for his life, “Watermelon, you’re escaping way too fast!”
After Watermelon escaped by going underground and re-entered stealth, he said, “Hang in there for a while. Try to draw the physical swordsman and Doaist priest away; we’ll take out the healer together.”
[This was a wasted opportunity with full-state assassins and clerics at the start.]
[Seeing it in that moment was frustrating yet seemed quite reasonable. What a surprising start with buffs appearing on the Platform of Sorrow and Joy.]
“On the field, we see the situation with both assassins from the advertising team opting for stealth, leaving only the cleric on the platform,” FirstUnderHeaven continued to explain. “The Prosperity Team performed even better than we anticipated. They took the central position on the Platform of Sorrow and Joy Platform first. The healer smartly chose to stand in front of the buff, making it difficult for the assassins to approach unnoticed. With the healer in that position, any attempt by the assassins to sneak around would inevitably make them step on the buff behind him, which essentially ensured the healer’s safety.”
The Prosperity Team’s performance this time was very composed, likely due to the pressure of losing the first two matches, forcing them to make a desperate final effort.
Even though only ScarletFruit was left on the field, they did not have both DPSs pursue him simultaneously. After securing the central position, the physical swordsman was responsible for chasing the cleric, ScarletFruit, while the Doaist priest stayed in the center to protect the healer and perform supplementary control attacks. The Doaist priest, being a long-ranged profession, had an attack range of eight meters around him, which allowed him to both attack and defend, forcing the cleric, ScarletFruit, to run in circles around the perimeter.
“This time, the Advertising team’s double-assassin lineup started in a disadvantageous position. Not only did they fail to seize the initiative, but they also gave the Prosperity Team a chance to adjust their positioning,” FirstUnderHeaven said. “No matter how agile the cleric is, he can’t withstand being chased by the physical swordsman for long. It seems the Prosperity Team plans to put pressure on the cleric to force the assassins to reveal themselves. The Advertising team is in a tough spot.”
[The battlefield is so split up… This match might be lost.]
[If the assassins want to move to the center to kill, they can’t save ScarletFruit. ScarletFruit also struggles to provide effective support. It feels like everyone is just fighting their own battles.]
[There is a chance for the double-assassins to take out the Doaist priest and the healer!]
[There is a chance, but it is very difficult. If you give the Doaist priest any reaction time, he can quickly adjust and perform counter-controls.]
Everyone was generally pessimistic about the double-assassin and cleric lineup.
Meanwhile, in the Advertising team’s voice chat, a frantic discussion was underway.
ZenSlasher said, “The Doaist priest’s charm cooldowns are all active, and the healer has buffs behind him. We can only approach from the sides and need to first draw out his immunity and control skills.”
“It’s hard to trick him. I’ve been acting for a while, and only a physical swordsman has come up so far. Their Doaist priest is very cautious,” ScarletFruit asked, “Why hasn’t your state refreshed yet?”
Watermelon replied, “It’s almost done. The cooldown has 5 seconds left.”
Su Mo observed the situation on the field. The cleric was more agile than the healer, making it easier to maneuver in this environment. Additionally, ScarletFruit’s luck build was quite useful in certain situations; with high luck, it was easier to resist controls and slip past strong attacks. Using him to buy time could help the assassins avoid the awkward phase of cooldowns. “It’s best to kill the healer when the Platform of Sorrow and Joy is refreshing buffs. During that time, the healer will have to reposition, and the opportunity to ambush lasts only about 3 seconds. One assassin should use their ultimate to trick out the immunity, and the other assassin should finish the job.”
“What if we can’t trick him out?” Watermelon asked.
“Oh,” the commander coldly replied, “then just send someone up to sacrifice themselves. No matter how careful they are, they’ll still get the kill.”
ScarletFruit asked, “Isn’t there a simpler strategy?”
Su Mo laughed and retorted, “You still want a strategy with a meat-shield team?”
Apple said, “Even a meat-shield team needs strategies. You guys are really underperforming.”
FireworksAndLanterns added sourly, “I’d do better myself. I want to get on the field too.”
Apple responded, “It’s fine. If they get used to it, we’ll have a chance to play.”
The trio on the field was left speechless.
Damn! Why did it feel like the teammates were all hoping for them to lose???
ClearWind timely added, “It’s okay, Fruit. If you can’t win, come back and we’ll help you reclaim the victory.”
Cantaloupe said, “But losing with a meat-shield team… It’s just too pathetic. I heard it’s being streamed live across the internet… I wonder how many people are watching us.”
“Definitely a lot. My fan group and viewers even got up early to check in and watch the stream,” ClearWind replied before suddenly remembering something. “But it’s fine. My fans are like family, so we’re not afraid of looking bad.”
ScarletFruit was speechless.
Why, after teaming up with the assassins, did he not only fail to receive favor from the big shots but even started feeling as isolated as an assassin?
The team’s voice chat was filled with banter, as if they had already resigned themselves to defeat. They even started discussing what lineup to use for the next match. Their dual assassin and cleric team, which should have been the center of attention, had turned into a rookie team. Over three minutes into the match, they hadn’t even taken down a healer.
Could they lose?
Damn, they couldn’t lose!
In the live stream, both the spectators and commentators were stunned. The match had been going for three minutes, with all the assassins still in stealth, the cleric and physical swordsman chasing each other, and the Doaist priest and healer in the middle nearly falling asleep. At this rate, would this meat-shield team match drag on for half an hour?
[This cleric can really run; how long has he been running?!]
[Have the assassins fallen asleep? Their stealth time must be running out soon.]
[Five minutes of stealth, it should be ending soon.]
[Is it just my impression, or does it seem like the cleric is running even faster?]
“We are currently seeing the cleric and physical swordsman still running, and the assassins have yet to reveal themselves.”
FirstUnderHeaven said, “The Doaist priest’s defensive buffs have stacked to full layers. Now, it’s not so easy for the assassins to make a kill. The Advertising team’s assassins are likely waiting for a full status team fight, but the meat-shield team didn’t get the initiative and instead let their opponents reach full defense. It’s going to be difficult to make a kill now.”
[Two assassins against one might still have a chance, but it’s much harder for the assassins to secure a solo kill.]
[Is it just me, or does it seem like the rest of the Advertising team is quite relaxed?]
The situation on the field was tense, but the other teammates on the high platform were showing two completely different states.
The “Congratulations and Prosperity” team was anxiously watching the situation on the stage, showing no signs of relaxation. In contrast, the “Advertising Space for Rent” team appeared to be chatting and laughing, with some even starting to play cards at the table. Even Archdemon Momo was not paying attention to the field; instead, he was chatting with the array master UnchainedWanderer.
[I don’t understand. Why am I suddenly feeling nervous too?]
The live stream couldn’t capture their conversation, but it was clear that the Advertising team’s focus was not on the match.
FirstUnderHeaven had never seen the Momo team so relaxed and asked in confusion, “Have they given up? Or are they confident of their victory?”
Could the double assassin team still have some useful strategy?!
As soon as he finished speaking, the assassins on the field suddenly moved.
As the buffs on the Platform of Sorrow and Joy refreshed, everyone’s movements suddenly became tense, as if they were waiting for the dangerous buffs to appear.
At that moment, the silent and swift blades appeared around the healer, carrying a sharp, chilling beauty. In an instant, the blades triggered the defensive buffs on the healer, and within just two strikes, the healer’s full defense was reduced by 30%. The sudden danger made the healer react immediately, shouting, “Assassins! They’ve activated their full status skill!”
The Doaist priest moved forward and only then realized that he had triggered the Platform of Sorrow and Joy’s debuff. The buffs on the platform had been rearranged, disrupting their original positions.
Cursing under his breath, the Doaist priest cast an area attack spell around the healer. By luck, he managed to reveal the female assassin among them. “Dispel the control and protect yourself. I’ll handle the assassin.”
The healer had anticipated this and used the dispel to try to quickly create distance. However, the female assassin immediately activated her immunity to control and, despite the Doaist priest’s attempts to control her, closed in on the healer. The sharp blades flared up, and the assassin swiftly maneuvered around, landing two more strikes on the healer, interrupting the healer’s healing cast. The combo was executed so fast and furiously that no one had a chance to react.
“Assassins revealed!” FirstUnderHeaven shouted, “ZenSlasher has activated full status, and she’s at half health. She’s still pursuing the healer, and the healer has used immunity.”
The scene on the field abruptly shifted from its previous calmness to a fast and fierce pace. The assassin’s sharpness was fully displayed in that moment. The desperate healer, having used up all their control dispels, had no choice but to activate a 3-second immunity to control, trying to create distance quickly on the buff-laden Platform of Sorrow and Joy and run towards the physical swordsman for protection.
“ZenSlasher’s health is down to 25%, and she’s still chasing,” FirstUnderHeaven announced.
Being pursued by an assassin was an inescapable experience. The healer hadn’t expected the female assassin to be so relentless. Even after using the immunity and running, the female assassin didn’t give up. Despite her low health, she continued to close in and interrupt the healer’s healing attempts. The two were locked in a desperate chase, and with the healer’s shorter legs, it was impossible to match the assassin’s exceptional speed.
Moreover, the defensive buffs on the healer were on a countdown. If they didn’t create more distance and hold on longer, the healer risked losing half their health to the relentless assassin.
“ZenSlasher hasn’t stopped. Her immunity time has expired, and the Doaist priest has caught up,” FirstUnderHeaven said, astonished by the sudden, aggressive onslaught from the Advertising team. The pressure they were putting on their opponents was immense, showcasing a suicidal, aggressive approach where the assassin was willing to risk being controlled and killed by the Doaist priest to pursue the healer. And this distance was completely outside the cleric’s healing range.
[Fuck, why the sudden madness?!]
[I was about to fall asleep, and now I’m wide awake.]
[That girl is so cool!]
[This is too reckless. If the assassin dies, their entire team will collapse.]
“Oh no, she triggered a buff! 5% health!” FirstUnderHeaven saw ZenSlasher stop and noticed the attack speed debuff on her, which was deadly for an assassin. “She changed direction and is trying to find ScarletFruit.”
The Doaist priest naturally wouldn’t give up on the almost-secured kill. Seeing ZenSlasher abandon the attack and flee, he immediately followed with a control spell.
At that moment, the female assassin unexpectedly used her last control dispel, then countered with a control spell on the Doaist priest and activated stealth to quickly escape his pursuit. The Doaist priest realized the situation and turned around, only to see the other assassin had flanked and engaged the healer, interrupting the healer’s healing.
The full-state assassins were extremely formidable, and the healer’s defensive buffs had just expired.
The two assassins worked in perfect coordination—one relentlessly pursuing the healer, while the other remained hidden, waiting for an opportunity. In his pursuit of the assassin, the Doaist priest had forgotten to renew the defensive buffs for his teammates. In a moment, the experienced Doaist priest made another decision: he abandoned the effort to rescue the healer and instead activated speed boost to immediately chase after ZenSlasher.
With his teammate’s safety compromised, he had to find a way to take down their assassins as well.
Suddenly, ScarletFruit, who had been running, made a sharp turn and activated Sprint. Ignoring all the buffs on the Platform of Sorrow and Joy, he charged straight to ZenSlasher. At the exact moment when the Doaist priest’s powerful attack spell hit ZenSlasher, ScarletFruit’s summoned creature landed, healing the critically injured assassin just in time.
“Wow, the cleric has gone mad!?” FirstUnderHeaven was stunned. “How did he manage to charge through like that, and avoid all those debuffs!?”
His gaze fixed on clericScarletFruit, and he saw that he had managed to avoid all three debuffs in an instant.
[No… is it just my illusion?]
[It’s not your illusion; he seems to have avoided all the debuffs.]
[Wow! What luck! He managed to dodge all three debuffs head-on with his Sprint!?]
[I remember ScarletFruit is a luck-based build… ?]
Is luck-based play this overpowered?! Does a lucky player have nothing to fear?!
The lucky ScarletFruit indeed seemed invincible. After receiving three buffs, his next healing spell restored 110 health, nearly saving ZenSlasher from being knocked out. Fortunately, the healing amount soon returned to an average level, bringing the nearly-dead ZenSlasher back into the fight.
Revived ZenSlasher then turned to fight back, using the advantage of healing to ignore the buffs and lock onto the Doaist priest. Unbeknownst to them, the Prosperity Team’s formation was completely disrupted by the Advertising Team’s counterattack. The previously passive double-assassin setup now went wild, attacking relentlessly. Assassin Watermelon, after killing the healer, immediately pursued the physical swordsman without regard for the profession’s advantages, attacking without hesitation.
Watermelon’s positioning was incredibly smooth. The physical swordsman had chosen a good position, surrounded by no debuffs, which allowed Watermelon to attack more recklessly. Utilizing his own skills, he maneuvered around the physical swordsman, avoiding direct confrontation and taking advantage of his speed to continuously pursue.
Without a healer, the physical swordsman and Doaist priest became hesitant. Faced with two aggressive assassins, they quickly fell into disarray.
“The Doaist priest is dead, and the physical swordsman and assassin are still fighting… 5% health! The assassin has killed the physical swordsman.”
After 10 minutes, the Advertising Team secured the victory.
After the match ended, everyone was stunned for a moment. The first half had been so slow, while the second half was just as fast.
The start was inexplicable, and the victory at the end was just as bewildering.
[They won just like that!?]
[Seriously, a melee team dragged it out so long and then had a single counterattack.]
[I’m completely confused, but wow! 6666]
[No wonder the Advertising Team seemed so calm; turns out they had two wildcards in the team.]
[Livestreamer, contact them quickly! I want to see the post-match interview!!]
[Yes, yes!! We want Momo!]
[Array master would be fine too!! Please!]
After the official livestream room was set up, the official channel granted the rights for a post-match interview, though participating teams could decline if they wished.
As soon as the match concluded, FirstUnderHeaven quickly contacted the Advertising Team. Although he did manage to get in touch, the person who showed up was not Momo or UnchainedWanderer, but his rival, Apple.
The two figures appeared in the livestream, and they exchanged a glance.
FirstUnderHeaven asked, “Why is it you?”
“Oh,” Apple said with a cold expression, “Our commander went offline to have a meal. Next time, make sure to contact us early, not around mealtime.”
FirstUnderHeaven was speechless. A meal? Was it breakfast or lunch!?
The match ended so quickly that by the time Su Mo logged off, it was only 10 a.m., still some time before lunchtime. Earlier in the arena, Yu Zhen had mentioned planning to make some new dishes for lunch, and Su Mo thought he might as well log off and join Yu Zhen in the kitchen.
On the weekend, Yu Zhen arrived early in the morning to spend time with his boyfriend and brought along some new ingredients from other star systems. After logging off, he quickly went to the kitchen to help Lele prepare the ingredients.
“Do I need to do anything?” Su Mo asked while watching from the side.
Lele replied, “Do you want to learn how to cook, Su Mo?”
Su Mo had tried learning before but never managed to get the hang of it. He probably had no talent for cooking at all. “I just want to see if there’s anything I can help with.”
Yu Zhen was testing the sharpness of a knife and asked, “Don’t you need to read a book on this?”
“I’ll read in the afternoon; I have time later,” Su Mo said, moving closer to examine the ingredients soaking in water. “How should I handle this?”
“After soaking, the item will expand. Rinsing it with clean water will easily remove impurities,” Yu Zhen briefly explained. “Just wait for two or three minutes, and you can start washing.”
He knew a little about washing things.
Su Mo, curious, watched the ingredients in the clean water. “Let me handle this.”
As he reached for the bowl of clean water, there was suddenly a brief moment of darkness in front of his eyes. He had to steady himself by leaning on the kitchen counter for a moment. He thought it was just his usual blood pressure issue, which sometimes caused headaches and dizziness. Once he recovered, he intended to move the bowl of water but suddenly noticed a hint of red spreading on the surface.
He paused, and saw another drop fall onto the water. Blood?
He lifted his hand to check, and saw fresh blood on his fingertips.
Omg 😱