Chapter 2, Entrance

Octopus is the best, octopus is the best

Ouye Lian stepped onto the enormous esports stage with a vigorous stride, looking up at the three-dimensional laser hologram suspended in mid-air, a hint of a calm and composed smile gracing her lips. Closest to her, Xiao Menglou seemed to perceive a series of extremely complex emotions in that smile: "confidence, loneliness, indifference, helplessness." Within this icy smile lay an essence reminiscent of the snow lotus blooming atop a snow-capped mountain, standing proudly against the snow, solitary in its quiet beauty.

"They say someone has fainted, did you see that?" Lin Peng said excitedly, turning his head slightly to speak softly while desperately blocking the swarm of reporters in front of Xiao Menglou.

Xiao Menglou walked onto the stage amidst the cheers of the crowd, secretly wondering why the gold medal esports host Wu Deweide, who had never held him in high regard, would introduce him to the audience in such an enthusiastic tone

That damned fellow. Xiao Menglou immediately understood in his heart and secretly cursed, He wants to boost the morale of the people from other provinces while hoping to intensify my anxiety

"Zeus, the octopus is here!" The reporters gathered in front of Xiaomeng Building could not wait for him to answer any questions, quickly packed up their microphones, and hurriedly rushed towards the center of the crowd where the commotion was.

Octopus, octopus, octopus, octopus

Do you feel stressed? Or have you become accustomed to this kind of pressure? What methods do you usually use to relieve stress?

When Xiao Menglou stepped onto the competition stage, the renowned host Wu Deweide seemed momentarily stunned, falling into an unusual silence. After a long pause, he regained his composure and gently said: "Next to take the stage is the famous local esports player, General Xiao Menglou. The reason this local player is well-known far and wide is due to his almost miraculous ship control skills. To this day, he still holds the solar system record with a hand speed of 615. No one has ever been able to maneuver a ship as flexibly as he does, while simultaneously resembling a true interstellar ship pilot, executing high-difficulty evasive maneuvers and dive attacks with the hero flagship. This is something even Zeus Arthur and Octopus Valentine cannot achieve. Therefore, people have given him an enviable nickname—Pianist Chopin, and some also refer to him as the Space Dancer, to describe his god-like operational skills. The most famous and unchanging tactic of the pianist General Xiao is, during the mid-stage of interstellar colonization, to utilize seven or eight ships along with the hero flagship to form a mixed small fleet and launch a decisive battle against the opponent's main colonial base. By leveraging the versatility, comprehensiveness, and universality of this small fleet, he forces the enemy to compete with him in operational skills, thus resolving the opponent with a single wave of attack. Ladies and gentlemen, Pianist Xiao Menglou." Ladies and gentlemen, Pianist Xiao Menglou.

"I don't want to perform that action, https://www.hetushu.com is too vulgar. How could you come up with such a signature move for me?" Xiao Menglou said in a low voice, expressing her annoyance

However, that group of fans really likes it; the public's support for our "I Am for Everyone" club relies entirely on you, so please lend a hand

When Xiao Menglou, dressed in a black tailcoat and wearing a white mask, stepped out of the interstellar bus and appeared before the crowd, countless piercing screams erupted from all directions. An uncountable number of frenzied gaming enthusiasts, disregarding the strong mechanical police officers surrounding them, desperately pushed their bodies toward Xiao Menglou.

The second contestant in this competition, Octopus Valentine, is an outstanding all-rounder known for his elusive command of large fleets and his adaptable strategic tactics. There is a saying that if Valentine successfully builds his fully equipped fleet, only the mixed fleet of Zeus Arthur in the solar system could rival him. The capture of mid-field resource points by Valentine is also one of the biggest highlights of esports competitions. His endless harassment combined with timely expansions allows Valentine to maintain a significant economic advantage over his opponents. If mishandled, Valentine's mid-field harassment can turn into a dominating offensive, potentially ending the match in one fell swoop. His skills in controlling ship attacks and evasions even surpass those of Zeus Arthur, making his entire fleet appear as a cohesive attacking unit, agile and versatile, able to advance and retreat with ease. People have given him a vivid nickname—Octopus—to describe his fluid and seamless maneuvers while controlling his ships. Ladies and gentlemen, Octopus Valentine!" As Valentine stepped onto the stage, the local host, Jennidy, introduced this esports master, who instills fear in all competitors, with her captivating and melodious voice.

Sigh. Xiao Menglou gazed at the surging crowd outside the car, which resembled a vast ocean, and felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her

Xiao Menglou took the mask and carefully put it on his face, allowing the expressionless white mask to conceal his pale, bluish complexion

Mr. Xiao, I heard that you currently do not have a girlfriend. Have you considered finding a suitable partner during this competition?

Ah, that female player is just about to fall at the door, and someone is going to step on her. Xiao Menglou said nervously in a low voice

At the moment when Xiao Menglou was at a loss for words, a more grandiose cheer and scream echoed from afar. At another entrance of the Ceres Space Arena, tens of thousands of gamers from other provinces had already gathered there, excitedly raising their hands towards the sky, forming a vast expanse of human figures stretching for miles. Countless laser patterns and dazzling fireworks rushed into the night sky.

A striking young girl with a high ponytail stepped onto the stage, her eye-catching hair painted in four colors: red, green, yellow, and white, making her high, perky ponytail resemble the tail feathers of a peacock. Like Xiao Menglou, she wore a mask, but it was not a white masquerade mask; rather, it was a pure black mask resembling a bat's face, covering only the upper half of her face, revealing her soft chin and a slightly upturned, playful little mouth.

Xiao Menglou let out a helpless sigh, facing the tens of thousands of gaming enthusiasts before him. He raised his hands in the manner of a pianist, his ten fingers resembling the agile legs of a spider as they lightly pressed the air a few times. He then elegantly placed his right hand into his pocket, extending his left middle finger diagonally downward, sweeping through the air to simulate the glissando of a rock keyboardist across the keys. Finally, he extended his index finger and gently pointed towards the people in front of him. He then elegantly placed his right hand into his pocket, extending his left middle finger diagonally downward, sweeping through the air to simulate the glissando of a rock keyboardist across the keys. Finally, he extended his index finger and gently pointed towards the people in front of him

"Alright, to be honest, I truly admire your ability to come up with this gimmick. Those fans would surely faint on the spot if they saw you wearing this white mask out in public." Lin Peng took out a mask resembling those worn by individuals at masquerade balls in ancient European nobility from his travel bag and presented it to Xiao Menglou.

Next to take the stage is the last contestant to qualify, the out-of-province beauty who has just joined the ranks of professional esports this year—Ouye Lian, in the prime of her youth. This is her first time participating in the Solar System Esports Championship, and she is also the first female contestant in history to reach the semifinals of an esports competition. Her presence once again proves that esports is not solely the domain of boys; girls also possess the talent to excel in the realm of fantasy. She is a genius girl with exceptional learning abilities, seemingly absorbing every brilliant tactic employed by the esports masters around her like a sponge, adapting them for her own use, and utilizing these strategies to bring down her senior opponents. Her fans and fellow esports colleagues eagerly refer to her as the "Mirror Demon," describing her astonishing ability to turn their own tactics against them. Her appearance is the biggest surprise of this esports competition; although she lacks experience in major tournaments, her unexpected strategies and skills that rival anyone's are sure to deliver an exciting match. Ladies and gentlemen, please cheer for the dazzling Mirror Demon, Ouye Lian, " said Jennidy loudly with stirring words.

A wave of icy chill surged from the depths of Xiao Menglou's heart, and he himself did not know why

Ah—! The thousands of female players surrounding him all let out sharp, piercing screams, each face displaying an expression of rapture, as if they were witnessing a captivating scene that could only be seen in dreams

A faint bitter smile appeared on Xiao Menglou's face; he did not wish to tell Lin Peng that he currently felt nothing but gratitude towards the splendidly entering octopus and Zeus

Ceres, the largest satellite city outside of Ceres, is home to the Space Electronic Sports Arena, located in the city center of Champagne City. This city is a conceptual hub specifically designed to provide video game services to visitors from other provinces, with most of the most renowned game manufacturing companies headquartered here, creating the world's largest electronic entertainment center and a super-temporal egg bar base. Each year, approximately ten million visitors from other provinces and locals come here for vacation, shopping, and leisure tourism. The world-famous Ceres Space Electronic Sports Arena has become a landmark building in Champagne City, covering an area of six million square meters. The arena and its related complex offer a comprehensive range of services for spectators, including tickets, souvenirs, competition-related equipment, as well as dining, entertainment, leisure, and even hotel and resort accommodations.

As soon as she finished speaking, nearly 60,000 male gaming enthusiasts in the audience erupted into hoarse cheers and shouts, with countless players rushing to the front of the stage, frantically calling out to the tall girl who gracefully walked onto the esports stage: "Ouyelian, I love you".

The spherical three-dimensional laser projection screen at the center of the arena has been established, and the bright lights gradually dimmed after the contestants entered. The renowned esports commentators, the out-of-province Wu Deweide and the local Jenny Dee, have begun introducing the four finalists of this esports competition to the audience. The flashes of cameras throughout the arena resemble the twinkling stars in a galaxy, with excited cheers rising and falling in response to the commentators' explanations.

Who do you think will pose the greatest challenge to you among the other three opponents in the semifinals

The ceiling of the Ceres Space Arena is a unique filter glass dome found nowhere else in the solar system. At night, the dazzling starlight twinkles in the sky and streams unobstructed into the venue. The moment the lights in the venue are turned off, these faint yet enchanting stars provide additional illumination and create a breathtakingly beautiful scene reminiscent of outer space, leaving one mesmerized.

"President Xiao, President Xiao, President Xiao!" Countless voices shouted hoarsely, calling out the widely circulated nickname of Xiao Menglou among local gaming peers

Surrounding Xiao Menglou, the reporters eagerly posed a myriad of bizarre questions to him. The moment he dreaded most during every esports competition was this one, as the reporters, with their veins bulging and voices hoarse, crowded around him. This always made him feel a chill and a sense of trepidation, accompanied by a faint twinge of sympathy. He knew that even in his next life, he would never choose to be a reporter.

Zeus Arthur is a young man whose complexion is pale, yet he possesses an unexpectedly handsome appearance. His face is strikingly defined, reminiscent of a Greek prince, with slightly sunken eye sockets and a pair of blue eyes that radiate an enigmatic light, as if he can discern the secrets hidden deep within a person's heart at a glance. He has an average build with narrow shoulders, and his upper body appears somewhat longer than that of an ordinary person, which makes his legs seem slightly short, giving him a somewhat comical impression.

Zeus will prevail, Zeus will prevail

Mr. Xiao, how far do you think you can go in this competition

"Rest assured, the mechanical patrol officers will not make such a basic mistake. Look, they have already passed by," Lin Peng pointed to a group of mechanical patrol officers flying overhead, their bodies resembling bats, adorned with blue, black, and red stripes. The group of female gamers who had fainted on the ground were carefully lifted onto air cushions by the descending patrol officers and then escorted to the medical vehicle hovering in the air.

Ladies and gentlemen, in this esports competition, Mr. Xiao is the only local player and also the most outstanding esports expert from the local area. Defeating him will be an extremely challenging task and a rare and significant victory. I hope the three out-of-province players who have made it to the finals will give their best effort

Valentine seems to have Nordic blood; although he is not tall, he is very strong and robust. His light brown eyes are narrow and long, resembling cracks inadvertently left on his plump face, making it almost impossible to discern any expression in his eyes, only a faint glimmer of cold light can be seen.

In an arena that can accommodate 100,000 people, there is the largest three-dimensional projection laser equipment from other provinces, allowing all 100,000 attendees to clearly see the computer graphics of the competing athletes simultaneously. Each seat is equipped with surround sound headphones, enabling the audience to choose to listen to the exciting commentary from the live host, or to enjoy the music performed by a renowned orchestra specifically arranged for the competition, or to immerse themselves in the game's soundtrack and simulated sound effects.

A dozen or so slightly plump female gaming enthusiasts seemed unable to withstand such an exhilarating scene. When Xiao Menglou made this signature move, her body went limp and she collapsed to the ground, falling into a coma from which she would not awaken.

"Forget it, Mr. Xiao," Lin Peng said, patting his shoulder. "Zeus and the Octopus are the most popular in the solar system; they are the first and second seeds in this competition, while you are only the fourteenth seed. Come on, buddy, as long as you can win the championship in this competition, the thunderous cheers will be for you."

Looking at the faces in the audience, each one shimmering with excitement and desire, pale as if haunted, Xiao Menglou let out a deep sigh and subtly shook his head, almost imperceptibly.

Zeus, Zeus, Zeus, Zeus

By the way, Mr. Xiao, when you get out of the car and see those admirers, remember to make that gesture

The gaming enthusiasts shouted wildly, and the resounding waves of sound echoed thunderously above the arena. Those immersed in this auditory surge felt a wave of dizziness, their bodies swaying uncontrollably, as if caught in a tumultuous sea of currents.

"Stop talking so much, and - picture - book" Xiao Menglou slumped completely into his seat, allowing his upper body to disappear entirely from the bus's large window, "Quick, give me my mask."

The top seed of this competition, the invincible Zeus, also known by the moniker Demon King Arthur. Although he started the season in a slump due to physical discomfort, he quickly regained his original level of performance once he adapted to the environment of Ceres. Zeus's thunder is the most powerful artifact in the world, while Arthur's uniquely established interstellar mixed fleet has the highest comprehensive evaluation and is the most formidable fleet in the history of competitions. His distinctive military building philosophy, resource collection methods, and operations in sporadic ship engagements have always been his unparalleled skills. Not to mention his seemingly boundless strategic tactics and his unpredictable harassment warfare. His ever-changing tactics leave his opponents utterly bewildered, which is why many in the esports community refer to this handsome man, who always brings us surprises, as an extraterrestrial or a visitor from beyond. Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great honor that I introduce to you the divine Zeus, Arthur.

Mr. Xiao Menglou, as the last hope of the local participants in this esports competition, what are your thoughts

"Meng Lou, this year your fans are more fervent than ever before. Do you know why?" Lin Peng, sitting next to Xiao Meng Lou, said with a playful smile, "Because you are the last hope of the locals. The last hope, oh brother, this will drive everyone crazy for you, especially the women"

As the interstellar bus, resembling a beautifully crafted French baguette, gracefully descended from the sky like a fish swimming through space onto the electronic sports arena of Ceres, thousands of gaming enthusiasts who had already gathered outside the arena surged around the interstellar bus like a tide, fervently shouting the name of Xiao Menglou. Countless hands reached into the air, desperately extending wristwatch-like smartphones towards the bus window, eager to capture every moment of Xiao Menglou's entrance using the recording function on their portable devices. Thousands of gaming enthusiasts who had already gathered outside the arena surged around the interstellar bus like a tide, fervently shouting the name of Xiao Menglou. Countless hands reached into the air, desperately extending wristwatch-like smartphones towards the bus window, eager to capture every moment of Xiao Menglou's entrance using the recording function on their portable devices.

The laser lights tightly held by the gaming enthusiasts shot into the sky, creating countless patterns in support of local players, supporting Xiao, and supporting the Everyone for Everyone Club amidst the twinkling stars of space. Countless female gaming fans used their laser lights to express passionate and affectionate words and love letters. Dozens of girls dressed in white short-sleeved shirts and ultra-short skirts rushed out from the crowd, waving laser banners wishing Xiao Menglou victory in the esports competition, screaming wildly towards the bus where Xiao Menglou was seated, elevating the atmosphere of the entire venue to a climax. Dozens of girls dressed in white short-sleeved shirts and ultra-short skirts rushed out from the crowd, waving laser banners wishing Xiao Menglou victory in the esports competition, screaming wildly towards the bus where Xiao Menglou was seated, elevating the atmosphere of the entire venue to a climax

Xiao Menglou stood there in a daze, seemingly still needing some time to accept the fact of being completely overlooked by the media