Chapter 1209: AFTER THE SEMI-FINALS
Chapter 1209: AFTER THE SEMI-FINALS
HEARING that, Luo Yan let out a subconscious sigh of relief. It was finally official—they had won their semi-finals match and would compete in the Arcadia Cup finale tomorrow. Even though they'd only been in the game for three days—just three hours in real time—it felt like months had passed with everything that had happened. He was just glad it was finally over.
Seriously, the moment they apprehended Mrs. Winslow, the system should've declared their victory right then and there. But no, they had to sit through that dramatic confrontation between Mrs. Winslow and Mrs. Thompson. It was like the game was saying, "Hey, we put a lot of effort into this script, and you're not even going to let our Ripper deliver her dramatic monologue?" It was exactly the kind of thing the game staff would do.
Lila stepped forward again, her grin widening as she addressed the crowd. "Now, let's not forget to recognize the MVPs of each team for this semi-final match! These players stood out and made a huge impact on their team's success."
As she spoke, two large screens appeared above the stage, each displaying snippets of the MVPs in action—highlighting their key moments during the matches.
The screen on the left showed a woman in a flowing white robe, the kind often seen in historical martial arts dramas. She moved with grace, her sword flashing as she fought off a group of men. The most surprising detail, however, was the name displayed underneath the screen: Michael. It meant the elegant 'woman' wielding the sword was none other than Li Xu Min, the captain of Team Celestials.
On the other hand, the screen on the right showed a seven-year-old girl who one moment was acting shy and timid, and the next, she was leaping onto a woman, stopping her from stabbing another. The name below the screen read: Noctis.
Luo Yan was startled at first. He hadn't expected to be named MVP for this round. Honestly, he thought Su Yuqi had done more than him. Was it because she'd been eliminated before they apprehended Mrs. Winslow? Still, the recognition made him happy, even if it came as a surprise.
Shen Ji Yun shifted closer, his voice low and warm as he whispered with a small smile playing on his lips. "Congratulations, Yan Yan."
Luo Yan smiled up at Shen Ji Yun. He wanted to lean into the other, but he held himself back because this was hardly the time nor place to do 'public display of affection'. So he just whispered back softly, "Thank you, Brother Ji Yun."
"Congrats, Yan," Luo Jin said with a smile.
Su Yuqi followed up with a thumbs-up, her expression warm.
"I knew it would be you, Xiao Yan," Bai Ze added, his tone approving. "You did great back there."
Though Bai Ze was a little disappointed that he might not get another chance at MVP with only the finals left tomorrow, he was at least glad this one didn't go to Su Yuqi. Yeah, he could be petty like that.
Luo Yan smiled warmly at the others and thanked them.
Lena said next in her calm and commanding voice, "For tomorrow's match, the two teams will compete live at the Dragon Dome in S City. Admission is free, but seating is first come, first served. Doors open at 10 AM, and the match starts at 1 PM. We recommend arriving early to secure your spot."
Luo Yan froze when he heard the announcement. He'd almost forgotten that the Arcadia Cup finals were always held live—not in the game, but in real life. That meant the members of both teams would have to show up in person.
He didn't really have a problem with appearing in person. But after the "controversy" during winter vacation—when they'd been photographed near a police station in B City and people had jumped to the worst conclusions, including accusing Shen Ji Yun of being a nepo baby—he couldn't help but worry. If Shen Ji Yun showed up tomorrow, people would definitely figure out he was the nephew of Moonlight Media's president. And if they won—which everyone on their team was determined to do—it would only fuel another round of controversy.
Not that Luo Yan really cared much for that, though. And any of them also wouldn't give up on the match just to avoid being accused of cheating. Because, you know, some would rather assume that they won because of Uncle Yi Mu's help rather than because of their skills.
Anyway, they could worry about all that after the match. For now, the priority was focusing on the fight against team Celestials tomorrow.
Luo Yan was just glad the finals would happen in S City. At least he wouldn't have to worry about convincing his father to let him and Luo Jin go to another city.
He glanced at their opposing team. Only Li Xu Min and Song Liuli were present out of the five main members. They'd likely followed the same strategy as Team Fenghuang, sending only the members who could excell in the RPG theme of the semi-finals.
Tomorrow, they would fight against them. The reigning champion of Arcadia Cup. It would probably be their toughest match. But Luo Yan didn't feel nervous about it. Instead, he was excited about it.
Lila's playful energy lit up the stage as she addressed the crowd next. "That's it for today, everyone! Don't miss the finals tomorrow—it's going to be unforgettable for sure!"
----------
After the brief interlude, team Yunyue teleported back to their headquarters. They had just settled around their round table when a teenager with fox ears and seven tails materialized in the hall.
"Master!"
Eclipse rushed forward, aiming straight for Luo Yan, but someone grabbed his collar and yanked him back. He glanced over his shoulder and pouted when he saw it was Shen Ji Yun.
"Captain, why do you always pull me back when I'm about to hug Master?" Eclipse asked. Then, as if a sudden realization hit him, his eyes widened. "Wait—are you jealous of me, Captain?" He looked utterly scandalized. "Do you think I'd ever harbor such thoughts about Master? How could you? I'm your number one shipper!"