"The winner of this match is—Abyssal White Flower from Light-Chaser Garden!"
The host announced the victory of the second battle.
According to the best-of-five format, as long as Light-Chaser Garden secured one more victory in the next round, the crown of this bounty match would belong to them.
Wild cheers erupted from the other half of the audience stands.
Countless people held up support boards with the names of the Light-Chaser Garden members.
Seeing this, the fans of the Heterogeneous Front mixed in the crowd looked dim, but they quickly pulled themselves together.
They stripped off their Heterogeneous Front team uniforms, revealing Light-Chaser Garden uniforms underneath, and began to shout even harder.
"Light-Chaser Garden! Light-Chaser Garden! Light-Chaser Garden!"
"Wait, so you were the ones shouting the loudest just now?" someone questioned.
Faced with the skepticism, one fan responded righteously, "We're here to enjoy the atmosphere of the competition.
Whichever team plays well, we'll cheer for them. What's the problem with that?"
"Exactly. Is there any point in getting all worked up and ruining your mood for the day just because your favorite team lost?" another person added, nodding in agreement.
He then cupped his hands around his mouth like a megaphone and shouted even louder, "Light-Chaser Garden!"
The host's voice circled in the air above.
In the arena of tens of thousands, the sound waves were like a tide, one wave drowning out the next.
The people's passion was blocked by the glass walls, forming a sharp contrast with the quiet atmosphere inside the lounge.
As a pillar of light appeared, Angelina returned.
Bai Youyou nodded and was about to stand up with her heavy hammer, but Xu Xiaoyou shook her head, signaling the girl to stay seated.
Bai Youyou was confused. "They've already lost two rounds. Without a doubt, the Heterogeneous Front will send their support or Clotho-Lan herself next.
No matter who it is, I can handle them. Just leave it to me."
"That's exactly why you can't go up yet. If we win the third round, won't this bounty match that some people have been looking forward to for so long fall flat?" Xu Xiaoyou smiled.
"Don't forget, the main purpose of this bounty match is performance."
"The outside world doesn't clearly know Light-Chaser Garden's general strength yet, and we've all just advanced to grade 4.
Naturally, we need to put on a good show to let certain people weigh the price of provoking us."
"So, who are you planning for the next round?" Bai Youyou roughly understood the girl's intent.
"Let's have our buffer lady step onto the stage first, shall we?" Xu Xiaoyou looked toward Tang Xin.
"So, you've already decided that I'll lose?" Tang Xin said expressionlessly.
"Of course not." Xu Xiaoyou began her coaxing. "Think about it, my dear Little Blue Bird. I know it wouldn't be hard for you to win the match.
But no matter what, a buffer losing a match is far more reasonable than any of the other four positions losing, isn't it?"
Tang Xin held up a hand to stop her.
"There's no use saying those pretty words. I know what's on your mind better than anyone."
"Fine, I'm heading out."
With that, Tang Xin swiped her hand in front of her and vanished into a pillar of light, heading for the contestant preparation area.
"Don't forget what I told you," Xu Xiaoyou called out casually.
"Will she actually do it?" Bai Youyou asked, watching the girl's departing back.
"Probably?" Xu Xiaoyou answered.
It was currently intermission, with ten minutes left before the next match.
Xu Xiaoyou brought a cup of lemon green tea to Angelina's side.
The latter raised an eyebrow and sighed as she took the tea from her hand.
The people from the Dawn Society had suggested that Angelina drink less alcohol in the Oasis to ensure her consciousness remained stable.
This was to avoid the real-world body losing control as much as possible, which would lead to an acceleration of her entropy change.
They suggested she try drinks containing tea polyphenols or caffeine instead.
Obviously, this was a form of torture for Angelina.
Days without alcohol were already agonizing enough, and now she had to drink tea and coffee.
She hated that bitter taste.
For the past half year, Xu Xiaoyou had brought her tea almost every day.
If she resisted, the person bringing the tea for the next few days would become Tang Xin...
"I added honey and three sugar cubes," Xu Xiaoyou said.
Looking at the lemon slice floating on top, Angelina fell into deep thought.
"You probably noticed the signs back then, didn't you?" Angelina suddenly said. "Regarding my issues in reality."
Xu Xiaoyou was stunned. This was the first time the other had proactively brought up the topic since her entropy change.
"I'm not some god in the sky; I can't possibly foresee everything." Xu Xiaoyou leaned against Angelina. "Maybe a little bit."
She recalled what Angelina had said during that 'formal dinner.'
The other must have sensed long ago that her real-world body was undergoing an entropy change and that she couldn't log out.
At that time, since the league was still ongoing, Angelina hadn't brought it up.
By the time the entropy change fully erupted, it was already too late.
"I wonder what I look like in reality now. Will I be reduced to just a skeleton?" Angelina said casually, holding her head.
"That's not funny, Anya," Xu Xiaoyou said. "They are very worried about you."
"Who's worried about me?" Angelina raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Why?"
"Everyone. Youyou is searching for a way to separate the consciousness of someone experiencing an entropy change from the Oasis.
Meijiu sends a letter every week asking about your situation..."
"Meijiu? I thought her impression of me was always terrible."
"We've been together for over half a year," Xu Xiaoyou said. "If any of them were to disappear one day, would you go find them?"
"Does that include you?" Angelina asked.
"It doesn't."
"I would."
"What if it does?"
"I would as well."
"Then there you go," Xu Xiaoyou said.
"But I can't save anyone." Angelina shrugged. "I'm lying in a glass coffin right now.
Who knows when I'll go berserk and lose control. Maybe in a few days, you won't be seeing me anymore."
"You won't. I promise," Xu Xiaoyou said.
"What are you promising?"
"When you disappear, no matter where you go, I will definitely find you."
Angelina met Xu Xiaoyou's serious, deadpan eyes.
She was clearly a bit embarrassed by the other's 'sincere' promise.
"On the condition that you look for me when I disappear," Xu Xiaoyou added.
"So you're just getting yourself some insurance."
After a brief moment of silence, Xu Xiaoyou suddenly asked a serious question.
"Anya, where do you think people go after they die?"
"Where do they go? Heaven, hell, or maybe nothing at all. Dead is dead—just a void. I don't care."
"Then can you guarantee that in the world after death, every day will be more meaningful than now?" Xu Xiaoyou asked.
Angelina paused. Rarely, she didn't respond with a joke and instead fell into a deep silence.
"Can you guarantee that the world after death will make you look forward to tomorrow?"
"Alright, stop with that talk. I don't plan on dying," Angelina interrupted Xu Xiaoyou.
"If Tang Xin finds out you're saying these things to me, she definitely won't let us off the hook."
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