Chapter 194.1 – We Are V587 (9)

◎ She is a miracle ◎

The absurd fight that occurred during their debut was captured by on-site drones and terminals. It ended with Song Ke revealing her spiritual weapon, Yin Xiao standing dumbfounded, and Zhuang Qingyan receiving a punch.

Despite this, rumors about V587 spread like wildfire.

Major media outlets, in a bid for attention, came up with increasingly sensational headlines:

“Shocking! Mysterious V587 Exposed, All Members Are Actually Cheaters?!” – Challenge Match Official Daily.

“Two Male S-Class Awakeners Clash, What’s the Reason Behind the Exchange of Blows?” – A Certain Gossip Magazine.

“Click to See How From Waste to Big Boss, Even the Sick and Disabled Overturn Fate?” – Star Network Sci-fi Novel Platform.

After the Bauhinia Alliance’s permissions were interconnected, although there were few contestants from the lower-level districts who passed the preliminaries, the barrage of comments was exceptionally lively, not inferior to District B:

“Why are there two Su Chas? Is Su Cha male or female? Why does it switch between male and female?”

“Director Fang, keep it up, you are the pride of Tongwan!”

“Isn’t that Youyou? Oh my god, my idol actually gave up singing and joined the military… What should I do, I love her even more now?”

“If you ask me, there’s only one normal person in this V587—Captain Song Ke.” Audience members who thought they had seen through the truth stated firmly.

Friends who had once socialized with V587 also followed their matches in their own ways: Ferrara’s Irene and the sisters, Shaye’s senior brothers and sisters, Huyong and Cheng Yi from Sin City, Jiang Rui and Tian Yi from Hongchang, as well as Ye Zheng, Ye Zimei, Bai Qi, Duanmu Qi, and Xiao Chen from the Northern Base… V587 also carried their beliefs.

With experience from the Throne Race Competition, Ilya’s “arranged” schedule was not only tightly packed but also full of highlights.

V587’s first team battle appearance was in a maze. Zhuang Qingyan, with swollen lips and an extremely foul expression, unleashed his ability to the fullest. With “Omniscient and Omnipotent” pushed to the extreme, not only did he memorize every fork in the road, but he also calculated the route, calmly directing the movement of the seven members, brushing past opponents countless times.

Their attacks were extremely sneaky, never facing their enemies head-on, but instead, messing with their opponents’ mentality, lurking in corners for ambushes. This style of play was particularly annoying, causing even the audience who originally supported V587 to turn against them, shouting anxiously, wishing they could jump into the maze to help their opponents:

“Don’t go over there! V587 is ambushing there!”

“Oh dear, fooled again! Can’t they see it’s such an obvious ploy to lure the tiger out of the mountain?”

“No, no, playing with such dirty tactics, I’ll have a lifelong trauma with mazes.”

The first match, a 3v3, took place in a coastal city located at the border between Cario and Luce. V587 sent Lin Youyou, Su Cha, and Xu Xing. Except for Su Cha, who had some reputation (although he repeatedly denied it), the other two were relatively unknown. They faced a team from the New Asia Alliance, equally skilled in naval warfare. However, Lin Youyou couldn’t even swim.

This match, not favored by many, turned out to be a surprise to everyone—Lin Youyou dominated the battlefield.

Right from the start, she imposed a “directional confusion” debuff on the opponents. Then, the three of them huddled into the mist. Lin Youyou hummed softly, and a black shadow emerged from the sea, its full form unseen, violently shattering the glass of the awakeners’ ship with its sonic waves, and the outspread waves directly overturned it.

“Damn, is that… a mutated Kun?” Knowledgeable spectators rubbed their eyes in disbelief.

The opponents, in a sorry state, fell into the water. Just as they were about to swim out with all their might, the sea suddenly froze, extending for hundreds of miles, freezing their refreshing smiles. Su Cha, who moved ghostly, swiftly harvested them, leaving the entire team powerless to resist, utterly miserable.

V587 won overwhelmingly, and Lin Youyou’s title as the “Deep Sea Witch” spread far and wide.

In the first 5v5 match, the jungle trekking rally, the extreme environment particularly tested the contestants’ endurance, physical strength, and willpower.

V587 encountered a seeded team from the Cario Empire, with four S-class members on the opposing side, making victory seem more likely for them. However, V587 had Fang Zhixu, a battlefield doctor who played the most outstanding role throughout the match. Not only could he handle various sudden injuries and perform surgery anytime, anywhere, but he also carried all sorts of strange potions, frequently giving injections to his teammates. What’s more remarkable was Dr. Fang’s superb evasion skills; he slipped away like an eel, and even when targeted by the opponents, they couldn’t catch him from start to finish.

During the encounter, the opponents were exhausted and disheveled, while V587 was well-fed and in peak physical condition. How could they continue to fight?

After this match, the trend of team battles with support healers gradually became popular, with more and more healing-type awakeners appearing on the competition stage. Apart from the peculiar style of V587, awakeners from various countries around the world began to shine and gain fame.

On the New Asia Alliance side, S6-level sorcerer Zhang Ci emerged out of nowhere, leading the team “Yue Mountain” to success.

The S6-level aggressive twins Ling Yan and Ling Yue, with their exquisite coordination synchronized through brainwaves, encountered no rivals in the 3v3 matches.

With Zhao Yuqing’s addition, the team “Tustan” led by Yin Xiao soared in points.

The popular team “Kazan Lokomotiv” from the Luce Confederation boasted an S5-level couple, Veronica and Vladimir.

In addition, Dylan, the S2-level young genius from the Cario Empire, stunned the audience with his solo performance of “Nightmare Descends.”

As the preliminaries progressed, Zhang Ci and Song Ke were assigned to the same solo match. The two fought fiercely, but in the end, Song Ke emerged victorious.

Zhuang Qingyan’s scheming finally found its place. He casually passed by the rest area and overheard Zhang Ci speaking.

Zhang Ci: “Are you injured?”

Song Ke: “Huh? No, I’m not.”

When Song Ke lowered her head, Zhang Ci unexpectedly noticed traces of bruising on her fair neck, deep and shallow, forming a large patch.

Zhuang Qingyan knocked on the door, the scent of green tea wafting in, “Song Keke, you didn’t sleep well last night. Go home early today…”

He had calculated meticulously, deliberately planting the bruise where Song Ke couldn’t see it, ensuring enough time would pass.

No matter how much Zhuang Qingyan calculated, he didn’t anticipate his brother-in-law’s excessive righteousness. He didn’t even think in that direction. With a calm expression, Zhang Ci formed a hand seal, and a swelling-reducing talisman fell from the sky, sticking to the “injury” on Song Ke’s neck.

“There are more mosquitoes lately. Be sure to protect yourself.”

Zhuang Qingyan: “…”

V587 teammates nearby, who were eating melons and enjoying the scene, mercilessly laughed, “Pfft! Hahaha!”

From their laughter, Song Ke understood something and looked at Zhuang Qingyan with a complicated expression. “My senior brother… doesn’t like green tea.”

…

“Let’s have a brief meeting. This is the speech Utopia released yesterday.”

Zhuang Qingyan’s two ridiculously long legs crossed as he lazily leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window, the warm sunlight casting his profile in a handsome and charming light.

The screen displayed a clear image, a somewhat familiar figure passionately talking, elaborating on the Utopia residency guidelines, and various benefits provided to the winners.

Song Ke frowned slightly. “Is that… Park Jae-woo?”

Lu Xiaoyu pulled up information about Park Jae-woo’s appointment to the Central Court: “It seems his career is flourishing. Back then, he was just a deputy director of regional affairs, and now he’s become the spokesperson for the Alliance stationed in Utopia.”

“Park Jae-woo’s promotion is related to us,” Zhuang Qingyan added blandly. “Before Xie Ping died, I managed to squeeze some information out of him. Park Jae-woo publicly announced the news about Song Ke’s second ability during a secret meeting, and he even persuaded many officials to personally attend the Loak operation.”

“But he didn’t participate in the Loak operation himself,” Lin Youyou pointed out the inconsistency.

“Exactly, that’s where his cunning lies. Park Jae-woo wasn’t optimistic about the siege operation, so he wisely chose to observe. If we had died, he provided intelligence without any loss. On the other hand, if we won… not only could he eliminate political rivals like Simon, get rid of his immediate superiors, but he could also take advantage of the opportunity to enter the power center of Utopia, paving his way to success. He benefits either way,” Zhuang Qingyan explained.

“So, he’s considered successful in his ascent?” Fang Zhixu asked, stroking his chin.

“Does that make him a bad person? Is he our enemy?” Xu Xing expressed confusion.

“Human beings are complex creatures. Many times, they cannot be simply defined as good or bad. Park Jae-woo’s existence is like a double-edged sword. He can either help us adapt to Utopia faster or become the biggest obstacle to its downfall. However, since he has already plotted against us once, there will likely be a second time. He must be dealt with.” Zhuang Qingyan’s light-colored eyes shimmered slightly, as if carefully planning Park Jae-woo’s demise.

“I will hold him accountable,” Song Ke stated, looking at the person on the screen, and through him, towards the distant Utopia.

**TN

“Green Tea” (绿茶 lǜchá) as slang in Chinese online communities refers to individuals who portray themselves as innocent, naive, and pitiable, but behind this facade, they are manipulative and calculating. This term is often used to describe people who use their apparent innocence to manipulate others or to gain sympathy for their own benefit. It’s a colorful and somewhat ironic term that highlights the deceptive nature of such individuals.