Chapter 64: Another Encounter with Yang Haoran

If one were to say that Yang Hao and his three companions were cutting in line midway, it would be both true and not. As one of the five major societies at Tianhai University, the Esports Club’s campus battle royale tournament was certainly not a spur-of-the-moment affair, especially with such generous rewards; it had been carefully planned in advance. In fact, the campus battle royale had commenced earlier that morning. The fourth qualifying round was underway at this very moment, and once it ended, the fifth and final qualifying round would follow.

Yang Hao and his friends hadn’t heard about the tournament beforehand and, of course, hadn’t registered. Now, with the qualifiers more than halfway done, joining at this stage could indeed be considered cutting in. However, the tournament did not have a strict registration deadline. As Xiao Yu had just explained, there were still a few open slots for the fifth qualifier. Signing up now did not technically violate any rules.

Just a while ago, several teams had registered at the last minute as well.

Soon, Xiao Yu returned with a form in his hand. Passing the form and a black pen to Zhu Ziyuan, Xiao Yu smiled, “Seniors, just fill out the information on this form and you’re good to go.”

Yang Hao glanced over it—the required details were minimal, just the team name and member information.

After they filled it out, the form was quickly handed back to Xiao Yu. As he read through the details, an odd expression flickered across his face.

“Goddess Guardians?”

Looking at the four of them, Xiao Yu murmured the name. It sounded a bit adolescent, even silly.

Goddess Guardians—this title was, in fact, an inside joke among Yao Cheng and the others, largely because of Yang Hao. In the past, the four of them often attended Lin Zijin’s matches together. Yang Hao always declared himself captain of Lin Zijin’s personal guard, with Yao Cheng and the others as his loyal lackeys. Thus, the name “Goddess Guardians” was born.

Since a team name was required for the tournament, they decided to use it.

Xiao Yu walked off with the form while Yang Hao and his friends took the opportunity to learn the tournament’s rules. The event, organized by the Esports Club, was no small affair—nearly five hundred participants had signed up. With so many players, over a hundred teams in total, it was impossible to host everyone in a single match.

Therefore, the tournament began with five qualifying rounds, each sending the top five teams by points into the next stage.

With five teams advancing from each round—twenty people per round—after five rounds, the number of finalists would be just right.

Of course, among the five hundred contestants, not all were serious contenders. To attract more attention, the tournament’s registration requirements were quite relaxed: as long as you had a PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds account and enough team members, you could sign up.

So, alongside the skilled players, there were plenty just looking to have some fun. This kind of offline competition leaned more toward entertainment than professionalism—it was nothing like a pro event. Still, the finals would surely be more intense.

After all, Tianhai University boasted plenty of gaming prodigies. It's often said that true masters are among the common people—never underestimate anyone. Moreover, the Tianhai Esports Club was ranked among the top college clubs in the nation, and some of their best would certainly participate.

After grasping the rules, Xiao Yu soon returned with four participant numbers. He handed them out, saying, “The fourth qualifier is ending soon. I’ll take you inside to get ready.”

The Esports Club’s venue was spacious. The first floor was a vast hall, with a large screen at the front broadcasting footage from the current qualifier. The hall was packed with spectators, their excited discussions occasionally erupting into shouts of surprise.

Yang Hao glanced at the screen—just over ten players remained in the game, and the final circle was near. The most thrilling moment of the match was at hand.

The competition area was upstairs. Led by Xiao Yu, the four of them soon arrived at a large conference room. Many people were already inside—besides a few staff keeping order, everyone else was preparing for the next round.

Most of them were watching the ongoing match. Yang Hao noticed several participants carrying their own peripherals. He furrowed his brow and asked Xiao Yu, “Are we supposed to bring our own peripherals, or are they provided?”

This question also caught Yao Cheng’s attention. Because they’d registered at the last minute, none of them had brought their own mouse or keyboard.

Xiao Yu understood their concern and replied with a smile, “We provide peripherals, but if players prefer their own keyboards and mice, that’s fine too—as long as they pass our inspection. Don’t worry about it.”

Relieved by Xiao Yu’s answer, everyone relaxed.

It would have been troublesome if they’d had to prepare their own equipment.

Before long, with a rumble of thunder in the game, the fourth qualifier ended. As the advancing teams were announced, participants quickly left the competition area under staff guidance.

With so many participants, clearing the venue and preparing for the next round was always a hassle.

After a while, Yang Hao and his friends entered the competition area with the others and took their seats according to their participant numbers. The four of them sat together and, after checking the computers and peripherals for any issues, settled in to wait for the match to begin.

It must be said, the Tianhai Esports Club did not skimp on equipment—every machine was top-of-the-line, and the headphones, keyboards, and mice were all high-end.

As Yang Hao’s group finished their preparations, someone in another part of the venue noticed them, his gaze complicated.

This person was none other than Gao He, whom Yang Hao had met once before.

“Brother Xiao, do you know them?”

Just then, Xiao Yu happened to walk by maintaining order, and Gao He quickly stopped him, pointing at Yang Hao’s group.

“What is it?” Xiao Yu asked, puzzled.

Gao He pressed, “Are they from our university? I don’t remember ever seeing them before.”

He remembered Yang Hao vividly, yet could not recall such a person among Tianhai’s students.

“That Yang Haoran… is he an outside ringer someone brought in?” Gao He asked when Xiao Yu didn’t answer.

“Yang Haoran?”