Chapter 69: The Call to Counterattack

Inside the studio, the atmosphere was rife with complaints.

It seemed this might go down as the most embarrassing blunder in the history of Tianhai University's inaugural Battle Royale Tournament. Thanks to the director, a whole crowd had been forced to watch a prone player squirming around on the ground, much to everyone’s dismay.

Fortunately, the footage on the big screen soon changed.

As the crawling menace vanished from view, the audience collectively breathed a sigh of relief. At last, they could return to the pivotal school rivalry that had everyone on edge. Many were still caught up in the clash between academic teams—who would emerge victorious? That question lingered in many minds.

But then, something unexpected happened.

The camera feed didn’t return to the school battleground but instead cut to a different corner of the map, somewhere near City L.

“What the heck is the director doing?” someone muttered.

“Isn’t Old Jiang in charge of the broadcast team?” another asked.

“What’s going on today? This is so unprofessional.”

“That’s not like Old Jiang at all. He’s always been responsible. He wouldn’t make such a rookie mistake.”

As the footage shifted again, murmurs of doubt swept through the studio.

At that moment, an airdrop appeared on the screen, smoke billowing from its crate. Two squads approached from different directions—one of which included Yang Hao and his team.

Seeing this, the room quieted, everyone sensing that something dramatic was about to unfold.

Sure enough, the two teams soon clashed.

Just as the crowd began to weigh the odds and speculate on the winner, a motorcycle suddenly roared onto the scene. Several in the audience exchanged surprised glances.

“What’s that bike trying to do?”

“Is he crazy? Does he actually plan to ram them?”

“He must be out of his mind. That’s hilarious.”

“Like a mantis trying to block a chariot—he’s doomed.”

As the motorcycle charged straight at the jeep, the overwhelming consensus was clear: this was a suicide mission. The player on the bike, they thought, was simply delusional.

But then, the unexpected happened.

Just like Old Jiang and his colleagues, the audience stared in disbelief as the motorcycle crashed into the jeep, sending it flying. Eyes widened, jaws dropped, and expressions of utter astonishment swept across the room.

What just happened?

The spectacle defied explanation.

Moments later, the screen showed the four-man squad being wiped out.

“9999, that was insane!”

“Who are these guys? I don’t recognize any of them.”

“That maneuver was unreal.”

“I bet the wiped-out team is still reeling in confusion.”

“Unbelievable—wiped out mid-air. I can’t even.”

After witnessing the entire sequence, no one had anything more to say about the director’s supposed blunder. On the contrary, many were still reeling from shock, while others began to dig into Yang Hao’s background. None of the pre-tournament favorites seemed to include anyone from his team.

But this was just a replay. As the battle concluded, the camera shifted once more.

“It’s them again?”

“They’re pinned down at the airdrop.”

“This doesn’t look good. There’s almost no cover nearby except for the crate.”

“Are they going to die here?”

“Airdrops always bring bloodshed.”

“That’s why I never go for airdrops.”

When the live feed changed, the audience thought the scene had shifted elsewhere—only to realize it was still Yang Hao’s squad. Now, they had reached the airdrop, only to be pinned down by another team. The hunter had become the hunted.

After taking out the previous team, Yang Hao and his squad had rushed straight to the airdrop, never expecting that another group would be drawn in at that exact moment. Clearly, the new arrivals had been lured by the promise of the loot, and upon discovering Yang Hao’s group, they had no intention of letting them escape. If nothing else, the airdrop alone was reason enough to fight.

The terrain around the airdrop was barren, offering little more than the battered vehicle Yang Hao’s team had arrived in as makeshift cover.

“This is bad—their position is terrible.”

“All four of them are pinned down here. Looks like a squad wipe is coming.”

“I don’t like their odds.”

“The airdrop is sitting out in the open.”

“With their current situation, there’s no way to move. That car’s already smoking; if they try to drive, they’ll all blow up together.”

The audience analyzed the predicament, their pessimism evident.

Boom!

As debates continued, a sudden burst of gunfire erupted. The smoking vehicle beside the airdrop exploded in a fiery blast, instantly rendering it useless.

The explosion left Yang Hao’s team in even greater danger—yet they reacted swiftly, none of them falling in the blast.

Bang! Bang!

Just as optimism vanished for Yang Hao’s squad, two sharp gunshots rang out. The instant their car was destroyed, Zhu Ziyuan and Yang Hao—armed with M24 and Kar98k rifles—sprang into action.

Darting from behind cover, the two snipers leaned out from either side of the airdrop crate. Their movements were perfectly synchronized.

Aiming down sights, firing in a flash—a split second was all it took. Before the enemy shooters could duck back to safety, two sniper rounds cut through the air.

Each bullet found a different target.

“Gentle Heart used a Kar98k to headshot and knock down Prodigy Shooter!” flashed the notification on the screen.

At the same moment, another enemy took a headshot—not knocked out, but his level-three helmet shattered and his health plummeted alarmingly.

Two shots, two headshots!

With just those shots, they nearly disabled two of the enemy squad.

The sudden reversal stunned the audience.

“Damn, those shots were fast!”

“I didn’t even see it clearly!”

“These guys are monsters. Was that an instant snipe?”

“Two snipers—unbelievable!”

“They never miss!”

That single counterattack instantly changed public opinion about Yang Hao’s team.

But the counterattack was not yet finished.

At the very moment Zhu Ziyuan and Yang Hao landed their headshots, a motorcycle engine roared to life at the airdrop site.

The crowd fell silent, anticipation mounting.

The next instant, a motorcycle tore off in the direction of the gunfire. At the same time, as Yao Cheng and Zhang Tian sped across the field, Yang Hao and Zhu Ziyuan quickly reloaded their rifles behind the airdrop.

The horn of counterattack had sounded.