The Principle of Whirlwind Deflection

"It seems to be a combination of the rotating fluctuations of the Ghost Seal Pearl and a blocking technique," Li Yibo analyzed rationally. "It looks like Liu Hao has developed a new way to play the magic sword. The viewers watching the live broadcast must be eager to imitate it, right?"

...

At this moment, the live broadcast chat room was buzzing with comments:

"Imitate my foot! I just tried it, and it didn't work at all. I was made a fool of in the arena."

"Why didn't my Ghost Seal Pearl attach to the sword after being released? It just flew out instead?"

"How do you even use this technique? Please, Liu Hao, teach us!"

...

The viewers in the live broadcast room complained endlessly. Tens of thousands of people tried the Whirlwind Deflection, but none could replicate it.

"Whirlwind Deflection isn't something that can be easily imitated," Ye Qiu said calmly. "When I soloed with Liu Hao, he used this move and even deflected my Dragon Break. It almost made my jaw drop."

"Is Whirlwind Deflection that difficult to release?" Su Mucheng asked, puzzled.

"It's very difficult, comparable to the Dragon Raising Its Head technique. The margin for error is extremely low; any mistake will result in failure and make you a laughingstock..." Ye Qiu paused, "I've tried it, and out of ten attempts, I succeeded only three times. To perfectly release Whirlwind Deflection, you must precisely time the Ghost Seal Pearl's release to hit a single frame of pause. If you're too early or too late, the Ghost Seal Pearl may be canceled or released forward, and won't attach to the short sword."

"But Liu Hao made it look so easy. It didn't seem that hard," Su Mucheng whispered.

"With enough practice, the success rate naturally improves, but..." Ye Qiu paused again, "The real challenge in using Whirlwind Deflection in battle is the extremely low margin for error. The key to successfully releasing it isn't just timing the block and the Ghost Seal Pearl release but knowing in advance how your opponent will attack. Only then can you release the Ghost Seal Pearl at the right moment, time the block during the single frame pause, and use the brief spiral fluctuation to deflect the attack. Whirlwind Deflection's success hinges on that split second."

"So you mean... to perfectly use Whirlwind Deflection in combat, one must be able to precisely predict the opponent's actions..." Su Mucheng said, "So, even knowing the technique, it's still hard to use in actual combat?"

Ye Qiu nodded.

...

Liu Hao's mana was exhausted, and although he still had about 14% of his health left, Desert Dust's skill cooldowns were complete. Knowing he couldn't continue fighting, he typed "GG" on the screen, pushed away the keyboard, and conceded.

GG stands for "Good Game," usually said by the loser to the winner at the end of a game, but no one felt Liu Hao was a loser at that moment.

First, he defeated two opponents in a row, then took half of Desert Dust's health, effectively challenging two and a half players from Tyranny.

Such bravery! How could he be considered a loser?!

...

Liu Hao walked off the stage amid the audience's cheers and applause, passing by Wang Ze.

Wang Ze was Excellent Era's second defender, a gunslinger with the ID "Matchstick."

Liu Hao patted Wang Ze's shoulder, advising, "Don't think about beating Han Wenqing. You know, he's a tiger on the field, a wise tiger. Only Wu Song can defeat him, and only a drunken Wu Song..." (Wu Song (Chinese: 武松; pinyin: Wǔ Sōng), also known as Second Brother Wu (武二郎; Wǔ Èrláng), is a legendary hero recounted since the 13th century; and one of the well-known fictional characters in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classic Novels in Chinese literature.)

Wang Ze was stunned, knowing Liu Hao was trying to teach him something. "What advice do you have, Hao-ge?"

"To deal with a fierce tiger, you should fight like a madman. Make your battle strategy and rhythm unpredictable because a madman fights on a whim," Liu Hao smiled, "Just like Wang Chixuan did in the second half of the first match, fighting like a madman, giving everything to inflict as much damage as possible."

"Fighting like a madman? That might lack stamina," Wang Ze hesitated.

"Let me put it this way, if you fight at your own pace, Han Wenqing will see through you instantly. He's old but not slow; you might not even take 10% of his health..." Liu Hao said, "But fighting like a madman can help you take at least 30% of his health."

Wang Ze thought for a moment and nodded, trusting Liu Hao wouldn't mislead him. "I understand, Hao-ge."

...

Liu Hao returned to the Excellent Era players' seating area, only to be met by Su Mucheng's cold, stern face.

"Come on, I was the hero of this match. Why the 'I think you're a criminal' look?" Liu Hao quipped.

"You know why!" Su Mucheng didn't want to talk to Liu Hao, thinking, "Since you're so good, why didn't you give your all in the seventh season? Why didn't you cooperate with Ye Qiu instead of forcing him to accommodate you? If you hadn't opposed Ye Qiu, Excellent Era might have already won the championship."

Liu Hao chuckled, knowing Su Mucheng disliked him. He had no intention of talking with her either. Just as he was about to lean back in his chair and rest his eyes, Cui Li pulled him up.

Cui Li dragged him to a dark corner, his expression cold. "Why?"

"Why what?" Liu Hao played dumb.

"Why didn't you follow the boss's orders? Have you forgotten what the boss asked you to do?" Cui Li grabbed Liu Hao by the collar and demanded. "Do you know the boss called and cursed me out when you completed the two-in-a-row?"

"Sorry," Liu Hao said insincerely. "But you don't look like a refined manager right now. Anyone who sees you might think you're a street thug."

Cui Li realized he was losing control. He released Liu Hao's collar, adjusted his glasses, and said softly, "The boss wants an explanation. If your explanation doesn't satisfy him, you'll be benched..."

"Don't worry, Manager Cui. I'm loyal to the boss, second only to you," Liu Hao smiled.

Cui Li gave Liu Hao a deep look, noticing that Liu Hao wasn't afraid of being benched. Instead, he seemed confident, as if everything was going according to his plan.

"Have you thought of how to explain to the boss?" Cui Li asked.

Liu Hao nodded, "Of course, I always handle things flawlessly."

"I hope so..." Cui Li frowned, left Liu Hao with "Call the boss as soon as possible," and walked away.

Watching Cui Li leave, Liu Hao chuckled softly from the shadows, "You, Tao Xuan, are really despicable, using power to oppress. Making me throw the match and benching me if I don't listen? Just wait and see..."

Liu Hao dialed Tao Xuan's number.

"Boss?"

Before Liu Hao could continue, Tao Xuan's angry voice came through, "Liu Hao, what are you doing? Ignoring my words? You're getting bold, huh? Think you can inflate your fanbase on your own? Remember, I manage your fans!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 71 is up on my Patreon and Chapter 51 is free on my Patreon.(No electricity rn, I will update the advance 4 chapters by tomorrow on Patreon).

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