Love or Die: CEO’ s Daily Dose of Swoon (Cordelia) novel Chapter 241

Karl was on the verge of tears, his voice choked with emotion. "I'm sorry, Captain. It's all my fault. I let the team down."

He was the youngest of the lot, still green behind the ears. While his gaming skills were passable, being the last man standing in EW Club after the rest of the team had been sidelined due to injuries had put immense pressure on him. His resilience was tested, and unfortunately, he buckled under the weight of expectation.

This was the crux of EW Club's problem with their shooter position.

Karl had a long road ahead, needing at least a season to mature into the role.

Floyd clenched his jaw but softened his tone. "It's not your fault," he said reassuringly, always the pillar of calm in the stormy seas.

But even Floyd and Cordelia, the team's support, couldn't carry the game by themselves. Cordelia was new, still figuring out the dynamics of team fights, which made this scrimmage particularly challenging.

"Watch out!" Cordelia suddenly called. "Mid’s gone missing."

The top laner chimed in, "Top's still here, but their jungler's MIA."

Their words triggered a collective realization, their eyes darting to Karl, who had just respawned, only to be ambushed once more by three opponents at the bottom lane.

Fuming, Karl pushed his keyboard away, taking deep breaths to calm himself.

"Stay focused," Floyd sighed, trying to stabilize the young player's morale.

Through his tears, Karl's voice trembled. "I'm so useless. If only I had launched my ultimate at the right moment, I could've escaped. But I panicked seeing them all rush at me."

Wade taunted in the public chat, "Looks like your new shooter's got stage fright, eh? Scared as a quail!"

That was the last straw for Karl.

Ignoring Clay's warning to fall back, Karl charged forward in defiance.

It was a disaster. Karl had completely lost his composure, and the game seemed beyond salvage.

Floyd could only sigh at the unfolding chaos.

Wade continued to needle them, "Hanging in there isn't too shabby, I suppose. That mid-laner's not bad, a new face? Shame about your shooter, though. Got a new guy and still not fielding him?"

At that, Yates stepped up, patting Karl on the shoulder. "Step aside. Let me handle this."

Karl was taken aback, his gaze flickering between Yates and Floyd.

Yates looked at Floyd, who, after a tense thirty-second stare at the screen, finally consented just as Karl was about to respawn. "Let him play."

Yates took his seat, his usually defiant demeanor subdued, his fiery red hair seeming to dim in intensity as he focused on his role, moving towards the bottom lane.

As the enemies converged on him again, Yates showcased his skill, dodging their assault. Yet, instead of retreating, he pressed on.

"You're heading into a death trap!" Karl exclaimed.

But at that moment, Floyd emerged from the bushes, their jungle and shooter working in perfect harmony. Their combined forces turned the tide, securing a clean sweep in a 2v3 skirmish.

This was the synergy of true teammates, the kind that had once dominated the gaming world as the notorious duo, now complemented by Cordelia's damage output. Even with Clay and the top laner's occasional missteps, the team's overall performance was unaffected.

Confusion ensued until the coach received a call, only to angrily relay that CM claimed a power outage had occurred.

The excuse seemed flimsy at best, a poor attempt to save face, especially since the scrimmage had drawn nationwide attention.

Wade's social media post added fuel to the fire, "Sudden power outage during the game. Guess we'll have to settle this on the battlefield!"

Despite the dubious nature of the excuse, some speculated that CM had deliberately thrown the match as a gesture of sportsmanship, not wanting EW Club to suffer a humiliating defeat.

But to EW Club, this victory, though tainted by controversy, was a testament to their resilience and a beacon of hope for the championship dreams that lay ahead.

In the laid-back atmosphere of the EW Club's training room, everyone seemed infused with a sense of optimism, even Karl, who was usually all frowns, couldn't help but crack a rare smile.

Karl turned to Cordelia, offering a sheepish apology, "Lia, from here on out, you're the boss. I swear, I'll never underestimate girls again!"

Cordelia was about to respond with a chuckle when she noticed Yates and Floyd stepping outside.

Karl, along with Clay and Waller, were utterly confused. "Let the boss handle it. We've got this in the bag!"

Cordelia glanced at Everard and stood up, excusing herself to step out for a moment.

As soon as she left the room, she could hear Yates and Floyd having it out.

Floyd, visibly shaken by the intensity of the day's events, looked at Yates and slowly began, "Alright, you want to know? Today, I'll tell you why!"