"Let's... congratulate IG!"
"Congratulations to IG for defeating WE 2-0 and completing their four-game winning streak in the middle of the regular season!"
From the commentary booth, the voices of commentators Wawa and Guan Zeyuan congratulating were heard.
Backstage, IG waiting room.
Chris paced back and forth excitedly.
What excited him was not the victory over WE today, but the fact that IG gradually regained its form in the middle of the regular season.
You know, the regular seasons in each major region basically last for two or three months, and during this period, the competitive state of each team's players is bound to have ups and downs.
And the winning streak,
It best describes the status.
And it's also very popular.
After all, e-sports is a game for the strong, and fans all admire the strong.
For example, last year's super dark horse QG team, why was this team able to attract countless fans in just one year after entering the LPL?
Of course it was because last summer, QG created the undefeated myth of the blue side and entered the playoffs with a dazzling record of only 1 loss to EDG. Although they lost to LGD in the end and failed to win the championship, they also failed to get a place in the World Championship.
However, the undefeated myth created in the regular season made this team one of the strong teams in LPL.
As for IG, the ancient club founded in S2, since its former glory has faded, it has been a long time since they have achieved a dazzling winning streak in the regular season.
Even in the summer two seasons ago, IG didn't even make it to the playoffs.
But now, Chris suddenly felt that he could not only look forward to the playoffs, but even study the opponents of the MSI World Championship after the spring season?
Cough cough...it's floating.
Chris quickly suppressed his excitement.
It is better to be realistic and study more the remaining four teams in Group A of the second round of the regular season, and try to continue this hard-earned winning streak as much as possible.
We don't aim to create an undefeated myth like QG did last year, but just want to win all the games we can. After all, winning streak can boost morale.
Morale is high!
The performance in the game will improve accordingly.
Su Xiaoluo, who was standing next to him, looked at Chris's excited expression, feeling mixed emotions of sadness and joy. She couldn't help but look at the man's face that the director's camera was focusing on, feeling a little confused.
How do you feel...
Is this old bastard getting more and more aggressive?
illusion!
It must be an illusion.
…
Front row seats.
Zizi took off his headphones and high-fived Li Fu, saying excitedly, "Brother Fu is awesome! Even Kangdi can't beat you. You are the son of the dragon."
If Li Fu hadn’t grabbed the Baron just now, WE would have been able to speed up their return to the city after getting the Baron.
Apart from anything else, the game might have been dragged on to thirty minutes, and it would not have been able to end so cleanly and neatly.
Xiao Shiguang was also very excited and boasted, "What son of the dragon? We won't compete with Kangdi for this title. Brother Fu is obviously the father of the dragon, okay?"
"Dalong will definitely not care about his son when he sees his father. It makes total sense!" He gave a thumbs up.
Li Fu smiled and said, "It was just luck. I was able to get it because of the pressure you guys put on me in the bottom lane."
Zizi admitted without blushing, "You know what, my Fiora was like a god in the last wave of going up the high ground. She slashed from the high ground tower to the front tower without blinking an eye."
"Then why are your eyes not dry?" Rookie asked.
Xiao Shiguang also learned to spoil the show, "Don't brag, it was Coco and Braum who started the last wave well, Xiye's card didn't even have time to react and was left to die in Central Asia."
Seeing his teammates laughing and joking, Li Fu couldn't help but feel emotional. It seems that victory really does affect people's character.
When he was a substitute in the team before, every time IG finished a game, everyone would lower their heads and have a sullen look on their faces, and there would be a sense of low pressure hanging over their heads when they walked towards him.
Li Fu, who was standing by the water dispenser, was too embarrassed to ask them how the game was going.
It’s not like now, even Xiao Shiguang and She Keke in the bottom lane are laughing.
…
At the same time, at the opposing WE's game seat.
Kangdi and Xiye took off their headphones, their eyes accidentally met, and they avoided each other's gaze the next second.
If this was a Rank match, the first thought in these two people's minds after the match would probably be to block each other.
At this time, someone walked over from the opposite side of the stage.
Kangdi turned his head subconsciously and saw the second person standing out from the crowd in the IG queue.
With a height of 1.9 meters, long legs and the aura of a winner, you can't take your eyes off her at first sight.
Is this the old man from ancient WE?
For a moment, a trace of confusion suddenly emerged in Kangdi's heart.
In e-sports, no one is always eighteen, but there is always someone who is exactly eighteen.
This industry has always been one where the younger generation pushes the older generation forward.
The previous wave died on the beach.
Before today's match against IG, Kangdi was even a little worried - if he was too ruthless, the "old guy" on the opposite side would not be able to bear it physically and mentally, and would he be beaten into retirement?
Retiring because of a game is not uncommon in the field of e-sports.
Especially for older players like Li Fu, who are in their twilight years, they stay in the arena with the reluctance to achieve nothing, but once they are defeated one day, they start to face up to their own mediocrity.
The consequence is that "the heart of Tao is broken", the competitive state directly falls to the bottom, and then leaves the field sadly.
It really came to that point.
Conti felt that he was a little "cruel".
But he still won't hold back, because the fairness of e-sports lies in that it treats everyone "cruelly".
Whether it is a genius or a mediocrity.
All of the above…
These were all Kangdi’s psychological activities before the match with IG today.
However, compared to this moment, this huge gap made Kangdi completely confused.
After two games, even though he was unwilling to admit it and insisted that Xiye's support in the mid lane was not as good as Rookie, he more or less felt the unusualness of the veteran on the opposite side in his heart.
The opponent was not like Mala Xiangguo, who made him feel great pressure from the beginning.
If playing against RNG, what Kangdi should consider is not how to invade the opponent's jungle area, but worrying about his own jungle area being invaded by the opponent.
However, Li Fu gave him the impression that he was not aggressive in the opening offense, and had no highlights in the defense in the wild area. He was even scolded by the audience for being a coward many times.
But even so, the opponent's jungle area felt like a quagmire to him.
Once trapped, he would sink deeper and deeper until he was suffocated to death - this was a peculiar style that he had never seen in any other jungler in the LPL.
Kangdi was confused.
At this moment, a pair of hands stretched out in front of him.
Kangdi was stunned for a second, then he reacted and quickly got up from the chair.
"Brother Fu."
"Hello."
The two men smiled and shook hands.
Yes, even before the game, Kangdi called the opponent "old guy", "old bastard", and "Fu Huang" in his heart.
But at this moment, when they really shook hands face to face, Kangdi still had to call him "Brother Fu".
This is not just because Li Fu is an old veteran from WE in ancient times. After all, LPL does not have the tradition of LCK next door, where those who are older and more senior have to be called brothers.
The reason why Kangdi called him "Brother Fu" was largely because of the oppressive feeling he felt due to Li Fu's height.
1.9 meters tall versus 1.7 meters tall, a full head taller than him. Li Fu kept his head down when shaking hands with him.
This is just like many keyboard warriors in real life, who are “X dog” online and “X brother” offline.
Is it a contradiction?
No.
After shaking hands, the IG group returned to the center of the stage and lined up to thank the audience.
Many IG fans at the scene straightened their backs, looked down upon the WE fans around them, and cheered loudly.
After all, they are old enemies who have been together since ancient times.
WE 2.0 was once so strong, but IG once fell into decline, making it difficult for fans to stand up straight in front of WE fans both online and offline.
But today is different.
IG beat WE.
A clean 2-0.
And they also won four consecutive regular season games.
This inevitably makes many IG fans feel eager to make a move - IG seems to have really become stronger.
Are we also about to enter the new era 2.0?
We should be able to make the playoffs, right?
Maybe we can make it to the World Championship again this year?
Fans are all fanatical. At this moment, IG fans are looking at the players shining under the stage lights, and they have already imagined the scene of punching SKT in the World Championship.
…
The game was over, and just as Li Fu and others were returning to the backstage, the MVP was once again announced on the big screen.
The first game was Rookie's Ahri, and the second game was Li Fu's Lee Sin.
In fact, the first game could have been given to Mantis, but the people who selected the MVP in LPL took into consideration the threat that LeBron James posed to WE's mid and bottom lanes after getting the kills, as well as Rookie's consistent performance in the IG team, and finally decided to give the MVP to the two of them.
The netizens in the LPL official live broadcast room also started heated discussions.
"Tsk tsk, in this version, the midfielder is the boss!"
"Indeed, Fu Huang's last burst of energy has lasted for too long. It seems that he is getting more and more excited as the fight goes on."
"Indeed, I hope Brother Fu can maintain his form and at least finish this season."
“…”
But WE fans have been able to throw mineral water bottles after losing a game since ancient times.
Today, if they lost to RNG or EDG, they might still admit defeat.
After all, they are indeed strong.
But it is impossible to accept the loss to IG, a mid-level team known as the "quality inspector of strong teams".
Didn’t Swift say that?
Losing to a team like IG is a sign of failure!
Which fan is willing to admit that the team they support is bad?
"It's so funny. Stop saying that the mid and jungle are the boss. Why not learn from EDG and admit that the mid lane is the boss? Is it shameful?"
"It's not even time to finish this season. Fu Huang is such a nervous guy. It's good enough that he can finish the regular season. Have you forgotten that kick last year?"
"I'm just confused. Now even Fu Huang is being praised. Do you really think the Internet has no memory?"
"Those who say IG's jungler is the carry are simply brainless and don't understand the game. If you don't believe me, try substituting Rookie? If you replace Rookie and IG wins a game, I'll call you Fu Daddy!"
"Stop barking, you son of a bitch! It's only four wins in a row, RNG won seven games easily and nothing happened."
“…”
There is no way, the world of black fans will always be dark.
In this era when the "Big Three" are initially formed and dominate the LPL, unless you can bring back a world championship, your results will be so outstanding that others will look up to you.
Otherwise, even if they beat the team they support, it will be difficult to gain recognition.
…
Post-match interview session.
Today's interview is still with Rookie and Li Fu.
The person responsible for interviewing them was Feng Sichu.
When they went on stage, the two looked at each other, and Feng Sichu's face turned slightly red and he lowered his head.
A line of poetry popped up in everyone's mind.
——The most touching thing is the gentleness of lowering the head, like a water lotus being shy in the cool breeze.
So before the interview even started, the barrage of comments exploded.
"Fuck! I knew these two were awesome! (Banging the table)"
"LPL version of Eunjung and Faker?"
"But why do I feel like it's all upside down? The Emperor Fu's expression didn't change from beginning to end, but Chu Chu was the one who was stealing glances at him the whole time."
"Is it Eunjung's turn to 'ton ton ton' in LPL?"
"This is outrageous! Apart from being taller and more handsome, what's so good about Emperor Fu?"
“…”
As the barrage of comments started to sound, everyone's focus suddenly shifted, so much so that no one paid attention to what Li Fu and Rookie said in the interview.
Oh, by the way, when asked about his goal for the upcoming spring season, Rookie said that just making it to the playoffs would be enough.
Li Fu was silent for a moment, and finally uttered two words.
champion!
As soon as these two words came out, the rhythm of the barrage in the live broadcast room exploded again, and this time even many fans of other teams couldn't help it.
Looking at the spring of 2016, Group A has the dark horse QG and the 2.0 version of WE, and Group B has the two veteran clubs RNG and EDG. These teams are all capable of winning the championship.
If during the interview, any of these four teams said that their goal was to win the championship.
The audience might at most just feel that it is a bit frivolous and ostentatious, but they won't have any excessive thoughts.
The only exception is IG, a team that was eliminated in the round of 16 in the group stage last year. Today, even the powerful jungler Kakao refused to stay and left the team directly.
In such a team, the jungler who had wasted several years in the LPL and never even touched the championship trophy, actually said in a post-match interview that his goal was "championship."
This is not just youthful recklessness.
There were only three words that first came to everyone's mind.
Are you worthy?
You really dare to think so!
What team are they on? What team are you on?
The gossip barrage in the live broadcast room suddenly returned to normal.
"It's hilarious! You don't know who you are after winning a few regular season games, right?"
"Floating! I saw someone floating."
"You're just getting started, and you're already thinking about winning the championship?"
"Can you beat RNG and EDG in Group B?"
"Don't talk about RNG and EDG, let's finish the second round of Group A first."
"Exactly. I feel that WE is not the only strong team in Group A. The Snakes are also very strong this season."
“…”
The live broadcast room was filled with comments like crazy.
The rhythm started up again, and even many extreme fans went to Li Fu's Weibo to leave mocking messages.
The interview is over.
On the way back to the backstage, Rookie looked at Li Fu and seemed to be hesitant to speak.
After walking a few steps to the corner of the corridor, Li Fu looked at Rookie who seemed to be hesitant to speak, and couldn't help but asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"
"Brother Fu, you don't need to say it." Rookie said.
Who doesn’t want to win the championship?
But with so many teams in LPL, and new and old teams replaced every year, it is destined that only the five destined ones can hold the trophy in the end.
The World Championship is even more brutal.
If it was the ambitious Rookie who had just come to LPL, he might have said something like this during the interview.
But I have been in LPL for two years and have experienced a lot.
Now, in Rookie's opinion, if he wants to win the championship, he should just keep it in his heart.
Saying it out loud would only make people laugh.
At this time, hearing Rookie's advice, Li Fu smiled.
He looked at Rookie and said calmly, "I've been playing professionally for almost four years, and now League of Legends is the only thing I'm best at. If that's the case, then the goal must be to be the best. What's the harm in saying it?"
At the end of his speech, a smile appeared on Li Fu's face again.
"Don't you think so?"
Rookie was slightly stunned when he heard this, and looked at the sincere smile on Li Fu's face.
For a moment, he seemed to feel something called "innocent heart", but how could this appear in an older veteran who had wasted many years?
The next moment, Rookie looked at Li Fu and seemed to understand something.
yes!
Brother Fu has been playing professionally for four years.
I'm afraid there isn't much time left.
If we can't win the championship this season, do we have to wait for the next season like them?
Thinking of this, Rookie couldn't help but secretly clench his fists.
"Of course I do."
He raised his head, looked at Li Fudao seriously, and said word by word, "Brother Fu, don't worry, we will definitely not let your career be full of regrets."
After saying that, Rookie seemed to be ignited with an unprecedented fighting spirit!
Looking at the little fat man who suddenly became angry, Li Fu couldn't help but be stunned.
What the hell?
It feels like my career is about to end.
…
The game is over and we return to the IG base.
In the remaining two weeks of the second round of the regular season, Li Fu clearly felt that Rookie seemed to be holding back a lot of energy, and his condition and morale became increasingly full and high.
It was like going back to the summer , when an unknown Korean genius boy was drafted into KTA's mid laner. Faker, the No. 1 mid laner in OGN who reached his peak with a single kill as soon as he debuted, defeated the then-invincible Samsung Gemini Blue Team in the summer of the same year and won the first championship trophy in the team's history.
But after coming to LPL, the gap between reality and dreams made Rookie gradually hide his edge.
Until the last confession with Li Fu,
Rookie once again showed his brilliance.
In the third week of the cross-group competition, IG defeated Snake 2-1 and defeated LGD 2-0.
In the fourth week of the cross-group competition, which was the last week of the second round, IG was very strong and defeated the two teams M3 and EPA, which were at the bottom of Group A.
When playing against EPA, mid laner Rookie even achieved the highest kill record of the spring season with 14/1.
Prior to this, this record was held by RNG's mid laner Xiaohu with 13 kills.
Waited until March 20th.
The second round of the regular season is over.
At this moment, many LPL teams were dumbfounded.
Oh shit!
Is Rookie taking drugs?
This damn condition feels like a completely different person from the first round. Even in the second round against QG and WE, Rookie's condition was not as strong as it is now.
“Chicken Allah is back!”
"I've said it before, if IG wants to rise, they still have to look to the mid lane!"
"Didn't someone praise Fu Huang two weeks ago? Now you know who is the C of IG, right?"
“…”
At the same time, IG won six points in six consecutive wins in the second round, adding the three points in the first round.
IG, which had won eight consecutive games, continued its momentum and with nine points in hand, they rushed directly to fourth place in the total points list of the two groups and are currently tied with WE.
Thanks to this round of eight consecutive victories, Li Fu, who was not a starter at the beginning of this spring season, played more often as a substitute and won more times, and all his statistics were immediately improved.
Currently on the official LPL player data website, Li Fu's KDA/participation rate/average kills per game/Farm and team contribution, etc., have jumped from outside the top ten to the top five.
The only three people ranked ahead of him were Mala Xiang Guo, Factory Manager, and Swift, which immediately attracted more criticism.
"Let's be honest, Fu Huang is now the top jungler in LPL, right? (Doghead)"
"Forget about Fu Huang. He was OK in the first half of the second round, but isn't he just a mess in the last few rounds?"
"To be honest, the jungler is supposed to be a position to find a father. What can you do if Chicken Master uses his power?"
"Then why don't we take a look at Swift and Mala Xiangguo? In the match between QG and RNG, is the jungler not the carry?"
"It's a pity that IG doesn't have a substitute mid laner, otherwise if Rookie is replaced, some people will be exposed."
"Don't worry, there's no need to replace Rookie. When we play against EDG next week, I want to know if Fu Huang's tactics will still work against Czar. "
"Director: Are you raising a dad in the middle lane? I'm raising Buddha!"
“…”
March 24th.
The third round of the regular season begins.
The major teams returned to the intra-group competition again.
Once each team finishes their final five games, the playoff spots for this spring will be decided.
In the IG club.
When he saw the comments online, he sneered, "These people are just talking nonsense. They say IG relies on Rookie as the C. Brother Fu, don't pay attention to those words. They are just making fun of their own team for not winning."
“But Rookie is indeed in C.” Li Fu smiled.
"Bullshit!" Zzitai said anxiously, "I'm not talking about the jungler, but am I not the carry in the top lane?"
Xiao Shiguang squinted his eyes after hearing this and said, "Isn't this what you wanted to say?"
Everyone laughed.
After laughing, Coach Chris walked in, closed the door with his backhand, and had a serious expression.
Standing in the middle, he clapped his hands and picked up a small tactical blackboard with his backhand.
Tonight at seven o'clock!
——The decisive battle with EDG seminar.
"It's just a group stage, there's no need for a 'decisive battle'." Zizi muttered.
Coach Chris immediately glared at him, and the latter shrank his head.
Chris immediately glanced at everyone and said in a low voice, "Today's opponent... is a tough nut to crack!"
…
At the same time, 3:30 p.m.
There was also a circle of people sitting in the EDG club meeting room at this moment.
Abu stood at the head of the conference table, his hands on the edge of the table, leaning forward slightly and said:
"Pawn hasn't been in good health recently. Athena will be the starting mid laner today. The other positions remain unchanged. Ai Loli will be the substitute."
"Okay, okay, I'll be the substitute. Rookie has been very strong lately and I'm a bit timid." Substitute jungler Ai Loli smiled and waved her hand.
"Don't shake the morale of the troops, kid." Abu scolded with a smile.
Although Ai Loli is called the successor to the factory director, she is actually just a mascot in the team and has a rather likable personality.
Abu turned around and waved his hands at everyone, saying, "Don't worry too much. Although Pawn can't play today, IG is our old rival in the same group. They won easily in the first round."
"Although there are rumors outside now, ah, IG's mid laner has returned to some land of wonderland, and the jungler has a second spring of life."
"But I just want to ask, no matter how old the jungler is, can he still be better than Zz1tai?"
Abu laughed when he said this.
Ai Loli on the side whispered, "It's definitely not as good as that. The factory manager is always blooming."
Everyone laughed when they heard this.
The factory manager crossed his arms over his chest, raised his hand and nodded at Ai Loli, signaling with his eyes:
Be careful, you little bastard!
Abu continued, "So in today's game, really, everyone just relax and play normally."
Turning around, he smiled and asked Athena, the new Korean mid laner who had just been brought in this year to allow the Fat General to recuperate from his back injury.
"Athena, are you okay with Rookie?"
Athena is a young man wearing glasses, born in 1995, with a fair and clean face.
He had just come to LPL this season and his Chinese was average, so he was stunned when he heard this.
The translator next to me reminded me in Korean.
Athena immediately sat up straight. What water dispenser doesn't want to be a regular employee? She immediately responded loudly and seriously:
"No problem, Smita!"
"Good! Very impressive!"
Abu immediately laughed.
He waved his hand and said:
"Mid and jungle are fine, and Deft is keeping the pressure on the bottom lane."
"Everyone cheer up, let's try to get 2-0 today, and leave work early."