Chapter 219 King meets king! Black and white face off!
When RNG lost to IG for the first time in the Spring Finals last season, the fans and audience at the scene were still filled with endless anger after their expectations were dashed.
However, in today's summer finals, when RNG lost to IG again, countless fans at the scene were left with deep confusion and helplessness on their faces.
Disappointed and angry?
Maybe.
But whether these people are willing to admit it or not, IG today is like SKT to RoxTiger. The two BO5 losses in the Spring Finals and Summer Finals have proved that IG is like an insurmountable mountain standing in front of RNG.
Even if they went through thousands of hardships, in front of IG, a 3-0 win and a comeback from 2-2 down to 3-0 in the playoffs became unattainable miracles. Being defeated 3-0 was the cruel and bloody reality.
And it makes people feel more and more suffocated.
The camera moves from the audience back to the sides of the stage.
At the RNG competition booth, when the Galaxy Battleship was just formed at the beginning of the summer season, the high-spirited looks of the five young men are still before our eyes. They were so happy to kill the enemies while chatting and laughing.
At that moment, they were each other's best teammates.
But at this moment.
The atmosphere in the RNG competition area fell into an eerie calm.
Everyone silently lowered their heads to pack up their keyboards and mice. After finishing, they did not leave in an orderly manner from one side, but stood up and left their seats one after another.
You go this way and I go that way, without even saying hello to each other.
The phrase that comes to mind involuntarily emerges: since no one is capable, then let's go our separate ways...
The camera on the big screen did not linger on the losers for long. The stage is always reserved for the winners. At this time, the IG coaching staff and everyone on the bench backstage all ran to the competition seats and hugged each other to celebrate.
"How does it feel to win the championship in your first LPL league?" A Xun said to the excited Save with a wink.
If it were an ordinary person, it might be a little embarrassing.
After all, I didn't play today.
But Save is different. He has figured it out. So what if he wins the championship without any effort?
If IG really wins the S-League, can he, Save, be missing as the starting top laner for next year’s championship skin?
progress!
He really wants to improve.
Therefore, when Save heard Ah Xun's words, he did not feel embarrassed at all. Instead, he raised his hard chest and rubbed it against Li Fu, laughing, "It feels, pretty good, right?"
At this time, Wuxx also felt very good.
From the moment he took off his headphones after the game, his gaze crossed the stage and stared at the figure of someone in the RNG competition seat opposite.
For a moment, the two eyes met in the air above the stage.
The other party was stunned, and his eyes seemed a little dazed.
For the first time in his life, the man who liked to take control of everything avoided his sight for the first time... Wuxx's mouth suddenly showed a slight smile.
On the commentary desk, the voices of Wawa Miller and Guan Zeyuan were still floating.
"Congratulations to IG for winning the Silver Dragon Cup in our summer season. Congratulations to IG for becoming the No. 1 seed in our LPL region's annual S series and representing LPL in this year's S series finals."
"That's right, and IG should be our brightest star this summer. Their record of 18 consecutive wins from the regular season to the playoffs and winning the championship isn't unprecedented, but it's certainly one of the best. I have a feeling this year will truly be the most promising for the LPL."
"Yes, many people might be a little resistant to the phrase 'the most promising year for the LPL,' but people always need hope. Hope is our driving force! It can also enable them to clear obstacles and overcome difficulties, forging their own path."
Listening to the commentator on stage praising IG.
Now some loyal fans of RNG have left in anger.
"It's not like there's no chance. See you at the S-League."
"Can RNG enter the S League this year?"
"Then you can definitely get in!"
"That's right. We'll see what happens next. The World Championship is the stage for the Galaxy Battleship."
"What's the point of winning the regional championship? If you want to win, just win the S-League championship."
"Dude, just fool others, don't fool yourself."
“…”
Of course, these are only some of RNG’s die-hard fans.
As for the considerable number of fans who believe that strength is king in e-sports, they have now been completely conquered by IG, a team that dares to fight, has a variety of lineups, and has star players.
"Strange! Why didn't I feel that IG was much stronger than RNG before?"
"They had won seventeen consecutive games in the summer season before the summer finals, and you still don't feel anything?"
"Be careful of RNG's spy fans, everyone be vigilant."
"That's not the case, is it really that exaggerated just to watch a game?"
“…”
There was a heated discussion off the field.
The five people on the stage were already standing next to the Silver Dragon Cup.
"What do you mean?"
"Brother Fu, come first?"
"Brother Fu must come first!"
Everyone started to make a noise.
But Li Fu didn't want to be special this time, so he smiled and said, "Farewell, everyone, I'll count one, two, three, one!"
Seeing Li Fu open his mouth, everyone quickly gathered together and held the trophy, but there were too many people in IG this season, and some had no place to put their hands, so they could only try to hold up a corner of the trophy.
Soon, when Li Fu counted to three.
The Silver Dragon Cup was raised high, and bang, a golden rain began to fall above the stage.
“We are the champions!”
Click!
In the images captured by countless cameras, the IG members who were full of vigor and vitality this year showed the brightest smiles on their faces.
It reminds people vaguely of the MSI finals half a year ago, when the five young men who won the championship pointed to the sky, which was like the beginning of an era.
Now it seems...
The wheel of time is already turning.
…
Post-match group interview session.
The runner-up RNG sat in a row in the interview seats.
Looper's expression was one of desolation, a sign of a distant future. Facing the camera, he took off his glasses, pinched his brow, and said, "Would you like to comment on Padre6? Well, I think he's probably the most underrated top laner in the world. Yes, I'm not kidding. If you don't believe me, just wait and see at Worlds."
Mala Xiangguo's face was still full of dissatisfaction.
"Achhun? There's nothing much to say. The loser is the enemy. But during the game, I always felt that I was facing more than just one jungler."
When these words were spoken, all the viewers in the live broadcast room laughed.
Nonsense, the opponent's top laner is the MSI champion FMVP jungler.
Xiaohu looked a little depressed, scratching his back listlessly. "I felt it was quite difficult to play. Rookie is a very strong player, but I felt like neither he nor I played at full strength, and the game was over. I hope we'll have another chance to play against each other at the World Championship."
Finally it was given to the RNG bottom lane duo.
At this moment, under the camera, the strongest bottom lane of LPL, who had been close to each other since the beginning of the season, was now sitting next to each other, but there was a very obvious distance between them.
When the camera was focused on Mata, Uzi even moved to the side.
“I don’t think the opponent’s support played better than me, but losing is losing, I don’t want to say anything more.”
The next moment, the interview was given to Uzi.
"I don't think I was worse than the opposing AD carry. I'm sorry for losing the game. Yeah, it's really a shame. I hope we have a chance to win back at Worlds."
After the interview with the two people in the bottom lane, the barrage in the live broadcast room suddenly burst into a frenzy.
"666666"
"It seems like the bot lane duo thinks RNG lost and I didn't, right?"
"It's hilarious, they are indeed the strongest bottom lane in LPL."
"I don't think they're the strongest bot lane, but they're more like the toughest bot lane. They have the toughest mouths in the whole body."
“…”
The interview with RNG is over.
The live broadcast camera is about to interview the champion.
Coach Chris couldn't stop laughing. "How does it feel to win two Silver Dragon Cups in one year? Well, it feels pretty good, but the cabinets in the IG club base are quite big, so there should be room for more championship trophies."
Damn, this old guy is getting naughty.
A Xun and Rookie glanced at each other and then looked at Li Fu.
Li Fu: "Top lane is more challenging than jungle. I will try my best to return to jungle in the World Championship."
Rookie: "This season is the easiest season I've had in LPL."
Ah Chuan: "Me too. (Rookie laughed and interrupted, you are so embarrassed to say that)"
Wuxx (tense tone): I...what I want to say is that by winning the championship this summer, I just want to prove that even if I can't make the best lineup in other people's minds, I'm no worse than anyone else.
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole audience was in an uproar!
What does it mean to say the most brutal words in the most cowardly tone!
I am no worse than anyone else!
After the backstage interview was over, Mata, who was packing up, heard this and was so angry that she almost crushed the water cup in her hand!
Then why didn't it explode?
Of course I can’t pinch it.
When leaving, many fans holding cheering signs gathered outside the aisle guardrail.
“IG is awesome!”
"Come on, Brother Fu!"
"Come on Rookie!"
"Little IG, go for it!"
“…”
There were so many people gathered that even the IG substitutes found their own fans in the crowd.
There are even quite a few Save fans who are just there for show. Some of them are top lane fans who love Li Fu and his family, while others simply think that Save is a mascot who can win the game even without playing.
This made Save very happy.
What is a winner in life?
Conquer the enemy without fighting!
This is the winner in life!
When we returned to the club in the evening, classmate Xiao Wang treated us all to a meal at the most luxurious hotel in Jianghai. After we came back, everyone felt like they were walking on cotton. I guess they will dream about "We are the champions" tonight.
It wasn't until they passed by the training room and took a casual glance at the figure who sat in front of the computer training before midnight every day that they were suddenly pulled down from their trance.
"Brother Fu, are you still practicing tonight?" A Xun was shocked.
Rookie smiled bitterly and shook his head, "When have you ever seen Brother Fu stop practicing? He said he couldn't sleep if he didn't practice."
"Awesome!" Save gave a thumbs up.
The next second,
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.
They originally thought that since they had won the championship tonight and had been partying outside all night, they might as well come back and relax, since the World Championship was still a month away.
But their most talented and experienced veterans are all training so diligently. Among them, Rookie is still okay, but those in other positions who won easily are immediately embarrassed.
"Uh... never mind. It's still early. I'll just practice for a while."
"Let's go together."
"Ah? Didn't you say you were going to look for your wife, Fleuryen?"
"Find a hammer! I feel uncomfortable if I don't practice Hunsen for a day!"
“…”
So the training room, which was originally empty except for Li Futian sipping a cup of tea, was crowded again in the blink of an eye.
When coach Chris passed by, he suddenly felt relieved, and looked at Li Fu with more satisfaction - what is meant by "an old man in the family is like a treasure"!
In the following period, various e-sports media bombarded IG with all kinds of praise for its 18-game winning streak this summer, so much so that the popularity of LPL, the number one seed, soared before the world championship even started.
According to the media, S6 is no longer the most promising year... but the year that is within easy reach.
This illusion quickly aroused the vigilance of many true LPL fans, who even left messages to IG officials, asking them to be careful of being overly praised and not to let Rookie play Tiandao.
For details, please refer to last year's LGD.
In the next ten days or so, the remaining two S-League spots of LPL soon surfaced. As expected, they were the runner-up RNG and the third seed EDG.
On the evening of September 11th.
Countless e-sports fans around the world once again turned their attention to Riot Games, because today was the draw ceremony for S. Even Li Fu and others came to the conference room after dinner to watch the live broadcast.
The final inspection results were announced.
Group A: ROX, ANX, CLG, G2.
Group B: SKT, C9, FW, IG.
Group C: EDG, H2K, AHQ, INTZ
Group D: SSG, TSM, RNG, SPY
As soon as this result came out, there was a heated discussion outside.
"Fuck, what's the factory's luck this year? Is there anyone in Group C who looks like a human?"
"Haha, so what if we qualified from the group stage? Look at how many strokes are there in the word Mingkai?"
"It's true that the first bird to stick its head out gets shot. IG is in a bit of a pity this year. Group B is too abnormal. SKT and C9 are both there. It's definitely a death group."
"Group D is the group of death. Do you think Samsung and TSM are here to eat and eat? I feel that RNG is here for the sake of participation."
“…”
The e-sports circle is different from other circles.
Fans from other circles are celebrating.
The media calmed down.
The e-sports world is a media carnival.
The fans remained calm.
There is no way, we have to stay calm, these are the blood and tears lessons learned over the years.
Now that the three LPL teams have been grouped, some pessimists have already started saying it's over. The most promising IG has entered the group of death, while the least promising EDG has had terrible luck in the draw. This is simply doom for our great LPL.
But Li Fu and everyone in IG didn't care about this.
Although Chris grumbled a few words when he found out that he was drawn into the same group as SKT in the group stage, he became happy again after Li Fu said, "It's good to play against SKT. We have experience playing against SKT."
Two more days passed.
Two days later, the three LPL teams flew to San Francisco, USA, for their first group match about half a month in advance.
It is worth mentioning that this year's S game will be held in four places: San Francisco, Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, with the last stop being the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Logically speaking, there is still more than half a month left.
But after all, the time difference between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres is a big problem, and dietary factors need to be adapted in advance. Not only the three LPL teams, but also the three LCK teams in the neighboring East Asia region will set off early.
After an 11-hour flight , the IG team finally arrived in San Francisco.
As soon as they walked out of the airport lobby, they saw a team of five players wearing black uniforms among the crowd coming to pick them up - ROXTigers.
They are the Tigers team that finally broke the curse and won the LCK Summer Finals this summer. They are also the number one seed of the LCK next to this S6!
The most powerful challenger for the S crown!
The next second, the other side also spotted a group of IG members in white uniforms across the crowd.
This moment...
There is a clear distinction between black and white.
