Chapter 634
The Final Battle with JDG!
With EDG sweeping T1 3-0 and becoming the first team to advance to the 2023 MSI Finals, the spotlight has temporarily shifted away from them.
According to the tournament rules, EDG, as the winner of the upper bracket, was given a four-day break to quietly await the birth of the final challenger.
For the teams in the loser's bracket, the next few days will be a hellish battle.
These past few days, Su Mo has been watching the matches with everyone.
On May 18th, the loser's bracket semi-final: JDG vs BLG.
BLG, an all-Chinese team, has Elk and Bin in excellent form, having fought their way up from the play-in stage and are on a roll.
However, JDG is, after all, a "super team".
After the baptism of losing to T1 a few days ago, JDG seems to have had their potential unlocked.
369 stopped trying to outmaneuver Bin and instead honestly picked Ornn and Sion, focusing on "staying alive".
Knight and Ruler's dual carries took over the game.
In the end, JDG defeated BLG 3-1, advancing to the loser's bracket final and once again facing T1.
……
May 19-20: EDG's "London Holiday".
While JDG and T1 were sharpening their swords for the last ticket to the finals, the entire EDG team, the "defenders," was enjoying a rare moment of leisure.
Although Abu is usually strict, he tacitly approved this "break" because everyone's performance was so perfect.
A light drizzle falls on the streets of London.
Su Mo strolled through the British-style buildings on Regent Street, holding a large, transparent black umbrella.
Of course, this was not a lonely walk in the rain.
Rita was squeezed under his umbrella, with Xiran bundled up like a little bear beside her, and Luo Xin and Xiaoyu filming a vlog behind them, as well as Yu Shuang, who was in charge of researching travel guides and finding good food.
“Brother Mozi, look at that trench coat, it looks perfect on you!” Rita pointed to a trench coat in the shop window.
"No way, I have so many clothes in my closet I can't even wear them all." Su Mo shook her head.
"No way! How can you come to London and not buy a trench coat!" Yu Shuang made the decision immediately. "Go in and try it on! Consider it an advance payment for our championship gift to you!"
So, Su Mo was like an emotionless fitting model, manipulated by five women in turn.
Finally, when he walked out wearing that well-tailored khaki trench coat and a black turtleneck sweater, the British saleswomen in the store couldn't help but exclaim "Wow!"
"So handsome..." hope Ran's eyes were practically popping out of her head as she secretly took out her phone and started snapping photos.
This scene was captured by a passing international student and posted online, instantly becoming a trending topic on Weibo.
Domestic fans, feeling both envious and amused, sighed:
[While T1 and JDG are locked in a fierce battle, Mozi is out shopping with a beautiful woman?]
[This is devastating! His composure is incredible!]
I don't think he went there to compete; he's just going on vacation!
[What's wrong with tourism? With Mozi's skill, he could easily dominate the coach.]
……
Of course, Su Mo was unaware of these comments from netizens.
While having fun is fine, there are still things that need to be done.
For example, watching sports games.
On the evening of May 20th, the loser's bracket final: T1 vs JDG.
This day is May 520th, but for T1 and JDG, there is no romance to speak of, only a life-or-death struggle.
Su Mo didn't go shopping anymore, but returned to the hotel early to gather his five beautiful female family members to watch this life-or-death battle.
The table was covered with fried chicken, pizza, and cola, and the atmosphere was as relaxed as watching a movie.
"Brother Mozi, who do you think will win?" Xiaoyu asked curiously, hugging her pillow.
Su Mo leaned back in his chair, his eyes slightly narrowed: "Logically, T1 has a strong ability to adjust, and Faker's champion pool is unfathomable. But emotionally... I hope it's JDG."
"why?"
"Because if JDG wins, the finals will be an LPL internal battle." Su Mo smiled. "That means that, win or lose, the championship trophy will already be engraved with the LPL name. And... in a foreign country, turning MSI into the LPL Autumn Season, don't you think that's cool?"
"That's exactly right."
Game start.
This time, JDG displayed amazing resilience.
Facing Zeus, 369 completely abandoned any sense of shame, playing two games as Sion and three as Gragas in five games.
Regardless of whether Zeus picks Jayce, Kennen, or Gwen, 369 has only one thing to say: If you can't kill me, I'll annoy you.
Ruler, facing his former team T1, was even more determined to win.
The two sides battled fiercely until the fifth game.
The battle song began.
In the decisive game, Faker picked Nautilus mid lane to try and create momentum, but Knight countered by picking Ahri.
A 30-minute dragon fight.
369's Gragas was in a blind spot, and with an extremely tricky E-Flash-R combo, he knocked Faker and Guma back at the same time!
"Great bucket!!"
In the hotel conference room, Su Mo suddenly slapped his thigh, "This kid has graduated! This geometric bucket has the style of my brother back in the day!"
With Ruler's Zeli securing kills, JDG achieved a 5-0 exchange.
3 is better than 2!
JDG has avenged their defeat! They defeated T1 and advanced to the finals.
When T1's Nexus exploded, Faker remained seated for a long time, and Zeus even collapsed onto the table and wept bitterly.
The entire JDG team ran wildly in celebration, with 369 roaring at the camera, as if venting the pressure he had been under from being lectured by Su Mo and Zeus.
"It's done."
Su Mo stood up, looked at the JDG celebration on the screen, and straightened his collar.
"LPL internal battle, meeting in London."
……
As JDG's Nexus exploded, the victory icon, representing the glory of the LPL, froze on the screen.
For LPL fans, May 20th was sweeter than any Valentine's Day.
The Copper Box Stadium in London turned into a sea of red. Although it is in the UK, at this moment, it seemed to have become the Hongqiao Performing Arts Center in Shanghai.
Weibo's servers almost crashed at that moment.
Eight out of the top ten trending topics are related to this match.
#JDG defeats T1#
#LPL London Meeting#
#MSI turned into an LPL internal battle#
#369 Gragas Saves the Day#
#SuMoTheProphet#
Major domestic forums, online communities, and sports platforms like Hupu instantly went into a frenzy.
Countless netizens typed excitedly on their keyboards, venting their pride in "LPL being the best in the world".
Holy crap!! JDG is awesome!! They really crushed T1!
This is the true value of the LPL! They turned MSI into an internal battle! What was the LCK doing? Just watching?
[I'm speechless except for the word "awesome"! London? No! This is London-Shanghai branch!]
[To be honest, 369's last shot with the Gragas was absolutely awesome! This was definitely worth it!]
Ruler brutally beat his former team; this scene is so iconic, Faker must be heartbroken.
After the festivities, the conversation naturally turned to the finals three days later – EDG vs. JDG.
However, compared to the thrilling and suspenseful moment when JDG defeated T1, the public opinion regarding the finals predictions was surprisingly consistent, even somewhat boring.
In a poll thread on Hupu titled "Rational discussion: Can JDG upset EDG in the finals?",
In just ten minutes, the number of voters exceeded 100,000.
A staggering 92% of respondents believed EDG was a sure winner, while only 8% thought JDG had a chance.
The comments section below has become a massive "deification" event:
[Did the original poster just get internet access? Is this even worth discussing?]
JDG is very strong, and 369 has improved, but don't forget who was sitting in EDG's top lane.
[As long as Su Mo doesn't retire or get abducted by aliens, can this championship be given to someone else?]
[369 managed to withstand pressure against Zeus, but against Mozi... that was pure brute force domination. Don't forget how he was slaughtered like a pig in the Spring Split.]
I think JDG would be considered successful if they could win even one game.
The only suspense in the final: How many games will Mozi slack off?
……
Human sorrows and joys are not interlinked.
While the LPL was celebrating with great fanfare and celebrations, the LCK forums on the other side of the sea in South Korea had already turned into a living hell.
LCK's pride and joy, T1 and Gen.G, both suffered defeats, turning the finals into an LPL internal battle. For South Korean netizens, with their strong sense of pride, this was a day darker than the end of the world.
Korean esports forums such as Naver and Inven are filled with hostility and despair.
The screen was filled with angry curses expressing disappointment and frustration, and even extreme threats.
[Holy crap! Is this what our region is like? We're being toyed with like a dog by the LPL?]
[T1, disband! Gen.G, disband! Everyone go swim back! No flying allowed!]
[What is that piece of trash Zeus doing? He's getting blown up like an idiot by 369's Gragas! Aren't you the world's best top laner?]
Chovy only knows how to last-hit minions, and Faker only knows how to feed. This is the current state of the LCK. Admit it, we're finished.
Mo is like a mountain; we can't even beat his substitute, let alone him. The dominance of the LPL is utterly disheartening.
I've already ordered a truck, it'll be at the T1 building tomorrow! Someone has to be held accountable for this!
[Could you check Zeus's account? Did he receive money from the LPL? Why does he always become a pushover when facing LPL top laners?]
Send Zeus razor blades! Send Faker a retirement application! You've completely disgraced the LCK!
We used to mock the LPL for being the third-best region; now it seems we're not even worthy to shine Mo's shoes.
Destroy it all, I'm tired. I'm not watching League of Legends anymore, I'm going to support StarCraft.
……
The Langham Hotel, London.
Su Mo couldn't help but laugh as he looked at the comments from Korean netizens on his phone screen.
"Tsk tsk tsk, the combat power of these Korean trolls is still a bit lacking in creativity compared to the trolls in our LPL."
Su Mo tossed her phone onto the bed and stretched.
At this moment, only he and Yu Shuang were in the room.
The other girls went downstairs to eat.
Yu Shuang was sitting in front of her dressing table removing her makeup. Looking at Su Mo's leisurely appearance through the mirror, she laughed and said, "Don't pretend to be innocent after getting the benefits. T1 has been criticized so much. I heard that someone even wanted to send Faker a dead rat."
“That’s really going too far.” Su Mo shook his head. “In esports, being bad is the original sin, but it’s pointless to escalate it to personal attacks.”
He stood up, walked behind Yu Shuang, gently placed his hands on her fragrant shoulders, and looked at her beautiful and refined face in the mirror.
"However, this also illustrates one thing."
"What?" Yu Shuang stopped what she was doing and turned to look at him.
"That means we've hurt them badly, and scared them." Su Mo's eyes were deep. "Only the weak can be impotent and furious. In the world of the strong, there is only one champion."
Yu Shuang's heart skipped a beat, and she grabbed Su Mo's hand in return: "Then do you think JDG will cause us trouble this time? I think 369 is in incredibly good form today."
Su Mo chuckled softly, leaned down, and gently kissed Yu Shuang's cheek.
"For me, it was just a minor incident at the coronation ceremony."
"369's incredible performance today is because he hasn't met me yet."
"On the day of the finals, I will make him remember the fear of being dominated by 'Brother Mozi'."
……
For the next two days, London enjoyed a rare period of clear skies.
The atmosphere leading up to the final was hyped to the extreme.
Although everyone thinks EDG has a better chance of winning, the gimmick of "LPL internal battle" is eye-catching enough.
The official team has been constantly creating buzz, releasing a series of teaser posters.
One of the posters shows Su Mogao sitting on a throne on the left, with his four EDG teammates standing behind him, like a demon king descending.
On the right is the JDG team of five, united as one, like a brave squad going to challenge the Demon King.
The caption on the poster is also quite mischievous:
Will the Demon King return, or will the hero slay the dragon?
Media Day interview.
On JDG's side, 369 was clearly still basking in the excitement of defeating T1. When facing the camera, although he said he would fight hard, his eyes were obviously a little shaky.
Reporter: "369, you're facing Mo again in the finals. What do you want to say? Netizens are saying you're going to 'test the waters'."
369 scratched his head, revealing his signature goofy grin: "Uh... my brother Mo is indeed fierce, I can only say I'll do my best. I'll try not to die too miserably, and buy some time for my teammates to develop. Um... Brother Mo, go easy on me in the finals, we're all brothers."
This "fear before the battle" remark drew laughter from the entire audience.
Then it was time for EDG's interview segment.
Su Mo remained the center of attention.
He was wearing EDG's black and gold team uniform and sitting in the center position.
Reporter: "Mo Shen, it's widely believed that the championship is already in EDG's hands. Does this kind of public opinion put pressure on you? Or cause you to underestimate your opponents?"
Su Mo casually glanced at the cameras and microphones below the stage: "Pressure? It doesn't exist."
"As for underestimating the opponent..." Su Mo smiled, looking at the camera as if looking through the screen at the JDG players watching the live stream.
"JDG is an excellent team. Their ability to fight their way back from the loser's bracket proves their resilience."
"but."
"In this version, on the top lane, on this stage."
"I'm not afraid of anyone. Even if my opponent is 369, I will still go all out to defeat him!"
This remark drew another burst of laughter from the audience.
……
Time flies.
5 month 23 day.
On the day of the MSI Grand Finals.
The Copper Box Arena in London was brightly lit and bustling with activity.
Unlike previous confrontations between China and South Korea, the atmosphere at today's event was exceptionally relaxed and pleasant.
Because no matter who wins, the championship belongs to LPL.
So the signs that people in the audience were holding became quite colorful and elaborate.
Some wrote "EDG, go go go!", some wrote "JDG, keep going!", and some simply wrote "I'm here to see Mozi slacking off!"
And in the VIP seats in the first row.
Rita, Yu Shuang, Xi Ran, Xiao Yu, and Luo Xin, five beauties, lined up in a row. Even with masks on, their outstanding temperament still made them the focus of all the photographers present.
They were holding glow sticks and wearing EDG support outfits, chatting and laughing. (End of Chapter)