Chapter 648
A Classic Journey Begins [Happy New Year, Big Shots!]
In the commentary booth, Miller calmed his excitement slightly and took over the conversation: "That's right, but the momentum of winning the first game was too strong! Especially Mozi's Weapon Master, it was simply a god descending to earth, and it made Zeus feel like his Dao Heart was about to shatter."
I remember watching the replay of Jax's unreasonable tower dive and exclaiming, "I just want to know what the Korean coaching staff is thinking right now. If Jax isn't banned, how can this game be played? But if Jax is banned, Mozi's hero pool is bottomless, can you ban them all?"
Meanwhile, the barrage of comments on major live streaming platforms had already flooded the screen.
【6666666!! Mozi is awesome!!】
[This isn't a weapon master, this is a weapon tyrant!!]
[Zeus: Are you going to use Quesanti as a punching bag every game? I'm not playing anymore!]
To be honest, Colonel Guan's jinx didn't work. It seems Mo Zi's fate is too strong, able to withstand Guan Zeyuan's sharp tongue!
[Don't celebrate at halftime, guys! The Korean team is very good at adjusting, so stay calm!]
"Stay calm? I think the Korean team needs to stay calm. Look at the last replay, Zeus's hands were shaking."
[Ten thousand people are petitioning for Mozi to play Riven in the next game! Give Bin a tutorial!]
[Those who mentioned Riven earlier, stop messing around. This is the Asian Games; winning is the most important thing! I suggest picking this weapon every game and smashing their heads!]
……
China's rest room.
As soon as they opened the door, a blast of cool air hit them, but this did nothing to cool the team members' burning passion.
"Awesome!!!"
369 was the first to rush over, holding two hot towels in his hands, looking like a waiter. "Brother Mo! You've worked hard, Brother Mo! Come on, wipe your hands! That was so cool! Look at Zeus's expression, it's like he swallowed a dead fly!"
Su Mo took the towel and wiped his face, then kicked 369 with a laugh: "Stop being so cheeky, did you see it clearly down there? Although Zeus was pressured by me, his handling of several team fights was actually very meticulous. If you were playing Ornn, could you have withstood that Vanguard team fight just now?"
369 immediately stood at attention: "Report, Captain! Yes! Absolutely! With my build, even Kanavi would get a concussion if he crashed into me!"
Coach Zhu Kai walked in with a radiant face, holding a tactical board in his hand, but quickly gestured for everyone to be quiet.
"Alright, alright, let's calm down a bit," Zhu Kai said seriously. "I just got word that the Korean team has chosen the blue side for the next game. That old fox KkOma is definitely going to change his strategy."
The group sat down, and the atmosphere quickly shifted from celebration to a calm tactical discussion.
“The Weapon Master is definitely gone.” Su Mo unscrewed a bottle of water and took a sip. “Even if they use a global ultimate strategy, they can’t possibly let my Weapon Master through. Zeus is a bit tilted, and KkOma will most likely give him a pure tank to withstand the pressure, or… give him a teamfight champion like Kennen.”
“If it’s Kennen…” Meiko pondered, “then we need to be careful of their engage composition. They lost the first game because they lacked damage, and Ruler’s farm was too slow. They might speed things up this game.”
"It's okay." JackeyLove crossed his legs, his eyes full of confidence. "They'll definitely target the bot lane this game. I know Ruler; he's eager to prove himself after losing a game. As long as you counter-gank well, Jiejie, I'm confident I can crush him."
Su Mo nodded, his gaze sweeping over each teammate: "Remember, don't underestimate our opponents. Faker will most likely pick a support-oriented mid laner this game, either Galio or Taliyah. We need to be prepared for a long battle."
"understand!"
……
The South Korean team's rest area.
Compared to the lively atmosphere next door, the atmosphere here was oppressive and suffocating. The air seemed to have solidified into lead, pressing down on everyone's hearts.
Zeus sat in the corner, his hands covering his head, silent. His screen seemed frozen on the moment he was tower-dived and killed by the Weapon Master.
“Raise your head.”
A stern rebuke broke the silence.
Coach KkOma stood in front of Zeus, his face ashen, but he knew this was not the time for mere reprimand.
"You've only lost one game, and you're already giving up? You're the top laner for the Republic of Korea, not some piece of trash to be trampled on!"
Zeus slowly raised his head, his eyes slightly red: "Coach, I'm so sorry everyone... that weapon, I really..."
“Ban this game,” KkOma said decisively. “It’s not shameful to admit the opponent is strong; what’s shameful is being scared. Next game, you’re on the blue side, and I’ll let you pick your most confident hero. Remember, your task isn’t to solo kill Su Mo, but to play a bigger role than him in team fights!”
KkOma then turned to look at Faker and Kanavi.
"Sang-hyeok, we need your rhythm this game. Su Mo's dominance in the top lane is too strong, we must open up gaps in the mid and bottom lanes."
Faker pushed up his glasses, his gaze regaining its usual calm and coldness: "Give me Ahri or Taliyah. I'll roam around; I won't let him comfortably carry the team like that anymore."
Ruler took a deep breath and crushed the paper cup in his hand: "Next game, I'm going to crush that Kai'Sa."
KkOma nodded and made a few heavy marks on his notebook: "Okay, next game we'll play fast-paced. Kanavi, don't go top lane, just camp bot lane. This game we're going to take over the fighting tempo that LPL excels at!"
"Yes!"
……
The short halftime break has ended.
When the two teams of players walked out of the tunnel and onto the stage again, the cheers from the audience were still deafening.
Guan Zeyuan: "Okay! Welcome back! This is the final of the League of Legends event at the Hangzhou Asian Games! China is currently leading 1-0! In this game, South Korea chose the blue side and has the priority to draft!"
Miller: "This game is crucial. The Korean team picked blue, they're definitely going to try and grab something. And knowing KkOma's personality, there's a high chance they'll have a big surprise up their sleeve this game."
BP begins.
Just as Su Mo predicted, the Korean team's first three bans were extremely targeted:
Ban: Weapon Master, Crocodile, Rumble.
They're all top lane champions!
"Wow! That's incredibly generous!" Remember exclaimed. "All three bans are for the top lane! This kind of treatment is probably unique to Mozi in the whole world, right? How scared is Zeus?"
The Chinese team (red side) banned: Xayah, Tree, and Rakan.
It still targets Ruler and the synergy between the jungler and support.
The Korean team made their first pick and instantly locked in: Caitlyn, the Piltover Sheriff!
"A female police officer?!" Guan Zeyuan was somewhat surprised. "That's a very aggressive move! It's obvious they're going for a fast-push strategy! With a female police officer in the team composition, the support will most likely be Lux or Morgana."
"The Korean team is getting anxious now." Su Mo smiled faintly in the voice chat. "They want to dominate the lane and push quickly. Well, let's not hold back anymore."
Su Mo's eyes narrowed: "Get me that."
Coach Zhu Kai paused for a moment: "Are you sure? This hero has a low margin for error."
"It's alright, take it."
China's backhand locks down the first and second floors: Vi + Fox.
A classic padlock combination!
"Oh? The Chinese team is going to go all out this game! As long as the female police officer dares to show her face, Vi will lock down the enemy!" Miller analyzed.
In the subsequent champion picks, the Korean team added Lux as support and Lee Sin as jungler. Faker then picked Taliyah for mid lane.
This is an extremely poke-and-push lineup.
It's China's turn to play the last counter pick (red team, fifth floor).
All eyes were on the vacant top lane position.
Zeus had already picked Kennen on the fourth floor, attempting to use his range advantage and teamfight ultimate to limit the Chinese team's entry.
Su Mo looked at Kennen, a cruel smile curving his lips.
"Since you want to play with electric mice, then I'll give you an insulator."
"Lock!"
On the screen, a figure emanating a shadowy aura appeared, wielding a greatsword.
—Aatrox, the Darkin Blademaster!
"Sword Demon!!" Guan Zeyuan shouted, "Brother Mozi has unleashed yet another of his signature moves! The Sword Demon, a god descending to earth, taking down four opponents in one blow! This game, the top lane is going to be a bloodbath again!!"
The final lineup is confirmed:
South Korea (Blue Side): Top lane Kennen, Jungle Lee Sin, Mid lane Taliyah, ADC Caitlyn, Support Lux.
Team China (Red): Top laner Aatrox, Jungler Vi, Mid laner Ahri, ADC Zeli, Support Lulu.
The two coaches shook hands and left the stage.
Su Mo adjusted his posture, his fingers lightly tapping the keyboard, feeling the familiar rhythm.
The notification sound of the entire army launching an attack came through my headphones.
"Brothers."
Su Mo's voice was deep and powerful, penetrating the eardrums of every teammate.
"They want to push fast and crush us in the early game."
"Then let them see what LPL-style fighting is like."
"This time, don't let them get out of the laning phase alive."
As the spring barrier collapsed, the five heroes shot off the high ground like arrows.
The second round of the decisive battle has officially begun!
Welcome to Summoner's Rift!
As the system's solemn female voice rang out, the ten heroes quickly rushed out of the fountain.
Unlike the first game, the Korean team didn't have a smooth start. They fielded a very strong offensive lineup, and their intention to engage in the level 1 team fight was very clear.
"The Korean team has grouped up! They're heading straight for the red team's bottom jungle!" Guan Zeyuan spoke rapidly. "It seems Coach KkOma has given a strict order to protect the early game tempo of this Caitlyn Lux pick!"
Su Mo, controlling the Sword Demon, did not log in immediately, but instead crouched in the bushes near the Red Buff with his teammates.
“They’re definitely going in.” Su Mo calmly marked the location of F6 in the voice chat. “Jiejie, you learn Q, Meiko, you learn Q. As long as that Lee Sin dares to show his face, attack him directly.”
1 minutes 05 seconds.
Kanavi's Lee Sin indeed took the lead, using his Q [Sonic Wave] to scout the bush.
"Snapped!"
Almost simultaneously, Meiko's Lulu slowed down Lee Sin with a Q [Shining Spear], and then Jiejie's Vi charged out with a Q [Powerful Punch]!
"They've started fighting! Level 1 team fight!!" Miller shouted.
But the Korean team was clearly prepared. Keria's Lux instantly learned her Q [Light Binding] and used a precise, preemptive Q to immobilize the charging Vi. Faker's Taliyah followed up with auto-attacks.
"Don't chase too far, just trade blows!" Su Mo shouted. He controlled Aatrox, wielding his greatsword, and the outer edge of his Q [Darkin Blade] grazed Lee Sin and Lux, knocking them up.
Both sides stopped short of defeat. Jiejie lost half her health, and Kanavi also lost half his health.
Although no kills were secured, this level 1 team fight successfully disrupted Kanavi's invasion rhythm, forcing him to retreat to his own jungle and start with red buff.
"Thank goodness we held on." Ji De breathed a sigh of relief. "If the Lee Sin had stolen Jiejie's red buff, then Zephyr in the bot lane would have been in jail for the rest of the game." At 1 minute and 30 seconds, the entire team launched an attack.
The minions on the top lane meet.
Zeus' Kennen started with a Doran's Blade and a Health Potion, with Aery as his rune, clearly aiming to maximize his pressure. Su Mo's Aatrox, on the other hand, started with a Doran's Shield and Second Wind as his rune, focusing on surviving pressure.
Level 1 is now online.
Zeus took advantage of Kennen's long reach, using the bushes for vision control, and while Su Mo was last-hitting, he auto-attacked and then used Q [Secret Technique! Chidori].
"Snapped!"
The shuriken hit its mark precisely.
Su Mo remained calm and composed, without even retreating. Instead, he used his Q to smash the minions, and in the process, he used the outer edge of the Q to hit Kennen, who was trying to auto-attack a second time.
"The trade was worthwhile," Guan Zeyuan analyzed. "Brother Mozi's fundamentals are too solid. With the healing from Doran's Shield and the second wind, Kennen's damage is negligible. The key is the experience zone; Brother Mozi didn't retreat an inch."
At 2 minutes and 45 seconds, both sides reached level 3.
This is the first point of attack on the top lane.
At this moment, good news came from the bottom lane... or bad news.
Ruler's Caitlyn, combined with Lux's, had terrifying wave-pushing ability. The minion wave was firmly pushed under JackeyLove's tower. Lux used her E [Radiant Singularity] to slow the minion wave, followed by Caitlyn's Q [Peacemaker] and a headshot auto-attack.
JackeyLove's Zephyr's health had been reduced to below half, and even last-hitting under the tower was a nerve-wracking experience.
“Jiejie has to go to the bottom lane to help,” Miller frowned. “Otherwise, Zeli will be forced back to base.”
After Jiejie's Vi finished clearing the bottom half of the map, he was forced to show his face in the bottom lane to help JackeyLove relieve the pressure of pushing the lane.
Once it emerged, the road became an isolated island.
"It's Vi." Kanavi's Lee Sin had just finished clearing the blue buff and was heading towards the top lane. "Zeus, can you move?"
“Yes!” Zeus’s eyes sharpened. He had been suppressing his emotions for too long and desperately needed an outlet.
At this moment, the minion wave is stuck in the middle of the river.
3 minutes 20 seconds.
Zeus' Kennen suddenly launched an attack!
With the passive electric blade of W stacked in hand, E [Ultimate! Lightning Armor] is activated, transforming into a ball of lightning and accelerating towards Aatrox!
"They're here! Kanavi's been crouching in the river bushes! It's a two-on-one gank!" Guan Zeyuan's voice rose. "Brother Mozi is in danger!!"
Su Mo's intuition was incredibly sharp. The moment Kennen activated his E to accelerate, he realized something was wrong—a normal Kennen in lane would never easily use his only survival skill, E, to get close without a jungler.
"Trying to arrest me?"
Su Mo didn't run towards his own tower, because the Blind Monk would definitely cut off his escape route.
He made an extremely bold decision—to move in the opposite direction!
The Sword Demon moved towards the wall and bushes in the top lane river.
Zeus' Kennen charged in, unleashing his W [Stun! Lightning Blade], stunning the target!
Just then, Kanavi's Lee Sin dashed out from the river by ward-hopping and using his W, then precisely kicked the stunned Aatrox with his Q [Sonic Wave]!
It's guaranteed to win!
"Oh no! I got kicked!" Remember exclaimed.
Lee Sin uses his second Q to fly in, then slams the ground and uses his E to slow him down!
Su Mo's health dropped to less than half in an instant!
"Die!" Kanavi's eyes burned with murderous intent.
The moment the dizziness ends.
Su Mo's fingers clattered on the keyboard.
E [Shadow Charge]!
But instead of using it to escape, he took a small step back and created some distance!
Following immediately after Q1 [Darkin Blades]!
The angle of this E skill is extremely tricky, allowing the outer edge of Q1's sword to simultaneously cover both Kennen and Lee Sin who are dealing damage at close range!
"boom!"
Double-person knockback!
"Knocked two people away!! What kind of godlike distance control is this?!" Miller roared.
Taking advantage of the knock-up's stun, Su Mo used W [Fiery Chains] on Kennen, who was even squishier under the tower, and at the same time, he used a basic attack followed by Death Sword Aura (passive) to stab Kennen hard!
My health has recovered significantly!
Zeus was shocked and quickly used Flash to break the chain to prevent being pulled back.
Su Mo's Q2 slashed diagonally, once again predicting the direction of the Lee Sin's movement!
Knock them away again!
The Lee Sin's health is also low!
"Can we exchange it?! Can we exchange it?!" Guan Zeyuan's words came out so fast they were almost indistinct.
Although Su Mo was low on health, his Conqueror buff was fully stacked.
Q3!
The Lee Sin finally used Flash to dodge the central area, but was still scratched by the outer edge.
Su Mo didn't chase after him; instead, he turned around and went into the bushes to avoid being seen.
Kanavi and Zeus were both low on health and had used all their skills. Facing a Sword Demon with full Conqueror buffs and wielding the Deathbringer sword, they dared not enter the bushes!
"They escaped!! The Korean team's top and jungle duo tried to gank one-on-one, but Mozi single-handedly fought them off! He even forced Zeus to use Flash!!" Miller slammed his fist on the table in excitement. "This is the skill of a top-tier top laner! Textbook-level play!"
The barrage of comments exploded instantly:
【？？？？？】
[They're still alive? They're still alive?]
That Q1 combo that knocked two enemies into the air was simply art!
[Zeus: Oh no, we can't even beat them 2v1, I'm going to be depressed again.]
However, the impressive plays in the top lane could not mask the disadvantages in the bottom lane.
4 minutes 10 seconds.
The female police officer has already chipped away one and a half layers of plating on the bottom lane tower.
Just as Jiejie was about to go help in the bottom lane, something happened in the mid lane.
After Faker's Taliyah reached level 3, her wave clear speed far surpassed Knight's Ahri. She used her Rock Shove (W) to block the path, forcing Knight to use Flash.
Subsequently, Kanavi's Lee Sin, despite losing in the top lane, was extremely decisive. Instead of returning to base, he circled around to the mid lane with low health!
"Kanavi didn't go home! He caught him!"
Knight thought the Lee Sin had been badly damaged and had gone back to base, so he moved slightly forward to try and take the cannon minion.
Faker flashes and uses Q [Stone Piercer] to apply a slow!
Kanavi emerged from the shadows, used W to poke Faker's dash, and then used E to flash and slam the ground to slow him down!
Although Knight used his E charm, Faker cleansed it away instantly, and Faker brought cleanse in this game.
First Blood!
Faker's Taliyah secured First Blood!
"Kanavi really nailed this play!" Remember sighed. "That's the kind of adaptability a top-tier jungler has. He ganked the top lane and immediately came to the mid lane to get revenge. Now, Knight is in trouble. Without Flash, he'll be pressured by Taliyah for the next six minutes."
The head-to-head ratio is 0:1.
The South Korean team quickly secured the first dragon (water dragon) by utilizing lane control in the mid and bottom lanes.
More than 5 minutes.
The situation is somewhat dire for the Chinese team. Although Su Mo has shown great momentum in the top lane, the Korean team's fast-push strategy is already showing results.
The policewoman had already stabbed Zeli 15 times.
"We need to find an opportunity to disrupt their rhythm." Su Mo returned to base, pulled out two longswords and straw sandals, "Jiejie, you don't need to go to the bottom lane to be a babysitter anymore. You can't help Zeli in that position either, just make sure he doesn't die."
"Then me?" Jiejie hesitated.
"Come on." A cold glint flashed in Su Mo's eyes. "Zeus didn't flash. Since they want to create an opening in the mid and bot lanes, I'll break through their top lane first!"
5 minutes 45 seconds.
Su Mo reached level 6.
Zeus, having lost experience due to the gank earlier, is now two minions short of reaching level 6.
That's the only time difference!
"Jiejie is right behind us! Brother Mozi is about to make his move!"
Without warning, Su Mo activated his ultimate move – [Great Annihilation]!
The demonic wings on the back of the sword demon suddenly spread open, his movement speed increased dramatically, and a dark red aura swept across the canyon.
Without any build-up, he immediately unleashed his ultimate speed boost and charged straight at the enemy!
Zeus was shocked and ran desperately down the tower.
Su Mo uses his E skill to slide across the wall (utilizing the terrain to glide across the river wall), Q1 to knock the enemy airborne! W, the Infernal Chains, then locks them in place!
Zeus reached level 6 and instantly learned his ultimate ability, R [Thunder Prison], attempting to counter-attack and trade kills with Su Mo under the tower.
But Jiejie's Wei appeared!
Q [Powerful Punch] Charges up, flashes over the wall, and slams a punch hard into Kennen's face while he's using his ultimate!
interrupt!
Although Kennen's ultimate cannot be interrupted, Vi's Q knockback effect pushed Kennen a small step out of the turret's safe range!
It's just this small step!
Su Mo's Q2 outer edge sword strike landed precisely!
A deadly sword strike!
Q3 crashes!
"die!!!"
Even under the tower, even with his ultimate activated, Zeus' Kennen was torn to shreds like a piece of paper.
CHN.Mo has killed KOR.Zeus!
1: 1!
"Killed him! Tower dive kill!!" Guan Zeyuan roared, "You dare gank my mid lane, I'll kill your top lane! This is the Chinese team's response! And Jiejie is still alive! This teamwork was perfect!"
The time was frozen at 5 minutes and 58 seconds.
The top lane opened a breach, but the torment in the bottom lane continued.
This contest between spear and shield, swift advance and direct combat, has only just begun. (End of Chapter)