Chapter 653
The National Anthem Resounds!
The moment they took off their headphones, a deafening roar of cheers erupted in the stadium, like a flood bursting its banks, instantly engulfing the five people in the center of the stage.
"Aaaaaah! We won!!!"
JackeyLove ripped off his headphones and pulled Meiko into a tight hug, his hair disheveled with excitement. "Grand Slam! I'm an Asian Games gold medalist AD now!!"
Jiejie covered his face with his hands, his shoulders shaking violently. He had endured so much doubt before, but now, all the pressure vanished with the shattered red crystal. Knight, who had been standing up shyly, also stood up, grinning foolishly as he hugged substitute 369 and Coach Zhu Kai, who had rushed onto the stage.
Compared to his teammates who were already celebrating wildly, Su Mo appeared unusually calm.
He leaned back in his gaming chair, letting out a long sigh, and rubbed his wrists, which were slightly sore from the intense gameplay. Since his debut as a spirited young man lifting the World Championship trophy in S7, this was his seventh year on the professional stage. He had won countless championships, big and small, achieving a Grand Slam, FMVP, and numerous regional titles.
But as he looked at the frozen "VICTORY" on the screen, a gentle smile still crept onto his lips.
This time, the national flag was embroidered on her chest.
"Well done, everyone." Su Mo stood up, patted Jiejie who was still wiping away tears, and then ruffled JackeyLove's hair. His tone was casual, but it was like a pillar of strength. "Let's go shake hands."
In the commentary booth, the voices of the three commentators were completely hoarse.
"It's been so tough! It's been so tough!" Guan Zeyuan took off his glasses and wiped his eyes. "From S7 all the way, we've watched Mozi transform from that sharp-edged, unpredictable player into the absolute core of this national team! He doesn't need to prove anything with flashy stats anymore. His Ornn in the last game was the best answer he could give this team!"
"Yes!" Miller took a deep breath, his eyes reddening. "He can be the sharpest spear you can always trust, and the strongest shield to protect you from all storms in dire straits! On this Asian Games night that belongs to esports, Mozi is still our most reliable trump card!"
The barrage of comments on major live streaming platforms had already exploded at this historic moment, with the dense text even causing a few seconds of server lag.
We are the champions!!! Team China is awesome!!!
[I'm so moved, brothers! I've been watching from S7 until now. Mozi has gone from that unruly solo kill king to this wall of sighs!]
[Does anyone understand? When I saw Ornn tank Azir's ultimate to save Kai'Sa, I, a grown man, burst into tears in the internet cafe.]
[A pure game-changer! Three different heroes in three games: a warrior, an assassin, and a heavy tank. Mozi's hero pool is simply bottomless!]
Zeus is probably traumatized by the beating; he'll avoid streetlights, greatswords, and blacksmithing hammers from now on.
[The GOAT is unassuming! Even with so many championships, look at Mo's expression right now—he's as calm as if he just got off work!]
"Let's go shake hands."
Su Mo adjusted her slightly slipped team uniform jacket, turned around first, and led her teammates, who were still immersed in ecstasy, to the Korean team's competition area on the other side of the stage.
This is a tradition in esports, and a tribute from the winner to the loser.
Inside the soundproof booth for the South Korean team, the air pressure was so low it felt like water could drip out.
When Su Mo was the first to enter their booth, Zeus, sitting blankly in his gaming chair on the far right, was still there. His screen was already on the damage calculation panel, and looking at his Jayce's meager output, the LCK's prodigy top laner's eyes were bloodshot, and his fingers were trembling unconsciously.
Su Mo walked up to him, and Zeus stood up as if waking from a dream, lowering his head slightly, not even daring to meet Su Mo's gaze.
Su Mo didn't say much, but simply reached out and shook hands with him, gently patting the young player's shoulder. As a veteran who had fought his way up from S7 to the present, he had seen too many brilliant talents have had their backs broken by his own hands; this was the cruelty of competitive sports.
Next up are Kanavi and Ruler. As old rivals who have faced each other countless times in the LPL, these two, though looking bitter, still maintained their composure.
When Ruler grasped Su Mo's hand, he shook his head with a wry smile and whispered in accented Chinese, "You... are still so perverted."
Su Mo simply nodded slightly and politely replied, "You played very well too."
When he reached Keria, the emotional and talented support player couldn't help but wipe away tears with the back of his hand. Meiko, who played the same position, stepped forward and gently hugged him, offering a few words of comfort in English.
Finally, Su Mo arrived at the innermost part of the stage.
There sat a man whom they had met countless times at the pinnacle of the world championships.
Faker.
Lee Sang-hyeok didn't cry; he just sat there quietly, like a statue. When Su Mo approached, he slowly stood up and habitually pushed up his black-rimmed glasses.
Their eyes met.
There was no tension, no verbal exchange. As two of the greatest players in League of Legends history, both living fossils who have fought their way up from the early days, they understand the weight each other carries better than anyone else.
Faker's eyes held an undeniable weariness, yet still radiated pure respect. He reached out and shook hands firmly with Su Mo.
“Congratulations,” Faker said softly.
“You played well, Faker.” Su Mo looked at his respectable opponent, his tone sincere and calm. He did not show any arrogance of a victor, because he knew that as long as this man had not retired, they would still be mortal enemies fighting to the death on the world stage next time.
After shaking hands, Su Mo led the six members of the Chinese team (including substitute 369) to the center of the stage.
"Are you ready?" Su Mo stood in the middle, looking at his teammates on the left and right.
"one two Three!"
Six young men wearing Chinese national team uniforms bowed deeply to the packed stadium.
At that moment, the Hangzhou Esports Center erupted in cheers.
"China! Champions!!"
"China! Champions!!"
The unified shouts were deafening, and the red light sticks inside the stadium converged into a dazzling sea of stars. ...
Half an hour later, the awards ceremony officially began.
The lights in the venue were once again focused on the podium set up in the center of the stage.
The Chinese team's athletes have changed into the iconic "Champion Dragon Suit" of the Chinese sports delegation—the classic red and white color scheme, with a bright five-star red flag printed on the chest and the eye-catching word "CHINA" on the back.
Compared to the esports team uniform I wore during the match, this outfit carries a completely different meaning.
"Now, let's welcome the team that won the bronze medal in the League of Legends esports event at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games – Chinese Taipei!"
"The runner-up team is South Korea!"
As the announcement was made, the South Korean players changed into their white national team uniforms and walked dejectedly onto the runner-up podium. Faker stood in the middle of the team, his gaze calmly fixed ahead, while Zeus and Keria still had their heads down, seemingly still reeling from the blow of being swept.
"Finally, let's give a warm round of applause to the team that won the League of Legends esports championship at this Asian Games—Team China!!!"
The moment the announcement suddenly swelled up, the entire audience stood up.
Su Mo walked at the head of the group, his steps steady. His expression remained composed, with a faint smile on his lips—a calm composure born from years of experience, where arrogance had been internalized and transformed into confidence. Behind him, JackeyLove and Jiejie waved excitedly to the audience as they walked, while Knight appeared somewhat shy, staying close to Su Mo's side.
The six of them stepped onto the highest podium, which symbolized the highest honor in Asia.
Officials from the Olympic Council of Asia approached with smiles and first presented them with the mascot of this Asian Games—a "Jiangnan Memories" doll wearing a gold medal.
Then, a hostess came over carrying a tray. The official picked up the heavy Asian Games gold medal, which incorporated elements of Liangzhu jade cong, and solemnly hung it around Su Mo's neck.
The cool touch of metal against his chest made Su Mo's blood uncontrollably warm up.
Since his debut in S7, he has touched the Summoner's Cup countless times and won all sorts of gold medals and rings, but no medal is as weighty as the gold medal with the Asian Games emblem on his chest.
Because it represents no longer just a team or a region, but a country.
"Please all rise, raise the national flag of the People's Republic of China, and sing the national anthem of the People's Republic of China!"
A majestic prelude resounded throughout the entire venue.
"Arise! Ye who refuse to be slaves..."
On the podium, JackeyLove, Meiko, and others couldn't help but sing along loudly, and Jiejie's eyes welled up with tears again. The Korean team members stood silently to the side.
Su Mo stood ramrod straight, his gaze passing through the dazzling spotlights of the venue, fixed on the five-star red flag that was slowly rising to the top.
He didn't get as excited as the younger athletes, nor did he bite the gold medal in his hand.
He simply placed his right hand lightly on the national flag on his chest and hummed along with the melody.
As the majestic national anthem faded, the five-star red flag was fixed in the sky above the stadium.
"Group photo! Group photo! Everyone, get closer!" The photographers on site waved frantically from below the stage, holding up their long lenses and tripods.
JackeyLove grinned, eagerly mimicking traditional athletes, and bit his gold medal, while Meiko laughed and straightened his slightly askew collar. Jiejie and Knight, each on one side, unfurled a huge, bright red five-star flag.
Su Mo stood in the center, holding the mascot "Congcong" in one hand and the gold medal on his chest in the other. Facing the flashing lights that resembled a dazzling galaxy, he did not strike an overly exaggerated celebratory pose. Instead, with a gentle gaze and straight back, he posed for this group photo that will be recorded in the history of Chinese e-sports.
During the farewell ceremony, six young men draped in the national flag bowed deeply to the audience in all four directions along the edge of the circular stage. Waves of cheers erupted throughout the stadium, with shouts of "China is awesome!" echoing for a long time.
However, for these esports players who have just experienced intense mental and physical exertion, stepping off the podium does not mean that their work for the night is over.
This is, after all, the Asian Games, and all procedures must strictly adhere to the standards of traditional large-scale comprehensive sports events.
As soon as you walk from the contestant entrance backstage, you are greeted by the crowded "mixed interview area".
A narrow passage was divided in two by metal barriers. Outside the barriers, registered journalists from China, South Korea, and other Asian countries crowded together. Recorders, cell phones, and microphones stretched out like a forest.
"Su Mo! Su Mo, look here! I'm a reporter from CCTV.com!"
"Brother Mozi! This is Tencent Esports!"
Faced with this onslaught, even the usually fearless JackeyLove instinctively shrank back. Su Mo, on the other hand, walked at the front as if it were nothing, slightly gesturing for his teammates to follow, before stopping in front of the CCTV reporter's camera.
"First of all, congratulations to the Chinese team on winning this precious Asian Games gold medal!" The CCTV reporter couldn't hide his excitement. "Su Mo, as the team's absolute core player, you played Jax and Aatrox tonight, and even picked Ornn, a pure tank, in the final game. What were your considerations at that time? This doesn't seem to fit your usual 'ultimate carry' style?"
Facing the camera, Su Mo spoke gently yet firmly: "Because this is the Asian Games."
He paused, his deep gaze revealing the composure of a veteran: "In the league or the World Championship, I might be thinking about how to perform well and how to prove myself. But when I put on this national team jersey, my personal stats and highlights no longer matter. The team needs a sharp spear, and I am the weapon and the sword demon; the team needs a solid shield, and I can be Ornn. As long as we can keep the gold medal in our country, I'm willing to AFK under the tower every game."
Upon hearing this, the surrounding Chinese reporters nodded in agreement, and some even gave a thumbs up.
What is vision? This is the vision of LPL's undisputed number one player and Grand Slam champion!
Immediately afterwards, a reporter from the Korean esports media Inven asked in somewhat broken Chinese mixed with English: "Su Mo, today you were facing off against Zeus, a very young and talented top laner from our LCK. He seemed to be having a tough time today. As a senior player, do you have any advice or comments for him?"
The question was somewhat pointed, and Coach Zhu Kai frowned slightly. He was about to step forward to stop him, but Su Mo gently raised his hand to stop him.
"Zeus is an extremely talented player; his reaction time and mechanics are world-class." Su Mo didn't kick him while he was down, but instead showed his opponent the utmost respect. "But that's how esports is; a player's performance is affected by their on-the-spot condition and the team's tactical biases. One series loss doesn't define a genius's future. He's still young, and I look forward to seeing an even stronger version of him at the upcoming World Championship."
The impeccable diplomatic rhetoric displayed both the demeanor of a victor and the composure of a veteran. (End of Chapter)