Chapter 708
Happiness
This scene was witnessed by several young team members nearby. Ah Chen and Xiao Yue exchanged a glance and, in perfect unison, shrank back onto the other side of the sofa with their bowls of pork rib soup, determined not to be third wheels.
Su Mo unscrewed the thermos and took a sip of the steaming chicken soup, the rich, savory flavor spreading in his mouth. A faint smile appeared on his lips: "It's delicious. Thank you for your hard work."
"I'm glad you like it." Yu Shuang rested her hands on the back of the gaming chair, leaned down slightly, and looked at his profile as he drank the soup, her smile growing even stronger.
Just then, Su Mo's phone, which was on the table, vibrated. The screen lit up; it was a WeChat message.
Lin Xuan: [Teacher Su, my night shoot in Hengdian has finally wrapped up! I just had my assistant buy some Shanghai pan-fried buns from the place you recommended, but they were cold by the time they arrived. Your competition starts tomorrow, I'll be cheering you on from the TV! [cheering][cheering]]
Yu Shuang turned her head slightly and naturally saw the message that popped up on the screen. Unlike ordinary girls, she didn't get jealous or show a bad face. Instead, she chuckled and whispered in Su Mo's ear, "It seems that even the cold wind in Hengdian can't stop our great god Su's charm. The great actress even has to report her schedule to you when she eats pan-fried buns."
Su Mo put down the thermos, picked up his phone, and calmly typed a reply, while saying to Yu Shuang, "Don't make fun of her. She has a bad stomach, and eating cold pan-fried buns can easily trigger her stomach problems."
Su Mo: [Don't eat it if it's cold. Have your assistant make some hot oatmeal. The match is at 5 PM tomorrow. Watch it if you're free, otherwise catch up on some sleep.]
In the RV far away in Hengdian, Lin Xuan looked at the reply that popped up on her phone. Although it had a slightly lecturing tone, it made her unable to resist hugging her phone and happily rolling around half a circle in the spacious seat.
"Sister Xuan, what's making you so happy?" The assistant walked in with a cup of hot water, looking somewhat puzzled.
"It's nothing, I just feel... even though the pan-fried dumplings are cold, my heart is warm." Lin Xuan smiled, looking at the night outside the window, full of anticipation for tomorrow's LPL live stream.
……
The following day was the ninth day of the Lunar New Year.
Shanghai Hongqiao Tiandi Performing Arts Center.
Despite the cold and gloomy weather, the venue was packed with enthusiastic fans on the first day of the LPL Spring Split regular season's resumption after the Lunar New Year. Tickets for EDG's matches, in particular, sold out within a minute of going on sale.
Inside the venue, red and blue lights flashed, and a special promotional video for the Spring Festival was playing on a large screen.
In the commentary booth, Guan Zeyuan and Rita are in charge of the commentary today.
Today, Rita wore an extremely fitted black knitted mini dress with a red blazer, which not only accentuated her figure but also matched the festive atmosphere of the New Year. She sat on the commentary platform, her eyes bright, and she couldn't suppress the smile on her lips.
"Welcome to the 2024 LPL Spring Split Regular Season! Happy New Year everyone!" Guan Zeyuan's signature voice resounded throughout the venue. "After a short Spring Festival holiday, I believe all the teams are eager to get back to work. Today's first BO3 will feature the undefeated defending champions EDG against the veteran powerhouse WE!"
"Yes, Happy New Year everyone," Rita chimed in, her voice clear and melodious. "WE's performance fluctuated before the New Year, but facing the powerful EDG today, I believe they will definitely make some tactical adjustments. Especially in the top lane, the new version has made significant changes to warrior items, I wonder what kind of surprise Mozi will bring us today?"
The players from both sides take the stage.
When Su Mo, dressed in a black and white EDG team uniform and carrying a thermos in his left hand, calmly walked out of the passage, the crowd immediately erupted in cheers that seemed to lift the roof off!
"Mo God!! Happy New Year!!!"
"EDG, go for it!!"
Su Mo walked to his computer, placed his thermos on the corner of the table, and put on his noise-canceling headphones. His expression remained as calm as ever, as if the noise from the audience had nothing to do with him; he was just there to clock in on time.
The business proposal (BP) phase begins.
WE's coach was clearly well-prepared, banning Camille, Fiora, and Jax without hesitation in the first three bans!
"Targeted! Absolutely targeted!" Guan Zeyuan shouted. "WE's strategy this game is very clear: to prevent Mozi from picking a 1v1 hero that can split push to death on the side lane. And WE directly picked Quesanti, a heavy armored warrior with a very high margin for error in the current version, in the first pick!"
On EDG's side, Mingkai stood behind Su Mo, holding a notebook in his hand.
"Mozi, the enemy team's lineup is quite tanky, making them very strong in positional battles. What are you going to pick? Darius or Aatrox?" Mingkai asked.
Su Mo rested his chin on his hand, his gaze sweeping across the hero list. Quesanti was a tanky hero with crowd control; if a standard warrior couldn't gain an advantage early on, he'd be extremely difficult to deal with late game.
"Take that one," Su Mo said softly. "It's Chinese New Year, let's cut the ribbon for them."
The lights on the fifth-floor restroom are on.
"Cut it all the way through!"
Gwen the Spirit Doll!
locking!
"Gwen!! Mozi picked Gwen!!" Rita's eyes lit up, her voice excited. "She's a master at taking down tanks! Gwen's percentage-based magic damage plus true damage makes Quesanti's prized armor look like paper in front of her!"
Game loading.
Blue side WE: Top laner Quesanti, jungler Vi, mid laner Ahri, ADC Lucian, support Nami.
Red team EDG: Top laner Gwen, jungler Lee Sin, mid laner Syndra, ADC Varus, support Lena.
The lanes converge.
WE's top laner Wayward clearly had a lot of respect for Su Mo, standing behind the minion wave at level one and not giving Gwendolyn any chance to use her Q passive.
"WE's top lane played very steadily. Knowing that Gwen couldn't compete by leveling up E at level one, they simply didn't even bother to gain experience," Guan Zeyuan analyzed.
Su Mo wasn't in a hurry. He controlled Gwen, who was wielding a large pair of scissors, and elegantly last-hit each minion. His positioning was extremely precise. He always positioned himself at the very edge of Quesanti's range when he wanted to last-hit, using the edge of his Q skill, "Quick Slash," to whittle down Quesanti's health.
The game proceeded smoothly for six minutes.
Both top laners reached level six simultaneously.
Su Mo's Gwent's health remained at three-quarters, while Quesanti, despite having the Grip of the Undying, had only about half his health left due to Gwent's frequent attacks, and had already used up all his health potions.
"Chen, you don't need to come up. Go control the dragon. He's going to recall this wave, I won't let him." Su Mo glanced at the minimap, the Lee Sin was attacking the red buff.
After clearing a wave of minions, Quesanti retreated to the bushes behind the turret and pressed the recall button.
However, just as he was loading his return-to-town timer with only two seconds left, a blue figure wielding large scissors suddenly emerged from the edge of his field of vision in the bushes!
Su Mo's Gwen used her E skill [Intermittent Dash] to pass through the wall and get right up to Quesanti's face!
"Interrupted!! Mozi won't let Wayward go home!!" Rita shouted. Wayward was shocked and immediately canceled his recall, using his Q skill to try and slow Gwen down.
But Su Mo reacted extremely quickly, activating his W skill, [Silk Threads], instantly enveloping Gwen in a blue immunity barrier. Quesanti's Q skill hit outside the barrier, having absolutely no effect!
"Full layer of Q!"
Su Mo found the right angle and used his Q skill, [Quick Cut], to slash down hard. The true damage at the very center directly cut off a large chunk of Quesanti's health!
Then, the first part of the ultimate skill [Needle Cluster] is fired! Slows down enemies!
Knowing he couldn't escape, Wayward gritted his teeth and activated his ultimate ability, "Arrogant and Unyielding," slamming Gwen along with him against the wall behind the turret, hoping to use the attribute bonus from his ultimate to launch a counterattack!
"Quisanti has used his ultimate! These two are in the jungle now, without the protection of the turrets, who will live and who will die?!" Guan Zeyuan spoke rapidly.
When Quesanti enters his all-around form, his damage output is indeed impressive; a single combo reduced Gwen's health by half.
But Su Mo's eyes remained calm and composed.
Instead of using his ultimate ability, he used his E skill's mobility to stick close to Quesanti, auto-attacking and building up his passive.
Just as Quesanti raised his weapon to unleash his enhanced W to stun Gwen!
Su Mo used Flash!
Not only did they escape Quesanti's deadly control, they also reached Quesanti's side and rear.
The second and third stages of the ultimate move, [Needle Cluster], are released consecutively!
A barrage of magical needles, carrying terrifying percentage-based damage, pierced through Quesanti's body like a raging storm! Combined with the true damage from his fully stacked passive Q skill, it delivered devastating blows!
"Crack!"
Quesanti, who had seemed fairly healthy, suddenly lost all his health!
"EDG.Mo solo-killed WE.Wayward!"
"Solo kill!!! Mozi got a solo kill in the jungle!!!" Guan Zeyuan excitedly pounded the commentary booth, "The damage calculation was too precise! He didn't even bring Ignite, he just used positioning and skill combos to completely shred the all-around Quesanti!!"
Rita laughed heartily beside him, adding insult to injury: "Of all people to mess with, why did you have to play the tank game in front of Brother Mozi? This big pair of scissors is specially designed to deal with all kinds of fancy armor."
Having secured the first blood, Su Mo pushed the minion wave and recalled to base under the tower. He picked up his thermos and slowly took a sip of warm water.
"Top lane is cleared. Ah Chen, get ready to take the Rift Herald."
The following matches became a complete solo show for Su Mo.
At twelve minutes, Gwent, with her two-item build, was practically untouchable on the sideline. WE sent their jungler Vi and mid laner Ahri to gank the top lane.
Facing a three-man gank, Su Mo calmly activated his W barrier, using the terrain to his advantage and kite wildly in the jungle. First, he slowed all three with his ultimate, then used his E to pass through a wall, and finally landed a fully stacked Q, severely damaging Ahri. With the help of Chen's Lee Sin who arrived at the scene, they achieved a perfect 3-0 exchange!
At the 24-minute mark, EDG, with the Baron buff, launched a massive push, and WE's crystal shattered.
EDG easily secured their first win after the Lunar New Year with a 2-0 victory, maintaining their undefeated record and leading the standings!
……
Post-match interview.
The stage lights focused on Xiran, who stood smiling in front of the camera, wearing a red, fitted, modified cheongsam. Her makeup was exquisite and radiant, and her every move exuded the elegance and confidence of an LPL star.
"Congratulations to EDG on today's victory! We are very honored to have EDG's top laner, Mo, with us for our post-match interview! Please welcome him!"
The cheers from the audience were deafening.
Su Mo was still wearing his familiar team uniform, holding a thermos in his left hand and taking the microphone with his right. He stood next to Xi Ran, half a head taller than her even though she was wearing high heels. The two of them together had an inexplicable, captivating chemistry that was hard to look away from.
"Brother Mo, Happy New Year!" hope Ran turned her head slightly to look at him, her bright eyes holding a tenderness and slyness that only the two of them understood. "Gwen played exceptionally well in the first game today, and that solo kill on Quesanti in the jungle was truly amazing. How were you so sure you could get the kill without Ignite?"
Su Mo raised the microphone, his tone calm, as if he were simply stating a theorem: "Quisanti's ultimate reduces his armor, magic resistance, and maximum health. Using your ultimate against Gwen is tantamount to voluntarily giving up your tankiness. As long as you dodge his enhanced W, the rest is just arithmetic. Scissors are just tools for getting things done."
"Arithmetic problems..." hope Ran couldn't help but chuckle at his serious answer. "It seems that for Mo Ge, the battles in the Rift are really as precise as solving math problems. We all know that in the fifth week's Super Weekend, EDG will face off against the currently undefeated BLG. And Bin also said during the off-season that he really looks forward to facing you in the top lane. What's your response to that?"
Upon hearing this question, the entire audience immediately fell silent, everyone eager to hear how the seven-time champion would respond to this arrogant new generation prodigy top laner.
Su Mo did not answer immediately. He slowly unscrewed the thermos and took a sip of goji berry water in front of the entire audience.
Then, he looked at the camera, his deep eyes still devoid of any emotion.
"Youthful vigor is a good thing." Su Mo's voice echoed throughout the venue through the microphone, deep and calm, yet carrying a suffocatingly domineering aura. "Let him come. I'm also very interested to see if his heavy-armored training this winter can withstand my overtime pay."
"boom--!!!"
The entire venue erupted in cheers!
Holy crap!!! That's so pretentious!!! But I love it so much!!!
[Can you handle my overtime pay?! Mozi's implication: Dare to make me work overtime, I'll smash your head in!]
[If Director Bin heard this, he'd probably be smashing the table like crazy at the base, hahaha!]
Looking at the man beside her, exuding a restrained yet domineering aura, hope Ran's heart skipped a beat. The love in her eyes almost overflowed the screen, but as a professional host, she suppressed a smile and delivered her final remarks.
"Alright! Let's wait and see, and look forward to the epic clash of titans in Week 5! Congratulations again to EDG, and thank you Mo for accepting our interview!"
……
At 8:30 p.m., a high-end, private hot pot restaurant in downtown Shanghai.
The private room was steaming hot, with the tempting aroma of the bubbling red oil broth filling the air.
Because the game ended early tonight, and it was the first win of the year, Ming Kai granted the team members free time. Su Mo, naturally, was "snatched" away by five girls who had been waiting for him.
Yu Shuang, hope Ran, Rita, Luo Xin, and Xiao Yu, the five beauties, sat around the round table. Su Mo was naturally placed in the very center.
"Come on, let's celebrate Brother Mo's first victory of the new year! And let's celebrate continuing to cling to Brother Mo's coattails in the new year!" Luo Xin raised a glass of plum juice, cheering and urging. (End of Chapter)