Chapter 766
Joy
He didn't rush to insert a coin, but stood in front of the machine, his deep eyes quietly observing the claw's swaying amplitude and the delay in its falling trajectory for a while.
For a seven-time champion who calculates game actions down to the frame and millisecond, such mechanical physical laws are child's play.
Insert a coin, move the joystick, and press the button.
Without any hesitation.
The metal claws accurately locked onto the center of gravity of the figurine box. Instead of slipping, the machine used a slight rebound force to steadily fling the box into the exit!
Clang!
A valuable limited edition figurine fell out.
"Wow!!!" the three girls exclaimed.
For the next ten minutes, Su Mo staged a brutal "bulk purchase" of claw machines.
He was almost always successful, not only clearing out all the hidden items in the machine, but also not letting go of the hardest-to-find small ornaments in the corner.
The area was quickly surrounded by amazed passersby, and even the arcade staff were almost moved to tears.
"Alright, if you can't carry them, then forget it." Looking at the mountain of dolls that Luo Xin and Xiao Yu were holding, Su Mo stopped what he was doing and said calmly.
"Long live Brother Mozi!" The girls were as happy as if it were a festival.
Yu Shuang smiled gently beside him and handed him a tissue to wipe his hands.
After leaving the arcade, the group prepared to rest for a while in the coffee shop on the first floor.
As I rode the escalator downstairs, a large-scale children's roller skating competition was being held in the atrium on the first floor of the mall. Many parents were watching with their children, and the atmosphere was very lively.
Just then, an accident happened.
A little girl, about five or six years old and wearing roller skates, seemed to have lost her balance and fallen off the track. She frantically waved her arms and rushed at great speed toward the large glass atrium at the edge of the courtyard, which was under repair and lacked safety railings!
Below the courtyard is a basement level that is over ten meters high!
"Be careful!!!"
"Get her now!"
The parents and staff around screamed in terror, but the little girl was too fast and the distance was too close, and no one had time to react!
At the critical moment!
A black blur leaped down the descending escalator like a cheetah hunting its prey!
Su Mo's reaction speed and explosive power were on full display at this moment. Instead of taking the stairs, he braced himself with both hands on the escalator handrail, leaping more than two meters into the air and landing steadily on the marble floor on the first floor!
The moment he landed, he exerted force with both legs, like a black lightning bolt, rushing towards the little girl who was about to rush out of the edge of the courtyard!
At the critical moment when half of the little girl's body had already peeked out of the well and was about to fall, a mere 0.1 seconds had passed!
Su Mo's large, well-defined hand gripped the baby carrier strap behind the little girl tightly!
The immense inertia pulled Su Mo's body forward, but his other hand gripped the protruding marble edge of the courtyard with extreme precision.
"squeak--"
The roller skates made a screeching sound as they scraped across the ground.
Su Mo's arm muscles suddenly tensed, unleashing a terrifying force that lifted the little girl back into the air and placed her steadily on the safe ground.
The entire room fell silent.
Everyone was stunned by this extreme rescue, which resembled a movie special effect.
The little girl was so frightened that she burst into tears.
A young mother rushed over frantically, hugged the little girl tightly, and knelt down in front of Su Mo with a thud, sobbing uncontrollably: "Thank you! Thank you! If it weren't for you, my daughter would be dead! Thank you, my savior!"
Su Mo took a slight breath, patted the dust off his hands, and his eyes remained as calm as a still well.
"Keep an eye on the children; this is a blind spot," he said calmly and gently.
At this moment, Yu Shuang and several other girls also hurriedly ran down the escalator.
"Mozi! Are you alright?" Yu Shuang's eyes were red as she anxiously checked his arms and hands. For a professional athlete, hands are life itself.
"It's nothing, just a scrape." Su Mo looked at the shallow bloodstain on the back of his hand caused by the marble edge, not caring at all.
Just then, the passersby who had recovered from their shock burst into thunderous applause.
Someone held up their phone and filmed the thrilling scene.
"Holy crap... this guy is so cool! Is his reaction speed even human?!"
"Wait a minute... He's wearing that hat, and those eyes... Is he... is he EDG's Mo Shen?!"
Someone in the crowd exclaimed in surprise.
Su Mo frowned slightly and took Yu Shuang's hand: "Let's go."
Escorted by security personnel and mall staff, Su Mo and her group quickly left the mall and returned to their car in the underground parking garage.
That night.
A video titled #Extreme Rescue in Shanghai Shopping Mall, Suspected to be Seven-Time Champion Mo God# has spread like wildfire across major social media platforms.
Although the video is somewhat blurry, Su Mo's series of fluid and superhuman movements—jumping off the escalator and grabbing the little girl at the last second—were completely recorded.
In just two hours, this trending topic rose to the top of Weibo's hot search list!
Holy crap! That really is Mozi! I recognize that build and that hat so well!
[This reaction speed! Now I finally understand why he can dodge all non-targeting skills in the game! This is the pinnacle of human reflexes!]
[Catching a little girl with his bare hands—that explosive power is terrifying. Is this the same internet-addicted teenager who sits in front of the computer all day?]
[It started with their technical skills, but I'm loyal because of their character. I've become a fan after this!]
[Let's see who dares to criticize Mozi now! He's not just a god of esports, he's a real-life superhero!]
Inside the river-view apartment.
Su Mo sat on the sofa, letting Yu Shuang carefully disinfect the abrasions on the back of his hand with iodine.
"You were too impulsive today." Although Yu Shuang scolded her, her eyes were full of heartache and lingering fear. "What if you had injured your tendons?"
"The situation was urgent, I didn't think too much. Besides, I knew in my heart that the cushioning effect of that distance wouldn't hurt my muscles." Su Mo's tone was calm, as if saving someone was just a trivial matter.
Rita, holding her phone, excitedly leaned over: "Brother Mozi! You've gone viral! Even CCTV's news reposted your rescue video, with the caption 'Esports spirit and social responsibility go hand in hand, thumbs up for this courageous young man!'"
Luo Xin and Xiao Yu were so excited they were practically dancing with joy: "Brother Mo, you're a national hero now! I just saw on the trending topics that even a lot of big-name celebrities who don't follow the e-sports scene are praising you!"
Even Lin Xuan, who had just finished filming on set, made a video call immediately.
"Teacher Su, your ability to trend on social media is something even a popular actress like me can't match." In the video, Lin Xuan, dressed in a theatrical costume, said with a sparkling gaze, "Does your hand hurt? I'll give you a good treatment when I get back tomorrow."
Su Mo picked up his thermos and took a sip of water. Looking at the girls in the room who were proud of him, a rare smile appeared in his deep eyes.
The EDG club base at this time.
Mingkai and Abu couldn't stop smiling as they looked at the overwhelming positive reviews online.
"Mozi's move has raised EDG's commercial value by who knows how many levels," Abu exclaimed. "Sponsors have been calling my phone non-stop."
Mingkai shook his head proudly: "This is our pillar of strength. Whether in the canyon or in reality, he will always be the god who can turn the tide in an instant."
The next morning, an unexpected phone call came to Su Mo's cell phone.
It was a call personally made by a high-ranking official from the LPL official tournament committee.
"Mo, your righteous act yesterday has set an extremely positive example for the entire LPL and even Chinese esports. The official decision is to award you the 'LPL Annual Special Contribution Award' at the upcoming playoffs opening ceremony, and to invite you to represent us in taking the pre-match oath." The high-ranking official's tone was full of respect.
Su Mo sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking at the vast Huangpu River, his expression unchanged.
“An oath is fine. But no award.” His voice was low and calm. “The honor of esports should be earned through skill on the field. As for saving someone, it was just instinct and doesn’t deserve special recognition.”
After hanging up the phone, Yu Shuang walked over and gently hugged him from behind.
“You’re always like this, pushing away all the glamour and keeping only your purest passion,” Yu Shuang said softly. Su Mo took her hand in return, his gaze deep and unwavering.
"Because only by remaining pure can one continue to win in this world."
Two days later, the final week of the LPL Summer Split regular season kicked off.
Due to the widespread attention garnered by Su Mo's rescue, the competition reached unprecedented levels of interest. Even many casual viewers who didn't watch the game bought tickets specifically to see this real-life superhero.
When Su Mo, wearing that black baseball cap and carrying a thermos, walked out of the players' tunnel...
The stadium erupted in an unprecedented roar of cheers. The sound was not only an adoration of the seven-time champions, but also a tribute to a spirit.
In the commentary booth, both Wawa and Miller were visibly excited.
"Welcome to the final match of the LPL Summer Split regular season! The rematch between EDG and LNG!" Wawa shouted. "Today, we are not only watching a top-level esports showdown, but also witnessing the return of a hero revered by the entire internet to the arena!"
Miller took a deep breath: "Yes! In this summer full of miracles, Mozi has conquered everyone with his unparalleled skills and noble character. In today's final battle, facing the revenge-driven LNG, can EDG finish the regular season with an undefeated record?"
Under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands of spectators.
Su Mo sat in the gaming chair and gently took off his baseball cap.
This undefeated throne remains unshakeable to this day!
As the audience gave a deafening countdown, the big screen switched to the BP interface.
"Alright, the match has officially begun! In the final match of the regular season, LNG has the first choice of sides in the first game, and they have chosen the blue side!" Wawa announced loudly.
Miller continued his analysis: "Let's take a look at LNG's draft picks this game. In the first three picks, they decisively banned Talon, Rengar, and Vladimir! These three bans were so decisive that there was no room for doubt. In the last round, Mozi's assassins and mages turned LNG's backline and jungle upside down."
"EDG's bans were standard, banning Maokai, Vi, and Sejuani, targeting Tarzan's tempo-oriented jungler."
Enter the first round of picking.
LNG made a decisive move, confidently locking in [Kai'Sa, the Daughter of the Void]!
"Gala's Kai'Sa! LNG will still focus on team fights around the bot lane this game!"
EDG countered by securing Lee Sin and Varus on the first and second floors respectively. Achen's Lee Sin early-game tempo shouldn't be underestimated.
LNG's second and third floors have been replenished with [Deep Sea Titan - Nautilus] and [Desert Reaper - Nasus] (just kidding)!
"Nasus?!" PDD in the commentary booth suddenly widened his eyes. "Zika picked Nasus to tank the pressure?! This champion is extremely rare in the current professional scene! LNG's intention is very clear: I don't care about lane priority at all in the top lane. I'll just stay under the tower, sniffing experience and stacking Q. As long as we can drag it out to thirty minutes, Nasus will be an unstoppable monster!"
"That's a clever move." Miller nodded. "When facing a top laner like Mozi who has a strong suppressive presence, picking Nasus, maxing W for slow, and combining it with tower defense, as long as you don't get completely overwhelmed, will make you extremely intimidating in mid-to-late game team fights."
EDG picked the support hero [Milio] on the third floor to enhance Varus's kiting and survivability.
The second round of bans.
In their fourth and fifth picks, LNG continued to target EDG's mid lane, banning Syndra and Annie to limit Xiaoyue's burst damage.
EDG banned Azir and Yone, effectively shutting down Scout's signature mage carry.
Second round of picking.
On the fourth floor of LNG, Scout picked Orianna, the Clockwork Demon, to secure lane control in the mid lane and initiate team fights with his ultimate in the late game.
On the fourth floor of EDG, Xiaoyue built Taliyah and used his ultimate to support the side lane.
Now, all the suspense has converged on the fifth-floor counter position for EDG's red team!
Facing a dog head that's determined to be a "perpetual turtle" under the tower.
Su Mo held the thermos, took a sip of water, and a hint of contempt flashed in his eyes.
"Trying to drag this out and become a monster?"
Su Mo put down the cup and began typing on the keyboard.
"Then I'll make sure you don't even qualify as a human being."
An image of an elegant female swordsman, exuding an aura of nobility and brutality and wielding a sharp blade, suddenly lit up on the fifth floor!
"Precision and elegance!"
【Fiora, the Unrivaled Swordswoman】!
locking!
"Fiora!!!" Wawa shouted from the commentary booth, "In the final match, Mozi brought out his most signature champion hero! Fiora! This is the absolute signature hero that once got him a pentakill on the world stage!"
PDD stroked his chin, somewhat worried: "Fiora vs. Nasus... It is indeed easier in the early game, but if Nasus maxes W (Wither) to slow down, Fiora's attack speed and movement speed will be greatly reduced. After level six, if Nasus activates his ultimate and applies W, Fiora can easily be counter-killed if she cannot immediately use her healing circle."
Miller nodded in agreement: "Yes. Zika's Nasus pick was brilliant; he wanted to use Nasus's W to disable Fiora's kiting. This top lane duel will depend on how Mozi breaks this withered shackle!"
Game loading.
Welcome to Summoner's Rift!
Su Mo's Fiora bought a Doran's Blade and a health potion, and her summoner spells were Flash and Ignite. Her rune choice was undoubtedly Conqueror.
"Chen, you go up from the bottom half of the map and farm." Su Mo calmly instructed over the voice chat.
"Alright, Brother Mo, I'll go to the top lane to cause him trouble once I reach level three!" Ah Chen's Lee Sin charged towards his own blue buff.
"You don't need to catch him." Su Mo said calmly, "You go control the river crab and help Xiao Yue push the lane. His Nasus won't survive to level six."
At one minute and thirty seconds, the entire army launched an attack.
The director's camera was fixed on the road.
Zika's Nasus learned the Q skill [Soul Drain] at level 1 and played extremely cautiously. He didn't get close to melee minions at all, only using positioning to sniff out experience at the extreme distance, and didn't even have the desire to auto-attack a minion.
As long as he doesn't push the lane, the minion wave will push towards him. This is the safest way for a weak top laner to play.
But Su Mo's Fiora was played with an outrageously refined skill level.
He learned the Q skill, "Sky Slash," at level one.
At the moment the minions clashed, Su Mo didn't touch the minion wave at all. Instead, he crossed the minion wave and got stuck between Nasus and LNG's ranged minions!
"Brother Mozi is... pushing the minion wave?!" Miller exclaimed. "But the first wave of minions has a lot of aggro. If you try to trade blows head-on, Fiora will lose a lot of health to the minions!"
Just then, the first vulnerability appeared on the right side of the dog's head.
Without hesitation, Su Mo used his Q skill to precisely puncture the opening, dealing true damage while using the movement speed and recovery provided by the opening to retreat into the first bush near the wall on the top lane!
Hatred is lost!
The whole process was smooth and effortless. Fiora only took one hit from the ranged minions, while Nasus lost a significant amount of health for nothing!
"What an exquisite maneuver!" PDD exclaimed in admiration. "Using the bushes to avoid aggro, this is a mastery of the top lane minion wave mechanics!"
Zika frowned, and could only continue to retreat until he reached the edge of his own tower's attack range.
Su Mo stood there like a gatekeeper, firmly blocking the minion wave.
He doesn't finish off minions with a last hit, nor does he use skills to clear waves. He only does one thing—if Nasus dares to enter the experience zone, he uses his Q skill to poke an opening, then disappears into the bushes.
At one minute and fifty seconds, the first wave of minions was wiped out.
Doge, zero experience!
"That's terrible..." Doll looked at Doghead's pitiful stats panel, "Zika didn't even get a single soldier's experience! He's been completely kicked out of the experience zone!"
Two minutes and twenty seconds.
The minion wave finally began to slowly advance towards the LNG tower due to natural attrition.
At this moment, Su Mo had already reached level two! He had learned the W skill [Laurent's Mind's Eye].
Zika's dog head is still only level one!
Seeing a large wave of minions about to enter the tower, Zika gritted her teeth, stepped forward, and prepared to use her Q skill to finish off a low-health minion.
The instant he raised his axe.
Su Mo's swordswoman has moved!
Q skill [Sky Slash], with its sharp sword wind, instantly slid to the dog's face, shattering its weakness!
A basic attack followed by the E skill [Deadly Thrust] applies a slow effect on the first hit!
Zika was terrified and quickly used Flash to escape into the depths of the tower!
But how could Su Mo possibly give him that chance?
Follow me!
Basic attack, the second critical hit lands! Ignite on!
Due to the level advantage and the true damage from the vulnerability, Nasus's health bar instantly evaporated to almost nothing!
"The turret's damage is so high, is Mozi going to be taken down?!" Miller shouted. (End of Chapter)