Starting with Zaozi Ge, a dream lineup

Chapter 274: Destroying G2 and Advancing to the Semifinals

"My god, what kind of play was that by Yasuo?! It's already ridiculous enough that Syndra's E could hit five people, but the key is that in the middle of the chaos, Uzi timed it perfectly to connect his ultimate."

Watching the replay of the match continue to play even after it ended, Wawa shouted.

Yasuo's ultimate combo that took on five opponents really gave him goosebumps. Such amazing teamwork in a match is something you rarely see even once in a whole season.

"Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!!! RNG!!!"

The audience responded with the most enthusiastic and passionate cheers.

They didn't fully understand why Yasuo was able to successfully block the opponent's attack, but it was enough to see that Yasuo could take on five people in the game and deal explosive damage with Nunu!
"Shenchao, how difficult is this maneuver?" Miller asked with a smile.

The entire LPL live stream chat exploded with messages; the screen was filled with so many words that it was impossible to read what was being said.

"If we're just talking about Yasuo's actions after catching his ultimate, it's something anyone can do. But dodging Heimerdinger's E skill with reflexes in blind vision, or catching Syndra's E, is extremely difficult. How difficult? Basically, even if a Yasuo player in a high-ranking game manages to catch it in actual combat, it's all thanks to a bit of luck!"

After calming down from his excitement, Shenchao explained the difficulty of the two maneuvers, which once again drew gasps from the audience.

"However, let's congratulate RNG on winning the second game against G2, bringing the score to 2-0. Uzi's two Yasuo games have pushed G2 to the brink of defeat. Every game from now on will be a decisive one!"

"It's the same old crushing match again. Because of Uzi's superb individual skill, G2 couldn't unleash their proud and fun-filled strategy. Perkz and Jankos's points were completely shut down. If no one from G2 can step up in the next game, they will definitely lose," Miller said.

"Unless they are reverse-swept from 0-2 down to win 3-2, RNG has absolutely no chance of losing!"

The doll laughed and said:

"If you were to replace G2 with Skt, a comeback from 0-2 down might be possible, but right now, I suspect the G2 players are already feeling down backstage, haha!"

"Come on, let's not talk about whether G2 can come back from a 0-2 deficit to win 3-2. If they can win the next game, Colonel Ki will be giving away 100,000 buy-one-get-one-free chicken wrap coupons. Mercedes-Benz will also be giving away coupons worth up to 1000 yuan. Bright Dairy will also be giving away coupons."

As the commentator steered the conversation toward the advertisements again, the experienced and tacit LOL fans immediately recognized that this was a signal to go to the bathroom.

People at the scene started moving around, just as the commentators said, G2 had absolutely no chance of coming back from 0-2 down to win 3-2.

A comeback from two down to three is a best-of-five (BO5) miracle where a team comes back from a two-game deficit to win three consecutive games.

Of course, because it was a miracle, it was destined that a comeback from a 0-2 deficit to win 3-2 was virtually impossible. Every game that came back from a 0-2 deficit to win 3-2 would become a timeless classic.

Yue Lun's famous battle was when he won the first two games, provoking the wrath of Faker, but was then defeated in the next two games. The final game, a blind pick double Zed battle, became a classic that is still being sung about in S11.

However, comebacks from 0-2 down to 3-2 only occur in the top leagues of each region.

In the main tournaments of MSI and Worlds, there have been 0 instances of a comeback from 0-2 down to 3-2! (TSM's comeback from 0-2 down to 3-2 at MSI in S7 occurred in the play-in stage).

"I'm sorry, it's my fault."

"My bad, my bad, I'm sorry about this year."

As soon as they returned to the lounge, Hjarnan and Ah P said in unison, but compared to Hjarnan's tone, Ah P's voice had a hint of sobbing.

If the first game where RNG completely dominated was the team's fault, then the second game where Yasuo completely crushed them was simply a matter of skill difference between the two players.

If you hadn't been so stingy with your Flash when you caught Yasuo, and had managed to land the Ew combo, you might have been able to turn the tide of the game.

However, his mistake—or rather, his overconfidence—led him to believe that this three-man gank was a sure win.

Making such a big mistake on a field watched by the whole world will significantly impact his overall ability in the next game, not to mention his mentality.

For the first time in his life, Ap began to doubt his own talent and abilities, feeling guilty that he had lost but his team hadn't.

Of course, the atmosphere at G2 was still good, and no one made sarcastic remarks. Top laner Wunder gently hugged Perkz, indicating that there was still one game left to play.

Finally, with the combined comfort of the coach and the team's psychologist, G2 managed to adjust their mindset and prepare for the third game.

In the third game, RNG returned to their position from the first game, on the blue side.

The blue side's huge ban/pick advantage, along with the "Yasuo" pick, made G2 hesitant, and they actually banned Yasuo directly from the red side's ban list.

With Yasuo added to the already limited red team ban slots, Kai'Sa was left out.

Unsurprisingly, RNG drafted an extremely strong head-on lineup: Kai'Sa + Nautilus in the bot lane, Olaf in the jungle, Ornn in the top lane, and Ryze in the mid lane.

Meanwhile, Hjarnan in the bottom lane once again picked his own Reaper and paired it with Thresh as support for the lane matchup.

By the third game, G2 had long lost any desire to play any fancy moves; they were just hoping for a miracle in the third game so that they wouldn't lose too badly.

G2's mentality collapsed, and after entering the game, their online style changed drastically, from being somewhat aggressive in the first two games to being timid and hesitant.

Whenever anyone on RNG makes a move, the G2 players immediately retreat, not giving RNG even the slightest chance to pick off an enemy.

After 20 minutes, the score was 2 to 1, showing signs of a Korean-style management style.

Instead of focusing on fighting to expand their economy, G2 recklessly employed a Korean-style macro playstyle in the early and mid-game that they were completely unfamiliar with and that didn't fit the current meta.

Especially mid-laner Ap's Malzahar, he basically goes to the jungle after clearing the lane, or he just stays quietly under the tower.

Of course, once equipped with Boots of Speed, Malzahar and Jarvan IV will stay close to the bottom lane even if they don't need minions, ready to provide support at any time.

"Has G2 lost their mentality? They've completely forgotten how to play?"

Despite being targeted so relentlessly by G2, Li Luo was not angry at all; instead, he laughed along with Xiao Ming.

G2 has never been a team that excels at supporting other teams. This mindless ganking shows that they have lost their rationality and mentality, and have no hope of winning or losing the game!

Even though the bot lane was evenly matched, RNG's mid, top, and jungle players were not mediocre and all gained a huge advantage in the laning phase.

At 26 minutes into the game, Ornn made a miraculous flanking maneuver, initiating a perfect team fight. With Kai'Sa's help, they secured a triple kill, and RNG easily took down one of the high ground towers and Baron Nashor.

Hjarnan, who had played steadily throughout the game, seemed to lose his composure or want to prove himself. Seeing Kai'Sa with only 400 HP after taking Baron and heading to the top lane to farm minions, he confidently challenged her to a 1v1 duel while at full health, only to be outplayed and killed. With that, G2's last pillar collapsed. At 29 minutes into the game, the longest of the three, RNG suffered another team wipe. With only 21 seconds left before their nearest respawn time, the mid-lane inhibitor tower was already surrounded by blue team minions.

Without a doubt, it was a clean and decisive 3-0 score.

Thus, the much-discussed hero selection competition before the tournament has officially come to an end, and the quarterfinals of the upper bracket have also concluded.

RNG, with their absolute dominance and overwhelming strength that left everyone stunned, secured their ticket to the next match.

"Congratulations to RNG! They won the 2018 World Championship quarterfinals, a best-of-five series! They are also the second LPL team to advance to the semifinals this year!!"

"Three clean and decisive matches, 3-0! I could do that too! RNG! Awesome!"

“Rng!!!!”

"Awesome!!!"

"Uzi!! Uzi, forever a god!!!"

Many foreign spectators at the scene, including those from the Eu region, were even more genuine after witnessing RNG's unparalleled strength. They directly shouted RNG's team name and chanted "Uzi," acting as if they were RNG fans.

"As it turns out, after a year, RNG is still the same RNG. Under Uzi's leadership, RNG remains an insurmountable mountain for other teams. They are about to make their own history!"

"Nice!! It's the finals! Guys! Type 'Invincible' in the chat!"

As he spoke, in the custom room he exited, Xiangguo typed "wudi" in English in a rather flamboyant manner.

"Be modest, be modest. We still have to play against Rw. Don't be so happy. Don't let people think we're stirring up an internal war!"

"Keep it up! There are still two best-of-five series left. After that, go back and get a good month's rest!"

Although everyone knew there was a huge gap in strength between the two teams, they still couldn't help but cheer when the third match ended and they successfully advanced to the semifinals.

Although they say that RW is still ahead, anyone who has watched LPL matches for a year knows that, in a sense, RNG's tactics are very effective against RW, and they are almost certain to win. RNG has already secured their spot in the finals.

Even Xiao Tian and Xiao Dongbei, who were backstage, looked completely dazed and incredulous.

As a newcomer to the RNG team and a professional player making his debut on the world stage, he achieved a top-four finish in the S-series in his first year as a professional player, and both of them even played in matches.

In esports, even teams that were strong last year can fall this year. Unexpectedly, RNG has managed to stay strong until the semifinals.

"Alright, alright, stop reminiscing, hurry up and shake hands!" Xiao Hu had already stood up, eager to shake hands with A P.

Before the match, Ap repeatedly mocked him on Twitter, calling him a slacker and saying he would easily dominate the game. Now, he wanted to see if this guy really knew what he was doing.

With General Hu leading the way, the others also stood up and immediately headed towards G2.

Meanwhile, in G2's booth, for some reason, the players who were so fierce before the game turned into angry laughter after losing 3-0, especially Perkz, who acted as if he was the one playing Yasuo today.

Of course, more than anything, it's a sense of relief and a clear understanding of one's own abilities.

If G2 loses 3-2, they might reflect on where they went wrong. But if it's 3-0, what's there to reflect on? They're just bad, there's nothing they can do.

As if it were destiny, in S7, Perkz, as the most arrogant player in G2, once said before the match that he would silence Wuhan and advance with a 4-2 victory.

However, although they defeated RNG in the group stage of S7, they unfortunately failed to defeat SSG, and in the end, FB also failed to defeat RNG, leaving them no chance and missing out on the quarterfinals.

At the time, Perkz shed tears on the field, saying he couldn't accept the result. But in S8, rounding up, G2 actually improved and made it to the quarterfinals.

But that's how cruel esports is. There are no loser bracket matches, no revival matches. This isn't child's play. If you lose a match, there's no second chance; you can only go home.

"This is the last time I'm on line with you!"

When it was Xiao Hu's turn to shake hands with A-P, he heard A-P say something that even though Xiao Hu was uneducated, he still understood the meaning of "last time with you".

Is Ap leaving this stage? Is he retiring?

After everyone shook hands and RNG bowed gracefully in the center of the stage before leaving, for some reason, the G2 members, who were packing their things, couldn't help but shed tears.

Top laner Wunder, a chubby guy, was crying like a 200-pound child, tears streaming down his face.

Although neither of them burst into tears, their eyes were visible when the camera lights shone on them.

"G2 is having some emotional issues, and their coach went on stage to comfort them. It's understandable, really understandable!"

"Last year, RNG ended G2's hopes of advancing in the Round of 16, and this year they fell to RNG again in the quarterfinals. For G2, RNG is like a mountain, like SKT in S5 and S6, leaving them feeling hopeless and without a glimmer of hope for victory. Let's wish these veterans who have been competing in the league for four or five years the best."

Swallowing hard, Wawa still didn't say that they might retire. The rise of the Eu region still has a long way to go, and who knows what will happen next?

After seeing off the entire G2 team and adjusting their mindset slightly, the commentators once again congratulated RNG.
-
After RNG arrived backstage, the soundproof room was no longer in place, and they could hear cheers for RNG echoing all over the place, accompanied by shouts of "RNG is guaranteed to make it to the finals!" and "RNG's second championship is in the bag!"

"It seems like A-P is going to retire?"

Xiao Hu said with a regretful look, "After winning the game, A P's previous taunts have become nothing but a passing cloud, and what remains is more nostalgia for a veteran player."

"Possibly, but most likely it's the last time with you!" Li Luo chuckled, not explaining the other meaning behind his words.

Although Ap, who debuted in 15, seems to have been playing in the league for a long time, he is still considered a new generation player in terms of seniority.

It's unclear whether Perkz will follow in Li Luo's footsteps and switch to the ADC position, allowing Caps to join G2, or whether he will head to another region and join a team with championship potential.

In the quarterfinals match against G2, the official decision was made without much hesitation: the MVP was awarded to Yasuo in the first two games and to Letme's Ornn in the last game.

After a round of banter, the host announced that the two had been invited to the LPL regional interview area for a post-match interview.

(End of this chapter)