LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

When Su Mo approached, Jackeylove greeted him, "Brother Mo, are you this handsome? You're not here to do a commentary today, are you?"

Su Mo replied, "Yes, you guys came to watch the game too, and the whole team came."

Jackeylove explained, "We want to see if EDG can beat DWG."

Zuo Shou also came up and greeted him, "Brother Mozi."

Su Mo suddenly remembered something and asked, "Have you guys been playing scrims with EDG these past few days?"

Left Hand nodded: "Yeah, we've been playing all the time, at least two best-of-five series every day. We've played against JDG too, it's been a rotation."

Su Mo pressed further, "What was the result?"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Shou awkwardly touched his nose and looked at Jackeylove, seemingly unsure whether he could say it.

Jackeylove was more casual: "EDG has never won a BO5 against us. They usually win 3-0 or 3-1."

Su Mo understood: "It seems... I'll need to perform exceptionally well to win today."

"I still have to go find someone, I'll be going now."

After saying goodbye to the TES team, Su Mo continued walking forward, trying to find UZI's location.

Suddenly, Su Mo heard a familiar voice: "Brother Mo! Brother Mo! Over here!"

Su Mo looked in the direction of the sound and saw UZI waving excitedly at him.

Su Mo walked over quickly.

"Brother Mozi!" UZI excitedly stood up to greet him.

Ao Mimi, who was standing nearby, greeted him, "Brother Mozi, good afternoon."

As for Ao Mimi's female companions, they started discussing it amongst themselves:
"I actually met Brother Mozi in person!"

"He looks so handsome in person, much more handsome than he appears on screen."

"Brother Mozi, I'm your fan..."

UZI asked, "Brother Mozi, how are you feeling? Can EDG win?"

Su Mo replied, "We haven't fought yet, so it's hard to say."

"What are your plans? Will you continue playing for BLG next season?"

UZI replied, "Yeah, I'll definitely stay with BLG. I can't keep running around like this, and besides, my contract right now... never mind, I'm not going to talk about it."

Su Mo nodded: "Yeah, but with your current BLG roster, it's going to be really hard to get good results."

UZI said with a wry smile, "There's nothing I can do, I have no choice. I feel... as long as I can play in matches, that's enough, while I can still play."

UZI changed the subject: "But you, Mozi, is it because you've won too many championships and it's getting boring? At your peak, you won three consecutive championships, and then you just retired? You know I was a little surprised when I saw the news of your retirement?"

"I really thought I was dreaming, but then I found out it was real. You want to be like Jordan, getting bored with basketball and going to do something else? Seeking a challenge?"

Su Mo smiled and said, "Maybe."

The audience seats were already full. Su Mo saw that it was almost time and said, "I'll be going now. I still have some preparations to make."

"it is good."

After saying goodbye to UZI, Su Mo went straight to the backstage staff lounge.

Just then, the others were also getting ready to move, so they all came out together and split into several groups.

Su Mo, Guan Zeyuan, Rita, and Miller went to the live broadcast booth together.

The four arrived at the live broadcast booth. Su Mo was seated in the middle, with Miller on his left and Rita on his right.

Miller joked, "Brother Mozi, it's our first time working together, please take care of me. I've commentated on the S-series finals more than once or twice, but I've never been this nervous before."

Guan Zeyuan laughed and said, "It's okay. Once you've had the experience, you won't be nervous anymore. You'll just be like me... and give up! Mozi's understanding of the game is beyond our reach. Just be a straight man."

Su Mo replied, "That's not the case. I'm not very good at talking, so you guys will have to create the right atmosphere."

In the official live stream room, the popularity of the live stream reached 400 million and is still rising rapidly.

Unlike the previous two years, this time both LPL and LCK fans are giving it their all, believing that their favorite team can win.

Of course, this balance will be broken after the first game.

If the first match results in a one-sided crushing defeat, the losing side will suffer a severe blow to their confidence.

The countdown to the advertisement was entering its final seconds, and everyone was eagerly waiting.

After the countdown ended, the camera focused on the commentary booth.

The chat room was buzzing with excitement:

"Brother Mozi, it's Brother Mozi again!"

"Oh no! If Mozi is going to be the commentator... then he probably won't be able to play."

"Still hoping Mozi will play? Are you still half asleep?"

"Hopefully EDG can prove themselves, Mozi is here."

Commentator Guan Zeyuan announced, "Summoners watching on screen, welcome to the finals of the 2020 League of Legends World Championship! This time, the two teams facing off are DWG, the challengers from the LCK region!"

"These five players, except for the ADC, are all good teammates who fought their way up from the secondary league. In the summer split, they defeated DRX 3-0 with absolute strength and won the LCK's number one seed."

"With a record of five wins and one loss in the group stage, we eliminated DRX and TES in the knockout stage and fought our way to the finals."

Miller continued, "Their opponent is the pride of our LPL region, the first team to achieve a three-peat, the defending champions, EDG!"

The chat room erupted again:

"EDG! EDG! EDG!"

Miller continued his commentary: "EDG has had a tough year, and only they know the hardships they've endured. But no matter what, they've made it to the finals."

"No matter how much doubt there is from the outside world, I believe EDG will leave with regrets, and will fight to the very last moment!"

Miller looked at Su Mo and asked, "Brother Mo, what do you think? What was the key to EDG's victory today?"

Su Mo replied, "EDG's key to victory was in the top lane. The difference between the other lanes was very small, with each side having its own wins and losses. In addition, the top lane is quite crucial in this version, as it relates to the ownership of the two Rift Heralds... The performance of the top lane is very important."

Upon hearing this, the other three fell silent, because it was obvious to anyone with eyes that there was a huge gap between the two top laners. If the top lane became the deciding factor, it would be tantamount to sentencing EDG to death!

Su Mo changed the subject: "However, on the other hand, EDG has always been a team that can break the rules, and no one can predict what surprises they will bring."

Rita chimed in, "Go EDG! Let's support EDG!"

Backstage, in the EDG break room, Clearlove was giving a final pep talk:

"Don't be nervous, calm down. At this point, there's no point in thinking about anything else. Just think about how we usually train and how we usually play, and play the same way on the court."

The EDG members nodded in agreement.

Abu walked over and said, "Time's almost up... The whole world is watching us. All LPL viewers and fans are pinning their hopes on us. We have no way out but victory. Go EDG!"

"EDG, come on!"

Meanwhile, in DWG's rest area, coach Daeny was making final preparations:

"This EDG team has very obvious weaknesses. I don't mean to belittle them, but they are definitely not a team that should have made it to the finals. It's just that there were too many coincidences."

"Of course, we can't underestimate our opponents. We'll play according to what we've practiced. Three games should be enough. I've already arranged a celebration banquet for you. DWG, victory is assured!"

"DWG will win!"

On the competition stage, host Luo Xin took the stage and began to engage the audience.

The camera pans across the audience, first giving UZI a close-up. UZI waves, and someone in the audience shouts:
"UZI! UZI!" Then a close-up shot of the JDG team was given, with Zoom smiling and waving.

Finally, there's TES, who looked rather dull.

In the official live stream room, the chat was filled with messages:

"It feels like Top Esports hasn't recovered from their defeat yet. Are they here to watch EDG get revenge?"

"Top Esports is really a pity. If they had beaten DWG, the championship would have been theirs."

"If Top Esports hadn't beaten JDG, JDG would definitely have won the championship. It's all Top Esports' fault."

"Come on, let me write you an IOU. I owe JDG a championship, okay?"

After Luo Xin warmed up the atmosphere, the pre-match performances began.

After the show ended, Luo Xin began inviting the contestants from both sides to come on stage.

The atmosphere reached its climax, with fans on both sides cheering enthusiastically.

After both teams arrived, they went to their respective positions and adjusted their equipment.

Then, a promotional video for this final match began playing on the big screen.

The theme of this year's S-series tournament is "Unstoppable," so the promotional video naturally has to be related to this theme.

Scout was the first to appear, and he said:

"In recent months, the question I've heard most often is, can EDG still win the championship?"

"Last year when we finished sixth in the Spring Split, they asked me the same question, but in the end we won three consecutive championships."

“EDG is my whole career. I feel very sorry about Mo’s departure, but no one can stop us from going to the podium again.”

Then came Jiejie's voice: "Joining EDG is probably the luckiest thing that happened to me as a professional player. I won a championship in my first year as a professional player."

"For me, EDG is everything. It's not because TES and JDG lost that it's EDG's turn to defend the glory of LPL. From the very beginning, the glory of LPL should have been defended by EDG."

Immediately afterwards, footage of the match between DWG and TES appeared on the screen.

Nuguri's voice came through: "Before S7, the top lane position was considered to be the position with the biggest gap between other regions and LCK. Other teams would be suppressed when facing LCK top laners and would not be able to win the lane."

"But in the past three years, Mo's presence has changed everything. LPL's top laners have risen to prominence and dominated the top lane of the league. I believe this is the biggest reason why LCK has been in decline for the past three years."

"But all of this is about to end, not because Mo is leaving, but because we are here."

As soon as these words were spoken, the live stream chat exploded with comments:

"Holy crap, this guy is so arrogant. Putting aside Mozi, can he even beat TheShy?"

"Don't embarrass yourself if you have a broken hand; you can't even play in the World Championship."

"Those who didn't come are the most formidable, right?"

"When the tiger is away, the monkey is king!"

Then it was Showmaker's turn: "For me, the biggest regret is probably not being able to see Mo on the final stage."

"I hope he can succeed in his new career, and League of Legends will be dominated by us, DWG."

At this moment, the commentators in the commentary booth can also see the pre-match promotional video.

As soon as Showmaker and Nuguri said this, Guan Zeyuan and Miller secretly observed Su Mo's reaction.

Su Mo looked at the two of them, as if asking why they were looking at him.

Miller and Guan Zeyuan shook their heads, indicating that nothing had happened.

After the promotional video finished playing, the camera focused on the scene.

Commentator Guan Zeyuan said, "Okay, both players are ready and we are about to enter the first match's draft phase. Before that, I would like to ask a question."

Guan Zeyuan looked at Su Mo: "Brother Mo, what do you think of what Nuguri and Showmaker said in the promotional video?"

Su Mo replied, "It's normal for young people to be energetic."

The chat room erupted in excitement:
"Brother Mozi isn't reacting at all? It seems he's really lost his fighting spirit."

"Sigh, everyone else has come to mock him, but Brother Mozi hasn't done anything about it."

"Showmaker is so arrogant, he's a bit like Mozi when he was young."

"Brother Mozi is still very young. He just doesn't want to play anymore."

Entering the first draft phase, EDG is on the red side and DWG is on the blue side.

As BP's music started playing, the audience tensed up.

Actually, both sides' fans were a bit apprehensive and uncertain, so the first match was crucial to see what the other side's strength was.

The director gave a close-up of both teams' players, and the pressure on the EDG players was palpable; they were all very tense.

Rita commented, "In the first game's bans, DWG chose to ban Ornn, Orianna, and Graves."

"The Tsar and the Prince are still outside. We all know that Jiejie's Prince is very strong. Will EDG consider it?"

Miller added, "EDGBAN dropped Camille, Syndra, and Jhin, all three of which DWG used to play very well."

Hero selection phase.

DWG, on the blue side, immediately locked onto Jarvan IV on the first floor.

Su Mo explained, "Canyon's prince is also a specialty. They deliberately don't ban him, mainly so they can use him themselves. Now it depends on how they combine him in the mid and top lanes."

When it was EDG's turn, they picked Leona and Ezreal.

Rita sensed something was wrong: "DWG proactively banned Orianna, leaving Azir open, but EDG didn't have a pick. Syndra was also banned, so there weren't many champions left to choose in the mid lane."

Miller speculated: "Is it because EDG lacks confidence in their Azir strategy, or do they have other ways to counter it? Are they deliberately letting DWG win?"

DWG locked onto Tsar and Ashe on the second and third floors.

EDG secured Lillia on the third floor.

Guan Zeyuan commented, "Jiejie picked Lillia, and it feels like he's planning to carry the game himself. As a jungle carry, if this hero can farm up, she can be very effective in team fights, both initiating fights and kiting."

Entering the second round of BP.

EDG, on the red side, banned Kennen and Gangplank.

DWG banned Renekton and Shen.

Su Mo analyzed, "DWG doesn't want to give Audi any room to play in the top lane; there aren't many champions he can pick now..."

EDG picked Sion on the fourth floor.

Miller commented, "Okay, fine, if Ornn isn't available, then pick Sion. It feels like LPL top laners are back to the era of playing tanky champions?"

DWG picked Fiora and Hecarim on the fourth and fifth floors.

Rita commented, "Nuguri is very confident, picking Fiora in the first game, but Sion can't really change the pressure of laning against Fiora."

"Once Fiora gets her lifesteal items, Sion will have a very difficult time."

Su Mo said, "What EDG chooses for their mid lane is crucial."

Finally, EDG got Lucian on the fifth floor!
The lineups for both sides have been finalized:

Red side EDG: Top lane Sion, Jungle Lillia, Mid lane Lucian, AD Ezreal, Support Leona

Blue side DWG: Top lane Fiora, Jungle Hecarim, Mid lane Azir, ADC Ashe, Support Pantheon (End of this chapter)