LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

When the main crystal, symbolizing the last hope of LCK, exploded with a devastating final auto-attack from Aatrox, the whole world seemed to be silenced.

One second, two seconds.

After the silence came the collapse of mountains, the tsunami, and the deafening celebration that had been building up for an entire season, or even an era!

"boom--!!!"

【Victory】

The blood-red word "Victory" burned like the hottest brand on the screens of the five EDG players.

Meiko could no longer hold back. He ripped off his headphones and slammed them on the table. He covered his face with his hands, his shoulders trembling violently, and the sobs he had suppressed for so long finally escaped through his fingers.

Three-peat, defending their title—they did it after being down 0-2 and the man's return!

"We won...we won!!!" Jiejie jumped up from his chair, raising his arms and shouting. His face was flushed red from excitement and lack of oxygen, and his voice was hoarse. "Brother Mozi! Pentakill! We are the champions!!!"

Scout leaned back in his gaming chair, tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and let out a long sigh, tears streaming down his face.

Hope looked completely bewildered. He stared at the screen, then at his teammates, as if he hadn't yet recovered from the thrilling team fight. It wasn't until Meiko came over and gave him a bear hug that he snapped out of his daze and burst into laughter.

Su Mo, at the center of this storm, simply took off his headphones.

He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, inhaling the overwhelming cheers, the shouts of his teammates, and the pounding of his own heart.

Then, he opened his eyes, a faint yet relieved smile appearing on his lips.

It's back, it's all back.

In stark contrast to EDG's volcanic eruption of ecstasy, there was a deathly silence inside DWG's soundproof booth.

【DEFEAT】

The gray lettering of "failure" was cold and glaring.

The director's camera cruelly swept across the faces of each team member.

Nuguri, the top lane prodigy who was so full of confidence in the pre-match promotional video, is now slumped helplessly in his chair.

He abruptly pulled up the collar of his team uniform, covering his face as if unwilling to let the world see his expression. Beneath that fabric lay uncontrollable trembling and scalding tears. He couldn't understand why his pride and joy, Ornn, was as fragile as paper in front of that Sword Demon.

He was killed at level three, tower dived at level six, and was ignored like a super minion in the final wave... That sense of powerlessness shattered all his pride.

Canyon, the genius jungler known as the "King of the Jungle" who had dominated Jiejie in the previous two games, was now holding his head in his hands, staring intently at his gray screen.

Showmaker, the "new king" who boasted of starting his own era, was sitting there blankly.

His hands were still on the keyboard, but they were already cold and stiff. His eyes were unfocused, staring blankly ahead, as if his soul had been ripped away.

He had imagined countless scenarios of winning the championship, but he never thought that he would be completely defeated by someone in the most unreasonable way.

From a confident 2-0 lead to being swept three games in a row, especially in the last game, his proud laning skills and mechanics seemed so laughable in front of that unstoppable Aatrox.

What new king? What era? It's all become a joke.

Ghost and BeryL in the bottom lane were also plunged into silent despair.

Ghost leaned back in his chair, head tilted back, his Adam's apple bobbing as if he were trying to suppress something. BeryL took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes vigorously, as if trying to erase the nightmarish match from his mind.

Meanwhile, in the DWG lounge, coach Daeny clenched his fists tightly.

Looking at the final economic data on the screen, and at the terrifying damage percentage of that sword demon, an unprecedented sense of frustration welled up in his heart.

In the live broadcast, the commentator's voice was so impassioned, so shrill:
Let's congratulate EDG!!!

In the commentary booth, Miller suddenly stood up. He strained his voice, using all his strength, and roared out the words that all LPL viewers had been waiting for for so long:

"We are the champions!!! We are the champions again!!! We are four-time champions!!! When we were down 0-2, when the whole world thought we had no hope, that man came back! Mozi! He showed the world with his actions that the king of LPL has not yet abdicated! The glory of LPL will be defended by our own hands!"

Rita choked up, saying haltingly, "I...I don't know what to say...This is esports, this is the League of Legends we love! A reverse sweep! We did it again on the S-series finals stage! This isn't just a match, it's an epic tale! Mozi, he's not just a player, he's a god!"

Guan Zeyuan adjusted his glasses; the lenses were already blurred with tears.

He took a deep breath, his voice thick with a nasal tone, yet unusually firm: "I retract all my previous predictions! Science and data are worthless in the face of miracles! Today, we witnessed history! EDG, with their tenacity and courage, accomplished the impossible! This championship will be unprecedented in its value! EDG is awesome! LPL is awesome!"

As a commentator, he shouldn't have used such vulgar words as "awesome," but at this moment, Guan Zeyuan didn't care about that anymore; he was just instinctively venting his excitement.

Similarly, the audience went into a frenzy.

In the official LPL live stream, the screen was completely flooded with comments.

"We are the champions!!!!!!!!!"

"Ink God! Ink God! Ink God! The eternal god!"

"A comeback from 0-2 down to win 3-2! Even a script wouldn't dare to write something like that! I'm crying!"

"The Battle for the Title of Senior Colonel! A Flawless Reverse Prediction!"

"I'll definitely buy a champion skin for Aatrox! That's my opinion! Who agrees? Who disagrees?"

"Nuguri is stunned, and Showmaker is traumatized!"

"This is the LPL! Never give up! Fight to the very end!"

Meanwhile, the live streams of the Korean LCK were a scene of wailing and fury, a veritable hell.

"Holy crap! What kind of game is this? Five people trying to catch one, and they get killed in return? Are you guys professional players?"

"Canyon is useless! He can't unleash his ultimate move when it matters most! Is he even fit to go home for the holidays?"

"Showmaker? What new king? Uncrowned Faker? Bullshit! Getting beaten like this by a retired player, he has no shame!"

"Nuguri is a coward! He's been a nobody ever since he got solo killed at level three!"

"Disband! DWG! You are a disgrace to LCK! You handed the championship to LPL!"

"Why let Sword Demon through? Has the coach lost his mind?!"

Go swim in the sea! And don't come back!

At the same time, the same celebrations were taking place in countless places across China.

In a male dormitory at a university in Shanghai, a deafening roar erupted from the entire building the moment the EDG base crystal exploded.

Before the dormitory supervisor could even start yelling, he saw countless students rushing out of their rooms, running, hugging, and shouting in the corridor.

Someone stuck a flag with the EDG team logo out of a window and waved it wildly, igniting the entire campus with shouts of "We are the champions!"

In the TES team's base, Jackeylove looked at the screen, sighed deeply, and then laughed: "This is what you call playing a match... Mozi is still the invincible monster."

Left Hand and Karsa exchanged a smile, their eyes reflecting both the joy of winning the LPL championship and a hint of regret at not being able to avenge their defeat.

On the stage, the EDG players stood up and walked towards the DWG players' bench.

Su Mo walked at the front. He saw Nuguri with her head down and Showmaker with empty eyes.

He stretched out his hand.

Showmaker paused for a moment, then slowly raised his head. His once confident and sharp eyes were now filled with only confusion.

He mechanically extended his hand and shook hands with Su Mo.

"You are very strong," Su Mo said calmly, looking at him.

Showmaker's lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only uttered a hoarse and helpless sentence: "Congratulations."

After the handshake ceremony, the Summoner's Cup, symbolizing the highest honor in League of Legends, stood quietly in the center of the stage, awaiting its owner. Amidst the host's enthusiastic introduction, the five EDG players and coaching staff stepped onto the stage.

Abu and the factory manager both had red eyes.

When Su Mo was the first to receive the heavy trophy from the presenter, the flashbulbs and cheers in the audience reached their peak.

Without the slightest hesitation, he raised the trophy high!
"EDG!!!"

He turned around and handed the trophy to Meiko and Scout, two veterans who had accompanied EDG and himself all the way.

Then came Jiejie and Hope.

Five people together lifted the golden trophy.

Golden rain then fell, landing on their team uniforms, their smiling faces, and the trophy, reflecting a dazzling light.

At that moment, time stood still.

A miracle of coming back from 0-2 down to win 3-2.

A legend of a veteran's return.

The golden rain continued to fall, transforming the entire stage into a magnificent sanctuary.

In the afterglow of their ecstasy, the EDG players finally calmed down a bit. They stood side by side in a row, with coach Abu and Clearlove behind them. Each of them had a face full of happiness and pride from surviving a disaster.

Just then, Yu Shuang, the host, wearing an elegant blue-and-white porcelain cheongsam and with a graceful figure, walked onto the stage with her signature warm and composed smile.

Her appearance was like a gentle breeze, calming the overly enthusiastic atmosphere and drawing everyone's attention back to the center of this glory.

"Welcome back, Summoners!" Yu Shuang's voice, transmitted clearly through the microphone, reached every corner of the venue and was also broadcast to the screens of hundreds of millions of viewers around the world.

Her voice trembled slightly, a tremor from the overwhelming excitement of this epic victory. "I don't even know how to describe my feelings right now. Four consecutive championships, a comeback from 0-2 down to win 3-2—on the biggest stage of the League of Legends World Championship, EDG has made history, created a miracle!"

She turned to the EDG team members beside her, her eyes sparkling with genuine admiration and joy.

"First, I'd like to ask our captain, our veteran, Meiko." Yu Shuang handed the microphone to Tian Ye, whose eyes were still red-rimmed. "Meiko, when we were down 0-2, I believe not only we, but even you yourselves probably felt immense pressure. What was the atmosphere like in the team at that time? How did you adjust your mindset and ultimately achieve this incredible comeback?"

Meiko took the microphone, took a deep breath, and tried to make her voice sound less choked up: "To be honest... when we were down 0-2, the locker room was very tense, it felt like the sky was about to fall. None of us... knew what to do."

He paused, glanced subconsciously at Su Mo beside him, and then smiled. His smile held tears in his eyes, but also boundless trust.

"Until...until Brother Mozi said he was going to play. At that moment, I don't know how to describe it. It was as if all the pressure disappeared in an instant. We knew that as long as he came back, we would still be the invincible EDG. He is our backbone, our anchor."

These words drew another round of cheers from the audience. Yu Shuang smiled and nodded, then turned the microphone toward Scout.

"Scout, your Orianna's ultimate in the decisive game was absolutely perfect, securing the victory for your team. How did you make that decision? What gave you the courage to flash forward and look for opportunities in that situation?"

Scout took the microphone, his eyes shining brightly: "Because I know that as long as I can get them together, Mozi and his teammates will definitely be able to reap the rewards. It's an unspoken understanding between us. I will always believe in my teammates."

"Always trust your teammates!" Yu Shuang repeated, handing the microphone to Jiejie. "Jiejie, the roundhouse kick in the fourth game, the countless crucial team fights and protections in the fifth game, your top and jungle synergy with Mozi was like art. What does it feel like to fight alongside him again?"

Jiejie seemed a little shy. He scratched his head and grinned, "It's just... a very familiar feeling, like he's never left. Playing with Brother Mozi, you just need to do your job, because you know he'll always be there when you need him most. I... I just need to kick someone in his face!"

This simple yet trusting statement drew laughter from the entire audience.

Finally, all eyes, and the entire world's attention, were drawn to the man who had remained calm and composed throughout.

Yu Shuang slowly walked up to Su Mo, her eyes sparkling with an unusual light.

She organized her thoughts and, in the way that would resonate most, asked the first question that was on everyone's mind.

“Brother Mozi,” her voice was gentle yet firm, “Welcome back. I want to ask a question on behalf of all the viewers. Down 0-2, in the team’s most critical moment, what made you decide to reconnect? What kind of belief made you choose to put on this battle robe again on the edge of the cliff?”

Su Mo took the microphone, and the room fell silent instantly. Everyone held their breath, waiting for his answer.

He glanced around at the sea of ​​red below the stage, his gaze calm and profound.

"I saw my brothers struggling." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the arena through the speakers. "This trophy belongs to LPL, belongs to EDG. And I am a member of EDG. Protecting what belongs to us... this isn't just a belief, it's a responsibility."

There were no grand pronouncements, no passionate declarations.

The phrase "it's a responsibility" is more powerful than any other words. It strikes like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart hard.

This is not just confidence; it is an innate sense of responsibility that belongs to a king.

The scene erupted into thunderous applause.

Yu Shuang was also deeply moved by this simple answer. She calmed herself down and asked the second question, which was also the one that drove everyone crazy.

"In the decisive game, facing DWG's almost perfect lineup, you locked in Aatrox, a champion that had been abandoned by the meta. What were you thinking at that moment? Weren't you worried at all that that champion would be kited to death? Was that pick confidence, or... a gamble?"

This question expressed the thoughts of everyone.

Upon hearing this, Su Mo's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, a smile that was almost mocking and showed a disregard for the rules.

"In League of Legends, there are no absolutely perfect team compositions, nor are there absolutely weak champions." He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire arena, finally seeming to pierce through the screen and land on millions of viewers. "I'm not here to analyze champion strengths and weaknesses; I'm here... to end the game!"

boom! !

If the previous cheers were a tsunami, then this moment is a planetary impact!
The entire venue erupted!

This statement is domineering and arrogant, yet it leaves no room for argument!

Because he really did it!
He tore apart the most perfect theory in the most unreasonable way!
Yu Shuang felt her heart was about to jump out of her chest. She forced down her shock and asked one last question.

"Brother Mozi, your fourth Summoner's Cup is an unprecedented achievement. What are your plans for the future? Will you continue to compete? Finally, is there anything you'd like to say to all the fans who support you, EDG, and the LPL?"

Su Mo remained silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.

"We'll talk about the future when it comes," he replied casually. "Right now, I just want to enjoy this moment with my teammates."

He turned his gaze to the audience, to the rows of light boards and flags waving for him, and his eyes softened:

"Once again, I thank you all, thank you to all the viewers."

"Thank you for not giving up on us when we were down 0-2, and for choosing to believe in us."

His voice, cutting through the noise, clearly reached everyone's ears.

"LPL has come this far not because of any one person, but because of all of us."

"As long as we are here, as long as you continue to support us."

He paused, then slowly raised the microphone in his hand, as if raising a scepter to proclaim victory, each word spoken with resounding force:

"LPL will always be the champion!"

The moment the words were spoken, the entire audience erupted in the loudest cheers!
"Brother Mozi!!"

"LPL is awesome!!!"

"champion!!!"

Yu Shuang knew that the interview could end now.

At this moment, any words seem superfluous.

She smiled and stepped back, leaving the stage and the whole world to these five new kings.

Su Mo handed the microphone back and turned to stand with his teammates.

Amidst a shower of golden rain and deafening shouts, the five of them once again raised the gleaming Summoner's Cup high above their heads!

At that moment, a legend was forged, eternal. (End of Chapter)