LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

Tarzan pursed his lips tightly, reviewing the final decision in his mind over and over again.

He couldn't understand it. They had clearly found the best opportunity and made the perfect first move, so why did it end like this? That Kyle was like a bug that didn't belong in this game, shattering all their tactical plans in the most unreasonable way.

As for the two Cs that were instantly defeated, Light and Icon were struck dumb.

"How...how dare he?" Light's voice trembled slightly. He still couldn't understand it. "How could an angel without any mobility skills dare to teleport among the five of us all by himself?"

No one can answer this question.

Because conventional tactical logic could no longer explain Su Mo's behavior. It was a higher-dimensional understanding of the game, built upon absolute confidence and terrifying computational ability.

"Congratulations to EDG!" Miller's voice, hoarse yet brimming with barely suppressed passion, boomed from the commentary booth. "2-0! They've once again secured a resounding victory, taking match point! If the first game was an art of strategic play, then the second game was the ultimate display of individual heroism! Mo, at the most crucial moment, delivered an unbelievable flash, presenting us with a visual feast 'Judgment'!"

Wawa sighed deeply, his face filled with admiration: "In all my years as a commentator, I've never seen such a crazy, confident, and successful team fight initiation! He's not playing a game, he's creating art! LNG has done enough, but they're facing a true god!"

The audience stands had already transformed into a sea of ​​black and gold. Countless fans held up signs with the word "Mo" aloft, chanting his name at the top of their lungs. Golden rain once again fell for the victors, making the five EDG players in the center of the stage appear like gods.

Meanwhile, major live streaming platforms and social media have already exploded.

【? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 】

What did I just see? Angels can be played like that? What new version is this?

[Regarding our top laner's decision to flash in and 1v5 because he felt team fights were too slow]

Light and Icon were probably stunned. The screen flashed, they were gone, and the game was over.

[Stop talking, I've watched the replay ten times already, every frame is art! From the timing of the flash to the skill execution, to the smoothness of the kiting, it's perfect! This is the best in the world!]

[LNG: We've already written the climax of the script! Mo: Excuse me, give me the pen, I'll write the ending.]

Halftime
Guided by the staff, the two teams, with vastly different feelings, walked off the stage and returned to their backstage dressing rooms. These short ten minutes would determine their fate in the next game, and even the entire series.

LNG lounge: Condensed air

"boom."

The moment the door closed, the oppressive atmosphere in the lounge seemed to instantly suck all the oxygen away.

The team members slumped onto the sofas, no one spoke, and even their heavy breathing could be heard clearly.

The coach held the tactics board, wanting to speak several times, but unsure where to begin. Tactics? Faced with such absolute individual ability, any ingenious tactics seemed pale and powerless.

Finally, he took a deep breath and slowly spoke, his voice hoarse: "Everyone."

Everyone instinctively raised their heads, their eyes vacant.

"I know that saying anything now is superfluous." The coach's gaze swept over everyone. "In these two games, we used two completely different tactics. We sacrificed the top lane, we played the most resolute four-man gank on the second lane, and we even found the best opportunity in team fights..."

He paused, then smiled wryly, "But as you've seen, some things can't be compensated for by tactics."

He didn't blame anyone because he knew the team members had given their all.

“Next game,” the coach’s eyes sharpened, “I have no tactical requirements. I just want you to remember one thing—we are LNG, we are the dark horse that fought our way up from the first round of the playoffs! We are not here to be swept clean!”

He pointed to the door and said, word by word, "Forget the first two games! Forget that Kyle! In the next game, play our own style! Fight if you want to fight, play if you want to play! Even if we lose, we'll lose with our heads held high! We'll let them know we're not lambs to the slaughter! Do you all understand?!"

These words struck the numb hearts of the team members like a heavy hammer. Yes, they had nothing left to lose.

Ale clenched his fists tightly, a renewed sense of ferocity rekindling in his eyes.

"understand!"

EDG's rest area: The ease of strategizing

In stark contrast to the somber atmosphere at LNG, EDG's lounge was filled with a relaxed and joyful mood.

"Brother Mozi, that last flash of yours really left no way for us mere mortals to survive!" Meiko teased with a laugh while drinking water. "I was thinking about how to protect Viper, but you solved the problem at its root."

"Can I play Mercy next game?" Jiejie's eyes were sparkling. "This is so awesome!"

The factory manager and Abu walked in, both with satisfied smiles on their faces.

"You played well, especially your mentality. You didn't get flustered at all because of match point." Abu first affirmed the players' performance, then looked at the relaxed Su Mo, "So, Brother Mo, what do you want to play in the third game?"

This question silenced everyone, who looked at Su-Mo with curiosity.

"Whatever," Su Mo yawned, seemingly uninterested in the topic. He glanced at the dejected look on the LNG team members' faces on the screen and said, "Let's finish this game as soon as possible and get off work as soon as possible."

This seemingly casual statement carries a suffocating sense of oppression.

The EDG members exchanged smiles, feeling reassured.

Yes, when the man said "off work," it meant that the suspense of the game had already ended prematurely.

……

After a short break, when the players from both teams returned to the stage, the atmosphere was completely different from the previous two rounds.

If the first game was anticipation and the second game was awe-inspiring, then the third game, for the vast majority of the audience, was more like a pre-coronation procession.

The black and gold ocean completely submerged another patch of green, and amidst the thunderous shouts of "EDG," there were also uniform shouts of "Mo."

"Welcome back to the 2021 LPL Summer Playoffs, viewers!!" Miller's voice was still passionate in the commentary booth, but he knew it was more of a professional demeanor. "EDG holds three match points and is only one step away from the finals! As for LNG, they have no way out! This is their last battle for honor!"

Wawa sighed, "Yes, in the first two games, EDG showed us two completely different ways to win. One is impeccable operation, and the other is amazing individual heroism. Now, I am very curious whether the LNG players can adjust their mentality and play their own style under the huge pressure of being up 2:0."

The camera panned to the players' seats.

On LNG's side, the seriousness of the first two games was gone from the players' faces; instead, a resolute determination, like they were burning their bridges, was now on their minds. Especially top laner Ale, whose eyes were fixed on the relaxed figure opposite him, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force of his grip.

"Alright! Both teams are ready! The third game of the BO5 series, EDG's match point game, the draft phase, is officially beginning!"

In the third game, EDG moved to the blue side, which had the first pick option.

First round of bans:
LNG took the initiative and banned Kayle, the Angel of Justice.

EDG took the first pick and banned Nightmare.

LNG's second pick was Jayce, the Future Guardian. EDG's second pick was Tahm Kench, the River King.

LNG made a third move by banning Ezreal.

EDG's third pick was to ban Braum, the Heart of Freljord.

"The atmosphere is thick with tension!" Miller's voice immediately rose. "LNG banned Kayle, which Mo played like a god in the last game, and Jayce, who was unstoppable in the first game! It seems they're determined not to let Mo get these kinds of champions that allow for safe farming or long-range poke! EDG, on the other hand, countered by banning Nocturne, Tahm Kench, and Braum, which LNG played exceptionally well in the last game, directly dismantling their aggressive engage and protection strategy!"

First round of selection:

As the blue side, EDG immediately locked in Lee Sin for Jiejie as their first pick!
"Lee Sin!" Wawa's eyes lit up. "Jiejie has picked his signature champion! With the opponent no longer having champions like Nocturne who can force an engage in the dark, EDG is clearly going to take the initiative to find the rhythm in the early game!"

On the first and second floors of LNG, Aphelios and Thresh, the Chain Warden, were decisively locked down!
"It's Aphelios again!" Rita exclaimed. "It seems LNG has decided to bet everything on Light! And with Thresh on top, they're well-rounded in both offense and defense, hoping to gain an advantage in lane!"

EDG's second and third floors featured LeBlanc and Leona!

"Mid-jungle synergy!" Miller exclaimed. "Scout got his most confident LeBlanc, paired with Jiejie's Lee Sin, EDG's mid and jungle have the most aggressive playstyle in the LPL in the early game! They're going to go head-to-head with LNG!"

Second round of bans:
LNG's fourth transaction involved disabling Gwent.

EDG banned Syndra as their fourth pick.

LNG's fifth move was to disable Weapon Master.

EDG banned Orianna as their fifth pick.

"Both sides' second round of bans still targeted the mid and top lanes!" Rita analyzed. "LNG continued to block Mo's hero pool, while EDG restricted Icon's hero selection."

Second round of selection:

LNG is on the fourth floor, and Tarzan has chosen Zhao Xin, the general manager of Demacia.

Now, all eyes are focused on LNG's fifth floor and EDG's fourth and fifth floors, especially the top laners.

After a brief moment of thought, on the fifth floor of LNG, the hero's portrait began to flash.

Finally, the picture freezes.

Fiora, the Grand Duelist!

"Fiora!!!" Wawa shouted excitedly, "Ale picked Fiora! After being suppressed for two consecutive games, he finally picked this most skill-intensive top lane champion! He wants to prove himself! He wants to have a pure sword duel with Mo in the lane!"

This choice instantly ignited the entire venue!

How will EDG respond to Ale's challenge?
On the fourth floor of EDG, Viper was given Jhin, the Virtuoso champion.

And the final unit on the fifth floor, the one everyone was waiting for, after a brief hesitation, also revealed its choice.

Camille, the Blue Steel Shadow!

"Om-"

The moment this elegant hero, wielding a leg blade, was locked onto, the entire stadium erupted in cheers!

"Camille versus Fiora!" Miller's voice was hoarse. "The two top mechanically skilled top laners in the LPL have both chosen the champions that best represent their individual skill in this match point game! This is a 1v1 where pride is at stake! Whoever wins will be the king of the top lane!"

The final lineup is confirmed:
Blue side EDG:

Top Lane: Camille (The Steel Shadow)
Jungle: Lee Sin (the Blind Monk)

Mid Lane: LeBlanc, the Deceiver
Marksman: Jhin, the Virtuoso
Support: Leona, the Dawn Goddess
Red Team LNG:

Top Lane: Fiora (Ale)

Jungler: Xin Zhao (Tarzan), the Grand Marshal of Demacia

Mid Lane: Xerath (Icon)

Archer: Aphelios, the Bearder of the Crescent Moon (Light)

Support: Thresh, the Chain Warden (Crisp)

"A pure, skill-based duel!" Miller concluded. "EDG drafted a lineup with a strong early-game aggression, boasting exceptional solo-kill and tower-diving capabilities in their mid, top, and jungle! LNG, on the other hand, opted for a lineup focused on kiting and counter-attacking, placing their bets on Ale's individual skill in the top lane and Light's late-game damage output in the bottom lane! This match might not feature many complex strategies; it will simply be the most primal and brutal clash!"

As the system message "Welcome to Summoner's Rift" sounded, the decisive match officially began!

All eyes were fixed on the road ahead, like searchlights.

The moment the first level went live, the tension of war was instantly ignited.

Ale's Fiora played with an unusually proactive attitude, displaying a do-or-die determination. Instead of starting with the conventional Q skill, he learned W [Laurent's Eye] and positioned himself before the minion wave converged, constantly using positioning to try and block Camille's W [Tactical Sweep].

Su Mo's Camille, on the other hand, seemed to be handling the situation with ease.

He saw through Ale's thoughts and held onto his W skill tightly, refusing to release it.

He just slowly and steadily finished off the enemy, occasionally auto-attacking Fiora, using his passive to trade blows without taking damage.

The laning phase in the top lane turned into an extreme psychological battle.

Ale was completely focused, and fine beads of sweat even appeared on his forehead. He knew that against Mo, any small mistake could be magnified infinitely.

Su Mo, on the other hand, remained as lazy as ever, leaning back in his gaming chair, operating the mouse with one hand and even resting his chin on his other hand, as if he were playing a trivial game against bots.

“Ale was playing with incredible focus!” Rita said quickly. “He wanted to regain his dignity in lane! But Mo’s attention to detail was terrifying. Every move he made, every auto-attack he made, was measured with a ruler, leaving Ale with no chance to gain an advantage!”

At two minutes and fifty seconds, both top laners reached level three almost simultaneously.

The real showdown has begun!

Ale seized the moment Camille was finishing off a cannon minion, using his Q skill [Sky Slash] to precisely exploit Camille's weakness on the side, and then activated his E skill [Deadly Strike]!
However, the moment he launched his second attack, Su Mo moved!

E skill [Hookshot] is used!
Camille's figure instantly hung on the wall, narrowly dodging Fiora's E skill's second critical hit!

Immediately following, a second-stage E-kick flew out! (End of Chapter)