LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

When the victory emblem lit up on the screen for the second time, the EDG players calmly took off their headphones and high-fived each other.

On the other side of the stage, in T1's battle area, the atmosphere had frozen to a freezing point.

Faker leaned back in his chair, looking slumped.

He felt that his proud understanding of the game had been completely shattered in front of that man.

The feeling was like a skilled chess player encountering an opponent who simply overturns the chessboard.

All the planning and scheming became meaningless.

The player tunnel leading to the lounge seemed exceptionally long and cold to the T1 players at that moment.

Back in the lounge, a deathly silence filled the air, permeated with an atmosphere of defeat.

Looking at the identical confusion on the faces of his teammates, kkOma felt a deep sense of powerlessness welling up inside him.

He knew that this was not a tactical or operational issue, but a cognitive one of dimensional reduction.

"What...what do we need to do to win?" Canna was the first to speak, her voice hoarse and filled with helplessness.

No one could answer him.

kkOma took a deep breath, seemingly making an incredibly difficult decision.

“Next game,” he said slowly, “we’ll… play it a different way.”

His gaze swept over Canna, over Oner, and finally landed on Faker, who had kept his head down and remained silent the entire time.

"Sang-hyeok, in the next game, play whatever you want. Forget all our previous tactics, forget about strategy, forget about tempo. Just play the way you like best and are most good at. Let's... go crazy one last time on this final stage."

Faker suddenly looked up, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes. Then, the extinguished flame was rekindled.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in EDG's rest room was relaxed.

"Next game, I bet they'll be going to try and outplay us in terms of skill," Su Mo said casually, taking a sip of water.

Abu smiled and said, "That's perfect, let's see whose fist is harder."

He turned to Su Mo and asked, "Brother Mo, what are your thoughts on the third round?"

Su Mo smiled, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

He paused, then said something surprising: "In the next game, I'll try playing mid lane."

Upon hearing this, an eerie silence instantly fell over the entire EDG rest area.

"Cough cough..." Abu was the first to react, and quickly waved his hand, saying, "Brother Mozi, this is the match point of the finals, you..."

"I'm not kidding." Su Mo's expression was unusually serious. "Faker's mentality has definitely changed now. He'll definitely pick the most aggressive champion in the laning phase next game to get revenge. I'll go mid lane and have a go at him. Besides, I'm not bad at mid lane, am I?"

That's true. Su Mo once played mid lane as a guest player in the regular season and delivered a dominant performance. His vast hero pool is no secret.

Everyone looked at Su Mo, and they suddenly understood that this was not just a change of position, but a declaration.

It was the most arrogant and direct challenge launched by the new king against the old gods!
"I have no objection!" Jiejie's face was full of excitement. "Damn, just thinking about it is exciting! Mozi going to mid lane to face Faker, that's really exciting!"

Seeing the almost blind trust in the eyes of his teammates, Abu and the factory manager exchanged a glance and saw a hint of a smile in each other's eyes.

"Alright!" Abu slapped his thigh. "Submit the substitution list immediately. In the third game, Mozi will play mid. Flandre will go top!"

During halftime, the three commentators were also reminiscing about the thrilling match that had just taken place.

"I'm still a little stunned," Miller sighed. "EDG, on the finals stage, used Yasuo in the top lane to defeat Faker's signature LeBlanc in an almost tutorial-like manner. This match is destined to be recorded in the history of League of Legends!"

Wawa nodded and said, "Yes, T1 has done everything they could. They used a three-man gank on one player and even had Faker roam personally. But Mozi's skills and awareness have completely exceeded the bounds of common sense."

"This is absolute strength," Guan Zeyuan adjusted his glasses and concluded, "When a player's individual ability is so strong that they can ignore tactics and countermeasures, the game will become like this. T1 is now facing an unsolvable problem. They not only have to think about how to deal with the EDG team, but also how to face a god."

The live stream chat was now completely flooded with "god" and "666".

[“Five top lane bans, then got completely crushed by a top lane Yasuo”]

[Faker: I'm going to bring out my strongest champion. Mozi: What a coincidence, me too (referring to happiness).]

[This is a brutal attack on Faker's character! This isn't just a match, it's a public execution! I'm even starting to feel sorry for Faker.]

[Stop talking, I just want to know one thing right now... Can EDG sweep them 3-0? I want to see Mozi lift the trophy!]

[Let's pop the champagne early! We're champions again!!!]

As the halftime break ended and the commentators and audience eagerly prepared for the third game, a sudden announcement stunned everyone once again.

"We just received a message from the director!" Miller looked at his cue cards, his face showing an even more shocked expression than when he saw Yasuo. "EDG has made position changes in the third game! Former top laner Mo will play mid lane! Former mid laner Scout will play top lane!"

These words caused an uproar in the entire arena, followed by an even louder and more enthusiastic discussion.

"What??? Mozi went to play mid lane?"

"My God! After playing Yasuo in the top lane, is he going to go mid lane to face Faker himself?"

"EDG is really good at this! They're going to completely humiliate T1!"

"Although I'm used to Mozi's unpredictable style, this is the match point of the finals! This is insane!"

At this moment, the live stream chat rooms around the world were completely covered by a series of question marks and exclamation marks.

This news was immediately relayed to the T1 lounge.

When kkOma learned from the referee that EDG had switched positions, he froze for a moment.

Faker's pupils contracted sharply as an indescribable sense of absurdity washed over him.

what is this?
Humiliation? Or... the most thorough declaration of war from the enemy?
Seeing the identical shock and anger on the faces of his coach and teammates, he gradually calmed down.

He took a deep breath and spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but it silenced everyone.

"It's okay. We'll just play our own game well."

Faker's words acted like a tranquilizer, stabilizing T1's chaotic morale.

He knew that his opponent's intention was to disrupt their mindset.

And he, as the soul of this team, absolutely cannot be allowed to falter.

With firm steps, he once again stepped onto the stage that belonged to the victors.

But this time, his eyes held only a pure, unadulterated desire for victory.

When the words "Mid Laner - EDG.Mo" finally locked onto the big screen, the Reykjavik arena erupted in the loudest and most sustained roar since the start of the tournament. In the commentary booth, Miller, adjusting his headset and leaning slightly forward, said, "We are witnessing history! In the match point game of the League of Legends World Championship, EDG has chosen to send their ace player, the world's best top laner Mo, to the mid lane to face off against the legendary Faker! This is no longer a tactic; it's a declaration! A battle of equals!"

Guan Zeyuan attempted a scientific analysis: "From a tactical perspective, this might be an extreme form of psychological warfare. EDG is using this method to tell T1, 'All your targeting is futile; our strongest point can appear anywhere on the map.'"

"This pressure is devastating for T1, who have already lost two games in a row. But at the same time, the risks are equally enormous!"

On the stage, the lights shone brightly.

The camera zoomed in on both players.

Oner, Canna, and the bot lane duo on T1's playing field had visibly serious expressions on their faces.

Faker, on the other hand, became unusually calm.

The opponent's contempt is poison to the weak, but food to the strong.

He could feel his long-dormant blood boiling again at an unprecedented speed.

"Alright viewers! Let's focus on the draft phase!" Miller's voice drew everyone's attention back. "The third game of this epic battle will begin from the very first second of the ban/pick phase!"

BP begins!
T1, who had the priority to choose sides, completely changed their banning strategy this time.

Instead of focusing on the top lane, they gave their first three bans to Swain, Zoe, and LeBlanc!

“Three bans on mid lane!” Wawa exclaimed immediately. “T1’s response was incredibly fast! They abandoned their blockade of the top lane and instead began to limit Mo’s champion pool in the mid lane! They acknowledged that Mo’s mid lane champion pool is as unfathomable as his top lane champion pool!”

EDG, on the other hand, followed the usual procedure and banned T1's most proficient champions: Jarvan IV, Rakan, and Twisted Fate.

It's time to choose!

On the first floor of Terminal 1, I locked the door almost without hesitation!
"Ryze, the Rune Mage!" Miller's voice suddenly rose. "Faker! After the opponent set up such a lineup, Faker picked another of his signature champions, Ryze, the Wanderer! This is a champion that can maximize both macro play and support! Faker is using this choice to tell EDG, no matter what tricks you play, I will defeat you with the most familiar and powerful method!"

The entire arena erupted once again, with countless LCK fans chanting Faker's name.

Faced with T1's composed approach, EDG quickly responded with their own champion picks.

First, they picked Jhin and Leona for the bot lane, a combination that combines laning strength and teamfight initiation capabilities.

T1 locked in Aphelios and Lee Sin.

When it was EDG's turn to pick third and fourth picks, Scout picked a relatively stable late-game carry in the top lane—Jayce, the Future Guardian, while Jiejie locked in Xin Zhao, the Demacian General.

“Scout picked Jayce!” Wawa analyzed. “It’s a very stable choice that can withstand pressure and provide enough poke and damage in the late game.”

BP's focus has shifted to the final counter position.

T1's final pick was Kennen for their top laner Canna, aiming to create a perfect AOE synergy with Ryze in late-game team fights.

All eyes were on EDG's final pick, the one that belonged to Mo.

What champion will he choose to counter Faker's Ryze?
The hero's portrait flashed rapidly, and finally, amidst exclamations of surprise, it was locked on!

"Syndra, the Dark Sovereign!" Miller shouted. "Despite being banned three times for mid lane, Mozi still managed to pick Syndra! T1 made a huge mistake in their draft! They let out the one champion they should never have let out!"

"No, this isn't a mistake!" Guan Zeyuan immediately retorted, his eyes gleaming with an unusual light. "This is Faker's confidence! He's going to use Ryze to face Syndra head-on! This is the purest laning duel between two top mid laners! He believes his skills can make up for the disadvantage in champion counters!"

The lineup is finalized!

Blue Square T1:

Top Lane: Kennen, the Heart of the Tempest
Jungler: Lee Sin
Mid Lane: Ryze, the Rune Mage
Archer: Aphelios, the Reaper of the Crescent Moon
Support: Thresh, the Chain Warden
Red team EDG:

Top Lane: Jayce, the Future Guardian
Jungler: Xin Zhao, the Grand Marshal of Demacia
Mid Lane: Syndra, the Dark Sovereign

Marksman: Jhin, the Virtuoso

Support: Leona, the Dawn Goddess

Welcome to Summoner's Rift!

As the system's female voice rang out, the ultimate showdown, which carried countless topics and expectations, officially began!

Both sides were quite cautious in this game, and started with a standard opening.

In the middle lane, the minion waves converge.

Su Mo's Syndra and Faker's Ryze faced each other across the minion wave.

There seemed to be invisible lightning flashing in the air.

The competition begins from level one.

Faker demonstrated his terrifying skill as a legendary mid laner, constantly seeking opportunities to whittle down Syndra's health while exquisitely controlling the minion wave.

However, Su Mo's response was watertight.

His movements were like a ghost, dodging Ryze's Q skill time and time again with minimal cost, while taking advantage of Syndra's long range to constantly use her Q skill [Dark Orb] to pressure Faker's health.

Every last hit and every exchange of blows between the two sides was full of detail and calculation.

The doll watched intently: "The laning details between the two mid laners are incredibly detailed! Every trade of blows seems meticulously calculated, and neither side can gain an advantage!"

The first turning point of the game came in three minutes.

After clearing the jungle camps in the top half of the map, Oner's Lee Sin went straight to the mid lane!

"Oner is here! T1's mid and jungle are teaming up! They're going to make a move on Mozi!"

Faker understood immediately, moved forward, and immediately used Flash + EW [Rune Imprisonment] to immobilize Syndra who was last-hitting minions!

Oner's Lee Sin came up from the flank with a ward-hopping W to provide support, and then delivered a precise Sonic Wave!

"Got it! Syndra's been stunned and then hit by Q! This is going to be a disaster!"

However, just as Lee Sin was about to follow up with his second Q to deal damage, Su Mo used his QE skill [Weaklings Begone] to accurately stun Lee Sin, who was flying in mid-air, and left him in place!

Then they calmly retreated, without even using Flash.

Faker frowned as he watched, feeling that Lee Sin had made a mistake, but he chose to remain silent to avoid affecting his mentality.

"That move really got me all teary-eyed!" Jiejie grumbled in the team voice chat.

"Stay calm, they're getting anxious." Su Mo's voice remained calm.

T1's first gank disrupted their rhythm, while EDG began to exert their strength.

Six minutes in, Jiejie's Xin Zhao ganked the bottom lane, and with the help of Jhin and Leona's reliable crowd control, successfully tower-dived and killed Gumayusi's Aphelios, securing First Blood. (End of Chapter)