LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

Atlanta, backstage lounge at State Farm Arena.

Two completely different scents filled the air.

The EDG lounge was filled with laughter and chatter, as if a tea party was being held.

Jiejie, with her legs crossed, was mimicking Beryl's helpless movement from the previous game: "Hey, where's my turret? How come such a big turret disappeared as soon as I put it down? Brother Mo, your instant landing was too unreasonable. I think Beryl's face turned green at the end."

Meiko, holding her phone and looking at the trending topics online, couldn't help but smile: "The Korean internet is in an uproar right now. They're discussing whether Kingen should retire, and some people are saying that Mozi is using a 'script,' his jump-to-crew combo is inhumanly fast."

Su Mo sat on the gaming chair next to him.

Rita sent him a WeChat message with a selfie of herself at the commentary booth, captioned: "[One last game, let's get off work early and go get some barbecue.]"

Su Mo gave an OK sign, then opened his eyes and looked at his overly excited teammates.

"Don't open the champagne at halftime," Su Mo said with a smile. "DRX was able to fight their way up from the play-in stage not because of luck, but because of their tenacity that never gives up. 2-0 is the most dangerous score. Once they catch their breath and win a game, their morale will turn around."

"Deft is a very pure player. At this point, he doesn't think about winning or losing; he just wants to burn his last bit of light and heat. People in this state often unleash fighting power beyond reason."

Su Mo turned to Viper and Meiko: "Especially the bot lane, they'll most likely pick the strongest laning duo this game and crush you. You have to hold on. If you can hold on, then I can carry."

Viper pushed up his glasses, his eyes resolute: "Don't worry, bro. I'll show him who's the real bot laner for EDG right now."

……

In contrast, the atmosphere in the DRX lounge was so heavy it was almost suffocating.

Kingen slumped in his chair, his eyes vacant, his hands still trembling slightly. The image of the poodle leaping out of the bushes haunted his mind like a nightmare. In both games, he was completely dominated in the laning phase and utterly useless in team fights.

“I’m sorry…” Kingen’s voice was hoarse, “I… I can’t beat him. That person’s dominance is too suffocating.”

Coach SSONG sighed but didn't blame him. There was no point in blaming someone like Su Mo, a monster of his caliber.

Pyosik kept his head down and remained silent.

Zeka was biting her fingers, her brow furrowed.

Only Deft.

This veteran, who had competed in professional matches for ten years, slowly stood up, enduring excruciating pain from his back injury. His face was pale, but his eyes were unusually bright.

"it's not finished yet."

Deft's voice was soft, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly.

“We came all the way from Mexico City to get swept 3-0.” He walked over to Kingen and patted him on the shoulder. “Min-seung, don’t be afraid. Treat this like our last ranking match. If we lose, we lose, but at least… don’t lose on your knees.”

Beryl took off his glasses, wiped them, and put them back on: "Next game I'll play a hard support. Since the research failed, let's get back to basics. Whether it's 3-0 or a comeback from 0-2 down, we'll only know after the game is over."

A tragic yet resilient atmosphere permeated the DRX lounge.

……

The halftime break is over, and the third game is about to begin.

In the commentary booth, Guan Zeyuan was already getting restless.

"Alright, welcome back to the match! The score is currently 2-0, and EDG holds three match points! They are just one step away from advancing to the semifinals!"

Looking at the data in his hand, he thought: "To be honest, the difference between the first two games was quite significant. Especially in the top lane, Mozi's hero pool depth and laning details were simply overwhelming. I'm very curious now, what can DRX use to limit Mozi in the third game?"

Cat joked with a laugh, "Restrictions? I think we should stop thinking about how to restrict them and think about how to die less. The director just showed Kingen on camera, and the kid's face turned pale. I'm really afraid he'll retire after this game."

The lights in the audience area were flashing.

Shouts of "EDG, keep going!" echoed throughout the stadium.

LPL fans have already prepared celebratory banners.

Most of the DRX fans looked dejected, holding up signs that read "Deft," their eyes filled with reluctance. They knew this was likely the veteran's swan song.

The players from both sides take the stage.

Su Mo walked at the front, his steps still unhurried. When he passed the trophy stand, he didn't even glance at it.

Because his goal is not here.

I sat down, adjusted the equipment, and put on my headphones.

The world seemed to fall silent instantly, with only the sound of heartbeats and teammates' breathing remaining.

"What's the strategy for this round? Should we just go for it?" Jiejie asked.

"Play it safe," Su Mo said calmly. "Give them some respect. Use our strongest system to send them on their way."

BP begins!
In this game, DRX unsurprisingly chose the blue side.

In their first three bans, DRX practically went all out to target the top lane:

The Proud Hunter!
The Darkin Blade!

Peerless swordswoman!

The moment the poodle was pinned down, a burst of good-natured laughter erupted from the crowd.

Guan Zeyuan laughed: "Banned! As expected, banned! Kingen is really scared. There's absolutely no way Rengar will be allowed to play this game. In that case, there aren't many heroes left outside."

EDG countered by banning: Caitlyn, Heimerdinger, and Ashe.

Targeting the bottom lane, they neither gave Deft a comfortable laning environment nor allowed Beryl the opportunity to continue his research.

Selection stage.

DRX first pick:
Azir, the Emperor of the Desert!
Zeka picked Azir, a late-game carry champion, indicating his intention to focus on securing a late-game carry.

EDG's first and second floors were locked instantly:

Sejuani + Sylas.

A classic LPL mid-jungle duo. Jiejie uses Sejuani as a utility champion, while Scout picks Sylas to counter Azir, while maintaining the potential for stealing ultimate abilities.

DRX second and third floors:
Varus + Lenata.

Deft still picked Varus, and paired with Beryl's Lena, this remains a combination with extremely strong counter-attack capabilities.

EDG's third floor is locked:

Kai'Sa!

Viper picked Kai'Sa! This is going to be a battle of skill!
The second round of bans.

DRX continued to target Su Mo, banning Camille and Weapon Master.

"Five bans!" Remember exclaimed. "Five bans for the top lane again! My god, how afraid is Kingen of Mozi? They've practically blocked the entire top lane champion pool!"

EDG banned Ornn and Gnar, not allowing Kingen to pick these "troll" champions.

The final two choices are the players.

DRX should give Kingen a hero on the fourth floor first.

The profile picture flashed for a long time before finally locking onto an unexpected character.

Gragas the Barrel!

"Gragas?" Cat analyzed. "That's a good choice. He has sustain, mobility, can stay in lane, and his ultimate can disrupt formations. Kingen is determined to be a passive player, just trying to avoid dying."

Finally, the spotlight shone once again on EDG's fifth floor, on Su Mo's counter position.

At this moment, Aatrox, Fiora, Camille, Jax, and Rengar are all gone.

Su Mo looked at the barrel of wine opposite him, hesitated for a second, and then made his decision.

EDG's top laner was quickly locked in!

It was a dancer with a graceful figure and sharp blades floating behind her.

"This move, too, is a dance."

"However, it's a funeral dance."

locking!

Irelia, the Blade Dancer!
"Irelia!!!"

Guan Zeyuan's voice instantly ignited the entire audience: "My God! Brother Mozi locked in Irelia! With five top laners banned, he pulled out this champion with the highest skill ceiling!"

Remember was also very excited: "This game is going to be interesting! Irelia vs. Gragas isn't actually that easy, since Gragas can interrupt Q with his E. But this is Mozi's Irelia! Ionia will never fall!"

The final lineup is confirmed:
Blue side DRX: Top lane Gragas, Jungle Kindred, Mid lane Azir, AD Varus, Support Lena.

Red team EDG: Top lane Irelia, Jungle Sejuani, Mid lane Sylas, AD Kai'Sa, Support Alistar.

Welcome to Summoner's Rift!

Su Mo, controlling the original Irelia skin, wielded the legendary sword and gracefully stepped out of the fountain. "For the living, for the dead."

The lines seemed to foreshadow the outcome of the match.

Games start.

This time, Su Mo didn't choose to pressure him at level one. Irelia doesn't have an advantage against Gragas at level one; if Gragas hits her with his E, it will be very damaging.

He chose a prudent approach to laying out the line.

Kingen breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw that the Irelia hadn't come up aggressively.

Gragas learns Q at level 1, rolling the barrel from a distance to finish off enemies.

Until both sides reach level 3.

The minion wave is pushed back.

Su Mo's eyes instantly turned sharp.

A fully stacked Irelia passive with four stacks of Fervor of Ionia is a game-changer.

He first used Q to kill a low-health melee minion, accumulating a passive stack.

Then, use W [Dance of the Distance] to charge up, avoid the damage from the Q skill as the barrel rolls over, and at the same time, weaken the ranged minions.

Q! Q! Q!

Three sharp blades clashed, flitting among the soldiers like butterflies among flowers.

Instantly reach full stacks of passive ability!

A golden light flashed across his body!
E【Double-Edged Sword】!
The first E segment is placed at the foot of the barrel, and the second E segment is played instantly.

Kingen reacted quickly, immediately using his E [Body Impact] to stun Irelia and interrupt her combo.

But Su Mo's hand speed was outrageously fast.

Q!

Using the minion as a movement tool, Irelia's figure appeared just as Gragas used his E, and she Q'd onto a minion on the flank!
They dodged it!
The barrel's belly hit nothing but air!

E skill stun activated!
Q!

The first Q dashes towards the marked barrel.

Basic attack! Basic attack! Basic attack!

With her passive fully stacked, Irelia's basic attack damage is extremely high, causing Gragas's health to drop rapidly.

Kingen panicked and used Flash to return to his tower.

Su Mo and Shan!

Q!

The final Q anticipation and follow-up, two auto attacks to take down the enemy!

"First Blood!"

Single kill!

At 3 minutes and 20 seconds, another victory came from the top lane.

"A solo kill?!" Guan Zeyuan stared in disbelief at the replay. "Using Q on a minion to dodge Gragas' E, is that reaction speed even humanly possible? Kingen was trying to play passively with Gragas this game, but his defenses were breached in just three minutes!"

Cat exclaimed, "This is what you call a mechanical monster. You may be tanky, but if you miss your skills, you're just a giant punching bag in front of a fully passive Irelia."

After securing the first kill, Su Mo immediately went home and crafted the [Vampire Scepter].

This item is a godsend for Irelia, enabling her to sustain in lane and turn the tide of battle.

Next, the top lane became Su Mo's personal performance show.

4 minutes 10 seconds.

The ecosystem on the road has become a cruel form of exploitation.

Su Mo firmly controlled the minion wave in front of his own tower, while he stood on the outside of the minion wave, like a gatekeeper.

Kingen could only watch from afar, occasionally throwing out a Q to try and last-hit a low-health minion or two, but most of the time, he didn't even dare to enter the experience zone.

“This is so frustrating,” Ji De shook his head. “Kingen is only level 4 now, while Mozi is already level 5.”

4 minutes 45 seconds.

DRX jungler Pyosik finally couldn't stand it anymore.

Although Kindred focused on farming in the early game, he knew that if he didn't help the top lane clear the wave, Gragas would be completely disconnected from the game.

“I’ll go chase him away, you eat the line,” Pyosik said in the voice chat.

Kindred activated W [Wolf Frenzy] and jumped out of the river bush, attempting to force Irelia back with the help of Gragas.

However, Su Mo did not retreat the moment he saw Qian Jue.

A bloodthirsty glint flashed in his eyes.

"Are you here to deliver the mark?"

Su Mo killed a minion with Q, instantly stacking 4 layers of his passive.

E【Double-Edged Sword】!
The first E was hidden behind him, and the second E was released extremely quickly, accurately pulling Kindred who was positioned in the front!
Q!

Irelia moved with lightning speed, directly using her Q to target Pyosik!

Pyosik was shocked. Before he could even use his third auto-attack, Irelia closed in and took away half of his health with a combo.

Seeing this, Kingen quickly used his E skill [Meatball Impact] to rush over and try to save the jungler.

Su Mo instantly activated and released W [Dance of the Distance], blocking the damage from Gragas' E, and then slashed Kindred with a counterattack.

Pyosik was terrified and immediately used Flash to jump over the wall and escape back to the river.

Kingen didn't fare well either, getting chased down and hit twice by Su Mo's Q skill before scrambling into the tower in a sorry state.

"One against two, he chased one away and crippled the other!" Guan Zeyuan exclaimed. "This is a complete annihilation of levels and equipment! Pyosik's gank was practically a gift, not only did he fail to clear the lane, but he also forced out his own Flash. More importantly, it made Mozi's Irelia even more fed!"

5 minutes 50 seconds.

Su Mo was the first to reach level 6.

Kingen's Gragas had only just managed to reach level 5 with difficulty, and was 25 CS behind in last hits.

Su Mo went home to resupply, immediately pulling out a [Pickle Cross] and a [Longsword], bringing him one step closer to obtaining the Blade of the Ruined King.

Meanwhile, a fierce conflict broke out in the bottom lane.

Deft didn't want to sit idly by and wait for his doom.

6 minutes 15 seconds.

Beryl's Lena was knocked up by Meiko's Alistar's WQ combo while she was warding in the bush!

Viper's Kai'Sa immediately flew in with her ultimate to deal damage.

Just as Lena was about to be instantly killed, Deft displayed the top-notch skill of a veteran player in maneuvering.

Varus first used his E skill to slow down and lock down the enemies, then activated his W skill to charge up his Q, shooting through both Kai'Sa and Alistar with a single arrow!
Beryl, low on health, used his Q to fling Kai'Sa towards Alistar, causing the two to collide and become stunned.

Deft's auto-attacks were like magic, hitting Kai'Sa with every single one.

In the end, although Viper killed Lenata, he was also taken down by Deft's auto-attack from the furthest range.

1 for 1.

EDG suffered a slight loss in this round.

7 minutes 20 seconds.

The camera then returns to the top lane.

Kingen finally reached level 6, and with his ultimate ability in hand, he felt a little safer.

But he underestimated Su Mo's murderous intent.

Su Mo controlled Irelia and pushed the wave back to DRX's tower.

Kingen was down to half health and was hesitating between going back to base or greedily farming the tower minions.

In that one second of hesitation...

Su Mo moved. (End of Chapter)