LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

Su Mo's words, brimming with absolute confidence, resounded through the loudspeakers and, after simultaneous interpretation, were transmitted to every corner of the globe.

"At the same time, I'm also wondering if the other teams can put more pressure on us."

The audience was stunned for a moment, then erupted in an even more frenzied roar than before.

"MO! MO! MO!"

This is a tribute to the strong, and the ultimate response to this domineering statement.

Zhixuan's mouth was slightly open as she looked at the man beside her, who was a head taller than her, with indifferent eyes but an amazing aura. A blush crept onto her cheeks.

As an LCK host, she had seen too much humility and politeness. A player like Su Mo, who openly displayed ambition and contempt on his face, was like a shot of adrenaline, piercing the heart of someone who admires strength.

"It seems Mozi is very satisfied with today's result and is also looking forward to the upcoming opponents." Zhixuan suppressed his excitement and ended the interview with a smile. "Congratulations again to EDG, see you in the semifinals!"

Su Mo nodded politely and turned to walk backstage.

As soon as you step into the passageway, the clamor of being the center of attention is instantly shut out.

Around the corner, he witnessed a heartbreaking scene.

Meiko was standing there, quietly comforting Deft, who was crouching in the corner, sobbing with his face covered.

The veteran managed to maintain his dignity on stage, but offstage, the despair of shattered dreams finally broke him.

Su Mo stopped and did not go forward to disturb him.

This is esports—cruel to the point of being cold-blooded.

For every person who ascends to godhood, someone else is destined to become their stepping stone.

"Let's go."

Before he knew it, the factory manager walked up to him, patted him on the back, and glanced at Deft not far away with a complicated look in his eyes. "That's between Tianye and Deft. We should go celebrate our victory."

Su Mo nodded, put his hands in his pockets, and strode towards the lounge.

……

That night, Atlanta's nightscape was enchanting.

After the intense quarterfinals, the entire EDG team finally got a much-needed break.

As is customary, Abu and his boss, Edju, generously booked a famous local steakhouse to celebrate the team's victory.

Jiejie, Viper, and the others had already rushed in like hungry tigers, while Su Mo deliberately lagged behind a few steps, using the excuse of needing some fresh air to slip onto the terrace outside the restaurant.

"Phew..." Su Mo looked at the Atlanta night view and let out a breath.

"Hey, what's up with the world's number one top laner coming here?"

A woman's voice, tinged with a hint of teasing and coquettishness, came from behind.

Su Mo turned around and saw three stunningly beautiful women, each with a distinct style, standing there gracefully.

Yu Shuang wore a gentle beige trench coat, exuding intellect and elegance; Luo Xin wore a hoodie and skirt full of energy, looking quirky and mischievous; while Rita, standing in the middle, wore a black tight-fitting short dress that accentuated her graceful curves, her signature captivating eyes staring at him with a half-smile.

The three most popular female hosts in the LPL teamed up to gank him.

"I was just afraid you guys would be too enthusiastic and I wouldn't be able to handle it," Su Mo joked with a smile.

"Come on!" Luo Xin skipped over and patted Su Mo's arm without any hesitation. "You were so arrogant during the interview, saying you felt less pressure. Why do you want to run away as soon as you see us?"

Yu Shuang covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes sparkling: "Someone is a global idol now, and so many beauties online are eyeing you. If the rest of us don't come and make our presence known, we might not even get a chance to be in the running."

Rita didn't say anything, but walked straight to Su Mo, reached out and straightened his slightly crooked collar.

The movements were natural, yet conveyed a sense of intimate assertion of dominance.

"Are you tired?" Rita asked softly.

"Not bad." Su Mo took Rita's hand and felt the coolness of her fingertips. He grinned mischievously. "I was quite tired, but seeing you three beauties instantly recharged me."

"You smooth talker!" Rita rolled her eyes at him, but didn't pull her hand back.

"Oh my god, I can't bear to look!" Luo Xin exaggeratedly covered her eyes, peeking through her fingers. "Sister Shuang, aren't we being a bit redundant? This stench is practically overflowing!"

Yu Shuang also smiled like an aunt: "Indeed, it seems that some people will be able to eat water and be full of love at tonight's celebration banquet."

Su Mo laughed, released Rita's hand, and pulled three VIP tickets from his pocket: "Alright, stop teasing me. These are front-row tickets for the semi-finals the day after tomorrow, I specially saved them. Let's get some food tonight, order whatever you want, can that shut you up?"

"Front row tickets!" Luo Xin snatched them away. "Then we won't stand on ceremony, I want tomahawk steak!"

The four of them walked into the restaurant chatting and laughing.

It was a pleasant meal.

That evening, Su Mo returned to the hotel where the three beautiful women were staying with him.

This was destined to be a tiring night.

……

Happy time is always short-lived.

With EDG sweeping DRX, the semifinalists for the S12 World Championship have been officially announced, and the matchups for the semifinals have been finalized.

Upper bracket: JDG vs T1.

Bottom bracket: EDG vs Gen.G.

LPL's first seed will play against LCK's first seed, and LPL's second seed will play against LCK's second seed.

This is the purest form of confrontation between China and South Korea!
In the following days, EDG did not relax after advancing; instead, they entered a more intense state of preparation.

Because their opponent in the semifinals is Gen.G.

This galactic battleship, boasting Chovy, Ruler, and Peanut, is absolutely on par with T1 in terms of raw strength.

Chovy, in particular, the mid-laner known as the "last-hitting machine," is thriving in this patch.

October 29th, the first day of the semi-finals.

JDG vs T1.

The entire EDG team sat in the training room, watching the match with serious expressions.

This is a clash between Mars and Earth.

Kanavi brought out his best skills, and the 369 barrels took the "pulling" technique to the extreme.

However, T1 evolved.

Faker, in particular, seemed to be back in Season 6. His Ryze and Azir dealt incredible damage in team fights.

While Zeus didn't manage to clear the stage against 369 like he did against Breathe, he still managed to destroy JDG's defense with a clever flanking maneuver by Yone.

The final score was 1:3.

JDG suffered a disappointing defeat, ending their run in the semifinals.

It's like a curse.

T1 is the first team to advance to the finals!
Watching Faker get up and celebrate on the screen, Su Mo's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Old Li is still fierce," Jiejie exclaimed. "They seem even stronger than when they played us in the group stage."

“That’s for sure,” Su Mo said calmly. “Teams like T1 will evolve as the season progresses. However…”

He paused, a cold smile playing on his lips: "The stronger they are, the more thrill it will be to crush them in the finals, won't it?"

"The premise is that we have to get through tomorrow's hurdle first." Abu walked in with a notebook, his face serious. "The data analysis for Gen.G is out."

"Chovy's stats are terrifying, averaging 20 CS advantage in 15 minutes. Ruler is also in hot form; he's the kind of AD carry who can take over the game in the late game."

"Moreover, Gen.G's playstyle is very effective against us." Abu pointed to the strategy board. "They like to drag the game into the late game and use minion waves to create space, avoiding early-game skirmishes with us. As long as we can drag the game out until our two carries have three items, their team fight win rate is very high."

"Delay it out?" Su Mo stood up, cracking his wrists. "Let them see if they can hold out."

Su Mo's gaze fell on the name of Gen.G's top laner, Doran, on the tactics board.

Doran, a notorious unpredictable player in the LCK, is also widely considered Gen.G's weakest link.

"When the time comes, I'll dismantle Gen.G, this galactic battleship, from this very spot," Su Mo chuckled.

……

10 month 30 day.

Atlanta, State Farm Arena.

The second semifinal match of the S12 World Championship.

EDG vs Gen.G. The atmosphere at the stadium was extremely tense.

JDG's elimination has put all the hopes of LPL fans on EDG.

If EDG loses, it will mean two LCK teams meeting in the finals, which is the darkest moment that LPL absolutely cannot accept.

In the commentary booth, Wawa, Miller, and Guan Zeyuan were on high alert.

"Alright viewers! Welcome to the semifinals!" Miller's voice was strong and clear. "This is the last glory for the LPL! The defending champions EDG will face off against LCK's number one seed, Gen.G!"

"JDG fell yesterday, whether EDG can shoulder the responsibility today depends on this!"

Guan Zeyuan took a deep breath: "From a rational perspective, Gen.G's macro play in today's match was really tough to deal with. Especially Chovy, if Scout can't limit his development, it will be very difficult to win in the late game."

Wawa: "The key is still the top lane! Doran facing Mozi is Gen.G's biggest weakness and EDG's biggest weakness! No matter what, I unconditionally believe in EDG and Mozi."

During their conversation, the players from both sides then took the stage.

The moment Su Mo walked out of the tunnel, all the LPL fans held up red support signs, creating a sea of ​​red.

If you didn't know better, you'd think this was a competition held in the country.

"EDG! Come on!"

Su Mo looked up at the red expanse, his gaze instantly hardening with determination.

This is not just a match, but also about protecting the dignity of the LPL.

Take your seats, let's begin.

first round.

EDG is on the blue side, Gen.G is on the red side.

Gen.G's first three bans were a direct kill: Aatrox, Jayce, and Irelia.

"Three! Three more!" Miller shouted. "Gen.G is really giving us face!"

EDG banned Yuumi, Caitlyn, and Ryze.

Selection stage.

EDG first pick:
Lucian!
Since you're not banning Luna, then I'll take her!
Gen.G's backhand:

Big Tree + Nami.

They dismantled Luna and secured the top-tier jungler of the current patch.

EDG second and third floors:
Sejuani + Akali.

Jiejie picked Sejuani to counter Maokai, while Scout locked in Akali to look for an opportunity.

Gen.G, third and fourth floors:
Aphelios + Tsar.

A classic Gen.G-style dual-core late-game lineup.

The second round of banning players.

Gen.G was clearly wary of Su Mo's champion pool to the core. Even though they had already banned three top laners, they still kept their red ban slot fixed on the top lane.

Peerless swordswoman!

Camille, the Steel Shadow!

"Five!" Miller's voice was filled with disbelief. "Gen.G has copied DRX's strategy, banning five top laners! They're trying to wipe out Mozi's champion pool!"

Guan Zeyuan frowned: "This targeting is too extreme. Aatrox, Jayce, Irelia, Fiora, Camille are all gone. And Doran even left a counter pick on the fifth floor. They're determined to crush EDG's top lane."

EDG, on the other hand, seemed much more relaxed, banning Gnar and Renekton, and removing two versatile fighters that Doran was good at.

The selection process continues.

On the fourth floor of EDG, Meiko locked up Lulu, the Fairy Witch.

Since we can't get Nami, we can use Lulu to protect Lucian and Akali when they enter the fray. This is the best solution left at the moment.

The pressure is now on EDG.

All eyes were focused on EDG's fifth-floor champion selection box.

Faced with Gen.G's insane five-ban top lane strategy, Su Mo's options have been squeezed to the limit.

Aatrox, Jayce, Irelia, Fiora, and Camille—these five strongest champions in this patch, and also Su Mo's signature champions, were all banned.

"They're still targeting him, still targeting him!" Wawa shook his head as he looked at the BP panel. "Gen.G is determined to cripple Mozi. Doran has a counter pick left in the back. If the fifth pick gets another counter hero, Mozi is going to have a tough time this game."

Miller frowned: "There aren't many warriors left outside. We banned Crocodile and Gnar ourselves, so now we can pick... Gwent? Or Weapon Master? Weapon Master is actually pretty good, but picking him first makes him vulnerable to counters."

The camera pans to the players' seats.

Su Mo looked at the grayed-out list of top lane champions, but there was no panic on his face. Instead, he revealed a playful smile.

"Want to see my hero pool go completely empty?"

Su Mo's fingers tapped lightly on the keyboard, and the mouse hovered over the hero portraits.

"Then let me show you what it means to turn wasteland into everything the scissors touch."

Among those rows of heroes, he found the one wielding giant scissors and possessing a gothic lolita appearance.

Gwen the Spirit Doll!
"Cut them off!"

Locked in seconds!

"Gwen!!"

Guan Zeyuan's voice instantly rose: "Brother Mozi locked in Gwen! In this desperate situation full of bans, he pulled out this AP warrior with terrifying percentage damage and immunity mechanism!"

"That was a brilliant pick!" Ji De exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "Gen.G's lineup features Azir and Aphelios as their two long-range carries, and Gwen's W skill is a nightmare for this kind of long-range composition! Once I activate my W, none of you will be able to hit me!"

The pressure instantly shifted to the fifth floor of Gen.G.

Doran looked at the Gwent locked on the opposite side, his palms slightly sweaty as he gripped the mouse.

While Gwen isn't particularly strong in the laning phase, she's extremely powerful in the late game and can take down tanks very quickly.

"Doran, what are you getting?" the coach asked.

Doran hesitated for a moment.

Normally, he might choose Ornn to play casually.

But he glanced at the ID on the other side—Mo.

The man who killed him like a toy.

If you choose Ornn, he will be easily cut to pieces by Gwen and become a mobile blood bank.

We must choose someone who can fight and suppress Gwen!
Doran gritted his teeth and clicked on the icon known as the King of One-on-One.

Weapon Master - Jax!

"Jax!!" Miller shouted, "Doran is really brave! When Mozi picked Gwen first, he countered by picking Jax! Mechanically speaking, Jax's E skill [Counter Strike] really counters Gwen's auto-attack output, so this is a counter pick!"

“But…” Wawa changed the subject, “This is Mozi! Can Doran really handle this weapon?”

The lineups of both sides are determined:

Blue side EDG: Top laner Gwen, jungler Sejuani, mid laner Akali, AD Lucian, support Lulu.

Red team Gen.G: Top lane Jax, Jungle Maokai, Mid lane Azir, AD Aphelios, Support Nami.

"Army attack!"

The competition officially began with the system's rousing female voice.

Su Mo controlled Gwen, holding a pair of blue scissors that were larger than his body, and walked lightly towards the top path.

Starting items: Doran's Ring + two health potions.

Talent: Conqueror!
"This time, I'm going to shred their defenses to smithereens," Su Mo said softly in the voice chat.

Level 1 is now online.

Doran's weapon master seemed eager to try.

Thanks to his E skill, he can put up a fight against Gwen at level one.

The troops are gathering.

Su Mo didn't rush to push the lane. Instead, he positioned himself at the edge of the bush, using basic attacks to last-hit minions and build up stacks for his Q skill. (End of Chapter)