LPL didn't want me? I joined SKT instead!

The training room of SKT in the hotel.

When the C9 base crystal on the big screen exploded amidst a dazzling array of special effects, the entire room fell into a brief and eerie silence.

"Damn it..."

Wolf was still clutching half a potato chip in his hand, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes wide as he stared blankly at the frozen image on the screen. The half-eaten chip fell with a thud onto the carpet because of the relaxation in his hand muscles, but he didn't even bother to pick it up.

"This...they won?" Peanut rubbed his eyes, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "I didn't see wrong, did I? That rabbit team that we treated like bots and RNG whipped around like a spinning top actually defeated C9, the pride of North America?"

Blank also looked like he'd seen a ghost, swallowing hard: "Not only did they upset them, but did that Leona's initiation in the first game... completely stun C9?"

Not only them, but even Faker raised his eyebrows slightly and pushed up his round-framed glasses.

"Perhaps C9's mentality collapsed during the Infernal Dragon fight." Faker's voice remained calm, but there was a hint of contemplation in his eyes. "However, Misfits' performance today was truly surprising. Their tactical execution and the courage to make plays in desperate situations were completely different from when they played against us a few days ago."

"That's the allure of the World Championship, and also its cruelty." Coach Kkoma had somehow pulled out his notebook, his brow furrowed as he quickly jotted something down. "Never underestimate a winning mentality. Team Rabbit was dancing on the edge of a cliff today; they let go of all their burdens and actually played at 200% of their potential. That support player named IgNar timed the engage perfectly. This is a reminder that we need to be wary not only of 4-1 split pushes but also of hard supports engaging aggressively."

Xiao Yan leaned back in his large gaming chair, a cup of black coffee that had gone slightly cold in his hand. He watched as the Rabbit Team players took off their headphones, hugged each other wildly, and some even shed tears of emotion. A faint smile curved his lips.

Who wins or loses isn't important to him; it's just a bit of a pity.

"However, this means..." Bang, sitting in the corner, spoke softly, breaking the tactical discussion, "According to the points rules, C9 is eliminated."

The atmosphere in the training room immediately became somewhat awkward after those words were spoken.

Everyone knows what C9's elimination means.

"It means RNG has come back to life." Xiao Yan put down his coffee cup and stated this fact calmly.

According to the original script, if C9 beats the Rabbit team, then C9 will advance alongside SKT, while the highly anticipated LPL championship favorite RNG will suffer a humiliating defeat in the round of 16, stopping at the end of the group stage.

But now, thanks to the Rabbit team's upset victory, RNG has miraculously secured second place in the group and qualified for the next round thanks to a slight advantage in head-to-head record.

They, along with SKT, advanced to the quarterfinals.

"Damn, these Chinese fans are probably going crazy right now." Wolf snapped out of his daze, tore open another bag of snacks, and muttered as he chewed, "I can already imagine the overwhelming comments online."

Xiao Yan took out his phone and randomly opened a domestic e-sports forum.

As Wolf predicted, the entire internet was in an uproar.

The homepage was almost entirely dominated by red headlines:

[Destiny! What is destiny! RNG survived a great calamity; good fortune is sure to follow! Remember this name: Cola Novels. Remember this domain name: . Good books never get lost.]

[Thanks to our Rabbit Team for the assist! C9 died a horrible death, let's pop the champagne!]

Uzi's championship dream continues! Who said we fell in the round of 16? We made it to the quarterfinals!

The script for a comeback from 0-2 down to 3-2 is already written. In the upcoming knockout stage, RNG will be unstoppable!

[SKT's Xiao Yan, watch out! RNG isn't dead! If we meet in the playoffs, they'll definitely pay the price!]

Xiao Yan casually flipped through these fanatical, even somewhat manic, posts, his eyes remaining completely unmoved.

He's long been immune to the comments from these extreme fans.

"How's it going? Are you trending on social media again in China, getting all the criticism?"

"Pretty much." Xiao Yan locked his phone screen and tossed it onto the table. "They think it's God's blessing on RNG, that it's destiny."

"Fate?" Peanut scoffed. "A qualifying spot given to you by others, you call that fate? If the Rabbit team hadn't had such a stellar performance today, they'd already be booking their tickets home."

"That's just how fans are, they always need some kind of emotional support." Coach Koma closed his notebook, clapped his hands, and drew everyone's attention. "Alright, everyone stop looking at your phones. Whether RNG advances or is eliminated, it has nothing to do with us. We only have one goal, and that is the final championship. No matter who the opponent is, we'll crush them all in their way."

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison.

After the initial shock and discussion, SKT's training room quickly returned to its usual calm.

Eat when you're hungry, drink when you're thirsty, and have fun when you're happy.

Just then, Faker suddenly stood up and stretched.

Faker adjusted his glasses, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "Our schedule in Wuhan is now complete. Tomorrow we'll be heading to Guangzhou to prepare for the quarterfinals. To celebrate our group-leading finish and to reward everyone for your hard work these past few days..."

He paused, a glint of anticipation in his eyes: "Let's go eat hot pot! It's on me!"

"Yay! Long live Sang-hyeok!" Peanut was the first to jump up, cheering with joy.

"Hot pot again?" Wolf patted his round belly, complaining, but the way he swallowed betrayed him. "We've had hot pot three times in the last few days in Wuhan. But... since Sang-hyeok is treating, it would be too disrespectful of me not to eat."

Coach Kouma smiled helplessly: "Go ahead, go ahead, you're allowed to relax a bit tonight. But be careful not to eat too much spicy food, you have to catch a flight tomorrow, and if you get an upset stomach, I'll hold you responsible."

"Don't worry, Coach!"

So, led by Faker, the SKT team left the hotel in a grand procession and headed to a famous old-established hot pot restaurant in Wuhan.

The night in Wuhan is ablaze with neon lights and bustling with traffic. A gentle breeze from the river caresses this vibrant city, bringing a touch of early autumn coolness.

The hot pot restaurant was bustling with activity and steaming hot. The aroma of the bubbling red broth filled the air, and a whole table was covered with various fresh ingredients.