LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

After finishing her in-depth conversation with Su Mo, Luo Xin immediately handed the microphone to every member of EDG.

Under the lights, the contestants shared their feelings at the moment one by one, either relaxed or emotional.

When the interview with the last player came to an end, the LPL Summer Games, which had been noisy throughout the summer, also came to a quiet end.

The EDG players returned home in glory, surrounded by the heavy championship trophy.

A hearty celebration banquet was first given to reward the hungry champions.

After having a good meal and a few drinks, they contentedly set out on the journey back to the training base.

As the night deepened, Su Mo did not choose to rest immediately, but opened the live broadcast room he had not seen for a long time.

The screen lit up and comments flooded in like a tide. He smiled gently and chatted easily with the fans who were waiting in front of the screen.

The next half month will be a precious vacation for the EDG players.

Su Mo also took this opportunity to take the employees of his studio out for a trip to enjoy a rare relaxing time, leaving their laughter and joy among the mountains and rivers.

This time, the flames of the S-League will be ignited in the distant European continent.

Therefore, the team needs to set off early, not only to adapt to the local environment and adjust the annoying time difference, but also to conduct valuable training games with top teams from other regions in advance and spy on military intelligence.

Half a month of relaxing time passed by like a flash.

Before setting off, the LPL region held a simple and solemn departure ceremony.

The three iron armies representing the glory of LPL - the number one seed EDG, the number two seed FPX, and the number three seed IG, embarked on the journey together amid the anticipation of everyone.

After more than ten hours of long and slightly boring flight, the plane finally landed smoothly at the destination airport.

The cabin door opened and a gust of exotic air blew in.

Unexpectedly, outside the airport arrival hall, the LPL team was welcomed by enthusiastic local fans with cheers coming from all sides.

Afterwards, the three teams boarded buses to their hotels.

Outside the car window, unfamiliar street scenes passed by quickly.

After arriving at the hotel, Su Mo took the room card and skillfully found his room.

He first placed the suitcase against the wall, tidied it up a bit, and then couldn't wait to walk towards the team's exclusive training room.

When I pushed open the door, I saw that the other members of EDG had already gathered there. The air was filled with tension and anticipation for the upcoming battle.

Coach Abu stood in the middle of the room and clapped his hands with a serious expression, attracting everyone's attention:
"Everyone, the next month and a half is crucial!"

His voice echoed in the quiet training room, "Can our hard work and sweat throughout the year bear the sweetest fruit? Success or failure depends on this one move!"

He paused, his eyes sweeping across the young and resolute faces of each team member:

"From the feedback from major regions, our biggest rivals this year are probably still from the LCK teams. So, we need to pay more attention to and study them."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded solemnly, agreeing with it.

The factory director leaned back in his chair and sighed with some emotion:

"I never expected that after all these twists and turns, our biggest opponent turned out to be that man - Faker."

His words showed admiration for his former opponent and anticipation for the upcoming tough battle.

Meiko heard this and took over the conversation, with a strange sense of dreaminess in her tone:
"It's a bit unbelievable. Does our story really have to start with Faker and end with Faker?"

Iboy blinked and asked in confusion:

"What's going on? Are you guys... planning to retire collectively after this season? How come you even said something like 'the end'?"

His question was questioned with the frankness of a young man.

Su Mo interrupted the three people's sighs and speculations at the right time. His voice was steady and powerful:

"It's too early to think about these things now. The most important thing for us right now is to think about how to bring back the championship trophy. It's not too late to consider other things after the game is over."

Coach Abu took out his cell phone and said while operating it:
"Let me see if IG and FPX are ready. Call them together and go eat something to fill their stomachs first."

He tapped his fingers quickly on the screen and sent out a gathering notice in the contact group of the three LPL teams.

The EDG players understood what he meant and stood up, waiting outside the corridor.

Coincidentally, the players from FPX and IG were also arranged to stay on this floor.

Su Mo had just walked out of the room when he saw a door being pushed open with a "click" not far away.

Doinb's iconic figure, with his unique lively aura, strode out from inside.

The moment Doinb saw Su Mo, he seemed to be instantly injected with full energy, and his eyes suddenly lit up:

"Brother Mozi! Oh! It's Brother Mozi!"

He almost trotted over, as enthusiastic as a fire.

Soon after, the other members of FPX also came out of their respective rooms and joined Doinb.

At the end of the corridor on the other side, IG players also appeared.

JackeyLove walked in front, leading the IG group to approach slowly.

As they approached, the IG players greeted Su Mo politely:

"Brother Mozi."

"Hello, Brother Mozi."

Each and every call was simple yet revealed recognition of his strength.

Doinb seemed to have suddenly remembered something important, and quickly moved closer to Su Mo, saying anxiously:
"Brother Mozi, Brother Mozi! Are you guys free tonight? How about we play a few practice games together? It's a good opportunity to get my game back in shape. It feels like I haven't played a serious game in a while!"

His eyes were full of anticipation.

Upon hearing this, the factory manager raised his eyebrows slightly and replied:

"We're already at the doorstep of the World Championship. Shouldn't we prioritize scrimmages with teams from other regions to get a feel for them? The three teams in our LPL region know each other very well and have almost figured out their tactics."

Su Mo's lips curled up into a knowing smile. He saw through Doinb's little thoughts:
"He wants to test our understanding of the current version in advance, Silver Coin, am I right?"

Doinb was pointed out, but he was not embarrassed. He just smiled and showed his signature smile:

"Hey, this is called learning from each other and making progress together! Brother Mozi, don't be so stingy!"

Su Mo turned his gaze towards IG, and saw that most of the IG members looked calm and were not in a hurry to express their opinions.

"Let's go find a place to eat first," Coach Abu said at the right time. "We can talk about the training match slowly after we have eaten and drunk enough."

So, the three LPL teams walked towards the elevator together, ready to go downstairs to find food.

However, just as they were about to step out of the hotel door, a group of young people, also wearing team uniforms, came towards them!
Su Mo took a quick look and understood - another acquaintance.

The leader is none other than DWG team’s starting mid laner, Showmaker!

Following closely behind him were, of course, the other members of DWG, each of them with an expression of novelty and a hint of imperceptible fighting spirit on their faces.

The DWG players also noticed the huge team from LPL and their eyes lingered on them for a moment.

The IG team, which was walking in the front, was the first to face off against the DWG players.

"Senior Theshy."

Suddenly, DWG's starting top laner Nuguri took a step forward and greeted Theshy respectfully.

Theshy just nodded lightly as a response.

Nuguri kept a very humble posture, with his waist slightly bent and his head lowered. If someone who didn't know the situation saw his humble look, they might really think that the two were in a teacher-student relationship.

"Contestant Mo!"

Showmaker's clear voice rang out. He obviously recognized Su Mo in the crowd at a glance and took the initiative to step forward and greet him.

"Showmaker, long time no see." Su Mo responded with a smile.

The two shook hands in a friendly manner.

Showmaker seemed a little impatient and continued, "Can we arrange a training match? Player Mo! Later, or tomorrow is fine!"

Su Mo noticed that DWG's coach was standing in the back and didn't say anything, but Showmaker himself seemed extremely excited.

The eagerness and strong desire to fight almost overflowed from his eyes. It was obvious that he was very eager to have a clash with EDG in advance.

Before Su Mo could speak, Doinb quickly stepped forward with a warm smile on his face:
"Hey, Showmaker, hello, hello!"

Showmaker seemed to know this LPL mid laner who was famous for his antics and strong strength, and shook hands with Doinb politely.

Doinb spoke first, his tone full of unquestionable certainty:
"FPX has already arranged a training match with EDG, so EDG doesn't have time for the time being!"

Showmaker was obviously stunned when he heard this, and subconsciously glanced at Su Mo with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Doinb quickly turned around, winked at Su Mo, and said in a "you know" tone:
"Right, Brother Mozi? We've already made an appointment, so you can't schedule training matches with other teams anymore!"

After saying that, he immediately turned back and continued to "persuade" Showmaker with his eloquent tongue.

Seeing this, Showmaker could only give up helplessly: "Okay then, Mo, let's meet again next time if there's a chance."

He seemed a little regretful, but soon adjusted his mood, with a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes:
"By the way, contestant Mo, can I take a photo with you? I really want to take a photo with you!"

Su Mo nodded generously: "Of course, no problem."

So, the two top mid-lane players stood side by side and took a precious photo.

“Thank you very much! I’ll take my leave first, Mo!” Showmaker got the photo he wanted and left with a satisfied smile.

Su Mo also returned to the LPL team and continued to walk out of the hotel with everyone.

"What's going on? Are you and the DWG mid laner on such a good relationship?" The factory manager came forward and asked curiously.

Meiko couldn't help laughing when she heard this:
"Hey, Director, is there anyone in this circle who doesn't have a good relationship with Brother Mozi?"

He joked: "Have you not seen the various post-match interviews and player dynamics in other regions? Which player doesn't want to take advantage of Mozi's popularity?"

Upon hearing this, the factory manager muttered thoughtfully, "That's true. Fortunately, I was smart enough to hide behind, otherwise I would have been annoyed to death by those who wanted to take photos and arrange training matches."

"Hahaha..." Everyone couldn't help but burst into laughter after hearing what he said.

The three LPL teams finally found a restaurant with good reputation nearby and sat down to enjoy dinner together.

During the dinner, Doinb transformed himself into an "intelligence scout" and tried his best to get some information about Su Mo's understanding of the version and tactical reserves.

After all, at least half of the various BP ideas and tactical systems that are popular in the LPL region today were first used and effectively by Su Mo and EDG, and then learned and imitated by other teams, and further developed and evolved on this basis.

To the extent that, whenever the game version is adjusted and changed, all major teams will subconsciously pay close attention to EDG's subtle changes in playing style.

Doing so will undoubtedly save them a lot of research time and trial and error costs.

If you work hard and put in a lot of effort on your own, you may still end up going in the wrong direction. How can it be quick and efficient to just learn from ready-made successful experiences?

After dinner, everyone returned to the hotel and immediately started the training match.

However, since there have been no high-intensity official matches for a long time, the players' touch has become a little rusty, so tonight's training match is mainly focused on recovering their condition and regaining their touch, and they did not deliberately prepare any new tactical moves.

While the other team members were concentrating on the training match, Su Mo turned on the computer and skillfully entered the forum where players gathered, wanting to see what topics everyone was discussing.

An eye-catching post title instantly caught his attention:

#S9 Global Finals Top Players Official Ranking#
"Oh? Riot Games' 'Toxic Milk List' is here again!" Su Mo thought to himself, with a playful smile unconsciously appearing on the corner of his mouth.

He clicked on the post and the 20th on the list from the back to the front was - Rekkles!

Seeing this scene, Su Mo couldn't help but smile.

After all, FNC is a top European team, and this year's S game is held in Europe. In order to take care of the host's face and the emotions of local fans, Riot Games arranged for a few more local players to be included in the "Top 20 Players" list. This is reasonable and understandable.

Su Mo slid the mouse wheel and continued browsing.

Soon, he saw a familiar face again—Teddy, the ADC player from the T1 team.

On this player’s data panel, the KDA column reached an astonishing 18.4!

Normally, if a professional player's KDA can reach double digits, it is enough to prove that his survivability in team battles and his ability to find output environments are quite outstanding.

Moreover, his team output accounts for as high as 31.3%, ranking second among all ADC players.

This data is in stark contrast to the performance during the LCK regular season.

You know, in the regular season, all the gorgeous data of LCK were almost monopolized by the two new generation strong teams, DWG and GRF, and their dominance on the list was eye-catching.

However, in the playoffs, the veteran powerhouse T1 staged a championship myth of defeating four teams alone, resulting in a dramatic reversal of the final data at the end of the season.

Su Mo saw the comments about Teddy under the post, which were also full of praise:
"This data, this performance, it's like I'm seeing Bang at his peak!"

“Oh my god, are all ADC players in the LCK region so terrible?”

"This guy is really hard to kill. Anyone who has watched LCK games knows that he is simply a mobile damage fortress."

"Not only is his survivability at its best, his damage output is also explosive. I feel like Faker has a real chance of winning the S-League title this year!"

Su Mo did not comment on these comments, but just watched calmly.

He knew very well that some things were far from as simple as they seemed.

He continued to scroll down the list. Tarzan! Griffin's star jungler.

His KDA ranks first among all junglers, reaching 6.2.

As a jungler, having such a high KDA is really something.

After all, the jungler position usually requires taking on high-risk tasks such as initiating team fights, sacrificing oneself to protect teammates, and going deep into the enemy jungle to gain vision. It is easy to be ambushed and targeted by opponents, or be the first to be focused and killed in a crucial team fight.

Sixteenth place, Theshy!

When this name appeared, Su Mo's eyes narrowed slightly.

Below Theshy’s name, there are three eye-catching statistics listed, and all of them are marked with the word “first place”!

They are: team damage share, economic lead in the position, and number of hero selections.

When Su Mo saw this, he couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

He ranks first in the number of solo kills and the depth of his hero pool. It is completely understandable. Theshy's personal ability and hero pool are unquestionable.

However, the one who accounts for the highest share of damage in this team should be... Su Mo himself, right?

Suddenly, Su Mo had an idea and instantly understood the reason.

When the official statistics of players are collected, there is a basic prerequisite, that is, the players must play in at least three games before the data will be included in the valid statistical range.

If a player only plays one or two games, his or her data is usually not included in the final ranking.

Therefore, it is precisely because Su Mo played too few games in the summer season that his various statistics were not included in the official statistics.

However, Su Mo had long since become indifferent to these false names and rankings, and they no longer mattered to him.

The comments section below Theshy's ranking also reflects the fans' feelings quite realistically:

"It's Shy brother! He dragged IG into the S game with his own strength!"

"It's not easy. It feels like IG is now relying entirely on the top laner to support the team."

"What on earth are the other IG members doing? Can they all step up and make some contribution? Don't let Shy carry the team alone!"

"If we don't get the ideal results in this year's S League, I feel like Theshy's spirit will be worn out and the team may really fall apart."

The current state of the IG team is indeed somewhat subtle and abnormal.

Judging from the strength on paper, the individual abilities of the players on the team are quite good, and there is no shortage of top players, but when it comes to crucial and tough battles, they always fall short of winning.

Su Mo continued to scroll through the pages, and soon, a funny face jumped into his sight.

Perkz!

Whenever he saw this face, Su Mo felt an inexplicable sense of humor and couldn't help but want to laugh.

The comments about him below are also full of joy:
"Hahaha, will Ah P be beaten to tears again in this world competition?"

"As expected of you, Perkz, the world's best tough guy!"

"I think that what is more difficult than defeating G2 head-on in the game is how to make Ah P not be stubborn during the post-match interview."

"He is Uzi's nightmare and RNG's lifelong enemy in the world arena!"

Continuing down, Showmaker’s name is clearly on the list!
Statistics show that he ranks second among all mid-lane players in terms of the number of solo kills, but he only has 10 solo kills.

In today's version, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the mid-lane position to complete a solo kill in the lane.

Everyone has already figured out a variety of stable "mixed" playing styles, which can at least ensure that they can develop steadily online and not give their opponents any chances.

However, Showmaker's team damage share and team kill share both rank first among the mid lane positions.

This fully demonstrates the huge role and carry ability he can play in team battles.

Continuing down the list, another familiar figure appeared - Jackeylove!

Statistics show that he ranks first in both average kills per game and average damage per game in the bottom lane ADC position.

He is sharp and aggressive, just like his flamboyant style on the field.

Next is Nuguri, the top laner from DWG.

He is the solo kill king of the LCK Summer Season, topping the league with an astonishing nineteen solo kills!

At the same time, he is also the top laner who accounts for the highest proportion of team output!
When Su Mo saw this, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind:
DWG team's mid laner Showmaker and top laner Nuguri are both ranked first in team output in their respective positions.

So, does this mean that their bottom lane combination will be a breakthrough point for the team?
The comment section below Nuguri is also full of interesting memes:
"Beria! I know it's you! Do you think I can't recognize you just because you changed your vest?" (referring to his appearance)

"Why does this person look a bit like... an alien? Very distinctive."

"Fuck, I never realized before, is this Nuguri so fierce?"

"So, he is now the top laner in the LCK region?"

Indeed, many fans of the LPL region do not pay much attention to the specific situation of the LCK region, so their understanding of the LCK top laners mostly remains in the era of Smeb, Kiin and Khan.

Su Mo's eyes continued to move downwards, and Caps' name came into view!
Caps's data highlights a "strange" yet "powerful" character.

He is the solo kill king in the European LEC region, and he also ranks first in the statistic of economic difference after fifteen minutes.

However, his share of the team's economy is only 22.4%, which is among the lowest among mid-lane players.

The following comment accurately summarizes his characteristics:

"You eat grass, but you get milk! It is the greatest luck of Perkz's career that he can meet Caps!"

"Captain is the real core of the G2 team! A-P is often responsible for harvesting and picking up leaks in the back."

"Looking at the stats of the small cap makes me feel a little sad. He is just a tool, but the stats he produces are at the core level of the team."

“I feel like if G2 can’t win the S-League championship this year, they’ll probably have no chance in the future.”

Further down, a name that LPL fans feel very familiar with appeared - Jiejie!

EDG’s young jungler, Jiejie, was officially ranked high at fifth place!

This is his first time participating in the S game, and it is a remarkable achievement to receive such high evaluation.

The data support given in the list is: his participation rate in team battles ranks first among all junglers. At the same time, his team output share is also the first among all junglers!
This is due to his front-line jungle core playing style.

His signature hero, Prince, can even be played as a jungle core hero in his hands. The output he deals in team battles is in no way inferior to that of the team's top laner Ray.

This also fully demonstrates that even the same hero can show completely different playing styles and effects in the hands of different players.

The comment section below is full of expectations and praise for this young player:
"Sure, Jiejie! It seems the factory manager has really found a qualified successor!"

"I have to admit that Jiejie's performance this season does have the potential to take over from Zzaichang and carry the banner of EDG's jungler."

“Seeing Jiejie’s performance and ranking like this, the factory manager should be more relieved behind the scenes.”

"Fuck, he's at the peak right after debuting, and he's in the top five players in the S-League right after winning the league championship. He feels a bit like Brother Mozi back then!"

The list continues, and Meiko's name is also on the list!

As a support player, his team assists ranked first among all support players, and his vision score also ranked second.

The coexistence of experience and strength is the most solid guarantee for EDG's back row.

Fourth place, a name that shocked the entire e-sports circle - Faker!

When Su Mo saw Faker's familiar yet slightly weathered face, he couldn't help but feel refreshed.

In the photo, Faker is wearing his signature black-framed glasses and the classic black and white T1 team uniform, with a serious and focused expression.

When Faker was young, his eyes were full of confidence and sharpness, and his talent was evident.

But now, he has become more stable and mature, like a deep pool, unfathomable.

The data display below Faker is also different, with a special note stating “only playoff data is counted”.

His fifteen-minute economic difference, number of hero selections, and number of solo kills all ranked first in the playoffs.

This is obviously a "smart" way for the authorities to deal with the situation.

After all, T1's record in the regular season was once very bad. If those data were also included in the statistics, it would probably lower Faker's overall evaluation.

Faker was only ranked fourth. Su Mo was quite curious and wanted to know which three players could be ranked ahead of this legendary figure.

Third place, G2 team’s jungler, Jankos.

When Su Mo saw this result, he felt it was a bit outrageous!

Moreover, seeing this, Su Mo keenly discovered a problem:
The players from the North American LCS region seem to have collectively disappeared from this list!

It’s as if there is no such division in the professional League of Legends arena.

Although everyone knows that the European LEC region and the North American LCS region have always had a hostile relationship of "love and hate", the official was too obvious and excessive when making the list.

At the same time, he did not forget to place his European players as far forward as possible.

Su Mo glanced at the comments section below, and sure enough, it was already filled with curses and doubts:

"Who is this Jankos? I don't know him. Why is he ranked so high? Third?"

"Riot Games has really lost all their face this time. Jankos is indeed good at playing, but he definitely won't be qualified to be in the top three of the S-League player list!"

"I seriously suspect that the number one on this list must be the editor who compiled the top 20 contestants!"

"The value of this list has been lost all at once because of this ranking. It's meaningless."

Su Mo suppressed his speechlessness and continued reading.

Second place, T1 team’s jungler, Clid!

Su Mo felt it was difficult to make a specific comment on this ranking.

As a top jungler, Clid’s strength is unquestionable, but whether he can surpass Faker and rank second depends on his actual performance in the S game.

Finally, the much-anticipated first place was finally revealed!

When Su Mo saw the familiar name and the face with the iconic "hehehe" smile, he was completely stunned.

Doinb!

"Ah? It's actually...silver coins?" Su Mo blinked in disbelief.

Although the FPX team finally made it to the S9 World Finals and performed well, why was Doinb the first place?

The data given in the list is: Doinb's KDA ranks first among mid-lane players, his team participation rate ranks second, and he also ranks first in the number of hero selections in the playoffs.

The comment section below is a carnival of "Jin Gugu" fans:

"Cuckoo Chicken is number one! Our Cuckoo Sauce is invincible!"

"Great! It's Gugu! Now the value of this list has instantly increased!"

"No, wait a minute! Where is my brother Mozi? If my brother Mozi's list is not there, where are you going to rank?"

"I have a reasonable suspicion that this list was definitely sponsored by Jin Gugu himself!"

When Su Mo saw this, he thought that the list of "Top 20 Players" should end here.

However, he noticed that there seemed to be a faint image beneath Doinb's photo and comments.

With a hint of curiosity, Su Mo tried to scroll down the page.

Suddenly, a face that he was very familiar with filled the entire screen!

That's his own picture!

Above the photo, in bold letters, it read:

TOP 0: EDG - Mo!

"Is there still a TOP 0?" Su Mo was confused by this sudden operation.

Below his photo, the data column was blank, with no data at all.

This is normal. After all, Su Mo only played one game in the summer season, so it is naturally impossible for any valid data to be counted.

Then, there is the more exciting comment section:

"I am dying of laughter. There are a total of 21 top 20 contestants, right? That makes sense!"

"As we all know, there are usually five of the four kings in Asia, which is normal."

"This is the real list! Brother Mozi is the only exception in this world, above the rules!"

"There's nothing we can do about it. Without Brother Mozi, this S9 top player list would have no meaning at all!"

At first, Su Mo thought that this was just a post by the forum host who photoshopped the picture to make everyone laugh.

He even deliberately logged out and searched for relevant reports and news on official channels again.

As a result, to his surprise, this turned out to be true!

Riot Games has really arranged a unique "TOP 0" supreme position just for Su Mo! (End of this chapter)