LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

In the judging panel's seats, Da Zhangwei scratched his head, and his signature chatter began again:

"Hands are more valuable than voice? Are your hands studded with diamonds, or can they turn stone into gold? In our circle, the only people who make a living with their hands, besides pianists like Lang Lang, are the foot massage therapists downstairs. Their strength is definitely valuable!"

The entire audience burst into laughter.

Su Mo's lips twitched beneath the mask; this guy really has a sharp tongue.

He raised the microphone and added casually, "In my profession, my hand speed determines life or death, and every move I make can elicit cheers."

That makes it even more mysterious.

At this moment, the professional music critic seemed to have grasped the blind spot and asked hesitantly, "Skill? Hand speed? Could it be... you're an e-sports player?"

These words caused an uproar among the audience.

"How is that possible! What esports player can sing this well?"

"Exactly, how could a hardcore gamer have that kind of presence and physique?"

"Unless it's that person..."

Although there were speculations, no one dared to confirm it.

After all, Su Mo's singing skills were so professional, at the level of a recording artist, which was too different from the public's impression of him as an "internet addict".

Ultimately, in the voting round, Su Mo defeated a crossover actor in the same group with a huge number of votes by performing the powerful song "Elimination," successfully advancing to the next round.

……

Su Mo wasn't given much time to rest before the second round of recording began.

This round is a "solo performance" by the advancing contestants, and it is also the climax of this episode.

This time, Su Mo changed the song.

The stage lights turned a blood-red dark red, and a CG scene of ruins and war appeared on the background screen.

The Lone Warrior.

This song, which became a global hit because of the Battle of the Two Cities in League of Legends, has a completely different feel when sung by Su Mo, the true "number one player in the League".

If Eason Chan's original version is about vicissitudes and narration, then Su Mo's version is about—victory and arrogance.

"All of them are brave."

"The wound on your forehead, yours, is different, the mistake you made."

Su Mo's voice was very low, like a whisper before a storm.

Then, accompanied by rousing drumbeats, his voice suddenly soared, and the domineering spirit he displayed on the field, "I will go even if there are thousands of people against me," was unleashed through his singing.

"Will you go? Are you worthy? This ragged cape!"

"War? Then fight! With the humblest of dreams!"

"To the sobs and roars of the night!"

"Who says only those who stand in the light are heroes!"

boom!
As the last high note rang out, Su Mo suddenly waved his hand, as if issuing a decisive team battle command on the stage.

The atmosphere at the scene completely exploded.

On the judges' panel, Ella stood up abruptly and clapped her hands, her face flushed.

Da Zhangwei's mouth dropped open in disbelief: "This guy is amazing! That explosive power! It sent chills down my spine! This is definitely not an ordinary person, his aura is too strong!"

Even after Su Mo bowed and left the stage, the audience's heated discussion continued.

Back in the lounge, as soon as Su Mo entered, he felt a weight on his body.

Rita and Luo Xin then came over.

"You're so cool!" Rita exclaimed, her eyes welling up with tears. "You were so awesome when you sang 'The Lone Warrior' just now!"

"I declare that from today onwards, I am your fan!" Luo Xin was still savoring the moment, "Especially that line 'War, let's fight!' It was absolutely swoon-worthy!"

Su Mo took off his mask and shook his slightly sweaty hair: "Basic operation, don't be silly."

Yu Shuang, who was standing nearby, handed her water while laughing and exclaiming, "If this episode airs, the entire e-sports and entertainment industries will probably be shaken up."

……

Yu Shuang's prediction was correct.

One week later, at 8 pm on Friday, the latest episode of Hunan TV's "Masked Singer" will premiere.

At this moment, at the EDG base.

To ease the tension before the playoffs, Abu specially organized the whole team to watch the program together in front of the big screen in the training room.

"BooGod, what kind of show is this? And we have to watch it?" Meiko slumped in his gaming chair, holding a bag of potato chips. "I'd rather use this time to play more ranked games."

"Stop talking nonsense, just watch, there's a surprise!" Abu said mysteriously.

Jiejie curled her lip and said, "Masked Singer? Are you suggesting we watch some retired contestant embarrass themselves? I remember someone sang there before, and it was absolutely horrible."

Just as everyone was chatting, the Night Walker appeared on the TV screen.

When that signature physique and walking posture appeared, JieJie, who was playing on her phone, suddenly paused, looked up at the screen, and frowned slightly: "That walking posture... why does it look a little familiar?"

Immediately afterwards, Su Mo spoke.

When the first line of the song "Elimination" came out, the training room instantly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Meiko dropped the potato chips she was holding on the ground.

JieJie suddenly turned her head to look at Su Mo, who was sitting in the corner, calmly scrolling through his phone.

"Holy crap?!" Meiko's exclamation broke the silence. "Isn't that Brother Mozi?!"

"That voice... it's a little different, but the tone, the pronunciation, it's definitely it!" Meiko realized too, "Brother, you went to participate in Masked Singer?!"

Su Mo didn't even look up, and said calmly, "That's my twin brother, Su Bai."

"What the hell?! Twin brother!" Everyone fainted.

As the show progressed, when the explosive stage performance of "The Lone Warrior" was presented, the entire EDG base erupted in cheers.

This song has special significance for professional players.

Su Mo's performance further expressed their deep longing for recognition and their passion to turn the tide in adversity.

“Awesome!!!”

“Awesome!!!”

Even the usually composed Abu couldn't help but pump his fist in rhythm: "This is so impressive! It's such a great honor for esports! Let's see who dares to say that esports players are just gamers who are just shut-ins!"

……

Meanwhile, a huge uproar erupted online.

The show had only been halfway through when #WhoIsTheNightWalker# surged into the top ten trending topics on Weibo.

After "The Lone Warrior" was performed, it immediately became a trending topic.

#TheLone Warrior of the Night# topped the trending searches.

The hashtag #NightwalkerIdentity# is trending second.

The comments from netizens were overwhelming:

[Passerby A]: My god, who is this Night Walker? That husky voice is amazing! This version of "The Lone Warrior" is the most captivating I've ever heard!
[Vocal Blogger]: Extremely strong breath control, no strain in the high notes, this is definitely professional level! But I searched through the entire Chinese music scene and couldn't find anyone who could match it?
[Sherlock Holmes]: The clues are "the hand is valuable," "tens of millions of viewers," and "the operation determines life or death"... Brothers, I have a bold idea...

[EDG 10-year veteran fan]: Wait... look at that microphone gesture, the index and middle fingers are habitually slightly raised, that's a habit from holding a mouse for a long time! And look at that posture, and that jawline... Am I going crazy? Why does he look like Su Mo to me?!

【Mo's Little Darling】: You're not alone upstairs! I've licked that Adam's apple countless times! It's definitely Mozi! And didn't Abu say a few days ago that he was in closed training? Training my foot! He was probably training to sing!

Soon, the all-knowing netizens began scrutinizing every detail.

Someone released a superimposed image comparing Su Mo's waving gesture on the competition stage with the waving gesture of "Dark Night Walker" during the climax of the song.

100% overlap!

Some people compared the timbre of Su Mo's voice when he occasionally hummed during his live streams. Although he was very casual during the live streams, the unique grainy undertone was exactly the same.

"The case is solved! It was Su Mo!"

"EDG's SuMo! The number one player in the LPL!"

"Holy crap, he's not only the world's best at video games, but he also sings so well? What kind of opportunity did God close for him?"

"He's even so handsome..."

"Did Nuwa give him a VIP subscription when she created him?"

That night, Su Mo's personal Weibo account was completely flooded with comments.

The number of followers surged by two million overnight, and countless people left comments asking for confirmation.

Even the official League of Legends esports account joined in the fun, posting a Weibo message:
[Wasn't "The Lone Warrior" really good tonight? @EDG_Mo]

Looking at the constant notification sounds on his phone, Su Mo smiled helplessly.

Rita, standing beside him, held a glass of red wine, her face flushed, and looked at him with dreamy eyes: "Big star, it seems you really can't hide it anymore this time."

Su Mo took the red wine and downed it in one gulp, a playful glint in his eyes. "Can't hide it?"

"Then don't hide it anymore."

"When they reveal their identities next time, we'll give them an even bigger surprise."

With the airing of the second episode of "Masked Singer", the popularity of "Night Walker" has not faded with time. Instead, it has turned into a nationwide carnival due to the online "exposing" movement.

Director Zhang of Hunan TV must be laughing in his sleep.

With viewership ratings exceeding 3 and online viewership ranking first by a wide margin, this isn't just about hiring an e-sports player; it's like hiring a god of wealth!

Meanwhile, Su Mo, at the center of the storm, was standing backstage during the recording of the final episode.

"Mo Shen, this episode is the unveiling ceremony, are you ready?" The female director in charge of coordination asked, blushing and her heart pounding, looking at the man in front of her whose tall and imposing figure was still evident even with a mask on.

Su Mo was adjusting his cufflinks when he heard this and smiled faintly: "Not only am I prepared, I've also brought a gift for the audience."

Today, he changed out of his black clothes and put on a well-tailored pure white suit.

The gold embroidery on the lapel of his suit made him look less cold and more elegant and dignified.

……

On stage, the lights are focused.

This episode is the final battle of the season, also known as the "Night of the King of Singers".

Su Mo did not choose to continue with the high-energy rock music, nor did she choose a heart-wrenching love song.

A black Steinway grand piano was slowly pushed onto the center of the stage.

Su Mo walked to the piano and sat down, her slender fingers gently resting on the black and white keys.

The whole audience held their breath.

"He's going to play the piano too?!" Da Zhangwei from the judging panel nearly popped his eyes out. "Just how many more skills does this guy have up his sleeve?"

Su Mo took a deep breath and his fingertips fell.

Ding--

A clear and melodious piano sound flowed out.

The intro is not any familiar pop hit, but a melody with an epic and tragic feel.

This is "Legends Never Die"

The theme song of the League of Legends S7 World Championship is also the battle song in the hearts of countless esports fans.

However, he adapted this originally rousing song into a slow piano movement.

"Legends never die when the world is calling you"

(When the world calls for you, the legend never dies...)
Su Mo spoke.

It was no longer that deliberately lowered, husky voice, but a return to his original clear, magnetic voice, carrying a power that penetrates the soul.

The piano accompaniment flowed like water, and Su Mo's singing rose and fell within it. He was not only singing a song, but also recounting his emotional journey through two lifetimes.

From obscurity to widespread attention, from being heavily criticized to reaching the pinnacle of success.

During the chorus, the band suddenly cuts in.

The drums thundered, and the electric guitar roared.

Su Mo suddenly stood up, slammed one hand down on the piano keys, grabbed the microphone with the other, and instantly transformed from an elegant young nobleman into a king ruling the battlefield!
"They wrote you down in history!"

(They will etch your name into history!)
"But you once bled for us!"

(But you fought and bled for us!)
The high notes soared into the sky, carrying a resolute determination that would never retreat even in the face of a thousand troops.

Although most of the audience members didn't play games, they inexplicably felt their blood boiling and their eyes welling up with tears.

That belief in burning everything for a dream, conveyed through Su Mo's voice, struck the hearts of everyone with a powerful impact.

The song is over.

Su Mo stood in the center of the stage, his chest rising and falling slightly.

This time, without waiting for the host's instructions, the audience below the stage had already started shouting wildly:

"Unmask! Unmask! Unmask!"

The shouts grew louder and louder, almost lifting the roof off the studio.

The host was so excited his hands were trembling as he walked onto the stage and shouted, "It seems everyone is impatient! Night Walker, please tell us—who exactly are you?!"

The stage lights suddenly became blinding, and all the spotlights shone on the figure in white.

Su Mo raised his hand and gently grasped the edge of the mask.

In that instant, the entire audience of thousands fell into a deathly silence.

Even countless viewers in front of their televisions held their breath.

"Click."

The mask's clasp came undone.

Su Mo slowly removed the silver-black mask that had accompanied him for three periods.

A face with sharp features, striking eyebrows and bright eyes, even more perfect than a professionally retouched poster, was displayed without any concealment under the high-definition lens.

He casually tidied his slightly messy bangs and flashed his signature smile at the camera, a smile that was three parts lazy and seven parts confident.

"Hello everyone, I'm Mo, the top laner for the EDG team."

boom--! ! !
Despite the speculation online, when the moment finally arrived, when the ID that once dominated Summoner's Rift overlapped with the dazzling singer before us, the impact was still nuclear-level.

The screams nearly shattered my eardrums.

"It really is Brother Mozi!!!"

"Ahhh! My husband is so handsome!!"

"This is like a real-life e-sports hero!"

"With looks like that, it would be an injustice if they didn't debut!"

In the judging panel, Ella covered her mouth and exclaimed, "Oh my god! He's so handsome! Even more handsome than in the photos! Isn't it a waste for someone with that kind of looks to play e-sports?!"

Da Zhangwei gave a thumbs up: "I'm impressed! Completely impressed! I thought you were a bronze player, but you're a king! You're the best singer among gamers, the most handsome singer, and the best gamer among handsome guys! You've got it all!"

Despite the uproar from the audience, Su Mo remained remarkably calm.

The host tried to control the situation and asked, "Mo Shen, I think I've asked what everyone is thinking. Since you have such great talent and such a good appearance, why did you choose to keep a low profile all this time? Everyone even said that if you didn't play professionally, you could become a top star in this industry."

Su Mo raised the microphone, his gaze sweeping across the entire venue before finally settling on the camera, his eyes sharpening.

"Because for me, the spotlight on the stage may be dazzling, but it is far less fascinating than the explosion of the crystal in Summoner's Rift."

He paused, then spoke in a firm and resonant voice:
“Singing is just a pastime for me; esports is my life. I’m here just to tell everyone… esports is not just about keyboards and mice; it’s also about passion, dreams, and glory that rivals any stage.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he casually tossed the mask in his hand into the audience, and amidst screams, he turned and strode off the stage.

He left behind only an extremely dashing silhouette, and the audience's thunderous applause and cheers.

……

Backstage lounge.

Su Mo had just pushed open the door and hadn't even had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief when he was taken aback by the scene before him.

All four of her beloved younger sisters were there, and Yu was also holding a large bouquet of flowers.

This small lounge has practically become a gathering place for the LPL's strongest female host and commentator team.

"Is this our King of Singers back?" Yu Shuang greeted him with a smile, holding a bouquet of flowers. "Congratulations, Brother Mozi, you look absolutely stunning!"

“Of course, look who has taken a liking to this man.” Rita said proudly, and picked up a tissue to wipe the fine sweat from Su Mo’s forehead. “When the director switched the camera just now, I saw several female viewers almost faint from excitement.”

Xiaoyu teased, "Brother Mozi, where did you throw that mask away? I just saw someone online offering 100,000 for that original mask! You just threw it away and it's worth 100,000!"

Su Mo took the flowers, sat down on the sofa, and crossed her long legs: "Okay, stop joking. If we don't leave now, the reporters outside will block us."

Luo Xin crouched down beside him like a kitten, blinking her big eyes: "So, to celebrate Brother Mozi's amazing performance, shouldn't we have some kind of reward activity tonight?"

These words carried a deeper meaning, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly became somewhat strange.

Su Mo raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over the several charming beauties, a mischievous smile playing on his lips: "A reward? Sure."

He leaned forward slightly, gently lifting Luo Xin's chin with his fingers: "However, can you... handle tonight's physical education class?"

The girls' faces instantly turned red to their ears, and Rita even playfully punched him: "You pervert! Who wants to take physical education class with you!"

But his eyes were clearly filled with anticipation and shyness.

Su Mo laughed loudly: "Let's go! Home!"

……

That evening, Weibo's servers crashed again.

Su Mo's name officially broke out of the e-sports circle and became a phenomenal internet sensation. (End of Chapter)