LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

That night, Weibo's programmers experienced the darkest night of their careers.

The server crashed.

It wasn't just a slow, choppy crash; it was a complete system outage.

When you open Weibo, all you see is a blank screen and the message "The server is under repair."

The reason is nothing more than that man—Su Mo.

#SuMoTheNightwalker#, #E-sports ProtagonistSuMo#, #SuMoUnmasked#, #LegendsNeverDie#...

Of the top 50 trending topics, more than 30 are related to Su Mo.

He alone took eight of the top ten spots.

The remaining two are "Weibo crashed" and "EDG's official Weibo account was overwhelmed".

Inside a high-end nanny van.

Li Xinghe, a popular young male idol in China who just released a new album and is aiming for the top spot on the trending searches, is currently staring intently at his phone screen, his face ashen.

"What's going on? Didn't we agree to buy the number one spot on the trending topics? Why can't we even get into the top ten now?!" Li Xinghe slammed his phone on the leather seat and roared at his manager next to him.

The agent, covered in sweat and looking utterly desperate, said, "Xinghe, there's... there's really nothing we can do! We bought the trending topic, but Su Mo's traffic is all organic! The numbers are terrifying, it's like a tsunami! Our paid commenters barely managed to get it going before it was drowned out by millions of real comments from people over there!"

"Su Mo? That's the guy who plays video games?" Li Xinghe gritted his teeth. "How does a lousy gamer have such a huge following? Does he even know how to sing or dance? Does he have a fan base?"

The agent gave a wry smile and handed over a tablet: "Xinghe, take a look at this... This is his data from the show. His single got over 100 million plays in an hour, that's more than your new song got in a week. Moreover, CCTV.com and the Communist Youth League both reposted his song 'The Lone Warrior,' saying it represents 'the power of youth in the new era.' This isn't just about traffic, it's official endorsement!"

Li Xinghe looked at the man playing the piano on the screen, then at the almost unanimous positive reviews below, and finally slumped helplessly in his chair.

He was jealous, insanely jealous.

He worked so hard practicing dance, dieting, creating hype, and maintaining his persona to achieve his current status. But this Su Mo, just by appearing on a variety show for two episodes and casually singing a few songs, easily stole all the attention he had ever dreamed of.

Is that human being?
……

Meanwhile, at Sheshan Villa.

Su Mo had no idea that she had become the public enemy of half the entertainment industry, nor did she know how many young male celebrities were grinding their teeth in their blankets.

He is now facing an even more serious problem—his phone is being bombarded with calls.

"Brother Mozi, this is the twelfth call already."

Yu Shuang, dressed in a loose-fitting silk dress, held Su Mo's constantly vibrating personal phone in her hand and looked helplessly at the man lying by the pool sunbathing. "This time it's the vice president of Huayi Brothers. He said he wants to sign you to star in a movie, the male lead, and you can name your salary."

Su Mo lazily rolled over: "Cancel it. Just say I'm busy, I have to play ranked matches."

"Just now, a variety show director said he wanted to invite you and Rita to appear on a dating show called 'E-sports Romance'..." Luo Xin said with a mischievous grin while peeling grapes, "The price they offered was very high!"

Su Mo's lips twitched: "Dating reality show? No way."

That morning, Su Mo's villa practically became a hotline for entertainment industry executives.

Top producers, record company owners, famous directors... these big shots who are usually high and mighty and have countless stars flocking to them are now acting like salesmen, trying every possible way to contact Su Mo.

Several companies even sent contracts directly to the EDG club, with the penalty clause stating, "We'll cover all the penalties if Su Mo comes."

The reason is simple: with Su Mo's face, his voice, and his massive following of casual observers and die-hard fans, with just a little packaging, he could be the next superstar! A cash cow!

"Brother Mozi, are you really not going to consider it?" Xiaoyu held the tablet, staring at the astronomical prices on it, somewhat speechless. "This music company said that as long as you sign with them, they will give you the best resources and guarantee that you will win a Golden Melody Award within a year. It's very tempting."

He looked at the women around him who were worried about him, smiled, but his eyes were unusually clear and firm.

"Money? Do I need money right now?"

"That circle is all fake smiles and scripts. Where can you find the thrill of fighting in the canyon?" Su Mo stretched, his knuckles cracking. "Besides, if I really became a star, who would lead that bunch of useless teammates to a championship? I wouldn't trust them."

Rita walked over and gently patted his shoulder: "I knew you'd say that. Even though there's a lot of money, that's not your world. You belong as the king of the arena, not in that kind of cesspool."

Su Mo took her hand in return and smiled, "Sister Ta Zi understands me best. So, let's just say no to them all."

……

In the afternoon, Su Mo drove back to the EDG base.

As soon as he entered the gate, he sensed an unusual atmosphere.

The team members, who would normally be training or slacking off at this time, were now standing in neat rows at the door, even Abu was there.

"What's going on? Are we welcoming the leaders for an inspection?" Su Mo raised an eyebrow.

The next second, Jiejie suddenly pulled out a bouquet of "flowers" made of broccoli and lollipops from behind her back, rushed forward, and knelt on one knee:

"Congratulations on your return to the palace, King of Songs! God of Ink, please accept my bow! If you ever become rich and powerful, do not forget me!"

"Get lost!" Su Mo lightly kicked him in the butt, laughing and scolding, "Stop with this nonsense. Broccoli? For dinner, huh?"

The crowd burst into laughter and swarmed around Su Mo.

Saint Gunner rubbed his hands together, a lewd look on his face: "Brother Mozi, I heard a lot of female celebrities are following you on Weibo? Is there anyone... if you can help me get an autograph..."

Su Mo helplessly pushed away these clowns: "Alright, alright, I'm just going to sing a song, not to ascend the throne. I need to train. The playoffs are about to start, and I don't want to get thrashed in the first round, that would be a huge loss of face."

Just then, Abu walked over, his face beaming with an undisguised smile, but a hint of worry in his eyes.

"Brother Mozi, come to the office."

in the office.

Abu poured Su Mo a cup of tea and looked at him with a complicated expression: "Just now... Boss Zhu from Edward called me."

"Oh? What did the boss say? He's going to give me a raise?" Su Mo asked half-jokingly.

“A raise is a certainty,” Abu sighed. “The main thing is that several top entertainment agencies just contacted the boss directly, offering very… very tempting terms to buy out your management contract. They even proposed that EDG and you ‘share’ your management contract, so you can play professionally and be an artist at the same time.”

Abu observed Su Mo's expression and said, "One of the offers could even buy half an LPL slot. The boss asked me to ask your opinion. After all, for many people, such an opportunity is like hitting the jackpot."

Su Mo's expression remained unchanged after hearing this.

"Bruce, do you think I can maintain my current form if I'm juggling promotional appearances, filming, and competitions at the same time?"

Abu shook his head decisively: "Well, professional players' focus can't be easily worn down. But you..."

“That’s it.” Su Mo interrupted him. “Tell the boss to decline all offers of help. I, Su Mo, may have many identities in my life, but right now, I only have one identity—that of a professional gamer.” “As for those entertainment companies…” Su Mo’s lips curled into a smile, “Tell them not to bother.”

Looking at the young man before him, Abu's worry vanished completely, replaced by deep admiration.

To remain so clear-headed and resolute in the face of immense wealth and fame.

This is the true heart of a strong person.

"Great! With you saying that, I'm relieved!" Abu slammed his hand on the table. "Then we don't need to worry about all that nonsense! Everyone prepare for the battle, with the goal of winning the Summer Championship and... the World Championship!"

……

In the days that followed, Su Mo indeed seemed to have completely severed ties with the entertainment industry, just as he had said.

Despite the uproar outside about his popularity and the countless paparazzi staking out the base, he seemed to have vanished into thin air, his daily life consisting of only two points: the base and the villa.

EDG's official Weibo account also released an announcement at the opportune moment:
[Thank you for your support of player Mo. We are currently in a crucial period of preparation for the playoffs, and the player will be training in complete isolation, temporarily refusing any commercial activities or entertainment invitations. In esports, results speak for themselves. See you on the field.]

This announcement, while disappointing countless investors and fans who wanted to capitalize on the trend, also won unanimous praise from core fans in the esports community.

"This is the real Brother Mozi! A truly clear-headed person!"

"When it's time to play, play; when it's time to play, play. When it's time to focus, focus. That's the professional attitude!"

"Those popular celebrities should take a good look at what true vision is!"

Under this intense, closed-off training environment, time flew by, and the LPL Summer Playoffs finally began.

As the undefeated first-place team in the regular season, EDG was directly promoted to the winner's bracket semifinals of the double-elimination tournament, allowing them to wait in comfort for the challenger who would rise from the bottom.

The atmosphere in the training room has become noticeably more diligent these past few days.

Even Jiejie, who usually loves to joke around, was wearing headphones, staring at the screen with a furrowed brow, practicing the fastest jungle clearing route over and over again.

Su Mo sat in the corner, his posture still languid, but his actions on the screen were so fast that only afterimages could be seen.

He's also practicing hero skills.

It's not that the current meta is strong, but rather those signature moves that have almost disappeared in this version...

"Brother Mozi, is this thing... really usable in a match?" Saint Gun looked at the hero on Su Mo's screen and swallowed hard. "If we bring this out, won't the other side call the police on the spot?"

Su Mo's fingers flew across the screen, and the hero on the screen unleashed a dazzling combo, instantly depleting the training target's health bar.

He took off his headphones, turned around, and gave Flandre a sinister smile:
"Don't worry. Since they're all figuring out how to counter my Fiora, Riven, and Rengar, I'll prepare some new gifts for them."

"After all, it is the fear of the unknown that is most deadly."

On the screen, the hero held a huge anchor in his hand and emitted a deep-sea glow, but he was not in the support position or the mid lane, but standing in the top lane.

Nautilus, the deep-sea titan.

This hero is not commonly seen...

But looking at Su Mo's pre-built item build: Nashor's Tooth, Rift Slayer, Lich Bane...

Full AP attack speed build Titan?

Saint Gun covered his face: "This world has really gone mad."

In mid-August, the heat wave in Shanghai not only did not subside, but became even hotter with the conclusion of the LPL Summer Split regular season.

The neon lights along the Huangpu River stayed on all night, and the air in the entire e-sports circle was filled with a sense of tension and excitement before a storm.

After the final match of the regular season, the LPL official website released the final playoff bracket and promotional video, "Ascending the Gods' Steps," overnight without any delay.

The promotional video begins with a pitch-black fog.

The heavy drumbeats sounded like war drums, and in the mist, figures clad in battle robes struggled forward.

Those are the various factions within the LPL.

The camera then pans to JDG, who are currently second in the standings.

369 holds the dice, his eyes resolute;
Kanavi transformed into the jungle beast king, with coach Homme strategizing behind the scenes.

Subtitles appear: JDG: 14 wins, 2 losses. The evolved Redmi army, driven solely by revenge.

Next up is TES.

JackeyLove stood amidst a flurry of feathers, while the orb in Knight's hand surged with dark energy.

Subtitle: TES: 14 wins and 3 losses. Fighting to the end without regrets, the Sailors are rebuilt and aiming for the Silver Dragon.

Next up is RNG.

As the defending champions of MSI, despite a bumpy regular season, they still managed to secure fourth place. Breathe takes a deep breath, and Gala mechanically ascends.

Subtitle: RNG: 13 wins, 3 losses. Royal Never Give Up, Adversity Reveals True Heroes.

V5, WBG, LNG, OMG, FPX, BLG...

Teams battled fiercely in the mist, stepping on each other's shoulders as they tried to climb the mountain that symbolized the highest honor.

However, when the rousing background music reached its climax, the camera suddenly zoomed out, passing through layers of clouds and mist, and reaching the mountain peak.

There stands a throne forged from countless broken swords and trophies.

There were not five people sitting on the throne, but only a man wearing an EDG black and gold team uniform and a half-silver mask.

He leaned back lazily in his chair, casually toying with a championship ring in his hand, his eyes looking down at the masses below the mountain with disdain.

Behind him, the other EDG members—Viper, Scout, Jiejie, Meiko, and Flandre—stood on either side like the most loyal knights, exuding an aura of power.

As the man slowly removed his mask, revealing Su Mo's cold and handsome face, he spoke softly to the camera:

"You're fighting for second place, because first place can only belong to me."

boom! ! !
The screen shattered, a series of special effects freezing on that despairing points leaderboard:

[First Place: EDG. 16 wins, 0 losses. Game score: 32-1.]

[A legendary run of undefeated victories, leading by a wide margin.] (End of Chapter)