LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

The night breeze in Seoul carried the slight chill of early autumn. When EDG's bus slowly pulled up in front of the hotel, it was already 11:30 p.m.

The hotel lobby lounge area was softly lit, and several familiar figures were chatting on the sofas. Hearing the door turn, they immediately stood up.

"Oh dear, our heroes are finally back!"

Accompanied by a crisp laugh, the four beauties of the LPL official commentary and hosting team—Yu Shuang, Rita, Luo Xin, and Xiao Yu—came forward with beaming smiles.

They had just finished recording in the studio today, removed their makeup from the camera, and were dressed in their own casual clothes, but they still couldn't hide their unique and beautiful charm.

"Hello, Auntie! Hello, Sister Rita! Hello, Sister Hunchback and Sister Xiaoyu!" The two newcomers, Ah Chen and Xiao Yue, quickly bowed and greeted them.

"Go away, who are you calling 'Auntie'!" Yu Shuang smiled and rolled her eyes at Ah Chen, then turned her gaze to Su Mo, who was walking at the very back and slowly twisting the lid of his thermos.

Today, Yu Shuang wore a beige trench coat over a fitted knit top, accentuating her mature and graceful figure. She walked naturally to Su Mo, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration: "Brother Mo, that Vayne play today had us commentators on the edge of our seats! How can you make a match so nerve-wracking?"

Before Su Mo could answer, Rita, dressed in a black fitted leather jacket and wearing light makeup yet still exuding a charming aura, had already moved closer. She stood on tiptoe, bringing a faint scent of roses with her, and whispered in Su Mo's ear in an ambiguous voice that only the two of them could hear, teasingly saying, "Yeah, Mo-ge~ your Vayne crossbow bolt not only pierced KT's defenses today, but also shot into my heart. Watching your match, my legs went weak."

Such a bold and slightly provocative joke would have made other young contestants blush to the roots of their necks. But Su Mo calmly brought the thermos to his lips, took a sip of the warm goji berry water, and his deep gaze didn't linger on Rita's impressive cleavage for even a second.

"Rita, you flatter me. If your legs are weak, I suggest doing more squats; they're good for your lower body strength," Su Mo replied calmly and seriously.

"Pfft—" The lively Luo Xin burst out laughing. She stepped forward and grabbed Rita's arm. "Hahaha, Rita, save your breath. Our Brother Mozi is a well-known old cadre. Your Spider Cave tricks won't work on him!"

Xiaoyu gently handed over a beautifully wrapped paper bag. She was wearing a light blue sweater today, looking pure and lovely: "Brother Mo, these are some Korean specialty snacks that Rookie asked me to bring for you. He originally wanted to come in person, but something came up. Congratulations on making it to the semi-finals! Keep up the good work in the upcoming matches!"

"Please thank Lao Song for me." Su Mo nodded gently and took the paper bag.

Looking at Su Mo's slightly tired but still upright back, Yu Shuang unconsciously reached out and naturally and affectionately straightened the slightly folded collar of his team uniform jacket. Her fingertips intentionally or unintentionally brushed against his neck, bringing a warm touch.

"Alright, I'll stop teasing you. You must be exhausted after playing three high-intensity BO5 matches today." Yu Shuang's voice was so gentle it seemed like you could squeeze water from it, and her watery eyes were full of concern. "Go back and take a hot shower and rest. Tomorrow, your sisters will treat you to barbecue to reward our LPL for its prestige!"

Surrounded by these four alluring e-sports goddesses, the air was filled with the captivating scent of different perfumes. Anyone else would probably have been tempted, but Su Mo simply smiled politely and took a half-step back, maintaining a perfectly safe distance.

"Thank you. Let's have the barbecue after the finals. We still have to prepare for the semifinals tomorrow." Su Mo put his hands back in his team uniform pockets and nodded politely. "Then we'll go upstairs first. You guys should get some rest too."

Watching Su Mo's tall, straight, and unwavering figure disappear into the elevator, the four girls exchanged bewildered glances.

“Tsk tsk tsk,” Rita licked her red lips, her eyes sparkling with even greater interest, “This man is like a ruthless tyrant on the field, yet so dashing offstage. He’s becoming more and more of a force to be reckoned with.”

Yu Shuang looked at the fingers that had just straightened his collar, a gentle yet complex smile playing on her lips: "Don't mess around. Right now, all he cares about is that Summoner's Cup."

……

The three-day preparation period passed in the blink of an eye.

Seoul, Olympic Gymnastics Arena.

S13 World Championship Semifinals!
As the tournament progresses, the battle for the World Championship has reached its most intense stage.

Today's match was full of extreme drama and a sense of destiny for viewers all over the world—an internal battle within the LPL region!
EDG vs. JDG!

On one side is the six-time champion dynasty that has dominated the LPL for seven years and boasts the "GOAT of esports," Su Mo; on the other side is the Grand Slam challenger who has invested heavily this year to build the "369, Kanavi, Knight, Ruler, Missing" super team, undefeated all year, aiming to establish a new dynasty!
The entire venue was packed. Although it was in South Korea, countless LPL fans who had traveled from afar still turned it into a sea of ​​red, their home crowd.

Backstage, in JDG's lounge, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed like water could drip from it.

Head coach Homme was frantically writing something on the tactics board, his shirt soaked with sweat on the back.

"369, I'll emphasize this again. Your task today isn't to gain an advantage, it's to survive!" Homme stared intently at his top laner. "Don't worry about what he picks, don't try to solo kill him! As long as you don't get crushed in lane, Kanavi and Knight can find a way in the bottom half of the map! Ruler's ability to take over the game in the late game is our biggest source of confidence!"

369 took a deep breath, his round face unusually devoid of its usual smile, and nodded emphatically: "I understand, Coach. Today, I absolutely will not roll a die below 3!"

On the other side, in EDG's rest area.

Su Mo remained as composed as ever. He sat on the sofa, eyes closed, mentally rehearsing the final hero pool.

"Let's go, brothers. Let's get our tickets to the finals back." Mingkai clapped his hands.

Su Mo opened his eyes, and a sharp fighting spirit ignited in those eyes that were usually as calm as a deep pool.

"Walk."

At 5 PM, the first game of the semi-finals officially began!
"Welcome to the S13 semifinals! I'm your commentator, Miller!"

"I am Guan Zeyuan!"

"I remember!"

In the commentary booth, the voices of the three commentators trembled slightly with excitement.

"This LPL internal battle is absolutely a clash of titans! JDG, as this year's number one seed, has shown terrifying teamwork; while EDG, with a crushing 3-0 victory in the quarterfinals, has shown everyone what true champion strength is!" Guan Zeyuan exclaimed.

Moving on to the business plan (BP) stage.

JDG is on the blue side, and EDG is on the red side.

"JDG is on the blue side, and EDG is on the red side. According to the rules, the blue side bans and picks first, while the red side will have the crucial fifth-floor counter pick!" Remember's voice echoed on the commentary stage, instantly drawing the attention of the entire audience into this silent battle.

The first round of banning begins.

With three crisp "clang! clang! clang!" sounds, JDG's head coach Homme didn't hesitate and immediately eliminated three heroes: Aatrox, Vayne, and Quesant.

"An extremely decisive three-ban on the top lane!!" Miller exclaimed. "Coach Homme is so smart! Against a player of Mozi's caliber, you absolutely can't be stubborn. You amazed the world with Vayne last game, and today I'm sending you straight to the ban room. Add to that their signature Aatrox and lane bully Quesant, JDG is determined to limit EDG's top lane influence!"

"That's right. After all, JDG's core strength lies in the bottom half of the map. As long as the top lane can hold its ground, they have a good chance of winning this game," Guan Zeyuan analyzed.

Despite JDG's targeted approach, Mingkai stood behind the EDG players, appearing unusually calm.

"Since they're targeting the top lane, let's break their signature teamfight strategy," Mingkai commanded in the voice chat. "Ban Neeko, Ban Riel, Ban Maokai!"

The three bans effectively neutralized Knight's signature engage mid-lane champion, as well as the top-tier jungle-support synergy between Missing and Kanavi.

"What will JDG pick for their first pick? Kanavi's monkey is still out there!"

On the big screen, JDG's first-floor avatar flashed, eventually locking onto the Winter's Wrath - Sejuani.

"Pick Sejuani! Kanavi got a jungler with great initiation and protection capabilities. This is a very solid choice, and it's great for ganking when paired with a melee top laner."

It's EDG's turn to choose between the first and second floors.

"Jack, Tianye, get me something comfortable," Su Mo said calmly.

"Then let's unleash our ultimate move!" JackeyLove smiled confidently.

"Feathers flying everywhere!" "A fleeting glimpse!"

Ni Yuxia, Huan Lingluo! The Phoenix Legend duo is instantly locked in!

The LPL fans at the scene immediately erupted in enthusiastic cheers.

"EDG has brought out their signature Xayah and Rakan duo! This bot lane has an extremely high win rate at Worlds, with top-tier self-protection and teamfight initiation capabilities!" Remember shouted.

JDG's second and third picks didn't hesitate at all, quickly locking in: Orianna for mid lane and Zyra for ADC. "Orianna and Zyra! JDG is betting everything on team fights in the mid-to-late game! If the game drags on to thirty minutes, and Ruler's Zyra gets in with Orianna's ball, the sight is just too horrible to watch!" Guan Zeyuan gasped.

On the third floor of EDG, jungler Chen locked in Vi, the Piltover Enforcer, to forcefully lock in Zephyr.

The first round of banning and pruning has ended, and the second round of banning has begun.

EDG, on the red side, used their fourth and fifth bans on supports: Nautilus and Lulu, aiming to dismantle the system protecting Zeli.

JDG then used their last two bans on Syndra and Azir for their mid laner, limiting Xiaoyue's champion pool.

"In the second round of champion selection, EDG's fourth pick, Xiaoyue, took Ahri, bolstering the team's mid-game tempo and engage capabilities."

Now, the pressure has reached the fourth and fifth floors of JDG.

In JDG's booth, Coach Homme patted 369 on the shoulder: "Take the safest option, as long as you don't die, you win!"

"Clang! Clang!"

JDG instantly locked onto two players on the fourth and fifth floors: support Leona and top laner Ornn!
"The God of Forging! Ornn!" Miller shouted. "369 has brought out the God of Resistance! This champion has a built-in item upgrade mechanism, getting stronger the longer the game goes on, and his tankiness is amazing! JDG's lineup: Ornn, Sejuani, Orianna, Zeli, Leona. It's so solid! The control chain is perfect, and the late-game ceiling is extremely high!"

At this moment, everyone's attention, including the commentators, the audience, and the five JDG players, was focused on the empty seat on the fifth floor of the EDG red team.

Everyone knew that it was the counter slot reserved for that man.

Mingkai bent down and looked at the screen: "Mozi, who can fight Ornn outside? Gwen? Or Troll?"

Su Mo gently rotated his wrist, a highly aggressive glint flashing in his deep eyes.

"When fighting Ornn, you don't need mixed damage or kiting."

His voice was calm, yet it was like a renowned sword about to be drawn, exuding a chilling sharpness.

“Since he wants to forge iron, then I’ll smash his anvil.” Su Mo turned to Meiko. “Tianye, get the Sword Maiden.”

Meiko grinned and instantly clicked the mouse to lock on.

"My sharp blade is ready to serve you!"

Fiora, the Grand Duelist!

boom!!!
Inside the Olympic Stadium, the cheers of LPL fans seemed to lift the dome off!
"Fiora!!! Mozi picked that legendary Fiora from the Bird's Nest stadium on the fifth floor in the first game of the semifinals!!" Guan Zeyuan's face flushed with excitement. "The ultimate spear against the thickest shield! This is EDG's answer: you build tanky to withstand the pressure, I'll use true damage to cut you down from start to finish!"

The lineups for both sides have been finalized:

JDG (Blue Side): Top laner Ornn, jungler Sejuani, mid laner Orianna, ADC Zephyr, support Leona.

EDG (Red Side): Top lane Fiora, Jungle Vi, Mid lane Ahri, ADC Xayah, Support Rakan.

"Alright! Game 1 of the semifinals, officially in Summoner's Rift!"

With a solemn female voice, ten beams of light descended into the spring.

From the very start, a suffocating sense of dread filled the air in Summoner's Rift.

Su Mo bought a Doran's Blade and a health potion, and then controlled Fiora to head straight to the top lane.

369's Ornn bought a Doran's Shield and cowered timidly at the edge of the bush in front of his own turret. Coach Homme's instructions before the game were still ringing in his ears, and today 369 could be said to have "stability" engraved on his forehead. He didn't even want to enter the experience zone of the minion wave, just waiting for the minion wave to push over naturally.

"When the minion waves meet, we can see that 369 is playing extremely cautiously, not giving Mozi even a chance to find a weakness!" Miller said, looking at the camera on the top lane. "But this kind of play also means that the top lane control will completely fall into EDG's hands."

Su Mo looked at Ornn, who was hiding like a turtle in the distance, and instead of pushing the lane, he blocked the minion wave in the middle of the river.

The time has reached 3 minutes and 15 seconds.

Kanavi's Sejuani has cleared the red buff and Krugs in the top half of the map and reached level three.

He glanced at the minion wave that was being controlled in the top lane and frowned. He knew that if he didn't help Ornn clear the wave this time, 369's minion wave would soon pile up into a huge wave, and if Vi came to the top lane to tower dive, Ornn would be dead for sure.

"369, I'll help you push the lane," Kanavi said in the voice chat, and Sejuani quietly emerged from the river bushes.

"JDG has made their move! Kanavi ganks top lane at level three! Trying to break Mozi's lane control rhythm!" Remember shouted.

Meanwhile, 369's Ornn abandoned his previous cautious approach and strode forward, using his Q skill [Volcanic Rush] to slam into the ground, slowing Fiora while a pillar of lava rose behind her. Ornn then activated his W [Bell's Breath], unleashing a torrent of fire to inflict the Fragile effect, and finally followed up with his E skill [Blazing Charge] to crash into the pillar, intending to knock Fiora high into the air!
Meanwhile, Kanavi's Sejuani also emerged from the flank, using her Q skill, Arctic Assault, to charge straight at him!
The control chain between the two Ueno members was extremely perfect, almost completely blocking Fiora's movement space.

"Danger!! Mozi is surrounded! Ornn and Sejuani's control is about to overlap!" Guan Zeyuan exclaimed.

Faced with this seemingly inescapable predicament, Su Mo, sitting on the battle platform, remained calm and composed.

His brain calculated the exact time difference between Sejuani and Ornn colliding with him within a fraction of a second.

"Ding--"

Just as Sejuani's tusks and Ornn's charge were about to simultaneously touch Fiora's body.

Su Mo's fingers tapped a key on the keyboard with extreme lightness.

W skill, [Laurent's Eye of the Heart]!
The Fiora adopted an extremely elegant yet deadly parrying stance, and a golden sword aura suddenly thrust forward!
"boom!"

A deafening crash echoed through the canyon. Sejuani's knock-up and Ornn's impact were instantly and perfectly blocked by Fiora's W, like mud sinking into the sea!

Even more fatally, Su Mo's piercing blade was aimed precisely at Kanavi's Sejuani, who was charging at the very front!
Parry and stun!

The golden sword energy pierced through Sejuani's massive body, stunning her and leaving her stunned on the spot!
"He blocked it!!! Brother Mozi used a god-level W to not only block the knock-up of two people, but also stun Kanavi!!" Miller's voice cracked instantly as he excitedly jumped up from his chair.

The tide of battle turned in an instant!

Su Mo didn't even look at Ornn, who had already used all his skills. He unleashed his Q skill, [Sky Piercer], with extreme sharpness, precisely targeting Sejuani's weakness!

Basic attack, E skill [Deadly Thrust] resets basic attack, the first hit slows, the second hit is 100% critical hit!
The fluid, lightning-fast maneuvers were breathtaking. Combined with the true damage and healing from her openings, Sejuani's health plummeted like an avalanche!

Kanavi woke up from his dizziness, terrified, and quickly used Flash to try to escape back to the tower.

"Want to go?"

Su Mo's lips curled into a cold smile. Without hesitation, he used Flash to follow up and landed a basic attack, shattering the second vulnerability that had just appeared on Sejuani's body!

"laugh--"

The white numbers for true damage appeared, and Sejuani's massive body crashed to the ground.

"First Blood!"

The system's rousing female voice resounded throughout the entire venue!

"First Blood!!! Mozi, facing the double-team of JDG's top and jungle, used his extremely abnormal reaction speed to not only escape unscathed but also kill Kanavi and get the first blood!!" Remember held his head, his face full of disbelief.

In the battle arena, Kanavi stared at the gray screen, a layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead. (End of Chapter)