LOL: What does it mean to torture players?

"Welcome to the 2024 MSI upper bracket semifinals! EDG vs T1, the first game of the BO5 draft has officially begun!" Guan Zeyuan spoke rapidly, "T1 is on the blue side, and their first three bans are Fiora, Camille, and Gwen! They're not letting Mozi pick a split-push carry!"

Miller nodded: "EDG has banned Lucian, Vi, and Ahri. T1 picked Lee Sin first! Oner's signature pick!"

Both teams quickly finalized their lineups. T1 picked Lee Sin, Azir, Jinx, and Tahm Kench. EDG chose Wukong, Syndra, Aphelios, and Lena.

We arrived at the fifth floor of Terminal 1, at the designated seating area.

Zeus sat in front of the computer, biting his lip, and clicked the mouse on a Yordle portrait.

Gnar, the Lost Tooth!
"Gnar! Zeus has picked his most confident Gnar! He can split push or engage in team fights!" Guan Zeyuan shouted. "The pressure is on EDG's fifth pick. What will Mozi use to counter Gnar?"

Su Mo looked at the screen. He didn't hesitate.

"The day the broken sword is reforged will be the day the knight returns!"

Riven, the Exile!
There was an uproar.

"Riven?! Mozi picked Riven!" Miller's eyes widened. "How long has it been since this champion appeared in a professional match? Riven vs. Gnar, this is a pure test of individual skill and kiting!"

Game loading.

At the start, neither side had any intention of engaging in a level 1 team fight.

Su Mo controlled Riven to go to the top lane. Instead of buying Doran's Shield, he directly bought a Long Sword and three Health Potions.

At level one, Zeus's Gnar, taking advantage of his long reach, tried to pick Riven.

Su Mo didn't retreat. He timed his move perfectly, using the moment the melee minion was low on health. He used his Q skill, Broken Wings, to slash at the minion with the first part, dash to close the distance with the second part, and then knock up Gnar with the third part!
Basic attack triggers passive damage.

Gnar immediately used his Q skill, Boomerang, to slow down and pull back. Su Mo didn't chase, turning around and walking into the bushes to avoid the minions' aggro.

"They fought fiercely from level one. Mozi used the Q-card technique to trade one bar of health with Gnar," Guan Zeyuan analyzed.

The laning phase has reached level three.

Riven and Gnar are both controlling the lane. Gnar's rage is already halfway there.

"Oner has finished the red buff and is heading to the top lane," Chen reminded him in voice chat. His Wukong was counter-ganking in the bottom half of the map.

Su Mo glanced at the mini-map.

"understood."

Gnar changed his positioning. He started crossing the minion wave, trying to pressure Riven with auto-attacks.

Su Mo did not retreat. He pressed his E skill, "Charge Forward," and as his shield lit up, he blocked Gnar's basic attack.

Just then, Lee Sin emerged from the river bushes, landing a W on Gnar and then using his Q ability, Sonic Wave, on Riven.

Su Mo right-clicked the floor to the left, and Riven swiftly twisted her body, the Lee Sin's Q grazing past her blade.

"Oner's Q missed! Oner's Q was dodged!"

The Lee Sin didn't give up, immediately slamming the ground to slow Riven. Gnar followed up with damage, his rage almost full.

Su Mo glanced at Nar's rage bar.

He did not run down the tower.

Q1 slashes at Lee Sin, followed by a basic attack. W [Soul-Shaking Roar] stomps on two opponents!
dizziness!

In the moment of dizziness, Su Mo controlled Riven to take a step back.

Gnar, now enraged, transforms into Mega Gnar! He immediately uses his W skill, "Punch," to try and stun Riven on the spot.

But Su Mo's step back was timed with extreme precision. Gnar's hands slammed heavily onto the floor, but he missed Riven by just a hair's breadth.

"He dodged it! Mozi used his movement to dodge Gnar's W!" Miller shouted.

Skills vacuum period.

Su Mo counterattacks. He uses Q2 to slash at Gnar, followed by a basic attack. The third Q knocks up Gnar and Lee Sin again!
The longsword was brandished. It ignited and hung on the blind monk's body.

The Lee Sin's health was almost depleted, so he used Flash. Su Mo followed with Flash and finished off the Lee Sin with a basic attack.

"First Blood!"

Seeing the situation was bad, Gnar used his E skill to leap away. Su Mo didn't chase after a full-health Gnar; instead, he turned to push the lane and recall to base to replenish his supplies.

"A counter-kill! Mozi managed to kill the jungler in a 2v1 situation by using subtle maneuvering!" Guan Zeyuan raised his voice, "Oner is on fire this time."

In six minutes, Riven reached level six.

Su Mo bought Caulfield's Warhammer and Boots of Clarity.

After logging in, he immediately started pushing the lane.

Zeus's Gnar stood beneath the tower, his anger reduced to a third. He believed he was safe beneath the tower.

The artillerymen moved into the tower.

Su Mo stepped into the attack range of the defensive tower.

Ultimate skill [Exiled Blade] activated! The broken sword is instantly reforged, and the blade bursts with green light.

Gnar immediately pulled back, his finger on the E skill, ready to jump away at any moment.

Su Mo initiates with his E skill, and then instantly unleashes the second part of his ultimate, [Swift Slash]!
Seeing the sword energy coming, Gnar immediately used his E skill to jump.

But just as Gnar took to the air, Su Mo activated Flash.

It's not running away, it's flashing forward!

Riven instantly appeared directly below Gnar's landing point. She activated her W ability, Soul Roar.

Gnar, who had just landed, was instantly frozen in place. The sword energy of the Gale Slash also grazed Gnar's body at that moment.

Flat A, Q1, Flat A, Q2.

Damage fully charged.

Gnar's health bar was depleted, and he fell under the tower.

"Solo kill!! Tower dive solo kill!!" Miller slammed his fist on the table in the commentary booth. "ER flash W! Mozi predicted Gnar's jump landing point and stunned him right there! Zeus didn't even have a chance to use Flash!"

Su Mo withstood two hits from the tower, then moved out of the tower's range, with one-third of his health remaining.

He remained expressionless, pushed the lane, and then returned to base.

Eight minutes later, the Rift Herald spawned.

Having secured a solo kill advantage, Riven had already completed the Ravenous Hydra components Tiamat and Caulfield's Warhammer.

"Come pick up the vanguard," Su Mo said in the voice chat.

EDG's mid, jungle, and support immediately moved towards the top river.

T1 wasn't going to back down. Faker's Azir cleared the mid lane and then arrived with Lee Sin and Tahm Kench.

The two sides were locked in a tug-of-war at the vanguard pit.

Su Mo's Riven stood in the bushes outside the pit, blocking the view.

The Blind Monk kicked the Vanguard, trying to wake him up.

The moment the blind monk made his move, Su Mo moved.

Activate ultimate ability. E skill allows you to pass through walls.

Riven descended from the sky, her third Q skill landing directly in the middle of the T1 team!
Knocked away Tsar and Lee Sin.

W stunned both of them. Tiamat, basic attack.

The damage exploded. The squishy Tsar's health was instantly reduced by more than half.

Faker reacted extremely quickly, using Cleanse to remove the stun, and then used his ultimate, "Forbidden Wall," to push Riven away.

But the instant Su Mo finished casting W, he pressed Q1 and teleported behind the Tsar.

The Imperial Guard's wall was breached.

A swift slash was unleashed!
Green sword energy tore through the air. The Tsar fell dead.

The Blind Monk tried to escape but was caught in Ah Chen's Monkey King ultimate, and Xiao Yue's Syndra finished him off with damage.

"A 0-for-2 exchange! EDG takes the Rift Herald!" Guan Zeyuan spoke rapidly, "This team fight was entirely a one-man show by Mozi. His Riven's entry timing was perfect; Faker couldn't even push him away!"

Fifteen minutes later, Riven built Ravenous Hydra and Black Cleaver.

The outcome of the match has been decided.

On the sidelines, Zeus's Gnar couldn't even see the lane. As soon as Riven appeared in vision, Gnar had to retreat to the second turret.

At 22 minutes, a team fight broke out for the fourth dragon.

EDG's five players teamed up.

Su Mo's Riven didn't go head-on. He brought a scanner and circled around from T1's lower jungle to behind the red buff wall.

T1 maintained a tight formation, with Tahm Kench protecting Jinx.

Ah Chen's monkey stealthily enters the field and unleashes its ultimate skill to disrupt the enemy formation.

Su Mo seized the opportunity and activated his ultimate skill. He flashed over the wall!
Riven was like a hungry wolf cutting into a flock of sheep.

E followed by W, stomping on Jinx and Tahm Kench. Q skill, Lightning Dance, deals full damage.

Tahm Kench didn't even have time to swallow Jinx before she was killed by Riven's Wind Slash.

"AD got instantly killed! T1 crumbles!"

Without their core damage dealer, T1 was powerless to turn the tide. EDG scored a 4-0 exchange and secured Baron Nashor.

At 25 minutes, EDG destroyed T1's base.

The first game ended with a score of 1-0.

Taking off his headphones, Su Mo picked up the thermos on the table and took a sip of water.

"Well played," he said to his teammates before heading backstage.

On the T1 stage, Zeus looked at the results panel on the screen and rubbed his sore wrist.

Faker patted him on the shoulder: "It's okay, we'll change our tactics next game."

Backstage lounge.

Ah Chen rushed in excitedly: "Awesome! We completely crushed Oner this game. Mo's Riven is still so strong!"

Mingkai handed Su Mo a bottle of water: "T1 will definitely target the top lane in the next game. They might pick Quesant or Sion and try to drag the game into the late game."

"Take whatever you want." Su Mo sat down. "They won't be able to drag this out to the later stages."

In the second game, T1 indeed changed their strategy.

They picked Sion for Zeus and Galio for Faker in the mid lane, determined to focus on ganking and team fights.

Su Mo chose Gwen.

The final lineups for both sides have been determined.

T1 (Blue Side): Top lane Sion, Jungle Vi, Mid lane Galio, Bot lane Lucian and Nami.

EDG (Red Side): Top laner Gwen, Jungler Xin Zhao, Mid laner Taliyah, Bot laner Zephyr and Lulu.

In the commentary booth, Guan Zeyuan looked at the big screen: "T1's lineup is very solid. The Luna duo will control the early lane, and Oner's Vi will coordinate with Galio to set the pace. Zeus picked Sion to fight to the death in the top lane."

Miller nodded: "That's right. Sion is at a huge disadvantage against Gwen in the laning phase, as Gwen's true damage and percentage-based damage reduction are specifically designed to counter heavy tanks like this. But in this game, Zeus took Teleport and Flash, and chose Grasp of the Undying and Bone Plating as his runes, determined to survive under the tower."

Game loading.

Su Mo sat in front of the computer, his eyes calm. He bought Gwen a Doran's Ring and two health potions. Her summoner spells were Teleport and Ghost.

"Chen, Oner will definitely start with red buff and farm top. He needs to protect Sion during the early game." Su Mo communicated in voice chat while controlling Gwen at the start of the game. "You start with blue buff and farm top. We'll meet in the top river in three minutes."

"Received, Brother Mo." Ah Chen controlled Zhao Xin to mark his own blue buff.

On the other side, T1 is facing off.

Faker glanced at the top lane and said calmly, "Zeus, don't farm the lane in the first three levels, just focus on gaining experience. As long as you don't die, we'll be invincible in team fights in the mid-game."

Zeus gripped the mouse tightly and took a deep breath: "I know. I'll stay calm."

At one minute and thirty seconds, the entire army launched an attack.

The minion waves converged in the top lane. Zeus' Sion stood behind his own ranged minions, appearing extremely cautious. He had leveled up his Q skill, Brutal Strike, at level one, intending to use a charged Q to last-hit low-health minions, determined not to engage Gwen in a basic attack fight.

Su Mo's Gwent learned the E skill [Continuous Ghost] at level one. Instead of pushing the lane, he positioned himself next to the melee minions.

A melee minion is low on health. Sion steps forward, raises his axe, and begins charging his Q skill.

The red judgment area spread out beneath Gwen's feet.

Su Mo's eyes flickered slightly, and just a fraction of a second before Sion's Q skill was about to land, he pressed his E skill. Gwen nimbly slid to the side, not only moving out of Sion's knock-up range, but also using the attack range and attack speed bonus provided by her E skill to slash Sion with a pair of scissors.

Flat A, then flat A again.

Sion's bone plating was broken, and his health dropped by two bars. Zeus didn't dare to fight back and turned to head down the tower.

Su Mo chased after the enemy and attacked a third time, then used the bushes to block the minion's aggro and returned to the minion wave.

"Such precise distance control." Rita exclaimed from the commentary booth, "Mozi has figured out the charging range of Sion's Q skill. This diagonal E skill not only dodged the damage, but also perfectly closed the distance."

At 2 minutes and 15 seconds, the first melee minion of the second wave of minions was killed.

Gwen was the first to reach level two. She instantly leveled up her Q skill, Quickcut.

At this point, Sion was only level one, and Zeus could only watch helplessly as Su Mo controlled the minion wave in the middle, not daring to even enter the experience zone.

Before level three, Su Mo used auto-attacks and the true damage from a fully stacked Q to whittle down Sion's health by half, leaving Sion with no health potions.

Three minutes and twenty seconds.

Oner's Vi finished clearing the jungle camps in the top half of the map, reached level three, and stepped into the top lane bush by exploiting the blind spot in the river's vision.

“I can catch you, you create an opening,” Oner shouted in the voice chat.

Zeus gritted his teeth, controlling the half-health Sion to step forward, pretending to use his E skill [Killer Roar] to finish off the car.

Su Mo glanced at the minimap. The Luna duo was pushing the lane bot, while Galio and Taliyah were evenly matched in the mid lane. Achen's Xin Zhao had just finished his red buff and was crouching in the top river bush.

“He’s getting anxious.” Su Mo said calmly, “Ah Chen, keep an eye on Wei’s position.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Oner's Vi burst out of the bushes, charging up her Q skill, Power Punch, and aimed directly at Gwen.

Su Mo didn't retreat; he pressed his W skill, [Silk Threads]. A pale blue, holy barrier unfolded beneath Gwen's feet. Vi's punch struck the edge of the barrier, but because Gwen was at the center, she was immune to all control and damage.

"It's empty! Oner's Q was blocked by Gwen's W!"

At this moment, Achen's Xin Zhao burst out from the river, using his E skill [Fearless Charge] to stab Vi in the face. With the red buff slowing him down, he continued to stab with his spear.

Su Mo activated Sprint, Gwen's movement speed increased dramatically, bypassing Vi and directly targeting the half-health Sion.

Sion's E skill was used to close the gap, and his Q skill, with four stacks of his passive, precisely slashed down, dealing true damage to the very center that brought Sion's health bar to almost zero.

Zeus used Flash to escape to the tower.

Su Mo followed up with a flash, and secured the kill with a basic attack.

"First Blood!"

"First Blood!! Ueno 2v2, Mozi got First Blood!" Guan Zeyuan shouted, "Oner's gank was too forced, Mozi used his W perfectly. Now Oner is also stuck to Zhao Xin, and can only use Flash to escape."

At 3 minutes and 40 seconds, EDG's top and jungle players achieved a resounding victory, and A-Chen took control of the river crab in the upper half of the map.

five minutes.

This is a crucial time point in the current version. The dragon spawns in the lower half of the map, and the Void Larva spawns in the upper half.

Taking advantage of Luna's lane priority in the bottom lane, Oner immediately took the first Infernal Dragon.

EDG then made the decision to swap resources.

"I'll help you kill the larvae." Su Mo pushed the minion wave towards Sion's turret and turned to walk towards the river.

Achen's Xin Zhao is resisting the damage from the Void Larva.

At this moment, Faker's Galio in the mid lane finished clearing the wave and disappeared from sight.

"Galio's gone missing, probably went to gank," Xiaoyue's Taliyah signaled. (End of Chapter)