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Chapter 154 Top Esports Advances to the Finals! (1 views, please subscribe)
The internet was abuzz with discussion and speculation surrounding Li Fan's absence from the departure photos, creating a chaotic scene.

The LPL officially released a promotional video meticulously crafted for this Intercontinental Cup, immediately capturing everyone's attention.

The opening of the promotional video is visually striking.

In the dim light, rows of drummers dressed in traditional costumes vigorously struck huge war drums to the accompaniment of heavy and rhythmic drumbeats.

Each drumstick strike felt like a blow to the hearts of the viewers, creating a tense atmosphere of impending storm and impending battle.

The drumbeats grew increasingly urgent, and the scenes changed rapidly in response.

The faces of players from WE, RNG, and OMG flashed by one after another, their eyes filled with determination...

The cheers of the fans at the scene, the coach's instructions, and the intense team battles during the match were interspersed throughout.

The grand finale of the promotional video was reserved for Li Fan.

Just as Li Fan appeared on screen, the drumming reached a climax and then abruptly stopped.

The background music became ethereal and grand.

Li Fan simply gazed calmly at the camera, his eyes deep and focused.

The footage interspersed his brilliant plays during the Mid-Season Invitational and the moment he lifted the trophy after winning the championship.

The final image focuses on a close-up of his incredibly confident profile.

In the center of the screen, a striking line of text appeared: "The Ambition to Defend the Title, the Pinnacle of Asia."

The promotional video has now ended, leaving viewers with endless aftertaste and a profound impact.

The filming techniques and methods of this promotional video clearly confirm the speculations of many people: they want to completely elevate Li Fan to a god-like status.

After all, the LPL officials gave Li Fan the most important closing position and the most impactful shot.

As the factory manager ages and his career enters its later stages, the authorities urgently need to find a new leader and a new figure to represent the company.

Li Fan, with his outstanding performance as the Mid-Season Invitational champion, his unfathomable hero pool, his unique personal charm, and the huge traffic he brings across multiple games, is undoubtedly the most perfect candidate for the "God-Making Project".

So his performance as the finale seemed unexpected, yet also perfectly reasonable.

After all, there was no one more suitable than him.

As for Uzi? He doesn't have a single championship, and he thinks he can take over the mantle with just two runner-up titles? How is that possible?
The officials aren't stupid either.

Seeing Li Fan's appearance in the promotional video, many fans who were initially worried breathed a sigh of relief.

[I knew it! They've already filmed the official promotional video, how could Brother Fan not go? He'll definitely be there now that he's not playing.]

[Yes, EDG, as the number one seed, has their match on the second day, so there's absolutely no need to rush.]

[This is quite a spectacle! He's the grand finale! This is clearly an official indication that Unreal is currently the best player in the LPL!]

[It's not that exaggerated, but it's close. If he can win the World Championship, he'll definitely be the number one.]

[So handsome! That look in his eyes! It gave me goosebumps!]

It seems my previous worries were unnecessary. Fan-ge must have been delayed by something, and he'll definitely meet up with me in Kaohsiung later...

With Unreal on my team, I feel reassured. Only Unreal can beat LCK; the others aren't that good.

Public opinion shifted instantly.

After all, they appeared in the official promotional videos for the Intercontinental Tournament. If they weren't participating, why would they appear in the videos?
But this overlooked Uzi, who also appeared in the video...

In fact, Uzi did not travel with the team.

The players weren't really that invested in the competition, and neither were the clubs.

Losing earlier means being able to come back sooner and prepare for the next match, which is a good thing.

However, shortly after RNG released the promotional video, their official Weibo account announced that Uzi would be absent from the upcoming Intercontinental Cup.

The reason is that my hand injury has recurred, and I need to use this time to treat it.

He immediately received a lot of concern from fans who inquired about his injury.

Hopefully Uzi recovers soon.

On July 6, the first League of Legends Asia Rift Rivals officially kicked off at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center.

The first match was between JTeam from the LMS region and SSG from the LCK region.

JT team has received a lot of attention because its owner is Jay Chou, but on the field, strength still speaks for itself, and having a celebrity owner does not give you an advantage in the game.

At most, more fans will come here to support...

SSG's ADC player Ruler demonstrated world-class AD skills. Using Varus, he not only held his own against JT's strong Kalista and Thresh duo but also delivered explosive damage in team fights, leading SSG to a relatively easy victory in their opening match.

The LCK region's strength was beginning to show, but this didn't cause much of a stir, since SSG is a strong team in the LCK, and their victory over JT was expected by most people.

Losing the game would be a real upset.

LPL viewers also felt a bit disappointed, but what they showed was already quite good. After all, it was unexpected that they could compete with Samsung for so long.

The LMS region has performed quite well. The Rift Rivals may no longer be just a battle between the LPL and LCK regions; the historical LMS region should also be taken into account...

However, the second match that followed completely ignited the anger of LPL viewers.

An infuriating scene unfolded as the host introduced the teams entering the arena.

When the LCK's MVP team was introduced, the audience responded with enthusiastic applause and cheers, creating a very friendly atmosphere.

However, when the host announced that OMG was from the LPL region, a large-scale booing erupted from the audience!
The Korean team welcomed the result, while their compatriots from the same region, OMG, were booed by the entire audience.

The piercing boos were clearly heard by all LPL viewers watching the match via live stream.

In an instant, the comments on major live streaming platforms exploded!

【? ? ? ? ? ? 】

[Holy crap? Boos? ]

What does this mean? Applauding LCK while booing LPL? Seriously, what's going on?

[Where the hell is this? Anyone who didn't know better would think they were in South Korea!]

[I'm speechless, this is disgusting!]

[We thought we were from the same origin, and you're resorting to these petty tricks to annoy us?]

This is so disheartening! OMG, cheer me on! Let's crush them!

After all, this is far too obvious.

The fact that only LPL teams aren't cheering and shouting clearly indicates that someone is organizing and creating this mess.

There's a feeling of helplessness, like you can't reach your hand into the screen.

Just then, some people holding up QQ Speed, CrossFire, and photos of Li Fan stood up from their seats.

“Ganlin’s mother! What are you yelling about here? What are you shushing about? Please! We are all Chinese, we share the same blood! This kind of confrontation and targeting is not solving the problem, it is clearly disgracing the entire Chinese nation! Is it necessary to make outsiders laugh at our family matters?”

Those in the front row who were booing were caught off guard by the direct criticism, and their boos noticeably stopped, because they didn't expect there to be fans supporting the LPL region in the audience.

Although there were few people, they still dared to point their fingers and curse at them, but they didn't dare to continue booing.

After all, people who do bad things have a guilty conscience.

Then, as if being choked, the voice gradually lowered, and the subsequent hissing seemed to lose its backbone, becoming sparse and eventually falling silent.

The director's camera keenly captured this scene, clearly showing these young people who stepped forward and the support signs for Li Fan in their hands on the live broadcast screen.

The chat in the live stream was initially very angry, but after this incident, the sentiment changed instantly.

After all, there are people on the scene who can help them teach these brats a lesson.

That really put my mind at ease...

Holy crap! Dude, you're awesome!

Well said! Why are we Chinese fighting amongst ourselves?

[See that? These are Fan Ge's fans! They have strong values! They're passionate!]

[Haha, the director really knows how to stir things up, giving a close-up of Fan Ge's support sign! Thinking about it that way, the director is actually pretty good.]

[I used to think Li Fan's fans were a bit like a fandom, but now I know I was completely wrong! I'm impressed!]

[Tears welled up in my eyes; in times of crisis, it's always our own people who help each other!]

These guys are real men! I'm a fan now! I'm a loyal Unreal Engine fan from now on.

[Haha, those three guys completely overpowered this whole group, it's hilarious!]

[Actually, there should be other people in the crowd... but we can only see these three through the camera lens.]

Putting everything else aside, I really feel great right now.

The discordant voices at the scene were forcibly suppressed. Although the atmosphere was still somewhat delicate, at least the OMG players did not have to start the game in a purely hostile atmosphere.

And OMG did not disappoint the few supporters who fought for a fair environment for them.

Facing the LCK's MVP team, the entire OMG team seemed to be injected with a powerful boost by the fans at the scene, playing with exceptional determination and courage, displaying remarkable decisiveness.

Icon kept looking for opportunities in the mid lane, and World6's tempo control was commendable, perfectly showcasing the strength of the mid and jungle.

The most exciting moment of the match belonged to Sima Laozei's big mouth!
In a crucial mid-lane team fight, OMG's formation was slightly off, and the situation was still dangerous. However, Sima Laozei's Kog'Maw surprisingly chose to flash in and activate his W skill, Biochemical Barrage, pouring his corrosive saliva onto the MVP team!

Move, attack, move again, attack again!
At the extreme distance, with the calmest operation, the most explosive damage was dealt!
"Double Kill!"

"Triple Kill!"

"Quadra Kill!"

"Penta Kill!"

The rousing system notification sound echoed throughout the entire venue!

Pentakill!

Sima Laozei's big mouth, on the stage of the Intercontinental Tournament, angrily berated five people and got a pentakill!

When MVP's base crystal was destroyed in the 33rd minute of the game, the areas that had previously booed fell silent.

The result proved that there were indeed many fans who came to support LPL. They had been suppressed by boos earlier, but this time they erupted into the loudest cheers since the start of the competition!
This match was absolutely amazing!
This cheer is the highest praise for OMG's wonderful performance and the most powerful response to the previous unfair treatment!
[OMG, awesome! Sima Laozei is awesome!]

[Pentakill! Did you see that?! This is the LPL's ADC!]

That was so satisfying! I shut you all up with my strength!

[Haha, where are the people who booed earlier? Why aren't they yelling anymore?]

Forget it, we won't kick a man when he's down. You just find it funny.

[Thanks to the brothers who stepped forward! You all deserve credit for this victory.]

When the five members of OMG came to the center of the stage and bowed to the audience, their gazes lingered for a few seconds in the direction of the young audience members who were waving Li Fan's support signs.

Icon even waved in that direction.

Although Sima Laozei still had no expression, it was clear that he was in a very good mood.

The LPL fans at the scene responded to their hero with even more enthusiastic applause and cheers.

OMG's victory has greatly boosted the confidence of the LPL region.

Next up, Team WE did not disappoint when facing AHQ, a strong team from the LMS region.

They demonstrated strong overall strength and a fierce offensive pace, establishing an advantage from the laning phase. In the mid-game, they expanded their lead through several brilliant team fights, ultimately defeating AHQ cleanly and decisively, securing another point for the LPL.

It's a pity that OMG lost to M17 later... and RNG was defeated by SSG.

On the first day of the competition, they only managed to win two out of four matches.

It's neither too good nor too bad; we'll have to see how the other teams perform the next day.

Even if they can't advance directly, there will still be opportunities for regional competition later on.

After the match ended, the LPL staff did not leave immediately.

They organized a small fan appreciation event, giving carefully prepared gift bags to the fans who stayed until the end to cheer for the LPL teams. The gift bags contained LPL merchandise, autographed photos of the players, and more.

To the fans' delight, the players from all four teams stayed behind to take photos with their lovely supporters.

In the photo, the contestants and fans are huddled together, their faces beaming with genuine smiles.

The young men who stood up to angrily rebuke the boos were pulled to the center by the contestants, and the Li Fan support signs in their hands were particularly eye-catching in the group photo.

That evening, the official LPL Weibo account posted the group photo with a caption.

Thank you to all the fans who cheered for LPL in Kaohsiung! Your support is the strongest backing for the players! The resounding cheers throughout the stadium moved us deeply! LPL, keep going! [heart]

This Weibo post was quickly forwarded and liked by many.

[I'm moved to tears; this is what esports should be like!]

Seeing the interaction between the contestants and fans is so heartwarming!

Those guys deserve it! They deserve to stand in the center!

Go LPL! Keep pushing tomorrow!

What's even more unexpected is that this Weibo post, which showcases the positive energy of esports and the friendly interaction between fans on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, has actually attracted the attention of mainstream media.

CCTV News' official Weibo account reposted this post with a brief comment.

On the field, they earn respect with skill; off the field, they unite hearts with passion. This is the spirit of young Chinese esports players! #AsianInvitational#

The repost and affirmation from CCTV News was like a shot in the arm for the entire LPL region!

This is not only an acknowledgment of the victory, but also a positive affirmation of the sportsmanship and unity shown by esports players and fans!

[Holy crap! CCTV reposted and commented on it!]

[Impressive! Impressive LPL!]

[Officially confirmed!]

[That's fantastic! Esports is really gaining more and more recognition!]

Today was truly a day of going from anger to relief to being moved!

But... why hasn't Unreal Engine appeared yet? Our current record... feels a bit bad. Can EDG handle SKT and Flash Wolves tomorrow?

While the LPL region was experiencing anger, relief, and emotion on the first day of the Intercontinental Cup, Li Fan at the Top Esports (TES) base in Shanghai spent the entire day immersed in high-intensity PUBG training matches with his teammates from the U.TES team.

The skill level in the high-elo ranks of the Asian server is now unimaginably high.

Almost every match involves a dozen or so professional teams battling it out, plus some formidable amateur teams, making the atmosphere tense from the very first jump.

Even with Li Fan's current reaction attribute of 92, combined with his top-notch game understanding and command ability, it's impossible to guarantee that he can get into the top three every time.

"Holy crap, another squad is coming! It's LGD's guys!" XDD exclaimed in the voice chat, his rifle already firing in bursts.

"The hill on the left is blocking us too! It's iFTY!" Mming quickly reported the location, his tone quite tense, feeling immense pressure being surrounded by two teams.

The sounds of gunfire and footsteps created an incredibly complex and overwhelming amount of information.

Li Fan's mind raced, issuing a barrage of commands: "Smoke screen, cover our movement, you and I will counter-press from the right, Xiao Dingdang will hold the front! Watch the flanks!"

In this level of competition, even the slightest mistake could lead to instant annihilation.

Li Fan could clearly feel that if he hadn't recently raised his reaction attribute to 92, he would have felt powerless in the face of such a dense line of gunfire and a complex situation.

There are just too many talented players in the FPS game field in China. Only by playing this game can you truly understand what it means to have so many heroes!

After a match, regardless of whether they won or not, everyone felt mentally exhausted.

"This intensity... is much more stressful than playing a League of Legends match." Li Fan rubbed his throbbing temples and sighed.

At this point, even his teammates were finding it a bit too much for them, but if they wanted to achieve good results, this was the only way to train.

If you don't practice, others will.

Can't you see that the queues are now open in seconds?
This is a game ranked in the top 200 on the Asia server...

Seeing that the team members looked a little tired after a day of intense training, Li Fan clapped his hands and said with a smile, "Alright, that's enough training for today. Everyone has worked hard. Let's go downstairs to Haidilao to relax, replenish our energy, and treat ourselves."

"Long live the boss!"

"Brother Fan is so generous!"

The team members cheered immediately, their fatigue from training vanishing instantly.

After all, what could be better than being taken to Haidilao by your boss when you're exhausted?
Especially now that it's nighttime, the intense training has left me starving. A good meal, a shower back in the dorm, and I can go to sleep soundly...

July 7th, the second day of the Intercontinental Championship.

The official League of Legends livestream had already surpassed 35 million viewers, and its popularity continues to rise at an astonishing rate.
Countless viewers are waiting for today's most anticipated match, EDG, and all the focus of their anticipation is on one question: Did Unreal actually come?

However, when Scout appeared on camera instead of Li Fan at the start of the match, the viewers in the live stream went wild, and the chat started spamming with comments.

【? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 】

[Where's Unreal? Why did they put in this terrible mid laner? It feels like they're going to lose from the start.]

[He really didn't come? What the hell?! What's going on?]

Why not use Unreal Engine?

[Scout vs. Faker? How is that even possible? How can a substitute compete against the starters?]

Is the rumor true? Unreal Engine is skipping the Intercontinental Cup to focus on the PUBG bounty tournament?

[Don't you care about regional honors anymore? Are you really that concerned about that PUBG competition?]

[So disappointing! I'm no longer a fan!]

What is EDG's management doing? Why did they agree to his not coming? Unreal's status is a bit too high.

Questioning, confusion, anger, disappointment… a torrent of emotions erupted in the live stream. Many couldn't understand why the region's rising star, heavily promoted by the official organizers, would be absent from this stage representing the region's honor…

Why not participate in the next competition?

However, Li Fan's fans, after the Mid-Season Invitational, can no longer accept being bullied. They will immediately stand up and fight back if anyone insults them.

[Hilarious, is this the start of moral blackmail? If you have regional honors, go play there! What are you yelling about here?]

[Uzi didn't come either, why don't you guys criticize Uzi for not caring about regional honor? He could play in the league with a hand injury, but he didn't go to the Intercontinental Cup?]

So you're just targeting Unreal Engine, huh? You're pretty good at double standards, huh? No wonder you're League of Legends fans.

The players have their own plans and considerations, and the club has agreed to them. Who gives you the right to interfere?

[Isn't PUBG competition a competition? What's wrong with Unreal, as the owner and player of U.TES, prioritizing his own game?]

What, does the LPL become unable to compete without Unreal? If that's the case, then I have nothing more to say.

[EDG beat SKT in the Mid-Season Invitational, so do you think they gained any regional honor?]

The arguments in the live stream focused on Scout, who was performing poorly, after the match between EDG and SKT officially began.

The match was one-sided from the very beginning.

Scout picked Orianna, trying to stabilize the mid lane and wait for the late game to come out strong, which was a good move.

However, he was facing off against Faker's Azir, who was in red-hot form.

During the laning phase, Faker displayed terrifying dominance.

The Sand Soldiers' precise thrusts continuously whittled down Scout's health, achieving a double advantage in both last-hitting and health.

Scout had a very difficult time playing, and even developing peacefully became a luxury. He wanted to play defensively, but he couldn't manage to.

Even more fatally, Faker's roaming and team fight performance completely overwhelmed Scout.

Both heroes are clearly late-game heroes, but Azir was forced to play like an early-game hero.

Several crucial pushes back pushed EDG's key carry players into dire straits.

Scout's Orianna, on the other hand, often misses his ultimate ability multiple times, or only manages to pull in unimportant front-line units, making it almost useless.

With such a huge advantage, Faker's Azir even abandoned the conventional sustained damage build of Nashor's Tooth and Rylai's Crystal Scepter, and instead confidently chose the Luden's Echo and Rabadon's Deathcap for an extreme burst damage build!
A Tsar actually chose to buy Luden's Echo first!
This is almost a huge mockery of EDG's mid and jungle players, and even the entire team.

This means that in Faker's eyes, the opponent can no longer pose any threat to him, and he only needs to deal maximum damage to quickly destroy the opponent.

These two items don't provide as much benefit to Tsar as you might think, but the damage they deal is truly explosive!
With WQ, you're at half health, and you can also use E to close the gap, giving you a huge advantage.

The game completely fell into SKT's rhythm.

EDG's defense proved utterly vulnerable against SKT's fluid and unstoppable offense.

Defense towers and jungle resources were lost one after another.
Ultimately, the match ended at 27 minutes.

With a huge economic advantage, SKT crushed EDG's base crystal.

A speedrun with no suspense whatsoever!
[Twenty-seven minutes?]

[I'm stunned. Is EDG really this fragile without Unreal Engine? They can just easily sweep through the enemy lines?]

What is Scout doing? Is he being played like a bot by Faker? Is he even a pro? Why is his Orianna completely useless, missing his ultimate repeatedly?

[Clockwork gets beaten like this by Azir? I could do that too, I'd just lose!]

The gap is too big! They're not even on the same level! No wonder you're only a damn substitute; I really can't understand why anyone would want you!

[First day missing Unreal Engine...]

Now you know why the official team is creating a god-like figure, right? Without Unreal, EDG is just a second-rate team; the difference is so obvious.

[Although I dislike moral blackmail, this scene... is truly frustrating to watch! Why isn't Unreal back yet? If this continues, it'll be a real problem.]

[Hurry up and swim back, don't embarrass yourself over there!]

EDG will next play Flash Wolves...

People still have hope; if SKT can't beat them, Flash Wolves should be able to win, right?

To everyone's surprise, even Flash Wolves couldn't win...

EDG was crushed again, losing the game in 31 minutes.

That means they no longer have a chance to advance directly to the finals.

Next, all we need to do is prepare for the best-of-five series between the LPL and LMS regions on the third day.

It was indeed somewhat embarrassing that the number one seed was completely crushed by the number one seeds from the other two regions.

It can only be said that from this day on, everyone lost hope for the Intercontinental Championship, and all enthusiasm vanished.

As a result, in the third day of the regional competition, LPL unexpectedly defeated LMS 3-0, rekindling a glimmer of hope.

But on the fourth day, in the finals against LCK, especially when the game was dragged into a decisive fifth game, everyone was on edge and very nervous when EDG faced SKT.

Because he didn't expect EDG to play in the decisive game!
But when they saw Li Fan in the seat, everyone's eyes widened!

I didn't expect him to come, but Li Fan actually showed up for the crucial decisive game!

At that moment, everyone was filled with confidence.

However, the process of the competition was terrifying for everyone.

During the 54-minute bladder-filled game, no one dared to leave their position, fearing that the game would end as soon as they left.

In the LCK livestream, everyone was looking forward to revenge.

We witnessed Li Fan's Cassiopeia petrify three SKT players with a fatal flash ultimate during the Elder Dragon team fight, and the hearts of countless LCK viewers in front of the screen sank to the bottom.

"It's over..."

These two simple words were the shared sentiment of almost everyone at that moment.

The entire team was wiped out in one wave.

EDG cleanly destroyed SKT's base crystal, helping LPL lift the championship trophy of the first Asian Games.

After a brief period of silence, the chat in the live stream erupted in a frenzy.

[As expected... they still can't win. SKT has pushed themselves to the limit, but the gap in the mid lane is still insurmountable.]

[Fifty-four minutes! I watched fifty-four minutes just to see this? Was I treated like a pig to be slaughtered?]

[Unreal is still Unreal... This Cassiopeia is too outrageous. Why is this champion so overpowered? It doesn't make sense.]

[I'm speechless, why can't Faker beat Unreal Engine?!]

[Ha! What world's best mid laner? He's won three championships and can't even win the Rift Rivals.]

The disappointment and anger brought on by the defeat made them need to find an outlet.

As a leading figure in the LCK region, Faker's defeat in his matchup naturally led to a backlash from the resulting media frenzy.

The LPL official live stream went completely crazy the moment Li Fan's Cassiopeia used her Flash and Ultimate to petrify three SKT players and ultimately led EDG to destroy the enemy base!
[Aaaaaaah! We won! We won!]

[Unreal! He is God! The absolute savior!]

[Arriving at the stadium at the last minute, he was called upon to lead the decisive game, and with a flash, he single-handedly defeated three opponents to turn the tide of the match!]

Who dares to call him a deserter from the region? Who dares to question him? This is the true value of being the LPL's best mid laner!

[I'm so touched! Fan-ge! You're my Superman!]

The barrage of comments flooded the entire screen like a tsunami, and all the anger was shattered at this moment by Li Fantian's godlike performance!

When the entire EDG team, along with players from the other three LPL teams who rushed from backstage, jointly raised the championship trophy symbolizing Asia's strongest region, the few LPL fans in the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center erupted in the loudest cheers since the start of the tournament, the sound almost lifting the roof off.

"Unreal! Welcome to the interview, and congratulations to you and LPL!" Ren Dong's voice was filled with excitement. "I think all the viewers are wondering the same thing as me right now: when did you arrive in Kaohsiung? And why did you decide to play in such a crucial fifth game?"

Li Fan took the microphone: "Actually... I just checked the time and felt like I could make it, so I booked the earliest flight to come over."

"I had just arrived at the venue when I heard that the fifth game was about to start. The coach asked me if I wanted to play, and I said no problem."

"As for why I'm participating... like everyone says, it's the honor of the region. I can contribute, so it's my duty. However... I still have to play in the PUBG Bounty Tournament tomorrow, so I probably won't be able to attend tonight's celebration. I need to rush back to training..."

【Fuck! 】

[Arrives, finishes coding, then runs away to continue coding! What kind of time management master is this?]

[Seriously! He rushed to the next match for the glory of the region, and immediately went back to training for the club and his own career—no problem!]

[Tears welling up, this is the true commitment and responsibility of a professional player! Not wanting to give up on either stage!]

[Hatemakers, speak up! Do you still have the nerve to criticize?]

[Take care of yourself, Fan! You just finished a grueling game and have to catch a flight again!]

After the interview, Li Fan didn't even participate in the post-match group photo or media interview. Under the understanding and grateful gazes of EDG management and teammates, he was escorted by staff and hurriedly left the venue, heading straight to the airport.

That night, hashtags such as "Unreal Savior", "Unreal Flash to the Event", and "LPL Intercontinental Championship Champion" dominated the top spots on Weibo's trending topics.

The most liked comment under the official Weibo post announcing the victory was: "I used to think the official deification was a bit excessive, but now I just want to say—keep it up! This is a true god!"

Li Fan's comments about rushing between events during the interview have been turned into various memes and jokes.

"I felt I could make it, so I came." — The accompanying image shows Li Fan's Cassiopeia using Flash and R to kill three enemies.

No one questioned his professional attitude anymore, and no one mocked him for being "half-hearted".

When a person proves themselves with absolute strength and responsibility in critical moments, all criticism will turn into more praise and expectations.

However, the bounty tournament is indeed quite short, lasting only five days.

The teams were eliminated through a points system. The original 24 teams were divided into three groups, and the top four teams from each group advanced to the final round. The champion was determined in the final day of competition.

Of course, in battle royale games like this, you advance by accumulating points.

The total points system designed by Huya is also very clever.

Each group has eight teams. Survival points are awarded as follows: 10 points for winning, 7 points for losing, and so on. The first team eliminated receives only 1 point.

Then you can get a point for killing the enemy.

This way, the gap between survival points and elimination points won't be too large, causing everyone to choose to play defensively and accumulate points, while some teams will choose to risk killing others in order to gain a larger score.

That would make for a very exciting match.

It can only be said that the designers of Huya's Bounty Tournament really considered a lot and didn't make the survival points too high.

Even if you win the game, you'll get two more points than your original score.

On July 10th, the Huya Bounty Challenge Group A matches officially kicked off at the Shanghai Hongqiao Tiandi Performing Arts Center.

It's clear that Huya is very confident in organizing this competition, which is being held offline from the very beginning.

Despite previous discussions about Li Fan's absence from the Intercontinental Cup, League of Legends fans did not buy tickets.

As a newly emerging hit game, PUBG's competitive nature and unpredictability have attracted a large audience, especially with Li Fan's participation, making tickets extremely difficult to obtain.

When the camera focused on Li Fan at the U.TES team's booth, the audience erupted in cheers and screams.

"Unreal! Unreal!"

Many fans holding up his support signs waved them vigorously, creating a powerful atmosphere that clearly showed he was on a completely different level from the other contestants.

The intensity of the group stage was just as we experienced during the scrims; every game was a top-level, brutal battle between professional teams!

Every shot was in place!
Parachuting, looting, relocation, combat... the pace is breathtakingly fast.

Moreover, this also puts a great strain on the director's ability to capture the moment. If the camera work is poor, the cuts will be messy and you won't be able to see anything. It's easy to miss exciting moments, and then the entertainment value will be zero.

League of Legends is the same...

However, a single PUBG match involves eight teams, plus the venue is quite large.

This can easily lead to the camera cutting out of focus.

Moreover, the viewing angle isn't very clear, so you don't know if they've actually seen anyone.

Therefore, this kind of competition needs an experienced director so that the audience can enjoy the competition more effectively.

Li Fan sat in front of the computer, her eyes focused.

In the first game, the flight path passed through the airport from south to north.

Li Fan decisively chose an airport with abundant resources as his landing point.

It's clear they're not afraid of confrontation!
The other teams that followed suit were also professional teams, hoping to establish momentum in the first game.

"Team One, Building C," Mming reported as soon as he landed.

"Grab a gun and clear them out!" Li Fan spoke quickly, picked up a UMP9 submachine gun and a few bullets after landing, and headed directly towards the direction of the gunfire.

Intense close-quarters street fighting erupted instantly.

Li Fan, with a reaction attribute of 92, performed exceptionally well in the angled position.

With the help of their teammates' follow-up shots, U.TES successfully eliminated the AG team in the early stages of the game, securing four valuable kill points.

But the gunfire at the airport also attracted the attention of other teams.

During the transfer, U.TES encountered the VTA team lying in ambush at the bridge. After a firefight, only Li Fan and XDD survived, and U.TES ultimately finished fourth in this game.

Although their points weren't very high, U.TES' strong start demonstrated their determination.

In the second game, U.TES opted for a more conservative drop point, focusing on farming and avoiding fights in the early game.

However, when the circle shifted in the mid-game, they were forced to encounter the LGD team in Y City.

“It’s GodV and his group!” XDD shouted.

"Block their path into the circle, Lu Bu watch the flanks, I'll draw fire." Li Fan commanded, but he himself made a very risky decision, circling around from the side in a huge arc.

Just as Wei Shen and his team were trying to force their way through the defensive line set up by XDD and Mming, Li Fan suddenly appeared from their flank and rear!
With precise recoil control of the M416 in his hand, the bullets seemed to have eyes, and he took down the LGD assault team first!
Immediately afterward, switch to the bolt-action sniper rifle Kar98k, and fire a shot instantly while in iron sights!
"boom!"

A crisp gunshot rang out, and Wei Shen's level 2 helmet shattered instantly, eliminating him from the game!
[U.TES-Unreal uses Kar98k to headshot and kill LGD-GodV]

"That sniper shot!" the commentator exclaimed from the commentary booth. "Unreal took down Wei Shen with a 98K! That flanking attack was deadly!"

Without their core commander, LGD was thrown into disarray and was caught in a pincer attack by U.TES, resulting in the elimination of all their members.

U.TES won this crucial team fight and advanced into the safe zone, ultimately securing the victory and earning 18 points in the game!
In the next three games, U.TES completely found their rhythm.

Li Fan's command is decisive; sometimes he leads the team to recklessly break through everything, and sometimes he can operate in the circle with extreme stealth.

His individual performance was nothing short of terrifying. Whether it was his accurate single-shot at mid-to-long range or his recoil control at close range, he demonstrated the level of a top professional player.

The fifth game was also the last game for Group A.

U.TES is already far ahead in points, but Li Fan did not choose a conservative approach. Instead, he continued to press forward aggressively, intending to completely crush the other opponents!

The final circle refreshed in the wheat field with only three teams remaining: U.TES with a full squad, AG with three players, and VTA with a lone survivor.

"AG is on the reverse slope at the bottom, and the VTA lone wolf is near our toilet." Mming accurately reported the information.

"First, clear out the lone wolf. XDD, follow me and push forward with smoke. Smile, set up your gun. Lu Bu, watch the AG direction and don't let them get close."

Li Fan and XDD used smoke grenades for cover and quickly approached the toilet. A grenade was accurately thrown into the window, forcing out the lone VTA wolf who easily took down the enemy.

The situation has now become 4v3, but AG occupies the reverse slope at the bottom of the hill, giving them a terrain advantage.

"We can't wait any longer, we have to keep fighting." Li Fan glanced at the shrinking electric grid. "I'll count to three, two, one, let's all throw our Flashbangs!"

"Three, two, one!"

Four flashbangs were thrown almost simultaneously from the slope towards the opposite side where AG was hiding! A burst of white light appeared!

"rush!"

Li Fan took the lead, leaping down from the top of the slope with a fully equipped M416 in hand!

In mid-air, his view had already locked onto an AG player who had been flashed, and bullets whistled out!

Land, kill!

U.TES-Unreal used the M416 to knock down AG-Xbin

Without any hesitation, he immediately turned sideways, pulled back his gun, and moved the crosshair to the head of another AG player who had just regained his sight!

"Ta-ta-ta-ta!"

[U.TES-Unreal uses M416 to kill AG-SUME]

Almost simultaneously, his teammates also took down the last enemy.

In the bottom right corner of the screen, the message that the AG team has been eliminated appears.

The screen freezes, and the words "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!" appear on the screen.

In the fifth game, U.TES secured the victory! They scored 17 points in that game!
When the Group A matches concluded and the final standings were displayed on the big screen, the crowd erupted in cheers.

First place: U.TES – 87 points

Second place: LGD – 62 points

Third place: AG – 39 points

Fourth place: VTA – 31 points

U.TES secured first place in Group A and advanced to the finals with a commanding 25-point lead over second-place LGD!
Although the top four teams can all advance to the finals on the fourth day, the strength shown by U.TES was terrifying to the audience.

They're on a completely different level from other professional teams, whether it's gunfights or strategy...

This instantly made everyone even more excited for the upcoming PUBG finals.

It naturally became a trending topic immediately.

#Top Esports Advances to the Finals#
(End of this chapter)