League: I really didn't tank!

Chapter 517 Incheon

"Congratulations QG!" On the LPL commentary booth, Guan Daxiao and his two partners were loudly congratulating them, and everyone had a smile on their face.

"To be honest, it wasn't unexpected!" Remember said excitedly, "QG didn't disappoint us, successfully sweeping FNC 3-0!"

"In the upcoming matches, we no longer need to worry about the LPL, because after this match, only LPL teams will remain in this World Championship. The championship has already been secured for our region!"

At this point, Ji De sighed, "In a tournament hosted by Koreans, we actually secured the championship from the semi-finals! Before the competition, I could hardly have imagined this!"

"In 2015, at the S5 World Championship, it was the weakest period for our LPL region, with our strongest team stopping at the quarterfinals! But it was also the strongest period for LCK, when SKT and KOO met in the finals, securing the championship in advance and creating a legendary story!"

"Now, it's 2018, the weakest period for LCK, but our strongest! We've secured the championship early and become the undisputed number one region!"

"Now, let's put aside our tension and enjoy the game!"

In the video, Chen Dongqing has stood up, exchanged fist bumps with his teammates, and then walked towards the FNC players' bench.

As he walked, Little Tiger chuckled and said, "Wow, that was easy!"

"You have the nerve to say that?" Chen Dongqing said, glancing sideways. "Your rhythm was a bit off in the last two rounds!"

In the last two games, FNC was able to hold on for 27 or 28 minutes before losing mainly because Xiaohu's rhythm was not as smooth as in the first game.

If Xiaohu is a bit of a wobble, then today's speedrun will be in under seventy minutes again.

"There's nothing I can do," Xiao Hu said, scratching his head. "Caps on the other side is the strongest player in Europe, and I'm having a bit of a struggle."

"Struggling against Caps?" Chen Dongqing shook his head. "Then what about against Doinb and Rookie? They're much stronger than Caps, aren't they?"

"That's different!" Xiaohu patted his chest. "They're from the same region, I've studied them a lot, I'm confident I can beat them!"

Chen Dongqing: "."

OK, that makes sense.

The group walked over to the FNC players' bench and shook hands with smiles.

Although Chen Dongqing was somewhat dissatisfied with the speed at which the last two rounds ended, this speed was actually astonishing in the eyes of others.

The last commentator, Rita, praised, "QG is just too strong. We used to say 'no team could even see SKT's high ground' to describe SKT's dominance back then, but with QG, we can say that..."

"Not only did no team manage to reach QG's high ground, but no team could hold out against QG for more than thirty minutes!"

"That's right!" Colonel Guan exclaimed loudly, "In this meta that emphasizes the top, mid, and jungle, and prioritizes early-game skirmishes, QG's advantages have been maximized. Their current average game time is only around twenty-five minutes! This is an unimaginable number in any World Championship!"

"And this pace won't slow down even in the finals," Remember said with a smile. "Because QG's opponents in the finals, whether it's FPX or IG, are both teams that emphasize early-game fighting. When these teams meet, it will be a swift and decisive battle!"

Inside the Gwangju Hotel at this time.

The members of IG looked at the scene before them with serious expressions.

They have some knowledge of the FNC team.

FNC is a team that came out of the same group as IG, and they even defeated IG twice to get first place in the group.

Although IG seemed to be sleepwalking during the group stage, their lack of understanding of the current version caused them a lot of trouble.

The reason they played this way was mainly because during the LPL Summer Finals, their fighting system, which revolved around the coordination between the top, mid, and jungle, was completely destroyed by Chen Dongqing, causing them to doubt their own team-up system.

They believe that if they don't change, they won't be able to beat QG.

In the Summer Finals, their only advantage came from their mid and jungle, so they decided to try a strategy that focused on mid-jungle synergy and picked tanky champions like Sion and Urgot for TheShy, keeping him out of the main rhythm of the game.

But the result was even worse; they were even defeated twice by FNC.

The second-place result in the group made them reflect deeply and decide to rediscover their best playstyle, picking carry-type top laners like Jayce, Fiora, and Irelia for TheShy to get him back into the rhythm of the game.

Once the rhythm changed, IG immediately regained their form, defeating KT 3-0 and wiping out the LCK region.

That being said, although IG is currently struggling in the group stage, the individual abilities of the five players are undeniable, so the team's floor is unlikely to be too low.

Since FNC was able to defeat them twice, their strength is obviously not to be underestimated!

But even with such a team, QG still managed to speedrun through!

They need to be stronger to defeat QG!

"Come on, let's practice some level 1 strategies in a custom game," Ning said. "We still need to work on improving our level 1 team fights!"

"Come on!" The IG members immediately nodded and joined in.

With only three LPL teams remaining in the semifinals, they have no more scrims to play, so they can only rely on ranked or custom games to maintain their skills and practice strategies.

FPX is also involved in training.

The two teams will be taking the stage tomorrow.

QG is still a matter for next week. What these two teams need to do right now is to defeat their current opponents!

Incheon, of course they're going.

On stage, after shaking hands, the QG members finally began the interview phase.

Chen Dongqing was once again invited to the main stage for a joint interview in both Chinese and English.

Hosts Sjokz and Lin Yuanhua first greeted the audience along with Chen Dongqing, and then immediately asked, "What are your thoughts on this semi-final?"

Chen Dongqing paused for a second before saying, "It was a fantastic competition experience. FNC's players are incredibly strong and full of fighting spirit today, which was truly exhilarating!"

As soon as he said that, a burst of laughter erupted from the audience, and the live chat was also filled with amusement.

【classic】

This guy can always spout nonsense after a game.

[You want to crush the opponent, then praise them, and use that as an opportunity to elevate yourself, right?]

Having watched Chen Dongqing compete for so many years, viewers now know what kind of person he is when it comes to interviews.

Before the competition, he was more arrogant than anyone else, making all sorts of bold statements and boasting.

But when he actually won, he became humble and started praising how amazing his opponent was.

With a smile, Sjokz posed the next question: "If QG can win the S8 championship trophy, they will create the first three-peat dynasty in league history! That would be an unimaginable honor! And now, you are only one step away from the trophy, but standing in your way are two teams from the same region! So, who would you rather face in the finals?"

Upon hearing the question, Chen Dongqing immediately smiled and said, "You know, for a team aiming to win the championship, who their opponent is isn't really important, because all we need to do is achieve victory. Although there are always unexpected events in esports, I believe in my prediction."

"I predicted that FPX and IG would win in the end, and reality has proven my prediction right. Now, I'm making another prediction: no matter who our opponent is in the finals, QG will definitely defeat them and win our third consecutive championship trophy! We will definitely overcome this final hurdle!"

Listening to Chen Dongqing's words, Lin Yuanhua, who was also acting as the translator, stared intently at her boyfriend, her eyes deep.

Seeing Chen Dongqing's resolute and determined face, everyone could clearly feel his determination.

Combined with QG's undefeated record of twelve consecutive wins in the World Championship, it seemed as if the championship was within their grasp, easily within their grasp.

In the audience, Lee Sang-hyeok, who was eliminated, did not throw himself into the Han River as his haters had said. Instead, he came to Gwangju and watched the match from the front row. He also saw Chen Dongqing's post-match interview.

Faker felt a little heavy-hearted for a moment.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that QG has an extremely high win rate against both FPX and IG.

Moreover, in this meta of top, mid, and jungle, if QG wins the championship, Ilex is very likely to win another FMVP!

He will go further and further down the path of becoming the first person in history, leaving even the second person far behind.

Can he really catch up, given that his recent form has started to decline?

Faker let out a long sigh and walked out of the arena.

Next stop, Incheon.

Even though this scene was somewhat cruel to him, he still wanted to witness the birth of the S8 champion with his own eyes.

Whether he can catch up or not, he will still chase after them.

If QG loses next week, he can smile and seek the opportunity to overtake them with a third championship in the rest of his career.

If QG wins, then we can just work harder for a few more years.

It was 10 PM on October 28th.

The players from IG and FPX have taken their seats. The draft phase has begun, and the semifinals have officially started!

Looking at the projected image on the projector, Banbazi habitually turned his head and asked, "Chen Dongqing, who do you think will win?"

"Emotionally, I favor FPX," Chen Dongqing said, "but rationally, I favor IG."

"As the competition progresses, the overall strength of the teams becomes increasingly similar, and at this point, the players' ability to adapt to the new version becomes even more crucial."

Chen Dongqing couldn't help but shake his head: "Da B and the others are still too out of step with the times."

"I still hope Big B can do his best," Xiangguo said, starting to support his old teammate. "If all else fails, try to make it to the fifth game and help us get something out of IG!"

"There's a chance," Chen Dongqing said with a smile. "To be honest, IG won't win so easily."

The reality is exactly as Chen Dongqing described.

The first game between the two sides lasted for thirty minutes.

The two sides racked up a terrifying 16-14 kill score in 30 minutes, with various small skirmishes unfolding one after another, torturing the director while countless viewers cheered with excitement!

This is truly bloody and brutal! This is an internal war within our LPL! Does your region have internal wars like this?

At this point, Colonel KI presented a win-loss curve, showing that both sides had a win rate of around 50%, indicating that the match was still very close!

Of course, this data was calculated by the colonel based on the win rate curves of the ten heroes from both sides and the overall economic situation. The player IDs were not taken into account.

For example, both sides are in the top lane, and TheShy's Jayce is currently leading by 3,000 gold against his opponent.

But FPX's top laner, A Guang, was playing Ornn, a champion known for being a "troll" or "noob" champion.

Under normal circumstances, Ornn should be able to withstand the pressure, and FPX's bot lane also has an advantage, so Colonel KI believes that the odds of both sides winning are 50/50.

But actually?

JackeyLove's Xayah was having a blast farming in the mid lane, having no problem laning.

But TheShy's Jayce has already defecated on A Guang's face.

After pushing the lane in the top lane, TheShy moved to the mid lane and fired a shot at Lin Weixiang's Kai'Sa, directly helping his bot lane turn the tide!

IG is starting to take control!

The game went on until the 38th minute when both sides engaged in a 5v5 team fight in front of the Elder Dragon!

TheShy's Jayce once again became the key player. First, he pokes wildly before the team fight, forcing FPX to initiate the fight. Then, after the team fight started, he first used his cannon form to help his teammates deal with the enemy front line. Then, when he saw Lin Weixiang's Kai'Sa use her ultimate to cut through the back line, he switched to his hammer, flashed, and used Q to kill the enemy!

After winning the team fight, IG took the Elder Dragon and Baron Nashor, securing the victory in advance!

The first game ended after 41 minutes, with IG winning!

At the end of the match, the score was 26-17.

The total number of kills for both sides in this game kept pace with the timer from beginning to end, leaving the audience in awe.

The most terrifying thing is that this is just the beginning.

In the second game, the two sides engaged in another fierce battle!

In this match, FPX seemed to have grasped the way to win the game. They changed their playstyle drastically, shifting the battlefield to the top lane and engaging in a 3v3 battle with IG!

A Guang performed exceptionally well in this match, playing Sion and delivering multiple crucial crowd control plays in the early game, helping the team kill TheShy three times in a row and crippling one of IG's most critical points!

Seizing this opportunity, FPX rallied and won the second game in 31 minutes!

"This TheShy is really inconsistent," Banbazi said, frowning. "Does this game mean we can only rely on him again? He wins against CIG, but he feeds to IG and they lose?"

"It's not that simple." Chen Dongqing shook his head: "The key to this series lies with IG's jungler."

"Jungler?" Shi Senming scratched his head when he heard Chen Dongqing talking about his old teammate. "Ning? Is he that important?"

Chen Dongqing raised his head and said, "You'll see."

Whether it's the S9 era or the current S8, the dynamics between IG and FPX are always similar.

TheShy is the key player; the outcome of the game depends entirely on his performance.

But the one who can control TheShy, whether he's carrying or feeding, is none other than jungler Ning!

In the previous S9 season, Ning, who was starting to decline, encountered Tian, ​​who was at his peak and had a historically dominant performance. With the jungler struggling, TheShy's performance was not ideal.

In the current match, although peak Karsa is strong, his preference for counter-ganking means he doesn't have the ability to suppress Ning.

The third game was a crucial battle for supremacy.

As expected, Ning's Camille started to unleash his reckless rhythm!

Level 3 focuses on ganking the top lane; Level 4 involves invading the enemy base; Level 5 focuses on ganking

Ten minutes into the game, IG already had a three-kill lead!

Camille used her E-Flash to enter the fray, and with Galio's ultimate, she killed Karsa again, helping her team secure another kill!

After killing the jungler, control the Rift Herald and destroy the first tower.

After TheShy secured the first tower's gold, he took off and achieved the key condition needed for IG to win!

In the third game, IG took the lead!

"FPX must be panicking now," Uzi said. "Do they have any tricks up their sleeves? If so, they should use them!"

Chen Dongqing couldn't help but shake his head.

FPX should have already used all their strategies when they faced SKT.

The result of revealing their trump card too early was that Irelia was permanently banned by IG in this series and could not be played at all.

In the fourth game, FPX had no choice but to revert to their familiar bot lane gank strategy, hoping to win in their familiar rhythm.

But at this point, IG stopped indulging them.

Want to play a four-on-two game? Okay, I'll play with you!

Draven and Nautilus, locked in immediately, and the mid and jungle picks Lee Sin and Syndra, a top-tier fighting duo, ready to fight to the end!

Under Draven's overwhelming laning strength, Lin Weixiang was unable to gain lane control at all, and the minion wave was constantly pushed back to the tower!

FPX players also made a move on the bottom lane, but IG's mid and jungle were not to be underestimated. The two sides traded blows and had a very exciting fight in the bottom lane!

This scene sent chills down the spines of countless professional players watching the match.

Experts see the details.

How did both sides manage to achieve such high-intensity and high-quality team fights?

What's even more unacceptable is that this isn't the strongest team in the LPL!

Ultimately, FPX didn't fare well in their strongest area, the bottom half of the map. JackeyLove's Draven stumbled along, but eventually finished with a 3-1-1 score and built a Bloodthirster, reaching Draven's peak power level!

Draven is at his strongest when he builds Bloodthirster as his first item. Bloodthirster, combined with Overheal, creates an overpowered shield, and the high attack damage amplifies the damage of Spinning Axe, making Draven both tanky and powerful!

Finally, Ning Wang's R-flash kick from behind sent Lin Weixiang flying and knocked both of them away, sealing the victory with a single kick!

IG defeated FPX 3-1, securing the second ticket to the Incheon finals!

Rookie was the first to take off his headphones and stand up. He was a little chubby, but his smile was quite adorable.

The next second, his henchmen on both sides rushed towards him, and the five of them excitedly hugged each other!

After stumbling and falling along the way, IG has finally made it to the S-series finals.

This is the third time this year that they have met QG in the finals!

This time, they will definitely not lose again!

Some are happy, some are sad.

The five players on the FPX bench remained seated for a long time, staring blankly at the scene before them.

In the 2017 World Championship, they lost to QG in the semifinals in Shanghai, ending their run there.

In 2018, their dreams were shattered once again in Gwangju.

Doinb pursed his lips, somewhat unable to accept it.

For other teams, reaching the semi-finals for two consecutive years is already a very proud achievement.

This means that their strength and shelf life are quite good!

However, FPX, who were champions, could not accept this outcome.

The five FPX players stood up, shook hands with the smiling IG members, and then gathered together to hug each other.

If we lose this year, we'll try again next year!

This year, they not only lost to IG, but also to the version of the game.

They will definitely make a comeback next year!

QG training room.

"Big B still sent it." Xiangguo couldn't help but shake his head. "We still couldn't meet in the finals."

Since they both came from the 16 version of QG, Xiangguo really hopes to meet Doinb in the finals.

This is also what many viewers are looking forward to.

When all six members of the 16 QG team appeared in the finals in 18, it must have been a spectacular and memorable scene.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out.

Chen Dongqing laughed and said, "It's alright, Big B is down, so let us avenge them!"

"IG can beat FPX, but they can't beat us."

At this point, the eyes of everyone in QG seemed to light up.

That's right.

IG is indeed very strong.

Taking second place from QG is the best recognition of your strength!

The day after the semi-finals ended, the two teams set off again, landing in Incheon!

The League of Legends S8 season is finally entering its final countdown.

Riot Games' promotional campaign has begun in earnest. The final showdown between QG and IG, two LPL teams, has added many interesting promotional points to this final match.

"The third finals showdown between QG and IG! A love-hate relationship!"

"The birth of the first three-peat dynasty!"

"The Extreme Team's Ascent to the Summit!"

Although these promotions have aroused extreme dissatisfaction among South Korean viewers, who cares?

With overwhelming publicity, countless spectators from around the world landed at Incheon International Airport, ready to witness the birth of the champion!

Among them, Chinese audiences made up the vast majority!

On the night the semifinals ended, IG's owner, Wang Sicong, posted on Weibo that he had landed in Incheon!

Two days later, another major announcement was made!

Joe Tsai, QG's largest shareholder, flew from New York to Incheon and said in a media interview that he couldn't wait to see his club win a three-peat!

That very night, Boss Cai made a special trip to QG's rest room to cheer on the team.

Although Mr. Cai spent 200 million yuan to acquire QG's shares this year, in reality, 200 million yuan is just a drop in the ocean for him.

After the acquisition, he never even visited QG's base.

Because of the upcoming finals, Boss Cai even flew to Incheon to cheer them on, which surprised the QG team.

This further strengthened QG's determination to win the championship.

11 month 2 day.

The two teams came to Incheon Munhak Stadium for the last time for their final rehearsal.

Incheon Munhak Stadium was one of the key venues for the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.

In that World Cup, the South Korean team miraculously defeated Portugal in this very stadium, showcasing the sporting spirit of the Koreans to football fans around the world.

Fortunately, there were only two LPL teams at the Munhak Stadium this time, so the Koreans couldn't cook without ingredients.

Now, the venue has been transformed into an e-sports venue, with 50,000 seats ready to be occupied.

Chen Dongqing glanced around the room and nodded slightly.

A stadium that can hold 50,000 people is already quite good.

But it doesn't feel as good as the Bird's Nest.

Chen Dongqing followed the group forward and soon saw the IG members backstage.

This was their first meeting since the semifinals.

"Go for it!" Chen Dongqing said with a smile. "Play well tomorrow. We're all in the same region, so friendship comes first and competition second."

"Friendship comes first, of course! Winning the championship is the most important thing!" Ning Wang said casually. "Let's see who's the best on the field tomorrow!"

"OK, OK." Chen Dongqing stopped Xiangguo, who was about to unleash his attack, and laughed, "Then let's see on the field! Don't cry after the match tomorrow!"

"Stop crying! We'll see if I take you down tomorrow, then you're all finished!"

Before we knew it, it was November 3rd, 11 PM.

Just like last year, Chen Dongqing's parents and Lin Yuanhua entered the venue together.

Looking at the three-story venue and the dense crowd around them, Chen's parents, who couldn't speak Korean, were on edge, afraid of getting separated, which would be quite troublesome.

But they soon realized they had been worrying unnecessarily.

Where are the Koreans now?

If you listen carefully, you'll hear a cacophony of Chinese conversations, with various accents from Northeast China, Henan, and Shanghai!

what's going on?

Do Koreans not like watching sports?

My mother didn't know what had happened, but she still sat down in her seat with Lin Yuanhua.

The seats for family and friends were quite good, all in the front row near the stage.

Mom turned her head and asked, "When does the competition start?"

Dad glanced at his phone: "It's 3:30 now, the opening ceremony is at 4:00, it should start at 4:30! There's still an hour left."

"That's taking quite a while!"

"That's because you were so afraid of being late, you said you were leaving first thing this morning!"

Time began to fly by.

Backstage, Chen Dongqing sat in the dressing room, ready to go on stage.

But just then, there was a knock on the door of the backstage dressing room. When the staff opened the door, they saw several women with heavy makeup and very beautiful clothes walk in.

Chen Dongqing squinted and immediately recognized who these people were.

These four people are the girl group that Riot Games is currently promoting – K/DA.

Riot Games' music division is quite powerful. In addition to producing songs and music videos specifically for K/DA, they even created a series of skins and promotional packages.

This girl group will also be responsible for the opening ceremony performance.

But their purpose in coming to the QG rest room is simple—they want a photo with Chen Dongqing.

This request made everyone in QG roll their eyes.

So you're only filming with Chen Dongqing?

It's safe to say that Chen Dongqing is now a well-known superstar.

Chen Dongqing didn't refuse and took photos with each of the four people.

Tian Xiaojuan, Zhao Meiyan.

Chen Dongqing remembers that the two people were from the South Korean girl group (G)I-DLE, and their fan group was called Milky Blue.

That's right, it's Saint Gun Bro's ID.

I'll have to find a way to send this group photo to Flandre later.

Time quickly came to four o'clock in the afternoon, and a thirty-second countdown appeared on the big screen at the scene.

The entire audience began to shout in unison!

Interestingly, at this South Korean home game, the countdown was announced by the audience in Chinese numbers!

"8!"

When the count reached ten, the screen began to change; the number turned purple, and the newly released champion Kai'Sa appeared on the screen.

"7!"

One second later. Kai'Sa's appearance changed, transforming into her K/DA skin look!

"6!"

"5!"

In those two seconds, Akali appeared, and in the next second she transformed into the K/DA girl group!

In the next four seconds, it was the Widow and the Fox again!

The moment the number reached "1", the soul orb in the fox's hand transformed into a fist, shattering the glass screen with a single punch, and then turning into the logo of the Riot Games!

The countdown has ended, and the opening ceremony has officially begun!

The four girl group members who had just taken a photo with Chen Dongqing also appeared on stage and sang together with game characters created using virtual imaging technology.

After the song "POP/STARS" ended, a portal appeared behind Ahri, who had just been singing, on the live screen. Ahri walked into the portal, and the scene immediately changed.

The champions from previous years began to appear in order.

S1S2

In Season 3, Faker reached his peak right from his debut, lifting his first trophy.

In S5, Faker won his second championship and was crowned the Great Demon King!

Chen Dongqing burst onto the scene in S6 and won the FMVP.

Chen Dongqing won his second consecutive championship and second consecutive FMVP at the Bird's Nest in S7!

In a flash, the scene shifts to the present, to Incheon Munhak Stadium!

The song "Rise" began to play!

"Welcome to the wild no heroes and villains"

"Welcome to the war we've only begun so"

"RISE! RISE! Make 'em remember you"

Amidst the rousing rock music, both contestants rose from the ground into the camera's view via a movable, liftable stage and slowly moved toward the center of the venue!

The IG team wore black and white autumn uniforms, their white clothes fluttering, exuding youthful vigor and spirit.

The scene shifts to QG's side.

The main color of QG's team uniforms is white, but there is a touch of gold that is quite noble between the white.

Reaching the pinnacle once more, his kingly demeanor is on full display!

"Rise! Rise!"

After the song "Rise" ended, the Roaring Emperor took to the stage!

"Alright, let's welcome both teams to the stage!" the Roaring Emperor shouted in his signature roar, "First, welcome—IG!"

Top Lane: TheShy!

"Jungler: Ning!"

Mid Laner: Rookie!

"AD: JackeyLove!"

Support: baolan!

A burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the audience!

Tonight, the stands are filled with LPL fans. Whenever either team puts on a great performance, they will cheer enthusiastically without hesitation!

This is a night of celebration for the LPL!

"Next, let's welcome the 2016 MSI champion, 2016 World Championship champion, 2017 MSI champion, 2017 World Championship champion, 2018 MSI champion, and the six-time league champion, .Q!!!G!!!"

Amidst the sudden burst of cheers, the Roaring Emperor took a deep breath and deliberately drew out his tone: "Next, let's welcome QG's top laner, iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiilex!"

Although the Roaring Emperor hated Ilex to the core, he still had to do his job properly.

His ten-second roar brought the atmosphere to a climax, and the audience was equally enthusiastic, collectively offering cheers and screams that lasted far longer than ten seconds!

The parents, listening to the noisy cheers from below the stage, couldn't help but smile.

Once the shouts subsided slightly, the Roaring Emperor resumed his roar, drawing out the rest of QG: "Jungler mlxg! Mid laner xiaohu! Bot laner Uzi! Support Ming!"

"The 40-day World Championship is now drawing to a close! In just a few hours, only one team will remain!"

The Roaring Emperor shouted at the top of his lungs: "Will QG go further and create a three-peat dynasty, or will IG reach the pinnacle and ascend to the throne as a new king? Let's wait and see!"

The two contestants entered the soundproof room separately and sat in their respective seats.

BP begins!

P.S.: At the starting point, consecutive English words are not counted in the word count.

(End of this chapter)