This Lee Sang-hyeok is very strong, but he lacks self-awareness.

As the IG Nexus exploded, the giant golden victory symbol froze on the big screen.

The applause and screams at the scene almost lifted the ceiling of the venue, and Guan Zeyuan and Ji De in the commentary booth were still reviewing that thrilling dragon fight.

"Alright, we'll move on to the post-match interview shortly. The MVP for today's BO3 is unsurprisingly awarded to Faker, whose performance was absolutely outstanding!"

A spotlight illuminated the center of the stage.

Yu Shuang, dressed in an elegant blue-and-white cheongsam, exuding gentle grace and poise, had been waiting for a long time.

Standing next to her was Faker, the rookie mid laner who had repeatedly dominated LPL star player Rookie in this BO3 series.

Almost no one in the audience left; they all stared at Faker with wide-eyed curiosity.

Everyone wanted to see what this rookie mid-laner, who had shone so brightly in his debut, would say in the post-match interview.

With a professional smile, Yu Shuang first looked at the camera, then picked up the interview outline.

Since Faker is a Korean player who has just arrived in China, she specially prepared some opening remarks in Korean.

"Welcome to our interview, Faker."

Yu Shuang took a deep breath and began to try to recall the Korean she had practiced for so long, her tone sounding somewhat awkward and hesitant:

"Hello, Faker, congratulations on your 2-0 victory over the formidable IG in your LPL debut, and also for winning the MVP of the BO3. I have three questions for you."

"The first question, and the one that most esports viewers are most concerned about, is why you chose to come to the LPL to debut, given that the LCK is so strong and has such a great atmosphere?"

Yu Shuang was sweating profusely as she spoke, a hint of embarrassment showing beneath her exquisite makeup.

At the time of S7, the LPL female hosts' professional skills were still relatively immature.

However, the audience at this time was more tolerant and laughed heartily.

Just when everyone thought Faker would put on the simultaneous interpretation headset and wait for the translator to interpret his broken Korean, Lee Sang-hyeok directly reached out and took the microphone.

He didn't look at the translator, but stared directly at the camera lens and spoke clearly in slightly broken but fluent Chinese:

"I don't need to use Korean or a translator; I've been working hard to learn Chinese."

The audience was stunned, the live chat paused for half a second, and then erupted in a frenzy even more intense than the victory in the previous match.

Holy crap! Chinese? He started speaking Chinese?!

[I must say, their Chinese is actually quite good; aside from a slight accent, it's very fluent.]

[Besides Doinb, I don't think I've ever seen a Korean player speak Chinese this well? Even Rookie speaks with a strong Xinjiang accent.]

[That's good pronunciation! Looks like you've really put in the effort to learn!]

[Brother Li's cultural export strategy backfired, leaving Sister Yu Shuang feeling awkward, hahaha.]

However, the most important thing is yet to come.

Faker took a deep breath, his eyes illuminating the five RNG players who seemed like demons.

Uzi, Xiaohu, Mlxg, Ming, Letme,

Too scary!

As memories of the past flashed before his eyes, even Faker's resolute gaze wavered slightly, and he said in a trembling voice:

"Regarding why I came to LPL, the answer is simple: in my opinion, LPL is currently stronger than LCK."

"Here you'll find the best teammates and the strongest opponents; this is the strongest region."

"So, I want to win the world championship in the strongest region."

The moment those words were spoken, Yu Shuang was completely stunned.

Faker actually said something that sounded like nonsense in a very formal tone.

The entire audience erupted in cheers!

Is this person just here to make money? Saying things like that to pander to the audience?

[LPL? What a joke! The strongest region? They're not even as good as Europe or North America, just the third strongest!]

This guy's voice is trembling; he's probably about to burst out laughing...

[The notorious traitor to South Korea has been captured alive!]

Who cares! Koreans support LPL! Even if it's fake, I still love it!

"Well, we also really hope that LPL can make a breakthrough in the World Championship this year and become the strongest region."

Yu Shuang awkwardly picked up on Faker's comment.

"My second question is, Faker played completely different styles in the two games. In the first game, he carried the team's damage output with Cassiopeia, while in the second game, he roamed the entire map as Galio, connecting the team's heroes. So, I'd like to ask Faker, which style do you prefer?"

Upon hearing this question, Lin Xiu immediately came to Faker's mind.

"Actually, if you consider the mid-jungle duo of myself and Lin Xiu as a whole, you'll find that the style of the two matches is consistent."

"By securing a strong mid-jungle hero combination, establishing an advantage in the mid lane and jungle, and then expanding that advantage across the entire map, I believe this is the best tactic in the current version."

Yu Shuang nodded and continued to ask:

"The third question is, as we all know, the mid lane is the most competitive position in League of Legends esports, and the LPL has produced many talented mid laners. So, which mid laner is your favorite player?"

Faker's expression changed drastically upon hearing this; he seemed to have never mentioned that name in the interview.

In the simulation, due to Faker's status as the King of LCK, no Korean reporter dared to mention Xiaohu in front of him.

After all, in the S7 semifinals, Xiaohu picked Galio five times, contributing countless memorable moments, defeating Faker to reach the finals and ultimately lifting the trophy.

This time, however, Faker decided to say the name himself.

After all, besides Xiaohu, which other mid-laner in the LPL is worth watching?

Rookie? He just got solo killed by himself in a row.

Xiye? He couldn't even win the commentary cup.

Scout? It's for carrying my own peripheral bag.

Doinb? He's just a remnant of a bandit group who can't even get a single game in the LCK.

"My favorite mid laner is Xiaohu, who is also the strongest mid laner in the LPL right now."

"Xiaohu is really strong, very strong. Whether it's the depth of his hero pool or his mastery of his signature heroes, he is someone I can learn from frame by frame."

"Since coming to China, I have been watching RNG's matches to learn Xiaohu's laning skills and overall strategy. Even today's Galio was learned from Xiaohu."

"Xiaohu is my mentor in my professional career and the only mid-laner I feel I can't beat. I really look forward to playing against Xiaohu."

At the end, Faker's voice even choked up a little.

In the simulation, as the GOAT of LCK, he can never show weakness or frustration.

Because he knew all too well that the responsibility of protecting LCK's glory rested entirely on his shoulders.

Every time all the other LCK teams fall, leaving only one LCK team in the semifinals, and all the Korean media loudly anticipate his victory in the battle to defend the LCK,

He repeatedly told himself that he had to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to defeat the LPL and win the S-series championship.

But time and again they were easily defeated by the geniuses of the LPL.

Countless times in the dead of night, he broke down in tears.

But in front of the media, he remained calm and composed, displaying a resilient personality that never gives up despite repeated setbacks.

He always insists that with the sunrise comes a new day, and that he is the world's best mid-laner.

Today, he can finally express his admiration for LPL's formidable opponents!

It's not that I'm not good enough, it's that they're too strong!

SKT didn't ban Galio back then.

It's because Galio isn't the stronger one.

Little Tiger is the stronger one!

It's not that Ryze, Rumble, Corki, and Malzahar are inferior to Galio.

It's because I, Faker, can't outplay Xiaohu!

Tiger Emperor!

Seeing Faker's slightly choked voice, Yu Shuang's face seemed to show several black lines.

She truly couldn't understand how anyone could hold Xiaohu in such high esteem.

Although Xiaohu has played quite well this season,

However, in the S6 World Championship, they were completely outmatched by SKT's mid laner, Easyhoon.

In the S6 Summer Split, they were completely dominated by Scout.

Even if they've played very well this season, it's unlikely to reach this level, right?

"Hmm... I didn't expect Faker to like Xiaohu so much. It's a pity, though. The match between RNG and EDG just ended, and they probably won't be able to face each other again until the playoffs."

Even the comments section was a bit chaotic and confusing.

【...】

【...】

【...】

【...】

No, none of you are going to say it, are you?

[This idiot mid laner, was he drugged by Xiaohu?]

[Analyzing Xiaohu's actions frame by frame, only a genius wouldn't burst out laughing.]

【No, is he just messing around or serious? I really can't figure it out!】

"That concludes our post-match interview for today. We wish Faker all the best in his future professional career!"

......

After the interview, Faker quickly walked down the backstage corridor.

Just around the corner, Lin Xiuzheng leaned against the wall, holding a ripe, plump banana in his hand, and looked at him with a smile.

"Brother Faker, this interview, where you said LPL is the strongest region, is going to cause an uproar on Korean websites. Also, your Chinese is pretty good."

Faker took the banana.

"It's just a fact."

"But Tiger, if I told you he really couldn't beat you, would you believe me?"

"I don't believe it, Xiaohu is really strong!"

Lin Xiu patted his forehead. The authors on Qidian.com are still putting in a lot of effort!

"Okay, if I get the chance, I'll prove it to you."

The two walked side by side toward EDG's locker room.

The moment I pushed open the door, a wave of heat hit me.

"We're back! Our domineering duo!"

Meiko jumped up from the sofa, her face flushed.

"Holy crap, Xiaolin, your E-Flash-E-entry combo with Faker's ultimate... I was totally stunned watching from in front of the tower, I almost froze and couldn't react! This combination is just too unfair!"

Mouse rubbed his hands together excitedly:

"After playing top lane for so long, this is the first time I've felt so light on responsibility. The mid and jungle are there to initiate team fights, the front line is also handled by the mid and jungle, and the mid and jungle are incredibly tanky. I could win even playing Teemo!"

Abu walked over with a notebook in hand. Although he tried to restrain himself, the smile in his eyes was impossible to hide.

"Alright, alright, stop bragging. This mid-jungle duo really delivered the results we wanted today, and most importantly, Lin Xiu's jungle strategy."

"Kid, a seasoned veteran, was completely outmaneuvered by you. There's something special about his map-running logic."

Coach Nofe, who had been sitting quietly to the side, stood up at this moment.

As a South Korean gold medal coach who was hired by Abramovich for a hefty sum this season, he was even more shocked than Abramovich today.

"Lin, your understanding of the game is truly amazing."

Nofe spoke in broken Chinese, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"And Sang-hyeok, I always thought your style was that of a traditional mage mid laner, but I didn't expect you to play Galio, a tempo mid laner, so perfectly."

Just as the atmosphere in the locker room reached its peak, a cold snort came from the corner.

Scout, who had been sitting in the shadows, slowly stood up.

Instead of cheering like the others, his face was terribly gloomy.

He didn't even glance at Lin Xiu, but stared intently at Lee Sang-hyeok, who was peeling a banana, and said directly:

"Let's get serious. I want to start in the next game."

"What kind of performance can you expect from a mid-laner that even Xiaohu is afraid of in the playoffs?"

"I can totally crush a useless mid-laner like Xiaohu!"

"You played well today, but those opportunistic tactics like Galio and Camille are easy to figure out after one use. Do you really expect to win a championship with that?"

Scout's gaze swept over Lin Xiu, filled with undisguised disgust.

"I have to play in the next game against OMG. I have my demands."

Abu frowned, his voice turning cold:

"Ruican, the starting lineup is decided by the coaching staff based on his competitive form."

"My competitive condition is fine!"

Scout suddenly raised his voice, directly putting pressure on Abu.

"Manager, if you continue to start them, I'm leaving the team. My current contract doesn't bind me, and you all know that."

When the contract was mentioned, Abu's expression instantly turned extremely ugly.

At that time, EDG was still a club with a lot of human touch, but it was far less strict with contracts than RNG.

During the offseason, Scout signed a highly flexible core-guaranteed contract that included a release clause under certain conditions.

Damn it, I must make sure the legal department adds a penalty clause to the contracts from now on, to trap this kind of traitor, Abu cursed inwardly.

"Are you threatening the club?"

"I'm just following the contract."

Scout didn't back down at all, turned to look at Lin Xiu, and sneered.

"And my requirement is that I want to partner with Ai Luoli. Since we're going to prove which mid-jungle pair is stronger, let's make it clear."

Nofe seemed a little flustered. He glanced at Lin Xiu and Faker, who were performing exceptionally well.

Looking at Scout, whom the club president had been nurturing as the core player for the past year, he was caught in a dilemma.

The atmosphere in the locker room had reached a breaking point.

Seeing Scout on the verge of breaking down, Lin Xiu suddenly chuckled, breaking the silence.

"Manager, coach, let him play. After playing against IG, Faker and I need to review the game and take a break."

"And I also want to see Scout's true ability, how far he can lead EDG. Time will tell."

"Lin Xiu!" Meiko exclaimed, desperately trying to signal to Lin Xiu with her eyes.

As the captain, he wasn't biased towards Lin Xiu and Faker; he just felt that rotating the mid and jungle players would provide EDG with more tactical options.

Lin Xiu waved his hand.

"Brother Tianye, it's not a big problem."

Scout's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty. He snorted coldly, turned around, and walked straight out of the room.

Abu sighed deeply, looking at Lin Xiu and Faker with eyes full of guilt:

"Jin, Sang-hyeok, I'm sorry to trouble you, Scout's contract is indeed a troublesome matter, I need to keep him on my toes first."

"It's okay, we can go back and do a live stream for a while and chat with our fans."

Lin Xiu smiled calmly and reached out to help the silent Faker up.

"Let's go, Brother Li. Since we're on holiday, let's do some live streaming tonight."