Yesterday, the losers of the semifinals were determined in the preliminary round. The PG team faced the RAG team, with RAG losing to PG by 2:3 and getting eliminated. PG smoothly advanced to the next round, where they would compete for a spot in the finals against the next round’s opponent.
The next round’s opponents were chosen from the SVP team and the UN team. The winner would directly advance to the finals, while the losing team would have to compete with the PG team for the remaining finals spot.
The match against the UN team began at 4 PM and after a long and intense four-hour battle, SVP won 3:1, securing their place in the finals.As per tradition, Xia Zeyu was the first to enter the match. If the team lost, Jiang Mo would replace him. SVP secured two victories with Xia Zeyu, and when they lost the third round, Jiang Mo took his place. Strangely, in the hearts of SVP fans, the mere sight of Wish entering the game made them instinctively relax. They believed that as long as Wish played, SVP would win.Jiang Mo didn’t disappoint the audience, achieving an outstanding 6-1 record with the male gun champion and earning the MVP of the game.
Jiang Mo was used to wearing a mask, and this time was no different. He wore a mask when he came out and didn’t take it off until the game was over, leaving everyone wondering why Jiang Mo felt the need to hide.
Did Jiang Mo really need to cover up like this?
The new fans of Jiang Mo felt sorry for him, seeing how he had been forced into hiding and not daring to show hos face. Those haters were truly despicable!
The fans who came for Jiang Mo were still learning about League of Legends, and they started from the time when Jiang Mo first started livestreaming. At that time, Jiang Mo was already very cute, which is why he attracted so many viewers.
Hearing that Jiang Mo was defending his family and competing against someone with a dirty mouth, they couldn’t help but feel sympathetic. Jiang Mo had always been kind-hearted, so how could anyone bear to target such a sweet and innocent person?
The nickname ‘Xiao Jieba‘ was just too cute. From Mo Mo to Wish’s husband, and now, Jiang Mo had a new nickname.
They also reviewed Jiang Mo’s past game videos, even though they didn’t fully understand the gaming aspect. They had to rely on commentary to grasp what was happening. They loved Jiang Mo for his skills, and when they heard the excited commentary, their emotions were also stirred, and they proudly supported Jiang Mo through the barrage of comments.
After the game, there were player interviews. SVP’s interviews were conducted in order, and Jiang Mo had only been interviewed twice. The first time was his debut, and the second time was when he made his haters acknowledge him.
“Because, because some people have a bad memory, and if I don’t show up, they won’t know who their ‘dad’ is.”
When Jiang Mo, who appeared to lack confidence, said this, his fans were left speechless. Could their sweet and adorable little bean say such a thing?!
Oh my, Jiang Mo even knew how to swear.
However, he’s quite cute when he’s scolding people.
[“I don’t respect anyone except Wish. He openly made the haters acknowledge their ‘dad’ during an interview. He’s not afraid of suspension at all!”]
[“Did he scold someone? I didn’t hear it. He was clearly sweet-talking me!”]
[“You guys are making a big fuss over nothing! Is it because he has the backing of Chi the Movie Emperor that there are no penalties? @League Discipline Team, are you not doing your job?”]
[“Stop barking there; the punishment came down a long time ago, and the money has been paid!”]
[“What money?”]
Many people didn’t know about this incident and found the interview quite entertaining. Wish’s previous statement gained her a lot of fans.
However, on the day when he scolded someone, the League Discipline Team contacted the SVP team, and the fine was paid personally by Dai Tian. Dai Tian didn’t show any sadness or anger because it was he who encouraged the host to ask this question that day. He dared to do so because it was Boss Chi who instructed it, and the fine was naturally covered by Boss Chi’s wallet. Why would a part-timer like him dare to interfere when others were pampering their boyfriends?
On the day Jiang Mo admitted that he was Wish, the CP fans went crazy all night and dug up this incident as well.
They once again saw a different side of Chi Yu, who was in a relationship. He was way too indulgent in love; he would spoil the child sooner or later!
Wasn’t he spoiled to the heavens?
Dai Tian appeared calm on the surface but couldn’t help but think, “These CP fans have it all wrong. It’s not Boss Chi who spoils Jiang Mo; it’s Jiang Mo who spoils Boss Chi. This silly child listens to everything Boss Chi says and follows his every word. If Boss Chi acts pitiful, Jiang Mo pities him. Isn’t it like doting on a child?”
…
SVP’s match had just ended, and the next day was the match between the PG team and the UN team. The two teams faced each other once again, and this time the PG team gave it their all. Veteran Lull adjusted his form and avenged their previous defeat. In the first two matches, the jungle played aggressively, and the mid and jungle coordination set the pace, resulting in a 3:1 victory over the UN team, sending them out of the finals.
Several members of SVP didn’t participate in training; instead, they watched these matches along with the audience. Regardless of which team wins, they will be their opponents next. Knowing the enemy is the key to victory, so they were not just watching the games; they were studying the opponents’ playing style and strategies.
As a result, two days later, SVP would compete with the PG team for the Summer Championship trophy.
Coach A’kang turned off the video and patted each player’s shoulder before solemnly saying, “Now that you know who the opponent is, let’s continue training.”
“Yes.”
…
On the eve of the competition, Coach A’kang didn’t allow the players to stay up too late, knowing that a good night’s sleep was essential for sharp focus.
At 2 AM, urged by the coach, Jiang Mo and the others shut down their computers and returned to their rooms.
Chi Yu knew Jiang Mo was tired and had prepared a bathtub full of hot water for him. As soon as he came back, he immersed himself in the hot water. The bathroom door was unlocked. Jiang Mo leaned over the edge of the tub, his eyes lacking vitality, almost falling asleep.
Suddenly, the bathroom door was pushed open from outside, and Jiang Mo snapped awake, his trembling causing the foam in the bathtub to fluctuate.
“Why… Why did you come in?” Jiang Mo was startled to see Chi Yu walk in with an innocent expression.
Chi Yu had a scrubbing glove on one hand and said matter-of-factly, “I’m here to scrub your back.”
Jiang Mo hesitated, “No, it’s okay. Give me the glove, and I can do it myself.”
Chi Yu smiled, “You can do it yourself in other places, but what about your back?”
Jiang Mo blushed and felt embarrassed. Although they had been open with each other for a while, he still needed to psych himself up before each time they got intimate. He had poor adaptability in that regard.
“Come on,” Chi Yu gently touched the hand Jiang Mo had raised to stop him, “I’m just going to give you a massage; it’ll be more comfortable. You’re always sitting, and I’m worried about you developing neck problems.”
“Okay,” Jiang Mo said, still blushing. He turned around in the bathtub, presenting his back to Chi Yu.
The foam had piled up on the surface of the tub, but it didn’t matter since Chi Yu couldn’t see through it anyway. He was just going to scrub Jiang Mo’s back, nothing more.
When the scrubbing glove first touched Jiang Mo’s back, it stung a bit. Chi Yu used gentle force, waiting for Jiang Mo to get used to it before applying more pressure.
“Ouch!” Jiang Mo used to be good at enduring pain, but in front of Chi Yu, he forgot how to suppress it. He instinctively let out a cry. As he spoke, he turned his head, and his eyes instantly turned red, as if shouting in pain was not enough, and he had to convey his distress to Chi Yu through his expression.
Chi Yu’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. The suppressed thoughts broke through the surface, slowly taking root and sprouting.
“I’m sorry, I hurt you,” Chi Yu touched the corner of Jiang Mo’s reddened eye with his hand that wasn’t wearing a glove.
Jiang Mo sniffled and whispered, “It’s… it’s okay, I can bear it.”
Jiang Mo’s face was wet, his hair had gotten soaked, and water dripped from the tips, penetrating his long eyelashes. With each blink, the drops rolled down to his cheeks and slipped into his dimples, which were slightly raised.
Chi Yu’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He leaned in closer, ignoring the risk of getting his clothes wet from the foam and water. He extended his tongue and licked the water droplets from the dimple on Jiang Mo’s cheek.
Jiang Mo: “…”
“Poor thing,” Chi Yu used his fingertip to wipe away the water near Jiang Mo’s eyes, murmuring, “But I can’t resist it; I can only inconvenience you a bit more.”
Jiang Mo: “?”
Jiang Mo’s lips were sealed, and while he was still dazed from Chi Yu’s kiss, Chi Yu removed his glove and began massaging Jiang Mo’s back with his palm and fingertips. It seemed as if he was providing a reason not to let Jiang Mo get angry, as he had said – he was just here to help with a massage.
The bath lasted a long time, and when Jiang Mo was about to faint from relaxation, Chi Yu lifted him out of the bathroom. He lay Jiang Mo down on the soft bed. Jiang Mo was completely limp, without the strength to even confront Chi Yu.
Chi Yu had changed into fresh clothes, turned off the lights, and lay down with Jiang Mo. He tirelessly patted Jiang Mo’s back over and over, urging him to fall asleep quickly.
…
On the day of the Summer Championship Finals, the match was scheduled to begin at 5 o’clock.
At 4 o’clock, the players from both teams were in the rest area preparing for the match.
The anticipation for today’s match was immense, and the excitement was off the charts. The match was set in the most spacious venue of the sports center. The audience included players from the eliminated teams. Some teams’ bases were not in City A, and traveling back and forth was too troublesome, so they had no choice but to watch online.
“Welcome to the 2023 LPL Summer Championship Finals…” the voice of the commentator Chang Feng echoed in the center of the arena.
Before the players took the stage, the audience in front of the screens had already watched the promotional videos for both teams. In previous years, before the finals, both participating teams would undergo interviews. The league officials would then include these contents in the promotional videos. The players, who were familiar with each other, would even exchange some trash talk, which was allowed.
As a newcomer, Jiang Mo dared to challenge the keyboard warriors, but he didn’t want to boast in front of his seniors. When the audience saw the players from both teams engaging in some trash talk, they noticed a breath of fresh air within the teams.
Facing the camera, Jiang Mo removed his mask, revealing his extremely photogenic face. The host asked him if he had anything to say to the players.
He looked up, and his long bangs fell over his eyes. His previously expressionless face was broken as he blinked uncomfortably and casually said, “Good luck.”
[“Oh my god, can someone please explain to me why the note for the white-haired handsome guy in the bottom left corner says ‘Wish’? Who said they weren’t good-looking during the interview? This isn’t good-looking? How should we regular people face the mirror?”]
[“Ah, please take off the mask. I’ll be truly devastated if this face isn’t revealed. It’s simply a work of art!”
][“Haha, this is making me laugh. Is this your way of winking at the opponent?”]
[“Haha, a unique form of a wink. Darling, if you’re uncomfortable, just rub your eye. Don’t endure it!”]
[“Haha, he’s too obedient! So cute!”]
Before taking the stage for the upcoming match, the starting lineup remained the same as before, following the old rules. If they lost one match, Jiang Mo would then take the stage.
“Good luck.”
Before going on stage, Xie Ning reached out his hand, and everyone in the rest area looked at each other, then stood up. Several hands were stacked together, and they all collectively said, “Good luck.”
During the spring season, the original SVP lineup faced off against the PG team, playing the full number of matches each time. Sometimes PG would win, and sometimes SVP would win, depending on the performance of Xie Ning and Tang Zi.
In the summer season, the PG team also knew that Xia Zeyu and Tao Zi had changed. They no longer underestimated the jungle and mid-lane positions. SVP’s mid-lane and jungle had improved, and the first problem they posed was the pick and ban phase. In the past, during the hero ban phase, the PG team always targeted Xie Ning and Tang Zi. Now they also had to consider Xia Zeyu.
Seeing Foyego
Jiang Mo knew all the LPL veterans, having played with them for several years, going through their peak, low points, and then returning to glory until retirement.
On the battlefield, there is no room for sentimentality or showing respect to one’s elders. Useless sympathy must be set aside.
PG’s Lull was retiring after this summer season, maybe he’d hold on until the next spring season, but what did it matter?
The championship had to be theirs.
Before the match, Jiang Mo provided Xia Zeyu with additional solo training sessions.
The results were quite good. In this game, Xia Zeyu played a decent early game with no major mistakes, but also lacked any remarkable performances. The jungle area saw no errors, but it was the bot lane that made an early mistake.
PG’s jungle and mid-laner paid a visit to the bot lane, securing a kill on the bot lane duo.
Upon respawning, Xia Zeyu wanted to help but found himself in a 4-man gank situation, and this time, there was also a teleport from the top lane. The opposing team defended the turret with all five players, and three of SVP’s players were killed under the tower. Xie Ning couldn’t teleport in time from top lane, and by the time she arrived, the team fight was already over. Tao Zi came late and ended up fleeing.
Victory tilted in favor of the PG team. Xia Zeyu risked his life to steal a dragon in the dragon pit, recovering the situation slightly. The tier one and tier two towers in the bot and mid lanes were consecutively taken down. Xie Ning defended the top lane and kept pushing it. The PG team regrouped and attacked the top lane, while Tang Zi and Tao Zi sacrificed minion waves in both lanes to provide timely support. In the top lane team fight, it was a 4-for-3 trade in favor of SVP. They were left with Tao Zi, while the opponents had their mid-laner and support remaining. They couldn’t take the Baron for the time being, so it was a small victory.
After Tang Zi and Xie Ning respawned, they went to clear waves in the mid and bot lanes, knowing that SVP needed to push the lanes. PG’s players rushed towards the Baron pit after respawning, and the support player who had survived the earlier team fight had already set up vision in the Baron pit.
“They’re going for the Baron,” the support, Li Yuan, reminded.
“I know, but it’s too late,” Tang Zi replied anxiously.
Their minion waves were in bad shape. If they rushed over as soon as they resurrected, the minions would push down the inner towers in the bottom and middle lanes. They had to clear the waves, but now it was too late.
“No, there’s still a chance,” Xia Zeyu’s voice rang out. “Tao Zi, play with me the way you do with Master Jiang Mo.”
Xie Ning and Tang Zi were both stunned. They had never heard Xia Zeyu speak with such confidence before.
Xia Zeyu had truly changed.
Tao Zi said, “Alright.”
Even Tao Zi agreed.
After Tao Zi finished speaking, his Sand King was already close to the Baron pit. Li Yuan, the support, understood without words and rushed towards the Baron pit to provide vision.
PG’s vision caught sight of Tao Zi, and Tao Zi knew it, but he didn’t retreat.
The Sand King’s ultimate could push away nearby enemies, preventing them from using gap-closing abilities to approach the wall.
Tao Zi used a combination of his abilities to jump into the Baron pit. At the same time, Xia Zeyu’s Lee Sin
The commentator, Zhang Changfeng, excitedly exclaimed, “Lee Sin stole the Baron! In the same location, after Wish’s player, Xia Zeyu has also taken the Baron from the enemy.”
Da Tian’s face turned red with excitement, and his voice broke, “Turnaround, turnaround! Damn it, Xia Zeyu, do you know what a great feat you’ve just achieved?”
Jiang Mo displayed a relieved smile, gripping Chi Yu’s hand even harder. Just a moment ago, he was so nervous he couldn’t even breathe.
Securing the Baron came with a bit of luck, but it also depended on teamwork. Tao Zi played this sequence exceptionally well, similar to when Tang Zi bravely used her ultimate to deal damage to Rag during their match. Whether it was Tang Zi or Tao Zi, both of them created the opportunity for the jungle to steal the Baron.
[“Is stealing the Baron a traditional skill for your SVP? I’m starting to suspect the Baron is raised by your team!”]
[“Damn it, I’m close to tears! Xia Zeyu, you really have shown your mastery!”]
[“Waaa, who will dare speak ill of Xia Zeyu and Tao Zi in the future? They are truly growing, did you see that?”]
[“Haha, Li Yuan also made a significant contribution, didn’t he?”]
Although Xia Zeyu managed to secure the Baron, he didn’t have as good an opportunity as Jiang Mo did back then. After taking the Baron, he was overwhelmed by the enemy and killed. Li Yuan managed to escape successfully, leaving three Dragon spawns. With the Baron buff, Xie Ning continued to push the lane, and Tang Zi was protected by Li Yuan as they pushed the waves.
Due to the extra time gained from the Baron buff, the next team fight resulted in a five-for-five exchange, and SVP slowly caught up with PG in terms of economy.
The game lasted for forty-two minutes, and in the end, SVP had broken two of PG’s high ground towers, and the PG team’s main crystal was destroyed
.SVP won the first match.
…
“Xiao Yu, Tao Zi, you were amazing.” After the players left the stage, Da Tian hadn’t calmed down yet. When he saw Xia Zeyu and Tao Zi, he rushed over and hugged them. Coach A’kang and Xiao Xi couldn’t resist the urge and took turns hugging them too.
Jiang Mo thought of joining the celebration, but Chi Yu held him back, and with a warning look from Chi Yu, he dismissed the thought.
Xia Zeyu and Tao Zi, with blushing faces, ran over and asked Jiang Mo shyly, “Master, were we good?”
“Good? You were outstanding!” Jiang Mo sat obediently next to Chi Yu, offering words of encouragement.
Xia Zeyu’s performance in this match was fantastic, even he was a bit surprised. His hands were shaking after coming off the stage, and his emotions were running high. He knew he needed to calm down as such excitement could affect his performance.
In the second match, Jiang Mo inquired about the coach’s opinion and, with Coach A’kang’s agreement, switched places with Xia Zeyu.
Before going on stage, Jiang Mo turned around and, in front of everyone, embraced Chi Yu. He forgot what shyness meant as he leaned against Chi Yu’s chest and whispered, “You have to keep watching me. This is the first championship trophy I’m winning for you.”
“Alright.”
Upon hearing from the commentators that SVP was making a substitution, the audience was no longer as resistant as the first time, and there was no dispute over the change.
Whether it was Xia Zeyu or Wish, they were both SVP’s junglers, and the audience was content with whoever took the stage.
When the audience and the viewers in the broadcast room saw Jiang Mo, who was not wearing a mask or any covering, walk onto the stage, they were still amazed.
The cameraman intentionally zoomed in on Jiang Mo’s face.
It was a sunny day, and there was no rain, so the match was being held outdoors. The night breeze lifted Jiang Mo’s white hair, exposing his complete face. After taking the stage, he walked straight toward the player seats. He turned his body slightly, and the audience only saw a few seconds of his full face, but that image was etched into their minds.
The players in the seating area couldn’t help but exclaim in astonishment.
[“Ah, ah, ah, Wish, how could you have ever calmly said that you’re not good-looking? If you’re not good-looking, then what about the other players?”]
[“These days, are all the handsome guys so self-aware? Or is this handsome guy a bit slow, not even knowing whether he’s good-looking or not?”]
[“Mo Mo is just being humble.”]
“Damn, do they have to be this merciless? It’s one thing if they’re good at the game, but they’re so good-looking!” UN team, who had lost to SVP in the previous match, also attended the event, and their captain, Chen Jia, looked indignant as he stared at Jiang Mo, who was adjusting his equipment on the player’s seat.
D*mn, he looked even better when you took a closer look.
“Ah, when someone is good-looking, jealousy won’t get them anywhere,” Xu Ta, sitting next to him, patted Chen Jia on the shoulder and gave a laid-back smile.
The losers from other teams sitting in the audience showed jealousy and distorted expressions, just like Chen Jia, as they stared at Jiang Mo on the stage.
“I have a feeling that in the coming years, we’ll always be living in his shadow,” Chen Jia said.
UN’s top laner, Ha Ha, chuckled, “Captain, you’re joking, right? How could that be!”
Chen Jia: “Don’t laugh; my intuition has always been accurate.”
Ha Ha: “I don’t believe it.”
Chen Jia crunched on a potato chip, “Believe it or not.”
Xu Ta slowly raised his hand and confirmed, “I believe it.”
The two teammates from the two teams oddly had the same unspoken agreement.
…
Jiang Mo’s sudden appearance disrupted the plans of the PG coach. Fortunately, he was well-prepared, though this self-assurance was merely comforting himself.
The PG coach had spent an entire summer split reviewing Jiang Mo’s matches and ranked videos but had not been able to figure out how to counter him. Jiang Mo had seen the coach’s attempts, and he knew there was no specific strategy. He played too unpredictably, and there was no pattern to his gameplay. Nobody could anticipate what would happen during the match; they could only react based on the current situation.
The PG coach attributed everything to the “rookie protection period.” Since Jiang Mo was a completely new player who had just joined the team and started playing in the summer split, the other teams hadn’t had enough time to spar or communicate with him. He was still an unknown player, which gave Jiang Mo an opportunity to seize.
However, after the second match, the PG coach dismissed his own foolish notion.
Jiang Mo had once told Xu Ta that Lull couldn’t beat him, and it was true. Up until now, this remained the case.
In the second game, which was initially thought to be an intense tug of war, Jiang Mo’s Zhao Yun
Seeing Lull being sent back to base by Jiang Mo again, Xu Ta couldn’t help but want to snatch the microphone from the commentators and say, “Show some mercy.”
However, during the match, the players wore noise-cancelling headphones, blocking out all other sounds except for their team communication and in-game audio.
The second match wasn’t a prolonged battle like the first; SVP destroyed the enemy’s crystal in just twenty-two minutes.
Commentator Zhang Changfeng said, “Let’s congratulate the SVP team for winning the second match.”
…
After a short break, the third match immediately began.
PG’s fans were like tightly strung bowstrings, while SVP’s fans, unlike before, were calmer and quieter.
Jiang Mo had a deep champion pool, but there were only five ban slots. Giving one to Xie Ning and one to Tang Zi, that still left Jiang Mo with three slots, allowing him to pick a highly skilled champion.
The PG coach was having a headache. In the end, he banned Jiang Mo’s Aphelios
As a result, Jiang Mo picked his very first pentakill champion in the league, Lucian
The PG coach had Lull pick Amumu
Amumu had two crowd control skills, one was his Q, and the other was his ultimate, which was a large area stun effect. If Lull couldn’t beat Wish, he would rely on team fights.
Knowing that Jiang Mo would be playing in the third match, Lull started to feel a headache. He had faced Jiang Mo countless times in ranked games and never tasted victory in Jiang Mo’s hands.
Jiang Mo understood him better than he did himself. It was as if Jiang Mo had a worm inside him, familiar with his jungle routines, where he would be, and what to do when the rhythm collapsed or when he had an advantage. Jiang Mo could control him wherever he went; it was uncanny!
When facing other opponents, he had confidence, but when it came to Jiang Mo, he felt fear in his heart.
No matter what, he was an elder in the scene. How could he be pushed around like this by a newcomer?
In this match, Lucian stormed into the PG team’s jungle without any hesitation. In the middle lane, Tao Zi chose Yasuo
Lull’s jungle was invaded, and his own mid laner, Annie
Lull’s pace affected his own mid lane. Once Yasuo reached level six, he started following Lucian around to catch people. SVP seemed to be playing for the early game advantage, not giving their opponents a chance to breathe.
After clearing the jungle, they ran to the bottom lane, then back to the jungle after returning home, and finally rotated to the top lane.
As the three lanes crumbled one after another, Amumu charged into the crowd and unleashed a massive ultimate, locking down the enemy top laner, mid laner, and support. The invisible effect on the male blade’s ultimate allowed him to unleash it immediately after the stun, and he, along with the AD carry, eliminated PG’s AD carry. However, he died in the hands of PG’s mid laner.
The male gun champion emerged from the bushes after the enemy had used their abilities, confidently dodging Annie’s stun ultimate. With his high damage output, he followed up with his own ultimate, not needing to switch bullets, resulting in a team wipe for PG.
— Quadra kill (four kills) —
The male gun secured a quadra kill.C
ommentator Xiao Yang: “Wish’s male gun is truly terrifying, delivering outstanding performances every time he steps onto the stage…”
Before Xiao Yang could finish his sentence, the enemy crystal was destroyed.
Excited commentator Zhang Changfeng added: “Let’s congratulate the SVP team on winning the championship of this year’s summer split!”
With the commentator’s words, a shower of golden ribbons fell from the sky.
Jiang Mo calmly removed his headphones, exchanged embraces with the coach, manager, and Xia Zeyu, who had already rushed onto the stage. He walked to the center of the stage with his teammates. The applause from the audience continued without pause. As he touched the icy trophy, it felt as if he had been scalded. His hand instinctively trembled.
His eyes gradually filled with tears. He lowered his head to wipe them away and then raised his head. Through the falling golden ribbons, he locked eyes with the audience below, especially with Chi Yu, who was looking up at him.
Chi Yu smiled at him, and, along with the audience, applauded him.
Without saying a word, he heard Chi Yu saying to him
—I’ve always been watching you.
I don’t like or understand the decision to keep Xia Zeyu and Jiang Mo in the same position, and I knew it would wind up at this point, Jiang Mo rushing up on stage to win the trophy he always wanted, by stepping in front of Xia Zeyu. It doesn’t feel good, it feels selfish, as a reader I can’t appreciate it, and I admittedly resent the author a bit for putting us in this position.