Chapter 88

Epilogue · World Championship

This wasn’t QILIN’s only defeat in recent years, but it was their only loss in this year’s global League.

VIT had only lost one match to CH so far, advancing all the way to the Finals. In a way, the single-elimination format of the League in recent years seemed designed to add fuel to QILIN’s unrelenting momentum.

Countless fans hoped to see them dominate once again. QILIN had been a powerhouse in the World Championship for five years, almost creating an unshakable and invincible dynasty.

And now, they were toppled by a rookie team.

There’s always a taller mountain to climb.

That initial 10-minute burst caught everyone off guard.

The Coaches and the Referee Team stood up, and both Captains called for a break and extra time. The game paused for a 20-minute intermission. The intense gameplay greatly drained the esports players’ energy, especially in matches where top-tier competitors face off. Such high-frequency bursts of thinking and reaction were akin to burning their brain CPUs.

In the Training Room, everyone took off their headsets but didn’t immediately stand up. They leaned back in their chairs, feeling a bit dizzy.

No one spoke because they were exhausted. They had never encountered a game that lasted over 60 minutes during scrims, not even against CH’s high-defense operations style.

Xiao Yin was the first to stand up, preparing a cup of water for each teammate, which they obediently drank.

“How are you feeling?” Xiao Yin asked Rong Yi softly.

In normal matches, the Mid Lane position was the most stressful and demanding. Rong Yi had located the enemy Jungler several times, which was quite risky. “I’m good,” Rong Yi replied, finishing the water Xiao Yin handed him and licking his lips. “This level of intensity is rare, but I’m used to it.”

He didn’t practice extra hours for nothing. While others trained for eight hours, he trained for ten. When others trained for ten, he went for twelve or even fourteen hours. Over time, this not only accumulated experience but also enhanced his mental strength and endurance.

“Don’t relax, everyone stay focused,” Rong Yi clapped his hands, causing the others to straighten their backs. “Let’s do a post match analysis.”

The team gathered around.

In truth, there wasn’t much to analyze. Everyone had played exceptionally well, almost perfectly.

Grey Cat no longer needed Rong Yi’s reminders to time their recalls perfectly, and Hydralisk didn’t require Rong Yi’s verbal shotcalling to ask for lane swaps. In the heat of battle, extensive shotcalling becomes inefficient; what truly matters is seamless synergy and instantaneous reactions.

While VIT discussed in low voices, the members of QILIN were also engaged in discussion, though the atmosphere differed significantly.

“The atmosphere within VIT is really stable. They always seem so composed, even after winning a match, their expressions barely change.”

“QILIN is stable too, but their spirits seem a bit low. Understandably so, who wouldn’t feel down after that?”

From the commentator booth, voices echoed, “Losing the first match is undoubtedly a heavy blow. The question now is whether QILIN can bounce back and push this to a final game. And whether both teams have any new strategies up their sleeves.”

“In the previous game, VIT’s bans and picks were heavily restricted. Both teams are known for their reactive playstyles, but VIT being forced to pick first put them at a disadvantage. Li was banned out, and Yin was taken away.”

“That’s why QILIN could focus so heavily on the Mid Lane. If we look at the previous Mid laner’s performance, they never survived a gank from Yin and the ronin duo.”

“Of course, the enemy’s Yin played a double-edged sword role. With Yin on their side, Easy faced immense pressure, dragging the game out to an hour-long ordeal before securing the win.”

It was a disconnect, but it was also because VIT’s Mid Laner was highly familiar with Yin, countering with Silver Hook.

“Yes, and with Yin-Ge as the Jungler, his numerous vision control plays forced QILIN to be cautious, preventing them from making aggressive moves.”

“Both teams have showcased top-tier strategies and execution, making the League’s World Championship proud to have such teams.”

The second game started quickly.

During the brief post match analysis, the twenty minutes flew by.

In VIT’s Training Room, the usual post match analysis style made everyone temporarily forget the score, immersing them in the discussion. The second round didn’t involve position draws. In the first round, QILIN banned first and VIT picked first; in the second round, the roles were reversed. The first ban was now in Rong Yi’s hands.

The commentator booth and the audience area buzzed with discussion.

On the arena screen, Rong Yi tilted his head slightly, whispering something to Xiao Yin beside him. Both leaned in close, but the atmosphere was not intimate merely filled with the trust and seriousness of comrades in battle.

Everyone noticed that Rong Yi’s preliminary ban was aimed at Mofa.

However, with only three seconds left on the countdown, Rong Yi still hadn’t made his choice.

“Can’t decide?”

The commentators exchanged glances. “Or are we about to see an unexpected switch at the last second?”

The countdown ended, and Rong Yi still hadn’t made his selection, leaving the ban spot empty.

VIT had left one ban spot open as well.

The atmosphere in the arena was reignited with intensity.

“Leaving a ban spot to force QILIN into a pick, VIT is pushing for a one-for-one trade right from the ban phase.”

The commentators were nearly shouting in excitement, almost pounding the table.

In the World Championship, champions cannot be picked again once they have been used, meaning the champions used in the last game by both teams are now off-limits.

This adds a fascinating layer to the ban/pick strategy.

This season, the crucial champions that could determine the match point are still in play for both teams. For QILIN, their usual lineup can’t include Yin anymore, leaving only Jungler Di and ADC Mofa.

On the VIT side, they can’t choose Silver Hook, Di, or Empress, leaving only Li and Yin.

Although VIT has used more champions, the remaining ones are still their core strong picks.

QILIN must secure their super core ADC, Mofa.

QILIN’s Mofa is incredibly formidable. VIT had already banned it in the last game, and due to the League rule prohibiting repeated bans on the same champion, they can’t ban Mofa again.

Now, with VIT banning first, no matter who they ban, the enemy can still pick Mofa and then use their pick as a pseudo-ban, taking away one of VIT’s strong champions. Theoretically, VIT’s Jungler Di will be banned.

But now, with VIT leaving a ban slot open, they were forcing QILIN to choose: should they take a strong champion for themselves and another strong champion from the opponent, or should they stick with their own core picks, Di and Mofa, which fit their system? Di and Mofa play very differently from other Jungler champions; one is high-mobility, the other deals explosive splash damage, making them the jungle grenades. A hurricane sweeps through, leaving no survivors. It was an enormous temptation.

Choosing both would mean employing a different tactic, one that doesn’t target VIT’s lineup but instead relies on their most reliable and honored ADC core system.

It also meant giving VIT complete freedom to choose their most practiced, Mid Lane Li core system.

Ten seconds passed.

The opponents picked Mofa, and on the second pick, they chose Di.

QILIN reclaimed their core system.

Almost simultaneously, VIT opened their picks.

Rong Yi, without hesitation, picked Li, and on the second pick, Hydralisk helped lock in Yin. Meanwhile, QILIN banned two strong ADC champions.

They were going for their ADC core strategy, aiming to dominate through the Bottom Lane.

They directly restricted the Bottom Lane.

VIT used their remaining two ban slots on Mid Laner and Top Laner.

Both sides shamelessly picked their strongest lineup.

No room for counterplay, no specific counters just each team’s most confident and proficient lineup.

This was a true clash of titans, a showdown of the highest caliber.

The ultimate answer they had been seeking all season would be revealed in this match.

Thirty seconds into the game, both teams displayed extreme coordination.

Just as Hydralisk would be completely restricted this game, QILIN’s Mid Laner would be similarly constrained. Both teams were cutting off one of their own limbs. In the previous game, both teams had converged on the Mid Lane to contest vision. This time, they spread out.

The first wave of minions saw Mofa farming directly in the Mid Lane, while Di took control of the jungle vision, boldly entering Xiao Yin’s Blue Buff Area under Rong Yi’s watchful eyes.

In the early game, Di and Mofa were nearly invincible. VIT had no intention of engaging in a full-on team fight, so Rong Yi abandoned the Mid Lane minion wave to join Hydralisk in farming the Bottom Lane. Xiao Yin, avoiding the risk of entering the opposing jungle, opted to secure the Red Buff in their known safe Blue Buff Area, adapting to the situation.

VIT had to avoid team fights at all costs.

The commentators kept up with the action.

“Where will QILIN’s jungle core strategy show itself? Developed in Xiao Yin’s era, with Yin’s ultimate flying in and the rest following, it’s a team fight you can’t refuse. It’s unimaginably fast and domineering.”

“Of course, with Xiao Yin now on the other side, QILIN still relies heavily on their jungle core, and their ADC Mofa is beginning to shine. Despite being jungle-centric, the synergy between their Jungler and ADC is extremely quick. Early game, they dominate the Jungle and Bottom Lane, and in the late game, their dual carries deal explosive damage. You can’t keep up with their growth rate.”

“No team has managed to avoid falling behind against QILIN.”

VIT was no exception.

This high-damage, high-mobility dual-carry strategy is incredibly difficult to counter.

VIT’s dual carries, Li and Yin, were not team fight champions. They were gears in a machine, needing to mesh perfectly and cooperate constantly.

Now, it felt like a heavy hammer was pounding that machine.

QILIN’s Mid Lane was at a disadvantage, but Rong Yi controlled the wave meticulously. Several attempts by the opponents to dive failed, forcing them to shift their focus to the Top Lane.

Wu Daogu’s conventional champion this match lacked mobility and couldn’t escape. To defend the tower, he used his skills to clear the minion wave even without having upgraded his ultimate.

QILIN’s plan to wipe out both the tower and the enemy champions fell through, but VIT’s Blue Buff Area was completely lost.

In just twelve minutes, QILIN’s gold lead had grown to three thousand.

“VIT is falling behind.”

“The last game dragged on for sixty minutes with no clear winner. Is this just a fluke? This time, QILIN is overwhelming.”

“Hydralisk is also struggling in the Bottom Lane. Mofa’s gold lead is too significant, and with support providing vision control, it’s difficult for Hydralisk to maintain lane dominance without vision. He can’t track Mofa’s movements.”

But just as the commentators were speaking, Rong Yi and Xiao Yin made their move.

Yin took the initiative, diving under the tower to strike the Support first. Rong Yi had already rotated from the River, joining in to secure the kill on the enemy Support under the tower.

QILIN was making an aggressive move, and Rong Yi and Xiao Yin were executing their own aggressive play.

Li and Yin coordinated flawlessly, with Yin leaving shortly after. Meanwhile, Mofa and Di were still in the Blue Buff Area on the left side of Mid Lane.

They couldn’t make it back in time.

This scenario felt familiar but fleeting.

In QILIN’s perspective, Jungler Di, who had lost the high ground in the last game, furrowed his brow but acted before thinking. He and Mofa rushed to the Bottom Lane. Although they were shorthanded, VIT’s superior wave control meant Mofa farmed when present, and the Support controlled the wave when he wasn’t, effectively stalling Hydralisk.

Their Support, Rainy Night Hunter, was a damage-oriented champion capable of wave clearing.

Rong Yi and Xiao Yin each retreated.

Seeing no enemies present, Mofa began to farm the Bottom Lane minion wave while also securing the Blue Buff in their Jungle.

Di, after scouting the Bottom Lane vision, returned to find something amiss when he aimed to take VIT’s Red Buff.

Xiao Yin hadn’t taken the Red Buff.

Xiao Yin had been closer to the Red Buff, which provides health regeneration and a damage boost, allowing for a seamless lane transition. Yet, inexplicably, he bypassed it. Given VIT’s risk-reward playstyle, such an oversight seemed impossible. After securing a kill in the Bottom Lane, they would typically capitalize on resources. The only explanation was that Xiao Yin misjudged their vision and positioning.

It seemed unlikely, but no other reason came to mind.

How could Xiao Yin misjudge the position?

“Xiao Yin took a huge risk; he was within a hair’s breadth of Di, and he was only at half health.”

The commentators were shocked by this unconventional decision. “From this choice, Yin’s intentions are unclear. The optimal play would have been to secure the enemy Blue Buff, given Mofa would take longer to arrive.”

Then, Xiao Yin began farming in the Jungle in a very unusual sequence.

Typically, Junglers plan their routes meticulously, balancing lane transitions and support speeds.

To move upwards allows for Top Lane support, while moving downwards facilitates Bottom Lane assistance. Camping near the double buffs aims to control central vision and Dragon vision. However, Xiao Yin only took the Blue Buff, leaving the Red Buff untouched. He entered the enemy’s Red Buff area, killed just two Jungle monsters, and then withdrew. “Ignoring both Red Buffs but clearing everything else, what does that mean?”

The audience began to murmur among themselves. “The Red Buff gives a significant boost to Yin.”

The reason soon became clear.

After Xiao Yin left, Di and Mofa forced Hydralisk and his Support to retreat, then secured the Dragon, moving into the game’s second Dragon Buff phase before retreating to farm their Jungle.

With the Dragon taken, all VIT members surfaced to wave clear.

Xiao Yin appeared in the Top Lane.

Di and Mofa immediately moved towards the Top Lane, splitting up, with Di scouting ahead. VIT’s Blue Buff Area was cleared, but their Jungle still had a Red Buff remaining.

After taking the Red Buff, they launched an aggressive play.

Simultaneously, Rong Yi left his position, moved to the enemy’s Blue Buff, secured it, then transitioned to the Bottom Lane to join the freshly healed Hydralisk, initiating another aggressive play against the Bottom Lane Support.

“Both sides are going aggressive. In the Top Lane, Yin escapes with low health using his ultimate, but Wu Daogu falls, and the Top Lane minion wave is cleared. In the Bottom Lane, Rainy Night Hunter can’t withstand the combined force of Li, the ADC, and the Support, and he falls.”

“But there’s a minion wave in the Bottom Lane. Rainy Night Hunter left one minion uncleared.”

At the fifteenth minute, the first tower was taken down by VIT.

On the QILIN side, the Jungler’s expression changed. He murmured, “Something’s wrong. Can we change tactics?” After fifteen minutes of play, how could they change now?

That familiar feeling surged again.

The familiar feeling of not being able to get back in time.

They still didn’t realize that VIT was deliberately controlling the Blue Buff throughout the game. As soon as it respawned, either Rong Yi or Xiao Yin would take it.

They didn’t contest the Dragon, nor the Red Buffs.

By leaving two Red Buffs, they also restricted QILIN’s route options.

To play a Jungle core and invade the Jungle, one must aggressively sweep resources.

To aggressively sweep resources, VIT would let them take it.

Ten minutes earlier, in the match room, Rong Yi’s voice was clear and resonant. “Their counter-Jungle lineup is hard to deal with, but we can still hold onto the two Blue Buffs.

“As long as they’re still playing, they have to take both Red Buffs, which means they’ll be running around the Top Jungle Red Buff area and the Bottom Jungle Red Buff area.

“This means they can only initiate team fights in the Top Lane or the Bottom Lane, and in between, they have to travel the longest distance.

“This is where the Mid core comes into play, with its mobility.

“I can control both Blue Buffs on my own. I can roam between the Top Lane and the Bottom Lane. No other core can do that.” They are strong, their initiations are powerful, and they are great at ganking the Mid Lane, but they won’t realize that even their Jungle routes are within our plans. “If they initiate in the Top Lane, I’ll initiate in the Bottom Lane. If they go for the Dragon, we’ll take resources and control the waves. With Yin-Ge and me playing as Li and Yin, no one will be able to stop us.” The synergy between the Jungler and ADC isn’t as efficient as the synergy between the Jungler and Mid Lane. This is determined by the paths, not anything else. This statement was definitive, and their chosen configuration was the most unshakable answer. They firmly believed this was the current meta.

The Empress, Mofa, and other ADCs have been at their peak for a long time; as long as the Bottom Lane core has been at its peak: as long as Yin and Di have been strong, the Jungle core has been a mainstay. However, no one has ever tried using a Mid core with Li, a less popular champion, to play the Mid core role before.

The third team fight broke out. Rong Yi stared at the screen.

QILIN had already noticed something was wrong. The gold difference was narrowing, and a Bottom Lane tower had fallen. Throughout, their Jungler never got a Blue Buff. Di was a champion who needed the Blue Buff. They were being led by the nose.

Realizing something was off, they adjusted their tactics immediately.

After a brief pause, QILIN began to scout Rong Yi’s vision and movements as a team. They stopped and shifted towards the Bottom Lane, entering a defensive mode, wary of Rong Yi’s arrival. “Let’s take a gamble, Top Lane or Bottom Lane.”

Rong Yi whispered, “50-50.”

For the first time, QILIN guessed right. Mofa urgently returned to the Bottom Lane, no longer following Di for initiations, while the Support roamed constantly, on guard for Rong Yi’s arrival.

But it was futile.

This was actually a flaw in their lineup. To play aggressively in the Jungle, they had to choose a Support capable of dealing damage in the Bottom Lane, which effectively meant two Mages. “They gave up on a proper Support role. Even if they had chosen Memory Key, it wouldn’t have been this tough. With less pressure in the Jungle, Xiao Yin didn’t hesitate and went straight for the Jungler, Di.

Rong Yi had just cleared the Mid Lane minion wave and rushed back immediately.

They were waiting for this opportunity.

The chance to force the double carries to split up and defend.

Di had a three to four thousand gold lead over both of them, but with their coordinated effort, Xiao Yin and Rong Yi, despite being low health, pinned Di down and killed him on the spot.

The crowd was abuzz.

“Almost a double kill.

“If he had the Blue Buff, it would’ve been a double kill. But VIT has been controlling the Blue Buffs all game.”

There wasn’t much “almost” about it.

Every “almost” that VIT had managed so far was a meticulously planned move. In the arena, every bit of “almost” came down to sheer skill.

With a player down, QILIN’s tactics had a gap, and VIT seized the initiative completely.

Xiao Yin started the Baron Nashor immediately. Meanwhile, Rong Yi went back to the enemy’s Blue Buff area to steal it and then stood guard in the River, ready to block Mofa, who might attempt to steal the Baron.

Mofa knew where Rong Yi was, and the enemy Mid laner was free in the Blue Buff area again.

After a moment of hesitation, Mofa retreated to clear the minion wave under the tower, waiting for Di’s respawn.

This sequence took less than ten seconds, but for QILIN, it was an avalanche. Mofa was still lingering near the tower, hoping to turn the game around, but VIT didn’t give them the chance. In the fourth team fight, VIT initiated aggressively.

Xiao Yin dove under the tower, followed closely by Rong Yi, and Grey Cat flashed in. The three of them instantly killed Mofa.

“That was a huge mistake. He wasn’t mentally prepared for being dived,” the commentator said. “But with Di down, who else would they dive? This is a common issue for teams with a lead.

“When you’re ahead, it’s easy to kill the enemy with just a few hits. But as the gold gap narrows, players often still have the subconscious belief that they can kill the enemy with a few hits, leading to overconfidence and less cautious play.”

The double carries were down again.

At this point, there was no coming back.

Or rather, it was earlier when Di first realized he couldn’t “make it back in time,” when he noticed Xiao Yin didn’t go for the Red Buff—that’s when it was already hopeless. The feeling that “something’s off” is the most terrifying because it means you’ve fallen into the enemy’s rhythm without even realizing it. This match ended in just thirty-two minutes.

Only the players in the game understood what they had gone through, while the spectators could only watch in confusion as QILIN suddenly collapsed, making consecutive mistakes. No one understood why this happened.

QILIN didn’t lose due to tactics or technical skills; they lost on a strategic level.

When the victory screen popped up, everyone on VIT except for Rong Yi and Xiao Yin remained still.

Xiao Yin took off his headset and flexed his fingers. Rong Yi also took off his headset and took a sip of water.

The others were still staring seriously at the screen. As the result screen appeared, everyone’s stats were clearly displayed. “Still dreaming, huh?”

Rong Yi clapped his hands and set his plastic cup down on the table. He looked over with a beaming smile, “The match is over, World Champions.”