Special Note:
Chapter 155 is the end of the main story as marked by the author. However, there are still 35 or more side story chapters left that is the continuation of the story from where they left off.
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After coming back to the break room, the first message Tong Yao saw on her cell phone was a message from Ai Jia on WeChat. It looked like he was gnashing his teeth as he sent it.
YQCB, Ah Mao’s dad: You better say farewell to your Diana. You won’t see her ever again in a competitive match.
Tong Yao laughed so hard that her hand shook and she sent a smug emoji back to him. She also didn’t remind him that there was also a champion named Ahri.
Twelve minutes later, in the ban & pick phase of the fourth round, Tong Yao finally reminded YQCB, the audience, and the commentators of Ahri's existence by locking her in as her champion.
Commentator A: Ahri, hahahahahahahahaha, geez! Now, I won’t be surprised no matter what champion Tong Yao chooses.
Commentator B: I think only mid players from the North American region and Korea’s Team OP like to use Ahri. As we can see, Ahri’s ban rate from this summer season is negligibly low.
Commentator A: She has no other choice. Twisted Fate, Leblanc, and Diana have all been banned. Diana was quite effective in the last round and Ahri is a great replacement for her.
Commentator B: We can see YQCB’s players look quite unhappy. Why there’s more! We’ve already banned three of your champions! You can still come up with a new one! We must be playing a fake finals!
The audience burst into laughter.
Old Cat took Maokai, Old K took Elise, Lu Sicheng took Kog’Maw, and Little Fatty took someone he hadn’t used for a while, Alistar.
On YQCB’s side, Ai Jia still took Ekko, the top took Rumble, the jungler took Rek’Sai, the ad chose Ezreal again, and the support took Thresh, the champion he was best with.
This round, everyone knew that YQCB was standing on the edge of the cliff. If they won, they would still have a chance to win. If they lost, the summer competition would be over for them. They had to watch Team CK, the champion of the spring season and third place of the summer season, take the slot to go to S6 as the team with the highest cumulative points. Winning second place in the summer season was meaningless to YQCB to earn a ticket to S6 since they had been a relegation team in the spring season. They would have to go through the relegation tournament and defeat all six teams in order to obtain the last remaining ticket to S6.
YQCB was in a much more precarious position than ZGDX,
However, there was no brotherly love during a competition even though they were “good brothers from the team next door.”
Both sides played this round very cautiously. During the first 20 minutes, not a single champion had died nor had any serious fights occurred. Both sides were rather courteous to each other. Neither of them even tried to cross the river in the middle. YQCB’s fans became quite worried and posted comments on Tieba and bullet comments to show their anxiety--
Damn it, why are they going along with ZGDX and dragging on the match!
Ahri is going to become powerful again…… Oh my god, have you forgotten how you lost the last round? Still not getting their mid!
On the other hand, Smiling’s farming really steadily, hasn’t missed a single one yet. Shit, she’s really something to be this calm in a final round like this, ahhh!
Ahri doesn’t go up, why doesn’t Ekko know how to look for chances for himself-- --Shit, is the phrase “take initiative” not existing in Ai Jia’s personal dictionary? !
……
The players certainly didn’t know what the audience and viewers were saying. At the 25th minute, both sides faced off around the dragon’s pit. Little Fatty’s Alistar knocked up three enemies into the air, Tong Yao followed with her ultimate to initiate a small scale team fight. Both sides fought ferociously, casting 800 abilities at each other.
Then both sides retreated at the same time without a single death.
Even the commentators were embarrassed at not knowing what to say.
ZGDX players were having a good time in their voice chat. Tong Yao gladly joked about the current situation as she farmed: “If I were sitting down there watching the match, I would have gone to the bathroom for the third time by now.”
Lu Sicheng turned to take a look at her.
After a short pause, he said: “Kidney deficiency?”[1]
Tong Yao wrinkled her nose while Little Fatty laughed: “Young people should know abstinence.”
Lu Sicheng very seriously said: “Uhm. I haven’t done anything these past few days anyway. You have to ask her what she has done.”
Tong Yao’s cheeks were burning hot. She cursed silently and annoyingly called Lu Sicheng’s full name: “A lot of people backstage are listening! Shut up!----Backstage people, that just now can’t go on the montage. I don’t want to receive dead mice or dead cockroaches. Besides, there are many underaged fans in the esports circle!”
Old K: “Hahahahahaha!”
Old Cat: “What are you laughing at. I can’t handle Rumble, can’t you come up and help me! If I don’t get tanky enough, who’ll shield you in team fights!”
At the 30th minute, both mids initiated a team fight. Maokai tied up the other side’s mid before he could use his ultimate to run away, then ZGDX blasted him to death. The first blood happened after 30 minutes into the match. After the kill, YQCB retreated and ZGDX didn’t give chase and instead they turned to take down their first drake.
ZGDX was temporarily in the lead with 1 kill and 800 gold, a slight lead which could be overlooked at this point in the match.
At the 35th minute, YQCB was tired of dragging the game on and changed tactics. Four of their players pushed to mid as a group to keep Tong Yao there while Rumble went to bot by himself in an attempt to push ZGDX’s inner turret at bot.
At the 36th minute, Rumble teleported to mid and all five players worked as a group to fight Baron. Old K swung by the top of Baron’s arena. The moment Baron’s health was about to hit 0, Little Fatty flashed over and headbutted the five enemies. Old K went down the arena at the same time and cast smite.
ZGDX successfully took down Baron!
The moment of ZGDX’s counter attack had arrived.
The audience all looked quite calm, unsure whether the major league teams were all really weak or this match was too splendid, both sides were taking turns being on the offensive again. It’s a turn-based game all over again.
At the 40th minute, destroy a turret.
At the 45th minute, destroy a turret, destroy a turret, kill an enemy, and destroy another turret.
At the 50th minute, destroy a turret, destroy a turret, clear out the last outer turret, attack the inhibitor turret. Ah, someone got killed. Retreat after they lost a player, be steady, be steady---
At the 60th minute, Tong Yao: “Dang, dang, dang, dang! Let me report the time, it’s now at the 60th minute of the game. Congratulations, this round has turned into the legendary bladder round where everyone has a full bladder…… Let’s interview our handicapped Captain Lu Sicheng: Captain, does your hand hurt?”
Lu Sicheng: “It’s alright. But if we lose this round after hanging around till this point and have to play another round, I’ll probably lose my temper.”
As he was talking, he finally saw the other side’s jungler in front of the bush he had been hiding inside for a while now. Lu Sicheng jumped out of the bush and took down the jungler while he was surprised!
Everyone: ........
Tong Yao: “Let me translate. The captain said if we don’t win this round, everyone will die.”
Lu Sicheng: “Don’t push it. The other side’s jungler’s dead. Come get Baron.”
At 62nd minute and 11th second, Chessman successfully killed YQCB’s jungler Xbang. ZGDX took the chance to initiate the fight for Baron when YQCB was missing one player. They took down Baron, pushed YQCB’s inner turrets on both top and mid lanes plus the inhibitor on bot.
At 65th minute, ZGDX tried to push towards the inhibitor on top but was forced out by a wave of minions. YQCB took the chance to counter attack and caught ZGDX’s ad first, then aced ZGDX.
At the 65th minute, 30th second, YQCB moved up to ZGDX’s base, pushing all three lanes, destroying the inhibitor at mid, and took down the nexus turret at their base.
At the 66th minute, 30th second, ZGDX’s ad and mid respawned one after another. YQCB knew that the chance to wipe out the enemy base was gone and immediately retreated.
At this point, the only thing that ZGDX had left in their base was their nexus. They could lose the match at any moment if they lost a single teammate.
ZGDX was back into the corner once again.
It would be a fight to win or die at this moment.
At the 70th minute, after farming a wave of minions, Tong Yao dropped her mouse to quickly move her wrist around before holding on to her mouse again: “I can’t do it. Even if this is the win or lose round, even if I think of the ticket to S6, even if there’s the chance to go abroad for free-- --I’m so tired.”
Little Fatty: “Aiya, I’m also very tired. Damn, in my professional life, I can count with one hand the number of rounds that have lasted longer than 65 minutes…… Now, whoever wins the match will be winning not by skills but through will power.”
Old Cat: “No, no, no, don’t slack off, hang in there, finish this in ten minutes. I know, I can’t stand thinking that if we lost this round, we’ll have to play another one. After clearing this wave of minions, let’s do it, live or die. Fatty, come, sing a song first to help us get over this. One, two, three, go!”
Little Fatty: “Come ~ Be merry ~ There’s a lot of time anyway ~”
Tong Yao: ? ? ? ?
Old Cat: “Come ~ Romance ~ There’s a lot of ignorance anyway ~”
Old K: “Come ~ Roam about ~ There’s a lot of directions anyway ~”
Lu Sicheng: “Come ~ Be affected ~ There’s a lot of sceneries anyway ~”
Tong Yao: .................................
Tong Yao never knew that Team ZGDX’s fighting song would be like this. She also never thought that she would be using her ultimate to initiate a team fight amidst her teammates’ singing.
Lu Sicheng: “Ad, ad, let me insta-ki…… Go to hell, why hasn’t anyone told me the other ad has Heal?”
Little Fatty: “If we wait any longer, Ai Jia’s hourglass would be ready. Their mid’s hourglass is more terrible than Heal. Look, Pope’s health is low, their jungler’s health’s low. Cheng Ge, go get them, ahhhhhh!”
Tong Yao threw her mouse: “I’m dead.”
Little Fatty also threw his mouse: “I’m dead too. Oh, no; oh, no, we’re going to lose. Comrades, let’s gather our stuff and get ready for the next round-- --”
Amid Little Fatty’s nagging, Lu Sicheng successfully killed the other side’s ad and jungler. YQCB had only their support, mid, and top left and all three of them were battered. The enemy mid, Ekko, had a little more health than the other two because he had been keeping his distance most of the time. Their top had already used his Guardian Angel once.
Lu Sicheng: “Old Cat, Old K, both of you go back a little, go back a little, try to drag on a bit longer… Maybe we can do another fight.”
After saying so, Lu Sicheng also died.
Only Old K and Old Cat were left to resist the enemy. To make things worse, a large wave of minions was moving over from the enemy side, the top duo had no choice but to pull back.
Tong Yao was extremely anxious as she looked at the destroyed nexus turret, the base that only had a nexus standing, and the 40 seconds on her respawn timer: “I suggest to change our fighting song to <The March of the Volunteers>[2] for the next round, alright? We won’t feel ashamed even if it’s put in the montage. I feel like the reason we’ll lose this round has a lot to do with that lousy song you just sang. Who started it? I blame you for it!”
As Tong Yao was talking, all her teammates were preparing to move on to the next round. Old Cat and Old K kept retreating from the other team which still had their mid intact. Fortunately, Old Cat was tanky enough now and the minion lane had soaked most of the damage for them. After a while, the two of them were forced back to their own base by the other side’s mid, top, and support that were now supported by a lot of super minions-- --
Tong Yao still had 15 seconds left till she respawned.
The commentators mumbled: “Is it over? Is it over?” ZGDX’s minions charged out of their base and Ai Jia and Rongrong moved forward to farm them.
Tong Yong still had 10 more seconds until she respawned.
After Ai Jia and Rongrong cleared away the minions, they moved towards the nexus. In the meantime, Old K, regardless of the danger, thrust into the other side’s three-men group and tried to control Ai Jia, but was instead slain by Ai Jia. Ai Jia however only had a fifth of his health left.
It was 5 seconds before Tong Yao respawned.
Commentator A: It looks like this round’s over.
Commentator B: YQCB’s starting to push the nexus--But, something’s not right, ahhhh, Smiling is about to respawn, ahhhh!
When YQCB was half way through destroying ZGDX’s nexus, Tong Yao respawned.
She dashed out of the base, used e, q first to kill Ai Jia; then w, r, and cast ignite to kill Rongrong; and finally blasted Liangsheng, the only player left--- On the big screen, the big words Triple Kill appeared. YQCB had been aced!
The entire audience jumped to their feet, boiling with excitement. The commentators also stood up from their seats!
Old Cat and Tong Yao cleared the minion lane. The base at this point only had less than 100 health points.
The new minion wave appeared and Lu Sicheng respawned!
Tong Yao handed over the left over minions to Old Cat, then went with Lu Sicheng straight towards YQCB’s base---
Commentator A: They’ve come back! Ahhhhhh, come back!!!!
Commentator B: Can they do it? Can they? Smiling and Chessman have reached the other side’s base--- Ah, the esports’ Condor couple! Huang Rong and Guo Jing![3] Diaochan and Lu Bu!][4]
Commentator A: They’ve started to take down the nexus turret with good speed! ! Ah, Pope’s respawned, but it’s no use. This time Cheng Ge has his Heal at the ready! Pope’s dead! ! What a comeback with only 50 health left on their nexus!!!! The repeat of a classic move from three years ago!!!! Today!!! Tonight!! Right at this moment!!!!
From the moment she respawned, dashed out of the spring, got a triple kill, rushed to the other side’s base with Lu Sicheng till the time they took down YQCB’s nexus turret, killed Pope, continued to blast the enemy nexus, Tong Yao hadn’t said a word. She just felt her heartbeat quicken, her adrenaline level explode, and that she couldn’t see anything in front of her except the enemy’s red nexus--
It felt like she had even forgotten how to breath.
Suddenly she remembered something she said in an interview when she first started to play professionally. At the time the reporter asked her: Tong Yao, as the major league’s first female professional player, why did you choose “Smiling” as your id?
She remembered how she had answered the question-- --
[Because my favorite professional player is Team We’s Weixiao[5], Guo Xuecheng, the king. He’s the well deserved number one ad in the world. He’s the one who said “don’t give me money, I want to play professionally,” deservedly respected by all the esports world. I know it was the greatest regret in his professional career that he didn’t get the world championship in S2. Later on he retired without having another chance to go back to the S series finals. Therefore, I hope, one day, I can take the name “Smiling” back to the world stage.]
--- Finally, one day, the name of “Smiling” was going back to the world stage!
Tong Yao’s hand mechanically kept clicking on the mouse.
Watching the health bar of the nexus decrease little by little, Tong Yao couldn’t hear anything her teammates were saying in her headphones. When the nexus health bar disappeared and she saw the nexus exploding, her brain went blank with the bang---
From the corner of her eyes, she saw Little Fatty push away his keyboard and jump up. He darted over to Old Cat and picked him up.
Old K took off his headphones with a beaming smile, spread his arms wide open to join the top and support in a bear hug.
Someone took off Tong Yao’s headphones. The person pulled her up from the chair, hugged her, and kissed her-- Burning kisses landed on her cheeks and lips.
The person hugged her, then all her teammates were embracing each other.
The glass door of the sound proof room was pushed open. Ming god, Lu Yue, Xiao Rui, and the coach all rushed into the room. Everyone had a beaming smile on their faces. The wild chanting of the audience also flooded into the room as the door opened. They were chanting “ZGDX” and the sound seemed to have split the quiet night sky……
Commentator A: The champion of the summer season finals! ZGDX!!! Everyone please stand, let’s give them our warmest round of applause---
Commentator B: Please, on behalf of all 12 major league teams, make up the regrets of so many years and take back the glory that belongs to us! The Chinese major league will never bow to the world!!!
Surrounded by her teammates, Tong Yao came to the center of the stage in front of the trophy. Confetti fell from the sky, landing on her head and shoulders…… When she touched the slightly cool silver trophy, Tong Yao finally came back to herself again-- --
She lifted up the trophy.
Then she felt her feet leave the ground; someone behind her was holding her up……
It was the exact posture from the <The Lion King> when the baboon lifted up the newly born Simba.
The lighting on the stage was rather dazzling. Tong Yao squinted her eyes ever slightly and looked up. Behind the radiance reflected from the trophy was the packed audience. She looked downwards and met a pair of smiling dark brown pupils……
She was finally beaming in happiness.
She threw the trophy to Little Fatty and used both of her hands to hold the smiling face of the man who was tightly holding her. When he lowered her down a little, she lowered her head and trembly kissed his lips. Warm fluid gushed out of the corners of her eyes.
She had done it.
……
August 26, 2016, ZGDX defeated YQCB 3 : 1, winning the summer season championship. They became the first confirmed team to represent the China region in the S6 world tournament.
On stage, the young people who held the trophy together were all smiling and looked so bright. People had doubted them and overburdened them with high expectations. They had cried and hesitated but in the end, they stood there with straight backs under those expectant gazes……
They were finally shining.
This was the end and would be a new beginning as well.
A short distance away, right at that place, they swore they would, with their own hands, silence any doubts about the strength of the China region!
The top of the world in their dreams!
They would move towards that place---
Get ready to set sail again.
Note:
[1]: 肾虚 (shènxū) means kidney deficiency or a weak kidney. Apparently it’s also used to imply that someone isn’t good at sex or doesn’t have much sex
[2]: China’s national anthem.
[3]: Their referring to the couple in a famous wuxia story called The Legend of Condor Heroes, (神雕侠侣 / shén diāo xiá lǚ).
[4]: This time it’s a couple from the Three Kingdoms, a period of Chinese history that is most commonly known from the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
[5]: Just a reminder, Weixiao (微笑) means “smile” in Chinese.