Chapter 250: Shaky Hand

Noticing that Lao Zhang's condition seemed a bit off, Liang Yan thought for a moment and spoke:

It's fine, brother; Bo Bi dying once isn't a big deal. Hold steady first—I'll look for a chance to help you.

Yeah, I'm fine.

Lao Zhang gave a stiff smile, pulled out a sweat-absorbing cloth from his pocket and kneaded it hard a few times, then stuffed it back into his pocket, placed his hands back on the mouse and keyboard, and after respawning, while heading out he took deep breaths to adjust his mood, simultaneously telling himself:

I can't hold the team back... I can't hold the team back... I can't hold the team back……

But the more he thought that way, the less he could ease his tension.

Gradually, his hand gripping the mouse started to feel off, as if he couldn't exert strength; the micro-maneuvers he usually performed without thought now felt awkward no matter how he operated……

Not long after Bo Bi respawned and returned to lane, he was hit by Jayce's combo and lost half his health.

On the LPL commentary desk, Wawa exclaimed:

Wow! Duke is terrifying this game! After picking Jayce, he's like a completely different person!

It feels like that earlier solo kill gave him confidence.

Miller said, glancing at the gold difference between the two sides; SKT led by about six hundred.

Looking at last hits, mid and bottom lanes were roughly even; the jungler's two‑hit lead was negligible, but the top lane was behind by a dozen or so last hits.

In other words, that six‑hundred‑plus gold deficit came entirely from the top lane.

A tense atmosphere began to spread among the G2 players' benches.

The camera cut to the bottom lane several times; it was obvious the duo felt a bit rushed, desperately looking for a chance to trade damage with the enemy bottom lane, trying to create an opening for the jungler.

But the more hurried they were, the harder it was to succeed. The first time the camera switched over, both sides had equal health; the second time it showed G2 at a slight disadvantage; the third time, after switching again, Lulu's health had dropped below half while the enemy support still had about two‑thirds.

On the fourth occasion, the SKT duo successfully secured a level‑6 power spike, then suddenly engaged; Janna's ultimate knocked out Zven's heal and Mithy's flash.

In G2's team voice channel:

Don't rush, don't rush—first accumulate some minion wave and push out; trading while pushing the line is very costly.

If we push out we can't catch anything.

Your health is too low for me to gank either way; listen to me, push the lane first, don't rush—we'll slowly look for an opportunity.

OK……

While they were speaking, Liang Yan made a wide loop and appeared behind Jayce.

Here it comes! Firrrrre finally found a decent opening; although he was spotted by wards when he reached the Triangular Grass, Duke had pushed the lane too far!

Bo Bi went in directly! He flashed in for an angled wall‑bang, but the angle was off—he didn't hit the wall and instead shoved Duke a bit farther away; Jiao Shen came in to try a R‑flash to kick him back, but Duke reacted instantly, flashing to create distance!

Ah, what a shame!

Yeah, but we have to admit, Duke's condition in this game is really good.

Liang Yan tentatively cast a Heavenly Sound Wave; as expected, Jayce dodged it, realizing he no longer had a kill chance, he could only turn around and retreat.

In the headset came Lao Zhang's apology:

Sorry, my……

It's fine. Do you feel a bit nervous?

……Yeah.

Adjust a bit; it's fine, brother.

Okay!

Lao Zhang took a deep breath.

But the soft, weak feeling in his right hand still wouldn't go away.

So he pulled out another sweat‑absorbing cloth from his pocket.

The player's webcam caught this scene; the director immediately cut it into the live stream, presenting it in a picture‑in‑picture at the lower left of the screen.

Then it switched again to the backstage G2 lounge.

Coach Ka Lao Si's face was as grim as still water.

The two substitutes and team leader Biman likewise looked anxious; only the female assistant coach appeared relatively calm, though she seemed to always wear that expression.

The camera returned to Summoner's Rift; Rek'Sai appeared in the bottom lane, sneaking out from between the broken walls behind the duo.

Ezreal, who had just hit level six, unleashed his ultimate to sweep the minion wave, and together with Lulu's R‑Q combo cleared the minions approaching the tower to a pristine state.

Rek'Sai had no chance to engage, but he remained crouched, not moving, because a new wave of red‑side minions had already arrived behind the red side's lower tower.

The duo had no choice but to run toward the second tower.

Liang Yan knew that even if he instantly recalled home now it would be useless—the duo's health was too low, and three people still couldn't hold the tower; once Ignite's ultimate opened, anyone beneath the tower would be a target, so he simply didn't recall, instead diving straight into the enemy jungle to scrape whatever he could.

Several seconds later, G2's bottom tower fell first.

The gold gap widened to two thousand.

Only one kill in ten minutes—this game…… the pace feels a bit slow.

Before retreating, Rek'Sai secretly left a tunnel in the lower half of G2's jungle; after returning to base he flew straight over, burst out of the F4 camp, and charged toward Viktor's back.

"Faker sprinted in with Flash, flanking from both sides, forcing Perkz to use both summoner spells!"

"Something's off—G2's rhythm really feels off! It feels like the situation is now completely under SKT's control!"

"I think G2 just made too many mistakes: the top lane was solo‑killed, then their gank wasn't coordinated well and let Jayce escape, the bottom lane didn't lane properly, causing them to lose a first blood tower outright; mid lane Perkz's Viktor could only trade blows with Faker early on, and there was nothing they could do."

"Think of a solution, Jiao Shen—you really need to step up."

"But to be honest, in this situation Jiao Shen actually has it rough, because SKT's experience is too seasoned; their vision control plus jungle‑lane linkage is like an iron‑clad formation, giving no chance at all."

"Furthermore, although the Mang Seng's gank ability is decent, he still needs some lane‑control cooperation; otherwise, just gaining a health advantage in lane isn't enough—otherwise the Mang Seng finds it hard to secure a kill."

"Only one kill at eleven minutes—it feels a bit suffocating."

"Yeah, having that feeling is right; that's what playing in the LCK is like."

After taking down G2's bottom tower, SKT began to shift troops, moving the duo to the top lane; although they didn't catch anyone or destroy a tower, it still let Bo Bi miss a wave of farm.

When Lao Zhang went to Xia Lu again, his level was behind Jax by a whole level, his gear was even worse, he was only equipped with Sunfire small items trying to take on Jax's full Black Cleaver, one careless mistake and he'd lose half his health bar; basically he could no longer engage in any frontal combat.

Bo Bi was originally picked with the intention of letting him bulk up to become a very tanky frontline, after all the enemy lacked good means to deal with the frontline, and to dive the backline only Rek'Sai could enter the fight, obviously it wasn't that easy to dive, so in G2 teamfights as long as Bo Bi holds the front, the others can safely deal damage from the backline, making it very easy to win.

However, Bo Bi's development is now extremely poor, the situation is completely different.