Chapter 26

The facts prove that, in understanding their own mid lane, Liang Yan is far inferior to Ka Lao Si.

In this era without lethality, armor-piercing AD carries are very weak early on; Xiao Yu Ren laning against Varus is at a huge disadvantage before level three, but after level three they have a big advantage.

The S6 armor‑piercing Varus's power spike comes in the mid‑game when it stacks Maw; before level three it can only bully Xiao Yu Ren a little thanks to its longer range, but after level three its first recall is to buy a Tear of the Goddess, leaving it without burst or sustained damage, so its damage gets crushed by Xiao Yu Ren.

Even if Xiao Yu Ren uses its E to close in, then Q up and activate W to auto‑attack, it can kill a full‑combo Varus outright.

Normally, that's how it is.

But AP somehow had his wires crossed and tried to pressure the opponent at level two.

In the broadcast, Xiao Yu Ren's Q skill Mischievous Strike pierced past an enemy back‑line minion, using the chance to close the distance, brandishing a trident, and swaggering forward to stab Varus in the face with a basic attack.

Matching AP's expression on the camera, it sounded as if he were shouting:

"I'm gonna burst you!"

His momentum was fully there.

But unfortunately, PowerOfEvil is no fool.

Xiao Yu Ren had just fired a basic attack when Varus's Hail of Arrows came down with a splashing sound; after stepping back two steps, the instant the slow wore off, Varus instantly applied Weakness to Xiao Yu Ren.

"Oh! PowerOfEvil is very decisive! He directly slapped Weakness on Perkz!"

Drakos' startled cry echoed across the venue.

On the big screen, Varus's basic‑attack arrows flew one after another, steadily chipping away at Xiao Yu Ren's health while continuously stacking the Wither effect of its W skill.

Although Varus's E was on cooldown and it had no spare ability to trigger its passive for burst, this version of Weakness also reduces both resistances.

Xiao Yu Ren isn't tanky to begin with, and after Weakness cut 10 points from both its resistances, it became even more fragile.

After the 2.5‑second Weakness wore off, Xiao Yu Ren had dropped to about half health.

Although AP slapped Ignite on himself the moment Weakness was applied, this only made him look more nervous; the Ignite didn't deter the enemy but seemed to fire up PowerOfEvil's fighting spirit, and even after Weakness faded, PowerOfEvil relentlessly chased, auto‑attacking in rhythm with the retreating Xiao Yu Ren.

"Flash now!!!"

"Preserve health!!!"

Ka Lao Si shouted loudly from the backstage area.

Having also come from a mid‑lane player background, Ka Lao Si, though long retired from the stage, still retains basic laning awareness.

Varus's E skill certainly wasn't off cooldown yet, but when AP went in on him he left himself no escape route, so when he tried to withdraw he couldn't quickly create distance, and thus Varus kept sticking to him and auto‑attacking continuously.

At this point the best damage control is to decisively use Flash, get out of Varus's range, and preserve more health.

Although this will inevitably mean that even after level three they cannot turn the lane around.

But at least they won't be completely unable to lane.

Unfortunately, AP on stage couldn't hear the reminder from backstage.

At this moment AP probably isn't even operating at half his normal level—he's panicked and angry, and his mind is fuzzy.

Only when he realized that Varus's second Hail of Arrows was about to come off cooldown did AP fumble and use his Flash.

But by then his Xiao Yu Ren had less than one‑third of its health left.

The venue's audience let out a gasp.

On the commentary desk, after a brief silence, Vedius—Drakos's co‑commentator for the match—couldn't hold back a grin and spread his hands.

"What? Is Perkz possessed by some weird thing? I feel his performance today… is just terrible!!"

That's how blunt the new commentator is.

"Shut up!!"

Ka Lao Si roared angrily toward the commentary desk.

But they couldn't hear it at all, nor see it.

Ka Lao Si, helpless and furious, endured the commentators' nonstop one‑sided barrage.

Yet the fight continued, sliding toward the abyss that the G2 team did not want to see.

AP was already reduced to low health at level two, had used his Flash, and even if he gulped all the potions he brought, he was still under half health.

To put it bluntly, his lane has collapsed.

But he thought he could still salvage the situation, and started shouting for his wild dad.

CyanideFI was playing Thresh this match, and early on he was supposed to clear the jungle to develop, but AP spoke up, and from his tone his mindset already seemed off.

CyanideFI had no choice but to steel himself and go to Zhong Lu to help Perkz lie in wait for someone.

This play was too forced.

The enemy had long been prepared; PowerOfEvil deliberately exposed a weakness, moving toward the river where we had no vision, using himself as bait to lure Perkz up to feed him a kill.

Perkz took the bait.

Xiao Yu Ren repeated his old trick, using a blue-side ranged minion as a springboard and thrusting forward with a 【Mischievous Strike】.

Varus made the same response, firing a 【Wicked Arrow Rain】 backhand, then two basic attacks, and then drawing back his 【Piercing Arrow】 to charge.

Xiao Yu Ren ran toward the river, luring Varus to follow him into the river.

As Varus's 【Piercing Arrow】 came shooting, Xiao Yu Ren used an 【Elfin Mischief】 pole-vault to dodge, simultaneously avoiding damage and creating distance.

CyanideFI's Thresh jumped out of the river.

AP thought he had succeeded in luring him.

He grinned happily.

Just as his 【Elfin Mischief】 landed, a sharp spear flew onto his face.

With a click, Perkz delivered the second kill of the game.

His smile instantly froze.

Immediately afterward, a hunter girl clad in animal skins emerged from the shadows of the side path, first raising her hand to heal Varus a little, then tossing a trap clamp behind Thresh to seal his escape route; the next moment she flung herself to the ground, transforming into a long-legged, slender-waisted jaguar, and lunged forward……

CyanideFI was caught in a double-team; despite exerting all his strength he could not escape, and ultimately fell to Amazing's jaguar-woman, who took his kill.

Mid-jungle linkage, one death, one giveaway.

Total kills five to two.

Less than five minutes.

Armor penetration Varus two kills.

Nidalee two kills.

Waiting for AP to return to lane, the team's economy had already opened up to over 1600.

The kill difference alone certainly doesn't account for such a big gap; mainly AP was deprived of many last hits, and the bottom lane was also off by about ten last hits.

Originally, with Zven and Mithy's duo strength, facing OG this makeshift duo, even if not a sure win, it's still easy to prevail.

But before laning against Caitlyn, they were missing a flash and also missing a kill.

Even if Zven were possessed by UZI, they still couldn't win.

Ka Lao Si sat blank-eyed in front of the computer, his face as if mourning his parents.

The lineup I spent so much money on.

Damn, we actually can't beat a rag‑tag team thrown together?!

No...

Not to that extent...

Just a temporary slump...

It will get better...

It will definitely get better!