Chapter 302: Condolences

The female cop is also locked!

Good heavens! What's going on here!

The over 20,000 spectators at the venue erupted completely!

G2's unexpected pick instantly ignited the audience's emotions, with gasps and shouts mixing together to form a tremendous wave that surged back and forth in the Staples Center, shaking everyone's eardrums.

Meanwhile, behind the ROX players, Coach Nofe's face turned deathly pale in an instant.

On the LPL commentary desk, Guan Zeyuan stared at the big screen, his eyes wide as copper bells, stunned for a moment before coming back to his senses, and he exclaimed urgently:

Wait, wait!

Hey you two, let me sort this out.

Jax is definitely Jia ke zhang's, no objection, right?

Then the fan-mom support, that's also a sure thing, right?

The female cop is the AD carry.

If the wine barrel goes mid, we definitely can't learn Insec's Lu Xi An jungle, right?

So the lane assignments are actually quite clear now.

Wine barrel jungles, Lu Xi An goes...

Mid lane!

Mid laner Lu Xi An!

Wow... G2 really pulled another big move for us!

Coach Nofe's face went completely white.

According to the original timeline, mid laner Lu Xi An first became known to the audience starting from next spring's season, and his first appearance in an international tournament would have to wait until next year's MSI. WE's Xi Ye first revealed mid laner Lu Xi An, and then other teams rushed to imitate, making mid laner Lu Xi An a hot pick that lasted all the way to the S7 World Championship.

But that's all for next year.

In other words, G2 picking mid laner Lu Xi An in this game is rewriting history.

Of course, the real mastermind behind the scenes is Liang Yan.

This move was originally prepared for SKT.

Of course, Liang Yan never explicitly said it was specifically meant to counter Faker's clockwork; it was just that when Perkz was playing ranked earlier, an opposing professional player had picked clockwork, and Liang Yan casually mentioned that Lu Xi An counters clockwork well, so Perkz immediately picked it, and after finding it really effective, he started practicing it.

Unfortunately, it wasn't used when playing against SKT.

At this moment, with favorable timing, location, and harmony, G2 happened to want to run an early-game aggressive composition, and the crocodile top lane had given Perkz confidence, so they decided to go all out and continue pulling big moves.

Once Lu Xi An was locked, the ROX players' mentality instantly went haywire, and the morale they had just built up was immediately crushed.

Coach Nofe had no other recourse; with things as they were, he could only grit his teeth and give Smeb a Na'er.

Originally, ROX's top laner should have picked Bo Bi.

But at this point ROX was already in dire straits, and in past matches Smeb was often the only one who could save ROX from desperation; picking Bo Bi for him would be giving up that possibility, so after discussion Nofe and the team decided to go with Na'er instead.

Whether Na'er can gain an advantage against Jax mainly comes down to execution.

Both sides' lineups are locked.

G2, blue side

ban: Jayce, Dragon King, Kennen

top lane: Island, Jax

jungle: Firrrrrre, wine barrel

mid lane: Perkz, Lu Xi An

ADC: Zven, female cop

support: Mithy, karma

ROX, red side

ban: Syndra, cougar woman, Ryze

top lane: Smeb, Na'er

jungle: Peanut, lush

mid lane: Kuro, clockwork

ADC: PraY, frost

support: GorillA, female gun

The champion select time is about to end, and the referee starts ushering the coaches off the stage.

Coach Nofe felt heavy-hearted; after taking off his headset, hearing the cheers for G2 echoing around the arena, a profound sense of tragedy welled up in his heart.

He raised his hand and rubbed Xiao Huasheng's head twice, forcing a smile as he said:

"Don't be afraid, Wanghu, there's no obstacle in this world that can't be overcome. Believe in yourself, go into battle lightly equipped—win or lose, we at least will be runners-up."

"Brother Lu Zhe..."

Xiao Huasheng turned to look at Nofe, his voice choking up, tears glimmering in his eyes.

Nofe tugged at the corner of his mouth, his smile tinged with a hint of sorrow.

Today's match is the last time this five‑person team will appear on the world stage.

If they win the championship, these five will see their value skyrocket, but ROX's pool is too small to hold five champions.

If they lose, ROX will be even less able to accommodate these five, and no LCK team can simultaneously take in five runners‑up.

Therefore, they are destined to go their separate ways.

But they will ultimately leave their mark in history.

Whether they become legends,

or become the backdrop to legends.

Nofe stepped out of the player bench, only then noticing the opposing coach still hadn't come out, so he stood at the side waiting a moment. Only after the referee warned twice did the excited Ka Lao Si reluctantly clench his fist and wave.

"Come on! Guys, after this round we can go party all night!"

"Leave it to me!"

Perkz replied confidently.

Ka Lao Si took off his headset and quickly left the player bench.

Nofe walked toward him.

The two crossed the hundred-meter-wide stage, met in the center, and shook hands.

Nofe gave a slight smile.

Ka Lao Si also smiled and said:

"My condolences."

Nofe froze, not understanding what Ka Lao Si said.

Because Ka Lao Si spoke in Chinese.

During the draft phase, the audience's cheers rose like mountains shouting and seas roaring.

In the ROX player bench, everyone felt uneasy, not knowing what awaited them after entering the canyon.

The camera cut to the G2 side, the five faces glowing red, full of passion.

Even Liang Yan's face showed an excitement he was desperately trying to suppress.

Half a year ago, he decided to turn pro, sending emails to several LPL teams, but they all sank like stones into the sea; VG was the only one to reply, yet fate intervened and they never teamed up, VG foundered in the playoffs, and Liang Yan went abroad to Europe.

In the blink of an eye half a year passed, Liang Yan and his teammates stood on the world's highest stage, looking down on all mountains; along the way he casually slew an LPL champion.

Now the peak is near, the championship trophy is within reach.

Liang Yan's heart burned with fervor, even somewhat impatient.

Ka Lao Si's suggestion to pick an early-game lineup was correct.

Because even Liang Yan couldn't avoid a restless mindset, let alone the others—they probably lacked the patience to play a late-game lineup.

Liang Yan glanced left, seeing Perkz, who had just promised Ka Lao Si, his two hands mutually squeezing, knuckles cracking.

Then he looked right, at his brother Lao Zhang, whom he had brought back onto the road to recovery, now eyes closed, head tilted back against the chair, seemingly learning from Liang Yan's previous move to adjust his mood.

Liang Yan straightened his head, lifted his gaze forward, his eyes seeming to pierce the barrier to see the surging crowd in the stands and the G2 flag fluttering above the sea of people.

Finally he withdrew his gaze, landing on the screen before him.