Chapter 351: Spring Season Opens

The match hasn't started yet, but there is a pre-match entertainment program.

A beautifully dressed female host appeared on stage, but she was the aftershock... oh, Yu Shuang, who had decisively quit her music radio job during last year's global finals to become a full-time LPL host and was later dubbed the LPL host's big sister.

Liang Yan sat in the audience, watching the youthful and lovely Yu Shuang on stage who had not yet become an aunt, feeling somewhat emotional.

Guan Gou, this guy, is quite fortunate……

Yu Shuang, who had just debuted, really had top-notch looks; of course, for adults, the post-marriage Yu Shuang is even more top-notch, huh.

The entertainment program randomly selects a few on-site audience members to go on stage for a solo; when audience members enter, they are given a small card to fill out, and if they check the box indicating willingness to participate in the on-site activity, they may be drawn; this is different from the post-match fan interaction lottery, there is no behind-the-scenes manipulation, it is truly random.

The on-site machines already had the official pre-prepared accounts logged in, so there was no need to use one's own account, solving the possible region issue; audience members could go up and play.

It will not be streamed to the official broadcast, but there is a live large-screen broadcast on site.

Who among those who play League doesn't have a bit of a showing-off problem? Now, with the chance to show off their skills on a stage of thousands, everyone surely wants to go up; it's fine if they play poorly, it's just for fun.

The VG group didn't check the boxes on the small cards, so naturally they weren't drawn; they all sat in the audience watching others play, lively and also quite novel.

Gangzi watched two ordinary-ranked audience members soloing on stage, feeling quite immersed:

"Go on, I swear, pull that chicken's feathers, he's already past the minion line, what are you afraid of, go up and hit him! Oh my god, so timid……"

"Don't run, don't run! Yes, turn around and hit him! Hey, where's your ignite? Use ignite! It's over, you're dead, bro or sis, tsk, a bit noob……"

There were not few spectators like Gangzi; the whole venue was noisy, everyone a loudmouth king, the excited ones even stood up shouting, wishing they could rush up and personally wield the blade.

The winners were naturally overexcited, their steps a bit floating when leaving the stage; the losers were inexplicably excited, face flushed as they returned to their seats, telling their companions, "I knew he would come at me at level three, too bad blah blah……"

Amid laughter and cheers, the final audience solo match ended.

Yu Shuang auntie... oh no, Yu Shuang older sister reappeared on stage, smiling like a flower, after saying a few words she retreated backstage.

The venue lights dimmed; in the darkness, Long Ge quietly left the audience seats, went backstage, took off his coat, put on a winter version of the VG jersey, and, following staff instructions, came to the back of the stage, standing beside the other eleven team representatives waiting to enter by the backstage exit; standing next to him was Uzi, who, upon seeing Long Ge, showed a surprised expression.

"Huh? Long Ge, aren't you now a coach? Why didn't you bring Jiao Shen?"

Long Ge hehe laughed and gave a vague answer.

Uzi's emotional intelligence really makes people a bit at a loss.

Then the spring season opening ceremony began.

The dance floor lights lit up again, now with two triangular DJ decks; renowned national-style electronic DJ Xu Mengyuan appeared behind one DJ deck, while behind the other DJ deck stood two people in black clothing wearing monster masks.

The three DJs started spinning.

Figure: S7 Season LPL New Home Stadium, Spring Season Opening Ceremony

The regular season opening ceremony, well, is a bit simple, but the on-site feel is actually not bad; the ticket price itself isn't high, so the cost-performance is still high.

The DJ performance lasted about three minutes; when the on-site electronic BGM reached its climax, each team's representatives began to appear.

First to appear were the OMG 2.0 representatives, Icon and Leng Shao.

This guy, upon appearing, though wearing just an ordinary OMG jersey, had a full presence; likely he had specially practiced before or recently, with standard catwalk steps, resembling a male model, indeed handsome.

Figure: Male Model·Leng Shao

The female fans downstairs started screaming ah-ah.

Even the stern Marquis couldn't help but exclaim:

"Leng Shao is so handsome."

Liang Yan then recalled the online rumors about Leng Shao being a rich second-generation heir, feeling the rumors were probably quite credible; ordinary people, unless raised in such an environment from childhood or having undergone over a decade or two of postnatal refinement, would really find it hard to cultivate such an aura.

The eleven team representatives ahead appeared one after another, leaving only Long Ge still waiting backstage to go on.

At this moment, Yu Shuang reappeared on stage, standing center under the spotlight, holding a microphone:

"Here, there is a piece of news I need to share with everyone; this matter has already been officially announced by the VG team."

"Yes, today we will officially bid farewell to an LPL veteran……"

This was specially arranged after Lu Wenjun communicated with Vision Boxing; it counts as Long Ge's formal retirement ceremony.

"However, there's no need for regret; although Long Ge has bid farewell to battle on Summoner's Rift, he will still continue to be with us on this stage in another way."

"Welcome, VG representatives and the team head coach, loong!"

Long Ge came onto the stage somewhat stiffly; the VG crowd below vigorously clapped.

Other spectators also gave face, also clapping cracklingly.

The opening ceremony thus ended; the opening match's both teams' players entered.

The 2017 LPL spring season regular competition officially commenced.

……

Three hours later, after the day's two matches ended, the results were quite unexpected.

The first match was RNG vs IM, with the result being IM 2-0 RNG.

IM's mid and bottom lanes performed averagely; the impressive part was the mid-jungle AB combo (Athena+Ben4), which could be said to have completely crushed RNG's "National Defense Duo"—as RNG shouted the all-China slogan, the mid-jungle duo of Xiaohu and Xiangguo gained the nickname "National Defense Duo" among RNG fans.

However, reality is harsh.

At this time, Malaxiangguo had not yet found its place in the current version, and its performance was lacking.

Xiaohu's performance in two games was just three words: Voldemort……

When the mid-jungle was weak, in both games RNG collapsed entirely before Uzi as Ezreal could pull out the three-item set.

The all-China RNG's first match ended in defeat, leaving everyone astonished.

Amazingly, in the end RNG's mid-jungle was not blamed; instead, the new support Ming and new top laner Letme each took a big black pot, and after the match, the two were flooded with criticism in the comments section of RNG's official Weibo.

EDG fans came to watch, fanning the flames with all kinds of remarks.

【Exactly yes, it's the support and top laner's pot, the little dog never sticks to the pot】

【I died laughing, obviously it's the mid-jungle gap, but they insist it's the support-top laner's pot, is this really RNG?】

【We RNG are like this; newcomers just need to carry the pot, veterans have more to consider】

The flavor was truly too strong, deemed by RNG fans following the vine to melon as a piglet; the two sides started quarreling, igniting the first fire of the S7 season, with passersby calling it exciting.