Chapter 379: Will Be

The day after Tang Anna left, all VG team members returned one after another on the same day.

Everyone resumed the season's daily training.

The day before the LPL Spring Season restarted, Riot held an event announcement in Shanghai, officially announcing that the S7 World Championship would be held in China, and at the same time confirmed the venues and schedule for four cities, specifically:

Play-in~Group Stage: Wu Han Sports Center, September 23–October 15

Quarterfinals (Top 8), Guangzhou Sports Arena: October 19–October 22

Semifinals (Top 4), Shanghai Oriental Sports Arena: October 28–October 29

Final, National Stadium (Bird's Nest): November 4.

After the announcement, another wave of discussion rose online, and at the same time, all sides' publicity work officially entered the preparation stage.

The next day, the LPL Spring Season resumed after a seventeen-day break.

On the same day, in the fourth week of the LCK, SKT, which had recruited Han Yiye and Xiao Huasheng, welcomed their fifth BO3 of the season.

As of now, SKT's record is 4-0 in big games, 8-0 in small games.

That means invincible.

Xiao Huasheng's performance in the previous four BO3s was also very impressive, as if he had completely emerged from the shadow of being crushed in the S6 final. However, in this match, Xiao Huasheng came up with a hilarious iconic moment.

In the first game of the BO3, the match reached around 35 minutes; Xiao Huasheng's Lion Dog sneaked stealthily into the blue side AFS's jungle to steal the red buff, he hid in the grass for a while, thinking he hadn't been spotted by the enemy, and then used a jumping slash to pounce onto the red buff.

As soon as he landed, three AFS players rushed out from the enemy wall corner.

Xiao Huasheng was scared half to death; he instinctively flashed through the wall and at the same time pounced from the grass onto the Explosive Fruit behind the Dragon Pit, a sequence of moves as smooth as flowing clouds and water, executed in one go.

Then he was bounced back by the Explosive Fruit, and in midair he caught Varus's ultimate.

Image: Xiao Huasheng Jumping Tiger

But would you believe it, he actually didn't die!

His W removed crowd control and granted 2 seconds immunity to control, the Cherry Blossom Blade activated, and he just ran!

The replay showed a player's camera view; Xiao Huasheng in the SKT red jersey couldn't help but laugh.

Xiao Huasheng Jumping Tiger

That day VG had no match; Liang Yan, at the fans' invitation, broadcast and commented on this match in the livestream, happened to see this iconic moment, and at that moment exclaimed:

"Holy shit, Jumping Tiger!"

The danmaku on both platforms went crazy.

【Jumping Tiger hahahaha】

【Xiao Huasheng is so funny……】

【How did SKT get eight straight wins?】

【Fast reaction, reaction too fast, fast reaction, slipped away slipped away】

Liang Yan then said:

"Don't laugh, this play actually reveals a lot."

"One is Xiao Huasheng's extremely exaggerated reaction."

"How exaggerated is it?"

"It's almost catching up to me."

"But do you know what's the most exaggerated?"

"Why does he flash immediately upon seeing someone? Because he dares not die, because the Elder Dragon is about to spawn, if he dies now SKT would lose this game."

"He thought of all that in the instant he saw someone, isn't that impressive?"

"I'm not praising him to boost myself; speaking objectively, I can only say that those who understand get it, and it's no wonder people used to call him 'Shi Yiye'."

"Another is that it proves the designer really has a brain hole: one versus three, they have hard crowd control, soft control, and burst; if you don't flash, you use your mobility, get hit by control, and then you run."

"Is that reasonable?"

"How abnormal is this Lion Dog hero, do I even need to say?"

"Anyway, I can't understand it."

The danmaku then said, "Then you should call Riot's boss and tell him to nerf the Lion Dog."

Liang Yan smiled:

"Don't bother them over such a small matter."

But in the end SKT lost the match, being 'shaved bald' by AFS, 0–2.

This was SKT's first loss since the formation of their 'cosmic battleship' lineup; previously someone had predicted SKT could take the spring title with a perfect record, but their invincibility was broken.

Thus it sparked a worldwide discussion, and at the same time the iconic Lion Dog moment of Xiao Huasheng was turned into a GIF and widely spread, leaving another shining point in his career from then on.

The next day, VG faced QG led by Doinb; this team basically relied on Doinb alone to hold up, with all other lanes being weak spots.

VG sent Gangzi to the top lane, picking Draven for two games.

Liang Yan made two frantic grabs, Gangzi went from smooth start to finish; each time in a teamfight, when his Bloodlust Rush activated, his axe swung so fast it smoked, and he went berserk.

After the 2–0 victory over QG, VG's record became 3–0 in big games, 6–0 in small games.

……

On the 11th, which was the Lantern Festival, VG had no match; Liang Yan went to the airport to see off Tang Anna, who was returning from her ancestral hometown to Shanghai to prepare to fly back to Berlin.

"A little gift, you get one share, and please bring the rest to everyone for me."

Liang Yan handed over the gift bag in his hand.

Tang Anna looked, took it, and peered inside:

"Which one is mine?"

"The one with pink wrapping."

"I don't like pink. What is it?"

When the time comes, I'll take it apart myself.

Tsk.

Tang Anna lifted her head to look at him, then fell silent for a moment.

Can I hug you for a bit?

... Of course.

Tang Anna set down her suitcase, stepped forward, and hugged him.

The girl stood on tiptoe, wrapped both arms around his neck, buried her head in the crook of his neck, took a deep breath, then slowly let go.

She stepped back two steps.

I'm leaving now.

Mm. Goodbye.

You'll make it to the mid‑season tournament, right?

We will.

Then goodbye.

……

VG's No. 12 played another match.

The opponent was GT, and they won 2‑0, with the opposing side hardly able to fight back; this result, following VG's three‑game winning streak, was already expected by everyone.

The reason we say 'almost' is because there were still some variables in the game.

Fu Lan Duo locked in Nautilus in game one, but was blown up by GT top laner Gimgoon's Jayce; luckily VG's bottom lane also crushed the enemy, and a barely launched Jayce couldn't shoulder the load, so VG still rolled over them with a big advantage.

In game two, Fu Lan Duo mended her ways, honestly picking a big tree, performed neutrally, while the other two lanes plus jungle kept crushing the opposition, and they eventually won 2‑0 smoothly.

Congrats, VG!

Wow, VG started off 4‑0!

No, it's 8‑0!

They haven't lost a single game—that's a bit exaggerated!

Yes, but their next opponent will be another strong foe; if VG can keep this winning streak going, we'll truly have to reassess this team's strength and ceiling.

The next match…… is WE, right?

That's right, it's WE!

If we can beat WE, I'll skip the talk and directly predict VG will win the championship!

Huh? Is Teacher Ze Yuan that violent?

VG said my keycap got milky, and I'm a bit scared.

Don't be scared—I've said it before—Jiao Shen never fears heals; the more he's healed, the stronger he gets!

Alright, then you'll still do the commentary when the time comes.

That's great!