Chapter 834: This isn't fair

This year's draw guest had something; this draw directly produced the toughest group of this year's global finals.

In the hotel, VG was starting a team livestream.

Liang Yan was also smiling, but compared to his teammates' happiness, Liang Yan's smile carried more emotion; he then picked up his phone and sent a message to the factory chief:

【Ming Kai, should we really consider going home to raise pigs?】

Ming Kai replied instantly with three.

I don't know how his mood is.

Shortly after, the top question on a certain platform's hot list: 【How to view the group draw results of the S7 World Championship?】

The top-voted answer said: 【The strength comparison of the four groups mainly shows a clear hierarchy.】

The tournament officials posted the group results online, and netizens scored each group below.

Group A: FW, SKT, RNG, C9.

Netizens called it the "Group of Death".

Group B: LZ, TSM, GAM, CNB.

Netizens called it "LZ's blessing group" and "CNB's upset group".

Group C: G2, EDG, IMT, SSG.

Netizens called it the "Hell Group", "EDG's lucky group", "this year's double semifinals group", and "the group where G2 faces great pressure".

Group D: VG, MSF, AHQ, FNC.

Netizens called it "VG's blessing group".

Undoubtedly, the most anticipated matchup for netizens is between Group A and Group C.

At least for now, Group A has no team that is obviously just a makeweight; whichever of the four teams advances would not be considered a major upset.

Of course, if SKT fails to advance, that would be a significant upset, but netizens think the probability of that happening is so small it can be ignored.

RNG's chance of advancing is slightly lower than SKT's, but in mainstream predictions, RNG's advancement probability is not far behind that of FW and C9; SKT has a 90% chance, RNG 60%, FW and C9 each 50%; as for how these odds are calculated, it's just based on netizens' gut feeling.

Group C is even more exciting; although on paper its strength is only slightly above Group A's, there are countless storylines to tell, giving netizens many points to anticipate. For LPL fans, there's no doubt that the most anticipated thing is whether EDG can make it out of this hellish group.

As for the other two groups, saying 'LZ and VG are locked in for the quarterfinals' would draw no objections.

When this group result came out, the piglet's feelings were easy to imagine; they didn't even have the mood to curse Riot, left only with self-pity and lament:

【What did EDG do wrong to be treated like this?】

【Absolutely fantastic draw! Absolutely fantastic draw! If EDG advances, it could be called the most valuable quarterfinals in history! Even if they don't advance, it's still the most valuable semifinals in history!】

【Upstairs is crazy】

……

Training hotel, LPL training room.

When the draw announcer called out 'SSG, Group C', A Bu's complexion visibly turned paler.

At that moment, A Bu summoned all EDG members to their exclusive small meeting room, he sat up front and remained silent for a while.

The atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

The pressure had almost become tangible, weighing on everyone in EDG.

Meiko took a deep breath, forced a smile: 'It's fine, brothers; making it to the quarterfinals is about the same level anyway, early or late it's still a match; I think a higher intensity in the group stage is actually a good thing……'

He said that, yet Meiko's own back was soaked with sweat.

Scout silently adjusted his glasses, glanced at Meiko, but inside he was already thinking about how to perform if they failed to advance, in order to keep his market value for next year.

A Bu remained silent for a long time, then slowly spoke:

"I've decided; starting today, we'll add one more hour to training……"

Afterward, EDG's official account posted an edited meeting vlog, cutting in A Bu's remark.

But netizens didn't buy it, and mockers were even more numerous:

【Pressure doubled, training doubled, quarterfinals doubled, oh yeah!】

【EDG, keep going, you can do it! — meaning swimming from Wu Han to Shanghai】

【Huludao is so fun, suggest taking a holiday just to go play again】

……

On the other side, G2 boss Ka Lao Si also posted a message:

【This isn't fair……】

It's clear this person can't hold it in anymore.

European netizens also couldn't hold back, laughing out loud.

This differs between the Western and Eastern regions; Western netizens focus on living in the moment, G2 got into the hell group, European netizens aren't worried they won't advance—instead they think this draw lets them have a fierce battle, because no match is a filler, tension and excitement are maxed out, and the livestream will be enjoyable to watch.

LPL netizens had fun in the comments under Ka Lao Si's message:

【Ka Lao Si's defenses broke】

【G2 boss, you don't want your team to fail to advance, right? — hurry up and bribe EDG~】

【Fellow wanderers on the same troubled path, Ka Lao Si and A Bu, hug and cry together】

【Heaven is about to bestow a great mission upon this person……】

The above comment was left by a CNB coach, chuckling.

As for CNB, as they said in post-match interviews, they fought their way up from the qualifiers all the way to the main event; everyone's wish has already been fulfilled, so every step thereafter is about surpassing themselves—making the quarterfinals is good, failing to do so is fate; thus they don't have much thought or expectation about the draw.

Result: hey, they landed in a blessing group!

Although netizens see CNB as the weakest in the group, if CNB truly wanted to push for the quarterfinals, there's no doubt this kind of Group B draw would be their best script.

After all, in Group B, LZ looks unbeatable.

It appears TSM is the second-in-command of Group B; as European netizens put it, 'North America only belongs at the wild-card table,' even though TSM is North America's first seed, is the North American cosmic warship, and even though this summer the senior brother (Doublelift) returned to Tsm.

There is also a GAM team that can receive a special advance-to-main-event ticket from Fist; undoubtedly they are the top contender among wild cards. But CNB is by no means weak—this is the confidence of being a direct disciple of a team that are world champions and mid-season tournament champions!

Ba Xi netizens, upon seeing CNB's group, couldn't help but start celebrating wildly.

NA netizens were naturally displeased—this is because they didn't put my cosmic battleship TSM in their eyes at all, a wildcard team trying to snatch a qualification spot from my North America? Dream on!

Thus, an argument broke out on the Western internet.

Amazingly, the NA netizens haven't even argued!

It's not that Ba Xi netizens are more combative than North America netizens; rather, it's due to being outnumbered—Europeans actually helped the Ba Xi locals gang up on the North America big shots, can you believe that?

North America netizens were drowned in saliva, retreated in defeat, and shouted that the other side lacked martial virtue.

On Post Bar, someone shared a 'two versus one' live-post, and the old irons also watched a great spectacle, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

The whole nation was also happy, because the next day was National Day and they had a day off.

Happy National Day in advance!

Long live the motherland!

(Muttering: No extra updates, I want a break, I want a break, I want a break...

(A break...

(It's impossible.

(Starting next month, there will be extra updates!)

(Because Yueyue's Yang Shizi changed the full-attendance rule, requiring daily updates of over 7k to receive pay, although it's not much, about a thousand per month (Damn it, Yang Shizi!)… but for a struggling father raising two babies, having an extra thousand per month is very important (the author has a proper job, supporting the family is no problem, so there's no intention to play the victim, just can't help venting a few sentences).

(But from now on I really have to grind like crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)