Chapter 104: Rising to Fame! My Lord, the Times Have Changed!

"Holy crap, what kind of lineup is this!"

"Huh? Senna and Yasuo in the bottom lane? Are they going to use their ultimates right away?"

That night, all of EDG watched the semifinals next door; after all, these were very likely their future opponents, and it was also a time for mutual research and learning.

The version changes of League of Legends were too frequent.

Not to mention the complete overhaul every season, just a small change every month and a big change every three months was enough for the competitive scene to drink a pot.

Just like the small change in recovery items that seemed insignificant, it directly reversed the competitive landscape, turning the originally emphasized bottom-half confrontation into a top-half one.

Every version had brand-new game points, and no one dared to say they had found the "version answer."

The EDG crowd had just sat down to watch the first game of T1 vs DK.

As a result, the BP gave everyone a "surprise."

T1's lineup was standard, but DK actually pulled out a "Yasuo + Senna" bottom lane combination right away!

This match was crucial for both sides because the LCK didn't have double-elimination, and the loser of the semifinals could only go directly to the regional qualifiers to compete for the third or fourth seed.

So the lineup they chose couldn't be for research; it had to be their so-called "ultimate move."

"Master Ye, what does this mean? What's the use of these two things in the bottom lane?" Barrier was too lazy to use his brain and habitually started asking his external brain.

Ye Bo was actually confused too.

However, he loved to use his brain. Combining the analysis of both lineups, he soon guessed seven or eight out of ten.

"I feel this should also be an aggressive lineup. Yasuo isn't here to play the lane; he can be seen as a 'forced-engage attachment'."

"Look at T1's lineup: Ornn and Trundle in the top and jungle are clearly two utility men. It's just Yuumi hanging on Azir and Sivir's dual-core, a very standard LCK farming and operation lineup."

"And DK's lineup, Renekton and Seeing Seeing Wukong, already clearly want to play the early-to-mid game. Then Yasuo's purpose should be to cooperate with Seeing Seeing Wukong's forced engage."

The area where Ye Bo had grown and evolved the most over this recent period wasn't actually within the game, such as his champion pool.

It was his understanding of BP!

Perhaps some people are born with this kind of talent. Even if their training volume isn't high, just by relying on meditation training and watching recordings, they can imagine and think of various game ideas in their heads.

Ye Bo could be considered one of these; he was very good at substituting himself into the opponent's perspective to understand, and then drawing inferences from one instance.

Of course.

The premise for this "talent" to be exerted is that you must have absolute say within the team.

Otherwise, some seemingly strange understandings and very abnormal commands during the game would be completely ignored by others if spoken out.

And Ye Bo's guess was indeed correct.

In fact, the champion Yasuo was exactly the core point of DK's BP today.

Yasuo had many advantages, such as being able to possess basic combat power very quickly with just a pair of Berserker's Greaves, and the damage of one completed item was quite considerable.

Just this advantage in the "power spike period" was already far beyond 90% of mage and ADC champions.

Of course, the most important thing was actually Yasuo's ultimate, and its cooperation with the lineup's forced engage.

Seeing Seeing Wukong's mid-game team-fighting ability was extremely strong; sneaking in while invisible could basically knock up more than 3 people, and the disadvantage was that after the ultimate was changed to 2 stages, both the knock-up control time and damage were weakened.

But if it cooperated with Yasuo's ultimate, which could "extend the airborne time of all knock-ups by 1 second."

Then complete the control connection, and then rotate out Seeing Seeing Wukong's second-stage ultimate knock-up.

It was equivalent to Seeing Seeing Wukong and Yasuo together being able to deal 2.5 seconds of large-scale AOE control!

Just the power of this two-person combination was already very scary, not to mention the two-stage control of the mid-laner and support, as well as the Renekton who had explosive fighting ability in the early-to-mid game...

"Turtle, when you put it that way, this lineup can be stolen." Barrier felt a bit excited after hearing it, feeling it was very consistent with their current system.

"I can play Yasuo, but I'm not too good at it. I can practice if needed." Viper said so.

"No rush, no rush. I was just guessing randomly. Let's see the effect of them using it first." Ye Bo hurriedly waved his hand, signaling everyone not to rush into it.

This is the significance of watching matches from various regions; not only to synchronize with the latest understanding, but also to let the other party try and fail first.

Many strategies look beautiful in theory, but when implemented, there will be many unexpected problems that need to be overcome.

DK was clearly using this lineup in a match for the first time.

Sure enough.

DK lost the first game by a large margin!

The point of the problem was in the top lane. Renekton was ganked and killed at 2:38 by a level 3 gank, and even made the outrageous operation of "flashing into a wall," leading to a series of subsequent combos.

And Renekton's disadvantage directly affected the core point of this lineup.

DK's lineup relied on this big Renekton to deal damage in the early game. After all, Yasuo was a bottom lane AD position, and his level and farm were inherently behind the solo lanes. His combat power was only strong compared to an ADC.

In this game, Oner seemed to be connected to the Shurima network, playing a Trundle but showing extremely spiritual ganks, taking a 3-0 record in 8 minutes, and slaughtering everyone in the key Rift Herald team fight!

It was simply like a different person compared to his regular season performance!

Relying on the equipment gap, he actually stood firm and took the three ultimates of the opponent's combo, and didn't die with a sliver of health!

"It seems the problem with this combination is that the combat power will be a bit lacking when the game isn't going smoothly..." Ye Bo analyzed silently in his heart.

At the same time, he also had some faint ideas.

The first game was lost due to the poor performance of DK's substitute top laner Burdol; almost every combo was just a bit short of damage, which ultimately led to the end of the match.

"Didn't Nuguri return to DK? Why didn't he play?" During the time between matches, Meiko chatted casually.

"Seems like he caught the virus, hasn't played much in the whole playoffs." Brother Shengqiang Ge was clearly more concerned about news about other top laners.

The second game started quickly.

Clearly, since Ye Bo could see through the opponent's combo lineup at a glance, there were naturally people in T1 who could see it too.

So they chose to snatch Seeing Seeing Wukong in the second game.

But DK still carried out the aggressive strategy, choosing a combination of Renekton + LeBlanc + Draven, just wanting to break through your defense.

But, T1's defense was too solid.

Compared to the "leaky" turtle shell of BLG.

T1 was simply an alloy steel shield, with the discipline of everyone fully maxed out; there was simply no opportunity to be found!

Both sides fought until 10 minutes without a single kill breaking out. Although DK successfully took the Rift Herald, they were also exchanged by the opponent with a Dragon.

And because the minion wave guarded by Azir in the mid-lane couldn't be pushed, the defense tower's health was too healthy, and the Rift Herald could only hit two plating layers, and the profit was even negative.

Just at this moment, Barrier suddenly shouted in surprise: "Holy crap, look! Teacher Faker is also stealing the study!"

Everyone looked closely.

Azir's first completed item... actually chose Everfrost.

Because the synthesis routes of the three mythic items were very similar, all using Lost Chapter, everyone hadn't noticed it before.

Li Li Xianghe was actually acting on impulse.

In this game, T1's top laner Aatrox and bottom lane Kalista, although both were at a disadvantage in the lane, both were people who had the opportunity to actively gank.

In the previous game, Azir had to build Crown to deal with forced engage, but in this game, perhaps he could really try the "gank characteristic" of Everfrost Azir.

The result proved that it was indeed as he thought.

This strategy had unique advantages in specific matchups!

"Faker's Azir is here again! Draven has already died three times in a row. Deokdam, why are you still flashing forward... moving a grave!"

"Never seen such an Azir! Truly worthy of being our LCK's strongest Azir user, only he can achieve such an effect!"

In the last wave, ShowMaker's LeBlanc wanted to cross the wall to consume before the battle, exerting the hero's characteristics.

Under normal circumstances, Azir would be helpless, after all, LeBlanc's two-stage W mobility was too strong.

But Li Li Xianghe also understood LeBlanc.

He knew that LeBlanc could not cancel or operate during the W process.

Azir predictively cast Everfrost half a step in advance. Although ShowMaker had already reacted, his second-stage W had already been stepped out and could not be canceled.

LeBlanc faced it as if she had "bumped" into the snow pillar of Everfrost, and was instantly fixed in place!

"LeBlanc has been killed! F~a~k~e~r~!"

The famous LCK host, the Roaring Emperor, used his signature roar.

LeBlanc was killed, naturally announcing the destruction of the team fight.

"T1 is a bit strong this year..." Coach Coach Coach Maokai's tone seemed a bit solemn.

As EDG's coach—he was really afraid of T1.

Although in last year's S11 group stage, EDG had successfully broken their "six-year shame of no victory," and had played a 1-1 against the opponent in the group stage.

But that was only 1-1, and the current record was still 1 win and 7 losses.

And as everyone knows, last year's EDG was at its peak, while T1's state last year definitely couldn't be said to be very good compared to themselves...

Ye Bo was very happy!

Seeing his strategy being used by other professional players was not only recognition of his research, but also helped him improve his understanding of this playstyle.

Just like from this game, he also thought about it by drawing inferences from one instance.

Perhaps, not just Azir, when facing some matchup heroes, one could actually change to Everfrost for a surprise effect...

Coming to the third game, T1 pulled out their "ultimate move," perhaps wanting to end this match.

"Nilah with Sejuani in the bottom lane!?" Meiko's eyes showed surprise.

"Seems like there's really an understanding. Can Nilah instantly give Sejuani passive stacks?"

Viper shook his head in confusion.

Viper had used countless "strange" bottom lane heroes in his career, including but not limited to Teemo AD, Darius AD, Gangplank AD, Pyke AD, Jayce AD...

But it just happened to be this thing, he couldn't understand it no matter what!

Nilah was also a new hero who had just appeared not long ago. Major regions had people using her, but the effect wasn't good, so no one cared.

And DK didn't dare to release Azir again, choosing to snatch Azir, and then pulling out Yasuo.

It's just that this time... it was Yasuo mid, Azir top, and Heimerdinger + Senna in the bottom lane!

All research!

Everyone felt surprised, only Ye Bo's eyes had some "surprise."

Because this was almost exactly the same as what he had thought before!

DK actually successfully achieved the effect with this abstract lineup after adjustment.

Just like the "problem-solving idea" that popped into Ye Bo's head after watching the first game.

The reason the first game was lost was because after Renekton was at a disadvantage, the damage from Seeing Seeing Wukong + bottom lane Yasuo alone was insufficient, and they couldn't achieve the ideal effect of a "combo kill."

And Seeing Seeing Wukong's jungle farming couldn't be stably improved, and what the bottom lane ADC chose seemed difficult to influence in the early game.

Then how to change this drawback?

After thinking, Ye Bo believed that Yasuo should be changed to mid-lane, using Yasuo's power spike period, which led most mid-lane heroes, as a fulcrum... and then consider choosing an "alien bottom lane"!

Anyway, the formula for this combo is:

"Yasuo + Large Knock-up Team Control + Third-stage Supplementary Control + Instant Damage" = A team-fight nuke with an aggressive rhythm!

Opening up the thinking, the heroes that could cooperate were not limited to just one Seeing Seeing Wukong.

To be honest, Ye Bo had never added Yasuo to his training list before. After all, this hero was a bit of a "troll" hero in inherent cognition, and there always seemed to be better choices.

But now he had changed his mind.

The match came to the fourth game.

T1 returned to the blue side, grabbed Azir for Faker, and directly sent Yasuo to the ban list.

Clearly, they also discovered that DK's Yasuo in this game was a bit wrong.

The wonderful thing about a BO5 is that both sides have to make adjustments quickly between matches, constantly countering each other, until one side is exhausted or one side is at their wit's end.

And coming to the fourth game, both sides tacitly chose to "return to basics," finally choosing two lineups that were very "conventional" relative to this match.

It's just that, once this conventional lineup was chosen.

LCK started the classic style of the region—"Shakespearean."

A full 30 minutes of game... only 3 kills broke out!

It made the EDG crowd sleepy.

Both sides were outrageously cautious. Anyway, if you don't show flaws, I'd rather not go up. Everyone just farms honestly.

"Wait, Canyon seems unable to hold back! Flash ultimate lock-on!"

"It's over! Faker gave an opportunity!"

"No, this position looks a bit familiar..."

Just as both sides were playing around the Baron, and the EDG crowd with god's-eye view saw Canyon's Vi touching the wall outside F6, preparing to strike with a charged Q, they suddenly noticed something wrong.

Azir bringing the mid-lane wave was fine. Originally, both sides didn't dare to start the Baron and were just pulling, and Azir also had Crown for self-preservation.

But it was mainly Faker's position, which looked very dangerous.

Who would dare to walk through the small path outside the wall of others' F6 after bringing the wave, instead of walking from the river?

Not walking the main road but walking the dark small path, isn't that courting death!

Under normal circumstances, it is like this.

But the EDG crowd suddenly felt that this position was familiar—especially Meiko, who was at the scene at the time.

DK had no reason to let go of this opportunity. Canyon decisively charged through the wall without vision and started with a flash lock-on!

At the same time, ShowMaker's Ryze tacitly synchronized toward the river direction, casting the teleport portal of Realm Warp, aiming at Faker, who had nowhere to escape!

Speaking of which.

DK naturally also watched yesterday's LPL match, but only noticed the Everfrost Azir, and like Faker initially, didn't give a very high evaluation and attention.

And they, like the others in T1, didn't notice the strangeness of Azir's last wave.

After all, the outcome of that wave was the same regardless, and it was completely different from the current situation.

ShowMaker didn't play Azir very much; he preferred and was better at skill-based mages. Azir, this kind of continuous output mage that requires stutter-stepping, could only be considered professional proficiency.

"Azir is going to be opened! Completely..."

"Azir flew all the way and actually brought Vi to the other side of the wall!! Ah-xi-ba, what is this situation!"

"Vi instead went deep into the enemy camp, Ryze brought teammates to land but had no target to hit, it seems like he sent himself to the opponent's face instead. Now T1 is going to counter-engage!"

"DK is completely..."

The ups and downs of the team fight with the contrast between the beginning and the end made the LCK casters red-faced.

T1 took the opportunity to counter-push, ending this hypnotic bladder game in a bizarre way, 3-1!

"Damn, Faker must have been holding Master Ye's recording to steal the study!" Barrier said jokingly.

"Indeed, exactly the same." Brother Shengqiang Ge also smiled and followed.

"Don't talk about the position, even the operation is exactly the same. I thought I was watching our match replay." Meiko was very shocked.

Ye Bo chuckled but didn't explain.

He didn't mention the morning's events to his teammates, feeling there was no need. In his view, this was just a normal technical exchange between both sides.

However, he was naturally very happy in his heart.

For Faker to be able to master this technique on the same day, Ye Bo naturally wasn't surprised. After all, he also knew very well that the other party's Azir proficiency was even above his own; what was missing was just that method of mechanism interpretation.

Of course, the operation itself still had considerable difficulty.

It was just that having mastered the essentials, pressing it out for their level of proficiency control wasn't considered a difficult thing.

"Come on, let's discuss this match. I feel these lineups of theirs today are really okay..."

Coach Coach Maokai turned to turn off the livestream screen and immediately started reviewing this BO5.

Without a doubt, this semifinal BO5 was a very wonderful and substantial match.

Not only did it let them understand the current situation of the two teams better, but just the fresh understanding and strategy design that appeared in it had a lot that could be borrowed.

In the competitive scene, it's originally about "stealing from each other."

If there is a real ultimate move, both sides will naturally save it for the most critical match.

The review didn't end until nearly an hour later.

Today was still EDG's rest day, so after dismissing, everyone found their own entertainment projects.

Ye Bo logged into ranked to start a game, wanting to try how his Yasuo control, which he hadn't played for many years, was...

But before the match queue was successful.

Barrier behind him ran back to the training room in a hurry, holding his phone, shouting while running.

"Wow, Master Ye, you're popular again!"

"You're hiding it so deep, you actually have secrets with your brother!"

Ye Bo turned his head with a confused face and looked at him: "What the hell?"

Barrier handed over his phone for him to see for himself.

And just by seeing the title, Ye Bo roughly guessed something.

The content above was T1's post-match interview after the match next door ended.

There was no lockdown in LCK, so it was still a normal post-match interview session, and the one being interviewed was Li Li Xianghe, who had taken two MVPs.

The host asked many questions, and the most concerned among them were naturally the several key decisions in the second and fourth games.

"Everfrost Azir, it would be an item suitable for some situations, but it wouldn't be a general item..."

Regarding Everfrost, he was still that set of understanding, without change.

But coming to the question of the last wave of the fourth game.

Compared to Ye Bo's wave that looked completely unremarkable, everyone truly witnessed the effect of that technique in this team fight that could almost be called "the final word."

At that time, Li Li Xianghe's actions weren't concealed; he placed two sand soldiers on the river bank in advance, and only stood up the third sand soldier the moment he saw Vi appear.

The amplitude of the positions of the two sand soldiers wasn't very obvious.

But the distance gap of the third sand soldier being "pushed out" was really too obvious.

This was also a safeguard measure Li Li Xianghe made to ensure the success rate.

After all, he had just mastered it, and in the end, his operational style also had essential differences from Ye Bo's...

All LCK casters were a bit crazy when looking back, thinking that the other party had discovered some incredible new technique.

But regarding this question, Li Li Xianghe just told the truth.

"This is indeed a new technique for Azir, but it was discovered by another player. I have also discussed Azir's insights with this player before..."

The excited LCK audience was a bit disappointed, but soon selectively ignored this passage.

What is stealing?

What Faker does, can that be called stealing!

Although Li Li Xianghe didn't explicitly say the name.

But once this kind of speculation spread to the internet at home and abroad, there were naturally countless Sherlocks appearing to reason and answer.

Domestic forums like Tieba and Hupu exploded rapidly.

【It's definitely Master Ye! Look at the picture, yesterday's operation was exactly the same!】

【League of Legends! Love from China, this Azir is cool, makes my tie turn!】

【Ah, no, brother, are you really teaching Azir how to play Azir? What kind of gold content is this!】

【Ye! My crazy Ye!】

【@Little Fei, if you don't be honest, I'll pluck your junior's title too!】

【I said, how did Master Ye's Azir improve by leaps and bounds? Are you very familiar people?】

Everyone went from initial speculation, to certainty, to carnival.

Li Li Xianghe's influence in the League world needs no words; not only in LCK and LPL, but even in the League circles of other regions around the world, he has many fans and attention.

This is like a stone stirring up a thousand waves.

For a time, even though he hadn't entered Worlds yet, the ID "Ye" had already risen to fame in the League world...

The next day.

LPL's second semifinal match started at a staggered time.

JDG and TES fought for five games, and the EDG crowd naturally watched the whole match, researching and preparing for these two potential opponents in the upcoming schedule.

And this match also constantly reversed and reversed again.

There were countless classic scenes in the game, there was the Zeri show of "Water 90,000," but there was also the same-field competition of "climbing the mountain and being killed instantly"...

Of course, the most important thing was: TES successfully contributed the first "comeback from 0-2" of the summer season!

JDG, like EDG, had not played a match for a long time since the end of the regular season, and the version had undergone many changes compared to the regular season, so there was some discomfort.

This might also be the reason why they lost the first two games.

But since JDG could take the first place in the summer regular season, it naturally had its unique features.

Starting from the third game, JDG adjusted their tactics in time, continuously pulling out wonderful designs and lineup reserves, and seized TES's weaknesses to strike back. Both sides contributed a wonderful match that was no less than the LCK next door yesterday!

Finally, winning three games in a row, they successfully completed the feat in the competitive scene!

Of course.

The EDG crowd in front of the screen today also gained a lot...

This highly anticipated match ended, which could be considered to have suppressed the "Azir" heat that had lasted since yesterday.

【All like playing Azir? Is there anyone who plays as well as my Toothpaste?】

【The horse of 69, only humiliated by the hands of the TES people, died in the pull, not called 999, then met Hongmi, said: "There is no 9 in the world!" Alas! Is there really no 9? Is it really not knowing 9!】

【This water ghost speaks with the most backbone today! 90,000 damage! TES lost but brother didn't lose! Mutual explosion!】

【TES did it on purpose, whoever wins has to play EDG first, and then they'll have to play another game in the loser's bracket anyway. If they go up so early, they might get beaten 0-6!】

【Laugh, EDG was lucky to draw BLG, JDG and TES are the duel of the two kings in the bottom half, isn't BLG just a roadside 3-0?】

【To be honest, coming back from 0-2 is really harder than a 3-0, starch fans don't rush to open the champagne.】

【Those who believe in EDG are young audiences. The more you believe in this team, the bigger the surprise they'll give you. The more you think they're definitely done for, hey, they turn around and win the championship!】

【Do you think it's still the EDG of the past? My Lord, the times have changed!】

The week of preparation passed in a blink of an eye, coming to August 26th.

LPL winner's bracket semifinals, hot and loud!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 105 =====