As the chief operating officer of TSM, Maggiola is now in a difficult position.
A series of changes after the 2017 winter window plunged TSM into a relatively dark period.
In addition to the impact of the addition of new players on the team as a whole, the departure of their senior brother also caused them to lose some of their immediate combat capabilities, which was equivalent to causing TSM to be broken up and reorganized.
The arrival of Benji and Kakao did not give the TSM uniform staff the desired effect. There seemed to be a lack of compatibility between them and Bilson, and there were quite a few communication problems, which led to a decline in TSM's overall combat effectiveness.
In this year's North American LCS Spring Split, TSM lost to CG 1:3 and ended up in the semi-finals. It missed the North American LCS finals for the first time in history, not to mention M's personal life.
But Maggiola knows very well that the reason why his boss is so anxious is not because of TSM's poor record.
Since he has the determination to change, Captain Orangutan naturally has the psychological expectation that his performance will fluctuate.
The most terrible thing is that it is still with "The King".
Maggiola recalled three months ago, when The King officially announced that he was injured and would miss the game. In those days, Captain Orangutan was really crazy with joy.
"Here's your chance, man!"
For several days, he could hear these extremely excited words from the gorilla captain's mouth.
They took advantage of The King's recovery period to actively discuss the loan agreement with Snake, and planned to implement it in the 2018 summer window.
In Maggiola's view, the ambitious orangutan captain is like a gambler who pushes his chips on the gambling table crazily. He has a kind of obsessive confidence in The King and has no doubt about his state after the injury.
To this end, TSM secretly made an exaggerated offer to Snake!
And this time, the snake over there didn't refuse him like he did before.
Showing an ambiguous attitude of being at a distance, it is obvious that he is weighing the pros and cons.
Maggiola can see from this that Snake always has concerns and is worried about whether The King can return to the game after recovering from injury. The large amount of money he spent may be in vain or even become a sky-high price.
Bench contract.
In the TSM office, Maggiola glanced at the orangutan captain, who was frowning and looking depressed.
To a certain extent, my boss has more confidence in The King than Mr. Snake.
This should be the keen perception from a professional player.
However, at the last moment, Snake still refused.
The rental of Xia Chuang is not valid.
At this moment, Maggiola couldn't help but admire Captain Orangutan's vision.
After being dormant for three months and missing dozens of games, when Snake was confused about the future, The King, who had returned from injury, was still Snake's most reliable pillar, and led Snake all the way to sweep through the powerful powers in the East, and finally reached Berlin, Germany.
Looking back at all this, it's really incredible.
Maggiola couldn't help but licked his lips, his boss almost won the bet.
Unfortunately, snakes never make it to the table.
He turned around and advised:
"Boss, don't be too pessimistic. As you said, Snake is heading towards the legendary three consecutive championship dynasty. If not, they may have signed the contract and we will still have a chance."
Captain Orangutan still kept mumbling:
"I knew it, I knew it!"
“This incredible guy can definitely do it!”
"My feeling is right!"
Maggiola gave a small compliment: "Boss Snake is a man who can be considered calm. He survived three months."
"He is not calm. I think he has too many worries and expectations."
"TheKing is very popular in the LPL. If he dares to let go now, Snake may not be stable."
"In addition, there is the Asian Games this season and three consecutive championships, so he does not dare to make a decision easily. If it is a traditional transfer transaction, such a loan will definitely put him in a dilemma. He wants to operate it for a long time and build a good reputation.
Of course it can’t be too bad.”
Maggiola listened to the words of the orangutan captain and thought that this was the case.
He then heard the gorilla captain say: "He wants to win three consecutive championships and create a legendary dynasty. I'm not that greedy. I just want the first world champion in North America!"
Maggiola smiled secretly and thought to himself, "You don't think you're greedy?"
Winning the North American S Championship, wouldn’t the entire LCS e-sports circle explode?
"However, we should have no hope this year."
"We haven't even won CG, let alone fought for the world championship."
Maggiola showed a shrewd look in his eyes: "Boss, we should have a good chance this winter window."
"good."
The gorilla captain's eyes were bright: "I have a hunch that Snake is likely to establish a dynasty this year. Their current lineup is so good that they can hardly find any flaws."
"The duo, top laner, and jungler are all very powerful and at their peak."
"Coupled with the absolute number one player in the league, this is an exaggerated championship-winning vehicle!"
"As one of the oldest players in the league, I have this feeling. This year's Snake is even stronger than last year. All major regions, including the LCK, can only serve as a foil. Just look at it, this time M Private can do it
Prove what I said."
"Don't talk about Snake's current configuration, just putting The King in our current lineup, TSM can instantly transform from a strong North American team to a world-class team."
"As I said, the position of mid laner is very special, especially a mid laner with absolute dominance. No matter which lane you are on, you will be affected by him."
"What's more, The King can also sort out the game and command calmly, which is simply perfect! The god of e-sports seems to have been carefully polishing him, and there is no one more perfect in the league than him!"
The orangutan captain became more and more excited as he talked, and more and more frustrated as he talked.
This belongs to someone else's house
Maggiola added: "The King is also fluent in three languages. As a commander, he can easily control local players and foreign players. The communication problem within the team has basically been solved."
"..."
"Boss, I want to call Boss Snake right now. If he sells The King to us, I'm willing to agree to a lot of conditions for him."
The gorilla captain chuckled, knowing that Maggiola was joking, "There is no need to contact Snake for the time being. This will not be possible in 2018. We might as well do some cold treatment."
Maggiola looked at the various Snake player information on the table, and he said sharply:
"Snake is very strong in all positions. This season, they are also working hard to develop younger mid laners."
"It seems that they are also actively planning for the future."
"This is undoubtedly good news for us"
"..." Nake's return to M has caused widespread discussion throughout the league world, and there are more than one place like TSM.
On the morning of May 2nd, Snake Base in the Magic City.
Chris knocked on Li Hao's door, and Flandre twisted it open inside.
"Looking for Brother Hao?"
"Um."
"Not here."
Flandre opened the door as wide as possible to show that she was not lying.
"Go to the bathroom?"
"no."
"I went out early in the morning."
Chris was curious: "What did you do?"
Flandre responded: "It seems that a friend from my hometown in Jinling is looking for me. Brother Hao said he would be back after lunch."
"I thought it was probably a relative or something. After all, my family must be worried about going abroad. I had a long phone call with my mother last night."
Chris said "Oh" and asked no more questions.
…
At three o'clock in the afternoon, Flandre was lying on the bed, enjoying her last rest before going abroad, when he saw the door of the room opened.
Looking up, Li Hao was back.
"Brother Hao, you look very tired. Did you go out to play with your friends from your hometown?"
"without."
Li Hao took a small breath: "It's just a simple meal together."
As a top top laner, Flandre's awareness is still good. He smiled and asked in a strange way:
"Male or female?"
"Female." Li Hao didn't hide it.
"oh?!"
Holy Spear sat up immediately, with the fire of gossip flooding in his heart: "Brother Hao, when did you do A Midsummer Night's Dream!"
"Speak quickly!"
Li Hao glanced at him: "Children should not worry about adults' matters."
Flandre came up and rubbed her hands together:
"Tell the child quickly, don't worry, I will keep it strictly confidential!"
Li Hao explained:
"He's a friend of mine from Jinling. He also works here. We haven't seen each other for a long time, so we just wanted to chat and have a meal. His family has already arranged a blind date, what can he do with me?"
"Be pure in your mind and don't gossip all day long."
"That's it"
Qianzi shook his head, feeling a little regretful.
"Brother Hao, if you have any first-hand gossip, you must tell me."
"A lot of people are thinking about you now."
He said earnestly: "Brother Hao, look, you are already a grown man. At least you can find someone."
Li Hao rolled his eyes at him:
"I'll give you some gossip, and then you post it on your homepage to stab me in the back, right?"
"Don't think I don't know, Ritianxue was created by your boy."
"Hahaha." The Holy Spear laughed after having his heart revealed.
Seeing him like this, Li Hao thought to himself that the Holy Spear was easier to coax, but it was not so easy to get along with Mikoto. It was probably due to his lack of experience.
Taking advantage of his break, Li Hao clicked on Miss Kaguya again to watch the brainstorming of the geniuses.
That night, Chris came over again.
Mainly discussing the latest version changes.
This is closely related to Li Hao, because several mid laners have been strengthened or weakened.
For example, LeBlanc, which underwent a revamp in S7, has returned to its original appearance, and the once popular Black Rose is back.
There are also several versions of powerful heroes that have been cut, such as Tsar and Galio.
Li Hao knew very well that this time M Private will only be updated to version 8.8, and it will still only be a minor repair for the mid-lane mage.
In version 8.9, that will be the real major change to the legal system.
…
On the morning of May 3, Li Hao received another call from his parents, who gave them some advice.
Afterwards, he and the Snake team members arrived at Pudong International Airport.
LPL officials and some friends from the media also rushed over. Before leaving, they unfurled a team flag with the LPL logo.
Soon, LPL officials uploaded several sets of photos, and Snake also posted them on the homepage.
In the 2018 Mid-Season Championship, Snake officially embarked on the journey to represent the LPL division!
First stop: Berlin, Germany.
On the plane, the most excited person was probably Black Angel.
This kid doesn't talk much, but everyone can feel his excitement.
Before, it was the longest road he had ever traveled from Nanning to Magic City. Now, this journey has been extended a lot.
Angel sat next to Liu Qingsong and Lin Weixiang. Seeing his appearance, the wise man smiled and said:
"The us last year are very similar to Xiaotao now."
"It's also my first time to go abroad, and it's also my M private life."
Liu Qingsong joked: "Angel is much better than you. At least I'm not afraid. You were nervously pulling Brother Hao's arm."
"Ah? Is there one?" Da Chongming looked like he couldn't remember clearly.
Flandre leaned her head over and said, "The thing that impressed me the most was probably that security check."
"There was an old black prosecutor at that time. He actually knew us and asked me for my signature."
"Hey, hey, we can be considered celebrities around the world."
Kasa asked Li Hao: "Brother Hao, what are you thinking about now?"
"Um"
"I didn't think anything of it. I just hope that this year's M private event will go as smoothly as last year."
Same as last year?
The implication is to win the championship?!
Brother Wolf's eyes suddenly lit up, and he was extremely looking forward to it.
He has only won the championship in the LMS, which has no gold content at all. Especially in these few world championships, the LMS has not only been reduced to a side runner, but the record of the participating teams has also been unsightly.
The world championship is definitely an elusive honor for Brother Wolf.
Kaa knows very well that this time is the closest he is to that glory!
"Flying around the world is close to 15 hours, so rest as much as possible if you can."
"When we get there, there's a 7-hour time difference."
"okay!"
"..."
After getting off the Berlin Airport, everyone was a little tired. Although this trip was not bumpy, the fatigue of the journey was inevitable.
Outside the airport, officials from Riot Games were already waiting there.
What surprised Li Hao was that he saw a relatively familiar face among the Riot staff on this trip, because he had seen this person before at the Los Angeles headquarters.
The genius designer lyt.
He is the designer of Teemo, Yasuo, Noble Hand, and the latest Zuo Yin, also from this blond middle-aged man with deep-set eyes.
Lyt, like several other staff members, extended a warm welcome to Snake and his entourage, and all of them were smiling.
Li Hao had communicated with Lyt before, so he shook hands with him in a friendly manner.
"Li! Welcome!"
"Thanks."
They boarded the bus prepared by Fist together and heard Lyt ask:
"Li, what do you think of Zuo Yin's design?"
"very nice."
"However, you should not weaken her. The naughty girl of Targon should get more vitality."
"Haha, we have the same point of view, but Chunli and the others won't listen."
"I saw the Zuo Yin you used, it's very exciting."
lyt gave a thumbs up: "I hope you can use it in the next game."
Li Hao responded half-jokingly:
"I'm afraid that after I use it, you will be weakened again."
"For the Twilight Stars, this is really a cruel thing."
"Hahaha."
"Li, you are really humorous, that's why you are so creative."
"..."
After chatting for a few more words, Lyt felt that he had met a soulmate, and he said somewhat mysteriously:
"Let me tell you some news. I have a very good idea recently. I swear that when I bring it out, it will make the summoners' eyes light up. This is a brand new design."
"I will bring new vitality to Mount Targon, and I believe you will also like it."
"lyt, it's not a good habit to only speak half of your words."
"..."
Li Hao matched his sense of mystery and actually felt very calm in his heart.
The only thing I didn't expect was that lyt had this idea so early.
This genius designer from the Alliance will leave behind his last masterpiece in Japan, which is Wu E Trouble.
It doesn’t even have the E skill, which is beyond the imagination of ordinary designers.
People always make fun of Yasuo's E skill. Some players who hate Yasuo think that Yasuo's E skill is the most annoying design. Maybe it is these that inspired lyt.
Since the controversy is so big, I might as well not use the E skill at all.
Seeing how Li Hao and Lyt communicated very freely, it seems that the Snake Team members are quite optimistic.
If you don't understand, then you are awesome.
"Gunzi, I often tell you that you must read more and study more."
Zuo Wu said sincerely.
Flandre rolled her eyes at him, making you seem like you could keep up with Brother Hao's rhythm.
He asked: "Then do you usually read and study?"
"Of course." Zuo Wu patted his chest.
"What book are you reading?"
Before Zuo Wu could answer, Liu Qingsong on the side quickly answered:
""The Body Language of a Cat Owner", "The Manager and the Cat", "Meow-chan can't be that cute", "Cat Movie""
"yue~!"
"Hahaha"
Those fist-pumping people have no idea what they are talking about, but laughter is contagious.
The big blond brothers could feel their lively and cheerful atmosphere.
They also laughed.
The people in the car were even more optimistic about this favorite to win the championship.
They have a calm and wise core and a group of lovely, lively and good-tempered teammates. This is a dynamic team.
A good attitude and a relaxed atmosphere come from their strong self-confidence.
Li Hao looked out the car window. There were baroque buildings showing off wealth, using a lot of precious materials, and bright colors. He could also see the restored classical column proportions, semicircular arches, and buildings centered on the dome.
, which originated in Florence during the Renaissance.
I accidentally took a look at this European-style street and it felt quite good.
He then turned on his phone and saw a lot of unread messages.
A message from a parent: [Son, safety first, competition second. Don’t go out at night, don’t wander around at ordinary times, and always follow the big group.]
There is a message from the prostitute teacher: [Sun Yalong and his gang will be here in two days. If you forgot to bring anything, you can tell me. Good brother, can I get along with you? Take me to have sex with you after you have sex.
It’s no problem, right?]
Li Hao couldn't help laughing.
Message from Cuihua: [Brother Hao, I am cheering for you in front of the screen!]
Scroll down, and there is another message from North America. After careful inspection, it is indeed sent by stupid chicken: [Damn it, wolfberry, I originally wanted to come to M to snipe you privately, but I have been feeling unwell recently, so I will do it first.
I’ll give you a break.】
Li Hao smiled and shook his head and responded: [LCS top six, let’s watch TV at home (dog head)]
There is another message from Meiqin: [Brother Hao, come on!]
…
I replied to all the messages on my phone, chatted with the people in the car, and soon arrived at the hotel arranged by Riot Games.
This time, all 14 teams that came to participate in M Private were arranged together, and the hotel was not far from the European LCS studio.
However, unlike when Snake first arrived, the teams that need to qualify for the finals have already started competing today.
Of the 10 qualifying teams, only 2 can advance to the final group stage.
Flash Wolves from the LMS division are also among the teams competing in the finals.
In the first two days, Snake's team members basically spent time in the hotel recuperating and reversing the jet lag.
Then started playing training games with some teams.
As a few days passed, the format of the qualifying rounds gradually became clear.
The EVS team from Vietnam fought against the Flash Wolves of the LMS division and entered the six places in the group stage.
Next, the six teams will compete in a single-game winning-lose match in a double round-robin format. The top four teams can advance to the knockout stage of Wave 5. If they encounter a tie, they will play an extra round.
On May 10th, many teams were already preparing to leave Berlin and return home.
For them, participation is important.
The official competition of the 2018 Mid-Season Championship has just begun.
…
…
PS: If I write it later, it will be out of context. I will post an update tomorrow.
