The venue for this MSI semi-final is the Yanjing Cadillac Center, the current home court of the Yanjing Men’s Basketball Team, which can be said to be one of the top five most luxurious basketball venues in Asia.
The time for the semifinals between KG and J2 is at 4 p.m., and players and spectators will enter the venue two hours in advance.
During lunch, the sky outside was cloudy and there were faint sounds of thunder.
Although the weather forecast calls for cloudy showers in the afternoon, the Yanjing Cadillac Center is a fully enclosed venue, not an open-air stage like the Jinling Youth Olympic Sports Park.
So there is no need to rain.
Having said that, it always feels a bit unlucky when it rains on game day.
Unfortunately, the weather failed, and it was still cloudy when Li Xiufeng and the others had lunch at the hotel.
When I was getting ready to go out in the afternoon, it suddenly started to rain lightly.
By the time a group of people arrived at the venue by car, the rain falling from the sky was getting denser.
Pattering, dripping, dripping, hitting the umbrella where several long queues of spectators had already lined up at the entrance of the venue, splashing countless water splashes.
Despite the recent criticism of KG's entire team on the Internet, most of the people who came to the scene were die-hard fans. The rain in the afternoon did not dampen the enthusiasm in his heart at all.
What's more, trolls are just "one-click to control the world" on the Internet, but in reality they are still elegant and easy-going.
Most of the spectators queuing up at the entrance of the venue held cheering signs in their hands, with no impatience on their faces. They were full of excitement and excitement as they discussed KG's lineup today.
In the venue, the players have already entered through the special channel and started preparing.
The on-site staff walked back and forth in the venue to finally arrange and confirm the venue.
For a large competition venue like this that can accommodate tens of thousands of people, on-site safety and fire protection work must be prepared to be flawless.
On the booth directly in front of the stage.
There is a championship trophy surrounded by dragons and phoenixes, shining under the lights on the court in the stadium, which is extremely eye-catching.
When almost everyone enters the venue, their attention is immediately attracted to the trophy in the middle of the stage.
Because this trophy has been standing on the stage since the group stage and will continue to stand.
Until the MSI Finals a week later.
However, of the two teams KG and J2 present today, only one is destined to see this trophy again.
...
Backstage, in KG's lounge.
Li Xiufeng sat on the sofa and looked out the window at the dark cloudy sky.
The raindrops were blown by the wind and hit the transparent glass of the outside window of the lounge, making a "crackling" sound.
"Didn't you say it's raining? Why is it getting heavier and heavier?" He muttered in a low voice.
Maybe it's because the game time is approaching and all the tactical arrangements that need to be made have been completed.
Now everyone is waiting quietly to come on stage, so the atmosphere in the lounge can't help but be a bit dull.
It's like a candidate waiting for the final exam.
No one can guarantee whether you will fail the course or not.
Coach Han Yunlong lowered his head and glanced at the watch on his wrist, then suddenly stood up and said:
"Okay, the game is about to start, and today's starting lineup remains unchanged.
Again, let’s find out the bottom first.”
Over the years, every strong team that has come to participate in the World Championship will prepare a few bottom-of-the-box things, not to mention the European Division's favorite "renovation".
The J2 team has been evaluated by Western e-sports media as "a greatly expanded professional idea and approach to the league."
This is why Kake lost against KT on the last day of the group stage.
But in today's game, KG's coaching staff decided to make him the first starter after research.
When he went out, Kake glanced at the man sitting by the window.
The other party did not look at him and give him a cheering gesture like last time.
Are you disappointed?
Kake gritted his teeth and turned around silently.
The moment he took steps, he suddenly felt that something heavy was carrying on his body and it seemed to be getting heavier and heavier.
this time,
He doesn't want to disappoint anyone again!
...
At four o'clock in the afternoon, the auditorium around the Yanjing Cadillac Stadium was packed with people.
In addition to the majority of local Chinese spectators watching the game at home, there are also some European and American young people who come to Yanjing to study and work.
Before the game, every time the camera in the stadium was shown, the European and American spectators would excitedly hold up J2's support signs and shout cheers to the camera.
He also made some exaggerated movements with his hands.
With the warm-up of these European and American spectators, the atmosphere at the scene was already heated before the game officially started.
On the commentary stage, the three people responsible for commentating today's game are already in place.
"Okay, audience friends, welcome to our MSI semi-final match.
I am the commentator, and today I, Mi Le and Yuan Ze will be here to give you real-time commentary on the semi-finals."
"Hello everyone, my name is Mi Le."
"I am Yuanze."
Yuanze said with a smile, "I believe many of the audience were caught in the rain when they came here today like me, but it doesn't matter. Feeling the atmosphere of the scene, everyone must be as excited as me now."
"Well, today our two teams in the semifinals are KG from the LPL division and J2 from the LEC European division."
After Wawa paused for a moment, he continued to say with a smile:
“KG I believe I don’t need to introduce him anymore, J2 is the star of hope for the European ‘Renaissance’ in the LEC division.
This team's playing style is changeable, and its lineup selection is wild and unconventional, but it can often achieve surprising results.
I believe that today’s game is also a huge challenge for KG on the road to the championship.”
Mi Le nodded slightly when he heard the words, raised his hand to push the glasses frame on the bridge of his nose, and slowly said:
"Yes, facing such a team with changeable styles, I think it's better for KG today not to blindly think about how his opponents are doing, and then take action against them.
But they have forgotten what is the most suitable style and play style for them. What I hope more is that they can play their strongest selves."
"..."
At this time, the players from both sides were almost ready in the soundproof competition rooms on both sides of the stage.
Soon, the game officially started.
However, it is still only in the BP stage,
The choices of players from both sides caused waves of exclamations on more than one occasion.
This is not only because KG's Wannian water dispenser substitute Kake.
The man who used a big tree to fight the trolls in the first game of the Spring Split, and performed the wonderful "old tree rooting" operation on the high ground, and then fell silent for nearly the entire Spring Split.
This game took out Jace.
What’s even more surprising is that the J2 team from Europe on the purple side actually chose Pike and Tahm as dual assistants.
Then, incredibly, they asked Pike to play top lane for Wunder.
In the end, the lineups of both sides were determined.
Blue Square KG:
Top laner Jess, jungle prince, mid lane czar, ADC female gunner, and assistant Braum.
Purple Square J2:
Top laner Pyke, jungler Spider, mid laner Enchantress, ADC Verus, and support Tahm Kench.
"What the hell, top laner Pike?"
"Is that the new auxiliary hero that just came out? Is this J2's ultimate move, or do you think you don't treat Kake as a human being?"
"Guigui, if Europe wins all these, it will really be a 'Renaissance'."
"Can Kake's Jace be able to hold up? Doesn't this guy only know how to play tanks?"
"Isn't it? I saw that Kake's captain played well in this group stage, didn't he?"
"Jess is different from the captain. Anyone can take out the captain. Jess, look at our entire LPL Spring Split. Apart from Fengzi and Theshine, how many of them have taken out Jess on the road?"
"Let's see if Brother K can withstand this. If he can, we will rise up and rebel."
"That's right, Feng Gou doesn't regard you as a len, brother, it's time to show the dog tags of our K family army."
"..."
When the BP was over, coach Han Yunlong had a satisfied smile on his face.
Although J2's single Pike hand is unexpected, it is also reasonable.
He knew that a sexy team like J2 who loved "getting done" must have some skills.
With this kind of mental preparation, I am not afraid of J2 taking it, but I am afraid that they will hold it back and not use it.
Now since J2 has already come up with such a lineup in the first game of the BO5 game, Kake's strategic intention in today's first game has been successful.
Moreover, a strange move is a strange move, and it is not that easy to win by surprise every time.
After all,
You still have to speak based on your strength.
...
The following games also proved this.
J2 went up to Wunder. Pike took an unusual approach, and there was nothing eye-catching in the early laning.
Even because of his short hands and long hands, he was still slightly suppressed by Jayce online.
Unfortunately, due to the skill mechanism of the hero Pike, if the opponent does not take the initiative to strike first, it is still very difficult to kill alone without ignition.
For a time, the two sides were evenly matched in the early stage.
until...
That wave of team battles for the elemental earth dragon.
"Triblekill!"
When J2's Nakano Enchantress and Spider each took the initiative, they crippled KG's two players and forced them to use their skills.
After using the W skill [Stealth in the Deep Pond] to become invisible all the way, I successfully bypassed the enemy and then used my ultimate move to perform three "X kills". In the end, I successfully beheaded three people.
During the game, several members of KG were confused at first, and then finally realized that J2's lineup was not only about taking the opposite direction.
The core value lies in it.
Spider and Enchantress fought, and Verus continued to output under the protection of Tahm.
And Pike's mission is one,
It’s harvest,
Ruthless harvest!
You know, Pike's ultimate move is not only refreshed every time he kills an opponent.
And the last friendly hero who assists will also receive the full amount of kill gold.
Therefore, Pike's triple kill not only made him fatter, but also Enchantress and Spider. The balance of the situation on the field was instantly broken.
When Kake saw this, he gritted his teeth in anger.
He worked hard to suppress Pike in the early stage, and finally reduced the last-hit difference between the two sides to more than ten knives in the early ten minutes.
It feels like an old farmer who has worked hard to finally feel the breath of harvest.
However, Pike's three kills on the opposite side were like destroying his entire wheat field!
How can it be repaired!
And the next game,
Kake, who didn't wait to hit the road, calmed down.
After Wunder's Pike got the advantage, he didn't play with him on the top lane at all. The W skill's Stealth in the Pond gave Pike a powerful map running ability.
This skill is one of his first skills to complete the laning kill.
At the same time, it is also the capital to frequently cooperate with teammates to attack the enemy unprepared and deliver a fatal blow to the enemy.
Especially when you have an advantage, W cooperates with E's entry and Q's retention.
The higher mobility allowed Wunder to take advantage of him and the threat generated quickly covered the entire top half.
After the teleportation skill changed to a good CD, its threat was radiated towards the bottom lane.
KG suddenly seemed to be stuck in the mud,
The more you fight, the more passive you become,
The more I hit, the deeper I sink.
Finally, the game ended with thirty-seven minutes of game time, ending with Wunder Pike's four kills at the dragon pool on the top lane.
In this wave, KG actually regained a little advantage in the past. They didn't want to continue to drag J2 with them and chose Donglong.
Unexpectedly, I was caught red-handed by J2.
J2, who won the team battle, did not move the dragon.
They advanced with a wave of troops and successfully won this game.
After this game ended, the Internet went crazy with all kinds of comments.
On Weibo, #J2Parker also shot up the hot search list with a very popular momentum, followed by the topic # Semifinal KG failed in the first battle#.
"Damn it! There's something about this J2."
"Top laner Pike is amazing! It feels like KG was stunned after being killed in twenty minutes."
"Are you sure today's game is not a promotional video created by J2 and KG for the new hero Pike?"
"Then I think the name of the promotional video should be "Ze Pike's Blade"."
"To be fair, "One Kill Pike", "Attack of Pike", "My Pike My Regiment", "Your Pike My Heart", isn't this better than yours?"
"Xiu'er, is that you? If you can speak, please speak more."
"Hahaha, now that KG has lost a hand, he won't give it back to Brother K, right?"
"It's possible, isn't the script already written, and Brother Fengzi will take the blame for the third time?"
"The previous ones are enough. In fact, I can understand Coach KG's move. I just feel that they have played themselves into it a bit."
"Let's see what I say. If I ban Pike, Kake won't be able to play. After all, I feel that I still have the strength."
"...."
Numerous spectators off the court and online were hotly debated.
After a short twenty-minute break,
At the beginning of the second game, KG's team filed out of the lounge after being reminded by the staff.
Next to the glass outside the lounge window, Li Xiufeng, who had been looking out the window, was the last one to get up.
Kake sat on the sofa opposite him, his head lowered and silent.
During the break just now, the coach already said that KG will rotate on the road in the next game.
Kake ends,
Replaced with starter Li Xiufeng.
However, at this time,
Kake, who had just lost a game, was troubled not by the fact that he was substituted.
But because they were on the road, they just lost a game, causing KG to lose a match point in the BO5.
It would be great if KG could win today,
Once you lose.
Especially after playing B05 but losing three to two, Kake might not be able to forgive himself.
Just as he lowered his head and couldn't help but fall into this emotion, a relaxed and peaceful voice suddenly came to his ears.
"Oh, the rain has stopped."
Hearing the sound, Kake subconsciously raised his head.
As soon as he entered his eyes, he found that after the rain stopped and the sky cleared, a ray of light fell on the man's sculpture-like profile.
It was obviously just a ray of evening light, but it seemed to be flashing with some indescribable brilliance.
"The rain has stopped?" Kake was stunned for a moment.
Li Xiufeng stood up, holding the team uniform on the sofa with one hand.
He looked at Kake with a smile and said, "When the rain stops, we will start winning."
"It's really annoying when it rains."
After finishing speaking, Li Xiufeng shook his head and walked out of the lounge with Doub and others in front of him.
The rain stopped,
Are we going to start winning?
Hearing Li Xiufeng's natural words, Kake suddenly froze on the spot.