After the quarter-finals, both teams only had a week to rest before the semi-finals. The semi-finals would only last two days. On the first day, TG faced off against TPS, the first seed from LCS.
Unlike other regions that played by the book, European and North American teams loved to pull off unexpected strategies at Worlds. Sometimes these wild tactics actually worked, catching veterans off guard. TPS immediately brought out a double support composition in their first game, leaving the LPL commentators stunned.
The camera cut to TPS’s player seats, where their ADC and support were laughing and chatting about something. The atmosphere in the venue was exceptionally lively.
Commentator A remarked, “When it comes to creative strategies, LCS really takes the cake.”
Commentator B added, “Our Western brothers are truly the masters of entertainment.”
Although TPS was theoretically easier to handle than BACK, the most dangerous thing in Worlds was underestimating your opponent. TG had learned this lesson the hard way at the Inter-Regional Tournament. Even with the enemy’s unusual picks and bans, their coach still chose a meta team-fighting composition.
So when TPS’s bottom lane duo entered the game with smiles on their faces, within fifteen minutes, their lane completely fell apart. They were thoroughly schooled by someone named “TG.Conquer” playing Caitlyn.
TPS’s double support combination had no effect. Their bottom tower fell at 7 minutes, and they were behind by over 100 CS. The camera cut back to the player seats. After being brutally beaten, both TPS’s support and ADC wore expressions of pain. TG easily won the first game.
In the second game’s picks and bans, TG’s bottom lane also started getting creative. Chen Yuzheng directly picked Veigar mid, matching TPS’s unconventional style. Having just defeated BACK, Korea’s second seed and last year’s world champion the previous week, TG handled their Western opponents even more efficiently and brutally.
Everything went even smoother than expected. Amid laughter and cheers, TG swiftly 3-0’d TPS, sending them on vacation. While some people thought TG got lucky beating BACK, their performance in the semi-finals showed pure domination over TPS. As a traditional powerhouse in the West, TPS’s dominance couldn’t be underestimated – they had been the regional champions for many years. Yet when they met TG, they crumbled instantly.
After the match, TPS was so demoralized they refused interviews. TG, a team that was practically unknown before, unexpectedly became the strongest dark horse of the year. They were fearless and aggressive, first taking down BACK, then crushing TPS, becoming famous in just a few battles and securing their finals ticket. Suddenly, news about them was everywhere worldwide.
Even the English commentators sighed helplessly: “OMG, What a crazy team this is!”
After TG advanced to finals, the next day’s match between OG and PPE reached its climax. Ticket scalpers had driven prices up to 5-6 thousand. The viewership across various streaming platforms exceeded 10 million just at the start.
OG and PPE had faced each other before at the Inter-Regional Tournament and were familiar with each other’s styles. Unlike TG’s matches yesterday, OG and PPE were evenly matched, both teams being well-rounded with no obvious weaknesses. The matches were incredibly intense and twisted, and after four spectacular games where both teams exhausted their strategies, the score remained tied at 2:2.
After a five-hour series, OG finally fell in the semi-finals. —— PPE defeated OG 3:2.
—
Countless fans waited for OG backstage. Yu Ge walked in front, followed by A Wen, Will, and others, each wearing dejected expressions. Unlike before, fans didn’t surge forward but stood quietly at an appropriate distance, silently watching them leave.
Before boarding their bus, a male fan in the crowd shouted with red eyes: “Fish, don’t retire! We can try again next year!”
TG’s team hadn’t gone to the venue today. Yu Nuo watched the semi-finals livestream with them at the hotel.
During the final game, Killer, Ultraman, and the others gathered around the TV. When PPE destroyed OG’s base, everyone cried out in disappointment.
Van even slapped his thigh, “That last fight – if Fish’s Flash had been up, OG could have turned it around.”
The coach sighed regretfully: “They played beautifully, OG just needed a bit more luck. But this is what makes major tournaments special – OG versus PPE was truly a battle of kings.”
Killer: “I actually wanted OG to win, so we could properly get our revenge against them in finals.”
Thomas: “We can’t get revenge on them directly now, but we can avenge them.”
On the last day of semi-finals, both WR and OG fell to PPE’s iron cavalry. Across Weibo, forums, and message boards, both OG fans and casual viewers were devastated, filling the internet with laments.
PPE had defeated LPL’s first and third seeds in the left bracket, like a fierce tiger descending from the mountains. Though TG remained as LPL’s last flame of hope, the public viewed them as inconsistent, with fluctuating performance.
They seemed cursed with “always losing in finals” – no matter how brilliantly they performed in regular season or semi-finals, they always fell short in finals, becoming OG’s backdrop twice in a row.
Finals especially required stable performance, and PPE now seemed unstoppable. Both commentators and analysts felt TG would struggle against PPE’s strength, making LPL’s championship prospects look grim.
After watching OG’s matches, TG’s team played on their phones for a while before returning to their temporary training room for intense practice.
Around 10 PM, their manager came in, “Take a break, let’s go get dinner and relax.”
Ultraman cheered: “What are we eating?”
“Just finding a casual restaurant. Finals are next week, can’t eat anything too exciting,” the manager said, checking his phone. “This is our last team dinner before finals. After eating, head back early to sleep, no more training. We’ll fly to Beijing tomorrow afternoon and focus on preparation there.”
Though disappointed about OG’s loss, they were still in good spirits having made it to finals themselves. Dinner was filled with laughter and chatter.
Midway through, while Killer was serving cake, he noticed Yu Nuo wasn’t there and asked Chen Yuzheng: “Where’s your girlfriend?”
Seeing Chen Yuzheng’s expression, Ultraman coughed: “Killer, don’t bring up sensitive topics.”
Chen Yuzheng: “She went to see her brother.”
Killer showed some sympathy, “Poor Conquer, no one to share his joy with.”
Van disliked their teasing: “That’s enough. OG just lost, it’s normal for Yu Nuo to comfort her brother.”
Killer glared at him, “Why are you getting angry? I didn’t say anything wrong.”
Ultraman, mouth full of cake, mumbled: “You know, Yu Nuo has it tough. There’s only one championship – whether we win or OG wins, it must be hard for her to process.”
“That’s true, family comes first,” Killer said understandingly. “Zheng, don’t be bitter. Blood ties are what they are, nothing you can do.”
Chen Yuzheng acted indifferent: “What’s there to be bitter about?”
After dinner, they walked back along the street.
Killer clasped his hands in prayer, “Buddha, I’ll trade Ultraman being single forever for a championship.”
Ultraman punched him: “Can you get lost?”
While everyone was joking around, Chen Yuzheng walked silently beside them, hands in his pockets.
—
At 2 AM, Yu Nuo returned to her hotel room. A bedside lamp was on, and Xiang Jiajia was already asleep.
She went to her suitcase to get pajamas, quietly heading to the bathroom for a shower.
While brushing her teeth, her phone on the counter vibrated. Yu Nuo picked it up.
Conquer: “Are you asleep?” Yu Nuo: “Not yet” Conquer: “Come out”
Yu Nuo stared at his message, hastily brushed her teeth a few more times, and rinsed. She wiped her face with a nearby towel.
Taking her room key, she went out.
The hallway was almost empty at this hour. Yu Nuo walked along the quiet corridor, finding Chen Yuzheng waiting at the end.
He held his phone in one hand and a cigarette in the other, leaning against the wall waiting for her.
Yu Nuo jogged over, whispering, “Why aren’t you sleeping so late?”
Chen Yuzheng put out his cigarette, “Wanted to see you.”
Those words instantly melted Yu Nuo’s heart. “I saw the group messages, you all went for dinner?”
“Mm.”
Noticing something off about Chen Yuzheng’s mood but not knowing what happened, Yu Nuo stepped closer, carefully studying his expression. “What’s wrong?”
“What were you doing with OG’s people?”
Yu Nuo: “Spent time with my brother, then went for late-night snacks with them.”
Chen Yuzheng made a sound of acknowledgment, telling her: “Today was Killer’s birthday.”
Yu Nuo: “I’ll get him a birthday gift another day.”
He tilted his head: “Feeling stuffy, want to go for a walk?”
Yu Nuo agreed: “Sure.”
There was a small garden near the hotel.
Perhaps due to the intense training recently, everyone’s nerves were stretched tight. After relaxing, Chen Yuzheng didn’t feel like talking much.
Yu Nuo initiated conversation, “Finals next week, are you nervous?”
He replied flatly: “It’s fine, not nervous.”
“Really not nervous?” Yu Nuo smiled, “You must be lying.”
Chen Yuzheng watched her smile, suddenly asking: “If I win, will you be happy?”
Yu Nuo looked at him, confused: “Of course I’ll be happy.”
“But your brother lost today.” Chen Yuzheng stated firmly, “You’re not happy.”
“……”
She felt helpless, joking with him, “Why are you suddenly like this? Why be jealous of my brother?”
“I’m not jealous of him.” Chen Yuzheng stood still, “Actually, that time at the celebration party when you left with Fish, I waited a long time but you didn’t come back.”
He paused, “I know saying this to you makes me sound weak, but it feels pretty awful.”
Yu Nuo vaguely understood why he was unhappy.
She sighed, reached out and hugged the person in front of her. “I was a bit confused then, because I lied to my brother and felt that wasn’t right. I felt very guilty and didn’t consider your feelings. I’m sorry. You and my brother, you two mean different things to me. He’s very important to me, but so are you, just in different ways.”
After saying this, Yu Nuo promised him, “I won’t leave you behind anymore.”
The place was completely silent, the night quiet, as if they were the only two people left in the world.
After a while, Chen Yuzheng spoke, “Actually, I’m quite a dark person. If I tell you, you probably won’t accept it.”
Yu Nuo held his waist, her head resting against his neck. Hearing this, she bit her lip and looked up slightly, “What is it?”
“Want to hear it?”
“Yes.”
Chen Yuzheng looked away: “That night, I made a wish upon a shooting star.”
Yu Nuo hesitated: “Didn’t you say before…?”
“There was another one.”
“What was it?” Chen Yuzheng didn’t say.
Yu Nuo waited a while.
Then, she heard him speak.
“You’re not Xiang Jiajia’s friend, not Fish’s sister, not Fu Yidong’s best friend, you’re only Conquer’s girlfriend.”
In an instant, Yu Nuo was enveloped by his presence. The voice by her ear lowered,
“I want Yu Nuo to become Chen Yuzheng’s alone.”
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