TCWSITD – Chapter 53.2

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Chapter 53.2 – World Championship

Zhang Mingying was noticeably more stable this time, sticking to a solid jungle pathing. The game safely transitioned past the 15-minute mark into the skirmish phase. The enemy team’s team fighting was slightly stronger than OT’s, so Lin Jiang avoided full-on engagements, opting for prolonged trades. For about 10 minutes, the game remained in a tense stalemate, until the unexpected happened.

The second seed from North America was known for their surprise attacks. Realizing that passive scaling would only lead to OT’s victory, they made a bold decision.

Song Zhixu was split-pushing the top lane when suddenly, the entire map went dark. Sensing danger, he began retreating.

But no one anticipated the enemy’s deep ward in OT’s jungle. Their mid laner teleported behind him, executing a massive flank that led to Song Zhixu’s brutal death.

This kind of flank was unheard of. Lin Jiang immediately recognized the threat and warned the team, “Check the jungle thoroughly!”

Zhou Wen began scanning the area for vision. From a god’s eye view, it was clear the enemy’s wards were placed in extremely tricky positions. A single sweep couldn’t clear them all. Even after placing a control ward, one sneaky ward remained undetected!

This ward made the entire audience gasp. Its location allowed OT’s bot lane to be completely surrounded!

The commentator was still analyzing: “If OT pushes forward any further, this could go very wrong…”

As soon as he finished speaking, the enemy top laner suddenly teleported behind, cutting off Shen Ju’s retreat completely.

Zhou Wen died with regret trying to save Shen Ju. Zhang Mingying, who rushed over, assessed the situation and immediately abandoned Shen Ju to push mid. Left alone, Shen Ju had no choice but to die as well.

The gold lead instantly swung in the enemy’s favor, and domestic netizens were furious. What kind of jungler plays like this?

[The jungler is completely useless!]

[He’s not feeding anymore, but he’s still just as bad.]

[If it were A’Deng, he would never abandon Shen Ju like this.]

[I’m about to throw up, can we please sub A’Deng in already?]

In their rage, they completely forgot that Zhang Mingying would’ve just died too if he had gone in. With no outlet for their anger, they directed it all at Zhang Mingying!

After all, he was the biggest variable in OT’s lineup.

Two consecutive misplays plunged OT into crisis. Lin Jiang realized they desperately needed a victory to boost morale. “Next dragon spawn, Zhang Mingying, the enemy will focus on you. This is your only chance.”

Zhang Mingying understood. Lin Jiang wasn’t just talking about this game’s opportunity, but their entire Worlds run.

Since he had already decided to gamble, he had to win.

In a flash, he used his ultimate to vanish from enemy vision, slipping into the brush. Lin Jiang followed up with his own ultimate, circling behind the enemy. The team fight was about to erupt!

All eyes locked onto Lin Jiang’s ultimate as the enemy team poured their focus onto him.

Lin Jiang’s ultimate was a teleport skill that could bring nearby allies to the landing point. The enemy had prepared for this, but no one expected Lin Jiang to arrive alone. He hadn’t brought anyone with him!

Fine, they’d just take Lin Jiang down first!

They charged at him aggressively, but Lin Jiang used Zhonya’s Hourglass the moment he landed, dodging their deadly crowd control perfectly.

This empty-city strategy was executed flawlessly by Lin Jiang.

The live audience erupted in cheers.

While everyone’s attention was focused on Lin Jiang, no one noticed Zhang Mingying lurking in the shadows behind the enemy AD. He struck with a bloodthirsty blade, slicing the AD’s throat before leaping away!

A feint to the east while attacking from the west![mfn]声东击西 (shēng dōng jī xī) – an ancient Chinese military tactic meaning to distract the enemy with an attack in one place while attacking from another.[/mfn]

The enemy realized they were surrounded and began retreating as a group. Song Zhixu teleported behind them, cutting off their last escape route.

What a perfect case of turning the tables!

The enemy formation collapsed completely. To minimize losses, they could only target Shen Ju, the easiest prey.

After holding back the entire game, Shen Ju finally got his chance to shine. He maneuvered fiercely, maximizing his damage output under Zhou Wen’s protection, then Flashed next to Lin Jiang and unleashed a storm of attacks.

Song Zhixu arrived at the frontlines, engaging in close combat. Zhang Mingying also looked for an opportunity to re-enter the fight. With a graceful double jump, like a dragonfly skimming water, he instantly secured the enemy mid laner’s head.

Zhang Mingying’s double kill eliminated the enemy’s two strongest players. And the most crucial part is that his “Dragonfly Skim[mfn]蜻蜓点水 (qīng tíng diǎn shuǐ) – lit. describes a dragonfly lightly touching the surface of water; in gaming, it means a quick, delicate touch or movement, often a graceful or skillful jump or dash.[/mfn]” technique allowed him to survive!

[Wow, this rookie can pull off Dragonfly Skim?]

[So smooth, completely showing off.]

[How did he not die? This rookie’s got some serious skills.]

[If it were A’Deng, he’d have been dead in the first wave.]

At this point, the audience finally understood why Lin Jiang had insisted on choosing Zhang Mingying. His talent was leagues beyond A’Deng’s!

Amid the gasps of astonishment, Lin Jiang made another bold call. “Take Baron!”

Everyone’s condition wasn’t good; taking Baron was a bit forced. Even with their best damage output, it was still a little short.

Shen Ju was the first to fall back, his health reduced to a sliver.

The remaining three fought on, but then came the worst news: the enemy AD had respawned!

He charged straight to the Baron pit, facing the weakened trio and the low-health Baron. There was a real chance he could claim everything!

The domestic commentators shouted, “Focus the AD first!”

But how? Who would do it?

The audience was going crazy. This looked like a sure throw!

Song Zhixu instinctively positioned himself in front of Lin Jiang to block damage. The moment the enemy AD approached, Song Zhixu lunged at him, slashing twice to halve his health, but it wasn’t enough!

Lin Jiang added crowd control from behind the wall, but the enemy AD still had Heal. He recovered a chunk of health and instantly killed Song Zhixu!

Once Song Zhixu fell, no one else could tank the damage.

Just as Lin Jiang was about to fall, Zhang Mingying suddenly executed a Dragonfly Skim from the pit, eliminating the enemy while leaping back into the Baron area, securing the kill with Smite!

The audience: !!!

Was this an upgraded Dragonfly Skim?

The E ability allowed a single jump dealing damage on landing, with a passive reset on kill. With fast enough reflexes, triggering the passive mid-jump could enable a second E, creating the “Dragonfly Skim” effect, leaving no trace but death.

Normally, Dragonfly Skims were performed in the same direction since forward mouse movement was easier than backward. But Zhang Mingying had pulled off a reverse Dragonfly Skim, not only securing the kill but also jumping back to tank Baron’s damage for Lin Jiang!

Had Lin Jiang died, Baron would have regenerated, making this play a disastrous loss.

Zhang Mingying leaped down and secured Baron with a smite.

Lin Jiang survived with 2 HP left!

The commentator gasped, “river didn’t die! He’s alive with 2 HP! OT just secured four Baron buffs!”

The Baron buff mechanic granted buffs only to living players. Zhou Wen had just respawned, while Shen Ju and Lin Jiang survived with slivers of health, so OT got four buffs! This was huge for their push.

Just when everyone thought OT was doomed, who could’ve predicted such a miraculous turnaround?

As the audience gasped in amazement, the screen began replaying the previous segment. Many viewers who hadn’t understood earlier finally realized just how incredible Zhang Mingying’s plays had been.

First, at the dragon pit, his stealthy entry into the bushes to block the enemy’s full-map vision was already mind-blowing.

Then, under Lin Jiang’s diversionary tactics, he killed the AD, escaped with a nimble leap, re-entered to kill the mid laner, and escaped again with the same agility.

Later, at the Baron, he executed an evolved version of that same nimble leap to successfully secure the Baron!

A slightest mistake at any point would have meant his death, let alone when he later dove back in to save Lin Jiang!

Viewers who had been cursing him earlier now began serious self-reflection. If it had been A’Deng in that situation, could he have pulled off such extreme plays?

The answer, of course, was no!

If it had been A’Deng, all he could have done was protect Lin Jiang, protect Shen Ju, and then die tragically. There would have been no chance to contest the Baron at all!

The audience’s perception began to shift.

So this is how powerful a living jungler can be!

The broadcast commentators also touched on this point: “A jungler’s survival is actually crucial because after a team fight, it often leads to contests for the dragon or Baron. Without a jungler, you’re at a huge disadvantage.”

Yet A’Deng’s survival rate was particularly poor. Even after his evolution, he could only be described as average.

This was why OT, despite their incredible laning prowess, had never truly become a top-tier team. They were always lacking that extra edge in the jungle role!

Was this why Lin Jiang had been so determined to push Zhang Mingying into the spotlight?

Netizens watching finally understood Lin Jiang’s well-intentioned strategy. Letting A’Deng play might have been comfortable in the group stage, but once they advanced to face stronger opponents, OT would struggle immensely!

If Lin Jiang had only wanted comfort, he would never have left KUG in the first place.

More and more people began to understand Lin Jiang’s decision, cheering them on as the match ended in a crushing victory, sending shockwaves through all regions.

Media outlets rushed to report, dubbing Zhang Mingying the “Wild Horse Jungler,” a style that quickly became wildly popular in the North American scene.

Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last. In the second game, Zhang Mingying faced an unfamiliar Vietnamese team that played even more unpredictably than he did, countering chaos with chaos to defeat OT.

This sudden turn of events nearly gave the fans a heart attack, but fortunately, the Vietnamese team’s points didn’t pose a real threat. OT quickly subbed A’Deng back in to secure the final game, locking in their first-place qualification.

Although the process had been nerve-wracking, the outcome was ultimately positive. Fans grumbled but still celebrated their success.

With all three of LPL’s powerhouse teams advancing, the domestic scene erupted in cheers. Now, it was SNG’s turn tomorrow!

After evening training, Lin Jiang handed Li Qian a bottle of water. “Do you think SNG can qualify tomorrow?”

“I don’t think it’s very likely. Europe’s top-seed team is really strong. They came this year with the championship as their goal.”

“Have you studied them?”

Li Qian nodded, looking somewhat worried. “I’ve never seen a team with such an aggressive playstyle. I think they’ll be a tough nut for you to crack.”

Lin Jiang nodded seriously. “What about SPG?”

SPG was Korea’s third-seed team, and also the team Li Qian had previously been part of, so he knew them well.

Li Qian smiled and said, “Don’t underestimate them. Even though they’re the third-seed, from what I’ve seen, they lost due to carelessness. Their actual strength is higher than YIG’s. Underestimating them would be a mistake.”

Looking at it this way, SNG was indeed in for a tough time.

The next day’s match arrived quickly. It was the final day of the group stage. Once it ended, the full picture of the world championship would become clear.

At the start of the match, it was evident that SNG wasn’t in good form. After barely winning one game, they suffered two consecutive losses, and SPG sent the struggling SNG packing.

They were the first LPL team to arrive at the World Championship and the first to go home. The mixed emotions were unimaginable.

Many fans who had traveled far to Seoul for them burst into tears on the spot. In the post-match interviews, the entire SNG team apologized, their eyes brimming with tears.

On the day they left, Lin Jiang went to see them off, accompanied by members of TG and YIG. Domestically, they were rivals, but abroad, they were family. No matter who was leaving, everyone felt a shared sorrow.[mfn]兔死狐悲 (tù sǐ hú bēi) – idiom; “When the rabbit dies, the fox grieves.” It means feeling sorrow at the misfortune of a similar kind, especially when it implies a shared fate.[/mfn]

Who wouldn’t want their own country to win?

Seeing them lose felt like seeing their own future.

Especially for the members of TG and YIG who faced a brutal schedule—SNG’s departure was like a premonition of what might come.

Perhaps the next to leave would be them.

Everyone felt heavy-hearted.

During the three-day preparation, the three teams engaged in intense internal training organized by their coaches. There was no need to hold back now. Everyone trained fiercely, searching for the best strategy to break through.

Naturally, Lin Jiang helped them as much as he could, accommodating their requests without compromising his own training.

The day before the semifinals, Emperor F privately sought out Lin Jiang. Avoiding their teams, they shared a smoke and exchanged thoughts and insights.

YIG was in great form this year, but unfortunately, their opponents were Korea’s top-seed, the favorites to win the championship.

“We might be going home after this match.” Emperor F let out a sigh.

“Don’t joke with me. We’ve been rivals for years, when have I ever seen you give up?”

“I’m serious,” Emperor F looked at him, hesitating. “Lin Jiang, if I really lose, you have to avenge me. I’ve had enough of them. Don’t let me die with regrets.”

Lin Jiang didn’t respond immediately. He joked, “Then you’d better try to take a piece of them with you before you go. It’ll make things easier for me.”

The mood lightened instantly. Emperor F laughed and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll fight them tooth and nail. If I get the chance, I won’t trouble you. I’ll handle it myself.”

Lin Jiang replied, “Alright then, see you in the finals.”

“Deal. See you in the finals.”

The next day, the quarterfinals officially began.

Encouraged by Lin Jiang, Emperor F’s form continued to rise, and he went all out from the start, securing the first game.

South Korea steadily took the second game, but Emperor F unleashed his full potential again, claiming the third. Just as everyone began to think YIG had a chance, South Korea calmly activated their ultimate strategy, decisively crushing YIG in the next two games.

In the final do-or-die game, Emperor F poured everything he had into the game, pulling off several miraculous plays that moved the audience to tears. Yet, South Korea’s composition was simply too solid. YIG always fell just short.

When Emperor F fell for the last time, the opposing jungler who had crushed him even taunted him with an emote.

Heroes may fall, but the stories told afterward belong to others. Their struggles fade from memory. The only way for them to reclaim their dignity was to wait silently for next year’s World Championship.

YIG’s journey had come to an end.

As the match concluded, the audience wailed in despair. If YIG had really beaten Korea, then there would be no rivals for LPL in this World Championship!

If only luck had been on their side…

After the match, Emperor F faced the interviewers, laughing while wiping away tears, a sight that broke the viewers’ hearts.

Still, no matter the outcome, they had done an incredible job. There’s always next year to fight again!

YIG booked their tickets overnight and set off on their journey home the next day. Before leaving, Emperor F shared a hug with Lin Jiang. “Lin Jiang, don’t forget what you promised me.”

Lin Jiang rarely made promises, but this time, he replied with a firm, “Okay.”

With YIG gone, would the remaining TG continue down their destined path?

Watching TG struggle against the North American team, dragging the series to a fifth game while once again picking the exact same lineup as before, Lin Jiang felt his heart sink deeper and deeper.

Why was this still happening? Why were they picking the same lineup? He felt TG had already regained their form, so why were they still struggling so much?

Lin Jiang felt as if a shadow clung to him, impossible to shake off. The air grew suffocating, and for a moment, he couldn’t distinguish between his previous life and the present. His heart ached unbearably, so he stepped outside for a smoke to calm himself.

Shen Ju noticed his distress and followed him out. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? You’re sweating so much.”

Lin Jiang touched his forehead and realized he was indeed drenched. With no one else around, he suddenly let his guard down, leaning weakly against Shen Ju’s shoulder. “TG lost.”

Shen Ju didn’t fully understand but still comforted him, “The match isn’t over yet. They might still win.”

Lin Jiang shook his head, his mind in chaos. “They lost. They didn’t win.”

From the room behind came the voices of teammates. “Damn, this was TG’s only chance. How could they mess up now?”

“What’s going on with TG? How could they lose with this lineup?”

“It’s like they’ve been cursed or something…”

Shen Ju shifted uneasily, sensing a strange, unsettling energy around him. He said nothing, simply staying quietly by Lin Jiang’s side, listening as he muttered strange words.

The room was filled with teammates’ sighs of regret, exactly matching what Lin Jiang said, and the final result was just as Lin Jiang predicted—TG really lost.

“Did they really lose?”

“No way, TG actually lost?”

“Damn, what a massive upset.”

“LPL’s getting wiped out…”

Shen Ju froze abruptly, staring at Lin Jiang’s rambling as an eerie ringing began in his ears.

Lin Jiang had long known the result. He could even recall the details of that year’s World Championship.

Just like before, the first-seeded TG suffered a shocking defeat. YIG faced Korea’s top-seed and lost miserably, while SNG failed to advance past groups.

And the KUG team Lin Jiang had once led only reached the semifinals before being sent home by Europe’s top-seed.

Thus, LPL was completely eliminated.

Everything was unfolding exactly as it had in his previous life, every detail perfectly aligned.

Lin Jiang suddenly realized that he’d merely switched teams—he hadn’t escaped his destined ending at all.

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