prynovel Chapter 235: My View on RNG
Chapter 235: My View on RNG
Chapter 235: My View on RNG
The night breeze outside the Busan BEXCO Convention Center carried a hint of early autumn coolness, brushing against the faces of the SKT players, but it couldn't dispel the heavy weariness between their brows.
The bus was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Gone were the usual cheers and laughter after winning a match, and the heated discussions during post-match debriefings. Everyone seemed drained of energy, slumped limply in their spacious airline seats.
"Those C9 guys are ten times more troublesome than VIT." Peanut pulled his baseball cap over his face, his voice muffled and filled with undisguised exhaustion. "VIT are the kind of straightforward brutes. Fighting them is tiring, but it's just a clash of muscles, and once it's over, that's it. C9—they torture your soul."
Coach kk0ma sat in the front row, looking at the players' exhausted appearance through the rearview mirror, and sighed with heartache.
"After returning to the hotel tonight, cancel all training matches and debriefing meetings," kkOma's voice rang out in the quiet car. "Go to bed immediately after washing up. There will be no training scheduled for tomorrow morning; everyone can sleep in. Our top priority right now is to restore our physical and mental state."
No one raised any objections.
Back at the hotel, Xiao Yan pushed open the door without even turning on the light. He went into the bathroom, letting the warm water wash over his tired body. After washing up, he plunged into the soft bed and almost instantly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
That night, the SKT floor was so quiet it was as if no one lived there.
The next day, when the midday sun of Busan shone into the room through the gaps in the curtains, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes.
I slept for nearly twelve hours, and that deep-seated fatigue was finally swept away.
He sat up, stretched his limbs, and his joints cracked crisply. His mind regained its clarity and sharpness, like that of a sophisticated computer.
When they arrived at the restaurant after washing up, the rest of SKT gradually arrived as well. Unlike the lifeless atmosphere of the previous night, everyone's faces were refreshed and radiant after a good rest. Peanut started bickering with WoIf again, TheShy was focused on his steak, and Faker was drinking milk while browsing match information on his phone.
"Awake? How are you feeling?" kk0ma walked over with a cup of coffee, smiling as she patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder.
"Fully recharged." Xiao Yan smiled faintly, picked up a cup of black coffee, and took a sip.
"That's good." kk0ma sat down next to him and pushed a briefing to the center of the table. "Yesterday, after us, RNG and VIT finished their match. As expected, RNG swept VIT 2-0."
The two matches combined lasted over seventy minutes.
This timing is not surprising to anyone; that's just how it is in this version.
Next up is the highly anticipated match of the S8 World Championship group stage, SKT vs. RNG.
The level of attention surrounding this match has reached an unprecedented peak. On one side is SKT, the three-time world champion dynasty, and on the other is RNG, hailed as the "chosen ones" of the current meta.
"Everyone thinks that tomorrow's match between us and RNG will be a fierce and extremely intense battle." kk0ma looked at Xiao Yan with a serious expression. "Some even predict that this match might be even longer than the match against C9."
"Anxious? No way."
Xiao Yan extended a finger and gently tapped the table, making a rhythmic "tap, tap" sound.
"Uzi is indeed very strong. His skills, his reaction time, and his ability to seize opportunities are all world-class."
"But his strength is too overt." A faint smile played on Xiao Yan's lips, the look of a hunter eyeing its prey. "He's too confident in his skills. He believes that as long as he's brave enough," as long as he dares to fight, he can make up for any disadvantages with his skill. That's his biggest weakness."
"Follow his intentions, give him the openings he wants to see." He's extremely aggressive in lane, likes to press his position, and likes to sneak up on enemies while last-hitting. These habits might seem oppressive to others, but to me, they're just clear patterns of movement.
Xiao Yan paused, his gaze sweeping over his teammates: "I know him inside and out. In this match, I don't need to compete with him in terms of reaction time or hand speed. I just need to draw a few circles on the ground, set up a few traps, and he'll step into them without hesitation because of his sheer courage."
"Once he steps into the trap, RNG's rhythm will be disrupted. Even if the current meta is unfavorable, they still have a chance to end the game quickly."
"Understood." kkOma took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "In this afternoon's practice match, we'll specifically practice a targeted tactic!"
Two days later.
When the lights in the venue suddenly dimmed and the logos of the two teams collided on the big screen, the crowd erupted in the loudest cheers since the start of the competition.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the S8 World Championship Group Stage! What we are about to present is the most anticipated and high-stakes match of this group stage: RNG vs. SKT!"
In the commentary booth, the Haier Brothers partnered with Guan Zeyuan.
"This match is like a clash of titans!" The baby's voice was exceptionally loud with excitement.
"Wow, the forums are already buzzing with discussion before the match. Is RNG's spear sharper, or SKT's shield stronger? Especially in the bot lane, Uzi versus Xiao Yan, this is definitely an epic clash!"
Miller pushed up his glasses and analyzed with a serious expression: "I think this game will be very close."
RNG is currently in top form, and Uzi's dominance is undeniable. However, SKT... (The sentence is incomplete and lacks context).
They can endure those grueling 40-minute matches, and Xiao Yan's final 40-second kiting maneuver was nothing short of legendary. If these two teams clash, it's unlikely to be a decisive victory without a 40-minute or longer battle.
Guan Zeyuan nodded in agreement: "That's right, both sides have world-class operational and team fight capabilities. In today's match, whoever makes fewer mistakes and can control the game will emerge victorious."
Not only the commentators, but almost all the viewers, critics, and professional players around the world share the same thought: this is an epic battle that will be fiercely contested and difficult to win.
However, when the draft phase began and both teams entered Summoner's Rift, the plot took a completely unexpected turn.
RNG is on the blue side, and SKT is on the red side.
RNG's draft picks perfectly matched their usual style, directly locking in Lucian, Uzi's signature champion, and pairing him with Ming's signature Alistar for support. Top laner Letme picked Sion, a champion known for its resilience under pressure, jungler Mlg locked in Xin Zhao, a champion with maximum early-game aggression, and mid laner Xiaohu chose Galio, a standard early-to-mid-game fighting, four-protect-one composition.
SKT's lineup, however, seemed somewhat "abnormal".
Top laner TheShy picked Jayce, jungler Peanut chose Olaf, and mid laner Faker locked in Syndra.
In the most anticipated bottom lane, Xiao Yan did not choose heroes like Kai'Sa or Xayah who could go head-to-head with Lucian. Instead, he calmly locked in Varus, while the support WoIf picked Thresh.
"Varus against Lucian?" Wawa was taken aback. "This lane matchup will be very difficult for Varus in the early game! Lucian and Alistar, once they land their combo, an ADC like Varus without mobility can easily be one-shot. Is Xiao Yan going to play defensively?"