Chapter 66: World Championship Tickets! The Best Six-Man Squad
2:0.
After Rain was solo-killed and Wing was caught during a rotation, Team KVG suddenly looked like they had forgotten how to play the game entirely. Low-level mechanical errors happened constantly, and in team fights, everyone played for themselves with zero coordination.
VEX basically steamrolled their way through, easily taking the second game.
The reason their mechanics had regressed to an unwatchable state in such a short time was obvious—the Korean twins’ mental state had imploded. Since KVG was a team where the support was the primary shot-caller, once Wing’s mindset shattered, the rhythm of the commands fell apart as well.
In the final game, VEX pulled out the mid-carry composition they had just learned from Team BLUE after the quarterfinals. Taking advantage of KVG’s poor form, they used the match as a training ground for this set, which they hadn’t quite mastered yet.
As it turned out, KVG’s condition was even worse than in the second game.
When VEX invaded the jungle, KVG offered only a half-hearted attempt at resistance before surrendering the buffs.
When VEX went for the dragon, Fugui alone managed to scare the KVG dual carries into blowing their Flashes, allowing VEX to secure the Small Dragon with ease.
When they pushed the high ground, a single rotation of skills from Wu Yang nearly melted Wing instantly.
Manager Li looked as if he could already see half of the World Championship invitation floating into their hands. He was beaming with joy. “Coach Zuo, has our mid-carry composition become this powerful after only a week of practice?!”
“…No. It’s just that KVG got tilted into oblivion by the first two games. Their players’ mechanics are so distorted right now they’re painful to watch. It’s not that our mid-carry play is that good. Compared to BLUE’s version, we’re at fifty percent strength at most.”
“Losing two games and their mindset just explodes… What fragile hearts. What was KVG thinking?” Manager Li muttered a few words. “It’s fine, it’s fine. Fifty percent of BLUE is still great. Consider it a way for the cubs to build some confidence!”
The greatest taboo in a match is giving up resources too easily.
After realizing KVG’s resistance was weak and powerless, the five cubs on the field treated the enemy jungle like their own backyard, plundering every last small monster camp.
In the final team fight, once it was certain the minion wave could finish the crystal, the five cubs pinned KVG right at the exit of their fountain.
Whenever the Korean twins tried to come out to defend the crystal, they were met with a brutal group beatdown.
The moment the twins showed their heads, they were left at critical health. The fountain’s recovery speed couldn’t even keep up with VEX’s damage output. They could only huddle in the back of the fountain, watching helplessly as their own crystal exploded—
[Congratulations to VEX for advancing to the Spring Split Grand Finals! They’ve secured a ticket to the World Championship!!! As an old VEX fan, I never thought I’d eat this well one day!]
[The first game was a back-and-forth, and the early stage of the second was exciting, but by the last game, KVG was being kicked around like a soccer ball by VEX.]
[Where are the dogs who were barking before the match about how these two useless imports were going to represent the Hua Country region at Worlds? Pspsps, why aren’t you barking now?]
[A 3:0 win? VEX has insane momentum. If this keeps up… I might actually dream of VEX ending ZAP’s consecutive championship streak. A brand-new coach and starting five taking the throne in their very first season!]
[I hereby declare the five VEX cubs as the best five-man squad!]
[Wrong, it’s a six-man squad. VEX can’t be without Coach Zuo, the cubs can’t be without Coach Zuo, and the fans can’t be without Coach Zuo either!]
[The VEX Limited Edition Best Six-Man Squad. Dog-head.jpg]
The moment the crystal exploded, Zuo Chi stood up. He watched as the five cubs in the arena tore off their headsets, not even stopping to pack their things, and sprinted straight toward him.
On the other side, KVG’s five starters sat motionless in their seats, staring at their computer screens with varying expressions—some of regret, some of rage, and some of cold sneers.
The director only gave KVG half a second of screen time before cutting back to the VEX cubs. In esports, the winners naturally commanded more of the spotlight.
After the commentators offered their congratulations, they joked, “Please, the five VEX starters, stay on stage for a moment! We know you’re in a hurry to go to the coaching bench to celebrate with Coach Zuo, but the semifinal winners still need to accept a brief interview. Coach Zuo, please come up to the stage as well!”
The five cubs hit an abrupt brake, bumping into one another. Guided by the staff, they walked to the center of the stage, naturally leaving the middle spot for Coach Zuo—just as they gathered around him at the base during training match reviews.
“First of all, this World Championship invitation in my hand can now be handed over to VEX! Please, VEX, send a representative to sign the team name on the invitation!”
Zuo Chi reached out to take the invitation from the commentator. It was a thin sheet of gold-foiled paper, but as he received it, he found himself subconsciously holding his breath.
[Sincerely invite Team VEX, as one of the representatives of the Hua Country region, to participate in the 2025 Arena Professional League World Championship!]
#VEX Clean-Sweeps KVG#
#Korean Import Match Condition#
#Fugui—The God of Backdooring#
#VEX Obtains World Championship Invitation#
#The Best Six-Man Squad#
One by one, hashtags followed by the word “Hot” surged onto the trending searches. The livestream was already packed to capacity, and the number of new viewers was still increasing. The league officials opened several additional lines, but it was still lagging terribly.
[The officials make so much money, can’t you upgrade this crappy network? It’s lagging to death!]
[Lag lag lag lag, Coach Zuo’s face is becoming a pixelated blur! Refreshing doesn’t even work!]
[I want to hear the whole VEX team speak. Stop lagging!]
[Go to Storm’s stream. He’s streaming live from the venue. He’s in a front-row seat, at least it’s smoother than the official channel.]
[Okay, okay, thank you Brother Storm. VEX fans are coming to squeeze in.]
Zuo Chi carefully wrote the three letters “VEX” and handed the invitation to the cubs beside him to pass around. He heard a wave of “unimpressive” gasps of awe.
The commentator waited for them to finish passing it around before smiling and handing over the microphone. “Let’s first ask Million, who is standing next to me. Two MVPs today, an exceptional performance. Today you didn’t just advance to the Spring Finals, but you’re also going to the World Championship this summer to represent the region. How does it feel?”
“It feels—it feels like I love my brothers to death! Mwah!”
Wu Yang made a disgusted face and snatched the mic. “He’s being too mushy!”
The venue erupted in a burst of friendly laughter.
The commentator couldn’t help but laugh too. “The coordination between the five VEX members—plus Coach Zuo—was indeed fantastic today, bringing us a brilliant match. Next, let’s ask Sea. Sea, do you know the fans have given you a nickname? They call you the Mad Dog Initiation King.”
“Coach Zuo mentioned it to me…” Wu Yang turned his head slightly, his face a bit red. He suddenly started stuttering, “Th-thank you fans for liking me, but I’m not good enough to be a ‘King’ yet… I’ll keep working hard and take Brother Storm as my role model.”
“Sea is very humble! Next, Beyond, do you have anything you want to say?”
“During the transfer period before the Spring Split, I wondered if my career would always be spent on the sub bench… I’m not very good with words, but I think Fugui is right. I also love the brothers to death, especially Coach Zuo.”
The words “love to death” were spoken very softly and shyly, but they still triggered a round of applause.
Fugui let out an “Ai.” “Beyond, you’re making me look like I’m the one who can’t talk. Coach Zuo, the ‘brothers’ includes you too.”
Zuo Chi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “There are so many people watching the stream online and off. Be normal.”
Commentator: “I can see VEX is truly a loving family. Wall, how about you?”
“At my age, being almost at retirement, to be able to go to the World Championship one more time… I have no regrets. As for a goal, I want to win the Spring Split championship again, together with my VEX brothers.”
“He wants another championship! I think the fans here supporting VEX also want to see Wall lift the trophy at the Grand Finals! Land, as the player who has been with VEX the longest, what do you think is the biggest change in the team compared to last year?”
Zuo Chi felt Ning Luzhao beside him glance at him briefly.
“The biggest change is that the coach and teammates have all been replaced.”
Commentator: “?”
“Land, your teammates were all so sentimental, but you…”
Ning Luzhao curled his lips. His dark grey eyes took on a faint, warm hue under the brilliant lights of the arena. “After Coach Zuo and the teammates arrived, VEX has felt more and more like a home. Even though there are often snack wrappers tossed everywhere, and we frequently argue about who has to wash everyone’s socks at night or who gets the last dumpling for the midnight snack…”
[My eyes were just getting a bit watery, then I heard ‘washing socks.’ Is this right?]
[But even if we have to wash stinky socks, our VEX is still great! Crying.jpg]
Fugui: “I want to report him! Ning-god clearly ranks near the top of the ladder every time and has never been the last one who has to wash socks! The one who washes them the most is me! IT’S ME—”
[Hahahahaha Fugui hahahahaha.]
[Fugui, you should think about why you’re always at the bottom and having to wash socks. Dog-head.jpg]
“The team rule where the last place in the ladder has to wash socks is something other teams can consider adopting,” the commentator teased. “Finally, Coach Zuo Chi. Many people online say VEX is the ‘Best Six-Man Squad.’ Can you tell us how you selected these five people from so many professional players?”
“How I selected the players… that is a team secret. I can’t reveal it.”
“I thought I could trick Coach Zuo into being sentimental too, but it seems he doesn’t fall for that! Let’s change the question—how does Coach Zuo feel about the players’ performance today? Since you’re leading the team to Worlds this summer, do you have a goal?”
“A goal…” Zuo Chi’s gaze fell upon the fluttering VEX team flag, and he suddenly smiled. “The goal of esports is always the championship.”
Wait for the day when the players of the Hua Country region stand on the highest championship podium at Worlds. Then, domestic players will no longer need to go to foreign servers to prove their skill level by grinding ranks.
That was the goal of all esports people.
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