Chapter 75: Spring Split Grand Finals (Part 4) A Change of Plans…
For the second game, Zuo Chi laid his cards on the table and first-picked a hyper-carry mage for Wu Yang as the mid-core.
The advantage of a mid-core composition is that it generally goes fifty-fifty against almost any other team composition. Unlike some compositions that have clear counters requiring careful consideration of bans and hiding the core picks, a mid-core draft is more straightforward.
Having lost the first game, ZAP desperately needed to even the score in the second. They snagged two T0-tier picks for the top lane and support. With their final pick, they selected the exact same tank jungler for Every that Land had used in the previous game—the Forest Anaconda.
Zuo Chi sifted through his memories but couldn’t recall any notable plays Every had made on a tank jungler. “Land, how about the Snowfield God that Every used last game? I feel it fits our composition quite well. Do you want it?”
“I’ll listen to the coach.”
Ning Luzhao locked it in instantly.
As soon as the junglers for both teams were revealed, the audience almost shouted themselves hoarse.
[The two junglers swapped heroes! Holy crap, VEX is ruthless. If they win 2:0, doesn’t that mean Land taught Every a lesson from both sides of the matchup? Regardless of who wins the championship today, Every will definitely be benched from ZAP’s starting roster.]
[Land’s fans have some nerve. Do you really think Every can’t play a tank jungler? It’s just a position meant to absorb damage. It’s way easier than an assassin jungler. Anyone can play it.]
[I’m a ZAP fan. Don’t mind Every’s toxic solo stans acting crazy; that’s just how they are. As a fan who cares about results, I really hope Land comes to ZAP. I hope Land considers it during the transfer period after the Spring Split ends.]
[666, ZAP fans are fighting amongst themselves.]
[ZAP results fans have been unhappy with Every for a long time. He’s the only one holding the team back. If they hadn’t struggled to find a suitable jungler, would someone like Every, who just coasted to two championships, still be starting?]
[F*ck, what do you mean? You think Every didn’t contribute to those championships?!]
[Just to interject, welcome everyone to join the VEX fandom. VEX’s five cubs get along great, and most of the fans support the whole team. There’s absolutely no internal conflict. Plus, at VEX, you can also fanboy/fangirl over Coach Zuo. See Coach Zuo’s handsome photo below.]
[Anyone who watches the matches and doesn’t become a fan of Coach Zuo is this (Thumbs_up.jpg)——Land is invading ZAP’s jungle! Invading right at level one?!]
As the game started, Land hid his vision, moving from the river into Every’s Red side.
ZAP’s top-side composition was stronger, so Every started at Blue to gank top, leaving the Red side undefended.
Land easily stole Every’s Red buff, then yielded his own Red buff to Beyond.
With equal gold, it was almost impossible for a professional player using an assassin jungler to solo kill a tank jungler. However, the assassin’s advantage lay in mobility—faster jungle clears and quicker rotations, posing a much greater threat when diving the enemy carries.
VEX didn’t invade the Red side like ZAP did in the previous game. Instead, Land and Sea quickly pushed the mid-wave together before rotating to the side lanes.
“Every’s clear speed seems a bit slow. He’s half a jungle behind Land,” Commentator A observed, looking at the big screen. “In the last game, VEX had their mid and marksman help Land clear, but ZAP doesn’t seem to have anyone helping Every. A tank jungler’s clear speed is inherently slow, and without help, it’s even slower!”
Commentator B agreed, “Yes, and VEX is running a mid-core composition this game. Land and Sea keep rotating to the side lanes, forcing ZAP’s side laners under their towers. They’re being zoned off the minion wave and losing a lot of last hits.”
“VEX’s strategy is very interesting. They’ve clearly studied the weaknesses of tank junglers and are leveraging their own strengths to exploit ZAP’s vulnerabilities.”
“Sometimes I really wonder how Coach Zuo’s brain comes up with so many things, hahaha.”
Another minion wave met in the mid-lane. This time, Every abandoned his jungle clear and headed to mid.
Zuo Chi instinctively looked up at the match booth. Most of Ning Luzhao’s face was obscured by the computer monitor; only a few strands of hair sticking up from his headset were visible.
But he had a gut feeling that the youth must have sensed the opportunity in this wave.
After pushing the mid-wave, Land and Sea faked a rotation toward the bottom lane, then immediately turned and headed top.
If Every could match their rotation to mid, it meant he definitely hadn’t finished clearing his jungle. After clearing the wave, there was an eighty percent chance he would return to farm. Ganking at this moment would significantly increase their success rate.
ZAP’s top laner saw Every farming the Red side relatively close to him. Additionally, the mid-laner had reported that Land and Sea went bottom. Feeling emboldened, he stepped out from his tower to clear the wave—having been zoned off all game and watching minion after minion die just out of reach, no one would feel good about it.
He had just secured two last hits and traded two skills with Million when two red health bars suddenly lit up in the brush to his back left.
“They’re ganking me!” The ZAP top laner immediately Flashed toward his tower. “Can you counter-gank? Can you counter-gank—”
“First Blood!”
The screen turned gray.
His items were two components short compared to Land’s in the previous game; he simply couldn’t withstand the focus fire of three people.
The ZAP top laner clicked his tongue: “How many times have the enemy mid and jungle ganked now? Every, when are you going to come help?”
“You guys won’t help me clear the jungle, how am I supposed to come over?”
“I can’t even finish clearing my wave, how am I supposed to help you clear the jungle?”
“You help me clear first—never mind, a tank jungler’s strength lies in team fights. It’ll be fine once we get past the laning phase.”
“Still holding out? Look at how far behind we are in gold?!”
Every sneered: “You can’t blame me entirely for getting caught this wave. The mid-laner called out that they went bottom. It wasn’t me who gave the wrong call.”
“Alright, alright, we’re still in a match. What are you guys doing?” ZAP’s mid-laner interrupted them, his expression also not looking great. “Stop arguing. Every, I’ll help you clear the jungle.”
[VEX gets First Blood again. It feels like ZAP is playing weirdly today.]
[It’s because Every’s tank jungler is useless. He just farms the jungle all game and never supports the lanes. What’s the point of just farming? Even I could do that.]
[Does the commenter above even understand the game? Wait for the team fights before judging if Every is useful.]
[Fine, fine, fine. Just don’t go quiet when you lose the team fights later.]
When the third round of jungle camps spawned, Wu Yang completed his second major item.
The moment the item was purchased, all five VEX players immediately headed toward ZAP’s Red side.
They arrived at the Red side exactly five seconds before the Red buff spawned—perfect timing.
Commentator A: “This scene looks somewhat familiar. It’s very similar to the previous game, just with the teams swapped, and VEX has brought all five members.”
“Let’s see if Every’s tank jungler can absorb the damage and help ZAP turn the tide this time, or if VEX’s higher damage will expand their early advantage—Every isn’t backing down at all. Seeing the VEX players, he immediately locks on with his ultimate. ZAP was late to clear the wave, but it’s their own jungle, and their reinforcements have arrived.”
“But notice this: Wall is at the very front for VEX. Wall is absorbing the damage, allowing the dual carries to deal damage, while Land is holding his skills on the flank, waiting for an opportunity to engage!”
“With Land watching like a tiger stalking its prey, ZAP’s dual carries are a bit hesitant to deal damage. After all, Land got First Blood, so his items are very luxurious. If he jumps on their faces, they’re very likely to get one-shot.”
“Every’s health bar is dropping rapidly. He also rushed a shield item first, but VEX is running a mid-core composition. Sea’s magic damage is high, and the shield item only provides physical armor, not magic resistance!”
“He can’t tank it! He simply can’t! Every falls! Wall is covered by his teammates and retreats with a sliver of health. Land engages! He targets ZAP’s top laner first. ZAP fights while retreating, but Land—Land suddenly uses the Red buff as a springboard, double-dashing right onto the face of ZAP’s marksman!”
“A burst of damage, he chases and attacks, deleting him!!!”
“ZAP lost their frontline and their damage dealer in this team fight. They can’t fight anymore! They have to retreat! Fortunately, VEX doesn’t have the skills to chase either. A 0-for-2 trade. VEX not only got two kills but also stole Every’s Red buff! A massive net gain!!!”
[《Wait for the team fights before judging if Every is useful》]
[Hahahahahaha, that boomerang came back so fast. Are Every’s fans still bragging?]
[I’m dying of laughter. Using the exact same hero, Every’s tank jungler is as fragile as wet paper. Knowing full well VEX has high magic damage, he still copied Land and built a shield. Where is his brain?]
[The more I watch, the more jealous I get. ZAP, you fools! You should have given everything you had to buy Land during the transfer period!]
[The last fanbase to beat their chests in regret like this was WIN’s, blaming WIN for not buying Beyond.]
[ZAP fans don’t need to play Captain Hindsight. When you were winning in the Autumn Split, weren’t you bragging about Every crushing Land? Now that you can’t win, you start praising Land. You’re just fence-sitters bending with the wind.]
For every subsequent jungle spawn, VEX appeared in ZAP’s Red side like fixed NPCs, completely pillaging it.
With the gold gap widening, Every’s tank jungler could neither absorb damage nor flank to dive the carries.
After Beyond built a lifesteal item, even if he just stood still and traded basic attacks with Every, Every wouldn’t necessarily be able to kill him.
Seeing the cubs easily secure the fifteen-minute dragon, Zuo Chi stood up, finding it dull. “I feel like there’s a change of plans.”
Manager Li: “?”
“Coach Zuo, what did you say?”
“ZAP doesn’t seem as strong as I imagined.”
ZAP’s rotation speed, decisive shot-calling, and player mechanics were indeed a tier above other teams. However, looking at their team fights, it felt like everyone had their own ideas; they weren’t united as a single force.
Especially the fact that no one helped Every’s tank jungler clear camps in the early game—it completely baffled him.
And a team like this managed to go 2:4 in a scrim against an H Country team and bragged about it online for ages.
Esports is a team game. Besides having top-tier players in every role, synergy is essential. It requires someone willing to play a supporting role and silently contribute to helping teammates carry, rather than everyone fighting for the spotlight.
“What did I say our goal for the World Championship was earlier?”
Manager Li thought for a moment in confusion. “I think it was the Top 8?”
“Change of plans. Let’s aim for the Top 4.”
“Ah???”
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