League of Legends: Reborn in Season 3, Tuning the Entire League

Chapter 124 I'm not targeting anyone in particular, I just want to say that the other side is all trash!

After the All-Star promotional video and TV5's e-sports related reports aired, Jiang Ming knew that the truth could no longer be hidden.

Or perhaps it's a story about a protagonist who has been hiding the return of the Dragon King for over a year, his smile turning up ninety degrees to shock his father—a typical wish-fulfillment plot—but due to external factors, it's become too unsatisfying and he has to forcefully move to the next stage.

That evening at 21 p.m., after four or five hours of intense online surfing, Comrade Jiang finally got a pretty good grasp of the details of his son's year-long underground work.

None of this can be called underground work...

Because it's easy to find, Baidu Baike alone already has at least 80% of his precious son's resume.

"Jiang Ming (game ID: JM), male, born in 1994 in Guizhou Province... currently studying Economics and Management at Jinling University..."

"Current founder of NXG eSports Club, current head coach and captain of LPL All-Star Dream Team, current professional League of Legends player, current YY platform game streamer, number one LOL player in China, and LOL tutorial video blogger."

"..."

College student entrepreneurship, what a college student entrepreneurship! No wonder the young people in the company who like to play this League of Legends game always look at me with questioning eyes from time to time.

Comrade Jiang Jianjun finally understood. He was wondering why he looked so much like the game blogger they knew.

"Let me make this clear first, you're not allowed to argue with our son. We can talk about the game later; he's going to fight for the country tomorrow." Worried that her husband might do something rash and go to confront their son, affecting his mental state, Jiang's mother quickly advised.

Comrade Jiang's face darkened, and he said irritably, "So that's how you two see me, is that? An old stubborn, an old relic, obstinate and unwilling to listen to reason... No wonder that brat didn't say a word."

"Did you already know this?"

"Ah... well..."

Jiang's mother's eyes darted around, and she didn't give a direct answer, but the implication was... whatever you think it is.

"I'm not that senile yet. I just went online and saw that Jinling University's official website has a notice about pilot support for the emerging e-sports industry. E-sports does have a wide audience among young people, and it's a good thing that the kid can be a leader in a completely new field."

On the sofa, Comrade Jiang's body suddenly became somewhat hunched for some reason, and his tone became much lower as he said, "Before, I just wanted to use my own experience to find a path for him that would lead to a relatively stable and happy future. But, upon closer reflection, the experience of our parents is just that—the past—and may not be entirely correct. He still needs to forge his own path. He followed his heart and created his own world. He is better than me."

"Should we give him a call?"

"Why would I call if I'm not going to?"

“If you won’t play, then I will. Ask your son when his match is tomorrow. The convenience store has been closed for the past few days.”

"By the way, repeat what you just said to your son again to encourage him."

"I...you..."

Comrade Jiang's face immediately turned bright red, like a boiled shrimp. He snatched the phone from his mother's hand and said, "I'll handle this myself. This is a conversation between men. You can go away."

"Pfft... Okay, okay, I'll go print out a sticker and hang it on the shop door. If possible, could you take the day off tomorrow too?"

"talkative!"

After getting rid of that person who was used to nagging, Comrade Jiang found himself in a dilemma.

beat?
Do not hit!

beep!
beep!
Finally, the phone signal was connected and the notification sound rang in the living room. In the other side of the entryway, Jiang's mother, who had been dawdling for a long time without putting on her shoes, chuckled, then picked up her leave notice, opened the door and walked towards the shop at the entrance of the community.

"Hello, Dad?"

"..."

"Well, I called to ask... how your preparations for that competition are going."

After a long silence following the call being connected, Jiang Jianjun finally spoke.

Jiang Ming was already prepared, so he wasn't surprised by Old Jiang's question and smiled, "Everything is ready!"

"Don't be arrogant, play well, tomorrow I... your mom will cheer you on."

"it is good!"

……

October 2013, 5!
The All-Star match day that countless players have been eagerly anticipating has finally arrived.

College town!
Offline stores displaying the "JM Food Time" logo put up banners that read: "Support the LPL Dream Team and get an extra discount on snacks!"

The two shop assistants also changed into LPL Dream Team jerseys and NXG's blue and white jerseys.

On the steps to the left and right of the store entrance, posters of Jiang Ming and Pang Ran, two NXG team members, are displayed. Players can get an 8.8% discount coupon for in-store purchases by taking photos with the posters and posting them on QQ Space to get a certain number of likes.

Even inside the snack shop, the large screen that was originally used to play surveillance footage has been replaced with broadcast footage of the Shanghai All-Star game. Before the game even starts, the promotional video is played on an endless loop.

Tencent's advertising has been overwhelming. Starting last month, the words "Shanghai All-Star" have appeared in major universities, internet cafes, forums, QQ pop-ups, and group chat ads. Wherever young people gather, there are signs related to the Shanghai All-Star.

#The first large-scale esports event held in mainland China, and also the first large-scale all-star event in gaming history.#
#This event will be covered simultaneously by media from around the world, including prominent American sports media ESPN, as well as mainstream domestic media such as CCTV, CSPN, and financial media. This will be a landmark moment in the history of Chinese esports.#
#A celebration for millions of young people, this is more than just a game!#
#The sporting attributes and social value of esports, driven by excellent competitive products like League of Legends, are gradually being recognized by mainstream culture.#
Domestically, especially after TV5 broadcast the event preview and special reports on the participating players last night, the event's popularity and discussion level have soared several notches, going from being spread only among young people to being known by some non-gamers outside the gaming circle.

The term "esports" finally climbed to the top of the trending search list in the early hours of the 24th!

Meanwhile, Jiang Ming, who held multiple positions as a sophomore in college, became the captain and head coach of the All-Star Dream Team, which also made his name known in other regions for the first time. When countless e-sports enthusiasts looked up information about players in other regions, most of their attention was drawn to this "e-sports genius" with an amazing resume.

Shanghai Grand Stage (10,000-seat stadium)
Sunlight streamed across the stadium's dome; there were still two hours until the All-Star Game opening ceremony.

However, at this time, countless young people had already gathered in the square outside the venue.

There were ordinary spectators who came simply to watch the game, fans of different regions whose T-shirts were printed with logos such as LPL, NXG, or WE, and some people wearing red and white LPL jerseys exchanged contact information with the guy next to them who was wearing a blue and white NXG jersey.

The screen displayed promotional images for the live event, and the aroma of milk wafted from the plastic cups mingled with the smell of starchy sausages sold by the vendors next door.

Those who came to watch the esports competition live have probably watched the LPL promotional video countless times, but that doesn't stop them from watching it again while holding snacks in their hands.

Of course, more attention will be drawn to the hero cosplayers, whether they did so spontaneously or on official promotional assignments.

Five or six vibrant female college students formed a circle in front of the handsome Shadow Master, making peace signs and taking photos together.

Diagonally opposite the flower bed, two girls dressed in cosplay outfits were adjusting each other's skirts. The policewoman's brown hat swayed in the morning breeze, and the Hextech rifle at her waist was carefully covered with a protective sheath to prevent accidental injury to passersby.

The tall girl cosplaying Sona helplessly kept pulling up her clothes, fearing that her overly realistic figure might cause an "All-Star slippage" incident.

Several shy seventeen or eighteen-year-old boys stood not far away, their faces full of confusion, unsure of how to approach them and ask for a spot in the group expansion.

It would be a shame to only take one or two photos of a fully-equipped Sona at max level.

……

Inside the venue, in the backstage players' lounge.

As the home team, the LPL players naturally got the most spacious and best-equipped room.

However, the so-called most spacious room now feels overcrowded because there are so many people arriving.

The Dream Team consists of eight people in total, including the players, coaches, and a support staff member. Then there are the three commentators for today: Wawa, Xiaocang, and Joker.

The three commentators mainly went backstage to chat with the players for a bit, trying to build rapport, especially with Jiang Ming.

After all, the current LOL esports scene is only so big, and among all those involved in esports, only JM has achieved some success... he's made a lot of money and successfully monetized his traffic and attention. Whether or not he has this idea in his heart, now anyone in the LPL circle wants to have a chat with him.

It has that same feel to it as Ryze's line—"When you're busy saving the world, everyone wants to talk to you for hours."

These were the more serious exchanges. Some of the less serious ones, like the cosplayers who were invited to perform today, were practically throwing themselves at Jiang Ming on the spot. Just their polite greetings gave him a real taste of what it meant to be "plump and slender" and "have a lingering fragrance on your hands."

"If Elder Tang had fallen into the Women's Kingdom, and his willpower had been slightly weaker, he wouldn't have been able to retrieve the scriptures; the Queen might even have gotten pregnant with triplets..."

Jiang Ming felt a surge of emotion.
As the saying goes, when you succeed, you'll find that everyone around you is a good person. When you have resources, you'll also find that even the most aloof goddess can be incredibly warm and enthusiastic, to the point of being frightening. There's no difference between men and women in this respect.

Following the three commentators were the LPL event organizers and the leaders from Shanghai responsible for this large-scale esports event. Among them was a fellow student whom he had met once during the All-Star Dream Team training camp.

Since the other members of the team didn't have much experience in socializing, the task of communicating with the leaders in Shanghai, who were relatively open-minded about supporting the e-sports industry, fell to Jiang Ming.

Thus, the room became a bizarre scene of onlookers watching the bigwigs confidently discuss the future of Chinese esports.

Zhang Xiangling, whose nickname is "Xiao Cang," stood at the edge of the crowd, her eyes fixed intently on Jiang Ming, who was calmly and confidently sitting among a group of leaders in suits and ties, wearing a red and white sports jacket and still able to talk eloquently.

Xiao Cang, who started getting involved in esports in 2004 and even went on to become a commentator for the WCG finals in 2006, and became a torchbearer for the 2008 Olympics as an esports player, is already considered a veteran esports professional. But to be honest, she was confused about her esports career and the future development direction of the esports circle for a long time.

They see no direction, nor any hope of being recognized by mainstream society.

Right now, it's as if a superstar has suddenly appeared in the esports world. Since JM burst onto the scene last year, the esports scene seems to be on a supercharged engine, speeding forward at breakneck speed. "Talented, good-looking, rich, and with legs that are 1.8 meters long, he's practically the perfect boyfriend template."

"It's a pity he's a little brother born in 94... ten years younger than him."

Xiao Cang let out a heart-wrenching cry. The feeling of finally falling for someone and excitedly looking forward to the future, only to be forced to give up due to the huge age gap between them in the face of cruel reality, was truly heartbreaking and regrettable.

"I won't disturb the contestants' pre-match preparations any longer." Chen Tao, as Jiang Ming's senior, took on the task of ending the conversation and apologized to the contestants surrounding him.

In reality, they couldn't possibly have any meaningful conversation in the crowded and noisy lounge.

The message was more of an expression of optimism about the emerging esports industry and an encouragement to the esports professionals present to continue their efforts.

As he escorted Jiang Ming to the door, the senior brother, now in a different identity, whispered to him, "Your e-sports industry is driving urban tourism and development, and the leaders are paying close attention to your vision of a new era of youth's Olympics. Come to my place after the All-Star game. Tencent is also pushing for it. If it goes through, you'll have the opportunity to go to Incheon together next year for an exhibition match."

Jiang Ming suppressed his excitement and nodded, saying, "Okay, senior brother, I'll call you after the competition."

……

While Jiang Ming and his team were busy backstage, the opening ceremony was in full swing.

On the big screen, promotional videos for teams from various regions were played first: OGN from South Korea, LCS.NA from North America, LCS.EU from Europe, GPL from Southeast Asia, and LPL from the host country.

In terms of promotional video quality, with Jiang Ming's physical cheat code, LPL achieved an absolute crushing victory over other regions.

In particular, the exciting character appearances in the LPL promotional video, such as the exaggerated winged ice dragon and the thunder dragon atop Mount Targon, completely ignited the enthusiasm of the audience. The cheers in the stadium rose wave after wave, leaving the foreign audience members scattered in the crowd quite astonished. They never expected that the Chinese, who were usually known for their reserved nature, could have such a wild side.

After the promotional video, there was a song and dance performance by the invited guests, followed by a fashion show by an exaggerated group of League of Legends cosplayers. Finally, the participants stopped around the stage, and the host announced the official opening of the 2013 Shanghai All-Star Event.

The Shanghai All-Star Game lasts for three days.

The first day features the All-Star Skills Challenge and two best-of-three (BO3) regular season matches.

The All-Star Skills Challenge is essentially the solo competition that players are familiar with, consisting of two parts: 1v1 and 2v2.

However, the rules were slightly different. In the 13 All-Star Skills Challenge, players in different positions would compete in solo matches. Simply put, it was a top laner vs. top laner, mid laner vs. mid laner, jungler vs. jungler, and then duos would compete in 2v2 duels.

In a sense, this kind of solo skills competition seems fairer.

The rules haven't changed much: one blood, one tower, and one hundred minions. The first player to achieve this condition wins.

The only difference is the solo arena; Riot Games has prepared a map called Lava Core specifically for the All-Star Skills Challenge.

(As shown in the picture, the Lava Core is somewhat like a mid lane with the top and bottom lanes removed, but it was abolished after this All-Star game.)
LCS.NA backend.

"Wow, LPL team promotional videos are so cool."

"Yeah, man, compared to that, our three minutes felt like garbage time on a basketball court."

"Hmm, that's a very apt metaphor."

At this moment, the senior brother, who has not yet become the e-sports Sasuke, is in the rest room complaining with his teammates about the poorly made promotional video of their own region.

Dyrus, who had a sunny appearance but a rather lewd smile, stood next to him, holding up some snacks, and corrected him: "Dude, isn't the three minutes of garbage time just because we've already secured the victory?"

“I like this explanation,” Scarra said. “When we win the team match later, it will prove that statement to be true.”

Their first opponent today is the host team, the LPL representative team.

"Hey buddy, you're ahead of us in the solo match. Your opponent happens to be the mid laner from an LPL team. Help us test his skill level."

"I heard that JM is known as the 'Esports Doctor' in the LPL region, and is also the owner of a club in the region."

"It's okay, I choose to become Spider-Man and pin this Doctor Octopus with multiple tentacles to the wall."

Scarra imitated Spider-Man's boss from the movies, flipping onto the table and performing her signature web-slinging move.

The senior brother also burst into laughter at his teammates' funny actions, saying, "I think I should add something: it's not that I look down on anyone, it's just that you guys are all trash."

"Don't you think it would have been better to say that in a post-match interview?"

"Oh, yes, yes, that's right, boy, you understand me so well."

……

After seeing off the leaders who came to offer their pre-match greetings, Xiao Cangwa and several other hosts also left for their posts, and the LPL Dream Team's rest room became quiet again.

As the analyst, White Crescent took out his tactics notebook and explained the information about today's opponent to the team members.

"Our first team match today is against an opponent from the North American LCS.NA!"

"The team members mainly come from TSM and CLG."

"Top laner Dyrus's three most frequently used champions in the current version are Rumble, Shen, and Renekton. Of course, Singed is also one of his signature champions. His style is mainly stable, rarely making mistakes but also rarely making outstanding plays. He focuses on laning and has weak support capabilities. His advantage is that he doesn't steal team resources much."

PDD clapped his hands suddenly, "It's good that you like laning, Ya'er, Lao Jiang will arrange for me to lane with him until dawn, okay?"

"Listen to them first. We'll also see what the opponent picks in the first draft, and then we'll formulate a suitable lineup based on the information."

"Old Bai, you can continue." Jiang Ming gestured to PDD not to interrupt.

"Well, the second one is their mid laner Scarra. Recently, the most frequently used champions are Diana, Karthus, and Kayle. However, Kayle's E was just nerfed in the last patch, so it's preliminarily assumed that Kayle is not on his pick list. The others are Katarina and Twisted Fate. This guy is the best Katarina in North America. He focuses on farming in lane and likes to roam in the mid-game, but his performance in the league recently has been quite average."

Skilled with Diana and Karthus, and also enjoys playing Twisted Fate?

Inside the room, a smile that evoked unpleasant memories came to mind, and Mingkai's lips twitched involuntarily. Why did it sound so much like an old acquaintance?

Moreover, it seems that JM's champion pool can counter the opponent in every way. Zed vs. Karthus, LeBlanc vs. Diana, well, no, it seems that there is no champion that JM cannot play. In solo, he can even pick top lane and AD to crush those professional players, let alone mid lane.

"Jungler saintvicious, how should I put it, he's a bit... a bit..."

Abu: "A bit abstract?"

White Crescent nodded: "Yes, it's abstract. He claims to have a wide champion pool for jungling, but it feels like he's just messing around. Apart from one champion, Jarvan IV, he can put any champion in the jungle, but the results are generally mediocre. Sometimes he's quite funny and likes to steal his teammates' resources."

"NA's strongest point is their bot lane, the combination of Doublelift and xpecial."

"Doublelift has an aggressive style and likes to pressure his opponent in lane. He is good at Vayne, Caitlyn and Twitch. However, his weakness is that he is very resource-intensive. If he is not well-farmed, he rarely plays a role in team fights. Due to his aggressive style, he often dies suddenly."

"As for support, he's pretty average. He mainly plays the same heroes as the current meta, so there's nothing particularly outstanding about him. His weakness is vision control; he often dies while trying to ward in the North American league."

Upon hearing this, Pang Ran, who was initially a little nervous about going on stage, suddenly brightened up.

Playing it safe and predictable is great. When it comes to standard laning phases, we're not afraid at all.

If vision control is a weakness, that's even better; check out the LPL's top vision score.

After the analysis session ended and it was time for personal adjustment, Pang Ran immediately pulled out his phone.

(NXG's Top 5 Handsome Guys!)

Pangpang: "Brothers, the competition is about to start, and I'm still a little nervous. What should I do?"

Attorney Song: "Why are you so nervous? With Ming-ge here, beating North America will be a piece of cake, won't it?"

Xiao Wu: "Go Pangpang! We're cheering you on from the base, even though it's just a screen!"

The most handsome AD in the entire league: "Don't embarrass me. If you mess up in front of the whole country, I'll be too embarrassed to say you're my support when we get back to the LPL."

Little Stone: "Believe in yourself, Pang Pang, your command is very strong."

Pang Pang: "Brother Bai just analyzed the situation of the other side, and my confidence has suddenly returned. Brothers, wait for me to get my first All-Star MVP!"

"Get out!" x4!

After everyone had a general understanding of the opponent's information, Jiang Ming reminded them, "Focus on the performance in the game. Don't rely too much on the data collected before the match; just use it as a reference."

"Then comes the solo round. Don't put too much pressure on yourselves. It would be best if you could win, but don't worry too much if something unexpected happens."

"And don't let the outcome of the match affect the later team competitions, understand?"

"understand!"

Jiang Ming himself didn't realize that as he took charge of the club and team for longer, the little bit of naivety that was unique to college students had quietly faded away, and the natural temperament he exuded in his every move had reached a level that could convince his current All-Star teammates.

(End of this chapter)