CS: The Last Dance, a Dance That Leads to Professional Success

Chapter 94 World's Best Picks and World's Best String!
In fact, Meng Lang was not the only one in the interview booth today.

At this historic moment of successfully advancing to the championship group, the team's senior member, Ni Gongzi, also came to the interview area with Meng Lang.

Banks, dressed in a stylish purple suit, walked over with a beaming smile, first bumping fists with Old Ni and Meng Lang in turn, and warmly congratulating them:

"Congratulations! What a fantastic match! You've made it to the championship group! Welcome to the interview area."

At this moment, Meng Lang and Lao Ni stood side by side.

Old Ni stood with one hand on his hip, occasionally raising the other hand to tidy his meticulously styled short hair. A calm and gentle smile graced his face, and every move he made exuded the mature and steady demeanor of a veteran.

Meng Lang glanced sideways at the old nun beside him, thinking to himself that the guy was quite interesting.

In his private training and life, this Bosnian superstar, nicknamed "Shrimp Bro," is actually a very witty and humorous guy.

He often teamed up with Meng Lang to tease the most shy kid in the team, making the training room atmosphere very lively.

As for the match, once he gets into the heat of the moment, Lao Ni becomes a contributor of all kinds of meme material. The number of "facial expressions" generated in one match is more than the number of highlights in his entire year.

Even a single eye roll can transform her into "Hyuga Neeko"!
Sometimes, when he gets really excited, he'll clench his fists and shout passionately into the voice chat: "Let's fking go! Yes! Let's beat that Ilya to a pulp! Well done, Dark! You are SO fking Good!"

His demeanor was completely like playing "Brother CS" with ordinary players, without any of the burden of being a top CS star.

What's amazing is that every time a match ends, when he comes to the interview area or faces the public cameras, Old Ni seems to instantly switch to a second personality, instantly entering the role of a "mature and steady old father".

While Meng Lang was secretly chuckling at Lao Ni's "change of expression," the experienced host Banks had already begun the formal interview.

Banks handed the microphone to Meng Lang first.

He smiled and said:

"Dark, hello, we meet again. The last time I interviewed you, you had just advanced from the Challenger Group. Now, you are about to step onto the Championship Group stage and stand here with NiKo. How do you two feel right now?"

Meng Lang took the microphone and answered in fluent English:

"I'm really happy. This is my first time playing in a Major, and to be honest, I was quite nervous the whole time. But my teammates were really great and gave me a lot of support and confidence. It feels like... this is such a wonderful new start that I've never had before."

"And what about Niko?"

Banks turned the microphone toward Old Ni.

The old nun, hands on his hips, maintaining a composed smile, said:

“I’m also very happy. After all, our Major has gone so smoothly. To be able to secure a spot in the Championship Group with a 3-0 victory in the first round of the Legends Group is something I never dared to imagine before the tournament.”

His tone was filled with emotion.

They also felt a sense of satisfaction at having achieved their goal.

"You are about to enter a large stadium that can hold tens of thousands of spectators, dozens of times more than the studio here. Will you feel nervous about the thunderous cheers and stares?" Host Banks continued to steer the conversation toward Meng Lang.

Unexpectedly, Meng Lang's previous relaxed demeanor vanished, replaced by a look of "seriousness" and "worry" as he spoke:

"I think... I'll be nervous. After all, this is my first time playing in a real offline tournament in a large venue in my professional career. Just thinking about being watched by so many eyes puts a lot of pressure on me, and my heart is already racing. I hope... my hands won't shake too much."

Standing to the side, Old Ni, who had just maintained his mature and composed demeanor, couldn't help but lose his composure when he heard Meng Lang's "serious nonsense" and recalled the arrogant look on Meng Lang's face when the child asked him the same question in the competition area, as if to say, "Aren't they all cheering for me?"

"Pfft-"

A clear laugh came from Old Ni's mouth. He quickly raised his hand to cover his nose, his shoulders shrugging slightly.

Dude, that's not what you said on the court just now!
This guy is really good at "splitting" things!

No, this isn't just a "skewing" tactic anymore, it's practically a smokescreen to confuse the opponent!
The host, Banks, clearly didn't realize that Meng Lang was "creating a show effect." Instead, he took it seriously, nodded empathetically, and said in a comforting tone, "I think that's something every contestant who participates in a large-scale offline event for the first time needs to face and overcome. It's okay, take it slow, adapt gradually, and I believe you can find your own rhythm and confidence on such a big stage."

"So, let's talk about something light and fun,"

Banks then shifted the conversation to a memorable moment from the match: "In today's map 3 match, your AWP created an incredible play in the third round of the first half. You did a spinning jump in the air, dodged the ambush, and then shot and killed farlig who was hiding in the car. To be honest, that shot shocked me and my colleagues backstage. How do you think you performed that play?"

As soon as Banks finished speaking, Farlig, who was quietly packing up his peripherals and preparing to leave the arena at the Little Flame competition booth not far behind him, froze in his tracks, and his face involuntarily darkened.

It feels numb!

You call this "talking about something interesting"?
This isn't funny at all!

However, no one heard the bitter complaints uttered by the person in the background.

In the interview, when faced with this question, Meng Lang answered almost without hesitation, with a very "sincere" expression:
"I think... my performance was just so-so. Many top players could have done that shot, it just takes the right timing and a bit of luck."

"Can many players do that?"

Banks was amused by Meng Lang's "overly modest" demeanor and couldn't help but ask, "So, which specific players do you think could pull off such a feat?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Lang actually lowered his head, started counting on his fingers, and solemnly began to count: "S1mple and ZywOo go without saying, they can definitely do it 100%. Others include m0NESY, Broky, degster, and KSCERATO."

Hearing Meng Lang seriously counting heads on his fingers, the old nun who had barely managed to suppress her laughter broke down again, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably as she lowered her head, trying her best not to burst out laughing.

It's important to understand that in CS professional games, it's not simply a matter of who has the best aim to replicate a particular high-level maneuver.

Those amazing highlights in the competition are often fleeting moments of brilliance that are hard to come by. Even the players themselves may not be able to perfectly replicate them, let alone other players.

Meng Lang's move was purely for show and to create a buzz!

Shrimp Bro is secretly laughing over there!
Unexpectedly, the next second, Meng Lang, while counting, suddenly looked up at him, clapped his hands and pointed at Old Ni, saying, "Right! And Niko too! Niko could kill anyone in that situation, so there's definitely no problem."

???

The smile on Shrimp Bro's face vanished instantly.

I can kill anyone with my sniper rifle?

Wait... Dude, why did you suddenly drag me into this?!
In live stream room 6657, a machine was translating the interview in real time. Then, the director expertly cut to a close-up of Niko's facial expression—from a suppressed chuckle to a sudden, visibly evasive smile—and I was instantly speechless, bursting into laughter.

"Hahaha, Dark is really not human! He's so good at messing around! Not only does he mess around himself, but he also drags his teammates up to 'execute' them. Shrimp Bro is dumbfounded!"

The live stream chat was also flooded with comments:

"Hahaha, this is hilarious!"

"Dark is clearly a seasoned swindler from the moment he opens his mouth!"

"Shrimp Bro: No, no, no! I really can't!"

Zaiwu's expression darkened: "Dark really said that?"

"Tomorrow's CS headline: Faceit practices bird-sniper spin jump all night while carrying cargo!"

"."

Banks couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head with a smile. He then turned the microphone to NiKo, who looked bewildered and was trying to regain his composure, and asked, "NiKo, from your perspective, was beating the Copenhagen Flames team easy or difficult?"

"Ah this"

Old Ni immediately switched back to his mature and composed demeanor, paused for a moment, and began to organize his thoughts.

"It wasn't easy at all; in fact, it was quite difficult. Especially on map one, Ancient Ruins. First of all, their map selection was hard to predict. Obviously, we didn't know why they suddenly chose Ancient Ruins. According to our pre-match information, they didn't usually play this map."

"Yes, although we anticipated all sorts of possibilities before the match and practiced all the maps a bit, it's clear that we weren't fully prepared on that particular map."

After a pause, Old Ni continued candidly, "Moreover, we started a bit slowly on the CT side. The opponent's gun skills and tactical instructions were very accurate, so we lost this map. Fortunately, we gradually regained our form on Nuke and Town maps and adjusted, so we still won the BO3 in the end."

At this point, the game was already over.

The number of viewers in the 6657 live stream room did not decrease but increased. Many people watched with great interest the contrasting post-match interviews between Lao Ni and Dark, wanting to see what new tricks these two could come up with.

Upon hearing Old Ni's words, the comments section immediately began its reading comprehension exercise:

"CT scans are slow to heat up?"

"Just say Dark doesn't have an AK!"

"Hilarious! Dark is definitely a bad guy!"

Banks smiled too, and continued to ask:
"In the Infernal Town match, Dark had a 1v3 clutch at the A site bomb site using the AWP, and he successfully defended the bomb site, which was also a very impressive play. As a teammate and an experienced veteran, can you comment on his play in that situation?"

Old Ni coughed lightly, his slightly joking expression fading, and praised without reservation: "Dark is an extremely skilled and versatile player. He possesses all the qualities needed to win. That triple kill with the sniper in the clutch was impeccable in both skill and mentality, once again proving his versatility and stability under pressure."

After a pause, Old Ni raised his hand and gently scratched his nose, as if in thought, then suddenly looked at Banks very seriously and added:
"So when he said in a previous interview that his goal was to become the number one of the year, although many people outside may have questioned it or thought it was too early... I never doubted it."

"Yes, never! I think becoming number one for him is probably just a matter of time."

As he spoke, Old Ni raised an eyebrow at Meng Lang.

Dude!

See, I support you!
Upon hearing Old Ni's words, the man playing with the machine almost choked on his water: "Holy crap! Why does that sound so familiar?! So these two are both bastards!"

"One person said 'Niko's AWP is here, he can kill anyone,' and another said 'Dark becoming TOP1 is only a matter of time! Dude, this is nothing! The Major hasn't even finished yet, and they're already talking about lending their teammates the title of TOP1 for the year? Niko's thinking is getting too abstract!"

"There are no humans left! These two G2 brothers are really messing around with each other! Who can outdo them?! The entertainment value is off the charts!"

The live stream chat was flooded with comments again!
"Oh no! Could Dark really be following Niko's script from back then?"

"Mouz has a new player, and people said it was only a matter of time before they won the Major, but now time has become the biggest problem!"

"Hilarious! Old Ni is a real jerk too!"

"."

Next, Banks smiled and turned the microphone towards Meng Lang, posing a classic question:
"It seems Niko has high hopes for you, haha. We all know you're a very young player. So, in the early stages of your professional career, or rather, on your path to becoming a professional player, who was your idol? Who inspired you?"

"Nikola Kovic!"

Meng Lang blurted out the answer almost without hesitation, while simultaneously turning to look at the old nun beside him.

Upon hearing this, Old Ni was taken aback at first, then his face instantly broke into an incredibly bright, even slightly embarrassed, smile. He pursed his lips, clenched his fist, and made a small wave in front of him.

Hehe!
Banks, clearly not one to let the matter rest, immediately pressed on: "Why? As far as I know, you debuted as a sniper. Logically speaking, as a sniper, shouldn't your idols be legendary snipers like s1mple or ZywOo?"

Faced with this question, Meng Lang remained calm and gave a reply that made the whole audience burst into laughter: "Yes, if my teammate is s1mple, then my idol is s1mple!"

The old nun's smile, which had just blossomed like a chrysanthemum, vanished in an instant, visible to the naked eye.

No hehe!
He shook his head with a helpless smile and made a "you're really something" gesture at Meng Lang.

The chat in the live stream was absolutely in stitches:
"You little brat! A nimble idol, huh?"

"Is this guy really that good at creating a TV show?"

"I can't believe how funny this is! Dark's answer is a complete disaster in the world of interviewing!"

"I think this interview was even more entertaining than the match itself; those two are really good at creating drama!"

"."

Banks clearly enjoyed the interviews today; he loves interacting with witty and interesting contestants like this.

He smiled and turned his head again, turning his attention back to the old nun who had just recovered, and posed an even more "fatal" question:

"We all know that G2 now has two exceptionally talented new generation players, yes, m0NESY and Dark. The media and fans have already referred to them as G2's 'new generation twin stars' in this Major tournament."

"So from the perspective of a professional player, who do you think is stronger?"

The question was simple, direct, and clear, but it made Old Ni, who had just regained his cheerful demeanor, instantly lose his smile again, and his expression visibly became tense and conflicted.

The director, being very "savvy," immediately cut the camera to behind the two players, to the G2 booth, where a child was slowly tidying up his headphone cord.

Although the child appeared to be looking down and indifferent, the movement of his hand winding the headphone cord noticeably slowed down, and his ears seemed to perk up slightly.

6657 live broadcast room.

The streamer playing the machine exclaimed in surprise in the live stream: "It's blown up, guys! The big one is coming! It's a tough one, Lao Ni! This question is too damn funny! Anyone who can ask this question is a god, hahaha!"

The barrage in the live broadcast room flooded the screen again!

"The child's face looks off!"

"Haha, kid: Old Deng, you'd better think carefully before you answer! Be careful when you get old, or I'll pull out your oxygen tube!"

"Hilarious! Old Ni is getting nervous!"

"He was sweating profusely, that's what he meant!!!"

"As expected of the world's best! I love this question!"

"."

How the hell am I supposed to answer that?!
At this moment, Old Ni subconsciously touched his nose, his eyes darting around as he carefully chose his words, trying to bluff his way out: "Hmm... this issue is a bit complicated. Analyzing it from the perspective of a professional player would be even more complex. They have different styles and different roles."

Banks, the world's best analyst, interrupted his "official" response with a laugh: "Hey! Kovic! Your answer is a bit too formal right now. Give me a specific answer! Who is better?"

"Okey! Okey!" Old Ni knew he couldn't avoid it any longer, so he waved his hand helplessly and smiled bitterly.

On one side is the team's current star player, who is leading the team to great success; on the other side is the sniper, whom he has watched grow and on whom he has placed high hopes.

How do you say this?!
He could only sigh inwardly and mutter to himself:
I'm sorry, Qiuya!

Oh wait! Sorry, Ilya!
"I think... based on their current form and team compatibility, Dark is stronger."

Now that he's brought it up, Old Ni might as well be frank and share his thoughts, trying to make the answer seem more objective.

"But I think Dark's strength is not just in his shooting skills. Dark's strength lies in his very flexible position selection. He can be the first to break through and tear open the opponent's defense for the team; he can also be the second or third position to provide follow-up shots and utility support; and as you saw today, his ability to handle the endgame is also excellent."

"Yes, he is an excellent situation creator, and also a terrifying situation reaper."

"But as for Ilya, he's more of an excellent clutch finisher, which is his characteristic as a sniper."

"Therefore, both of them are extremely strong players among the new generation. I just feel that at this stage, Dark is slightly stronger in enriching the team's overall tactics and improving the margin for error. Of course, I have no doubt that Ilya will continue to grow in the future and become a top-tier sniper like ZywOo and s1mple who can stand alone!"

In live stream room 6657, upon hearing Lao Ni's lengthy reply, the player burst into laughter and patted his stomach.
"Haha! Old Ni's response was incredibly tactful! He not only provided the answer but also explained the reasons in detail, and even comforted and encouraged the child!"

"But you know what, his analysis is actually quite reasonable. Dark's biggest contribution to G2 is his 'versatility.' He's like a brick that can be moved wherever needed, and a gold brick at that! He can not only create opportunities for his teammates and break through, but also provide stable follow-up shots from behind. And when you need sniper firepower, he can even pull out a surprisingly good AWP!"

"Although Dark only slowly regained his sniping skills today, I believe that as his hand injury heals further and his confidence is built up, G2's 'dual sniper' tactic on certain maps in the future may become a game-changer in a life-or-death battle!"

Upon hearing about playing with the machines, the live stream chat once again erupted in discussion:
"To put it bluntly, Dark can do any job, and he can do them all pretty well!"

Wow! To be number one, you really have to be well-rounded!

"No way, then I, Senpo, have something to say!"

"TOP1? One sniper rifle is enough!"
"."

The atmosphere at the interview was still lively.

"So, one last question."

Banks glanced at the script in his hand, then smiled at the two standing side by side. "You've both successfully entered the championship group and are about to step onto the real main stage in Antwerp. Do you have any specific goals or expectations for the upcoming matches?"

Let's set a small goal first.

Meng Lang said casually, his tone relaxed.

Upon hearing this, Old Ni nodded subconsciously and continued, "Yes, let's go straight to the semifinals."

However, before he finished speaking,
Meng Lang's clear and calm voice came from the side, almost at the same time as his:
"Let's win a Major championship."

Niko and Meng Lang gave completely different answers almost simultaneously.

The chat in the live stream...

It exploded completely again.

(End of this chapter)