The Last Stand and a Bizarre Lineup

“How boring. Just lose like this and obediently become my pet cat, imprisoned by me.”

Zi Yun’ai lowered her hand, closing her eyes…

A black sedan sped past. The silver-haired girl silently closed the car window.

****

This was the final match, the last one for Qing Zixi’s team, and simultaneously the concluding game of the tenth round.

Most teams adopted aggressive, proactive lineups to challenge their opponents’ raw strength, and surrender was permitted with five votes when at a disadvantage.

After all, choosing an unconventional lineup without achieving sufficient results was tantamount to failure. It was better to surrender early and prepare for the next match, which meant most games concluded in around thirty minutes.

Consequently, Qing Zixi’s team was always the last to finish their matches. Other teams, acknowledging their inability to win, would surrender, then either strategize or warm up for their next game. Yet, Qing Zixi consistently found various opportunities to lead her team in counterattacks from the brink of defeat.

Despite ultimately losing due to immense disadvantages, they always fought to the bitter end, dying on their feet in every desperate stand.

A battle to the death.

To the audience, however, this was nothing more than a futile struggle, a waste of precious time.

[If you lose, you lose. Just surrender and try harder next time, isn’t that enough?]

[You’ve only lost one game, everyone else is done. Hurry up and surrender, then practice and improve for the next one.]

[Hurry up and surrender, get lost. What are teams that have lost two games in a row still doing on stage, wasting time?]

[We need to eat! What kind of turtle team is this? No skill, just dragging out time like they’re holding their pee. No class, you slowpoke!]

As the team suffered successive defeats, they endured a barrage of insults. Not only online viewers, but even the live audience booed incessantly. The faces of the five players were terribly grim, their lips pressed tightly together, not uttering a single word.

It was already half past eight, and the sky outside had completely darkened. Spotlights illuminated the spectator stands, which were about half empty.

Most people had either left to eat or simply didn’t care for this final match, having agreed to watch the main tournament tomorrow. Those who remained were largely there for the two professional players seated in the front row.

Yu Shengshui’s two friends also bid their farewells. As they left, they offered words of encouragement to Lan Mengyao.

“It’s clear your sister’s skill level is quite good. It’s just a pity the team’s coordination isn’t enough; it’s too difficult for a support to change the tide of battle alone.”

“…You.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing.”

Lan Mengyao’s hesitant expression was fully observed by Yu Shengshui. With a look that conveyed ‘as if I wouldn’t understand you,’ she spoke.

“You’re wondering why I’m not leaving, aren’t you?”

Without even waiting for Lan Mengyao to reply, Yu Shengshui leaned back, resting against the seat’s backrest in the spectator stands.

“The skill of a support player—besides other supports and coaches who can discern the nuances—is definitely visible to marksmen as well. Even though they’ve lost three consecutive games, I’ve noticed something interesting about her. If the opportunity arises, partnering with her might be quite enjoyable.”

“Well, of course I understand my own sister. Hmph, I didn’t expect you to have such good judgment~”

****

As the two conversed, the final match, symbolizing the conclusion of the preliminary round, began.

Across the three games, most teams made conventional picks, selecting champions they were most proficient and confident with. They also subtly considered team composition to avoid situations with only a single damage source.

However, many teams, much like Qing Zixi’s, stood on the precipice. For them, losing this match meant being eliminated from advancement, so they swiftly locked in the champions they excelled at, heroes they had fought alongside for years.

Qing Zixi’s team was no different.

Their picks for top, mid, and marksman were not significantly different from the previous three games. Yet, they appeared far more aggressive, adopting a ‘succeed or die trying’ mentality.

This combination, when put together, was like mixing red and green — an absolute mess. It was impossible to envision how they would engage in team fights against their opponents.

Upon seeing this team’s champion selections, almost everyone believed they had given up entirely.

They were merely a group of inexperienced youngsters, eager to prove themselves despite their lack of skill, along with two ‘flower vases’ who were there not for the competition but to show off their looks.

For the final two picks, the jungler chose an extremely aggressive champion, but hesitated to confirm it.

…

****

“Are you sure?”

Xiao Er, the jungler, felt his fingers tremble slightly.

“I can’t play…”

“You don’t need to ‘can’t.’ Just listen to this young lady and you’ll win. Or do you want to be utterly disgraced with a zero-four record and get kicked out? Choose.”

Xiao Er leaned forward, gazing at her. He had never imagined such an icy expression could appear on Qing Zixi’s small, adorable face. Her flowing silver hair had been tied into a ponytail and rested behind her shoulder.

In the beginning, while Xiao Er wouldn’t have said it directly, he would certainly have thought, ‘Who are you? Ordering me to pick this and that? I’ll play the champions I love!’

Now, however, the ‘three brothers’ had lost all spirit, losing faith in themselves and their confidence. It was at this moment that someone said, ‘You’re wrong. Listen to me, and you can win.’

“There’s no time left. You’ll be penalized for timing out, just pick anything quickly.”

Xiao Yi, sitting beside Xiao Er, also urged him on. Xiao Er steeled his heart and locked in the champion Qing Zixi had mentioned.

[What kind of weird-ass lineup is this?]

When the audience saw the final team’s selections, an even stronger sense of dissonance arose. They all scoffed in disdain.

[They’ve given up, plain and simple. Top and mid clearly won’t achieve anything, and bot and jungle won’t deal any damage. They’ll just drag it out for half an hour and wait to die.]

[A comedic lineup. I can’t believe the two ‘wanderer brothers’ are both in play these days. Are they going bot lane together?]

[How is that possible? Giving such high-skill champions to two ‘flower vases’ would be a direct surrender!]

As Yu Shengshui looked towards that final team, her eyes suddenly lit up.

“Is this how they’re building their lineup?”

“Is there some particular strategy behind this?”

Lan Mengyao, too, frowned slightly. Deeply puzzled, she thought, ‘Based on my experience playing professional matches, this kind of lineup is truly… bizarre.’

‘It’s the kind of pick that would get a coach cursed into retirement if it appeared in a professional game.’

She couldn’t discern much synergy. While the most ideal scenario might exist, their opponents weren’t fools who would stand still and let them execute it.

‘However, this is a preliminary round, which places more emphasis on unconventional strategies and individual mastery. Perhaps this is their ultimate trump card.’

“The four players feel incredibly disjointed. The jungler can only protect their laners, but the laners are constantly pushing, so it’d be hard to cover everyone, wouldn’t it?”

Yu Shengshui spread her hands, indicating her point. However, immediately after, as she observed Qing Zixi’s fifth and final pick, her slightly narrowed eyes slowly widened.

“They might lose just as brutally as in the previous three games, but the key to success or failure lies in this final pick… it lies with your sister.”