Chapter 26: Look at Their Teammates, and Look at Mine

Zyra, having lost nearly half her health, was hiding under her turret, desperately chugging health potions, though it would take her quite a while to recover.

Lin Ruo naturally could not let this opportunity slip by. He called out to his teammates in voice chat with a hint of a playful, "Shy" tone: "Bot lane can be dived. Definitely diveable."

Scout responded immediately, and halfway through his path, he popped Ghost to accelerate his arrival at the bot lane.

A-Loli, having finished the Scuttle Crab, blocked the retreat route, intercepting the minion wave just as it was about to enter the turret’s range. The EDG players had a clear division of labor.

The moment Ryze’s silhouette appeared under the turret, A-Loli flashed in with his E, targeting the slowed, half-health Zyra. The hyper-focused Zyra managed to use her Flash to dodge the Lee Sin’s point-blank Q, but what greeted her next was another unhesitating flash.

Scout flashed straight in and unleashed Rune Prison. With nowhere left to retreat, Zyra became a sitting duck. Finally, Lin Ruo, positioned on the perimeter, secured the kill with a long-range Q.

By the time Poppy finally teleported down, the EDG squad had already flown the coop. Helpless, Poppy could only assist Varus in clearing the remaining minions under the turret before recalling in the corner.

Easyhoon, who had been heading toward the mid-lane, turned back halfway. He was running Cleanse and lacked the mobility to save the bottom lane.

Barely six minutes into the game, Lin Ruo returned to his lane with a Pickaxe in his inventory, feeling incredibly comfortable.

By the eighth minute, another minion wave piled up under the turret. Scout from mid-lane continued to move downward, with Orianna following closely behind. When they reached the Red Buff, the trailing Orianna could only watch helplessly as Scout activated his ultimate, instantly carrying A-Loli into the turret’s range for another four-man dive.

Easyhoon’s heart tightened; he switched his camera while rushing toward the bot lane. Bengi’s Kha'Zix arrived just in time to provide cover, but as he saw the ultimate portal inside the turret, he prepared to pounce—only to hesitate as he noticed something.

The enemy Top-laner Maokai’s Teleport had landed in the brush nearby. EDG’s entire team was present, making the situation in the bottom lane even more perilous.

Poppy’s Teleport was on cooldown, having been used to save the bottom lane two minutes prior. Orianna was still on her way, and it was unclear if she would make it in time for the skirmish.

The composed Bengi thought for a moment and retreated. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help, but it was impossible; once Maokai landed, EDG would have no trouble tanking the turret, and killing the three of them would be effortless. If he jumped in, the best-case scenario would be a three-for-one trade, which was still a massive loss. Those three squishy champions would evaporate in under five seconds, long before Orianna could arrive.

Bengi’s rational decision left the VG bot lane duo in total despair. As he predicted, before Maokai even made it into the turret range, Varus and Zyra had both fallen. Easyhoon, arriving late, reached the Krugs only to turn back again.

"Scout didn't even finish his full combo, and the VG duo is already gone. Can you believe it?" Miller was practically clutching his head; he rarely saw such a fast-paced early game.

Wawa analyzed the situation with a solemn expression: "EDG’s support tactics with Ryze are truly perfected. After Ryze’s rework late last year, many thought the new ultimate made him a mediocre champion, but it seems Scout has found a great way to use it for early-game roaming and picks."

Miller nodded in agreement: "Exactly. It acts like a mini-teleport; its utility is immense."

In the S7 season, unlike in S8, Teleport wasn't ubiquitous; aside from the top lane, almost no other role chose to run it. In such an environment, Ryze’s ultimate, Realm Warp, easily created numerical advantages in the early game.

With the VG bot lane falling again, the five members of EDG converged to take the First Turret, followed by the Dragon, leaving them with pockets full of gold. After securing his second kill, Lin Ruo returned to base to purchase a B.F. Sword.

Back on the club bus, Uzi was watching the match, his eyes burning with frustration, his anger reignited. EDG’s Ryze was diving bot at level four, while his own Ryze was still just farming at level five. EDG’s jungler was helping bot lane set up vision and coordinating dives at level three, while his own jungler was still farming the jungle, watching him get caught by the opposing Lee Sin.

The more Uzi thought about it, the angrier he became. He couldn't even wait until they returned to the club, turning into a roaring beast on the bus: "Am I weaker than EDG’s bot lane? Every game you pick me a weak champion like Jhin, and when I push the lane, you don't dive—you all play like garbage!"

Ming curled up, his expression full of helplessness, daring only to complain internally. Diving required looking at the team compositions; how could they dive when the enemy had Thresh and Ashe? He had his own grievances—Uzi always relied on his personal skill to push the lane too hard, getting caught within the first five levels every single time without ever checking the enemy jungler’s movements.

Compared to the obedient Ming, the blunt MLXG couldn't tolerate it at all; he was the type who loved to discuss in-game issues with teammates.

Seeing Uzi dare to criticize him, MLXG chose to reason logically: "Uzi, listen to me. Your late-game is fine, but can you stop pushing the lane so deep? You’re standing under their turret at level three; even an idiot would know the enemy jungler is coming to get you."

"And do you think I don't want to help? You’re pushed so far up that when the enemy comes from the Krugs, they don't even have to detour. Thresh just throws a lantern, flashes in, and it's over. Even if I used Ghost, I couldn't reach you before you died."

As he spoke, MLXG’s tone grew more intense, eventually bursting out with profanity: "I honestly don't know what you're posturing for, Uzi. You're acting way too arrogant in the early game."

Uzi was stunned. The entire bus fell into a sudden silence. MLXG was known for getting heated easily, and the RNG team had long been accustomed to it, but today he was lecturing the "God" himself. How could he dare?

Although the two often had disputes over the game, today seemed to have crossed a line. MLXG calmed down, retracted his aggressive posture, and shut his mouth. With that outburst, Uzi also stopped talking, remaining silent and fuming. Seeing this, Ming sighed, forced once again to play the role of the peacemaker.

...

Inside the Super Brand Mall in Shanghai, the match continued. Nine minutes in, the EDG duo rotated to the top lane, maintaining their momentum to contest the upcoming Rift Herald.

In S7, the Rift Herald wasn't considered overly vital, so neither side chose to engage recklessly. It wasn't until the 12th minute, when Lin Ruo purchased his first completed item, Infinity Edge, along with Berserker's Greaves, that EDG slowly began taking the Herald.

Bengi, having just cleared the blue-side Gromp, maneuvered his Kha'Zix to place a ward along the wall. As he turned the corner, he accidentally stepped on a pink trap, and his screen suddenly plunged into monochrome.

The audience gasped in disbelief, letting out hysterical shouts. Miller, at the casting desk, widened his eyes in shock, only able to marvel: "This is the critical strike power of Caitlyn right now—just one completed item, and she can instantly delete her opponent."