Chapter 37: Is EDG Really Planning Something Big?

"Ryze's roaming potential is being restricted, and WE has immediately brought out Elise. Both sides are playing quite aggressively today," Guan Zeyuan noted, lost in thought. "WE has the first pick in the fourth slot, so they could ban Titan or Poppy to see what EDG is planning and avoid falling into a trap."

No sooner had he spoken than WE used their fourth and fifth slots to ban Varus and Ashe, ensuring EDG wouldn't be able to secure a dominant lane-pushing duo. EDG retaliated by banning Miss Fortune and Heimerdinger. The bot lane picks for both sides had reached a stalemate.

As the second phase of the draft began, WE locked in Thresh.

"Thresh doesn't have an easy time against Zyra. It seems WE is prioritizing overall team synergy," Guan Zeyuan remarked immediately.

"That will depend on what EDG chooses for their bot lane."

"At this point, only Jhin remains; there’s no other way," Guan Zeyuan said with certainty. "Jhin does have some advantages when it comes to pushing the lane."

"Let's go with Jhin."

In the EDG player booth, Nofe offered the same suggestion. Lin Ruo, however, shook his head and confidently locked in Ezreal for himself.

"The opponent's composition is tricky. Choosing Jhin makes us too easy to kill. I need to prioritize survival. With Zyra, our bot lane won't be at a disadvantage. Trust me, lock in Jayce for top lane. We won't be lacking in damage this game."

Lin Ruo's reasoning was sound. Nofe nodded in agreement and turned his attention to the top lane. Ezreal had been tested in scrims, and thanks to Lin Ruo's exceptional individual skill, the results had been quite good.

Mouse wiped the sweat from his face, looking uncertain. "Are we really going with Jayce?"

The thought of the team placing such a heavy burden on his shoulders made him feel incredibly uneasy. He had always been comfortable playing a low-profile role; he had no desire to be the carry.

"Haven't you learned your lesson from Jayce yesterday?" Lin Ruo said, his tone serious for the first time. "In the LPL, everyone is just coasting. You can get away with it here, but on the international stage, people will pull out Jayce or Kennen and treat you like an ATM. If you don't practice carry champions, we’ll just be those pathetic quarterfinalists again."

A distressed Mouse sighed, unable to block out bad memories. During the group stage of last year's World Championship, he had picked Irelia against the LMS team AHQ, hoping to carry. But the jungler, Clearlove, hadn't been much of a teammate, camping the bottom lane and never once looking toward the top. Left to fend for himself, he became a breakthrough point for the enemy, and after the match, he became a punching bag for the fans.

Looking at Clearlove’s protege, Fireloli, and then at the enemy's Elise, he knew the current meta favored bot lane focus, but WE’s Condi never played by the book. What if they camped the top lane?

"I'll try, but you guys have to come and help me," Mouse said. His gut feeling was terrible, but he gritted his teeth and locked in Jayce.

When EDG locked in Ezreal in the fourth slot, a gasp rippled through the audience. When Jayce appeared in the fifth, the atmosphere in the arena reached a fever pitch.

Guan Zeyuan shook his head repeatedly. "Wow, EDG is playing for real. The last two picks were so unexpected."

"Jayce was predictable, but this Ezreal really caught me off guard. It seems EDG is truly looking for change," Hao Kai added, sighing with emotion.

In the WE booth, seeing EDG's picks, Condi’s competitive spirit ignited. "Damn, the enemy top laner isn't taking you seriously at all, 957."

Mouse had always been a blue-collar top laner; this sudden shift to a lane-dominant pick caught them off guard. Truth be told, it felt like EDG was treating them as practice dummies. Not only was the top laner looking down on them, but the bot lane was as well. How could someone dare to pick Ezreal against Caitlyn?

"Don't worry. I'll pick Poppy and stand under the tower. If he leads me by twenty or thirty CS in the early game, it's no big deal," 957 said. As a defensive-minded top laner, he was second to none in the LPL. The enemy's Jayce might be a sign of disrespect, but in his heart, he felt a sense of disdain for Mouse. He didn't believe his opponent could suppress him that badly.

"You can counter-gank early. I bet he's very rusty; after one or two ganks, he’ll be useless," 957 suggested.

This played right into Condi's hands. Condi rubbed his hands together, excited. "That's exactly what I was thinking. If he dares to pick it, I dare to gank it. Even if I ignore the bot lane, I'll help you shut him down. I won't let him have an easy time."

"Just camp the top. We won't lose the lane against Ezreal," Mystic snorted, eager for the jungler to head top. He wanted to go toe-to-toe with the EDG bot lane that looked down on him and prove his worth in the early game. Originally, WE's composition was meant to play around the bot lane, but the enemy's choices had them all fired up.

"Su Hanwei, say something, damn it!" Condi grumbled. Given the unified atmosphere, how could the mid laner stay silent?

Xiye scratched his head and said something discouraging: "I'm definitely going to be pressed by Syndra. I won't have any agency in the early game."

Condi: "..."

The thoughtful coach, Homme, gave his final instructions: "Our composition isn't weak in the mid-to-late game. Let's take it slow."

With WE locking in Poppy for their final pick, both team compositions were set.

EDG: Top - Jayce, Jungle - Kha'Zix, Mid - Syndra, AD - Ezreal, Support - Zyra.

WE: Top - Poppy, Jungle - Elise, Mid - Ryze, AD - Caitlyn, Support - Thresh.

As the game entered the loading screen, Guan Zeyuan used the final moments to analyze the lineups. "The laning phase is crucial for this EDG composition. They can't afford a single mistake; if the lane collapses, the game is practically over."

"Exactly. Aside from the bot lane, where the outcome depends on actual performance, EDG has a clear advantage in the top and mid lanes. They must leverage that strength early to give themselves more room for error in team fights," Hao Kai added, shifting his focus. "WE’s composition is more stable and favors the late game. WE has always been strong in the mid-to-late stages, especially with Condi often stealing dragons to help the team make a comeback."

Guan Zeyuan agreed, "After hearing your analysis, I’m leaning toward WE this game. It’s hard to guarantee room for error with five damage-dealing roles on EDG. The composition just isn't balanced enough."

Seeing that he was being led into a trap, Hao Kai quickly backtracked. "That's not necessarily true. It all comes down to their actual performance in the game. I’m really looking forward to the bot lane match-up and seeing how Jayce performs in team fights."

As the game began, the fans erupted with cheers that seemed to drain the very life from the air. The sound waves shook the arena, and the official stream’s chat turned into a battlefield.

[Does Mouse even know his own level? Can he handle Jayce?]
[It's over, I feel like WE has this.]
[Condi is going to crush that Jayce, easy.]
[EDG’s bot lane is clearly scared; they didn't dare to face them directly and pushed the burden onto the top laner.]
[Is this the "future-promising" EDG AD? Only knows how to play Ezreal and coast?]