Chapter 023 Ah Shui: "Lu Zi'ang, I hope we meet again at the summit!"

South Korea. Incheon Munhak Stadium.

After IG clinched the championship, a golden rain began to fall over the massive stage. Coaches, substitutes, and staff from the IG club rushed into the operation room in a frenzy. Even the founder of IG, the Principal, charged in, though no one paid him any mind.

This is the greatest allure of esports.

At the beginning, no one had any faith in IG; no one ever imagined they would win the championship. Yet, step by step, they climbed their way to the winner’s podium. The roars from the crowd were deafening, making it feel like a home game for them, even here in South Korea. The LPL had waited far too long for this title.

Back home, in university dormitories across the country, the moment IG won, roars erupted everywhere:
"IG, you are the best!"
"S8, we are the champions!"
"LPL, you are the best!"

Similar scenes played out in colleges across the nation, reminiscent of the atmosphere when the Olympic bid was won. Even those who didn't care for esports could feel the blood-pumping passion of youth. This was especially true among the younger generation. Even those who hadn't posted on social media in years couldn't help but share a status: "IG, you are the best! S8, we are the champions."

On every major trending list, the S8 victory occupied the top spot, its popularity eclipsing everything else by a wide margin. It felt as if, at this very moment, every LPL viewer was focused solely on the IG team. The official IG Weibo account posted the good news, and the number of likes instantly soared past 500,000. Even numerous celebrities from the entertainment industry posted congratulations to the LPL and the IG team.

As the saying goes, one man's joy is another man's sorrow. Inside the RNG team, the mood was dismal. The five starters, in particular, looked like wilted eggplants. Uzi stared at the giant screen, watching the entire IG squad hoist the Summoner's Cup—the ultimate symbol of glory in League of Legends. He remained expressionless, though a faint glimmer of moisture flickered in his eyes.

"Everyone, don't be discouraged. We may have lost S8, but at least IG won, right? Our LPL finally has its first World Championship trophy!" Coach Feng said with a smile, trying to comfort the group. He knew everyone was feeling low, and in fact, hurting deeply. In the hearts of the entire RNG team, this trophy should have been theirs. But now, it was being held aloft by IG—a team they had defeated countless times within the LPL.

To be honest, this was even more painful for them than if G2 had won. But they couldn't show this bitterness; it had to be buried deep within.

"Coach Feng, I'm going to train. Don't worry, S8 is already in the past. What is past is prologue! In the S9 season, our RNG will return as kings!" Uzi stood up, speaking every word with deliberate emphasis. "What belongs to us will eventually be reclaimed by us."

"Good, very good, excellent. Dog, I am so glad you have this mindset! You are right. Everyone, listen to me: what is past is prologue. Whatever does not kill us will only make us stronger!" Coach Feng's eyes were filled with excitement. The indomitable fighting spirit Uzi showed at this moment gave him hope once again. Perhaps what Jian Zihao could not achieve, "Mad Dog" could.

At this moment, the entire LPL, or rather the entire internet, was immersed in joy. People posted "We are the champions" in book review sections, in song comment sections, and in every place they could think of. Even when rating food deliveries, they would include "We are the champions." Countless people re-downloaded League of Legends, as if they had found their lost youth.

This time, the magnitude of IG's victory made it feel as if esports had finally broken through its boundaries, entering every household. The other esports clubs in the LPL could only watch as IG basked in the praise, forced to offer their congratulations as mere spectators, however unwillingly.

On the stage of esports, the spotlight is reserved only for the champion. Even RNG, which had been subjected to vicious online vitriol just days ago, was swept into the dustbin, ignored by all. Only a very few people sighed on their personal social media accounts: "If it were RNG, if it were an all-Chinese roster, how perfect that would be. But my youth has ended."

The S8 World Championship award ceremony concluded, and it was time for interviews. The Riot official host began interviewing the players one by one. Everyone’s responses were emotional, even bordering on incoherent. Finally, the microphone reached the IG ADC, JackeyLove.

The fair-skinned youth in the white jersey was flushed, his excitement seemingly irrepressible.

"Hello, JackeyLove. Your performance in the final tonight was truly stunning. Do you have anything to say about tonight's match and winning the final championship?" the host asked a standard question.

JackeyLove took a deep breath, trying his best to calm his emotions, and said slowly: "Here, I want to thank the IG team, and thank my teammates! I want to thank all the friends and family who supported us!"

"Without you, I, Yu Wenbo, would never have been able to stand on this stage, nor would I have been able to lift this trophy."

JackeyLove was not yet eighteen. Achieving such success at a young age was remarkable, but this joy did not cloud his reason. He had started as a streamer before entering the esports scene, and along the way, he had faced many controversies and criticisms, as well as countless setbacks. But there was one person deeply imprinted in his mind. If not for that person, he would never have become the JackeyLove of today, let alone shone on the professional stage.

"And finally, I want to thank one more person. It was he who made me who I am today."

JackeyLove pursed his lips, his eyes turning sharp. He spoke clearly, one word at a time: "Lu Ziao, I hope we can meet again at the peak. S9, I'll be waiting for you."

Host: "???"

Everyone at the scene looked baffled. Was this a challenge broadcast to the world? Who was Lu Ziao? In such an environment, on such an occasion, JackeyLove had inexplicably named someone.

As soon as these words were spoken, they ignited another wave of public discussion. The popularity of the championship was so immense that Lu Ziao, who had previously received little attention, was forced back into the spotlight.

Netizens: "Who the hell is Lu Ziao?"

In the esports scene, players usually refer to each other by their professional IDs. Thus, people began to investigate Lu Ziao's background, trying to figure out why JackeyLove would call him out after winning the championship.

"He's sitting at home, and the trending topics come to him! Falcon, that's incredible, right?"
"I want to know, what on earth did 'Falcon' do to JackeyLove that he felt compelled to thank him? But listening to his tone, it doesn't sound like thanks—it sounds like a challenge?"
"It's a challenge, sure. But JackeyLove is a champion ADC now. Why challenge Falcon? It just lowers his own status."
"There must be some history between these two..."

Netizens speculated wildly.

At that moment, Lu Ziao was already sitting at his computer, starting his daily stream. Just then, Jelly sent him a message:

"(Confused) Ziao, do you think there are people in this world with the same name?"

Lu Ziao: "The world is vast, and anything can happen. Same names? There are even people who look exactly the same."

Energetic Little Jelly: "Did you watch the S8 finals? Just now, the IG ADC, JackeyLove, seemed to name-drop you on stage, saying he wants to meet you at the peak."

Lu Ziao: "?"

Energetic Little Jelly: "(Sweating) Do you remember when we first met? There was that amateur rank group where we played internal matches. There was an ADC player called 'BoBo'."

Lu Ziao: "No impression... I only remember that the people in that group were terrible, except for you, who stood out."

Energetic Little Jelly: "(Sweating profusely) It’s that ADC who played Draven in every internal match, the one you pinned down and beat up. You don't remember?"

Lu Ziao: "Oh, I remember now. Him. His Draven was barely passable. But he was like a ball I kicked around during those internal matches. That kid kept trying to add me as a friend, and I haven't accepted it to this day."

Energetic Little Jelly: "(Awkward) I looked it up. JackeyLove’s real name seems to be Yu Wenbo. If I'm not mistaken, he must be that 'BoBo' from the group."

Lu Ziao: "No wonder. He's been trying to add me again these past few days. (Blank face)"