Chapter Summaries

After Invictus Gaming won the first game against JingDong Gaming, the team discussed its performance and considered whether its success depended too much on Lin Heng’s unconventional strategies. As the second game began, Danny proposed a more confrontational composition, and his teammates agreed they wanted to fight.

• In BLG's lounge, ON analyzed Lin Heng’s Blitzcrank composition and discussed how other teams could adapt it.
• After the first game, Invictus Gaming’s players praised their performances while Danny worried that they relied too heavily on surprise picks.
• Viewers debated Invictus Gaming’s calmer style and argued over whether Lin Heng’s unconventional play would work against stronger teams.
• Mao Mao and Tong Xi reviewed Shy’s Morgana pick and hoped the second game would feature more clashes.
• Before the second game’s draft, Danny suggested a more confrontational composition, and Wei and Rookie agreed while TheShy joked about playing ARAM.

Invictus Gaming and JingDong Gaming drafted aggressive lineups for their second game, with Lin Heng choosing Camille as support. The chapter ended as Xiaoxu cautiously entered top lane, still wary of Lin Heng repeating his previous game’s early attack.

• JingDong Gaming picked Orianna, Jarvan IV, Neeko, Miss Fortune, and Yone, while Invictus Gaming chose Akali, Nocturne, Ambessa, Kai'Sa, and Camille.
• Lin Heng locked in Camille as support, prompting Mao Mao to call the unusual pick conventional by his standards.
• The casters noted that Invictus Gaming’s lineup could dive JingDong Gaming’s immobile carries, while JingDong Gaming had tools for large teamfights.
• As the minions reached top lane, Xiaoxu hugged the river wall and cautiously followed his wave, fearing another early attack from Lin Heng.

Lin Heng’s level-two Camille helped Invictus Gaming turn a jungle contest into a kill on HongQ’s Orianna and a string of early advantages. JingDong Gaming’s bot lane fell behind on recalls and farm as Wei secured an extra camp, leaving Invictus Gaming in control of the opening game.

• Lin Heng’s Camille punished Neeko in lane, while Xiaoxu’s top-lane trades left him at a health disadvantage against TheShy’s Morgana.
• Junjia entered Invictus Gaming’s Raptors as Wei’s Nocturne arrived, but Lin Heng rotated from bot lane and forced Junjia to retreat.
• Lin Heng and Wei invaded JingDong Gaming’s jungle, drawing Gala and Neeko away while Uzi collected the bot wave and Rookie moved toward the skirmish.
• Wei and Junjia contested Blue Buff with Smite, but Lin Heng stunned HongQ’s Orianna, and Lin Heng and Rookie chased her down for the kill.
• Wei took JingDong Gaming’s Gromp and later the Rift Scuttler, while Uzi returned to lane with a farm and item advantage and Gala was forced to delay his recall.
• Lin Heng asked Wei if he was feeling good, and Wei replied that the game felt amazing.

JingDong Gaming tried to turn the early pressure into a fight, but Junjia’s top-lane countergank only briefly helped Xiaoxu before TheShy and Lin Heng’s Camille killed him twice. The chapter ended with TheShy and Lin Heng waiting between Xiaoxu’s towers and knocking him airborne as he returned to lane.

• Gala told Junjia and God V to engage freely and said JingDong Gaming would rely on its teamfighting mechanics.
• Xiaoxu baited TheShy into chasing him, allowing Junjia’s Jarvan IV to countergank and kill TheShy.
• Lin Heng’s Camille joined TheShy in top lane and helped kill Xiaoxu after he returned from base, giving TheShy a kill and tower plating.
• With TheShy’s advantage threatening the second Rift Scuttler, Xiaoxu chose to play safely while his team fell silent.
• After Xiaoxu respawned and headed back to lane, TheShy and Lin Heng waited between his first and second towers, and Ambessa knocked him airborne.

Lin Heng’s Camille repeatedly ganked top and then helped Nocturne and Akali kill Orianna, while Wei’s ultimate enabled Uzi to escape a bot-lane dive. Invictus Gaming gained kills across the map after conceding the first Dragon, and the chapter ended with the team praising Lin Heng’s relentless tempo.

• TheShy and Lin Heng circled around enemy vision and killed Xiaoxu’s Yone between the top towers.
• Junjia took the first Dragon and reached level six, while Wei took the top-side Rift Scuttler and also reached level six.
• Junjia threatened Uzi in bot lane, but Wei used Nocturne’s ultimate to obscure the action and help Uzi retreat.
• Wei flew to mid and engaged Orianna, then Lin Heng arrived with Camille and helped Rookie’s Akali secure the kill.
• Mao Mao and Tong Xi praised Invictus Gaming’s plays as viewers discussed the rivalry, and Invictus Gaming’s players praised Lin Heng’s tempo.

IG defeated JDG 2:0 after Lin Heng helped turn a decisive fight, and the team prepared for its upcoming match against BLG. After the post-match interview, Lin Heng discussed IG’s aggressive playstyle with Danny, who encouraged him to keep leading high-intensity fights.

• Lin Heng kicked Orianna into a wall and trapped her, letting Ambessa kill her before IG wiped out JDG and won the game.
• IG’s 2:0 victory over JDG left BLG as the only one of the five strongest-roster teams they had yet to face, with their match scheduled for three days later.
• Gala visited IG’s room after the match, and Lin Heng exchanged WeChat details with him.
• Lin Heng filled in for Rookie in the post-match interview and joked that IG would win the first split and the First Stand championship.
• Danny asked Lin Heng about IG’s risky playstyle, praised his preparation and shotcalling, and asked him to keep playing high-intensity fights.
• Lin Heng said he had a brilliant plan for keeping the team sharp.

Lin Heng played regular ARAM with TheShy and Danny, discussing champions and learning more about TheShy’s detailed understanding of top-lane matchups. Watching and listening helped Uzi embrace Invictus Gaming’s multi-core playstyle as the chapter left the team preparing to draw out the strengths of different compositions.

• Lin Heng invited TheShy and Danny to play regular ARAM, while the rest of the team chose ranked games or replay review.
• Lin Heng, TheShy, and Danny played their first ARAM game, with TheShy praising Lin Heng’s Quinn play.
• Shi Yue invited Lin Heng to play Hextech ARAM, but Lin Heng declined and started another regular ARAM game.
• Lin Heng, TheShy, and Danny discussed champion strengths and matchups, and Lin Heng learned more about TheShy’s top-lane knowledge.
• Uzi listened to Lin Heng’s champion evaluations and reflected on how to support the team’s multi-core playstyle.

Invictus Gaming prepared to face BLG, with Lin Heng assessing the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses alongside Coach Danny. He recommended targeting BLG through Top Lane rather than relying on the jungle, where IG’s junglers could struggle against Xun.

• Lin Heng and Danny discussed how the team could build varied compositions around players who learned champions quickly.
• Invictus Gaming began preparing for BLG by studying its tactics, habits, and vision.
• Lin Heng judged BLG unpredictable but stronger this year because Viper gave the team a more stable bot lane and raised its floor.
• Lin Heng advised taking a risk and attacking BLG through Top Lane instead of opening through the jungle.

Lin Heng chose to focus Invictus Gaming’s game plan against BLG on Top Lane, while Bin confidently promised to beat TheShy before their highly anticipated match. On January 20, the teams began their showdown with Ning in Invictus Gaming’s starting lineup, and the commentators highlighted Joker’s role as the team’s primary shot-caller.

• Lin Heng told Danny that Invictus Gaming should target Bin through Top Lane, and the team practiced Ban and Pick strategies and vision setups against BLG.
• After BLG beat Top Esports, Bin said TheShy was old and vowed to crush him in their upcoming match.
• Fans debated the Top Lane matchup and the other lanes as both teams entered the match with 3-0 records.
• Guan Zeyuan announced that he and Rita would cast Invictus Gaming versus BLG, and later discussed the matchup and the importance of support-jungle tempo.
• The January 20 match began with Ning listed in Invictus Gaming’s starting lineup, while Guan Zeyuan revealed that Joker was the team’s primary shot-caller.

IG and BLG entered their undefeated matchup, and BLG’s draft seemed to give them an advantage after they took Nocturne and Taliyah to threaten TheShy’s Quinn. Lin Heng’s final pick and IG’s champion swap revealed an unexpected Olaf top and Quinn support, leaving the commentators and venue stunned.

• BLG and IG banned six top laners before BLG picked Renekton for Bin and IG answered with TheShy’s Quinn and Orianna.
• BLG picked Nocturne and Taliyah to target Quinn, while IG took Pantheon jungle and commentators questioned IG’s draft choices.
• BLG drafted Corki and Alistar against IG’s Jhin, while Lin Heng hovered Ornn before locking in Olaf.
• IG swapped their champions, revealing Olaf top and Quinn support and surprising the commentators.