You Call This Steady

"Holy crap, are these guys cursed? Whatever I say actually happens?"

"Can you just shut your mouth? Is your mouth blessed or something, predicting things like this?"

PPGOD was completely numb.

He had gone out to roam, chasing the enemy jungler all over the map. He had only been back in the bot lane for a short while when he was forced to use his Flash, and what was even more ridiculous was that someone had just whispered in his ear, like this script was being read to him.

[Tragic丶Ziggs丶Tragic]

[What sin did V5's new AD commit to deserve TES ganking them like this? So tragic.]

[Support abandon me, enemies surround me, the audience doesn't have high hopes for me, but I still haven't given up hope. Give me 50 yuan and I'll tell you about my revenge plan.]

[All I can say is, welcome to the LPL!]

Sensing the cursed bot lane, PPGOD no longer bothered being polite with Luo Zhen. In the current dire situation, staying in the bot lane wouldn't gain him any experience, so he might as well go roam again. Luo Zhen had just welcomed his support back, only to witness him leave again shortly after.

"Diao Shen, don't go, Diao Shen, what will I do if you leave?"

"We'll figure it out. The bot lane is a prison anyway, so I might as well go find some opportunities."

"No, at least stay with me until level six. At this level, I can't even clear jungle camps."

"Good luck."

Listening to these heartless words, Luo Zhen knew that he could only rely on himself now.

If that was the case...

He could only use that.

"Diao Shen. Do you believe in the future?"

"Huh?"

"I admire the first person who believed in the future."

"You might just die in the laning phase."

"This game, once my items are complete."

"I will absolutely return for revenge."

"People always find a way to escape a weak phase."

"One last time"

"Time to accelerate"

『Ba Ge's Rule』

『Under-Tower God of War』

『Nasus Bar Optimism』

『Angel Bar Persistence』

『Gwen Bar Lewd Pics』

『Chongzi Bar Bar Master』

『Scorpion Bar Rework』

『Volibear Bar Build』

『Pig』

『Dog』

『Chicken』

"Words end here"

"Made in Heaven"

"By the authority of the Anti-League, I command the enemy to retreat"

To be counter...

Chapter 41: I Want to See Everyone Smile

In the following few minutes, Luo Zhen used practical actions to perform a textbook example of "experiencing by proximity."

Combining the motto of Nasus Bar and the patience of Angel Bar, along with the experience of split-pushing and vision control from Tryndamere Bar, Master Yi Bar, and Twisted Fate Bar, Ziggs's perspective instantly broadened. Luo Zhen was no longer fixated on the immediate minion wave, but rather prioritized gaining experience by proximity until level six.

He had calculated this in his mind.

Since the bot lane was not the core of the strategy in this game, as long as he could farm normally and not fall behind in levels, the lack of early game gold could be compensated by the team's gold from the top half of the map. Even if that wasn't enough, his ultimate ability would definitely be needed to clear waves in the mid-game.

This meant he could completely catch up in gold in the mid-game.

With this realization, Luo Zhen decisively gave up on early game gold. For the next few minutes, the TES bot lane duo would be surprised by the sudden disappearance of the enemy Ziggs. Only when they pushed the wave under the tower would Ziggs suddenly appear from some corner, unleash a QWE combo, and then flee. At most, he would wait for cooldowns at the extreme edge of his range, maybe throw another Q, and then he wouldn't dare to step any closer to the tower.

This playstyle completely baffled the support, Zhuo.

This wasn't even about whether he could land a hook anymore; it was a terrifying situation where the enemy didn't even intend to let him see the target. At this moment, Luo Zhen was like Wu Yi in the game Three Kingdoms, searching the entire internet for Wu Yi, but he had set off on a different path!

This playstyle left not only TES but also the commentators and audience off the field stunned.

[This Zilean... is he being a bit too steady?]

[If AK showed up in Houye's era, Houye probably wouldn't have had a chance.]

[I can practically see V5's two bottom lane turrets being defended, but playing like this, are they completely giving up on early game economy?]

[Giving up on economy? They just need to slow down TES's bottom lane push. V5's top lane is already steamrolling them.]

Looking solely at the bottom lane, Luo Zhen's situation was indeed quite dire.

The CS difference between Zilean and Aphelios was not on the same level. After all, one was farming casually, while the other was developing without pressure. But this bottom lane, Zilean alone was tying down two people from TES's bot lane duo.

PPGOD was practically running wild in the top jungle.

Assisting the mid lane push, helping with ganks in the jungle, accompanying the top laner to push under towers, he was embodying the role of a roaming support to its fullest.

Qing Tian, the top laner, had never encountered such a situation before. He immediately went into a self-imposed isolation in the brush and started AFKing.

As a result, TES couldn't hold on.

For a jungler, seeing the enemy team build momentum was definitely more frustrating than their own team's momentum collapsing. Thus, TES was eager to disrupt V5's rhythm and set their sights on the first Rift Herald.

With the priority of pushing and recalling first in the bottom lane, at 7 minutes and 30 seconds, TES's bottom lane duo pushed the wave and immediately chose to recall.

Just as they were preparing for a decisive battle with V5 at the Rift Herald, V5... resolutely chose to change their strategy.

They weren't taking the Rift Herald; they went straight to the bottom lane.

"Not bad, Xiao Zhen, how did you manage to survive that without dying?"

Karsa's eyes were full of praise, even mixed with a hint of confusion. As JKL's former teammate, he understood his personality too well. Logically, seeing your support absent, he would definitely dive the tower.

But the question was, why hadn't Zilean died even once yet, and why wasn't his level so far behind?

Could it be that the Summoner's Rift also had Conqueror's Haki?

"Simple, just read more books."

"Reading? The Art of War or On War?"

"Neither. I read all sorts of things, but I can summarize it in one sentence: A mountain is recruited, the joy and sorrow of two jades, three factions fight for the world, four monks travel west."

V5 members: ???

V5's strategic idea was actually very simple: avoid fights frantically in the early game.

Whether it was Graves, Corki, or Zilean, they all needed at least two items to make an impact, and their damage was relatively unstable. Therefore, they could afford to skip the Rift Herald fight. If they saw the enemy's bottom lane recall and the entire team rush, they would quickly rotate and focus on pushing towers around Zilean.

If the Rift Herald charged three times, they would use their numbers and shovels to take three charges. Then Zilean would use a W. Besides losing a bit of tempo without the Rift Herald, their economy would actually be on par.

This kind of flexible strategy of shifting core points was V5's only chance to defeat TES.

In any team, there would be someone who had to make sacrifices.

If a novel were to be realistic, it would be impossible for one position to consistently carry the other four. Even if it happened, it certainly wouldn't be the AD position. The AD's responsibility was early-game team coordination, mid-game tower pushing needs, and late-game safety net. Although they could have their own ideas and plays after getting three items, in the early game, any action they took must be for the team's benefit.

Luo Zhen withstood the pressure of the laning phase. From this point on, when the four players quickly grouped up to cooperate with Zilean to break the bottom lane tower.

The situation had already shifted from defense to offense.

When the glow of level six finally appeared on Zilean, Luo Zhen's expression became solemn. Involuntarily, he could even feel a surge of chuunibyo power quietly empowering him from the void.

"Minna-san, I... never want to see anyone miss a minion again! I want to see everyone smile!"

"So, please watch!"

"My transformation!"

"Henshin!"

R[Scientific Hellfire Cannon]

With his ultimate ability thrown from the bottom river, covering nearly half the screen, it devoured a large portion of the enemy minion wave that was about to enter the mid lane tower.

From this moment on, Zilean's function underwent a significant transformation.

He went from being a pea-shooter to a double-barreled shooter. Before, he could only defend one lane; now, he could defend two!

"This new V5, why are their styles so varied?"

Unlike V5's jubilant celebration, TES was somewhat confused by V5's decision.

Weren't they told that V5 highly valued the Rift Herald fight?

Weren't they told that V5 focused more on team fight coordination?

Where were they?

They weren't even at the Rift Herald; where did they go?

"There's still one line of reasoning we can follow," Xiao Tian added, glancing at Graves's development on the scoreboard. "At least in the early game, they did primarily focus on the top, mid, and jungle. It's just that their AD's style is a bit... peculiar?"

"Just say they're cowardly, and that'll do."

"No, I don't think simply being cowardly is enough to describe his performance."

A carry who could suppress his own urge to develop, a Zilean who was rarely seen in the bottom lane vision for the entire game, that kind of starvation playstyle where you saw Zilean but not the enemy during the laning phase – even he, after years of experience, could only say it was the first time he'd seen it.

"So, has this guy ever been to rehab?"

Chapter 42: This is Infiniteslaught!

The Demacia Cup is a rather unique tournament.

At this point in time, most teams were either introducing new players or new coaches. With new additions, it meant that each team's tactics and playstyle needed a complete overhaul.

This is where the coach's role really shines.

It's just like the operators in Arknights.

When it comes to clearing stages, some Doctors can perfectly replicate the Sargon Wraith, while others can only become the "Hungry Zero" of Sargon, with messy troop deployments and having to copy other teams' strategies to pass.

Looking at it this way, LPL coaches are actually quite similar to Arknights Doctors, after all, tactics are just a big copy-paste.

While Bai Seyueya is already a well-known coach, when it comes to quickly instilling discipline and tactics into a team, Coach Homme is still superior. The difference this made was that TES found V5 seemed to be one step ahead of them, whether it was swapping lanes or swapping resources.

Faster macro play, steadier defense, and more cautious decision-making.

The feeling was like an "Arknights newbie" attempting a Contingency Contract 8, bringing out the Golden Brigade, and even deploying all the Three Illusory Gods and Four Great Cornerstones – emphasizing caution and importance.

The most direct feeling this decision gave them was... they couldn't push.

This is where Coach Homme's most ruthless strategy comes into play. He knew Karsa's current form was still being adjusted, so letting him lead the tempo was fine, but not letting him lead it constantly. So, he'd go all out early, and after the laning phase, he'd just be a bodyguard.

Jarvan IV's EQ combo would be blocked directly, Gnar would save up rage and use his Mega Gnar hammer to push them away. Without the ability to force engages, with Corki and Ziggs' pushing power, the enemy simply couldn't advance.

As for the Elemental Dragon?

Let it go!

Rift Herald?

Keep letting it go!