Wu Jin and Shi Mu

[Wu Hu: The match between GOD and Wind was really exciting! In the first game, Jin dominated with no technique, just pure emotion, haha. In the second game, they showed us what professional players can do. I'd say they both have a shot at the world championship this year.]

[Qingqing: Yes, Wind came in second last year, and GOD making it to the quarterfinals despite what happened with Yun was a great result too. Hopefully, with Jin joining them this year, GOD can return to its former glory.]

Jiang Yun had once led GOD Team to two world championships. Back then, all of FKL lived in GOD's shadow.

Afterward, the others retired one after another, leaving Jiang Yun to hold GOD up on his own. Now Jiang Yun had retired and Wu Jin had taken his place. Hopefully, she could bring GOD a pleasant surprise.

[Wu Hu: Jin's adjusted her mask several times already, hahahaha. Don't worry, air won't leak through your teeth, because the mask is thick enough.]

[Qingqing: Hahahaha... let's change the subject.]

Qingqing: ...Someone get this man out of here. Did he have to make that joke?

As Wu Jin sat in her seat, she touched her mask every now and then to reassure herself, only to touch it again a little while later.

Shi Mu couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Your mask hasn't run away. Don't worry."

The coaches on both sides took their places, and the ban-pick phase of the third game began.

Wu Jin: "Who should I ban?"

Whether Wu Jin had spoken too quietly or the mask had muffled her words, Coach Ming and the GOD players hadn't heard her clearly.

Wantonly and Clear spoke in unison. "Wu Jin, what happened with Shi Mu?"

Coach Ming was puzzled too. He tilted his head and looked at Wu Jin. "What happened between you and Time?"

Wu Jin: ...

"Hahahaha."

Shi Mu couldn't hold it in.

"A-Jin was asking Coach Ming which hero she should ban."

GOD and Coach Ming: ...Oh.

"Ahem... uh, ban Hidden Void."

Hidden Void was the undisputed number one queen of duels. Her skills dealt damage over a wide area, gave her a shield, and reduced the damage she took. The hero was powerful yet easy to master, which had prompted plenty of complaints from players.

She had been nerfed again and again, but she was still strong. One netizen had once savagely remarked that she was a hero the game designer had dreamed up for kicks after slapping his forehead on the toilet.

She was also Flower's main hero. Flower was currently ranked first on the entire server and had held that spot ever since she reached it.

Wind banned Wu Jin's Akaloi, having learned their lesson in the first game.

Clear laughed. "You and Brother Jiang are the reason Akaloi's pick rate is so low."

Jiang Yun, who was enjoying a sweet moment with his wife, suddenly sneezed.

Who was cursing him?

The two sides also banned Fulina and Mou.

Coach Ming looked at the analysis board and made Clear's dream come true.

"Pick Hidden Phoenix for Clear."

"Got it!"

"This young master finally doesn't have to play a utility role anymore!"

After playing utility roles for the first two games, he'd nearly fallen asleep. Mage assassins were his comfort zone—and the domain he ruled.

Both sides locked in their lineups:

GOD: Axe Dart, Jixilin, Hidden Phoenix, Lili, Rat Child

Wind: Bohr, Aoda, Moon Cicada Maiden, Bear, Twisted Fate

With Clear as the main damage dealer this game, Wu Jin picked a hero who was hard to kill and could heal herself, playing a utility role specifically to make things miserable for the other side.

At the start, everyone cleared their lanes with mutual respect. Wu Jin spun in circles, swinging her axe, while Fox huffed and puffed as he cleared his minion wave with his hammer. The top lane had the air of middle-aged people tending a vegetable patch; a leisurely old Beijing background tune would have fit right in.

In the mid lane, it was as if Clear's governing and conception vessels had opened the moment he got Hidden Phoenix. He pinned Flower under her tower, leaving her afraid to clear the wave. Whenever she showed the slightest intention of doing so, Clear sent three shockwaves her way to chip away at her health.

Flower pursed her lips in annoyance. "Did he take the wrong medicine?"

Xiao Qi smiled faintly. "Clear hasn't gotten to play Hidden Phoenix in a long time. Let him enjoy himself for now."

He'd better laugh while he could. Later on, he might not be able to.

At the four-minute mark, Flower came down to apply pressure in the bottom lane. Clear arrived right behind her to help bin clear the wave.

Twisted Fate naturally countered Rat Child, and with Dumi playing Twisted Fate, bin was having a very hard time in the bottom lane. Dumi kept whittling down his health. Fortunately, Wantonly could keep healing him with his second skill, making things a little easier.

Bear struck first, charging at GOD's side with a crowd-control skill. Dumi kept a safe distance and used basic attacks. Clear dashed to the side and used his second skill, hitting Moon Cicada Maiden and Twisted Fate. Flower dashed forward to negate the damage, then used her ultimate.

Enormous petals scattered and fell at their feet. Bin picked his spot and used his ultimate, while Lili used her second skill to jump onto Clear and restore some of his health.

Clear aimed his ultimate at Dumi, and Lili immediately followed up by using her ultimate on him. In the top lane, Wu Jin and Fox were trading damage. Wu Jin was left at half health, and Fox hadn't fared much better, returning to his tower to recover. In that brief opening, Wu Jin used the teleport array to reach the bottom lane.

Xiao Qi immediately called out, "Watch out for Jin. She's coming down."

Wu Jin reached the battlefield, activated her ultimate, and spun her way into the fight. Bear's ultimate caught her in its crowd control, and a barrage of damage followed, leaving her health dangerously low.

"Twisted Fate doesn't have his ultimate."

"This young master will send him home right now!"

Clear used two movement skills in quick succession to dart in front of Dumi, then followed his second skill with his ultimate, sending Dumi straight home.

Lili sacrificed herself gloriously to save Wu Jin.

It was a one-for-one trade: a marksman for a support. GOD hadn't come out behind.

Dumi: "Why does Jin keep appearing and disappearing like a ghost?"

Fox: "My bad. I thought she went to recover."

Flower: "It's fine. Bin can't hold out against us many more times in the bottom lane. We'll control the whole game through the bottom lane!"

Xiao Qi: "Yeah, I think so too."

After that, Wind's mid laner or jungler kept coming to help. In short, bin was beaten down like a blade of grass tossed about in a storm, unable to straighten up.

When bin fell for the third time, the first bottom-lane tower was destroyed, GOD's jungle was invaded, and Wind seized control of the game's tempo.

Bin's face darkened, and he slammed his keyboard. The other side was clearly targeting him!

"Clear, why aren't you coming to help?"

"You think I don't want to? Didn't you see them keeping this young master tied down the whole time?"

Whenever Wind's mid laner went to help, Xiao Qi would pop up and wear Clear down. Whenever their jungler went to help, Flower would fight him in the mid lane. Where could he go?

Shi Mu did go, but the other side concentrated its fire on bin. The moment Shi Mu left, bin died.

"Give up the bottom lane. Bin, go mid. A-Jin, let Clear take your wave, then we'll go into their jungle."

"Okay."

The captain's words were like a pillar that calmed the seas. Although the situation was unfavorable, they didn't panic much. A setback could bring an opportunity.

In a match, mentality was just as important as skill. Wu Jin's unwavering calm, for example, helped GOD steady their nerves.

As long as Jin didn't panic, there would surely be a turning point.

Wu Jin and Shi Mu slipped into Xiao Qi's jungle. When Wind saw bin abandon the bottom lane, they thought GOD would look for a breakthrough in the top lane.

So they focused their attention on the top lane, giving Wu Jin and Shi Mu the perfect chance to steal into their home turf.