After the match ended, Chi Shuo led the team members to the soundproof booth to shake hands.
Xu Zhuo stood up, patted his shoulder, and sighed, "I thought that after Xiao Yu and I meshed well, we could win a game against you. Turns out, your improvement is even faster than I imagined." He looked at Qin Yizhu and said, "Especially Old Qin, his style is completely different now."
Qin Yizhu scratched his head in embarrassment. "I still can't beat Captain Xu in a 1v1."
Xu Zhuo said straightforwardly, "This isn't a 1v1 game. You played those team fights really well."
Being recognized by a top-tier top laner in the league made Old Qin very happy deep down.
Ye Shaoyang took the initiative to hug Xie Weiyu and gently patted the other's shoulder. He didn't say too many comforting words; he knew Xiao Yu didn't need comfort. Xie Weiyu also hugged him back with a smile. Competition was competition, personal friendship was personal friendship—they were both very clear on this.
The five members of Tianhuan came to the main stage to bow and exit.
In today's two games, Qin Yizhu won the MVP. Especially in the second game, during several team fights, he flashed to the backline to cut down the enemy carry, giving a remarkable performance. So this time, the post-match interview invited Qin Yizhu.
Qin Yizhu, coming to the interview desk for the first time, was a bit constrained, standing there with a simple and honest smile.
The reporter handed him the microphone: "Welcome Candle Fire to our interview desk! First of all, congratulations to Tianhuan for winning this match 2:1. Today, Old Qin's performance during the match was very dazzling, and you even won MVP. This is your first MVP this season. Is there anything you want to say to everyone?"
Qin Yizhu said seriously, "Thank you to my teammates. Winning MVP was due to everyone's good cooperation."
The reporter said, "Old Qin is quite humble. We noticed that in today's match, you didn't pick tank side lanes but picked warriors for three consecutive games. Is this a change in style?"
Qin Yizhu replied, "This was the coaching staff's arrangement. Because our Tianhuan top and bot lanes are relatively weak, the coach wanted us to adapt to pressure games as soon as possible to cope with future matches. We've been training under pressure during this period." He paused, then smiled embarrassedly and said, "I even dream about flashing to escape every day."
During this period, not only was Xiao Xing practicing desperately, but Old Qin was also practicing every day. How to escape, how to cut people—he even had the kids from Team 2 group up in 3 or 4 to gank him top, to withstand maximum pressure.
So "dreaming about flashing to escape" wasn't an exaggeration, but a fact.
A burst of laughter erupted from the press area. It seemed Tianhuan's nightmare training indeed had an effect. Old Qin, who dreamed of flashing to escape, was caught several times today but managed to escape with a sliver of health.
The reporter said, "So, your warrior side play is actually quite good too, right?"
Qin Yizhu said, "Being able to play warrior side lanes is a basic requirement for a top laner. Although my warrior play can't compare to the league's top-tier top laners, if I need to bring it out, I can manage not to drag the team down."
The reporter asked curiously, "Then do you personally prefer tanks or warriors?"
Qin Yizhu said, "I like both. Tanks are meatier and can withstand damage for a long time in team fights. Warriors can play more aggressively and cut the opposing carries. Tank sides lean towards defense, warrior sides lean towards offense. I'll pick whatever the coach asks me to pick."
Unexpectedly, the lonely top laner turned out to be the most obedient and honest person in Tianhuan?
Always staying obscure in the top lane, doing whatever the team needed him to do without complaint.
Such a top laner was actually the most solid backing in his teammates' hearts, right?
The reporter said, "The next match is against Beimu, the last opponent in Group S. Beimu is very strong this season; their top, bot, and mid laners are all world-class players. Tianhuan currently has a 14-game winning streak in the group stage. Do you have the confidence to maintain the winning streak until the end?"
Qin Yizhu said, "Of course, we have confidence, but winning or losing a match doesn't rely on confidence alone. Beimu is very strong, and our Tianhuan isn't weak either. For the last group stage match, we will prepare well and give the regular season a satisfactory conclusion."
The reporter smiled. "Thank you Old Qin for accepting our interview!"
Qin Yizhu arrived backstage and asked the coach nervously, "I didn't say anything wrong just now, did I?"
Coach Lin smiled and patted his shoulder. "You spoke very well."
Qin Yizhu breathed a sigh of relief. The team members were already waiting in the lounge. After he returned, everyone packed up to go eat late-night snacks. Today, Coach Lin was treating everyone to hot pot.
Ye Shaoyang casually scrolled through Weibo and found a hot topic on the homepage.
#Comparison Between S6 and S10 Tianhuan#
Because the reporter mentioned Tianhuan's 14-game winning streak in the regular season group stage during the post-match interview today, which happened to match Tianhuan's group stage winning streak in Season 6, fans started comparing the differences between Tianhuan in the two seasons.
S6 was the year Tianhuan had its best results in history. Chi Shuo debuted at a young age, sweeping the field with his wild core playstyle. That year, Tianhuan started from Group A, entered Group S with a 5-game winning streak in the first phase; then played two rounds in Group S, winning 5 consecutive games in the first round and another 5 in the second round, unstoppable, charging into the playoffs with a 15-game winning streak.
The master-apprentice coordination between Ming Sheng and Chi Shuo became a classic combination in league history. Unfortunately, Tianhuan lost narrowly to the Korean team in the S6 World Finals, bringing home a runner-up trophy, and Ming Sheng retired hastily due to family reasons.
This season, Tianhuan went from Group B to Group S in the regular season, also winning all the way so far.
Not counting the placement match, they had already won 14 consecutive games in the group stage, just one game short of the S6 record of 15 straight wins. It was normal for fans to compare them.
The hottest post in the topic area was an analysis thread detailing the differences between Tianhuan in the two seasons.
In Season 6, Mid Laner Ming Sheng and Jungler Chi Shuo had perfect master-apprentice synergy; the Top Laner was the league's top-tier laner Brother Long; the Bot Lane consisted of Old Nie and A-Ning, who were at their peak back then.
S6 Tianhuan's comprehensive strength was very strong, almost winning the World Championship.
In S10, the Sun-Moon Mid-Jungle synergy of Chi Shuo and Ye Shaoyang had already reached the level of top domestic Mid-Jungle coordination; however, Top Laner Qin Yizhu wasn't as comprehensive as the S6 Top Laner A-Long; in the Bot Lane, Qu Jiang had just switched to support, and Xiao Xing was still a rookie, not as coordinated as Old Nie and A-Ning at their peak.
In a comprehensive comparison, Tianhuan's on-paper strength this season was not as outstanding as in Season 6.
But fortunately, Tianhuan's tactics this season were richer, Xiao Xing was improving fast, Mid Laner Ye Shaoyang was a great demon king, and Tianhuan still had hope of entering the World Tournament.
Many people in the comments compared Ye Shaoyang and Ming Sheng's stats, finding that Ye Shaoyang had more MVPs than Captain Ming. Of course, this was also because most MVPs in S6 were taken by Chi Shuo.
Gradually, some discordant comments appeared in the topic area.
[How many years has it been since S6? Ming Sheng's brain-dead fans are quite sentimental, still obsessing over him?]
[In my opinion, Yangyang is much stronger than Captain Ming! Lieyang and Shuoyue are also more in sync.]
[You guys hype Captain Ming up as a god, but in my opinion, he was an irresponsible captain. After finishing the World Tournament, he just patted his butt and left, dumping a mess on the 18-year-old Chi Shuo?]
[If not for his sudden retirement back then, Tianhuan wouldn't have collapsed.]
[Don't be funny upstairs. Tianhuan's results cliff-dived in the following seasons. Doesn't that prove Chi Shuo's leadership ability is far inferior to Captain Ming's?]
[How many years has Captain Ming been retired, and brain-dead fans are still washing him clean here? In what way is Lieyang not better than him?]
[Can Lieyang's fans stop cross-era porcelain bumping (clout chasing/false comparisons)?]
Ye Shaoyang got a headache reading this. He handed his phone to Chi Shuo and said, "Why are they suddenly comparing me with God Ming, and a group of anti-fans came out to scold God Ming for being irresponsible? Could it be another club stirring things up?"
Chi Shuo glanced at the comments section and said, "Yaoguang isn't that idle. They might not even keep their playoff spot in Group A; they shouldn't have time to mess with Tianhuan's rhythm right now."
Coach Lin looked at the comments section that was inexplicably arguing and said helplessly, "Shaoyang, you don't know. Every year when the regular season is about to end, regardless of Tianhuan's results, Captain Ming gets dragged out and 'whipped' (criticized). His sudden retirement back then really hurt many fans who supported Tianhuan. He had tens of millions of fans back then. It's normal for some people not to forget him and compare him with the new mid laner. Don't mind these things."
Ye Shaoyang smiled. "Of course I don't mind. God Ming is a senior I respect very much. I never thought about surpassing him. I debuted in S10, so I only compare myself with mid laners in Season 10. Cross-era comparisons are meaningless."
He had played against Ming Sheng at the Star City villa back then, fighting to a 50-50 draw.
However, Ye Shaoyang's hero pool was still shallow then, and his understanding of the game wasn't deep enough. Ming Sheng had been retired for years, his hand speed had declined, so that duel didn't prove much.
Regardless of how controversial Ming Sheng was, he had cultivated an excellent player like Chi Shuo for Tianhuan. His contribution was undeniable.
He was Chi Shuo's master, and Ye Shaoyang respected him greatly.
Fans from both sides attacking each other easily attracted hate. Moreover, God Ming was usually quite busy. Last time, he specially came to the Imperial Capital to deal with the candid photos of Chi Shuo and Ye Shaoyang at the hospital. He had already done his best for Tianhuan.
Ye Shaoyang quickly posted on Weibo to stop this topic: "I have never intended to compare myself with God Ming. We are not players from the same season, and we can't determine a winner. If not for God Ming's approval, I wouldn't have successfully joined Tianhuan and become the S10 starter. To Captain Chi, he is a mentor; to me, he is a talent scout (Bole). God Ming is a senior I respect very much. Please don't incite wars, thank you everyone."
"Mentor" and "Talent Scout"—these two terms gave the former captain of Tianhuan enough face.
Ming Sheng's fans initially disliked the new mid laner, feeling his fans were too arrogant. But finding that this new mid laner was humble, polite, and respectful enough to Ming Sheng, their favorability instantly maxed out.
As for Ye Shaoyang's fans, naturally, they couldn't continue scolding the senior.
The flames of war on both sides gradually subsided, and those malicious anti-fans who stirred up trouble and compared the two mid laners were scolded back by rational netizens.
What surprised Ye Shaoyang was that Ming Sheng actually reposted his Weibo, saying: "S6 is long gone, there's no need for cross-era comparisons. Lieyang is a very excellent mid laner, and I also like Yangyang's playstyle very much."
Ye Shaoyang hurriedly DM'd him: "God Ming, didn't you abandon this account long ago?"
Ming Sheng's Weibo account, "Tianhuan Mingtian," was almost growing grass; he hadn't posted any news for a whole year.
Suddenly coming back from the dead like this scared a bunch of old fans.
Ming Sheng replied: "Didn't abandon it. After retiring, I've always used this account to lurk and read esports news. You don't need to care about the netizens' comparisons. I happen to be returning to the Imperial Capital tomorrow. I'll go to the base to chat with you guys."
Ye Shaoyang thought another paparazzi candid photo incident had occurred and worriedly said, "Captain Chi and I rarely go out recently. Were we photographed eating breakfast?"
Ming Sheng said, "Admitting without being pressed? How many times have you two secretly gone to eat breakfast?"
Ye Shaoyang explained, "The hotel breakfast wasn't good, so we went nearby to eat some local specialties like rice noodle rolls and buns. Only twice."
Ming Sheng held back his laughter. "Does Chi Shuo even eat those things?"
Ye Shaoyang was puzzled. "Doesn't he?"
Ming Sheng didn't answer directly. "My return this time has nothing to do with paparazzi. I have something to give you. See you tomorrow."
The next day, when all members of Tianhuan flew back to the team base, Ming Sheng was already waiting for them in the training room.
He was playing ranked casually on a computer. Although his hand speed had declined after years of retirement and he could no longer be an esports player, his awareness remained at the level of a world-class mid laner.
Lin Feng walked over and hugged him. "Why did you come in person?"
Ming Sheng glanced at Chi Shuo and Ye Shaoyang standing behind, joking, "Everyone online is scolding me for being irresponsible. As a master, I can't just ignore everything, so I came personally to offer my condolences."
Chi Shuo looked at him calmly. "You still mind online comments?"
Ming Sheng had been retired for years; he didn't mind anymore, just joking. He looked at Lin Feng and said, "I came today to deliver some materials to your coaching staff."
Lin Feng immediately looked expectant. "What materials?"
Ming Sheng said, "Sean's ranked training videos in the European region, data on his hero pool analyzed by the European side, and some training videos of seeded teams from the Korean, European, and North American regions this season."
Everyone in Tianhuan looked at him in shock.
Sean was a player from the European region. Obtaining training videos and hero pool data from before his transfer to Beimu was very difficult unless one knew people in Europe.
Lin Feng said excitedly, "Where did you get these materials?"
Ming Sheng smiled. "Naturally, I have my channels, and they were collected legally. Feel free to use them." He paused, looking at Chi Shuo. "I'm usually very busy and can't help you much. The coaching staff should analyze and organize these materials as soon as possible. I hope they help with your future matches."
Chi Shuo looked at him with complex emotions.
Ming Sheng walked to Chi Shuo's side, gently held his apprentice's shoulder, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Master has always owed you an apology for what happened back then. But fortunately, you have Yangyang by your side now. I believe you can lead Tianhuan to achieve the wish we didn't realize back then."
Chi Shuo lowered his eyes. "I know. I never blamed you."
Ming Sheng smiled, his gaze towards Ye Shaoyang very gentle. "Yangyang, although you have no intention of comparing yourself to me, in my heart, you are Chi Shuo's best partner—you will create miracles. I have always believed this."
Ming Sheng knew very well that his synergy with Chi Shuo was actually not as good as Chi Shuo's with Ye Shaoyang. Losing the critical game in the World Tournament back then was also due to a disagreement between master and apprentice on the judgment of a team fight.
Ming Sheng believed such regrets would not happen again.
This season's Tianhuan, though weaker on paper than S6, was more united than S6 and had a stronger fighting spirit.
He was waiting for the day his juniors created a miracle.