On the night the Star Sea Cup's top four were decided, online discussions were like boiling water, with major forums, message boards, and player groups fiercely debating the strengths and weaknesses of the four teams, analyzing potential semifinal matchups, and reliving the thrilling moments of the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, in a regular residential building in a second-tier city, far from the clamor of the arena, Wang Lei, in his early thirties, had just finished a busy day of work and was enjoying a bowl of instant noodles while watching highlights from the Star Sea Cup quarterfinals.
Wang Lei, whose online ID was "Bedrock," coincidentally shared the same ID as the steady top laner of the Star Sea Team.
He was a project leader at a small software company, a typical office worker with a nine-to-five schedule, occasionally working overtime.
Like many men his age, he carried the pressure of work, the Trivial of family life, and the fading passion of youth.
His connection with league of legends began by chance.
Last year, a few young programmers under him, fresh out of college, were enthusiastically discussing games during their lunch break, mentioning things like "Garen bush camping" and "Tryndamere's five-second true man," which piqued his curiosity.
Encouraged by the young people, he downloaded the game, registered an account, and was hooked ever since.
Initially, he was simply attracted by the game itself.
The charm of combining strategy with operation, and team cooperation with individual carry, gave his mind, accustomed to logic and code, a new point of excitement.
His favorite position to play was top lane, enjoying the feeling of being isolated on a side lane, going head-to-head with opponents, and becoming the team's solid frontline.
The ID "Bedrock" also embodied his wish to be as steady as a Bedrock in the lane.
He even once had the idea of forming a team to participate in internet cafe tournaments.
When he mentioned it to a few friends who also liked games but were of similar age and busy with work, they just smiled and said, "Old Wang, with our hand speed and reaction, wouldn't we just be background characters in a competition?"
"And where would we find time to train? The project is urgent, and the kids at home are waiting for homework help."
Reality, like a basin of cold water, extinguished his impractical fantasies.
He was indeed no longer young, his reactions couldn't compare to those teenagers and twenty-somethings, and work and family consumed most of his energy.
He had to admit that the path of professional esports had long been closed to him.
However, his love for league of legends did not fade; instead, it quietly transformed.
He no longer obsessed over how high his rank could be, but gradually became a loyal spectator of matches.
From the early online broadcasts of city internet cafe tournaments, to the later National City Championship, and now the booming Star Sea Cup, he hardly missed a single match.
Watching matches became the best adjustment and solace in his busy life.
After work, dragging his tired body home, finishing chores, and putting the children to sleep, he would have his own short time.
Brewing a cup of tea, or simply having dinner like today, then turning on the computer and opening the match replay—at that moment, all fatigue and pressure seemed to temporarily disappear.
He would secretly applaud the seamless operations and coordination of Forbidden City Peak in front of the screen, marvel at the sharp offensive rhythm of the Star Sea Team, be amazed by the endless ingenious strategies of the Phantom Team, and even feel his blood boil for the persistence of the Veteran Team's old players, who were similar in age to him, as if seeing in them another possibility he had never achieved.
He had witnessed the ecstatic embraces of players after victory and the tears in the eyes of losers as they left the stage, which made him feel that esports was not just a game; it carried dreams, sweat, and the most genuine emotions.
Some time ago, he accidentally saw Qin Feng's live stream that caused a sensation across the entire internet.
When he saw Qin Feng execute those unheard-of "EQ flashes," "reverse R flashes," and "geometric barrels," he, like all other viewers, was stunned speechless.
It was the first time he had so intuitively felt that the operational ceiling of this game could be so high!
It wasn't just reaction and hand speed; it was an extremely deep understanding of game mechanics and imagination.
What thrilled him even more was Qin Feng's revelation in the live stream about future version updates and the Star Sea Cup World Team Invitational.
"World championship..." Wang Lei murmured to himself, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
He imagined how exciting it would be to see his country's top teams compete on the same stage with powerhouses from other regions like North America and Korea!
That would no longer be domestic self-entertainment, but a true "Hua Shan debate"!
This would undoubtedly push the esports influence of league of legends to a whole new level.
At the same time, he was also full of curiosity about the "major version update" Qin Feng mentioned.
As a senior programmer, he deeply understood the importance of continuous iteration and updates for the vitality of an online game.
New heroes, new equipment, and new mechanics would constantly break old tactical patterns, give rise to new playstyles and schools of thought, and keep the game fresh and dynamic.
He really wanted to know what kind of surprises Riot Games would bring this time.
"Slurp—" With a sound, the instant noodles were finished.
Wang Lei pushed the noodle cup aside and casually turned off the highlight video.
He clicked open the league of legends client, looking at the familiar "L" logo on the login screen, but did not immediately click to start the game.
He remembered Qin Feng's words in the live stream, advising everyone to play rationally and be responsible for their own lives, and couldn't help but smile.
Yes, for ordinary players like him, the esports dream might be out of reach, but this passion could continue in another way.
He enjoyed the fun of fighting alongside teammates in Summoners Rift, and also enjoyed the passion of being a spectator, cheering for professional players' brilliant plays in front of the screen.
This, perhaps, was the greatest meaning of league of legends and the Star Sea Cup for him and for thousands upon thousands of ordinary players.
He moved the mouse, not clicking on ranked play, but choosing the ARAM mode.
Relaxed, entertaining, requiring not too much time and energy investment, it was perfectly suited for a busy "old boy" like him.
While waiting for the match, he once again clicked on the Star Sea Cup event page, looking at the emblems of the four qualifying teams, silently wishing them well in his heart, and full of anticipation for the future.
He looked forward to the fierce competition in the semifinals, the arrival of the new version, and even more, he looked forward to one day seeing that familiar red flag waving on the world stage.
The light from the screen illuminated his focused and contented face.
On this night, countless ordinary players like Wang Lei were connecting to that passionate and dream-filled esports world through this small screen.
They were the most solid cornerstone of this empire and the most loyal witnesses to all legendary stories.