Even though the quarterfinals between SSK and Season had ended, the commotion caused by the set of best-of-five matches was far from over.
That night, all the major livestreams and video streaming platforms uploaded and reposted the official video of the set of best-of-five matches.
The moment it was uploaded.
Tens of millions of players and netizens immediately flooded the video.
Even though they were just normal players, they were not stupid. They all had their own judgment. While they were watching the live stream in the afternoon, they came back to their senses at night. After a moment of contemplation, they could immediately sense that something was wrong with the final match between the two teams.
Something was really wrong!
Logically speaking, although there seemed to be no problems with the performances of the players of both teams in the last match, compared to the peak battles of the previous four matches, the last match could hardly be considered as an intense confrontation.
Not a single player from either team, no matter what position they were in, was able to perform exceptionally well in the mid-to-late stages of the team battle.
This was especially true for the final winner, SSK.
Their performance in the final match could only be described as plain water.
So how did they win?
There was also an overseas professional esports commentator who posted a status on his social media platform, describing his thoughts on the final match between SSK and Season in a straightforward manner.
"That's right — it's not good!"
"Perhaps we often see slow and sluggish matches in Europe and North America, but this has never happened to teams like SSK or Season."
"Don't forget, the first four matches of the set of best-of-five matches are more intense than the last, so how could the final match suddenly turn out like this?"
"So, there must be something wrong!"
In just half an hour after the video was uploaded, the viewership of the final match of the set of best-of-five matches exceeded five million, and it was even more exaggerated in China. In less than 40 minutes, the viewership of the Chinese server netizens exploded to eight million.
All the normal players and netizens opened the video with their eyes wide open, not wanting to miss a single scene. They carefully rewatched the final match of the set of best-of-five matches that lasted for more than 30 minutes.
They hoped that they could find the truth that would resolve their doubts.
But …
Even though the majority of the normal players had good intentions, due to their own limitations, it was destined that no matter how many times they rewatched the video, they would not be able to find an answer that was even close to the truth.
At most, they watched the recording of the final match of the set of best-of-five matches. They watched the first ten minutes of the match, and the blue and purple teams fought fiercely.
The junglers on both sides were constantly gank, looking for an opportunity.
By the middle of the match, all sorts of small-scale and large-scale team battles had become more and more incomprehensible.
Many of the team battles did not even begin.
Inexplicably, they watched as Season's side was suppressed and forced into a passive position. Then, under the command of their captain, Autumn, they decisively chose to give up and retreat in time.
SSK did not take advantage of the situation to chase after them. If you retreat a little, I'll advance a little.
And if you retreat a little, I'll stop.
He had been frozen like this for a long time, neither going up nor down.
It was almost exactly the same as what the foreign veteran commentator had said.
There was only one word to describe it: Not good!
In the end, the normal players could only shake their heads in frustration and give up helplessly after coming to such a simple conclusion. On the other hand, some casual experts, retired professional players, and professional streamers were slightly better. After watching the video repeatedly, they could vaguely detect some minute changes. However, when the words came to their lips, they found it hard to put them into words.
"Something's … not right."
"It's indeed not good. Compared to the previous four matches, SSK's offense seemed to be much weaker in the last match. Season's defense and counterattack were also clearly not as strong as the previous matches."
"It seems like … it's still a little sluggish?"
This was the judgment of a retired professional player from the North American server. After repeatedly watching the video, he racked his brain to organize his words and cautiously and hesitantly came up with:
"I'm talking about Season's performance in the middle and late stages of the last match."
"It's really a little sluggish."
"Although Autumn, as the team leader, still displayed impeccable leadership and overall vision, I have to say that from the perspective of a normal spectator, from the mid-stage of the last match, Season's team's rhythm in team battles, big or small, seemed a little … clumsy."
"Very stiff."
"Even —"
At the end of his speech, the retired professional player from the North American server seemed to have made up his mind. Perhaps it was his most sincere and boldest thought:
"It feels like, all of a sudden, they don't know how to play as a team anymore."
…
It was not just the players and netizens who were discussing this topic.
That night, when they returned to the hotel, the players of the three teams in the LPL division were training as usual. Whether it was KG and God, who were their sparring partners, or the Rapid Water Team, who were about to face off against each other in a best-of-five match in the quarterfinals the next day, everyone was clearly distracted during the training matches.
Everyone's thoughts couldn't help but drift to the final match between SSK and Season that day.
So.
When Number One, Number Five, and the other specially hired coaches came to the training room to check on everyone's training, everyone still played very seriously during the training competition, but as soon as the training was over, everyone looked at the few seniors in unison with some eagerness. Even Huangxue Nightsong, Shadow Puppet, Shi Hang, and Morning Star were no exception.
Seeing everyone like this, No. 1 was a little surprised at first. But when he realized what was going on, he couldn't help but laugh. He shook his head and said:
"Don't look at me like that."
"I know what's going on in your heads."
"It's the final match between SSK and Season this afternoon, right?"
The next second, everyone nodded in unison. Their eyes were filled with anticipation.
For them, it might be something that even they, as professional players, couldn't see, but if it was the coaches in front of them, they would definitely be able to answer their questions and reveal the truth.
However.
Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, Number One shook his head again and casually said, "Don't worry.
"Then you'll be disappointed."
"I don't plan to say anything about this matter."
*****
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