TCWSITD – Chapter 64

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Chapter 64 – Victory At Last

The fourth game proceeded with difficulty.

Li Qian had no mind to watch the game results. He was preparing for the worst, his brain working at top speed to visualize all three previous games, using the fastest calculation ability of his life to create grid after grid.

When the results appeared, he drew a sharp breath.

Because he clearly saw that HIT had been holding back in all their matches, including the one where they won the LCK Summer Championship. Even though it went to five games, Li Qian could sense that HIT was still conserving their strength. It was only when OT reached match point in the previous game that they truly started to unleash their power.

Now, OT was facing a HIT that was going all out!

In the fourth game, Lin Jiang regained his form, pulling off several high-energy plays and securing an early advantage during the laning phase.

Domestic commentators analyzed, “river seems to be in decent shape this game. There’s a chance here!”

Down in the bot lane, Shen Ju’s hand speed remained lightning-fast, with no signs of his hand injury flaring up. He played aggressively in lane and retreated decisively when needed.

Old Mao commented on him, “From what I can see, the hand injury isn’t affecting him. The fact that he dared to pick Kalista this game fully proves his hand is fine, so everyone can relax.”

On the top lane, although Song Zhixu was at a disadvantage, his ability to withstand pressure was exceptional, keeping things relatively stable overall.

Zhang Mingying focused on mid-jungle synergy. By reducing jungle swaps, his pathing became less predictable to the enemy.

But why… why couldn’t they win the game?

Lin Jiang had secured advantages and launched multiple assaults on mid lane, yet he couldn’t break through at all.

Even when small skirmishes broke out in the mid-game and they forced the enemy mid laner to recall, there was always someone to fill the gap, defending relentlessly. After pushing for a full 10 minutes, Lin Jiang suddenly realized. He had fallen into a trap!

It was all part of HIT’s web!

So meticulously woven, without a single flaw!

Was this HIT’s true strength?

On the big screen, Lin Jiang initiated many crucial team fights, and their kill count remained favorable. Yet something felt off about how the game was progressing.

Domestic commentators also noticed the issue: “Why does it feel like the gold lead isn’t widening?”

Without a significant gold lead, HIT wasn’t at a disadvantage. Moreover, they had drafted a late-game composition. If things dragged on, OT would inevitably lose.

Lin Jiang glanced at the stats panel and immediately saw the problem. “Their gold isn’t falling behind.”

Hearing this, the team’s morale dipped. If the gold lead wasn’t widening, it meant their early-game strategy had already failed.

They couldn’t continue like this. They needed to find a way to turn things around. Zhang Mingying suggested, “I can flank and look for opportunities.”

“No, they’ve already figured you out. Every opening is a trap they’ve set for you.”

Lin Jiang remained calm. He could sense he was up against five equally battle-hardened players with flawless tactics.

Individually, none of them might match his skill, perhaps not even ranking in the world’s top three. But as a team, their coordination could defeat any opponent in the world.

Lin Jiang had always been confident, believing he could overcome anyone on this path. But what if that opponent was an entire team?

He suddenly lost all his confidence.

A drop of sweat fell onto the back of his hand, and only then did Lin Jiang realize how nervous he had become. His throat tightened, and every command he issued seemed to drain all the strength from his body.

The situation was growing increasingly unfavorable for them. Before the team fight even began, OT had already lost two players.

Lin Jiang refused to give up. He unleashed a wave of extreme damage, instantly cutting the enemy team’s three members down to half-health.

Shen Ju didn’t give up either. With terrifying hand speed, he relentlessly attacked his opponents. Jumping in, kiting back, dodging, countless spears pierced the enemies’ hearts. The entire nation roared in excitement. If Shen Ju could kill the frontline with his spear, it would push through to the enemies behind, resulting in a triple kill for HIT. This was the legendary “Spear Push Technique,” capable of annihilating foes in an instant!

Just as all his efforts were about to pay off, the enemy top laner Flashed in and struck Shen Ju down with a single blow.

Shen Ju’s hand trembled uncontrollably. So close. Just a little more. He watched helplessly as the enemy advanced over his corpse, powerless to do anything.

After holding on for so long, was defeat still the inevitable outcome?

No one spoke in the voice chat. As the Nexus shattered, they finally understood the suffocating pressure WAG had faced when they were reverse-swept after leading 2:0. It truly was a mountain heavy enough to crush a person.

The domestic backlash exploded.

They had secured the match point, so why had they lost two games in a row?

They had gained the upper hand this game, so why were they always just a little short, forever falling just shy of victory?

Last game, Shen Ju had already given his absolute best. It really had come down to that tiny margin, that one last push. But the battlefield was merciless, grinding all their hopes into dust.

The HIT players finally relaxed, their smiles bright and triumphant. After winning two consecutive games, their momentum was scorching hot, and their morale for the next match would far surpass OT’s.

As for OT? Let them sink slowly into their own hell.

“Still, I’m a bit wary of that sgod kid. His mechanics and hand speed in that last fight clearly exceeded our expectations.”

“Wasn’t he supposed to have a hand injury? Why didn’t it seem to affect him at all?”

“You know how players are. When they mess up, they’ll find any excuse. A hand injury is pretty convenient, isn’t it?”

The five of them exchanged knowing smiles. After witnessing OT’s true level, they finally shed the weight of their doubts.

Lin Jiang? Not so impressive after all.

The so-called “World’s Best Mid Laner”? Overrated.

Korean netizens, seeing this, reignited their hopes, fervently hyping up HIT and claiming the first two games had just been warm-ups. The real battle would begin in the third game.

Meanwhile, back home, the hunt for scapegoats was underway.

Lin Jiang had overperformed. Shen Ju had overperformed. And yet they still lost, so who on the team was to blame?

The top laner, the jungler, the support, all were dragged out and flayed to varying degrees under the microscope of public scrutiny, their every flaw magnified endlessly.

Old Mao still tried to defend the players: “It’s their first Worlds. To perform like this is already impressive. Honestly, OT has exceeded my expectations.”

But his words did little to soothe the fans’ fury. If OT had been crushed 0:2 from the start, they wouldn’t feel this way.

But they had taken two games. They clearly had what it took to win. Last game, they were just a hair’s breadth away and yet they lost. Wasn’t this enough to give them all heart attacks?

Might as well not watch this damn tournament at all and just wait for the final result!

The emotions of everyone were tied to this match. Many were already saying that Lin Jiang had what it took to be a champion; it was OT that couldn’t keep up with his pace.

Public opinion drowned out all other voices, its impact no less devastating than the day TG suffered that shocking upset. They had already died once that day, but OT had told them there was still hope.

Yet in the end, after holding onto boundless optimism and pushing through to the final stretch, they realized OT had left them with a bad ending too.

[I can’t take this anymore, I’ll come back in half an hour to check the results.]

[If you’re gonna kill me, don’t use a dull knife. I’m already bruised all over!]

[Why must I suffer like this at such a young age?]

[If I’d known it’d be like this, I’d rather not have been given hope.]

[This hurts so much, I feel sick.]

[OT, please don’t lose.]

[No…]

[I’m begging you!!]

Comebacks from 0:2 to 3:2 had happened many times before, but after losing two games in a row, the players’ mental states would often crumble, severely affecting the final deciding match.

Even before leaving the stage, Lin Jiang noticed something off about Zhou Wen. He seemed unusually cold, shivering under the jacket Ryan had prepared for him, muttering to himself all the while.

The pressure on the players was immense, and Zhou Wen’s mental defenses were fragile. His muttering might have been his way of coping when pushed to the limit.

Even Song Zhixu, usually shameless, couldn’t stop fidgeting and taking deep breaths. If even he was nervous, the pressure must have been overwhelming.

Fortunately, Shen Ju and Zhang Mingying remained steady. Lin Jiang discussed some issues with them before Li Qian suddenly called him over.

Li Qian was acting strangely too, clutching his notebook excitedly as he said, “I found their weakness… I found HIT’s weakness…”

In an instant, everyone looked up at him.

The atmosphere in the venue was electric, with fans from both sides refusing to back down. The Korean commentators on stage, although outwardly neutral, couldn’t hide the smugness in their smiles.

The Chinese commentators weren’t about to be outdone. Since they weren’t the organizers, they held nothing back. “2:2 is just a tie, right? It’s anyone’s game now, no telling who’ll win.”

This snapped the domestic audience back to reality. No matter what, they hadn’t lost yet. Hah, both teams were at match point. Who was afraid of whom?

[OT, you better win!!!]

[I forbid you to lose! WIN!]

And so, the final deciding game began!

Lin Jiang’s expression was resolute, Shen Ju’s gaze sharp. The rest of the team followed closely behind, their striking looks and presence making even the usually carefree Li Qian seem mysteriously profound.

The lineups on both sides were similar to the previous match, with HIT even optimizing their support role. It is clearly their ultimate trump card hidden until the very end. Their five players faced the camera with confident expressions, as if they had already won the game.

Meanwhile, OT continued to pick Ornn for the top lane and Kalista + Alistar for the bot lane. As for the mid laner…

The domestic commentator was full of anticipation. “What champion will river pick for the final game of Worlds? Will he go for his LeBlanc? I think this champion fits today’s composition perfectly.”

Under the expectant gazes of everyone, Lin Jiang locked in a champion never before seen in Worlds. Corki, the Daring Bombardier.

Commonly known as “Corki.”

This marksman champion converts a significant portion of its AD damage into AP damage, making it a hybrid-damage hero and a relatively common mid lane pick.

But why does no one play it?

Because its margin for error is too low. It’s extremely easy to lose your lane. Once that happens, the game is practically over.

But if Lin Jiang chose it…

HIT’s expressions suddenly changed.

The brilliance of their ultimate trump card lay in its subtlety, like a soft blade silently slicing the opponent’s throat, watching them bleed without realizing it. Meanwhile, the opponent lacks the ability to deliver a decisive blow, leaving them powerless to resist, slowly succumbing to their fate.

Lin Jiang had gained an advantage in almost every laning phase, but against their ultimate strategy, that advantage couldn’t be expanded. It would dissipate like cotton, slowly neutralizing his impact.

That was exactly how OT had lost the previous game.

They had the advantage, but it wasn’t lethal, only to be slowly bled out by an invisible, dull blade.

When Li Qian analyzed the data, he initially couldn’t pinpoint the issue, but he firmly believed no composition was without weaknesses. Riot’s ultimate goal was to balance player experience.

There had to be a weakness to exploit.

After relentless searching, he finally found it.

He told them, “As long as you can secure a game-ending advantage in one push, HIT’s soft blade will become completely useless.”

Lin Jiang frowned. “We can’t possibly gain that kind of advantage against them. The skill gap is too narrow.”

Li Qian’s excitement was barely contained. “Then what if you pick champions that maximize gold efficiency? You and Shen Ju each take one. Combined, your advantages should be enough.”

Everyone wants gold-efficient champions, but there’s a paradox: high reward means high risk.

However, exceptions exist. Monsters like Lin Jiang and Shen Ju, who could maximize a champion’s survivability, effectively granting them an extra survival buff.

“You, plus Shen Ju. With your skills, it’s completely doable. I believe in you!”

Shen Ju stuck with Kalista, while Lin Jiang boldly locked in Corki. These two champions had a terrifying mid-game power spike. Combined, they could spell doom for HIT.

Seeing OT bring out something new, fans were thrilled. This meant OT wasn’t going down without a fight!

Amid the cheers from both sides, the game began.

The opposing mid laner tried to play safe and farm as before, but Lin Jiang showed no mercy, relentlessly harassing him until he didn’t dare even approach the minions.

Hybrid damage champions are too powerful, minimizing the enemy’s dual resistance benefits and solidifying their own advantage.

Lin Jiang reached Level 3, holding onto his W ability ready to escape at any moment, allowing him to trade recklessly with the opponent while they had to worry about whether Zhang Mingying was lurking nearby.

Zhang Mingying, just like in the previous game, completely ignored jungle tempo and went all-out with ganks, Level 2 gank bot and Level 3 gank mid, while leaving the top lane to fend for itself.

Lin Jiang and Shen Ju were quickly fed by him. Although Zhang Mingying fell behind in gold and levels, he was playing Lee Sin in this game, a champion whose effectiveness isn’t heavily reliant on economy.

HIT soon felt the pressure and organized two small skirmishes, but without exception, they couldn’t withstand the damage from OT’s dual carries and had to concede the dragon.

By the 15-minute mark, no kills had occurred, yet OT already held a 3,000 gold lead.

Although it was only 3,000, Lin Jiang’s Corki dealt hybrid damage, hitting extremely hard, while Shen Ju’s Kalista had piercing effects, making her damage equally devastating. Their current damage output was effectively 5,000 gold ahead of the enemy.

HIT’s expressions darkened, their earlier confidence completely gone.

How had OT cracked their supposedly unbeatable ultimate composition so quickly after just one incomplete game?

In the lounge, Li Qian clenched his fists, watching this career-defining battle with immense pressure, muttering to himself, “My decisions aren’t wrong. Good, just keep this momentum going…”

Just as OT was surging ahead, HIT entered their unkillable cockroach mode, stubbornly clinging to the economy with tight macro play, preventing OT from extending their lead for a full 10 minutes.

This was a bad omen. OT had lost the previous game in exactly this way!

Old Mao nervously wiped his sweat. “OT, keep attacking! Don’t stop, don’t repeat last game’s mistakes.”

Lin Jiang understood better than anyone. If they didn’t break the deadlock now, they would lose everything.

He let out a heavy breath.

The more tense the situation, the calmer he had to be. In moments like these, the side that panicked first would lose.

Lin Jiang rushed toward the dragon pit where all ten players gathered, ready to decide the outcome.

HIT struck first, but Lin Jiang reacted lightning-fast. Instead of using W to escape, he reversed direction and dove straight into their backline!

The commentators were stunned: “What?! river is engaging with his body! Since when does Corki frontline engage?!!”

After picking up the Special Delivery package¹The Package – After 10:00, The Package The Package is delivered to both corners of the allied fountain, which can be selected by Corki to pick up after channeling for 1 second. Upon completion of the channel, Corki gains one cast of Special Delivery Special Delivery for 45 seconds, replacing Valkyrie Valkyrie for the duration. While holding the The Package The Package, Corki gains 40% bonus movement speed out of combat and ghosting. Corki cannot start the channel to pick up The Package while he is unable to cast abilities. Corki dashes with displacement immunity to the target location, knocking aside all enemies in his path 500 units and leaving behind a trail of fire for 5 seconds, which grants sight of the area for its duration and for 3 seconds afterwards. Casting Special Delivery instantly resets Valkyrie’s Valkyrie’s cooldown., Corki’s W flight distance doubles, giving Lin Jiang the range to reach the enemy backline.

Lin Jiang left a blazing trail as he flew straight into the enemy AD’s face, unleashing his full combo in one second and chunking all three HIT backliners to critical health!

Zhang Mingying Flashed down without hesitation, landing a W that kicked up three enemies. Lin Jiang fired a shell, securing the AD’s head, then another to claim the support’s life.

Although Lin Jiang initiated perfectly, the Corki’s survivability was simply too low. He only managed to deal 2.5 seconds of damage before falling to the enemy’s hands.

But it was enough. He had unleashed every ounce of his damage!

Under Zhou Wen’s protection, Shen Ju continuously tumbled, triggering displacement mechanics with each auto-attack, deftly dodging enemy skills while relentlessly kiting. No one could kill him and no one could escape him!

Any enemy marked by Kalista had only two choices: kill him or await their doom.

HIT knew perfectly well. If Shen Ju didn’t die, they would. They charged at him like madmen, but just like Shen Ju in the previous game, they were always one step short, forever missing that final victory.

Blood spilled freely. Blades gleamed sharp.

The last spear pierced an enemy’s heart, releasing all the pent-up tension in this cathartic moment.

The domestic commentators went wild. “sgod is still kiting! He’s still alive! The spear takes down HIT’s last member. A triple kill and an ace! My god, OT’s dual carries have never lost to anyone!”

Never lost to anyone!

This was the confidence ingrained in LPL’s blood.

OT had lost matches in this World Championship, but their dual carries truly had never fallen short against anyone!

Stained with blood, Shen Ju’s eyes burned fiercely as he secured the third dragon and pushed down the mid-high ground, widening the gold gap to 6,000.

Against such an overwhelming lead, all tactics seemed pitiful.

HIT struggled desperately but ultimately couldn’t withstand OT’s Dragon Soul. Forced into another team fight, they lost three members. It was the beginning of their defeat.

Old Mao in the livestream roared. “Holy shit, this is insane! Lin Jiang and Shen Ju are too strong. How can these two be on the same team? Together, they’re literally invincible!”

[Hahaha, dying laughing. Weren’t you just trashing Shen Ju before?]

[Back when Lin Jiang first joined OT, you were losing your mind on stream.]

[LOL, feels like the in-laws finally approving of the son-in-law.]

[Honestly, Shen Ju is OT’s biggest surprise. He’s so talented. Given time, he might even surpass Lin Jiang’s achievements.]

[But I still think Lin Jiang’s engages are next-level. Corki diving in like that? If it were anyone else, I’d flame them to death.]

Although fans complained about Lin Jiang’s reckless engages, their hearts swelled with pride and sorrow. Their Lin Jiang would always be the team’s unshakable pillar.

With Dragon Soul secured, HIT stood no chance against OT. When Baron spawned, the gold gap hit 12,000. Even HIT’s elite macro couldn’t bridge such a deficit. They could only stall for dear life.

Lin Jiang didn’t hesitate. Rallying his team, he pressed the advantage mercilessly, refusing to give HIT any opening for a comeback.

This time, Lin Jiang still had his Package and a Guardian Angel²Guardian Angel (GA) is a viable defensive item option for Corki, typically built as one of the last items in his build path. It provides a valuable mix of offensive and defensive stats, and its unique passive offers crucial survivability in late-game team fights.. Once again, he dove headfirst into the enemy ranks, shredding two before falling, only to rise again.

Shen Ju went on a relentless offensive. When Lin Jiang revived and got up, he saw that Shen Ju had already wiped out the enemy team, leaving only their mid laner standing. Lin Jiang couldn’t help but chuckle before firing a precise shot, delivering yet another team wipe.

With a respawn timer as long as 50 seconds, it would only take Lin Jiang’s team a little over ten seconds to destroy the Nexus.

HIT had already lost!

This sent the Korean netizens who had been waiting for a miracle into instant despair. If they were going to lose eventually, it would’ve been better not to win those two earlier games!

Domestic broadcasts were flooded with congratulatory messages for OT covering the entire screen. The commentators, their eyes brimming with tears, began announcing, “Let us congratulate OT for claiming the World Championship title after such a grueling journey!”

As the final moment arrived, the Nexus exploded, casting a pall over the ashen faces of HIT’s five players, a stark contrast to OT’s entire team tearing off their headsets, jumping up, and embracing each other.

Everyone watching the screen was moved to tears, overwhelmed by an indescribable feeling, as if their very souls had been shaken.

Some felt profound relief for Lin Jiang. Relief that he had climbed out of the mud and returned to the peak where he belonged.

Others were overjoyed for OT. Joy that in their worst year, they had found Lin Jiang, who led them down a path they had never dared to imagine.

There were also those deeply moved by the LPL. Amid TG’s shocking defeat, when everyone lamented “the game is dead, the league is over,” when hearts had grown cold and uninstall rates soared, Lin Jiang had led OT to reignite the dying embers!

At this moment, Lin Jiang was a god in their hearts, and OT had secured an unshakable status!

[Ahhhhh! I’m literally bowing to all five of them right now!]

[Damn, even a 185cm tall guy like me is crying from emotion.]

[As long as Lin Jiang and Shen Ju are alive, I feel like they can’t lose. Those two are already gods in my heart.]

[The entire OT team are gods in my eyes! I declare, OT is my favorite team, no contest!]

[So weird. Just now, I felt all kinds of discomfort. Chest tightness, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat. But the moment OT won, all my symptoms vanished!]

[Hahahaha I’m gonna wake up laughing in the middle of the night…]

— — — —

• 1
  The Package – After 10:00, The Package The Package is delivered to both corners of the allied fountain, which can be selected by Corki to pick up after channeling for 1 second. Upon completion of the channel, Corki gains one cast of Special Delivery Special Delivery for 45 seconds, replacing Valkyrie Valkyrie for the duration. While holding the The Package The Package, Corki gains 40% bonus movement speed out of combat and ghosting. Corki cannot start the channel to pick up The Package while he is unable to cast abilities. Corki dashes with displacement immunity to the target location, knocking aside all enemies in his path 500 units and leaving behind a trail of fire for 5 seconds, which grants sight of the area for its duration and for 3 seconds afterwards. Casting Special Delivery instantly resets Valkyrie’s Valkyrie’s cooldown.
• 2
  Guardian Angel (GA) is a viable defensive item option for Corki, typically built as one of the last items in his build path. It provides a valuable mix of offensive and defensive stats, and its unique passive offers crucial survivability in late-game team fights.