The upcoming matches are not as packed as before, with only one or two matches per day.

The main reason was that both the losers’ bracket and the regular group had finished filtering out the teams, and the playoffs were already halfway through. Now the competition was fierce; every match was like a showdown between gods, and every team was pulling out their best strategies to ensure they could go further.

Keep in mind that the top two teams from the spring season would have secured tickets to the Summer World Championship.

…… Although one of the tickets was already reserved for QAQ.

But, what if?

What if QAQ had a slip-up?

Even a salted fish had to have a dream.

JK’s fans were not included among these hopeful salted fish.

They’ve been lying down ever since JK made it into the relegation matches. Now that they hear JK was about to face ARE, they’re just slightly raising their not-so-salty fish fins:

[Good luck]

[Fighting]

[If you win, it’s a sure thing; if you lose, no big deal]

[If you can go one level further, I think I could bathe in incense and kneel to thank my ancestors. Of course, if you lose, well……the champion already has QAQ’s name on it.]

Honestly, JK making it this far in the playoffs was already beyond what the fans expected.

For other teams, that was just unimaginable.

Could fans really be this chill?

Upon seeing Yu Yue going crazy with excitement seeing a fan, it sparked something in a lot of people. So even if they did not have high hopes for their team, JK’s fans still occupied a solid portion of the seats.

It was about a 50-50 split with ARE’s fans.

When Yu Yue peeked out from the player tunnel, she immediately spotted four or five girls in the second row holding up big signs:

“Kiddo, Mommy’s here for your parent-teacher conference!”

Since it was not JK’s turn yet, the girls were not holding them up high, just keeping it low-key.

But Yu Yue had good eyesight and still saw them.

She immediately covered her face with her hands: “……”

So embarrassing, but——

She was really freaking happy.

Lu Qi gently pulled her hands down, “Are you secretly happy?”

Yu Yue: “……”

I have very few fans!

“They’ll become more in the future.” Captain Lu said slowly, as if he could read her mind, “But right now, you need to get back to the lounge immediately. What kind of professional player peeks around like a thief? It’s so unseemly!”

Before the match between JK and ARE, was the match between LM and ADS.

When JK arrived, it was their last game.。

Speaking of LM, Yu Yue was not really familiar with them since they did not face LM in the losers’ bracket——they got lucky and advanced by default.

But today, LM’s luck was about to run out.

ADS was not really a strong team; they’re more of a mid-tier team at best.

Until they had a player named CET4.

This player whose ID translates to ‘English Level Four,’ played like a beast. He could even go toe-to-toe with QAQ’s marksman, even solo killing him sometimes.

So, ADS’s core strategy had been ‘four protect one,’ with all the other players protecting the ADC, essentially acting as bodyguards for CET4.

“If CET4 makes it to the late game, his damage is unbeatable. With his positioning and the whole team protecting him, we won’t even get a chance to touch him.”

Back in the lounge, the coach was discussing strategies with the assistant coach on how to deal with ADS.

——If JK could make it through today, their next opponent would undoubtedly be ADS.

CET4 would be a formidable rival they had to face.

“Why aren’t you guys talking about how to deal with the team next door?” Lu Qi said while pushing his support into the room. “We haven’t even defeated ARE yet and you all are already thinking about facing ADS. Our team is getting way too cocky from top to bottom!”

Da Qing nodded his head repeatedly, “Exactly, way too cocky!”

Coach: “……”

Ling Chen: “ Haven’t we played enough practice matches with ARE?  They used to protect their ADC, just like ADS, but now they’ve shifted to a more operational style. Shi Nian is a utility mage player, just protecting the mid turret and mainly providing CC in the late game. Before level four, there will definitely be a gank. Their ADC, Yang aka ‘The Sun,’ is mainly responsible for pushing and taking the dragons, so they’ll be eager to free him from the lane.”

“ARE will force a team fight around level four.” As soon as she heard the ongoing tactical discussion, Yu Yue seemed to find her stride, actively marking the bushes and paths that ARE often uses for initiating fights on the strategy board. “We need to be especially cautious of these two areas. ARE’s captain, Qing Guang, loves to set up ambushes here, though I don’t really know why. I’ll try to take control of the vision in these two spots if you guys need it.”

Both the jungler and support are roamers.

To ensure the mid laner’s safety, Yu Yue hardly stopped moving throughout the game.

These two spots were where she often intercepted Qing Guang and Yang during practice matches.

“And then,” Yu Yue continued, “Qi Ge’s going to have a tough time laning against Shi Nian. Their play styles are very different. Qi Ge is good at burst mages, while Shi Nian prefers those stable turret defenders. If you’re not careful, Shi Nian could easily catch you off guard and turn the tables. Also, from what I’ve observed, Qing Guang is very aware that I like playing mid-support, so to balance things out, he and the jungler will definitely be hanging around the mid lane.”

Ling Chen pondered for a moment and asked, “Any ideas?”

The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

“Double roaming with jungler and support,” the coach said.

Previously, JK’s strategy involved the mid laner, jungler, and support to roam and gank, while the other two lanes focused on farming or holding their own.

But that strategy relied on having absolute control and advantage in the mid lane.

If the mid laner is being suppressed under the turret and constantly at risk of dying, that strategy won’t work.

The mid turret is still crucial after all.

In the first game of ARE vs JK, when everyone thought Lu Qi would go for a burst mage, he ultimately locked in Zhou Yu!

The commentators lost their cool on the spot, “Zhou Yu being picked definitely means it’s for Qi Ge. Since the playoffs started, it seems that we haven’t seen JK’s mid laner use his signature burst mages. Does this signify a change in JK’s playstyle? The other side clearly didn’t ban a single burst mage!”

“They banned Diao Chan,” Commentator B gently corrected the previous commentator. “Wan’er and Kongming were left open. If it were before, Qi Ge would definitely hesitate to pick——because the opposing mid laner is Milady.”

Commentator A: “ARE is trying to tempt Qi Ge into picking a burst mage. Look at Milady; she’s short-legged, and just walking around draws aggro. She makes you want to attack her. But if you actually go for it and mess up your damage, you’ll be the one who dies. If Qi Ge dies, JK will lose a their momentum.”

“Exactly, and Milady is known as the woman who brings her own minions. She can clear a whole lane by herself, and those minions are endless, which is really annoying. Shi Nian wants to use her to trap Qi Ge in mid lane——Aren’t burst mages supposed to be good at roaming? Now you can’t even clear your lane, let’s see how you roam. If Qi Ge goes to roam, the mid turret will definitely fall. If he doesn’t roam, then what’s the point of playing a burst mage?”

Commentator A: “And most burst mages struggle with wave clearing.”

Commentator C finally managed to interject among the chatter. “Previously, LZ’s strategy against Qi Ge’s burst mages was to ban them all or to pick them to deny him. Now ARE has introduced a new approach——not just limiting Qi Ge to the mid lane, but also applying pressure there——You want to roam and catch someone? Sure, but your turret will be gone.'”

If it were the Lu Qi from the past, he might have actually been intimidated.

But not the Lu Qi now.

Aren’t you just playing Milady? Aren’t you going to pressure me in mid lane?

Then I’ll just pick someone who clears the minion waves faster than you.

If I can’t leave, you won’t be able to either.

……

JK originally agreed on the jungler and support double roaming, all the mid laner had to do was to withstand the pressure from the opposing team.

But Captain Lu said that he could also roam.

Now with this utility hero Zhou Yu being picked, Yu Yue clearly saw that the members of ARE looked green in the face, especially mid-laner Shi Nian, who had a face full of resentment and the words ‘you guys tricked me.’

Da Qing exclaimed, “They’re panicking!”

Da Ming chimed in, “They’re definitely panicking; I can read their lips!”

“We have never picked Zhou Yu in our practice matches, so they don’t know Qi Ge has this up his sleeve,” the coach said.

In fact, no one expected that one day Lu Qi would use a utility hero.

So not only was ARE was panicking, but so was JK.

“Qingguang and the others must think we’ll pick Wan’er,” Chen Ling rationally analyzed. “Wan’er at level four with Cleanse can take down Milady. But at level four, they’ll definitely be lurking in the mid lane bushes waiting for Qi Ge; as soon as Wan’er shows any sign of flying, they’ll come in to take down that cocky mid-laner. To counter Wan’er, they’ll probably pick some heroes with silence, like Arthur, or go straight for Zhang Liang? Anyway, their rhythm is all messed up now.”

Da Ming: “I don’t even know if Qi Ge can actually play Zhou Yu, but seeing the other side panic makes me really happy. Hahahahaha.”

The noise in the headset was overwhelming; it was all the joy brought by the opposing team’s confused expressions.

Yu Yue: “……”

You all seem to have forgotten that the moment Qi Ge picked Zhou Yu, you also had expressions of utter shock.

JK’s pick was completely unexpected, and it could even be said to have disrupted ARE’s BP rhythm, causing them to take a long time to pick their next hero:

Lu Bu.

They probably wanted to forcibly engage Zhou Yu.

Or maybe they just wanted to add some tankiness.

Aside from Lu Qi’s Zhou Yu, the rest of the positions were mostly filled with predicted heroes they were comfortable with.

To coordinate with the jungler for team fights, Yu Yue chose the support hero Gui Guzi.

Yes, Gui Guzi again.

Yu Yue’s face looked green.

The commentators burst into laughter, “It seems JK really has an obsession with the hero Gui Guzi; all their supports’ Gui Guzi are amazing.”

“Have you noticed that every time Miss Eden comes on stage, her first game is basically always with Gui Guzi?” Commentator B joked, “Is this a silent battle with Lian?”

If Yu Yue could hear their wild chatter on stage, she would definitely retort loudly, “Who wants to battle with Lian! I’m just trying to stabilize the team’s morale for victory!”

There’s only this much heroes who can initiate team fights!

“My biggest wish in this life,” During the countdown, Yu Yue had a ‘I’m so done’ face, “Is for a good-looking hero who can initiate team fights to come out in Honor of King.”

Lu Qi: “You’re daydreaming.”

At this moment, the countdown ended, and the game loaded.