At the start of the game, both PNG and FR played it safe — neither side showed any intention of grouping up for an invasion or fighting a level-one skirmish.
The supports from both teams silently placed defensive wards at the entrances to their buff zones, as if the words “don’t mess around at level one” had been etched into their DNA.
Chao Mi stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm… looks like both sides are choosing a conservative opening. PNG avoiding a level-one fight makes sense — their jungler–mid duo is pretty weak early on. But FR’s lineup has much stronger early-game skirmishing power; I’m surprised they’re not going for an invade either.”
“It’s actually not that hard to see the pattern if you look at FR’s recent matches,” Li Yin explained. “Since the summer season began, their level-one engagements have dropped significantly.”
“It might be because they’re putting their bets on the bot lane,” she continued. “If Gaogao doesn’t pick Executioner, he can’t really come online until mid or late game. So FR usually prefers a stable, scaling start — unless they have an overwhelming level-one advantage, they rarely take the initiative to invade.”
Chao Mi nodded in agreement. “Exactly. You can tell FR would rather avoid the possibility of their bot lane collapsing than risk a level-one invade that might give them an advantage.”
The female commentator added, “PNG’s level-one isn’t strong, but it’s not completely helpless either. I think FR’s just being cautious — but ironically, that actually helps Cloud.”
“Fanlei, that jungler, is quite vulnerable to early invades,” she explained. “As we mentioned before the match, there are two main ways to counter the Fan’en and Fanlei combo — one is to invade early and disrupt Fanlei’s jungle rhythm; the other is to pressure mid and keep Fan’en locked under tower.”
“If FR can’t pressure Cloud in the jungle, then Reling will have to find a way to open up the mid lane against Wind!”
[Everyone knows the theory — doing it is another story.]
[All this flowery commentary — just say it straight: ‘open up the mid lane’ means what? Solo kill. If Reling really solo kills Feng-bao, FR’s already halfway to victory.]
[If that actually happens, Reling would be the number one mid in the league… Wind’s terrifying. He hasn’t been solo killed once this whole season.]
[If this keeps up, they’ll have to make a league-wide “Operation Midlane Unite Against Wind” campaign someday…]
[“Keep him locked mid” — easier said than done. Did you even see his ID^^? Reling himself admitted he almost developed a phobia of Wind after the training match. You can tell by his expression — the camera keeps cutting to him, and he looks dead serious.]
[Honestly, who wouldn’t be serious? You think you can joke around while laning against Feng-bao? He’ll turn you into a 0–10 highlight reel…]
[Why not joke around? It’s not like we’re pros. If I ever queue into Feng-bao, I’d probably laugh myself to death (lol).]
[Remember Feng-bao’s stream with God Yun? Feng-bao played the fawn and just hunted a lobby full of 60-star players, and they were still giggling like fools^^ Anyone else would’ve rage-quit after being stomped like that.]
[Someone posted screenshots in his Weibo fan tag — all the midlaners who faced PNG during their seven-win streak… it’s hilarious and tragic. Every “midlane king” looks like a broken man (no offense).]
[And that one shot of AQ’s support clutching his head in disbelief after getting one-shot — that’s become a meme now (painful).]
Reading that, a bunch of fans got curious and ran off to Weibo, diving into the #PNG_Wind tag to find those screenshots — and, as usual, they dropped by #MyJungleBelongsToYou (which was already dying in popularity) to light a virtual incense stick.
Since PNG was playing live, the fan tag was moving fast, and it took them a while to dig through all the “eeekkkk” spam and random screaming. When they finally found the pictures, they realized the screenshots were way more ridiculous than expected.
AQ’s mid Dami, KEG’s Morning, NTT’s Suvry…
One after another, the players well-known to fans seemed to have turned into emoji-producing specialists—open any nine-grid image collage, and it’s like watching a grand live show of Sima faces (deadpan or contemptuous expressions).
Though they had different faces and wore different team uniforms, the players’ expressions were strikingly identical — slightly dazed faces with furrowed brows, mouths slightly open in shock, pupils unfocused, staring at their black-and-white game screens as if pondering the meaning of life, their looks embodying utter disbelief and transcendent detachment from the world.
The blogger had even added bold black captions over the images:
#What’s he doing? What am I doing? How did I die?#
#Holy crap, how was that even possible?#
#Hello? Is your champion swimming in the river?#
#Dear devs!! Please look at this guy!!#
Comment: Breaking news: a new series of brutal crimes have emerged in our city. The suspect is a 19-year-old handsome man who forces innocent civilians into 1v1s midlane and kills them mercilessly. Victims report symptoms of cold limbs and mental collapse…
Comment: Stat-guy here: 7 solo kills against the league’s 48 starting mids — I’m saying it first, this is insane.
Comment: There are 48 teams in HPL. Did you just include Wind himself? What’s that, ‘I solo killed myself?
Comment: If you count like that, yeah — no midlaner will ever solo-kill every midlaner again (lol).
Comment: Watching the stream now. He picked Fan’en again… As we all know, Fan’en’s a weak 1v1 champ. Could Reling be the first to survive a solo-kill attempt?
Comment: Realistically? Maybe. If Fanlei comes to gank, it’s not solo anymore. 1v1, Fran slaps Fan’en. She could kill him with her feet.
Comment: ? I’m dying laughing. Don’t jinx yourself two minutes in. Every game you guys say ‘he’ll get stomped,’ and every game Feng-bao rubs your faces into the floor.
Comment: Pulling up a chair for this one. I’ve got your username noted — can’t wait for the face-slap highlight^^.
But little did the fans in chat or comments know — Reling’s thoughts were perfectly in sync with theirs.
He too was anticipating the midlane clash. On paper, his hero had the upper hand; even if he didn’t go for a solo kill, trading evenly with Feng-bao would already be a win.
But Sui Ning had clearly seen through his intentions — and gave him no chance to trade at all.
When the weaker side faces the stronger, their strategy and precision must be far more disciplined — and in this, Sui Ning was clearly doing better than Xu Zhiyi.
Once both sides safely reached level five, it was Xu Zhiyi who began to grow anxious.
Between his rapid keystrokes, his left hand kept subconsciously tapping Tab to check Sui Ning’s minion score — only to find they were even. After all that fancy maneuvering, he hadn’t managed to suppress the other’s growth at all.
…This won’t do! If this keeps up, aren’t we just farming peacefully? Xu Zhiyi bit his lower lip in frustration, trying to come up with a plan.
Should he take a bigger risk…?
He fixed his eyes on Fan’en’s movements, hoping to spot a flaw in his rhythm.
But before long, he realized in defeat — his brother really was merciless. There wasn’t a single opening! With that kind of movement, if he charged in recklessly, getting dodged and countered would be the best outcome — he’d absolutely lose out!
Damn it, compared to their previous training matches, Feng-bao seemed even stronger! Xu Zhiyi was nearly in tears.
Just as the mid lane stalemate dragged on, their jungler Xiaopang (Tang Yu) spoke up.
Switching his camera over and seeing Xu Zhiyi’s situation, Tang Yu suggested, “I’ll come help you gank mid. If we catch Wind once, it’ll be easier for you.”
As he spoke, he was already moving his Shadow of Vengeance toward mid.
“Alright…” Xu Zhiyi replied, nodding.
But for some reason, his gaze instinctively swept over the bushes on both sides of mid lane.
The dark river and those seemingly harmless shrubs instantly set off alarms in Xu Zhiyi’s mind. His instincts screamed danger — and he quickly changed his mind. “No, don’t come! We can’t fight this — Cloud’s definitely lying in ambush!”
From what he knew of his “Brother Feng” and “God Yun,” in these key tempo moments, Ji Yunyu would never leave Sui Ning’s side unguarded. He’d be nearby to protect mid lane’s rhythm for sure!
Tang Yu: ?
Though he didn’t understand how Xu Zhiyi could be so sure, he didn’t question him either. He just turned around decisively: “Alright, stall them a bit. I’ll go bot for dragon.”
Xu Zhiyi: “Got it!”
He felt a flicker of excitement — it was as if he’d found a new way to play the game. If he couldn’t gain advantage in lane, then he’d act as the bait, holding mid-jungle pressure and buying time for his bot lane to win!
——
When Tang Yu suddenly turned back, even the commentators watching from the omniscient spectator view were stunned.
Chao Mi exclaimed, “Oh—! Xiaopang’s move is so smart! He left a warded area, farmed his camps, and now approaches from fog of war. Cloud’s been camping in that right-side bush waiting to counter-gank — this was the setup! But neither side actually has vision on each other!”
“At the crucial moment, Xiaopang’s instincts are razor sharp! It’s like he felt something was off, instantly switching paths to head bot instead!”
“Gaogao and Col truly live up to their reputation as one of the league’s top marksman–support duos. Even against PNG’s incredibly strong hero combo, they’re holding their ground—actually pressuring Mior’s last-hitting in lane! Xiaopang’s moving toward the bot lane now—there’s a real chance they’ll dive the tower!”
Li Yin’s tone grew tense. “But how did he know? We all know mid movement can give away counter-ganks, but Wind’s position didn’t reveal Cloud at all! With fog of war on, there’s no way to tell Cloud’s in that bush!”
Chao Mi didn’t quite get it either, but guessed anyway: “Maybe that’s the legendary ‘sixth sense’ of a top-tier jungler! Xiaopang’s an old king of the jungle, after all — he’s even been to Worlds!”
[Term explained: The Jungler’s Sixth Sense — also known as ‘wallhack,’ or ‘x-ray vision.’]
[??? This is absurd, how’s that not wallhack??]
[Brother Pang, you could at least pretend not to have cheats on (laughs)]
[Wait, seriously, can someone explain how he saw that?]
[No one can! Wind acted way too natural — you couldn’t tell God Yun was camping there without vision. Brother Pang just knows God Yun too well. My guess: pre-match analysis with the coaches?]
Luckily, Xu Zhiyi couldn’t see the live chat — or he’d be shouting in protest: That wasn’t the coaches! It’s because I know my Brother Feng inside out! God Yun? He’s just a side bonus!
But the chat’s focus was clearly not the same as this overexcited fanboy’s.
When Tang Yu smartly turned away, the PNG fans watching live grew visibly nervous, their breathing tightening.
[Xiaopang’s incredible, but if he’s heading bot now… that could get dangerous…]
[Oh no, bot’s in trouble for sure.]
Almost at the same time, Sui Ning and Ji Yunyu both realized something was wrong.
“He’s going bot!”
“He’s diving bot lane.”
Their reaction was instantaneous and perfectly in sync.
But their actions were even faster. Before the words left their mouths, Ji Yunyu was already on the move, sprinting toward bot. Sui Ning didn’t stay idle either — he had been controlling the lane for a safe level six, but now he immediately began pushing.
The logic was simple: if he stayed mid to stall Xu Zhiyi, their bot trio (marksman, support, jungler) would likely lose the 3v3. He had to rotate to help.
Xu Zhiyi saw Sui Ning pushing and immediately understood his intention. His heart pounded with both excitement and nerves. “Brother Pang, Wind’s pushing the lane! They’ve guessed you’re going bot! But you should still reach first!”
“Got it,” Tang Yu replied.
He glanced at the minimap. Even though he couldn’t spot Ji Yunyu’s position, he didn’t doubt Xu Zhiyi’s read — his first thought was that Ji Yunyu was flanking through the jungle.
A 3v3 didn’t scare FR, since Fanlei’s power spike wasn’t strong yet. The only wildcard… was the enemy mid. Tang Yu’s eyes flicked over Sui Ning’s icon, thinking silently.
If Fan’en came to assist, whether it turned into a 4v3 or a 4v4, the fight would become unpredictable. That meant there could be no hesitation — they had to strike fast, precise, and ruthlessly: kill in one blow, then pull out immediately.
With that thought, Tang Yu pinged the map.
[FR_Xiaopang] signals: On my way.
“I’ll be there soon!”
The bot duo, of course, noticed their jungler’s movement right away.
Support Col (Mu Xuesong) was the first to give a quick update: “Their marksman still has Flash but no Heal, their support has no Flash — we can dive this!”
Hearing that, Tang Yu tapped Tab and saw that his own bot lane had only used Ignite; all their other abilities were still ready.
A grin spread across Tang Yu’s chubby face.
He knew it — FR’s bot duo, Yu Gao and Mu Xuesong, had never let the team down. Even without their signature heroes and at a slight hero disadvantage, they’d still managed to outplay PNG’s bot lane and force out key cooldowns purely through superior laning skill!
Now all he had to do was push that advantage — turn their skill lead into kills, gold, and control of the jungle.
Top laner Vitus (Qin Jianglin) chimed in with a critical reminder: “I don’t have Teleport — can’t come down. Their top doesn’t either. Be careful.”
“It’s fine. As long as their top can’t join, 3v3 is ours!” Tang Yu replied quickly. “When I get there, we start right away. Full dive! Their jungler’s on the way — watch his position!”
Mu Xuesong: “Got it, I’ll keep eyes on Cloud.”
Almost at the same time, PNG’s comms lit up with warnings of their own.
Ji Yunyu’s calm but firm voice cut through the noise: “They’re going to dive bot. I’m on my way.”
“Damn it, they’re still diving now?” Lin Zhaoxu grumbled irritably as his health dropped again. “Their marksman is so annoying!”
He was using White Bird, a top-tier meta marksman — yet he was getting completely suppressed. Pure skill difference. The frustration made him lose focus and rhythm.
Cheng Su had already noticed his agitation from the laning movements and kept reminding him, “Don’t panic. Fall back. Wait for Cloud. Do not rush — watch your position. Shadow Hawk’s going to target you first!”
Lin Zhaoxu didn’t reply, but his defiant expression said it all: So what if he targets me? I still have Flash!
Good thing the coach and the rest of the team couldn’t see his face right now — or Chen Chen would’ve stormed onto the stage and smacked him back to his senses.
Even without seeing his teammates, Sui Ning could sense something off just from Lin Zhaoxu’s tone earlier — too hasty, too unfocused.
The young man frowned slightly.
He still had half a wave of minions mid. If he cleared it, he’d hit level six and unlock his ultimate — but by then, it’d be too late to support bot.
…He couldn’t hesitate.
Those four words were a universal truth in any pro match.
This was the perfect timing to roam. Sui Ning made his decision instantly — no second thoughts. He boldly abandoned half the minion wave and turned toward bot lane.
[PNG_Wind] signals: On my way.
Controlling Fan’en, he moved swiftly down the lane and said calmly, “I’m coming. Almost there.”
There was something steady and soothing in his voice — a kind of quiet authority that eased Lin Zhaoxu’s nerves almost immediately.
The hot-headed young marksman cooled down, realizing at last just how important that Flash was. Without saying a word, he subtly shifted his position backward.
Seeing that, Cheng Su finally let out a small sigh of relief.
But the enemy didn’t give them any time to breathe. The next moment, the stoic support’s heart leapt back into his throat—
From within the thick fog of war near the river, FR_Xiaopang’s Shadow of Vengeance emerged.
“Oh my god! Both junglers’ game sense is off the charts!”
As Ji Yunyu stepped out of the bush, the broadcast director toggled the fog of war several times, letting viewers watch from PNG’s, FR’s, and the god-view perspectives.
Neither team actually had vision of the other’s jungler. And yet — as if guided by some unseen force — both seemed to know exactly what the other was doing.
“Is this clairvoyance or what?!” commentator Chao Mi shouted, gripping the desk in excitement. “Xiaopang barely took a few steps before Cloud realized FR was heading bot and followed right after! I don’t even know what to say — people questioned Cloud’s experience as a rookie, but this right here proves his strength!”
“Against a veteran jungler like Xiaopang — someone with Worlds experience — he’s not falling behind at all! You could even say he’s slightly ahead!”
Li Yin’s voice rose in excitement. “But Xiaopang’s still moving faster, and Shadow of Vengeance is way stronger than Fanlei in early skirmishes!”
“There are too many moving parts — both mids can’t join, both tops’ teleports are down. This is going to be a 3v3 bot fight!”
Her brows furrowed. “But PNG’s 3v3 isn’t great — what can they do?! It might be too late to retreat now!”
“PNG’s bot duo are missing cooldowns, and Col’s positioning screams he’s going in! He’s ready to start any second — just waiting for Xiaopang to arrive!”
Chao Mi’s face flushed red with excitement. “This small skirmish could decide the whole early game! The bot lane advantage is huge here, and if— huh?! Wait, what’s this?!”
Spotting a fast-moving icon on the minimap, Chao Mi’s voice jumped. “Am I seeing this right? Wind’s coming bot for this fight? He’s giving up a massive mid wave for it?! He’s not even level six yet!”
But the smoke of battle was about to ignite in the bottom lane—there was no time for him to check on the other lanes.
The moment Tang Yu arrived at bot, FR’s team voice channel erupted into chaotic shouting.
Mu Xuesong roared, “Go go go—! AD, AD, AD, I’ve got them locked down!”
“Support, support! Kill that Radiant! She doesn’t have Flash!”
Tang Yu frantically clicked on Ji Yunyu’s icon, shouting furiously, “Yun, Yun, Yun, Yun!!! Do you see him?!”
The next second, Fanlei’s figure indeed appeared beneath the blue side’s turret.
Mu Xuesong quickly assessed the situation: “Forget Fanlei, ignore him for now! Radiant, Radiant, Radiant!”
“I’ll tank the turret first—wait… damn it! I said I’ll tank first!”
All kinds of chaotic calls overlapped at once, mixed with Xu Zhiyi’s slightly panicked warning:
“Wind’s heading down!!”
He reported the info while rushing toward the bottom lane, his heart sinking with frustration.
When he saw Sui Ning abandon his lane and decisively turn back, Xu Zhiyi had been stunned for a brief second.
A flurry of thoughts flashed through her mind: Has Brother Feng gone mad? If this support play fails, won’t our lane completely collapse? Is he really doing this?
But Sui Ning’s decision had also thrown the dilemma right back at Xu Zhiyi. Don’t be fooled by how decisive his turn looked—when it came to Xu Zhiyi making the same call… it suddenly felt impossibly hard.
He hadn’t even reached level six yet, and a massive minion wave was right beside him. That wave wouldn’t just level him up—it would give him a huge gold boost, enough to buy the core item for Phantom Trickster once he recalled.
Should he really… go bot right now?
Tangled thoughts churned in Xu Zhiyi’s head—growth versus support, a deadly struggle between two instincts.
He hesitated.
Maybe two seconds passed, maybe three—no more than the time it took a viewer to blink or yawn. Out of tens of millions watching, not a single one noticed the rookie’s hesitation.
Yet in that fleeting instant, by the time Xu Zhiyi steeled himself and moved toward bot, Sui Ning’s figure was already gone from his screen.
…Where was he? Would he show up at the critical moment on the battlefield below?
A strange, indescribable sense of dread and uncertainty gripped Xu Zhiyi.
It was as if he were back in that old training match—his left hand trembling lightly on the keyboard while his right hand clicked the mouse frantically, praying he could move just a little faster, a little more.
“Wind’s gone down!”
Xu Zhiyi repeated, voice tight with tension. “He got there before me!”
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