Early the next morning, Sui Ning arrived at the Capital Stadium again with his team.
The club bus stopped at the entrance. As he got off with the others, he only needed to look up slightly to see the familiar domed ceiling, sunlight filtering through the glass and spilling into the arena in mottled patterns.
But this time, his mood was completely different.
A few days ago, when PNG first arrived, they were filled with uncertainty and anxiety about the finals. The moment they got off the bus, they followed the coach straight in without even looking around.
The tension left them no time to appreciate the grandeur of the venue—let alone pause like now, take a breath of fresh air, and leisurely admire the carefully designed greenery.
Lin Zhaoxu took a deep breath and spread his arms dramatically. “—Wow, is this the sweet air of the capital?”
His teammates burst out laughing. Wei Ye teased, “Damn, now you’re even reviewing the air? Is it really that different from what you usually breathe?”
“Of course it is!” Lin Zhaoxu said confidently. “This air carries the scent only champions can smell!”
“…6666.”
Sui Ning couldn’t help but laugh softly. Their identity was different now. As the new league champions—the absolute kings of this summer’s HPL—returning to the venue felt more like a ceremonial patrol of sacred ground. Naturally, their mindset had changed.
They waited less than two minutes before several staff members came out to greet them.
After greeting each player, one of them gestured them inside and began explaining the day’s schedule while leading the way.
The lead staff member, surnamed Wang, was a tall, slender young man with a clean-cut appearance. Facing his idols, PNG, he seemed a little nervous.
He cleared his throat and spoke quickly, clearly excited. “You can just call me Xiao Wang. I’m part of the HPL event planning team. Today’s send-off ceremony filming will mainly be handled by me and Brother Liu. I’ll take you into the main arena first—TL and HTG are already here, Navic is still on the way—”
Sui Ning followed him into the main arena used for the finals, then along a side passage into the backstage area. Xiao Wang opened the lounge door for them and joked, “You guys probably know your way around here better than I do!”
That earned a few muffled laughs—clearly Lin Zhaoxu had already been amused, making faces at Xiao Wang.
Xiao Wang relaxed a little. He led them into their old lounge, then returned within three minutes carrying a large bag of clothes.
“These are the S6 send-off uniforms for our region!”
He handed them out while explaining, “You’ll need to wear these for the filming later. The outer coats are the same for all teams, but the inner team jerseys were designed in advance with PNG. Everyone has two sizes—try them on, and we can swap if needed!”
“And your names are on them, so don’t mix them up!”
Lin Zhaoxu’s eyes lit up. Before even opening the packaging, he was already making excited monkey noises. “Wooo—your boy finally has a send-off uniform! S6, hehehe!”
“Damn, a trench coat!” Wei Ye was so excited his nostrils flared. “This looks sick. Do we have to pay for it?”
“…Uh.” Xiao Wang gave him a deadpan look. “Of course not.”
“What if we lose it?”
“There are backups.”
“Can it be washed?”
“Can it be grilled?”
“Can we wear it out to show off?”
Xiao Wang: …
While his teammates continued their usual chaos, Sui Ning calmly opened his bag and tore off the plastic packaging.
Just as Xiao Wang said, each set included a coat and an inner jersey. When he unfolded the coat, his eyes lit up—he immediately understood why everyone was so excited.
It was a black athletic long trench coat. The HPL logo was embroidered on the chest, with subtle dark red accents along the sleeves and zipper. The back and hood featured bold red panels.
The blend of red and black gave it a steady, imposing look without losing its edge.
Sui Ning ran his fingers across the back. Beneath the hood brim was his signature ID, “Wind,” and below that, in flowing white calligraphy across the red hem, were five bold characters: “Fearless at the Peak.”
The inner short-sleeve jersey matched the same red-black theme, with the PNG name and logo at the center of the chest.
After changing in the lounge, Lin Zhaoxu and Wei Ye instantly looked sharper in their trench coats, their usual playful vibe replaced by something more striking.
Cheng Su, expressionless, pulled up his hood. The shadow cast over his features added a cold edge to his already sharp, handsome face.
As for Sui Ning and Ji Yunyu—already model-worthy—wearing the long coats made them look even taller and more refined. Their long legs, wrapped in uniform pants, emphasized their proportions. Xiao Wang couldn’t help sneaking a few extra glances.
Even Chen Chen, who was used to good looks, showed a flicker of surprise when his gaze landed on Sui Ning.
Xiao Wang stared at the group like they were a lineup of male models and swallowed. “Uh… shall we head over to the filming area together?”
He couldn’t help thinking: if these guys debuted as idols, HPL taking over the entertainment industry wouldn’t be far off…
——
When they reached the main stage filming area, all four teams had arrived and were gathered together, chatting casually.
From a distance, it was a dense sea of broad shoulders, slim waists, and long legs. Xiao Wang and Brother Liu, along with the camera crew, couldn’t help but gasp as they watched, their hands itching to snap several sets of behind-the-scenes photos.
But Sui Ning wasn’t nearly as pleased.
At the moment, he was being surrounded in a corner by three mid laners—Feng Yi, Meng Xiyue, and Cheng Wensheng—who were teasing him, making the scene look almost like some kind of bullying incident. Most importantly, he realized… he was actually the shortest among this group of mid laners…
Sui Ning: …
At 19, I can definitely still grow!!
The way the three of them sized him up from head to toe made Sui Ning feel a chill down his spine for no apparent reason.
He hesitated. “Um… do you need something?”
Feng Yi crossed his arms over his chest, his expression calm as still water as he spoke.
“I came to take a look at you,” he said casually. “Not bad.”
The compliment clearly referred to that BO5 in the finals.
Sui Ning couldn’t help but laugh awkwardly. This guy had such an intimidating presence—he looked like he was about to start a fight—but the moment he opened his mouth, it turned out to be praise.
Cheng Wensheng turned slightly and gave Sui Ning a nod, speaking briefly: “Same.”
“Me too,” Meng Xiyue added with a smile. “You look great in the expedition uniform. When you get to Paris, don’t forget to scrim with us.”
Sui Ning blinked, still unsure how to respond, when the director in the distance was already waving his arms vigorously, signaling for everyone to return to their respective teams.
Seeing this, the three didn’t linger. Meng Xiyue winked at him before turning and leaving.
Sui Ning, old-man-staring-at-phone.jpg: So what exactly were you guys doing?
“Building rapport.”
After returning to the team, Chen Chen cleared up Sui Ning’s confusion. “When you get to Paris, you mid laners will definitely be interacting a lot—talking about insights, strategies…”
He paused, choosing his words carefully. “Even though competition has no borders, players do. When you’re abroad, your own people are often more reliable anyway—basically, you get the idea.”
Sui Ning suddenly understood. With a bit of thought, it wasn’t hard to grasp the meaning behind the phrase “representing the country.” On the international stage, what you face are “foreign opponents” and “outsiders.”
At the very least, when it came to scrims and strategic guidance, teams from other regions would definitely not be as open and wholehearted with PNG as HPL teams were.
Some regions would even arrange for teams to undergo special training based on scrim results, using tailored compositions to target and eliminate specific teams in order to maximize their region’s overall advantage.
Chen Chen wasn’t condemning this behavior—just pointing out that if others were holding things back, PNG couldn’t foolishly lay all their cards on the table either.
——
The entire filming process wasn’t complicated and was completed smoothly over the course of an afternoon.
The expedition ceremony video was divided into two parts. First, the host delivered a speech on behalf of the region to the audience, then each team was introduced one by one, including their past achievements and participating members.
As the champions, PNG were naturally placed first.
The video would intercut heavily with past match footage, commentary recordings, and on-site mic audio. Combined with dry ice effects at the venue and various post-production visuals, the players’ job was basically just to stand in place, strike a few cool poses when the camera zoomed in on their faces, and later record a few lines of dialogue.
HPL Esports League V: #S6 World Championship HPL Expedition Ceremony# The video is here! At this moment, dreams set sail! Let’s go, HPL!
Comment: First!
Comment: ??? Look what I found??
Fans who rushed to Weibo immediately tapped into the video. After the classic HPL opening sequence came a short, impassioned speech. The host stood at the center of a pitch-black stage, a warm white spotlight shining down from above, illuminating radiating lines at his feet.
Looking closely, fans realized those lines were actually composed of iconic quotes from famous moments—countless memories of watching matches flooded back instantly.
Then, as the host declared, “Next, let us welcome the HPL teams heading to the S6 World Championship—”, PNG’s team emblem took over the entire screen!
Fans watching on their phones almost felt like they’d be burned by the sudden burst of flames.
[Welcome our first seed, Phoenix Nirvana Gaming!]
Top laner Wei Ye’s voice rang out first from the darkness.
“Goals? Of course, we have goals. The championship—that’s the goal.”
“Our past results weren’t great, so… let’s just treat this as a fresh start.”
At the same time, a close-up of Wei Ye appeared on screen, the background music rising from low and heavy to stirring and intense.
He raised an eyebrow arrogantly at the camera, and the scene cut to match footage—Verdant Treant holding off five enemies alone, Wildfang descending like a god in the river. In the background, the commentators shouted themselves hoarse:
[Myerii—at the critical moment, he steps up again!]
[Flash-R catches four!! PNG is turning it around!!]
[That tree champion carried this game, the opponents are completely disgusted!]
[The jungler’s here, looking to dive top… Myerii! He sensed the danger instantly—so steady…]
Familiar scenes flashed by one after another, and Wei Ye continued:
“Since we’re already standing on this stage, there’s no point worrying about KDA. It’s useless.”
“I just want to win. As long as the team wins, I don’t care if I go 0/10.”
[……??]
[W-wait, was that my Mye just now??]
[Ahhh?? What kind of outfit is that—how did it even save PNG’s lowest point in fashion taste??]
[The expedition uniform looks so cool!! And Myerii talks so arrogantly—HPL’s best tank top laner!!]
[Damn, damn, damn—kinda handsome!!]
Before the fans could fully savor it, the scene shifted. Ji Yunyu’s voice came out low and steady:
“In the Spring Split, that result… nine games, not a single win…”
“Of course I wasn’t satisfied.”
The lights dropped, revealing Ji Yunyu’s tall, upright silhouette. The camera circled around him before settling on the defiant look in his brows.
Compared to half a year ago, he looked more mature—but in those deep, shadowed eyes, there was still an untamed wildness, like the ever-burning desire for victory in his heart.
He raised a finger to his lips. Shh.
[AHHH—!!]
[Holy shit, my Cloud is insanely handsome!!]
[Cloud, my No.1 jungler in HPL!!!]
The background cut to match footage, as the commentator’s shocked voice rang out:
[They lost the teamfight—are PNG still trying to contest Baron? Cloud is looking for an opportunity—Q into the pit—HE STOLE IT!!! My god, 10 HP! Cloud makes the play of the game!!]
[The enemy wants to gank bot—PNG turns it around! Cloud is counter-ganking from the brush! His instincts are incredible!]
[That early jungle setup directly secured PNG’s early-game advantage!]
[It’s over—PNG is taking off! The enemy jungle has completely collapsed under Cloud’s pressure!]
“What we lost before, I’ll win it all back now.”
Ji Yunyu spoke calmly,
“And I believe we’ll keep winning.”
[AHHHHHH—!!!]
[What is this hype video, I’m already fainting from how cool this is in under 3 minutes!!]
[Just burn me alive already, ahhh!!]
The screen faded to black again, and the pounding music abruptly stopped.
In the silent darkness, the commentator Chao Mi’s voice rang out clearly:
[…It’s worth mentioning that after the painful Spring Split, PNG decided to start a rookie mid laner in the Summer Split.]
[This has never happened before.]
Those familiar words made the chat freeze for a moment.
The next second, a soaring violin note tore through the silence, and the halted drumbeat suddenly accelerated—like a blazing meteor ripping across the night sky!
The commentator’s excited roar echoed:
[They didn’t ban Aeria with the final ban—PNG on this side—my god, instant lock-in!! So confident!]
[—How is this even possible?! Winnnd!! Penta Kill!!!]
[Who could have imagined Wind getting a pentakill in his very first official match?!]
[He’s waiting for a meteor—what are you waiting for?!]
Sui Ning’s strikingly handsome face appeared on screen. He tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes glowing with a soft warmth as he looked straight into the camera. His fingertip lightly tapped his temple, the corner of his lips curving into a faint smile, as if in thought.
“I give my all in every match.”
He chuckled softly. “I play to win. If you don’t want to win, why go pro?”
[AHHHHHHH!!! I—I—AHHHHH!!!]
[WWWWW—innnnnd!!!]
[PNG_Wind, my destined wife, waaah!!]
[Too strong, too handsome—if I can’t lick you, what’s the point of living QAQ?!]
The scenes kept switching—from Stellar Sprite, to Winter Queen, to Phantom Trickster…
[2 HP—an insane clutch outplay, my god!!]
[Wind still wants to fight—he’s still going! Turning the tide, holding up a collapsing game—he actually did it!!]
[This player is so imaginative—he always finds a way out of impossible situations!]
[MVP of this match: PNG_Wind!]
“Don’t miss any opportunity to outplay. Don’t ever tell yourself something is impossible.”
“A pro player is someone who surpasses the impossible.”
As Sui Ning’s calm yet resolute voice faded, the commentator’s emotional words landed perfectly in the ears of every viewer:
[…Without a doubt, he is the mid laner PNG has been waiting for.]
[—AHHHHH sob sob sob, my Feng-bao, I’ve been waiting for you for so long!!]
[This hype video has insane production value—I’m crying as a team fan!!]
[You’re also the mid laner I’ve been waiting for all along—HPL’s new generation is finally rising QAQ]
[Feng-baolooks so handsome in this expedition outfit… with this editing and these lines, it’s a double knockout]
[Help, help, help]
The barrage was scrolling so fast it was dizzying, as the roaring music suddenly shifted again.
Lin Zhaoxu and Cheng Su appeared on screen, one on each side.
“I don’t want to lose. It’s that simple.”
Cheng Su slowly lowered his hood, his tone firm. “If I’m still not good enough after a hundred games, then I’ll practice a thousand, ten thousand.”
“Let’s go, brothers.”
Lin Zhaoxu flashed a peace sign. “I really want to win!”
The commentators’ voices once again brought back vivid memories. White Bird’s sharp feather blades pierced through enemies, securing a clean triple kill and sealing the game—
[Mior—! Entering the fight cleanup, finishing them off! Baron is secured for PNG!]
[Oh no, Mior is in a dangerous position—my god, instant purify into ult counter-control! What kind of reaction speed is that?!]
[Both marksmen absolutely cannot afford to make a mistake right now…]
The scene shifted—Soul-Piercing Spear flashed forward, gambling everything in a desperate play. The enemy’s deadly control skill came flying in, and in that split second, a familiar figure appeared—
[Has Mior gone crazy?! Flashing straight into the enemy team like that?!]
[If he gets controlled, this teamfight is over for PNG!! Someone save him!]
[…]
[—Erllit!!!!]
[At the critical moment, he uses his own body to block that ultimate! Erllit is definitely dead—but the marksman lives, and PNG can still fight!]
“I don’t really know what kind of support I am.”
[Unmatched synergy—this is the best bot lane duo!!]
Cheng Su’s calm, steady tone contrasted perfectly with the commentators’ passion.
Standing half-turned toward the camera, his figure split between light and shadow, Cheng Su looked into the distance as he spoke with quiet strength:
“Whatever the team needs me to be—that’s what I’ll become.”
After all five had their moments, a group shot appeared again, the PNG logo blazing at the center of the screen.
[AHHHHHH—!!!]
[…holy shit.]
[I can’t even describe how impactful this was—crying, screaming, and simping all at once…]
[This is so emotional… I feel like I’ve grown alongside them, my PNG!!]
[Everyone stop crying for a second—good news! This video is already trending #1 overseas. Damn, these HPL esports male models are absolutely crushing the pro scene!!]
[Nothing more to say—S6!]
[S6!]
——
The expedition videos for all four teams stayed trending for a long time. Whether inside or outside the scene, people were drawn in by how both emotional and visually striking they were. The HPL representatives even earned the nickname “esports male models.”
…Of course, a few “outliers” were inevitable.
Comment: First of all, I’m not targeting anyone, but Myerii, please change your pink hair. Standing next to your teammates, don’t you feel out of place? (doge)
Comment: PNG’s mid-jungle duo raised the aesthetic bar too high—Myerii sneaking in looks extra obvious LOL
Comment: He actually looks handsome with black hair. Anime-style hair color really doesn’t suit him.
Comment: PNG top laner’s critical error causes the team to lose the “average looks champion” title—alarm bells ringing!
Comment: No one’s going after TL_Ljbf? Like seriously, how did a husky suddenly appear among a squad of cool, stylish guys?
Comment: Isn’t HTG even funnier? Four goofballs, and Brother Feng standing in the middle with a deadpan face LOL
Comment: Brother Feng looks so tired of life HAHAHA
Comment: Looking at it this way, Navic seems oddly “abnormal” just by being too normal…
Comment: Yue is on site—who would dare mess around? (doge)
Online discussions were lively and nonstop. After completing the filming, PNG finished their last task in the capital and set off the next day to return to their Shanghai base.
Following coordination, the HPL officials chartered a unified flight for all four teams to Paris on September 27. The group draw would take place on October 2, and before that, PNG needed to arrive early to participate in official World Championship promotional activities.
Time was tight. As soon as they got back to Shanghai, Chen Chen was constantly on the move—fast-tracking visas, arranging travel logistics, coordinating with officials, and scheduling scrims. He was spinning like a top, completely overwhelmed.
The coach was busy, and the players weren’t any better off. Scrims against teams from all over the world filled their schedule—Korea in the morning, Europe at noon, North America in the afternoon, wildcard regions at night, with the occasional domestic scrim mixed in. Truly “equal treatment for all.”
Ji Yunyu had originally planned to take a few days off with Sui Ning to visit his hometown in Jinling, but their documents were taken for visa processing, and their free time disappeared—plan completely scrapped.
Ji Yunyu: …I hate this.
PNG had it rough, but the other teams weren’t doing any better.
Fans gradually noticed their once radiant “male models” losing their sparkle—visibly worn out, with far fewer streaming hours.
Not only that, as if by unspoken agreement, all the players switched to international servers after the regional qualifiers. During streams, they hid team tags, frequently changed IDs, and used alternate accounts—maximum secrecy.
All these signs pointed to one thing: All four teams had fully entered preparation mode.
And along with the tension and anticipation, fans deeply felt it— The World Championship was just around the corner.
Outfit reference: LPL S8 expedition uniform
“Fearless, reaching the peak”: former LPL promotional slogan
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