#Frontline Victory Report: 3:0!#
#The Complete Record of SDB’s Collapse — Average Game Time Under 30 Minutes!#
#Stellar Sprite Returns to the Stage — Who Was the Traitor?#
#PNG_Wind: Midair Kill Clip at 20:47 — Peak Mechanical Play#
#ADVANCING!!#
HPL Esports League V: #World Championship Knockout Stage# Group A Day 3 — PNG defeated North America’s reigning powerhouse SDB with a dominant 3:0 scoreline and advanced to the semifinals! [@Match Replay]
Comment: Holy shit holy shit? I just opened the stream, and the match was already over??? Back in the day they’d only have finished one or two games by now??
Comment: Admin, you little rat, something’s off with you. Before the match they were “trash Western teams,” now that they lost they’re suddenly “North America’s overlords,” huh? (smirk) We know you’re a PNG fanboy!
Comment: I just came back from the fourth trending topic, and my mind is blown. Since when can Sentinels die in the sky?? Which undercover agent let SDB leave Aeria open? Credit to you!
Comment: REPORT—! #Wind# is already the number one trending search term overseas! They’re even starting a Wind cult and trying to collaborate with the Flying Spaghetti Monster Church!! The tags are full of tutorials teaching foreigners how to access Chinese websites and join PNG fan groups. I’m losing it.
Comment: (Auto-translated) Hello my friendly friends! Friend here from America. Wish see more player Wind video. Please kind you help me link, thank you!
Comment: Dear god this cursed machine translation is killing me lmaooo! Anyway, directing you to @PNG_WindV
Comment: Why are you linking foreign friends to a Weibo account that hasn’t updated in eight hundred years?? Do you want another homeless lost child in this world?!
Comment: Even Wind’s imitation fan accounts update ten times more often than he does. I can’t take this anymore!!
As soon as the result was confirmed, every major domestic gaming forum was flooded with victory reports brought back from the “front lines” by multilingual scouts. Whether they were team fans or casual viewers, anyone looking at the data charts from the three straight wins couldn’t help blurting out the same phrase: PNG is fucking insane.
To crush an opponent three games in a row in the quarterfinals — the number one seed truly deserved its title.
Meanwhile, inside the arena—
The foreign commentators were clouded with despair, repeatedly lamenting SDB’s disastrous decision-making. Overseas viewers were busy studying Chinese characters, while the two veteran casters on the Chinese broadcast desk made no attempt to hide their delight.
“Congratulations to PNG!”
Chao Mi was grinning from ear to ear as he stood up clapping like a seal. “Brilliant, dominant, flawless! In these three games, PNG completely displayed the spirit of the HPL! They played with the aura of world champions!!”
Qing Ci was equally thrilled. “Exactly! I believe everyone watching these games feels exactly the same as I do. One word: satisfying! From draft to execution, this was an all-around stomp! You could see SDB trying every possible trick throughout the series — constant adaptations, endless experiments, changing compositions every game — but none of it worked!!”
“SDB wanted to surprise them with unconventional strategies, catch them off guard. Sorry, but our PNG came fully prepared! As the old saying goes: ‘The later move becomes the surprise; proper formation wins the battle.’ PNG just fought them head-on, and if you can’t win straight up, no amount of gimmicks will save you!”
After calming himself slightly, Qing Ci summarized, “A lot of viewers were previously worried that our representatives were only ‘domestic kings.’ But after this BO5, I think everyone can finally relax! Even on the world stage, even in the knockout rounds, the HPL’s number one seed still has the power to dominate! PNG won fair and square — and they won beautifully! Let’s congratulate PNG for firmly securing their ticket to the semifinals!”
[PNG — MY PNNNGGG!!!]
[This is the HPL’s number one seed. Do foreigners submit now or what??]
[People still saying PNG only farms weak Western teams? Even weak or not, SDB was still the first seed of their region! Isn’t obliterating another region’s top seed enough??]
[We’re fans of a number one seed too now. Stand taller, people! (hands on hips)]
“This should also give HPL viewers a much-needed confidence boost,” Chao Mi said more seriously. “Next up is the final quarterfinal match: Navic versus HTG. No matter the result, I hope both teams bring out their very best and leave no regrets!”
If an intra-region civil war in playoffs couldn’t be avoided, then they might as well cast aside distractions and enjoy the match. Chao Mi sighed and exchanged a glance with Qing Ci beside him.
The two of them had comment many World Championships before. They had seen plenty of same-region teams forced into brutal internal battles. One day they were comrades staying up all night together analyzing opponents, sharing information without reservation. The next day, they were enemies on stage.
To be personally eliminated by brothers from your own region— Even the most socially oblivious host would never dare bring up that feeling in a post-match interview.
While the two commentators were still worrying about the coming civil war, the broadcast suddenly switched to the English interview desk.
“Hm?” Chao Mi blinked in surprise. “SDB’s post-match interview?”
“We just finished reviewing the match stats over here, and they’re already interviewing next door? That was fast,” Qing Ci joked.
On screen, SDB mid laner Holden held a microphone.
Whatever had been discussed earlier, his expression looked terrible now, while the female host beside him was so shocked she almost stuttered. “God?! Are you serious, Maverick?”
Holden remained silent for a moment before nodding quietly. “Yes. I really have considered retirement.”
[????]
[WTF? Holy shit, opening with a tactical nuke??]
[Huh?! We were joking when we said losing quarters means instant retirement!! What is Maverick doing??]
[No way… the old captain’s leaving?]
The foreign crowd immediately began chanting his ID from the audience, mixed with desperate cries of “Don’t leave!”
“The reason? Is it because of this loss? Is the pressure too much?” the host asked hurriedly, gesturing toward the crowd. “Look — you’re our most beloved mid laner. So many fans support you! SDB will have another chance next year, and we’ll always stay with you—”
“...” Hearing this, Holden tilted his head back and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
Clutching the microphone tightly, he answered slowly, “No. I’ve actually had thoughts like this for a long time. But the game nowadays increasingly makes me feel that… (long pause) I’ve let down the people who supported me.”
The host shook her head while listening. She was certain North American fans would never agree with his words. Everyone respected him deeply. To them, he was the irreplaceable veteran captain of SDB.
“NO!”
Someone in the crowd shouted, “Maverick, STAY.”
Holden remembered the game just now. After a long silence, he forced back the tears in his eyes and pretended to sound calm as he spoke his final sentence: “Sorry. I think I have to make this difficult decision. I’m already twenty-six years old. Maybe in the future I’ll go back to school… and become an accountant.”
“—It’s just that… I probably can’t pull off flashy plays like the younger players anymore.”
The moment those words came out, even the two Chinese casters fell speechless.
Chao Mi opened and closed his mouth several times without managing to say anything. He couldn’t find words to describe Holden’s expression at that moment. It wasn’t despair. It wasn’t pain. Just a helpless sort of calmness.
Even someone like him — a veteran commentator who had spent years in professional esports — didn’t dare think too deeply about how cruel the competitive scene truly was.
——
November 3rd, the final quarterfinal match.
After nearly five hours of fierce battling, HTG narrowly lost 2:3 to Navic, who successfully claimed the last semifinal spot.
That night, Tang Yu dragged his deeply troubled team members to a nearby KTV and had them scream-sing their hearts out all night long, giving the people of Paris a small taste of Chinese chaos. Then, with sinister delight, he recorded the entire process and posted it in the HPL World Championship scrim group chat.
[If I can’t grind myself to death, I’ll grind my opponents to death instead. If I don’t win the championship, who will? (57)]
[Coach Tang Yu]: [Video – Birthday Blessing Song]
In the video, the usually cool and aloof Feng Yi stood on the coffee table in the middle of the private room completely out of character, gripping a microphone and roaring in a deep voice so sexy it could melt people’s ears: “Say bye-bye to all your troubles, say hi-hi to all your happiness!!”
The four teammates around him circled him while sobbing dramatically one second and bursting into hysterical laughter the next, crying and laughing at the same time as they clapped along for him.
Tang Yu hid in the corner filming. Halfway through, a waiter knocked and asked, “Sir, is there anything you need help with?” Without even looking up, Tang Yu replied, “Even if the world ends, don’t come in.”
The waiter outside: ……
[Coach Chen Chen]: …….???
[Coach Chen Chen]: It’s really not that serious. Seriously.
[Coach Li En]: Damn. Hurry and send them to the hospital before they actually go insane.
[Coach Pan Pan]: Watching this in the middle of the night is bad for my heart. Delete it now.
[Training Coordinator Xiao Wang]: ……Brother Yu, you guys……
Tang Yu calmly typed one-handed in secret.
[Coach Tang Yu]: So what do you think? Doesn’t our Brother Boring have the makings of a singing king? He’d definitely dominate one of those idol singing shows, right?
[Coach Chen Chen]: ? Him? As if.
[Coach Chen Chen]: @PNG_Wind, come on, show everyone what you’ve got!
[PNG_Wind]: ……
Sui Ning had just finished scrims. When he saw the message during the break, his hands started shaking. Outwardly calm, inwardly on the verge of collapse— Coach, what are you DOING?!
An innocent disaster!!
Didn’t you notice the teammates around him were all secretly laughing already?!
[Coach Li En]: Seriously dying of laughter. Isn’t Wind famous for singing terribly? Look at this one instead. [Video – Dual Carry Duet “Little Frog”]
During a base-wide cleaning day, Cheng Wensheng held a broom affectionately like a microphone and sang, “A happy little froggy~” Beside him, fellow cleaner Lee Jae-Hee harmonized with him: “La la la la~”
Meanwhile, support player Jian Wang walked past carrying a bucket of water. Expressionless, he glanced at the two of them with the exact look one might use on severely ill psychiatric patients before walking away in disgust.
[Coach Li En]: Well? Bet this crushes you guys, huh??
[Coach Pan Pan]: That level? Please. [Video – Navic Group Japanese Song Performance]
The instant the title appeared, several players and coaches scrolling through chat recoiled three full steps and inhaled sharply— This thing was definitely no ordinary weapon.
Sui Ning hesitated with his finger hovering over the play button for a long time. In the end, curiosity defeated him. The moment he clicked it, he suffered instant psychic damage.
“OhOh~ Wa-bi-ba-boo!”
Zou Jiayou’s beautiful singing voice rang out. The very first lyric was already completely butchered because he didn’t know Japanese and was just making random noises instead!
Soon the other players joined in, their voices thunderous enough to shake the room.
Listening closely, aside from Meng Xiyue quietly trying to sing properly, not a single other person — not one single syllable — was on key! Lead singer Zou Jiayou spent the entire performance improvising nonsense like “Wa-bi-ba-boo, abu abu” to fake his way through the song.
Lin Zhaoxu also curiously clicked the video. After listening for two seconds, he laughed so hard he nearly fell off his chair. “Holy shit, hahahaha—!”
[Nv_Liome]: ……??? My god??
[Nv_Liome]: Coach, didn’t you swear you deleted this already!!!
[Nv_Liome]: HOLY SHIT!!!
Suddenly, loud crashing noises erupted in the hallway, sounding like someone had violently thrown open a door and sprinted out from the neighboring room. Panicked footsteps echoed sharply against the tiled floor.
“Fuck!” the person shouted while running. “—COACH!!”
[Nv_Nox]: Damn it.
Another set of running footsteps.
[Nv_Cpyhc]: ……
[TL_Ljbf]: You guys are weak. One video and your mental’s already broken?
[TL_Ljbf]: Look at our captain and our pretty rookie. Totally calm.
[TL_Owld]: Uh… Brother Amor just put coach in a chokehold. Coach is yelling “I won’t dare do it again.”
[TL_Ljbf]: ……
[PNG_Myerii]: 666. As expected of Brother A. Full action power.
[Nv_Cpyhc]: .
Yet another round of footsteps.
Sui Ning: …ah, uh.
[PNG_Myerii]: What’s going on now? Who ran over this time?
[Nv_Truik]: Brother Yue. Anyway, I gotta go too. Xiao Pan really crossed the line this time!!
[PNG_Wind]: ……You call your coach Xiao Pan?
Good lord. Sui Ning could only marvel in disbelief.
Soon, the group chat fell silent. Meanwhile, strange screams and cries for help occasionally drifted through the hotel hallway.
Tang Yu, far away from the chaos, seemed to have anticipated all of this long ago. Leisurely, he typed another message.
[Coach Tang Yu]: Your insanity surpasses even mine. Fine, you win. I surrender.
[Coach Tang Yu]: One more reminder: everything in this group chat is confidential HPL training material. Forwarding screenshots is strictly forbidden. @Training Coordinator Xiao Wang, supervise this.
[Training Coordinator Xiao Wang]: ……Understood, Brother Yu.
Xiao Wang was speechless. You call this confidential training material??? Next time they might as well make a compressed file called “Top Secret HPL Documents.” Then when the mole finally steals it and unzips the archive, it’s nothing but videos of players acting like complete idiots. Guaranteed mental collapse on the spot.
Tang Yu, of course, couldn’t hear Xiao Wang’s inner complaints. And even if he could, he wouldn’t care.
[Coach Tang Yu]: We’re heading back soon. Training continues tomorrow. Get in as many scrims as possible before semis. You guys arrange the schedule yourselves.
The coaches all replied in acknowledgment.
Putting away his phone, Tang Yu looked up at the players still jumping around and howling off-key. The dim lighting cast shadows across their faces, making it impossible to tell whether they were laughing or crying. Some were singing so hard their voices trembled — whether from exhaustion or simply terrible pitch was anyone’s guess.
In any case, whatever unhappiness they had, they could vent it all tonight. Tomorrow morning, they still had to wake up and continue training in the best possible condition.
Tomorrow would be like this. And every day after that.
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