Of course, Fang Jueyu was just joking. Who was Li Ge? He was an iconic figure in League of Legends, and countless mid-lane players took pride in being able to solo-kill Li Ge even once.
Although they were of different nationalities, Li Guanghe was truly beyond reproach in terms of character. His skills were superb, and his understanding of the game reached a level difficult for ordinary people to imagine. Not only that, but his lifestyle was also very modest.
Any world-class professional player enjoyed a considerable income. He didn't mess around like some players did after gaining a bit of fame and wealth. He often wore the team uniform given by fans, and a large portion of his income was d to various charitable organizations around the world. He also had a high popularity in Huaxia.
However, now everyone was in different positions. There could only be one world champion, and the tense atmosphere was unavoidable.
"I heard that your ZZ team is quite dominant in domestic competitions, but in the world championship, you seem a bit like a softie!" Jin Zhengzhe said mockingly without reservation.
What he said was indeed true. From the group stage to now, ZZ team had stumbled all the way through, playing almost every match at a disadvantage. Although they finally made it through, the process was extremely difficult, and all the spectators witnessed it.
In contrast, the STT team led by Jin Zhengzhe had swept through with overwhelming strength and hadn't lost a single point so far. Their formidable performance gave them the capital to look down on others, and it was natural that Jin Zhengzhe could speak arrogantly.
"Coach Jin, we're all here to represent our countries. Isn't it unnecessary to be so harsh?" Wang An's face clearly showed some displeasure. Being spoken to , no one could have a pleasant demeanor.
"Hahaha, don't take it so seriously, Coach Wang. I was just joking with you," Jin Zhengzhe laughed exaggeratedly. Jin Zhengzhe was small and skinny, while Wang An was tall and burly. He really feared that if Wang An lost control of his emotions, he might get hit.
"Who is this guy? Why is he so arrogant?" Fang Jueyu, although he often watched STT's matches, was unfamiliar with this Jin Zhengzhe as he rarely appeared in match footage.
"He's the coach and manager of STT team, a very capable guy!" Wang Cong replied. "He used to be in WarCraft, but as you know, that game saw many god-level figures. Our country even had a super player known as the Human Emperor."
"Yeah, I've heard about that!" Although Fang Jueyu had never interacted with that game, he knew the name of the Human Emperor Sky.
"This Jin Zhengzhe lost to Sky quite a few times. Later, after retiring, he became an esports coach, and eventually, STT team hired him. He definitely has some skills; STT team being able to consistently lift the world championship trophy is partly due to him!"
"So this guy is pretty impressive, huh?"
"Of course, although he's a coach, he has maintained a Challenger rank in the Korean server of League of Legends, very high-level skills, and excellent strategic vision. Most importantly, he uses his brains to play games and has a thorough understanding of the game's versions!"
"No wonder this guy is so cocky," Fang Jueyu nodded, beginning to understand Jin Zhengzhe.
"Oh yes, Coach Wang, our teams' next match is coming up soon. I suggest you buy your plane tickets immediately. It's the peak tourist season in the Kingdom of Celeros right now, and if you delay, you might have to stay here for quite a few days!"
"Coach Jin, isn't your joke a bit too much?" Wang An, who was hot-tempered to begin with, understood clearly that Jin Zhengzhe was saying next match they were destined to win, and ZZ team should just head home early!
"Coach Wang, this is a competition. Only the victor has the right to laugh till the end," Jin Zhengzhe said with a smile. "Our STT team is indeed stronger than ZZ in terms of strength. Do you know why?"
Jin Zhengzhe laughed arrogantly, "Because even at the coaching level, your ZZ is already a step behind us!"
This had always been a sore point for Wang An. Few knew that before joining ZZ team, Wang An had also played WarCraft for a while. Although Jin Zhengzhe had never won a championship, Wang An's team had lost to them more than once.
"By the way, Coach Wang, what's your rank in the Korean server now? Master? Diamond?"
"Coach Wang, stay calm. They're trying to disrupt your mindset before our actual match!" The team members immediately held Wang An back.
"I know!" Wang An hadn't lost his cool, but being ridiculed , he couldn't just swallow it down casually, "Although my rank may not be as high as Coach Jin's, my skills might not be worse. How about we have a solo match?"
"Sure!" Jin Zhengzhe's eyes lit up. He was supremely confident in his skills. Although he was over 30, his reflexes hadn't deteriorated much, and his operations never faltered. Beating Wang An was no difficult task.
"Coach Wang!" Wang Cong held Wang An back, seemingly wanting to say something.
"Principal, this is my own match, so don't try to dissuade me. Whether I win or lose, it's my own business, but I absolutely can't let them be overly arrogant. Even if I lose, I have to lose with style. I can't be a coward!" Wang An pretended to smile lightly.
"Alright, let's not let them look down on us!" Wang Cong patted Wang An's shoulder, then stepped aside. "Coach Jin, let's have it in our practice room!"
Jin Zhengzhe and Wang An faced each other sitting down. Wang An took a deep breath. Although it was just an informal offline solo match, he was still a little nervous.
The rules of the solo match were simple: kill the opponent or be the first to kill 100 minions. Jin Zhengzhe chose the aptly named "Coffin Board" champion, Zerath, who was also the hero he became famous with back in the day. He had an excellent understanding of predicting and executing skills. This hero was great for last-hitting minions and suppressing health in the early game.
Wang An chose a hero very strong in the early game, Lu Xi'an, a champion known for his burst capabilities. In solo matches, he was a very popular pick.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, the computer screen displayed the northern map.
The two started with meticulous last-hitting. Indeed, Jin Zhengzhe was very strong. When he cleared minions with skills, he often predicted Wang An's movements to consume his health. Not long after, Wang An had already been hit by several skills and his health dropped to below half.
Jin Zhengzhe intensified his suppression, standing in front of the minion line, hindering Wang An's last-hitting, while maintaining his own health at a healthy state.
"No, continuing will grind me to death!" Wang An showed a pained expression. It seemed Jin Zhengzhe had a deep understanding of his movement style, with a very high skill hit rate.
"Go for broke!" Wang An resolved, knowing that if he could dodge Jin Zhengzhe's control skill, he had more than a 70% chance of killing him.
Piloting Lu Xi'an, Wang An dashed directly to Zerath's face. His fluid execution quickly brought Jin Zhengzhe's health to half.
His own health was very precarious. As long as he was hit by a crowd control skill, he would definitely be killed. He flashed first, but didn't expect Jin Zhengzhe to precisely predict his flash location, hitting him perfectly with a stun skill!
"Lost!" Wang An's heart sank, knowing he couldn't survive the subsequent skill burst!
As the screen dimmed, a large LOSS appeared on Wang An's screen.