Rise

Shi Hang started his League of Legends career as an ad-carry because he was drawn to the monstrous late game potential of the role. Toplaners were often bruisers, Supports were Supports. Junglers provided utility and Midlaners were a mix of control and burst damage. But ad-carries carried. With every next item, they boosted their attack damage and attack speed. The longer the game ran, the scarier they became. And once it was the late game, or even the ultra late game, they decided the outcome of a match. Their positioning, their ability to stay clear from crowd control and their skill to get as much damage in as quickly as possible meant victory or defeat!

Shi Hang pushed down on the Tab key and looked at the game scoreboard. That girl’s Draven is up kills on Sunny-boy’s Trist and she’s also starting to pull ahead in CS! We’re losing this! It’s just like… Just like… He shook his head and grimaced. It’s just like it was for me way back then. Don’t tell me… He looked across the stage at Team Shanghai’s soundproof booth. Don’t tell me this is a repeat of four years ago.

Four years ago, Shi Hang played ad-carry for Zhejiang University in the Collegiate Cup. He was the starplayer of the team and led them to the first championship trophy! After which he turned his attention to the professional scene. He played at the highest level and improved constantly, until he met Lin Feng’s ad-carry. Silent destroyed me! 11 games in three days and I never got anywhere! He just beat me and beat me and beat me even harder! He shook his head and chuckled. And now, Maple is back. He’s got a new ad-carry. And she’s… It is like four years all over again! It’s just that Sunny-boy is the ad-carry this time! He glanced at Sun Ruinian. Come on, son! Take the fight! Beat her!

Silent, though… Shi Hang shook his head and moved his lips around. The Chinese superteam from Season 1! Maple in mid. Silent and Autumn in bot. The way Silent never said a word and then just wrecked you, that was something else! Shit, what I’d give to play against him again! I wonder what he’s up to these days… He glanced across the stage at Lin Feng again. I haven’t kept up with most people from back then. But that kid should know. I’ll ask him about it after the series is over.

Shi Hang turned his attention back to the screen in front of him. He narrowed his eyes. But first I’m going to win this series! Let’s hard carry this shit!

✹

“Pretty sensible what Zhejiang University is doing here,” Rollfire said from behind the caster desk. He looked at the audience and continued, “They’ve lost their top tower, so they have their Jarvan IV freeze the lane on his side of the map. He’s playing defensively and making sure he isn’t giving that Irelia any more advantages. Then we have the mid lane where it’s just a back and forth, not much difference between the two players. And finally we have the bot lane… Zhejiang knows they can’t afford to give that Draven any more kills. They also know the Draven can 1vs2 them right now. So they’re sitting back and farming. When the minions push too far forward, they just stop and stay behind. It’d be stupid to risk the game over a few last hits.”

Silent Reed nodded and said, “You’re right. Draven is too strong right now! It’s virtually impossible for him to lose the 1vs2, not to mention the 2vs2! Even if he makes a huge misplay somehow, I still don’t see him losing it! And remember, Zhejiang University constantly has to worry about that Blitzcrank. One hook and they’re done!”

Rollfire squinted his eyes and looked at the minimap. He noted, “We’re 13 minutes into this fifth game and neither team has made a play for the Dragon yet. I think the next big fight will happen somewhere around there. In mid or bot. Probably bot if it’s up to Zhejiang University. I think they’d like to get that lane back in their control.”