The JW team let out a collective sigh of relief.
At least they wouldn’t have to face the powerhouse NG in the semifinals.
However, facing ING wouldn’t be a walk in the park either.
Any team that made it to the semifinals had undoubtedly earned their place through skill, not just luck.
As the matchup results were revealed, the livestream chat erupted into a heated discussion.
For WPL fans, the two WPL teams avoiding each other in the semifinals was welcome news.
However, the odds for AFK against NG were so slim that many viewers had already begun bidding farewell to AFK.
【“Poor AFK, they were doing pretty well this year.”】
【“There’s nothing they can do against NG.”】
【“The match hasn’t even started yet, and you’re already writing them off?】
【“If they’re scared of playing NG, how can they aim for the championship?”】
The chat quickly devolved into an argument.
NG’s dominance as the reigning champions was undeniable, and their terrifyingly consistent form this year had many believing they were on track for another consecutive title.
Among the remaining three teams, AFK was a seasoned WPL powerhouse with at least some chance of putting up a fight.
As for JW and ING, they were both relatively new teams that had risen to prominence in the past year or two. Without any major tournament wins under their belts, most people didn’t have much faith in them.
Some foreign commentators even dismissed the JW vs. ING matchup as a “battle of the underdogs.”
Even though JW had managed to defeat LSQ and secure a spot in the top four, many international analysts and pundits chalked it up to luck.
After all, in the seven years since the WOC Professional League began, the WPL region had always been stuck in mediocrity. The sudden emergence of a strong team seemed improbable to them.
From their perspective, NG was highly likely to defeat AFK, and neither ING nor JW would pose a real challenge to NG. As a result, many believed the championship was as good as NG’s.
“Ah! We’re doomed, Min!” Before the JW team could head next door to check on their brother team AFK, who had drawn NG, Shu Lou burst into JW’s training room. He was practically ready to fall to his knees and cling to Jiang Min’s legs in despair.
“…” Jiang Min was speechless. “Uh, Lou-ge…”
“It’s over! We’ll never beat NG! They’ll crush us completely…” Shu Lou couldn’t stop rambling. “Ah~~ I really am a useless captain, helpless against strong opponents!”
“Captain, the match hasn’t even started yet. I believe in you,” AFK’s mid-laner Flow, ever the voice of reason, comforted his captain as usual.
“Yeah, Captain, nothing’s certain until the match is played,” added Ring, the youngest member of AFK, patting Shu Lou on the shoulder. “We’ll do our best!”
“Exactly! We’ve already made it to the semifinals—that’s something to be proud of!”
“That’s right! Just go for it! We’ve already reached the top four, so no regrets!”
One by one, the AFK players chimed in, trying to cheer up their captain.
It was clear—Shu Lou had become the beloved “team pet” among his squad.
Flow turned to JW and reminded them, “Don’t let your guard down against ING, brothers. Let’s meet in the finals!”
Hao Qianyi was the first to respond, “No problem! See you in the finals!”
Jiang Min and Yu Hao exchanged a look. They had made it to the top four—so close to the championship now.
In each other’s eyes, they could see the burning desire for victory.
The semifinals had to be theirs.
The day of the semifinals arrived quickly.
The schedule over the next two days would be intense.
The WOC Global Finals were nearing their conclusion, with only four matches remaining.
First, the semifinals, followed by a third-place match between the losing teams, and finally the championship match.
All four matches were packed into a single weekend.
The semifinals were held on Saturday, with the third-place match and the finals on Sunday.
Being a weekend and an international event, the venue was packed to the brim.
The players could feel the overwhelming enthusiasm of WOC fans from around the world, but they also faced the challenge of back-to-back best-of-five series over two days.
It was a grueling test of both body and mind.
The first match was between AFK and NG.
Although AFK seemed confident before the game, NG was nearly a flawless team.
NG won the first two games decisively. After adjusting their strategy, AFK managed to claw back one game.
However, in the fourth game, NG’s near-perfect teamfight coordination secured them the win, ending the match.
AFK’s journey ended in the semifinals.
After the match, Shu Lou could only shake his head as he passed JW in the backstage area, saying, “They were simply better than us. We admit defeat.”
With that, all of WPL’s hopes rested squarely on JW’s shoulders.
To claim the championship, they first had to defeat the last European team, ING, and then face the formidable NG.
“We can do this,” Yu Hao said before stepping onto the stage.
“Yeah,” Jiang Min affirmed.
“Let’s smash them!” Hao Qianyi declared confidently.
Though ING was Europe’s last remaining team, they weren’t considered a traditional powerhouse and had a more conservative, standard playstyle.
JW, on the other hand, was a wildcard.
After finding their footing in the group stage, this WPL team became known for their creative and unpredictable strategies.
In the first game, ING assumed Cypress was playing the position 1 role and banned heroes from his pool to suppress JW’s core player, thinking this would give them an edge.
To their shock, JW switched it up, with Cypress playing mid and Lollipop taking the position 1 role. The unconventional picks left ING scrambling, and JW took the first game.
In the second game, ING abandoned their earlier approach and focused on suppressing mid-laner Lollipop. But Lollipop’s resilience proved unmatched—despite falling behind economically, he never cracked under pressure. Meanwhile, Cypress quietly farmed and turned into a late-game powerhouse, becoming a near-unstoppable monster.
Unable to handle Cypress, ING lost the second game.
In the third game, JW’s captain Honor delivered an outstanding performance with his Enchantress. A perfectly executed teamfight led to a clean sweep, wiping out ING’s players and destroying their base.
With a 3-0 victory, JW advanced to the finals.
WPL fans went wild.
For years, no WPL team had even made it to the finals.
Now, even though NG awaited in the championship match, JW’s recent performances had given fans hope and belief in their limitless potential.
What’s more, JW was a young team. Even if they didn’t win this year, they could always come back stronger next year.
After the semifinals, JW’s official account saw a surge in followers, leaving Ah Xin speechless.
In just under three years since its formation, JW’s WOC division had risen to become one of WPL’s top teams.
【“Go JW!”】
【“WPL, let’s go!”】
【“We’ll wait for you to bring home the championship!”】
The voices of encouragement drowned out the earlier doubters.
With less than a day to the finals, WPL was just one step away from the championship.
That night, Jiang Min and Yu Hao lay on the balcony of their hotel room, gazing at the night sky.
The moon hung high, with only a few stars twinkling in the dark sky.
Tomorrow was the day of the finals.
Many professional players spent their entire careers chasing the dream of standing on the global finals stage.
For Yu Hao, achieving that goal in just over two years of his professional career was already a dream come true.
Even better, standing beside him was the person he cared about most. How lucky was he?
A smile tugged at the corner of Yu Hao’s lips as he turned to look at Jiang Min’s profile. “Sugar, if we win tomorrow, do I get a reward?”
Jiang Min blinked in surprise. “What reward? Isn’t the championship something we’ll both win together?”
The implication was clear: why should he be the one rewarding Yu Hao, instead of the other way around?
Yu Hao kept grinning. “I’m the captain, and I’m the shot-caller. My job is so tough! You should at least give me a little motivation~”
Jiang Min: “…”
He had a hunch that with Yu Hao’s shamelessness, he was about to say something outrageous.
Sure enough, Yu Hao flashed a dazzling smile. “If we win the championship, as per our agreement, you have to marry me, Sugar!”
Jiang Min covered his face. He knew it…
“Sugar?” Seeing no response, Yu Hao pressed further.
Jiang Min’s ears turned red as he stood up. “I’m going to wash up. We’ve got a tough battle tomorrow.”
Yu Hao wasn’t about to let it go. “No way, Sugar! You have to promise me! Without a reward, I have no motivation!”
Jiang Min walked off the balcony without looking back. “Isn’t the championship your motivation?”
“The championship is, but you’re even more important!” Yu Hao followed him into the room. “I don’t care, you have to agree!”
Jiang Min’s ears burned bright red, and he chose to ignore Yu Hao.
“If you don’t say anything, I’ll take it as a yes!” Yu Hao persisted shamelessly.
“…”
Too embarrassed to agree outright, Jiang Min became Yu Hao’s target for relentless pestering.
The night before the finals, the JW captain and mid-laner’s “reward negotiations” turned the otherwise tense atmosphere into something lighthearted.
The grand finale of the WOC Pro League Season 7 World Championship had finally arrived.
The day began with the third-place match.
AFK defeated ING 3:1, seemingly unaffected by yesterday’s crushing loss to NG.
AFK’s players, however, seemed to be running on adrenaline. They declared that right after the finals, they would fly back to China to train without even taking a break.
Their reasoning? Facing world-class teams exposed too many of their weaknesses. They wanted to capitalize on the lessons learned while they were still fresh and improve as much as possible.
The audience was moved by their determination and erupted in cheers after the interview.
But the true highlight of the day was the upcoming grand final.
It was JW’s first time on the world championship stage. Saying they weren’t nervous would be a lie.
Even Jiang Min, the most experienced player on the team, had never played in a finals match before.
“Well, there’s a first time for everything!” Hao Qianyi tried to lighten the mood. “We’ve already come a long way compared to last year when we got knocked out in the group stage!”
“Exactly.” Yu Hao stretched his neck while carrying his equipment. “Let’s just play relaxed.”
After settling the “reward” issue with Jiang Min, Yu Hao was brimming with energy.
Jiang Min glanced at Yu Hao and couldn’t help but think about what would happen if they won the championship. His mind started to wander.
“Sugar God, we’re counting on you!” Hao Qianyi clapped Jiang Min on the shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts.
“Huh?” Jiang Min blinked, confused. “Why me?”
“NG’s mid-laner is a total monster!” Hao Qianyi said. “We’re counting on you to hold the line!”
Jiang Min followed Hao Qianyi’s gaze to the NG players waiting backstage.
NG’s mid-laner, Pepper, had been playing for six years. He was the undisputed best mid-laner in the world, hailed as the “King of the Mid Lane.”
Compared to him, Jiang Min was practically a nobody.
But now that they had made it to the finals, there was no room for hesitation.
If you want to prove yourself, you’ve got to face the best. Jiang Min was curious to see how he would measure up against the world’s top mid-laner.
Author’s Note: I’m back~ Only the finals remain!
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