On the fourth day of the Grand Finals, the air in the Capital Gymnasium seemed to ignite, every breath carrying a scorching battle intent and ultimate anticipation. Today, the two teams that would ultimately step onto the final stage would be decided.
The semifinals, with their BO5 format, elevated the cruelty to its peak, testing not only skill but also willpower, stamina, and even luck.
Heaven and hell were separated by just a thin line.
Pojun Team versus Lingnan Tiger—this much-anticipated internal clash of the South Yue region surprisingly turned into a one-sided affair.
Pojun Team displayed their dominance to the fullest.
From the first game, they were like precisely programmed machines, devoid of emotional fluctuation, only pure execution and destruction.
Han Feng's (Sharp Edge) mid-lane completely suppressed his opponent, while Wang Hao's (Gui Shu) jungle was like a phantom, omnipresent, turning Lingnan Tiger's jungle into his own backyard.
Lingnan Tiger tried to resist, roaring and biting like true tigers, but against Pojun Team's iron-clad defense and tempestuous counterattacks, all their efforts seemed futile.
Their operations were crushed, their rhythm controlled, and their team fights perfectly neutralized.
3:0.
A clean, decisive, and even somewhat ruthless score.
When Lingnan Tiger's base exploded in the third game, the players of Lingnan Tiger in the competition room stared blankly at the screen, their eyes hollow.
Some covered their faces with their hands, their shoulders subtly trembling; others leaned back in their chairs, gazing at the ceiling, as if trying to force back their unwilling tears.
They had given their all but couldn't even pose a slight threat to their opponents.
This sense of powerlessness was more suffocating than a narrow defeat after an intense struggle.
In contrast, the five members of Pojun Team calmly took off their headphones, simply high-fived each other, with hardly any overt joy on their faces, as if it were all to be expected.
Han Feng's gaze was already fixed on the other side of the stage, where their ultimate opponent would be decided.
This absolute confidence and composure were terrifying.
The players of Lingnan Tiger left dejectedly, and as they entered the backstage passage, the jungler couldn't help but look back at the brightly lit, attention-grabbing stage.
His eyes were filled with unwillingness, regret, and a deep attachment to that battlefield.
They had been so close to the finals, yet were cruelly cut off by an insurmountable chasm named Pojun Team.
The ecstasy of success belonged to the victors on stage, while the bitter fruit of failure could only be silently swallowed by them.
Unlike the one-sided domination in the upper bracket, the Beijing-Shanghai showdown between Tiangong Team and Forbidden City Peak was a true clash of the century, an ultimate test of strategy, resilience, and even luck.
In the first game, Tiangong Team, relying on their seasoned strategy, secured the victory without much effort.
In the second game, Forbidden City Peak, fueled by the thunderous cheers of the home crowd, erupted with astonishing energy, stubbornly tying the score with several perfectly coordinated team fights.
In the third game, both sides battled for over forty minutes, and Tiangong Team, with their superior understanding of minion waves and resource control, narrowly won, taking the first match point.
In the fourth game, Forbidden City Peak, with their backs against the wall, displayed incredible resilience.
Amidst the almost frenzied shouts of the entire audience, they withstood immense pressure and once again tied the score!
2:2! The match was dragged into the final decisive game!
The entire gymnasium erupted!
The air was so hot it felt like it would ignite.
Both the live audience and players watching online held their breath.
This was the charm of esports, with the suspense maintained until the very last moment!
In the decisive game, both sides showed two hundred percent concentration.
Every last hit, every probe, tugged at the hearts of countless people.
The game time again extended into the late stage, with both sides' economies neck and neck; any single mistake could doom the entire game.
The turning point occurred at the 38-minute mark.
The two sides contended for vision around the Ancient Dragon.
Forbidden City Peak's ADC, "Dragon Soul," positioned too far forward, attempting to harass, but was seized by Tiangong Team's support, who caught a fleeting opportunity, landing a precise flash-control!
"Dragon Soul has been caught! Does he have Flash?!...No! He's been instantly killed!!!" the commentator shrieked.
The instantaneous death of the core carry was a devastating blow for a late-game team fight!
Tiangong Team did not miss this heaven-sent opportunity, decisively started the dragon, and leveraged their numerical advantage to achieve a 1-for-4 team fight, then pushed straight through the mid-lane, destroying Forbidden City Peak's base crystal!
3:2!
Tiangong Team won!
In Tiangong Team's competition room, even the usually composed players couldn't help but jump up excitedly, hugging each other and roaring to release their pressure.
They had withstood immense home-field pressure and, after five grueling games, finally knocked on the door of the finals!
On Forbidden City Peak's side, time seemed to freeze.
The five players sat stiffly in their chairs, staring at the dazzling "DEFEAT" message on the screen.
"Dragon Soul" buried his head in his hands, his shoulders trembling violently, overwhelmed by endless regret and self-blame.
That fatal mistake, like a sharp knife, was carved into his heart.
Other teammates also had red eyes; some silently shed tears, while others leaned powerlessly against their chairs, their gazes unfocused.
They had been so close to making history, to defending their home-field glory, just by that much.
But in esports, there are no "what ifs."
As the players of Forbidden City Peak slowly walked out of the competition room with heavy steps, the entire audience once again rose to their feet, giving them thunderous, respectful applause.
They had fought until the last moment; though defeated, they were still glorious.
The last to leave was the top laner.
Just before stepping into the backstage passage, he paused and looked back deeply at the stage.
He saw the celebrating Tiangong Team players, saw the gleaming championship trophy under the lights, and saw the sea of light boards below the stage, still shining for them, belonging to Forbidden City Peak.
His eyes were incredibly complex, filled with unwillingness, regret, pain, and an indescribable sense of desolation.
This stage, they had been so close to it, but now they had to turn and leave.
Success and failure, joy and tears, at this moment, formed the sharpest, most cruel contrast.
Ultimately, Pojun Team and Tiangong Team, the two super-strong teams that had been considered favorites to win since the start of the season, successfully met in the Grand Finals!
On one side was the unstoppable, all-crushing spear of Pojun Team!
On the other was the steady as a mountain, operation-first shield of Tiangong Team!
The ultimate showdown of spear and shield was about to unfold on the peak night at the Capital Gymnasium!
And the tears and lingering gazes of the losers became the most heartbreaking yet memorable footnotes in this grand epic.
This is competitive sports, this is esports—cruel, yet therefore incredibly real and moving.