After the opening ceremony, the matches didn't start immediately. According to tradition, there was an official pre-recorded trash talk segment between the two teams before the competition began. Essentially, this segment was meant to add excitement and fun to the event—
However, across various major leagues, there were often players who spoke too freely, leading to being relentlessly mocked after losing matches, sometimes even forced into retirement.
At this moment, as the players took their seats in the soundproof booths, the big screen in the venue behind them began playing the pre-match trash talk segment. The soundproof booth doors weren't closed yet, and the players hadn't put on their headphones, so they turned around and watched the video with the audience, grinning foolishly...
[Support Group]
Liang Sheng: "What should I say? Haha. We won the Group Stage, so the finals shouldn't be a problem, right? This season hasn’t been easy for us—relegation in the Spring Split, then Summer Season Champions. A novel-worthy life, perfect."
(Camera switches)
Little Fatty: "Fatty’s bot lane could win even with a dog leashed to it. And what we’ve got here isn’t just some village mutt—it’s the God of Dogs."
...
Amid the audience’s laughter, Tong Yao clearly heard someone in the crowd teasingly call Little Fatty "cocky." Lu Sicheng chuckled lightly, clapping his hands: "Nice. From now on, your cheering banners will say ‘Win Even with a Dog Leashed.’"
Little Fatty grinned smugly, but before he could retort, Lu Sicheng suddenly went, "Oh, right—that’s assuming you even have fans to make you banners. Dog-walker, do you have any fans?"
Little Fatty: "..."
[ADC Group]
Chessman: "It was fine watching from afar in Korea, but now you’ve delivered yourself to the LPL for me to crush. No reason to hold back—I’ll make sure you lose with no complaints."
(Camera switches)
Pope: (Original Korean with subtitles) "I’ve been asked the same question over and over—who’s the world’s best ADC, you or Chessman? It’s exhausting and annoying. It’s time to give everyone a clear answer. That’s why I came to China—it’s more fun to defeat him on his home turf. If possible, I’d love to savor his tears of regret while holding up the trophy."
(Camera switches)
Chessman (smirking) : "That’s what he said? Why is the ‘world’s best ADC’ question even a debate? Ask me eight hundred times, the answer’s still the same: me."
...
The crowd erupted in screams and applause. ZGDX fans began chanting "Chessman!" After a while, YQCB fans couldn’t hold back either, shouting "Pope!" in response. Glowing cheering banners were raised high—the electrifying atmosphere was unmatched, almost dispelling the summer night’s heat!
Little Fatty: "And that, folks, was the exchange between two lovebirds."
Tong Yao looked puzzled: "Isn’t the world’s best ADC my King, Gao Xucheng?"
Lu Sicheng pursed his lips and shot her a sidelong glance. The icy look made her obediently shut her mouth.
[Mid Lane Group]
Ai Jia: "Ah, what should I say? This woman’s way too arrogant. I’ll teach her a lesson—show her that esports is still a man’s world."
(Camera switches)
Smiling (laughing brightly) : "He dares to say that? Hahahaha, I can’t wait to see his ‘lesson.’ Ai Jia really is an excellent ‘play safe and wait for teamfights’ kind of player. Hope he doesn’t cower under his tower—come at me head-on."……
There was a hint of tension in the air. Amid the sighs from the audience, Tong Yao remained calm. "The Black House where they record videos must really bring out the beast in this player. Right after recording, Jin Yang dragged him here by the ear to apologize to me."
Lu Sicheng: "An apology won’t stop you from crushing him."
Tong Yao nodded. "Right. He needs to learn that a man’s word is like spilled water—it can’t be taken back."
【Jungler Group】
Old K: "My jungle is mine, and his jungle is also mine."
(Camera switches)
X-Bang (looking confused at the camera, speaking in Xinjiang-accented Mandarin): "Did he really say that?"
X-Bang (suddenly looking nervous): "No way! Not giving it!"
……
X-Bang’s utterly bewildered expression as he stared at the camera and questioned the director was so adorable that everyone in the player seats burst into laughter, including Old K, who was shaking with laughter, one hand propping up his head while he waved his arms and shouted at the jungler in the neighboring soundproof booth: "You’re giving it whether you like it or not!"
【Top Laner Group】
Rong Rong: "I’ll 1v1 him—tell him not to bring his family."
(Camera switches)
Old Cat: "What family am I bringing?"
(Camera switches)
Rong Rong: "Everyone knows ZGDX’s top lane is a duo lane. I heard that if the jungler doesn’t come sometimes, this top laner throws tantrums and gives the silent treatment. So immature."
(Camera switches)
Old Cat (ruffling the red hair on his head): "Beep—(censored) You wanna die? Who told you I throw tantrums and give the silent treatment when Old K doesn’t come?! I’ll send them a lawyer’s letter for spreading rumors like that!"
……
Little Fatty: "Master of talking nonsense with a straight face."
Old Cat, indignant: "I think so too."
Little Fatty: "I was talking about you."
Old Cat: "……"
Old K: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The pre-match trash talk video ended, leaving the audience in high spirits, still reveling in the players’ witty banter. Then, the BGM’s intro played, and the big screen showed the LPL Summer Split promotional video recorded before the season began—
All twelve LPL teams were featured, with every player getting screen time. It started with a blazing sun, symbolizing LPL’s strong performances in international tournaments from S2 to S3. Then, the sky darkened, a storm rolled in, and the scene shifted: a crushed soda can tumbled in the wind, graffiti-covered walls, a motionless rat by a trash can. Players emerged from the ruins, their pace quickening—the following teams began running through the storm: Red Arrow, Huawei, CK, and finally ZGDX. The five ZGDX members sprinted through the downpour, the camera zooming in on each of their faces one by one. At the end of the alley, Lu Sicheng stepped into a puddle of water, sending droplets flying—
With a resounding "boom" in the soundtrack, the splashing water transformed into shattering glass, as if the gloomy storm had been shattered underfoot—the rain cleared, and sunlight broke through.The promotional video for the league, which had been played in fragments countless times during the Summer Split, was finally shown in its entirety today—from the sunshine symbolizing LPL's declining performance on the international stage to the pouring rain, from the twisted soda cans representing the audience's anger to the shivering rat by the trash can, every frame metaphorically depicting the league's current state tugged at the viewers' heartstrings—until the scene where Lu Sicheng stomped through the gloom—
The entire audience instantly rose to their feet, cheering, applauding, and chanting "LPL!"
Commentator A: [Welcome to the 2016 LPL Summer Split Finals! The match is now officially entering the Ban & Pick phase!]
Amid the electrifying atmosphere, with the commentator's announcement, the long-awaited match finally began—the venue differed from the regular season, featuring a special Ban & Pick background BGM and abstract team logos twisting and spreading across the stage floor in sync with the music, exuding a high-end production quality that even rivaled the Olympics, leaving the Internet addicts in the audience utterly awestruck!
Commentator A: [The players are now seated and have put on their noise-canceling headphones, and the soundproof booths have been closed… This is the first time soundproof booths have been used in an LPL Finals, but don’t worry—the ventilation is excellent, so your oppas and noona won’t suffocate inside.]
Commentator B: [Alright, let’s take a look. YQCB’s first ban is Leblanc—no surprises there. In the past, if Smiling didn’t pick Leblanc, it was either because she couldn’t get it or because ZGDX was saving it for later. But you can’t hold back in the Finals, so banning it is the safe move.]
Commentator A: [ZGDX, on the other hand, banned Kalista, the signature Champion of both Chessman and Pope, as if saying: "Bro, let’s not touch Kalista here—we’ll save it for the World Championship to use against others."]
The audience erupted in laughter.
Commentator B: [And now YQCB bans Twisted Fate! Hahahahaha! None of Smiling’s trump cards are usable today! I know you’re an assassin-type Champion specialist, but I just won’t let you have them—how frustrating!]
Commentator A: [So much for facing each other head-on!]
Amid the commentators’ lively banter, the players’ Ban & Pick phase was equally chaotic—
Tong Yao: "First they ban my Leblanc, now they ban my Twisted Fate? Damn it, how long has it been since I last picked Twisted Fate, and they still remember it! Guys, how good is your intel security really… Lu Sicheng, did you accidentally spill the beans backstage after getting reverse-outplayed by your bestie? Otherwise, how would they know I wanted to pick Twisted Fate today?"
Lu Sicheng: "Do you think any team that makes it to the Spring Split Finals is stupid? You’re clearly saving Twisted Fate as a trump card since you haven’t picked it in so long—and after getting tricked by me last time, do you really think Li Junhe would fall for it again?"
Tong Yao: "…"
Lu Sicheng: "The moment he stepped into the venue, he’s been avoiding me like the plague, practically zipping his mouth shut."
As he spoke, Lu Sicheng casually banned Karma.Tong Yao: "You're actually upset that he's ignoring you."
Lu Sicheng: "Of course I'm upset. I'm such a great guy, yet he guards against me like a thief. My heart is cold."
Ming Shen smacked the two chattering carries with his folder twice each: "It's the Summer Split finals, can you two be a little more serious? Is now really the time to mourn your lost bromance? — Little Fatty, ban their Azir again. At most we'll dedicate all five ban slots to Mid Laners. It's not like we're fielding hero spoon Lu Yue today anyway."
Little Fatty gave an "okay" and banned Azir.
The opposing team retaliated by banning Vladimir.
In the end, Ming Shen was right—this ban made it exactly five Mid Laners banned. For commentators and audiences familiar with ZGDX, this was no longer particularly surprising.
The ban phase concluded.
During the pick phase, there weren't many good Mid Laner champions left to choose from, so Old Cat first-picked Syndra for Tong Yao. The opposing team's Pope and Liang Sheng picked Ashe and Bard. Old K then took the Lissandra that the opposing team might have chosen for Mid and gave it to Old Cat for Top Lane. This left Ai Jia with basically only Ekko to pick—
Both teams' Ban & Pick proceeded swiftly.
Even the commentators couldn't help but remark that both teams were extremely well-prepared. During Ban & Pick, they basically took the champions they needed without hesitation, displaying the clean and decisive stance of masters crossing swords... This phase concluded smoothly in half the time of a regular match—
ZGDX Team picks: Lissandra, Elise, Syndra, Jhin, Tahm Kench.
YQCB Team picks: Gangplank, Gragas, Ekko, Ashe, Bard.
And thus,
The 2016 LPL Summer Split finals, ZGDX Team versus YQCB Team, Best of 5 Game 1, officially began.
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