Little Li seized the time before the match began to frantically explain tactics.
Meng Lang also quickly understood Little Li’s plan for the CT pistol round this game: start with 3B and 2A, then transition mid-round into 4A and 1B—this was originally a rifle-round setup for contesting Banana.
On Inferno, Banana was a special long corridor terrain. Whether T or CT, whoever controlled Banana would gain an entire stretch of depth, giving it an extremely important tactical position.
Yet Little Li was planning to buy utility in the pistol round and use this kind of setup.
Clearly, as the in-game leader, Little Li had also put extraordinary thought into today’s pistol round.
He really wanted to win this pistol.
Very soon, the countdown ended, and the match began.
On Douyu, in livestream room 6657.
“The match has begun. Let’s first take a look at the pistol-round setups. On Liquid’s side, nitr0 has no armor and bought a full set of utility, one dualies and four half-armor Glocks. Looks like they’re going for a burst-execute tactic, just don’t know which bombsite they’ll choose.”
“And what about G2 on the CT side? Little Li has no armor and bought a full set of utility, but wait! Dark also has no armor and bought a full set of utility? Two sets of utility in a CT pistol round? This round feels like G2 has something designed!”
At this moment, the observer’s camera switched to the T side. After leaving spawn, no one went toward second mid; all five players thundered toward T ramp with heavy footsteps.
“It’s B! Liquid are preparing a full utility burst RUSH B!”
Clang—!
A smoke grenade suddenly descended from the sky. The rapidly spreading smoke directly sealed off the position from T ramp into Banana.
Wanjiqi reacted instantly!
“Oh! God Li started from CT spawn and threw a fast T-ramp smoke to help B, and on the other side, among the three B players, Dark halfway threw an early jump-throw CT molotov toward mid Banana. In that case, the T side’s Rush B attack has been blocked!”
That was right!
The utility combo Little Li had designed—T-ramp smoke plus molotov behind the smoke at mid Banana—not only stopped the T side’s opening rush from speeding up, but also prevented anyone from sneaking through the smoke.
As a result, Meng Lang, Niko, and Cousin were able to very easily swing out from car, taking control of the close tree position and cubby near T ramp on Banana.
“Eh! G2’s utility and tactical design in the pistol round today really has something to it.”
From the god’s-eye view, Wanjiqi quickly predicted Liquid’s next move. “Now that the T side has been blocked at T ramp, no one dares to push through smoke and fire. Next, they’ll have to consider rotating through mid or second mid toward A.”
“Then this is exactly what God Li wants! Believe it or not, God Li is about to call a 4A command. Aside from Young Master Ni, everyone else will probably return to A in a moment, forming a heavy 4A defense.”
Sure enough!
Before long, the three G2 players on Banana heard no footsteps from T ramp.
Little Li immediately said in voice chat, “Cousin and Dark, come back. They’ve most likely rotated A already. Dark, leave your smoke grenade for Niko.”
“Got it.” Meng Lang nodded.
He and Cousin quickly returned to A.
Niko picked up the smoke grenade Meng Lang dropped, then fell back behind car to defend, holding the smoke as he continuously jiggle-peeked to observe T ramp.
If he saw anyone, he would throw the smoke and stall while waiting for his teammates to rotate back.
Soon, the timer reached 40 seconds.
During one of his jiggle-peeks, Niko really did spot a T and immediately threw the smoke grenade.
Clang—!
The smoke instantly bloomed.
Logically speaking, at the start of the round, when G2’s three players pushed up Banana, they hadn’t been walking silently. The opponents had seen Banana get replenished with another smoke, and also knew there were many people there.
There was definitely no reason to push through the smoke.
But Liquid’s in-game leader, nitr0, as a player whose style leaned more toward tactical setups and team coordination rather than individual stats, likewise possessed excellent tactical reading ability and decisive decision-making.
G2’s unusual pistol round made him smell a hint of conspiracy. He decisively called back his teammate from apartments, and at 40 seconds remaining, issued the final command!
“RUSH B!”
“Just RUSH B!”
In livestream room 6657!
Wanjiqi’s eyes widened at once, his voice rising. “Huh? Liquid actually dare to have all five players charge through the smoke together! Then right now there’s only old Ni alone at car! Someone from G2’s A site has realized something’s wrong and is already rotating, but it’s too late now!”
The next second,
T players and flashes emerged together!
Niko was fully blinded by a flash.
He didn’t get a single kill before being run over by the opponent’s five-man army.
Immediately afterward, Liquid planted the bomb in B site, spread out their crossfire, and threw a CT-spawn isolation smoke.
“Wow! A 4v5 B-site retake? This feels a little difficult!”
“Liquid are already setting up around triple box, dark spot, coffins, and Banana dark spot. They can very easily form two or three layers of crossfire. Under these circumstances, it’s honestly too hard for the CTs to retake!”
Reality was indeed so.
Although G2’s retake from CT spawn and church was actually quite good, and they even traded out two enemies under the opponent’s crossfire, it was still a bit beyond saving.
In this pistol round, Meng Lang had bought a set of utility and therefore had no armor. After rotating back from church, he only finished off one player before EliGE collected him with body shots.
The livestream chat instantly flooded the screen:
“Again, again, again executed by Brother Ji?”
“Sure enough, rookies are still unstable.”
“EliGE: I heard you were insane yesterday?”
“.”
Watching this scene, Wanjiqi could only sigh regretfully. “Sigh, what a pity for G2’s carefully designed tactic. In the end, Liquid cracked it with a forceful smoke push. Nothing you can do—pistol rounds are just like this, full of uncertainty. Let’s look at the next round. G2’s economy isn’t good; they should be ecoing this one.”
In G2’s team voice chat, the atmosphere also seemed somewhat low.
Especially for Aleksib as the in-game leader. The pistol-round tactic he had painstakingly designed had been broken by the opponent in the most brutal way, and it couldn’t help but make him doubt himself a little.
After all, if they had merely lost an ordinary pistol round, perhaps it wouldn’t have been anything. But this feeling of pouring in one’s efforts to design something only to fall short at the last moment was the most damaging to morale.
Seeing that the atmosphere was off, Meng Lang had just been about to say, “How about next round I half-buy a Deagle and try?” After all, he had just fused with [Old Ni’s Remnant Body], and his feel for the Deagle was burning hot.
But before he could say it, Niko beside him took the initiative and spoke up. “Next round is eco. I’ll buy a Deagle. I’ll try to find an opportunity.”
Hearing this, Meng Lang swallowed back the words that had reached his lips.
“Young Master Ni’s Deagle” had always been his signature. Although Meng Lang had fused with “Old Ni’s Remnant Body,” with the original standing right in front of him, Meng Lang felt it was better not to show off his slight skill before an expert for now.
Yet vaguely, he also felt as though something was not quite right.
Little Li and the others, however, felt this was the best choice for the moment and nodded. “OK, then we’re relying on you, Niko. The rest of us will buy half armor and utility to support you.”
The second round began.
G2’s economy was poor. Aside from Niko buying a Deagle and a small amount of utility, everyone else only had half armor or nothing at all.
Little Li’s tactical arrangement this time was comparatively conservative.
At the start, he called a default defensive formation of 2B—Meng Lang and Niko—2A—huNter- and m0NESY—and 1 connector—Little Li himself.
Meng Lang and Niko, responsible for holding B, did not choose to push forward this round. Instead, they chose to defend from the back of site—Meng Lang near triple box, while Niko hovered around first oranges.
The advantage of defending from the back of site was that it gave them favorable dueling positions. The disadvantage was that they would give up information control over the front of Banana, and allow the T side enough space to set up an execute, requiring them to endure heavy utility pressure from the opponents.
In livestream room 6657, Wanjiqi analyzed the situation:
“Liquid tasted the sweetness of that Rush B in the last round, and they know this is an eco round for G2, with a huge weapon disadvantage. So for this point, Liquid still choose to continue attacking B! And they’re pressing very boldly, their utility is also very fierce, directly clearing close positions!”
“But! On the CT side, B has Young Master Ni! He has a Deagle in his hands! Niko! Can you create a miracle? Whether the Deagle can turn the round around depends on thi—”
Before Wanjiqi could finish speaking!
On the observer camera, a precise flashbang from Liquid exploded above Niko’s head!
Niko instinctively turned from the flash, while blindly throwing a smoke grenade in the direction where he sensed enemies might be, trying to delay for time.
But Liquid’s attack was far too decisive!
Clang—!
Before the smoke had fully spread, Liquid’s attackers had already used the effect of the flash to charge straight out through the smoke!
Niko had just recovered his vision from the white screen. Before he had time to locate his target, he fired two hurried shots, then was sprayed down by oSee, who was charging at the very front, with an AK after a sudden stop!
“Ah!? Niko got sprayed down! The Deagle dropped!”
Wanjiqi drew out his voice in alarm. “It’s over! G2’s eco round is gone! Young Master Ni only threw a smoke, and now there’s only Dark alone in B site with a USP.”
“Hide! Hide!”
After getting instantly killed, Niko hurriedly shouted in voice chat, telling Meng Lang to hide and wait for the three teammates from A to rotate back.
At this moment, only Meng Lang remained in B site, facing Liquid’s five-man attacking squad surging in like a tide.
Meng Lang’s heart also sank.
But just as his gaze swept over the Deagle Niko had dropped in front of him, it was as if a streak of lightning flashed through his mind!
He suddenly realized what had felt wrong just now!
What he had fused with was [17 Ni’s Remnant Body]—that was the ultimate confidence and unreasonable gunfeel of peak 2017 Niko’s Deagle.
But now…
It was 2022!
The old Ni of 22 had fallen.
But Young Master Ni of 17 might not necessarily lose!
The next second, an indescribable surge of hot blood rushed violently into Meng Lang’s heart!
At this moment, not only did he not retreat, he instead stepped forward like an arrow!
Click—!
That Deagle, still carrying Niko’s body heat, instantly fell into Meng Lang’s hand!
[Old Ni’s Remnant Body (17 Deagle Limited)]!
Activate!
“Bro?! What are you doing?!”
Niko shouted in shock through voice chat.
Mixed in with Liquid’s players’ chaotic and urgent footsteps!
Meng Lang did not answer.
He took a deep breath, and his entire being entered a mysterious state.
His wrist sank slightly; the mouse shifted gently.
The Deagle’s massive muzzle, following his arm, traced a cold arc, aiming at the first silhouette pulling out from the edge of the smoke!
At this moment,
time seemed to slow.
The clamor of the world receded.
Bang——!!!
The Deagle’s iconic, deafening roar suddenly exploded across the B bombsite!