At this moment, in the Antwerp studio, Banks’s interview was already nearing its end.
After his initial shock, he quickly demonstrated the professionalism of the “World’s Number One Interviewer,” his emotional intelligence maxed out!
“Wow, TOP 1! An incredibly ambitious goal! It will require unimaginable effort and sweat, but one should always have dreams, shouldn’t they?”
“Alright! Thank you, Dark, for the wonderful match and this… uh… memorable interview! Congratulations again to G2—see you in the Legends Stage!”
The interview ended,
but the storm had only just begun.
Meng Lang, who had made a stunning debut in the Challenger Stage, had declared “TOP 1” during the interview. That statement was like a massive boulder plunging into a deep pool, and the ripples rapidly spread to every corner of the global CS:GO community!
Instagram, Twitter, HLTV forums… Almost every related discussion board on the foreign internet was heatedly debating this “ignorant” teenage boy from the East!
Antwerp Crowne Plaza Hotel.
NAVI’s practice room.
NAVI had ranked first globally in the team top 10 last year. Undoubtedly, they were an apex predator in this year’s Major Legends Stage and naturally didn’t need to play any Challenger Stage matches.
And the team’s prodigal AWPer s1mple had also returned to the Earthly Immortal Realm last year, suppressing ZywOo to claim last year’s TOP 1.
At this moment, s1mple—who had been wearing headphones tuned to the tournament stream, lying back in his chair with his eyes closed for a brief rest—suddenly opened his eyes.
Hmm?
Someone wants to steal my TOP 1?
Oh, it’s a rifler.
Never mind, then.
Old Pig patted his belly, hummed softly, and comfortably closed his eyes again.
He had reclaimed TOP 1 last year!
Now he and ZywOo had each reached the summit of TOP 1 twice, regarded by fans in recent years as the “Twin Prodigies.” Every matchup between them was saturated with the tension of destined rivals!
But as the “tip of the pyramid, the solution to the equation”!
S1mple had always felt that he stood alone above heaven and earth.
Who the fuck is worthy of being my destined rival?
This year’s TOP 1, he was determined to win it!
Why?
Because this year was the critical showdown in the S1mple–ZywOo war!
Whoever could seize this TOP 1 would become the player with the most TOP 1s in the CS:GO era!
Becoming the undisputed GOAT!
So, Old Pig wouldn’t spare a thought for some player making small ripples in the Challenger Stage—well, even if those ripples looked slightly bigger.
At this time,
in the Antwerp studio.
After the interview ended, even though there was no one on set, Meng Lang still greeted the camera before turning around and returning to the player booth.
As soon as he got back, m0NESY was the first to come over, giving Meng Lang a light but solid punch on the shoulder with his small fist. His face a mixture of excitement and disbelief, he lowered his voice and said:
“Bro! That’s way too crazy! TOP 1! How dare you just say something like that in an interview!”
Niko also walked over with a smile, speaking in a tone that was partly joking and partly serious. “I don’t think it’s exaggerated at all! Who says TOP 1 has to be an AWPer? Dark just said what I’ve always wanted to say! Well done, mate!”
His cousin standing nearby was amused and, looking at his younger cousin, quipped:
“Then why don’t you ever say it in your interviews? Every time you lose a match, you’re just there self-criticizing, ‘It’s my fault, I messed up.’”
Faced with his cousin’s exposure of his flaws, Niko shrugged a little embarrassedly, but his gaze was unusually earnest. “Because I genuinely feel like… a lot of the time, it really is me who messed up.”
He paused, looked at Meng Lang, and spoke with some emotion and relief. “But Dark made me understand today that failure is also part of the game.”
The group chatted and laughed, swiftly packing up their peripherals and shouldering their bags as they walked out of the venue.
Today was the third day of the Challenger Stage.
As the first team to secure “fastest qualification” to the Legends Stage with a 3-0 record, G2’s schedule for the day was completely over—they could enjoy two precious days of rest, waiting for all the Challenger Stage matches to conclude and the full list of eight teams advancing to the Legends Stage to be finalized.
Then they would continue their journey in the Legends Stage.
Of course, if today’s 2-0 bracket had a team finish 3-0 for “fastest qualification,” then in the concurrently running matches in the studio today, there were also teams in the 0-2 bracket finishing 0-3 for “fastest elimination”!
Just as the dust settled on G2 vs. Vitality, in the same studio, the “life-or-death match” of the 0-2 bracket had also concluded—North American EG, after battling the Asian powerhouse Mongolian team IHC across three maps, ultimately fell in regret. With a 0-3 record, they received the “fastest elimination,” completely ending their journey at this Antwerp Major.
At this moment, EG’s player booth was dead silent.
Everyone’s expression was exceptionally grim, the atmosphere so oppressive it was suffocating.
Just then, the influencer pretty-boy team G2 walked past their booth with their gear bags, chatting and laughing.
That relaxed and cheerful atmosphere formed a glaring contrast with the gloom on EG’s side.
2K heard the commotion and instinctively looked up.
At first he hadn’t quite processed it, until his teammate RUSH beside him muttered in a low voice with complicated emotions, “G2… they qualified 3-0 today, didn’t they.”
2K suddenly jolted, his eyes instantly locking onto the back of that Eastern youth in the crowd. An extremely complex expression emerged on his face—a mixture of unwillingness, disbelief, and even a hint of twisted resentment.
They actually beat Vitality too?
And we…
lost to an Asian team?
A sharp question echoed frantically in his mind,
ultimately condensing into three words:
Why?!
Fuck!
Why was it that this guy, whom he had politically forced out of the team back then, could now advance to the Legends Stage in such spectacular fashion? While he himself had to return home early in disgrace with the humiliating 0-3 record?
He couldn’t understand!
Coach Vorborg, standing nearby, watched Meng Lang’s receding figure and let out a deep, listless sigh.
In his heart,
the same word surfaced:
If.
Yes, if only back then he could have persisted a little longer, withstood the pressure from 2K’s little clique, overruled the opposition to keep this young prodigy from CN…
Would this Major journey have been completely different?
Couldn’t they fight for one more Major?
But given his age and record, he likely couldn’t wait until the next time they qualified for a Major.
Alas, it’s a pity there are no ifs in this world.
And as for this young man before him…
A day ago, after watching G2 defeat Liquid, after witnessing that player’s explosive, dominant performance across the entire match, he had still felt Meng Lang was a purple-tier card with a bright future!
But now, Coach Vorborg of EG felt a wave of confusion in his mind.
This guy…
Just what kind of card could he grow into?
…
On the return bus, after the hubbub subsided, exhaustion flooded in like the tide.
Almost all of G2’s players were leaning back in their seats, resting with eyes closed—the grueling battle that went the full three maps against Vitality today had taken an enormous toll on both mind and body. After the excitement and thrill of victory came a deep weariness that swept through their entire beings.
Meng Lang also had his eyes closed, but he wasn’t fully asleep. The system notifications he hadn’t had time to check after finishing the match and being dragged to the interview emerged in his mind.
[Inconceivable! A new star tears through the firmament. The Host has swept through the Challenger Stage with thunderous momentum, locking down a Legends Stage seat with three dominant victories! Your gunfire has ignited the arena; your will has forged a legend. This is merely the glorious beginning of an endless journey. The true battle will soon beat its war drums in the Legends Stage—let the world witness your silhouette depart from here!]
[Tournament Win Streak reward mechanism has been activated.]
[Description: The road of glory, where every step births a lotus! The consecutive victories achieved by the Host in your first professional tournament will accumulate rewards. The longer the win streak, the richer the final reward!]
[Claim win streak reward now?]
Meng Lang selected [No] without hesitation.
The next second, another system notification rang out in his mind.
[Congratulations, Host. You have received a tournament performance drop: B-grade Treasure Chest x1]
[Chest opening…]
Holy shit!
Am I that lucky?
Another chest dropped today?
The corners of Meng Lang’s lips curved slightly upward behind closed eyes!
Let me see what it is this time!
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained: “Lil’ Chrysanthemum’s Ruin” (25USP Limited Edition)]
[Description: Holy shit! They must be giving away ghosts in this game for free!]