Chapter 169
"Do you know what we need to do for our team to win?"
Keril had asked the members of the Jipaljikon team a moment ago.
The team leader is Keril. Normally, this role is mostly taken by A-ranks.
More precisely, it's taken by those who are theoretically sharp or know most things and have leadership.
If the team captains in the system also take on the leader role, that team could just become a sinking ship.
Like Team Ha Yunho, Team Ha Yunho, Team Ha Yunho.
"Is winning possible?"
"We're 0-2..."
"I'd be happy just to make it through the group stage. Being teamed up with Kim Taewoo again means we're set for a swift elimination! But with the Bat Team and Heavy Mental, aren't we in the group of death too?"
The team members were naturally pessimistic.
Since it was just practice matches, they hadn't faced the group stage opponents, but they had to consider them all strong.
They'd lost all the practice matches too.
"It's not the group of death."
Keril reminded them of one fact.
"Why not?"
"Sure, Group A is hell, but we're not exactly pushovers..."
"It's because we're in it."
"Aha!"
"I see!"
The reason it wasn't the group of death was because they were the Guardians of Balance.
In the group stage, only one team drops out.
And if that one team is practically predetermined?
Then it's a honey group.
Excluding the ones involved.
"Anyway, brothers and sisters, we came out to win, didn't we?"
"We came out to increase viewer numbers, though."
"Oh, influx of viewers!"
"Can't resist that."
"..."
Of course, no one hates winning.
"So, what do we need to do to win?"
"We have to do well."
"Oh, that's like a 'the day you were born is your birthday' level answer."
"In the 10 years you were asleep, 10 years have passed!"
"To change, you need transformation! Hmm!"
"If the economy improves, we can escape the recession!"
Having thoroughly mimicked a certain island nation's politician, they laughed sexily.
There was no need to explain the reference. Because it wasn't sexy in itself.
The last line, by the way, was delivered by Keril.
"Then what do we need to do to do well?"
"We can't compete based on physicals."
"Why? Why are you underestimating us?"
"Just because a kid is a bit good at games, how do you treat your elders! Tsk tsk."
They had grown close enough to snap back like that, and Keril was no different.
"Honestly, you're not good."
"…"
"Sheesh, no respect for elders."
"Noona, we're not that far apart in age."
"…"
"Anyway, realistically, except for bot lane, we don't have anyone who can reliably win lane and carry. Our jungler to unlock lanes is also low-tier."
"What about me? I'm still C-rank."
"Taewoo hyung, you're okay. But can you stop Pado-nim or hyung's friend?"
"…"
"And the Bat Team's mid seemed pretty skilled; is it possible?"
"Impossible."
Taewoo backed down.
What couldn't be done, couldn't be done.
What Keril mentioned was carrying.
Of course, even if it was about winning lane immediately, Taewoo would have backed down.
"So instead of physicals, we need to excel in macro play. That's how we survive and go further to win."
"I see."
"Macro play, huh."
"So we'll focus completely on that, right? Since there's not much time."
"Taewoo hyung is right. From the last practice matches, I've fully grasped the path we need to take. The opponents all have strengths. But none of them have macro play as their strength. It was almost nonexistent in previous tournaments too."
It's partly because building teamwork is difficult and there's not a huge need for it.
But if Keril had seen a possibility.
"Good."
"For laning phase, we'll just hold on as much as possible."
"Can't we just follow Keril-nim's orders throughout the game? I think Keril-nim would have such a framework in mind."
"That's right."
It was reliable.
It was the moment the grand strategy of the 0-2 team Jipaljikon was decided.
The problem was Taewoo.
He knew.
That bastard Jin Seojun's interview words were aimed at him.
Actually, everyone knew.
So when he tried to ask,
"Of course, you know there's nothing we can do right now, right?"
"Even tomorrow?"
"Yes. There's no answer."
So he tried to beat around the bush.
"Then, suppose we do make it to the main tournament and face the Rich-Poor Gap, do you have any thoughts on how to handle it?"
With hope.
"No, I don't. Just, hyung's friend's physical is hopeless. We saw it at Ground Zero too."
This is The League.
Those words didn't come out.
Because they'd already witnessed more than enough physical prowess in The League.
"What about bans and picks? Can't we use heroes to block— no, to attack him somehow?"
"From what I saw, that hyung really seems to be playing everything for the first time, and now that we've confirmed that, searching for a pick is meaningless. I have a strong intuition that he'll do well with anything. To stop him, there's only macro play, but we can't coordinate that right now. Still, don't worry. Macro starts from bans and picks, and from the main tournament, we'll have a tremendous helper to prepare for that. I'll reveal it tomorrow."
In any case, it meant there was nothing to be done for tomorrow.
And so their meeting ended.
Indeed.
Keril had never asked Taewoo to fish for any information.
It was just.
"You game-obsessed bastard who even steals other people's lines, are you even a friend after doing that?"
Taewoo, feeling intimidated, had only confirmed whether the interview was true.
"Lines, I don't know, but I think the chicken is here? I think I heard the elevator."
"Shut up."
"Hey. Vacuum quickly. Or you won't get to eat."
"I don't want to. Why, since I ordered it?"
Seojun looked at Taewoo with a smile.
A smile that said, just try it.
A face that said, no guarantee what the outcome would be.
A look that said, if you don't clean up those crumbs, I'll mess you up one way or another in the future.
Damn.
"Just this once."
Taewoo got up and strode out to the living room where the vacuum was.
Then, after changing the head brush, he came back and vacuumed the bed.
Because he had some fault too.
Vrrrrr!
Taewoo muttered as he sucked up the crumbs he'd spilled.
"Please, go easy, you son of a bitch."
No, wait.
But is holding on really that hard? Really?
Was I too intimidated?
"Yeah, if I just hug the tower, it might not be a big deal."
We'll see tomorrow.
* * *
[First Blood!]
[Sword God --> Kim Taewoo]
[Double Kill!]
[Sword God --> Kim Taewoo]
[Sword God --> Clean-freak]
[Rampage!]
[Sword God --> Kim Taewoo]
"Ah! As soon as Kim Taewoo came back and was under the tower, Seojun dove right in and killed him! Ah! What is this!"
Bangju shouted.
[Blessing of Radiance]
"And amidst that, Seojun's Kael survives with invincibility!"
"Isn't this too pitiful? He gritted his teeth in anger."
"Why did they leave Kael alive, anyway? Why! Jipaljikon! They really seem to keep digging their own graves!"
"Hmm. They probably thought even if they banned three, it'd be the same result, right?"
Penguin guessed.
He was spot on.
That's what Keril thought, and so he just gave Kael over to Seojun.
He judged that showing his cards was meaningless anyway, and he had no intention of winning.
Having already lost two, it'd be better to lose a clean three, wouldn't it?
It could make the enemy let their guard down.
If they then managed to win even the first match of the group stage, their chances of advancing would skyrocket.
Keril was meticulously laying the groundwork.
And that hardship...
"Team Captain Kim Taewoo! I almost cursed at your jungler, but I held back. Is your temper showing?"
"I've heard Team Captain Kim Taewoo, like Team Captain Ha Yunho, has a good personality and strong tendencies to be a fun-to-play gamer. That's surprising?"
"Yes. He's showing a very displeased expression."
That suffering was all for Taewoo to bear.
-Lolololololol
-Well, of course he can't hold back
-They're classmates! lololol
-If your friend's the opponent? Then you gotta dive and screw him over
-Why?
-Because that's a friend! Hmph!
-Originally, wanting to screw over and bully someone for no reason is friendship
-It's a guy thing
-In fact, if you can't bully them, they're probably awkward friends lol
-Real talk lol
"Unable to enjoy the game, Kim Taewoo player. After dying, he trudges back to lane. Already 3 deaths. His mental seems pretty shattered."
"Ah! At that moment, Seojun player dives again! Has he given up now?"
"It's not even halfway to giving up yet, I think."
"You mean 10 deaths?"
"Yes."
[Unstoppable!]
[Sword God --> Kim Taewoo]
"Ah! He died again!"
"His teammates laugh and say something to Kim Taewoo. Asking why he can't hold on."
"The fact that the capsule has a battery is incredibly regretful for Team Captain Kim Taewoo."
At Bangju's words, Arin asked.
"Why?"
"If the capsule didn't have an internal battery, if I were Kim Taewoo, I would've quit immediately, flipped the breaker, and pretended there was a power outage at home. Or actually caused a power outage."
"Aha! Wouldn't you get penalized for that?"
"I don't know either!"
"Yes!"
-Lolololol crazy commentators lololol
-Is he really going for 10 deaths?
-Lolololol the real weakest team is Jipaljikon
-Swift elimination ㅅㄱ
* * *
"Do you think it'll end like this?"
"What, then?"
"Our team's support is Keril the Analyst! As time goes on, all your actions and your team's will be seen through, predicted, and blocked. So the chance of your team winning this game can only go downhill from here."
Taewoo said confidently.
All his teammates had died.
And Taewoo, who had died earlier, had respawned a bit sooner.
So, that means Taewoo had just respawned.
But for Taewoo and Seojun to be able to talk like this...
"Then what's the use? Looks like it's about to end?"
It means Seojun is standing in their base.
"Oh? Is it?"
Seojun struck the Nexus's last remaining hit with his sword.
The Nexus's health dropped, and the game ended.
-Taewoo, snap out of it lolololololol
-He sure put his friend in his place, how about that?
-0/13/7 lolol
* * *
[GG! With the end of today's third game, the official scrims for this year's Rios have come to a close!]
[The last game was a heartwarming match where you could catch a glimpse of friendship. What do you think, Caster?]
[I agree. That friendship that finds your friend no matter the situation!]
-Finds his friend no matter what lol and kills him lol
-This is friendship???
- I like how clear the objective was
After the game, Seojun watched the broadcast.
[And we can't leave out Ha Yunho, who was farming carrots until the very last moment.]
[In fact, it's safe to say Team Captain Ha Yunho did nothing but cultivate carrots all game.]
Seojun's gaze shifted to the side.
There is a hero with a badger-like appearance that uses poison needles and plants poison mushrooms.
Ha Yunho had chosen this hero. With a special skin.
That skin, incidentally, changes the mushrooms into carrots.
Ha Yunho broke out in a cold sweat and avoided Seojun's eyes.
'Still, no one seems to have noticed.'
As expected, Lee Dongsu was an excellent decoy.
'Even if they noticed, it wouldn't have helped much.'
Since all team members would be gathering from tomorrow, Seojun felt the need to prepare more thoroughly.
Ha Yunho's rebellion was stronger than expected.
[Now that the practice matches are over, the biggest point betting event on Travel has just opened!]
[Predicting the winner, right?]
[That's right! Everyone, bet carefully. The betting period is generously until the main tournament starts! You can place your bets while watching how each team prepares.]
[Right now, the points keep going up!]
[TrSu multiple viewers? Everyone stop! Once you select a team to bet on, you can only add more points to it, you can't bet on other teams or cancel! Bet carefully, everyone!]
The reason it's called Travel's biggest point betting is no other.
First, the scale of participating viewers is on another level.
And there's no limit of 250,000 points that you can normally bet at once.
[I said stop betting! If you regret it later after seeing the scrims were a mess, it's not my fault!]
Seojun checked the channel point betting opened on the official account.
Already, around 10,000 to 20,000 points had been gathered for each team.
[Channel Point Prediction]
[Guess the winner of Rios!]
[Hanipman] - 14%
vs
[Rich-Poor Gap] - 17%
vs
[Heavy Mental] - 21%
.
.
.
It shows the percentage of total bet points each team has. They were all more or less similar.
'The big spenders haven't invested yet.'
This betting event is a huge opportunity to multiply your assets (?) in one go.
Since there's no limit.
And with six items, there's no clear favorite.
The payout ratio is unquestionably a multiple of the points bet.
Of course, the chance of losing is just as high. So one must be careful.
It was then.
[Rich-Poor Gap] - 99%
The points bet on team Rich-Poor Gap suddenly took up 99% of the total points proportion. The bar graph shot up.
'Huh?'
It meant someone had dumped an enormous amount of points.
Then, a notification message appeared on the interface.
[+30,000,000 points]
[Insane!]
[30 million points? Who is it?]
[No, what kind of beast is this!]
Soon, the nickname of the user who placed that bet could be seen.
It was proudly displayed as the person who bet the most points.
The owner was the current number one tycoon on Travel.
[I am Joseon's Assassin]
It was Joam.