ARML Chapter 126.2: Preparations Stage

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Coach Lin turned the computer on and pulled up the prepared PPT. The coaching team in Tianhuan wasn’t comprised of only Coach Lin, but also included the data department and several assistant coaches. However, Coach Lin was the head coach who directly communicated with the players and was responsible for BP before the start of a match.

He showed everyone the results of the research done by the coaching team, "Team Jingzhe is a team with great comprehensive strength and a well-rounded lineup. They would often come up with some peculiar comps, such as the poison comp in S8, where the Warlock of Poison would stand in as the marksman. That's how Jingzhe will start to dominate the game."

The Warlock of Poison was a mage. Due to its low damage output and long CD time, there was a period when no one bothered using such a washed-up hero. But after Jingzhe came up with their poison comp and had geared themselves in physical speed-boosting equipment to stack their attack speed to the maximum, they relied on stacking poison to deal damage to their opponents. With the cooperation of the Cobra King, the effect was surprisingly good.

Coach Lin continued, "Jingzhe had a very stable performance this season. The mid-laner, Fang Zhengqing, the marksman, Xie Yuan, and the support, Li Yun'mo, are referred to as the iron triangle of Jingzhe. Their top laner and jungler are also exceptional players. This is their data for this season. It includes their KDA, commonly used heroes, leveling speed per minute, etc. Everyone, please have a look at it first."

The Jingzhe players' IDs popped up on the big screen along with their data from this season. 

I'm Very Square, I'm Very Round, Swath of Clouds, A Hill, and A Knife.
TL/n: ED and I had some pretty cool names for the last two but for the sake of making it hilarious…

Jingzhe's players had some pretty hilarious names, probably from being led astray by the captain, Fang Zhengqing. He was indeed worthy of the title of the laziest Alpha in the entire league. His surname was Fang, so he came up with the name 'I'm Very Square'. He was too lazy to even come up with a new ID.
TL/n: Fang can be a surname but can also mean square.

Fang Zhengqing and Xie Yuan's data looked good and their hero pools were deep. They were indeed a world-class mid laner and marksman.

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Coach Lin continued analyzing, "Most teams will target the mid laner and marksman during BP when facing Jingzhe. But we cannot ignore Jingzhe's support, Li Yun'mo. He's the most cool-headed support in the entire league and is an expert at seizing opportunities. It will be very difficult to gank the marksman with his protection, so we may not necessarily be able to gain an advantage from ganking the bottom lane."

He stopped, his gaze scanning across everyone, "The coaching team has decided to break through in the mid lane after researching."

Chi Shuo raised an eyebrow, "Start at Fang Zhengqing's lane?"

Coach Lin nodded, "Mn. Fang Zhengqing is especially hard to deal with, but our Shaoyang isn't bad either. I believe Shaoyang wouldn't lose out when facing off with Fang Zhengqing 1v1. Chi Shuo, you can help the mid lane frequently, send Captain Fang home with a 2v1, then roam around, creating a time advantage."

Coach Lin paused, then looked at Chi Shuo and asked, "Oh right, which hero do you think Fang Zhengqing will pick when they compete against us?"

Chi Shuo thought for a moment, then answered, "Cobra King or Great Witch of the North Sea. Those are his favorite heroes." 

Coach Lin was enlightened, "Alright, we won't need to ban these two. He'll definitely not be using them. Let's focus on banning the marksman and ban Xie Yuan's best heroes." 

Chi Shuo: "??"

Ye Shaoyang laughed from the side, "Reverse elimination method. After all, both of you are the mid/jungler duo whose 'tacit understanding' can lead to the collapse of all three lanes. Whatever you think he'll choose, he definitely won't choose."

Chi Shuo: "..."

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Coach Lin continued asking, "Will Fang Zhengqing support the top or bottom lane once he hits Level 6?"

Chi Shuo guessed, "Probably the bottom lane?"

Coach Lin looked at Qin Yizhu, "Old Qin, you have to be more careful. Fang Zhengqing will most likely gank the top lane once he hits Level 6."

Qin Yizhu sat up straight, "Got it!"

Chi Shuo: "..."

At the same time, at Team Jingzhe's base.

Fang Zhengqing was leaning against his seat while Jingzhe's Coach Chen was explaining fervently with big movements, "Tianhuan has improved rapidly this season, and Lieyang has outstanding personal strength! Captain Fang isn't able to suppress him completely in the mid lane, so we must prevent him from supporting the outer lanes! Tianhuan will most likely be focusing on their mid/jungle duo in their match against us, and the mid laner will roam around with the jungler."

He paused before looking at Fang Zhengqing, "Captain Fang, try and take a guess. Which hero will Chi Shuo pick?"

Fang Zhengqing thought about it for a moment, and said, "Stealthy Rogue, Bloodstained Assassin? Those are his best jungler heroes and they could be used to go around our marksman and instakill him."

Coach Chen remarked, "Okay, we won't have to ban these two heroes then. Chi Shuo probably won't be choosing them."

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Fang Zhengqing: "?"

Xie Yuan chuckled beside him, "You don't have a tacit understanding with Chi Shuo, so the coach is using reverse elimination."

Fang Zhengqing adjusted his glasses, "Oh."

Coach Chen continued looking at Fang Zhengqing, "Which lane do you think Tianhuan will attack first?"

Fang Zhengqing guessed again, "Bottom lane?"

Coach Chen: "Then we can level up with ease in the bottom lane. Let's focus on defending the top and mid lane."

Fang Zhengqing: "..."

Can this meeting still be conducted peacefully!

Both coaches finalized the BP selection after going through a round of reverse elimination.

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Tianhuan targeting the marksman, Fang Zhengqing's famed hero being put out... Fang Zhengqing might not choose this path.

Jingzhe targeting the mid laner, Chi Shuo's jungler core being released... Chi Shuo probably wouldn’t choose this anyway.

Following this, both sides began to construct viable teams and determine which comps to practice next.

There's a very high chance that they would have to compete until the final deciding game when playing against a team as strong as Jingzhe. Hence, they had to prepare three different comps and come up with replacements should their main heroes be banned. 

These were all things that the coaching team must research. 

There was still a week before the official start of the Group S matches. Everyone had entered an intense training phase.

Although Ye Shaoyang and Chi Shuo were sitting side by side and were together all day, they had both determined their next goal——to strive for the championship and put other matters aside first.

They tacitly stopped mentioning the marking. Their topics of discussion every day were heroes, tactics, and competition. Although their understanding of their current relationship was very different, like a chicken talking to a duck, their understanding of the game was unified and their brain waves were often synchronized when talking about it.

There was no longer the need to hide the mid/jungler comp that they'd been practicing in the international server for a long time. 

To defeat Jingzhe, they must bring out their strongest comp!

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