You're Beautiful When You Smile - Chapter 25 Part 3

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.

You’re Beautiful When You Smile

Chapter 25 Part 3

With an optimistic outlook, Tong Yao waited for the day of the skirmish
against TAT-- --

That day, everyone entered the room assigned by TAT. Tong Yao saw the
id on the other side “tat, tei” and nervously swallowed……

If was just as Lu Sicheng had predicted, the other team locked in as Leblanc.

When it was time for Tong Yao to choose her champion, she hesitated for
a while before finally clicking on Azir, the champion she had heard about in
the story between Niu god and Ah Tai-- --Before obtaining their ultimates at
level 6, Azir and Leblanc were at comparable strength. After level 6, Azir might
suffer a period of weakness but at the end of the game, when Leblanc could
cause less damage, Azir could take control of the game.

Since she played Leblanc well, Tong Yao fully understood the strengths and
weaknesses of Leblanc. As of now, she didn’t feel that anyone could defeat her
with the champion she was the most familiar with.

Until after the match began, she discovered that the reality was not exactly like
what she had thought.

Tong Yao knew all the angles of attack that Leblanc could take. However, the
opponent’s reaction time was too fast. It wasn’t something she could overcome
simply because she understood all the theory…...In addition, Tong Yao, who was
an expert at playing aggressive champions, but had yet to master Azir. Everytime
she rushed to exchange abilities, she missed last hitting a few minions……

After several exchanges, Tong Yao gradually fell behind.

She opened the score screen to check her opponent’s creep score and figured
that the opponent would soon reach level 6 and acquire his ultimate. It was quite
possible her opponent could strike her down with just his ultimate. Tong Yao began
consciously retreating, giving up her aggressive tactics and focus on farming in
preparation for the team fights in the later part of the game-- --Yet, the opponent
didn’t give her any chance to do so. As if her opponent knew what she was thinking,
the enemy’s Jungler came just as she was trying to move back!

Tong Yao’s heart skipped a bit; though she still had more than half of her health,
she didn’t want to contribute a kill to the other team. She used Flash to distance
herself from them. From the corner of her eyes, she noticed that the enemy’s Mid
followed after her with his W ability. The Ethereal Chains tightly chained her followed
by a barrage of attacks, her health began to fall rapidly-- --

Tong Yao retreated.

The enemy wouldn’t let go. After being struck by another ability, Tong Yao’s screen
turned black; she was the enemy’s first kill of the match.

“Go farm if you can’t beat him.” Lu Sicheng lightly spoke.

Tong Yao nodded and checked the stats again. The match had only gone on for 7
minutes, she had 25 less creep score than the other Mid. In addition, he had gotten
the first blood award of 400 gold by killing her just now. The opponent’s champion
was at its strongest point in the game, Tong Yao realized that she could only bear
with the pressure and farm……

But sometimes, things don’t go as planned-- --After the first kill, no matter how hard
she tried to lay low and endure the pressure and just farm-- --When she was back
in lane, she would still face a frenzied attack from the opponent.

Tong Yao died five more times.

When it was time for a team fight, Tong Yao was as weak as tissue paper, anyone
could poke her and she’d die-- --She became the weakest link of the team, the
reason the team couldn’t turn the tables around-- --The rest of the match became
torture for her. She kept looking at the clock on the upper right hand corner, praying
the match would be over soon……

They lost the skirmish, of course.

Because the Mid rapidly killed 85 minions just after the 20 minute mark, the creep
score of the opponent was almost double of Tong Yao’s, his level was consistently
2 to 3 levels higher than hers-- --

Watching the Nexus crumble little by little, Tong Yao picked up the water cup in front
of her and slowly sipped-- --The cold water flowed pass her throat, but her head was
still hazy……

She noticed that there were some ripples on the surface of the water in the cup.

Her hand was shaking.

Tong Yao put down the cup and became quiet. Her teammates worriedly turned to
look at her. She pulled one side of her hair to the back of her ear and smiled, “I’m
sorry. I played a lousy mid. You guys were at least on par with your opponents.”

“It’s just a skirmish, no need to be sorry. It’s normal to win some and lose others-- --
Besides, the other side’s Mid is really fierce. It’ll be better in the future.” Little Fatty
comforted her. Old Cat and Old K also chimed in.

Lu Sicheng furrowed his eyebrows, as if he wanted to say something.

Tong Yao turned to smile at him, “I’m alright. See, I told you I’ll be alright-- --We lost
this time, then it’ll be alright when we win next time. I’m not that fragile as you all
thought, really……”

She seemed to feel that she had spoken too much and stopped.

Translated by Team DHH at http://dhh-workshop.blogspot.com.