Chapter 374: The Opening Ceremony
"Wow, both sides have the flags of all the major professional teams. It feels so formal. I recognize this one, if, but what's this?" Su Jinyu pointed at the blue team flag next to the if flag.
Qian Kun said, "NRG, a new domestic club."
Wen Lingwei looked at the various figurines and merchandise on the display wall: "That Card Master figurine is pretty cool."
"Don't worry, you'll all get one. Anyone who bought a VIP ticket can redeem one Card Master figurine with their ticket," Qian Kun said.
Li Jingsi looked around: "Where's the boss?"
Qian Kun said, "The boss is inside. Come on, follow me."
Under Qian Kun's guidance, the group entered the arena.
The arena's layout had already been revealed before. Above the stage was a massive screen and two elongated screens. In front of each player's computer was a small screen, and there was a huge holographic projection device in the middle of the venue.
But it was still the entrance phase, and the lights in the venue were bright, so nothing particularly cool was visible yet.
Their seats were all in the same row. After finding their spots, they sat down one by one. There was an empty seat next to the aisle, reserved for Chen Mo.
The audience was already entering. Although other spectators didn't have personal guides, the directional signs in the venue were very clear, so finding their way wasn't a hassle at all.
Su Jinyu watched the entering audience: "Wow, so many people. I never paid attention before, but now I realize this competition is really popular. Being here in person is a bit exciting."
Zou Zhuo said, "I've watched a few esports matches before, including Warcraft competitions. Whenever there's an awesome play, the audience cheers and roars together. The atmosphere is absolutely explosive. But that venue was much smaller than this one. It's hard to imagine what it feels like when this whole crowd cheers together."
Qian Kun turned his head and looked: "Huh? The boss is here."
Everyone turned around and saw Chen Mo walking over from behind, sitting down in the empty seat reserved for him.
Li Jingsi asked, "How's the preparation?"
Chen Mo smiled: "No problem. Just wait to shout '666'."
At that moment, on the big screen, the icon for the League of Legends World Finals was displayed. The main design was a battle flag combined with a trophy, with a silhouette of a Summoner's head in front of the trophy. The icon was labeled in both Chinese and English: "League of Legends World Finals."
The background of the icon was a constantly vibrating mix of red and blue elements, making the whole image full of motion.
The match was about to begin, and the vast majority of the audience had already entered. The venue was nearly full, with everyone checking their watches, waiting for the match to start.
Suddenly, all the lights in the venue went out, leaving only the prominent World Finals logo on the big screen.
"Is it starting?"
"It's starting, it's starting! Ooh ooh ooh!!"
Many in the audience couldn't hold back their cheers.
A very dynamic BGM echoed throughout the competition venue. In the bottom right corner of the big screen, a countdown for the match start appeared, and a video began to play on the screen.
Accompanied by the BGM, scenes flashed rapidly—iconic landmarks from the Imperial Capital, the Demon City, and various places across the country appeared one after another. Each building appeared for only a brief moment, but it was enough to make the live audience scream with excitement.
When the countdown reached 10 seconds, the video ended. With deep drumbeats, a massive golden and light-blue chest appeared in the holographic projection at the center of the arena.
This was a complete holographic projection effect, but to the audience, it looked as real as if it were actually there.
At the same time, all the audience members couldn't help but shout along with the countdown on the big screen.
"Ten!"
"Nine!"
...
"Three!"
"Two!"
"One!"
As the countdown on the big screen hit zero, thunderous cheers erupted throughout the venue.
At that moment, the BGM in the arena changed again.
First came a piano piece with a strong rhythm, and then an electrifying electronic sound swept across the entire venue!
The stage lights came on, and the audience was surprised to see a DJ at the center of the stage, playing along with the BGM's rhythm. The big screen also showed a close-up of the DJ.
Many in the audience shouted out: "Brother Yuan!!"
Yuan Meng, one of the top DJs in the country, had a huge fan base, especially among young people. His fame was widespread.
This time, the live performance of the first season's theme song by Yuan Meng himself pushed the atmosphere to another high!
"Wow, this BGM is so catchy! What's it called?"
"I don't know. Hey? The side screen shows it—the theme song for this finals? Silver Scars?"
"That's awesome! Having Brother Yuan play this electronic track is just mind-blowing!!"
Silver Scars, with its English name being Silver Scars. Mentioning this name might not ring a bell for many, but as soon as they hear the melody, most League of Legends players can hum along.
In Chen Mo's previous life, this track was the theme song for the Season 2 World Finals. Moreover, during the fifth game of every BO5 decisive battle, the BGM during the break would be switched to this one.
It could be said that anyone who had watched a League of Legends match had heard this track.
During the Season 2 Finals, during the eight-hour marathon match, this track played throughout the waiting period. So for many veteran League of Legends players, like many classic tracks, it was an unforgettable melody.
Chen Mo chose this track as the theme song for the League of Legends Season 1 World Finals not only out of nostalgia but also because it was a pure instrumental piece. It allowed audiences from all over the world to temporarily forget language differences and collectively experience the charm of League of Legends.
Amid the blood-pumping BGM, a massive key appeared in the holographic projection, inserted into the ornate chest.
Below the chest, countless stone platforms emerged from the void, forming a structure identical to the Summoner's Rift map in League of Legends. The left side of the platform was the blue side, the right side was the red side, and the World Finals logo appeared at the center.
The blue and red elements began to clash violently. The entire platform shattered, and the chest plummeted downward at high speed, finally landing in the Summoner's Rift.
On both sides of the chest, silhouettes of various champions began to appear: Ashe, Annie, Malphite, Blitzcrank, Jarvan IV, Ryze...
These champions tried to open the chest using different methods—ice, fire, earth, electricity...
Finally, the chest opened, and a massive holographic trophy appeared above it. The trophy flew toward the stage, and only then did the audience notice that a real Summoner's Cup had somehow appeared on the stage.