——Awakening of talent, the new king of breaking through.
On July 9, the 2022 League of Legends mobile game Global Champions Cup finals ended.
That night, the better NV team won the first Global Champions Cup, and the jungler An Xulong (Game ID: Long) won the Finals Most Valuable Player (FMVP).
At that time, he was about to celebrate his 22nd birthday.
When picking up the championship trophy, Long was surrounded by his teammates in the center.
After releasing the pressure, he finally smiled.
More than two months later, the NV team won the 2022 League of Legends mobile game Ionia Cup.
The team completed the trip to Moganshan with a new trophy.
And An Xulong won the FMVP again.
"In good times, you are our most solid backing. In the face of adversity, you led us to break through the encirclement and win with one attack and one hit." The NV team sent such an evaluation to the winning hero.
In the eyes of many people, Long is the "number one jungler in the mobile game world" in their eyes.
In the past games, "Unstoppable" may be the most used word to describe Long, and he can always give his opponent a fatal blow on the field.
In life, he is a Buddhist.
For the future, I always like to say "one step, one step".
In fact, along the way, his love for e-sports has never changed.
In his bones, Long yearns for the king and persistently pursues victory.
Image source: Official blog of NOVA E-sports Club League of Legends mobile game division
The bitterness of the youth training camp
Long, who has been playing games since elementary school, initially saw it only as a form of entertainment.
In his own words, "The earliest me should be regarded as a person without talent."
In the winter of 2019, Long, who was almost 20 years old at the time, participated in the official youth training camp of the League of Legends terminal game.
Among many players, his age and operation level are not the best conditions.
"There was a trial for the managers of major clubs. I made a mistake in that BO1, which made everyone think I was not good enough. The Spider Queen, who was playing at the time, flashed over the wall from the F6 position and went to the wheel mother opposite E, and the result was It was blocked by her shield." Long had a fresh memory of this operation that was considered "outrageous" to the outside world.
Image source: NOVA E-sports Club League of Legends mobile game division
That operation was ultimately unsuccessful, causing the team to lose the teamfight.
But in Long's mind, he had his own ideas before the operation.
"I told a coach I knew about my thoughts and the situation in the game, and he liked me and understood me very well."
But even so, in the final selection process, Long still regretted losing.
Enter mobile games
In Long's view, choosing to join the mobile game is also with the mentality of giving it a try.
After joining the NV team, he quickly rose to the top ten in the international server without any mobile game foundation.
But the newly formed team also has many challenges for Long.
He recalled, "When I first joined the team, my temper was not very good. I felt that my teammates did something bad, and I would break out. For example, when they didn't listen to me, or when the training game was not serious, I would say: Since you guys If it's not fun, then I'm not fun either."
At the Spark Invitational last August, the NV team missed the championship.
On the return bus, Long wept silently.
"That was the first time I experienced the feeling of being eliminated and leaving the game as a loser." Long, who is very competitive, has never liked the feeling of losing.
In his understanding, even if he is not a professional player, he will try his best to win the game.
Image source: Official blog of NOVA E-sports Club League of Legends mobile game division
Mobile Games Champions Cup
After more than a year of running-in, when the League of Legends mobile game Global Champions Cup came, Long's original idea was to reach the quarterfinals.
From the play-in, to the quarter-finals, and then to the semi-finals, the team's state was somewhat ups and downs.
But when the final came, Long began to calmly analyze the situation.
In the first game that night, the NV team completed a comeback against the wind and took the lead.
"At the end of the first game, I felt that there was a high probability of winning the championship."
"I remember that before the last wave we pushed the high ground, I told my teammates, don't worry, push slowly, and calm down. After the push, I said, now you can hurry and expand."
In this way, Long won the first full-scale championship in his mobile game career.
Image source: An Xulong Weibo
love reading philosophy books
Long did not appear very excited after being elected as the FMVP.
For this calm, he credits the philosophical books he has read.
Among the few social media events, in addition to e-sports, many are photos of books posted by Long.
From interpreting the works of "Confucianism and Mencius" to the "Mystery of the Book of Changes", which tells the ancient wisdom, he has learned a lot from it.
"There are some words in it, telling you to be humble and not to think too highly of yourself."
Perhaps that's why people think of Long as a humble person.
Image source: An Xulong Weibo
On the evening of September 17, the League of Legends mobile game Ionia Cup final qualification competition ended. The NV team defeated the FPX team and entered the top 5 of the event.
After the game, Long said calmly: I need to study more in the future and make progress slowly.
Even though he already has the title, he still thinks he is not the strongest.
In the previous 2022 League of Legends mobile game Starlight Party, Long won four awards including the TOP10 player and the most popular player.
In the finals, he once again won the FMVP title.
"I didn't expect to come to Moganshan to win the fifth award." When he delivered his acceptance speech, he said this, full of pride.
"To be a professional player is to win." This is what Long has always believed in, because he knows why e-sports players are born.
Image source: An Xulong Weibo
The following are excerpts from the interview:
China-Singapore E-Sports: Winning the Global Champions Cup and winning the FMVP, are these what you originally envisaged in your career?
Why did you say you want to learn more from other junglers after winning the championship?
Long: I didn't expect it at first, I only thought about going to the quarterfinals.
As a jungler, if you want to be a great player, everyone will have strengths and weaknesses.
In the future, I still have to learn more and make progress slowly.
After that, the game will be played with a normal mentality.
Sino-Singapore E-sports: You once recalled that in the youth training camp of the end game, you made a mistake in using Spider Flash E Sivir, which affected the club's view of you.
But from your perspective, that attempt was very special.
Are you going to keep trying something similar now?
Long: I've always been like this.
"I'd rather make mistakes than do nothing" I agree with the sentence, and I am indeed a player of this style.
Image source: NOVA E-sports Club League of Legends mobile game division
Zhongxin E-sports: You said that when you first arrived in the NV team, you would lose your temper because your teammates were not serious in training, and cry because of losses. Is this out of competitiveness?
Has the way you communicate with your teammates changed now?
Long: I basically communicate well with my teammates now, but I also feel lost when I lose a game.
(Emotion) is a double-edged sword. If your temper is too easy-going, your teammates will sometimes not play seriously.
I belong to the kind of people who are more casual, take one step at a time.
Zhongxin E-Sports: If you choose a hero of the League of Legends to represent yourself, who would you choose?
Can you recommend a hero for the audience?
Long: Choose "The Ruined King", its charm is too powerful.
There is a special charm in operation, and you can play all heroes.
I recommend "Wei" to everyone. It is relatively simple and belongs to the kind of brainless big move.
Image source: Official blog of NOVA E-sports Club League of Legends mobile game division
Zhongxin E-Sports: Your teammate Y1ze, as a fan of Theshy, finally decided to choose Riven as the champion skin. Do you also have a favorite player?
Why do you like him?
Long: I liked Mlxg at first, then Tarzan and Canyon.
I only like the strong, and I like whoever wins the championship.
Style was also influenced by them.
China-Singapore E-Sports: In the previous event, you played with Jay Chou on the first team. How do you think his operation was?
Long: I didn't dare to command when I played against him, Jaylen just had to have fun.
China-Singapore E-sports: Along the way, what do you think is your biggest gain?
Long: The biggest reward is getting the highest honor and becoming a jungler with a title.
In the future, I want to spur myself to be the strongest.
Author: Liu Xingchen