EDG has spent eternities trapped in the misery of being CN Farmers. They are emperors of a desolate land, a crown of false gold atop their heads staring out over teams of frauds and paycheck stealers. The world has looked down upon them for their failures internationally. They have been the shame of their region, the favorite child who became a prodigal son. It has been their curse since time immemorial.
But recently, there has been a breakthrough. A breakthrough that turned them from a grouped team into one of the strongest in the world. There has been an incredible discovery: CN team energy is contagious.
With enough matches against CN teams, other teams from around the world can also be considered equivalent, their statuses slowly equalizing. CN teams don't need to improve to the level of international teams, international teams and CN teams simply need to be mentioned in the same breath, and the EDG Farming Technique will truly and fully activate.
Leviatan's loss to Trace infected them far beyond necessary measures. Sentinels have never been a good enough team to beat EDG in the first place. PRX has fought EDG enough times that they are bound together, as souls. The only obstacle remaining in their path is the possibility that a different team, yet uninfected, makes a dark horse run, approaches the title that should be Edward's.
So EDG Haodong waited, with bated breath, for the results of the rest of the tournament. And they struck gold.
Heretics, from the worst region in the world, with 5 bums on their roster, have faced Chinese teams 4 times already, and won all 4 times. They are the CN farmers that will replace EDG, the new Atlas to suffer under the weight of the world. They are the newly minted kings of never winning an international event again.
KangKang was in his element. He was facing CN farmers, so essentially a CN team, in Seoul, essentially a quick swim away from China, and was playing Valorant, essentially a Chinese game. How could he lose?