A mid-lane disaster unfolds in LCK! GEN decisively defeats DK, achieving 21 consecutive wins over their rivals, setting a new record.

Greetings to all LPL fans and League of Legends summoners, welcome to Tianxia Game Report.

Yesterday’s LCK first split featured a key playoff match where DK, who qualified through the bubble, took on the titleholder GEN. DK lost again, falling 1-3 to GEN.

After the match, everyone was sharing the two-star Meng Huo meme because this was GEN’s 21st time defeating DK.

A mid-lane tragedy unfolds as GEN delivers a crushing defeat to DK.

This match drew attention because since 2022, DK has lost all 20 consecutive games against GEN. If they lost this one too, it would be the 21st defeat. As everyone knows, Zhuge Liang captured Meng Huo seven times, and losing seven times to the same opponent is called “Meng Huo.” So what does losing 21 times mean?

Editor’s note

Using the Teamfight Tactics meme, it’s definitely a two-star Meng Huo — three Meng Huo units combine to form a two-star Meng Huo, which fits perfectly.

Among these 21 matches, the only constant player on DK’s side was ShowMaker, known for his one-champion mastery. Thus, ShowMaker is the original two-star Meng Huo, while other players fared better. ShowMaker has personally created his own “mid-lane tragedy.”

Looking back at the battles between these two teams, the best way to describe GEN’s matches against DK is “effortless mastery.” GEN rarely needed to go all out; they played with ease and style. No matter how well DK performed early and mid-game, they struggled to finish GEN off late. GEN only needed a slight push to decisively crush DK and claim victory.

A huge skill gap in the matchup, Chovy claims Player of the Match again.

In the first game, GEN’s bottom lane struck first to secure a kill, while top lane saw Kiin killed by Siwoo. Soon after, GEN coordinated to target Ornn and secure a kill. DK, falling behind, made multiple mistakes in their attacks. Jarvan repeatedly failed to gank Ruler and was countered. GEN took the first game easily.

In the second game, DK’s jungle started strong. Lucid’s Wukong set the pace early with multiple initiations that helped the team secure kills. Smash’s Yone went on a rampage. Although Ruler’s Aphelios killed two early on, DK kept up aggressive pressure with constant solo plays and high damage output.

However, Siwoo’s repeated deaths almost cost DK the game. Fortunately, Lucid secured the Elder Dragon in a crucial team fight, allowing DK to narrowly take the win.

In the third game, DK picked a questionable lineup with Xuxi choosing Kassadin mid. Canyon dominated the map, completely outplaying Chovy in lane. Ryze’s roaming snowballed the game. Despite some mistakes pushing the advantage, DK still secured two match points.

In the final game, the mid-lane gap was even wider than in game three, turning into a personal showcase for Chovy’s Alora. He utterly crushed Anivia, while ShowMaker kept dying repeatedly. DK played well at times and even secured Baron, but Xuxi’s mid-lane struggles were too much. Chovy’s Poppy dominated team fights and sealed the victory.

Xuxi’s natural nemesis, Chovy remains unstoppable in the league.

With this result, GEN advanced first to the winners’ bracket finals. Next up is the match between T1 and BFX, where fans may witness the highly anticipated T1 vs. GEN showdown. Meanwhile, DK will drop to the losers’ bracket with another chance to fight on, though it’s uncertain if we’ll see GEN face DK again.

Judging by the match, the gap between DK and GEN remains huge. Xuxi couldn’t perform at his best and was outshined by Chovy, who earned Player of the Match. His performance could be described as either mixed or outright poor.

This has turned ShowMaker into a comedic figure within the LCK region. Remember, ShowMaker was once the man who restored LCK’s glory. But now, his form is drastically different. His stubborn one-champion approach hasn’t yielded any significant results for a long time.

In contrast, Chovy’s league form still appears unbeatable. I personally believe GEN’s raw strength is incredibly solid — their fundamentals and endurance are deeply ingrained in their players. In-game, they always make the right choices and plays under any circumstance. The only mystery remains why GEN tends to falter at World Championships, an unsolved riddle in League of Legends history.