Chapter 82
Everyone played very chaotically in the first game, but it had to be said—playing such a match was exhilarating, and watching it was even more so. The strengthened FTK had attracted a lot of fans in a short time. The screams below the stage for the second game were deafening.
Kai stood at the tunnel entrance watching the enthusiastic crowd and the sea of light signs below, waiting for the director’s signal to enter. “Every time I play a match, I feel like I’m at a concert.”
Shen Yanjin was thinking about the lineup. Hearing this, he remarked casually, “You’re overthinking it.”
Duan Mingyue followed up, “Whoever invites you to a concert will lose their pants.”
Song Yuan said, “Correct.”
Tans ignored them completely, focused on his phone. A loud “Rob the Landlord” sound came from the phone.
Kai pretended not to hear their teasing. “Tans, two minutes to stage, and you’re still playing Dou Dizhu?”
Tans didn’t lift his head. “I play Dou Dizhu before every match.”
Every player had their own way to relax. For others, playing other games before a match might be distracting, but for Tans, playing Dou Dizhu was a way to activate his brain and relax his nerves.
Kai leaned over to look at his phone screen. Before he could see the cards clearly, a staff member came over to invite them on stage.
So Kai gloated, “Told you not to play right before going on. You even snatched the Landlord and super-doubled. You’re done for. If you win this, I’ll write my name backward.”
Just as he finished speaking, a loud “Plane” (straight flush/combo) sounded from Tans’ phone. A long string of cards was played in one breath, leaving only a Joker in hand. Without even needing auto-play, the victory screen settled instantly with sixteen thousand beans won.
Kai: …
Duan Mingyue patted his shoulder. “Let’s go, iak.”
—
As soon as the second game started, KW directly picked Lily, shocking everyone.
Commentator A was so excited his pitch rose a few notches. “Oh my, oh my! Last game KW went head-to-head with FTK and got backdoored by Lend. Commentator C and I were discussing backstage that KW would likely choose to avoid fights and farm, playing for support. I didn’t expect the first pick to smell of gunpowder! Could this be another super bloody match?”
Commentator C smiled sweetly at the camera. “However, a match like the first game is exactly what makes blood boil. From our audience’s perspective, compared to a managerial game with zero kills in twenty or thirty minutes, a crazy brawl is definitely more enjoyable to watch.”
“That’s right—” Commentator A raised his eyebrows. “Oh my, Lend is on Sword Immortal again this game, wanting to split push. Have to say, Sword Immortal in others’ hands is like a scumbag, but in Lend’s hands, no matter how he plays, there’s an indescribable fairy aura!”
Commentator C joked along with him. “Others’ Sword Immortals use swords to push towers; Lend’s Sword Immortal uses fairy aura to push towers.”
FTK quickly locked in the explosive combo of Fish Woman plus Ascetic Monk, not showing any fear.
This development was about what Shen Yanjin expected in the lounge.
Among the previous teams, some had thought about using support and avoiding fights to farm and manage as much as possible, then engaging FTK in team fights later.
However, FTK’s spear was too sharp. Showing a slight flaw meant being crushed. The margin for error in such a tactic was too low.
So, Shen Yanjin believed that rather than traditional support, it was better for everyone to play their own game.
Mao Qiude evidently thought the same. Plus, it was the preseason, and there was room for mistakes and experiments, so he waved his hand and let them try to their hearts’ content.
In this game, KW’s BP (Ban/Pick) logic was very simple, simple to the point of returning to basics.
That was: everyone picks their best character, striving to crush their lane opponent in the laning phase, then Jungle and Support roam separately to support.
Three lanes as islands, Jungle and Support as the bridge.
Support didn’t mean blind defense; it could also be the horn of attack.
Clearly, neither FTK’s players nor their coach expected KW to be so unconventional. Seeing a “four-unlike” (hodgepodge) lineup, they didn’t understand what KW meant at all and went in confused.
“Blue and Shepherd jungle-support combo,” Commentator C tilted her head. “This is definitely the weirdest pairing I’ve seen so far.”
Commentator A laughed. “Yes, after all, most of Blue’s skills are AOE damage, while Shepherd’s control skills mostly break upon taking damage. This is practically telling FTK openly: ‘Wait for this game, my Jungle and Support are going separate ways, do whatever you want.'”
Commentator C quickly read a long string of ad copy, then said, “Thanks to the above brands for the title sponsorship. So, how will this game turn out? Let’s wait and see!”
At the start, Shen Yanjin didn’t follow Duan Mingyue. Instead, he went bot with Tans to ensure they didn’t fall behind in experience early on.
Due to item and character changes, ADs in this version had significantly increased lane staying and survival capabilities. Even 1v2, they could ensure basic farm without falling behind.
Peace was young, but his laning fundamentals were deep. Even Tans rarely praised, “Impressive.”
“He improved again.” The second hypnosis failed. Shen Yanjin said, “More detailed than during the scrims.”
Kai rarely got his most familiar and favorite assassin mage. He was happily bullying his opponent under the tower. Hearing this, he lamented, “Sigh, youth is great—Captain.”
“En.”
Almost the instant Kai spoke, FTK’s Jungle and Support appeared in the bot lane bush. Immediately after, Duan Mingyue pressed directly from the river to mid lane.
FTK’s Mid was caught off guard, seemingly not expecting his lane to be targeted first.
But Shen Yanjin was already prepared in the bot lane. The moment the Fish Woman appeared, the little sheep beside him charged out almost synchronously, knocking both enemies up at the edge of the bush. Tans leisurely pushed the wave, dodging the gank without even using Flash.
“Damn,” FTK’s Jungler whispered, “Why do I feel like he knew we were here long ago?”
Alan Yu Lan paused, then smiled. “After all, he is Sliver.”
As soon as the words came out, everyone fell into a trance.
Unknown when it started, “Sliver” had changed from a derogatory term to a commendatory one.
It had only been a few months.
KW’s Mid Lily took First Blood. Bot lane wasn’t caught and even stalled the enemy Jungle-Support’s time. This caused a clear break in FTK’s rhythm.
Seven minutes in, FTK failed a gank mid, rotated top, and was killed by Lily in the river.
Twelve minutes in, FTK attacked mid again, was controlled by Shepherd in advance, and forced to stop the offense.
Fourteen minutes in, FTK pressured bot tier-one tower. KW’s Top, Jungle, and Mid rotated mid. At the bot lane bush, Shen Yanjin sacrificed himself and the sheep, forcing his ultimate in place. Kai coordinated perfectly, stepping up to harvest two kills.
Seventeen minutes, twenty minutes…
Commentator C said, “Huh, is it my illusion? I feel Sliver is intentionally or unintentionally guiding FTK’s attacks.”
Commentator A said, “It’s not your illusion! FTK has been trying very hard to attack this game, but the results are always unsatisfactory. The reason is exactly as Teacher C said—their attacks have unknowingly fallen into Sliver’s guidance! Hmm, worthy of being Moon God’s support, his heart is quite dirty too!”
“At the start, Sliver went bot, letting Duan Mingyue play freely early game without contesting jungle resources. Instead, he turned the bot lane situation into a 1v2, guiding FTK to shift the focus of their first gank to bot lane. In reality, Mid lane took First Blood, opening up the situation.”
“Later on, time and time again, he stuck in blind spots of vision, intentionally exposing teammates’ or his own weaknesses. In reality—that was just bait.”
“It’s actually quite emotional to talk about,” Commentator C smiled. “Before this season, player Sliver chose to retire due to personal condition issues. Who knew that after just one off-season of retirement, he was brought back by KW. At that time, I believe many people didn’t understand Moon God’s decision. But right now, at this moment, Shen Yanjin has used the most concise and clear method to give a powerful answer to these questions.”
“He has always been here, never left.”
In the front row below the stage, amidst the deafening screams and cheers, a middle-aged couple sat slightly awkwardly, clearly not adapting to such a fiery atmosphere.
But hearing the crowd scream Sliver’s name, seeing the sea-like light signs, and hearing the commentators’ praise, the couple looked at each other, seeing shock, novelty, and guilt in each other’s eyes.
From this position, they could clearly see the players’ screens broadcast on the small screen on stage. Shen Yanjin’s brows carried a spirit and excitement they had never seen before. His lips moved, communicating something with his teammates.
Mother Shen looked up at the radiant stage and Shen Yanjin’s enlarged photo displayed on the big screen.
To her, this was a completely strange world.
But it was the world her child had fought and struggled in for years.
Two days ago, Mother Shen received a call from a man claiming to be Shen Yanjin’s captain.
The man on the other end revealed a pampered upbringing in his attitude and diction.
He introduced himself politely, listened carefully to Mother Shen’s words, pondered for a moment, and actively expressed his desire to meet with Mother Shen and Father Shen.
After thinking for a moment, Father Shen and Mother Shen agreed to the man’s proposal.
Only when they met did they discover that this man claiming to be Shen Yanjin’s captain was actually the only son of the Duan Group.
Compared to his peers, Duan Mingyue was obviously more than one level more mature. In his gestures, there was not a trace of the “internet-addicted teenager” shadow in Father Shen and Mother Shen’s stereotypes.
He didn’t argue with Father Shen and Mother Shen’s requests. Instead, he calmly handed over two match tickets. Luo City Sports Center, FTK’s home court.
Duan Mingyue said, “I understand your painstaking efforts very well. Also being a child, I have no reason to stop you. However, I still hope you can come to watch at least one of Shen Yanjin’s matches before making a decision.”
Originally, Mother Shen refused this proposal. In her heart, such a thing was meaningless. No matter what, she was definitely going to take Shen Yanjin home.
Her child had left home for five years. Now her husband was in poor health. Even if Shen Yanjin hated her, she had to try her best to piece together a complete family.
It was Father Shen who pondered for a moment and agreed.
Now personally at the scene, although they couldn’t understand the content of the match, hearing the overwhelming enthusiastic shouts, looking around at what seemed like a galaxy of lights, Father Shen and Mother Shen were momentarily dazed.
Only now did they realize that they seemed to have never understood this world that Shen Yanjin loved.
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