Indeed, no one can stop it.

The passive of Li requires two consecutive basic attacks or three skill casts to accumulate a Silver Blade enchantment, which can unleash a powerful spell-based basic attack. This mechanism determines that he can not only be a mage but also become an assassin.

In this game, Rong Yi stacked full physical attack and high damage penetration at the cost of zero defense. He is so fragile that even clearing minions can take away half of his health. However, in this situation, he has not been caught and killed even once, maneuvering freely with high mobility.

Whenever the enemy’s attack appears, he retreats from that side. His blade deeply cuts into the weak defense of the opponents and repeatedly breaches it, gradually breaking through their lines.

After losing two side towers, Rong Yi no longer risks his life to push the remaining towers. Instead, he starts to rotate, control the lanes, and seize resources. Everyone stops launching strong attacks and revolves around Rong Yi, seeking opportunities to engage in team fights in the jungle.

The defensive formation of the opponents has been completely disrupted, forcing CH to fight back.

They cannot stay under the towers all the time because they need to manage the minion waves.

If they don’t manage the minion waves, VIT will seize this opportunity and control all three lanes simultaneously, causing more than just one tower to fall.

CH is forced to engage in team fights in the jungle.

From the audience’s perspective, CH’s defensive tactics have been completely shattered. Li has been leading in economy all along and hasn’t even used a single crowd control skill in team fights, as if navigating in an empty realm.

He has stacked high attack and penetration, combined with the continuous high attack damage from the ADC’s Ci She Dagger. One breaks through defenses, the other compensates for the attack. Even CH, as a whole, appears fragile in front of them, like paper.

The entire defensive line collapses starting from the team fight.

VIT seizes the opportunity of winning a team fight, taking advantage of CH’s reduced numbers, controlling the lanes, and taking down another tower, advancing straight to the high ground.

At this moment, CH’s territorial advantage has been completely shattered. VIT controls the tower defense business, and CH can only resist and counterattack on the bottom lane.

Eventually, VIT chooses the bottom lane as their point of entry. This move is truly ruthless.

By choosing the resource area in the bottom lane while the mid lane tower still stands, their members have no risk-free path to retreat other than the top lane.

Although they have an advantage in the mid lane, CH cannot spare any manpower to explore vision and resources there. It’s meaningless.

In the 35th minute, in VIT’s steady operation, CH’s high ground tower is broken. They failed to manage it properly, and VIT had a 2,000-gold lead in the team fight on the high ground, leading to a complete wipeout.

VIT: CH, 1-0, winning the first half.

The arena is filled with thunderous applause and screams. Some people jump onto their chairs and slam their hats, while others wave LED signs and shout until they lose their voices. Both the live audience and online viewers are caught up in the excitement.

Everyone is discussing this match, studying VIT’s new tactics.

There is no doubt that it is dazzling and sharp. CH is the wall, and VIT is the knife gleaming with a cold light, slicing through the iron like mud.

“CH had a win rate of 99% with this tactic this season! Today is the only time they have failed!”

“They even won against VIT in the previous match! But today, VIT turned the tables!”

“In just a few days, this confrontation has been terrifying, this competition is thrilling! Regardless of the outcome today, we should thank both teams for the fantastic competition they have brought us. And I have to say, this is perhaps the most exciting tactical confrontation in history!”

The audience is ecstatic.

The commentator is absolutely right.

In the past, domestic teams in the country have always focused on individual style clashes and individual skill performances. Year after year, it was nothing more than one player’s highlight overshadowing another player’s highlight, and fans arguing over which player’s position was better.

They had never seen anything like this year, where the overall level has been elevated to a new level in e-sports. Whether it’s individual player performance or team cooperation, it has become a matter of tactical strategy.

How could one not be filled with passion?

During halftime, CH requested an extended break, and the halftime break was extended to half an hour.

Outside, the atmosphere was blazing, both sides’ training rooms were filled with tension, and the atmosphere was unprecedentedly suppressed.

CH’s team continued to discuss tactics.

Is there anything they can do at the moment?

Yes, in the next game, we can’t let VIT dictate the pace.

This defensive system, which has had an almost 100% win rate since the playoffs, can no longer be used.

They have their determination.

On the field, being complacent will ruin their chances of victory. They will no longer have any illusions about playing well against VIT.

Moreover, they themselves have been constantly digging into the fatal flaws of this system, which Rongyi has already noticed.

However, when facing VIT, they have more than one strategy.

They have always been relying on their experience to find the core winning method of this season. Taking experience to the extreme might be the correct answer.

The second game of the first round begins!

CH is audacious. In the previous game, they were beaten so badly by Li, but they insist on not banning him and still use a similar high-defense system.

However, there are slight differences compared to the previous game.

“Huo Shen, Niao Zu, Huibai Zhi Zhu, ADC Langren, Support Da Di Zhi Mu (Mother Earth,), but without Flash, and with Hurricane.”

A very uncommon lineup.

When CH plays a defensive system, they have always focused on high defense. But this time, all five members of the opposing team have one characteristic.

They are all extremely fast.

Huo Shen gains a noticeable speed boost within his skill range, Niao Zu naturally moves 1.25 times faster than other heroes, Huibai Zhi Zhu has high mobility, Langren can repeatedly jump and accelerate in terrain.

They are coming in aggressively.

“CH changed tactics directly after the previous game! Five high-speed heroes, what are they planning to do? Do they want to cut off the communication between VIT members?”

“That makes sense. Whoever they chase will die, who can outrun them!”

“Interesting.”

Rong Yi chose Yin as the first pick, swapped it to Xiao Yin, and then picked Tan (Tan Shen) as the second pick, giving it to Wu Dao Gu.

It’s VIT’s convention that Yin and Li can only get one each. As expected, CH is clearly not taking it lightly. Seeing that Rong Yi didn’t pick Li, they gave it to him as the last pick.

“Li is banned!”

Rong Yi chose the Key of Memories.

“VIT’s support has chosen the Key of Memories. VIT’s strategy… He locked it in! Is it a mistake?”

“Why did Easy lock in the Key of Memories?”

Rong Yi didn’t give the Key of Memories to Hui Mao, but picked the hero himself!

Support going mid, no one expected it.

A faint smile appeared on Xiao Yin’s lips.

On the other hand, Hui Mao muttered attentively, “Choose your own hero. I am a mature support.”

He chose the damage-oriented hero, Silver Hook (Yin Gou).

It’s too similar.

This scene is too much like the support and midlaner swapping positions.

Even the referee team paused for ten seconds, waiting for the page to load, and stood up to ask VIT if they needed to switch lineups.

After receiving a negative answer, they looked shocked.

The live audience, the commentators, and the spectators outside were all shocked.

[“What kind of strategy is this?”]

[“Easy’s famous battle of the season, the Torture King with Silver Hook, is now in the hands of Xiao Hui Mao”]

[“And the Xiao Hui Mao’s rising star, the Little Key, is now entering the battlefield in Easy’s hands.”]

[“It’s actually quite miraculous. Today, whether it’s VIT or CH, they have brought us new and unconventional tactical experiences.”]

[“But it’s not unreasonable. You see, Easy is a player who excels at all support roles, and Hui Mao is also a player brought up by Rong Yi. They must have a profound reason for choosing this way.”]

Soon, everyone will know what this profound reason is.

At the moment CH’s lineup was chosen, VIT’s tactics had already taken shape.

At the beginning, CH aggressively scouted the vision and opened resources in all directions. Xiao Yin went straight to the top lane, avoiding confrontation with Wu Dao Gu, who also went top.

After finishing top lane, they moved to the mid lane, with Rong Yi hiding in the back, using the Key of Memories skill to run away whenever they saw someone, showing no intention of fighting.

The bottom lane was the same.

Today, Ci She’s approach to farming was different. Instead of choosing burst marksmen like Huangnv, he picked the sustain-oriented Shark Bone and gave half of the economy to Hui Mao.

Rong Yi had the lowest economy in the first eight minutes, with everyone else averaging a thousand gold more than him.

Meanwhile, Hui Mao seemed to be farming like a semi-midlaner.

“VIT is playing very… cautiously?”

Outside the game, Lin Yi and his partner exchanged glances. “It’s completely different from the previous game. They’re being mysterious and paying a lot of attention to vision. They create fake vision when clearing waves.”

“VIT doesn’t usually create fake vision, but they’re doing it quite frequently this game. They spend a lot of time hiding in the bushes.”

His partner continued, “Of course, CH is also quite cautious. They are fast and efficient in scouting vision. So far, neither side has made any major mistakes.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the first skirmish broke out!

The enemy top laner first spotted Xiao Yin in their jungle, and the rest immediately followed, intending to flank them.

Xiao Yin didn’t hesitate and used his ultimate, crossing the river twice and landing near the mid lane.

However, the enemy team followed closely, using Swift Wind to charge forward.

At the same time, a golden light effect from the Key of Memories flashed in the bush, and Xiao Yin disappeared without a trace, returning to his position 0.5 seconds ago and silently slipping into the river bush.

CH lost their target.

They didn’t notice Rong Yi, who had just used his skill in the bush.

Rong Yi had given all the farm to Xiao Yin in this game, and once he maxed out his skills, he rotated between the top and mid bushes, always ready to support his teammates.

He knew CH’s strategy.

Twenty minutes ago.

“In fact, we believe that the key to defeating VIT lies in cutting off their communication. They are closely linked to each other, making it difficult to limit Easy, but there is another way.”

“High speed and high mobility, keeping them in a position that we can constantly scout. They will be very uncomfortable playing like that.”

This was Lu Feng’s conclusion after observing the whole season.

It was correct, but also not entirely correct because the core didn’t lie there.

During the drafting phase in VIT’s training room:

“Our core is nothing else,” Rong Yi said, “They were actually very close to success because a high-speed lineup benefits vision control, and our global information will be constantly interrupted, making us very uncomfortable.”

“But he chose five heroes with burst capabilities, maybe he thought that as long as he cut off our communication, it would be enough.”

Rong Yi continued, “We haven’t thought of this approach yet, or maybe we have, but we didn’t dare to focus on it. Because no one dares to bring out more than two carries specifically for targeted vision control against us.”

This was VIT’s complete version of the answer.

All parameters were input into the model, all hero values were put to the test, and the final result was obtained. Numerous complex parameters such as movement speed, range, attack power, positioning… a large number of parameters were reduced by the formula, and many parameters were excluded from the first correlation in the linear equation.

The first correlation, Vision.

If they could grasp this core, they would have the entire secret of VIT.

CH might have glimpsed some clues, but they hadn’t touched that core yet.

So, this high-speed lineup would make VIT uncomfortable, but they would surely lose.

Moreover, they were facing Rong Yi’s Key of Memories.

“Rong Yi’s Key of Memories is constantly moving between the top and mid lanes! The advantage brought by the high-speed composition on the opposing side is continuously dismantled by him!”

In the twelfth minute, Xiao Yin was once again chased, his skills on cooldown, but the mysteriously appearing Key of Memories pulled him back to his position 0.5 seconds ago. Hui Mao followed up with a Silver Hook to control him, allowing Xiao Yin to escape.

Up until now, Rong Yi hasn’t gained a single gold coin from the minion waves. From the moment he stepped onto the battlefield, his only responsibility remained.

To make sure that no one from the opposing side could catch up to their team.

Xiao Yin narrowly escaped several times, and the emotions of the audience outside were like a roller coaster ride.

If Hui Mao’s Key of Memories was the pillar that raised the team’s overall potential, then Rong Yi… Rong Yi was the trigger for high blood pressure.

His Key of Memories was elusive, impossible to track, appearing and disappearing, as if everyone suddenly gained ten thousand additional displacement abilities.

In the fifteenth minute, the opposing team converged, but Rong Yi preemptively used Flash in the opposite direction, deceiving Lu Feng.

Lu Feng calculated his cooldowns: “Key of Memories’ cooldown! Bet on it, he must die.”

The three members of CH ventured deep into the enemy’s territory, but Rong Yi swiftly returned to his original position with a Flash, which Xiao Yin followed up by taking him away. Then Xiao Yin, along with Ci She and Hui Mao, counter-attacked, resulting in CH losing three members.

It couldn’t be considered a mistake, just a tactical disadvantage that had begun to manifest.

Because their excessive vision exploration led to insufficient defense, continuously feeding their vision back to VIT.

Everyone was screaming, everyone was roaring. Each time VIT’s members were about to be chased to their deaths, Rong Yi would save them. On the other hand, every duck that CH was about to catch slipped away.

The pace had been significantly slowed down, and there seemed to be no way to turn the tide.

VIT ended the game in just twenty-five minutes.

Rong Yi’s Key of Memories record: 0-0-0. He didn’t participate in any kills or assists within the team and didn’t acquire a single bit of economy from the minion waves.

But he became the well-deserved MVP selected by the referee panel.

With two games concluded, VIT: CH, 2-0!

At the moment when everyone took off their headphones, the cheers outside the arena were about to lift off the roof. The deafening screams and chants overwhelmed the sound system in the arena, and the lights were scorching.

In just an instant, the restless online discussions came to a halt, and everyone was left with just one phrase shouted along with the commentators.

“Congratulations to VIT for winning this year’s domestic championship!”

“Congratulations to all members of VIT, Yin, Easy, Hui Mao, Ci She, Wu Dao Gu, Shu Pian. VIT has made a fresh mark in this year’s playoffs, leaving the traces of a blade.”

“It was them who eliminated redundancy, polished off the dust, discovered new stars. It was them who used sharp blades to fight with even sharper blades.”

The closing ceremony on the field quickly began. Lin Yi was an emotionally charged person, and his voice almost choked with tears.

The scene was actually quite funny.

Rong Yi himself wasn’t accustomed to such sentimental occasions, but a smile appeared on his lips as well.

No one dislikes being a champion.

He had won the domestic championship five times before, and this was the sixth time, but it was his first with VIT.

Hui Mao and Ci She were already crying, tears streaming down their faces. They were young and inexperienced.

They were both products of QILIN’s youth training, and they had never imagined that they would be able to win a trophy so quickly, that they could aim for the highest position so soon.

Shupian also cried uncontrollably, saying, “What do I do? I’ve really freeloaded the championship trophy. What do I do? I’m willing to train until I cry next year. Captain, you guys are too amazing. Thank you for wanting me–“

Xiao Yin turned back and called Rong Yi, “A Yi.”

He reached out his hand to him.

Rong Yi didn’t move.

He knew very well that at this moment, not going up to receive the award would be disappointing, but he didn’t move. He knew the insurmountable difficulties he faced.

For so many years, it had been the same.

In the past, he had felt a slight regret due to his teammates’ neglect and prejudice, but now, he no longer had such people around him.

The people around him loved him, admired him, and cared for him.

He had no regrets anymore.

Rong Yi smiled and said, “Go out quickly and see your starlight rain!”

The red carpet was already laid out, and gold and silver glitter fell from the ceiling, with silver and blue lights shimmering, dazzlingly beautiful.

Suddenly, the wind picked up, and a silver light flashed overhead. It was a straight flagpole, with a vibrant flag unfurled behind it.

The silver and blue flags, with the silver wolf head shining with an imposing aura, seemed as if it would come alive, exuding an awe-inspiring presence.

Xiao Yin bent down and held his hand.

“Come with me.”

Rong Yi was pulled up from his seat by him and followed him outside.

He didn’t know where Xiao Yin was taking him, but he saw the excited smiles on the faces of the others and followed along.

He was familiar with Xiao Yin’s character. He would never force him to face the cameras.

The path they were being led on now was towards a mysterious and particularly large theater backstage.

There were two large theaters in the e-sports building, originally a theater that had been renovated and divided. Usually, only one of them would be used for events.

Now, this theater was empty, but the stage was filled with starlight. Colorful paper was falling from above, and the big screen in the middle displayed the camera shots of the audience.

“Come.”

Xiao Yin lowered his head and protected Rong Yi as they walked through the corridor. At this moment, in the arena just a wall away, cheers erupted like flames, shaking the entire venue.

“Easy, Easy!”

“Team Rong! Team Rong! Is Team Rong behind? Team Rong—”

“Holographic projection imaging,” Xiao Yin whispered. “There are no cameras here, only mirrors. Look up.”

Rong Yi looked up and saw Xiao Yin walking forward, his figure appearing on the screen, on the other side of the stage. It was an exact replica.

It was very strange.

They were on one side, and the audience was on the other, as if they were separated by a different time and dimension, coming together for this extraordinary championship award ceremony.

“So… so magical.”

Rong Yi carefully held Xiao Yin’s fingertips, then looked at the audience on the screen and let go.

Dots of light fell all around him.

He felt a bit at a loss. “I really, really didn’t expect that it could still…”

“That it could be like this.”

Xiao Yin gazed at him, with Hui Mao, Ci She, Wu Dao Gu, and Shu Pian behind him, all looking at him with smiles. “The boss came up with this idea in just a second.”

“It’s been five years, A Yi. Come and see your own starlight rain.”

“We’ll accompany you.”

---

The third-place dust has settled, and now it’s time for the real championship match!

Time is running out. Just the next day, there’s hardly any opportunity for special preparations. In fact, the grand finals have been hyped up for half a month already, even before the match between VIT and RS.

On the eve of the game, all major aspects have already been promoting and preparing. Now that the results of the loser’s bracket are out, all the publicity has been adorned with flashy slogans.

VIT: CH, the championship battle.

This intense atmosphere has spread infinitely, with continuous trending topics and the media chasing interviews. Any news is repeatedly studied and analyzed by the audience and fans. The number of people placing bets is countless.

In this situation, even the team badges of VIT and CH have become popular.

This kind of heat is also constantly attracting new audiences and fans, curious to learn about the professional esports industry.

On the day, the streets and alleys near the League building are filled with people wearing the free stickers and flags distributed by the organizers. They wander and discuss excitedly. Many people want to scavenge tickets on the spot and ask around if anyone is selling tickets for the grand finals.

“Are you nervous?”

On the car heading to the venue, everyone is squeezed together, which is quite rare.

Rong Yi smiled and asked a few children.

Both Ci She and Hui Mao are a bit nervous.

To put it bluntly, they are newcomers, having just entered the industry. Although they may not have much international reputation, the scale of domestic competitions is larger than intercontinental tournaments.

This is the first top-level event they have been exposed to.

Shu Pian is so nervous that he can’t even speak.

He has never seen the world before, and he is trembling all over.

“Why are you trembling? There’s a high probability you won’t even play,” Wu Dao Gu calmly reassured.

“I know, but I’m still nervous,” Shu Pian said, “If the captain and the seniors win, then I’ll be the first one to get a championship medal without even playing.”

Shu Pian’s voice is also trembling. “The biggest match I’ve played was the national league… and I only got second place… I’ve never seen such a grand scene before…”

Ci She and Hui Mao comfort him, “We’re also very nervous. We’ve never even played a match before, only training abroad.”

Shu Pian: “…”

This already sounds impressive, doesn’t it?

Shu Pian asked, “Where did you train? Was it with Brother Gu’s intercontinental team?”

“At QILIN,” Rong Yi casually said.

Shu Pian: “…”

Sorry to interrupt!

They didn’t take the league’s car because they were afraid of being recognized. Even if they entered the venue early in this situation, it wouldn’t help. They would definitely be surrounded.

Xiao Yin was planning to change to another car, but Rong Yi vetoed his suggestion to replace the business car with a “more low-key” Bentley. Instead, Rong Yi borrowed a third-hand car that he obtained at a low price from Lin Yi. It was said to be purchased from a certain driving school.

The windows of the car were covered with sunshades, making it completely sealed. There was also a huge ‘Driving School Vehicle, Please Give Way‘ sign on the back of the car.

Although pedestrians didn’t know why a driving school vehicle appeared in this place, they still instinctively gave it a wide berth.

Someone knocked on the car window in the front seat, a staff member selling small merchandise by the roadside.

“Hello, do you want VIT or CH team merchandise?”

They didn’t recognize them. In the front seat was Shu Pian, and the four people squeezed in the back seat. Xiao Yin held Rong Yi in his arms, and everyone wore baseball caps and masks, looking like fugitives on the run.

Shu Pian had never done this before, so he shouted loudly to the back, “Bosses, do we want these?”

“Yes, yes, yes. We don’t seem to have these things yet.”

Ci She lowered his voice and said, “The League is being stingy with their merchandise. They said it’s limited to the arena, and if there are any leftovers, they’ll give them to us. But they’re selling really well.”

“How much for one?” Shu Pian asked.

“A badge is 35 yuan, and a badge tattoo sticker is 5 yuan,” Ci She replied.

“What a rip-off!”

Grumbling, Shu Pian paid the money and got one for each person on the team.

Rong Yi reached out to receive it and took a look.

The VIT badge was a silver wolf with silver and blue as the main colors. It was actually quite well made.

He tore open the tattoo sticker and looked at Xiao Yin, who was wearing a shirt and looked serious. “Brother Yin, should I put one on?”

Xiao Yin took off his baseball cap, tousled his hair a bit, and leaned his face closer to Rong Yi. His eyes narrowed slightly, and there was a silent indulgence in his slender phoenix eyes.

Rong Yi quickly stuck the tattoo on his face and pinned the badge on him.

“What about you?” Rong Yi asked.

Xiao Yin looked at him, and Rong Yi obediently leaned over.

Xiao Yin stuck the tattoo on him as well.

The others also stuck the tattoos on each other, and the whole team was neatly dressed with their team merchandise.

This scene made everyone very happy.

They looked at each other with big smiley faces, and somehow, they felt a hint of excitement and joy from their childhood.

This joy diluted the tension that had filled the car just moments ago.

They smoothly entered the venue in the third-hand coach car.

Having stood here countless times over the past five years, even in the face of a championship match, Rong Yi remained calm. Standing backstage, he watched the flickering lights and countless audience members on the big screen. His mood was even steadier than usual.

It was still his team, although the people behind him had changed, and the opponents had changed too.

The tournament was ever-changing, but what no one knew was that deep in Rong Yi’s silent heart, there was the most stable and firm determination.

The domestic championship was his battlefield, his alone. Only he had been preparing for the highest level of competition from the beginning to the end.

A glimmer of light flickered in Rong Yi’s eyes.

Xiao Yin turned his head to look at him.

This was rare. He could clearly sense the emotions emanating from Rong Yi, not nervousness, not experience, but excitement. A calm and composed excitement.

A long-awaited excitement of finally arriving at the promised land.

The pre-match draw, the official start of the draft!

The opponent had the first pick and ban, banning the current version’s highest damage output hero, but VIT had the chance to pick first.

“Who wants to go first?” Ci She asked. His hero, the Empress, had already been banned, and the opponent had clearly seen his performance against RS yesterday.

If they couldn’t control the bot lane, then they would restrict the bot lane’s damage.

The Empress’s bloodthirsty mechanism made her the highest DPS ADC in the current version. Even though Ci She could still pick another ADC he excelled at, the overall output efficiency would be weakened.

Normally, they would prioritize picking heroes for the bot lane duo, but this time Rong Yi spoke up first.

“Give me Li.”

Without hesitation, Ci She picked Li for Rong Yi.

VIT’s first pick was locked in. Li’s figure appeared on the big screens on both sides, flashing for three seconds. With the holographic projection, she descended upon

the heads of all the audience members. A sweep of the blade passed through the entire arena, even chilling the surrounding air for a moment.

And there was Li’s voice echoing throughout the venue.

“Have you also experienced the bitter cold of the North Sky?”

The live audience was taken aback by this unexpected moment in the finals and screamed, nearly fainting from excitement.

It was so cool!!!

In the first round of picks, in the training room on the other side, Lu Feng also felt a chilling aura, just like the bitter cold of winter.

Lu Feng laughed.

“As expected of the finals, a bit fierce.”

His teammates behind him had never seen such a scene. After exchanging glances, they all held their breath.

This year, CH underwent a complete reset after the rotation of players. Young players like Yin Yi were promoted from the youth training and substitute benches.

Being able to make it to the final battle had already far exceeded their expectations.

Although they knew that facing VIT was a dangerous proposition, it was still a rare opportunity.

The drafting phase was completed, and the heroes for both teams were locked in!

When Ci She entered the stage, he heard Xiao Yin say something.

“Xiao She.”

Ci She looked up, “Hmm?”

“Pay attention to Rong Yi’s team this game.”

Ci She didn’t understand why, but he replied, “Alright.”

VIT’s core had always been the mid lane, although it wasn’t apparent to outsiders because most of the time it was Rong Yi taking the initiative to coordinate with the other three, rather than the other three supporting Rong Yi.

But this game was different.

Just like last time, CH focused on defending their own territory and launching aggressive attacks in the bottom lane. Ci She and Hui Mao were entangled, dealing with the enemy’s tower damage while also exchanging blows. At the same time, CH continued to upgrade their defenses, fortifying their towers with full defense and recovery effects after each upgrade.

They dealt damage and healed themselves accordingly. Neither side made any mistakes, and neither side found a significant breakthrough.

CH’s defensive tactics were like an immovable brick.

However–

At three minutes and fifty seconds, Rong Yi made a move in the bottom lane!

Everyone was focusing on converging on Ci She. Ci She had recalled to base to replenish his health, Lu Feng retreated, and the ADC and support had also depleted their resources. They intended to return to the tower to catch up on farm and restore their health.

No one expected Rong Yi to appear at this moment. The enemy mid laner hadn’t left yet, and Rong Yi only needed to kill one more minion to take down the tower.

Xiao Yin showed himself in the top lane, leaving the mid lane truly unguarded!

At this moment, Rong Yi made his move, catching everyone off guard. Lu Feng swiftly switched to the mid lane and coordinated with Rong Yi to take down VIT’s mid lane tower.

At the same time, Rong Yi crossed CH’s support, Silver Wing, and killed the enemy ADC under the tower!

But it didn’t end there. Rong Yi pressed deeper, catching the fleeing support. In the last second before being killed by the tower, he secured a double kill.

System announcement: [Destructive power!]

This was an exchange, a trade of resources.

CH knew that their mid and bot lanes were in a disadvantageous position and would likely be taken down. Rong Yi sacrificed the mid lane and created a flaw, perhaps with a deeper intention.

But it was their best choice. The battlefield was ever-changing, and resource trading was crucial.

Rong Yi himself didn’t care about the mid lane tower, trading it for two casualties on CH’s side. CH had to fully capitalize on the portion he gave up; otherwise, they would truly gain nothing.

The commentators were roaring through the microphone.

“That’s the mid lane tower! What is Easy planning to do! That’s the mid lane tower! What is VIT doing!”

“CH takes down VIT’s mid lane tower–“

Everyone familiar with defensive operations understood what this meant. It meant a significant advantage in the minion waves, a reduction in the enemy’s defensive map, and shallower positions for the minion waves to push.

In front of the screens, everyone had a calm expression.

“Now if they retreat, they might be able to defend and even secure a counter-kill–” Even Lin Yi, who had never seen such a formation, roared in coordination with his partner, “He didn’t retreat– Hui Mao followed Easy! They’re still in the bottom lane!”

“Ci She has regained his state and has now gone to the mid lane. Ci She sold all his equipment and bought defensive items—”

“Unbelievable! At five and a half minutes into the game, the mid lane tower has been taken down, and there’s a lane swap!”

Now everyone can see it. VIT is using an unimaginable method to push CH’s bottom lane.

Ci She is defending the mid lane. As the ADC, he naturally has high output and sustained damage. After buying defensive items, his task has become that of a wave-clearing machine.

He firmly holds his position at the second tower in the mid lane. No matter how much the enemy mid laner harasses him, he doesn’t take a step forward or retreat.

Xiao Yin has arrived in the bottom lane and is standing in the river, blocking Rong Yi and others.

Rong Yi is attacking the tower.

Without minion waves, Hui Mao, with 14,000 health points from the Earth Mother, tanks the tower damage one by one, resetting the tower aggro.

In the seven instances of tower damage, Rong Yi retreats and then re-engages. With his double-bladed daggers, he chips away at the tower, bit by bit, right in front of everyone’s eyes.

Lu Feng rushes back, but Xiao Yin controls him and drags him away. CH’s mid laner and the resurrected bottom lane rush over with increased speed, but it’s futile.

In the moment when Silver Wing enters the tower, Hui Mao flashes and lands a control skill, slamming it down on the ground. The ADC avoids it, but Silver Wing is trapped and dies in place.

At the same time, Hui Mao completes his final duty of tanking the tower and dies under the enemy’s tower.

Xiao Yin also dies under the tower.

System announcement: [VIT.EASY] has been killed by the [Red Team Defense Tower].

But at the same time–

System announcement: [Red Team Defense Tower] has been destroyed by [VIT.EASY]!

VIT instantly loses two members, and the bottom lane tower is taken down. Xiao Yin completes his blocking mission and runs with Flash to the safety of our bottom lane defense tower, but he’s heavily damaged. Lu Feng dives the tower and secures the kill, taking Xiao Yin’s life.

VIT instantly loses three members!

Outside the game, Lin Yi rapidly and passionately commentates, almost fainting.

Less than ten minutes into the game, three members instantly killed. What kind of hellish situation is this?

“Easy, Yin, and Hui Mao are all dead! The enemy is all there!” The field is in turmoil and excitement.

Everyone is shouting and screaming,

“They really spared no expense to take down the enemy’s bottom tower! What kind of strategy is this!”

“This is so unfair! This is so unfair! I’m about to faint!”

“But VIT is obviously well-trained. They planned for this.”

“They cleared the waves ahead of time! Ci She knew that Lu Feng and the support were not there, so he cleared the mid lane first! The mid laner couldn’t fight him!”

No one knows that within CH, which seems to have a favorable situation, there is a tense atmosphere in the training room.

A bead of sweat forms on Lu Feng’s forehead.

Only he understood VIT’s tactics.

The situation originated from when Rong Yi turned his attention to the bottom lane, grinding down the bottom lane tower at all costs.

VIT exchanged their mid lane tower, not as a resource swap or bait, but as their strategic objective.

“We never intended to take the mid lane tower.”

“We can control the early game lanes.”

Ten minutes ago, the calm voice of Xiao Yin echoed in the training room, “But the enemy’s defense system heavily relies on the terrain.”

“The top, mid, and bottom resources create a line, forming a solid wall.”

“But when they gain an advantage in the mid lane and push forward, their defensive line becomes protruded in the mid lane. They need to explore vision and radiate resources. It transforms from a flat plane into two triangular planes, effectively increasing their defensive burden.”

“There are no defensive walls that protrude in the world, no formations that stick out. Those formations that protrude are all for offense.”

Xiao Yin said, “They now face higher risks in terms of vision and require more manpower and resources.”

MOBA games are essentially tower-pushing games.

Take it a step further.

The strategy of the personnel is a strategy of cards, while the strategy of the terrain is nothing more than a battle flag.

A battle flag relies on the terrain.

“Keep attacking, don’t stop for a moment.”

“I’ll be the blade.”

“I’ll break open their wall.”

Everyone was surprised to find that after VIT lost three members, CH was unable to make any effective progress.

Wu Dao is firmly holding the top lane, and Ci She has cleared the mid lane completely. Due to Rong Yi’s push in the bottom lane, the minion wave has not arrived yet.

Before Xiao Yin came down, he had already cleared the jungle on this side.

VIT lost three members but didn’t lose any resources.

Instead, because CH wanted to make timely progress, they exposed their vision for a longer duration. Both the mid laner and Lu Feng were spotted by Ci She. VIT’s five members shared their updated map prediction at all times.

In other words, they had a complete overview, and all five of them were extremely clear.

Rong Yi truly became an incredibly thin and sharp blade. He pried loose that brick and waited for the complete collapse of the fortified defenses.

He gently pulled out that brick.

The remaining cracks gradually widened, and in the end, everything fell apart.

“Easy, he built full attack items!”

“Easy’s current damage output is even higher than the ADC! Easy dies in just a few hits! But he keeps going! He is determined to demolish the tower!”

With just a single blade, CH was thrown into chaos.

In the twelfth minute, Rong Yi took down CH’s top tower again.

He died again, and up until now, Rong Yi’s performance couldn’t be considered impressive: 2-2. But everyone could see that he had an unstoppable momentum.

“This is the fastest tower loss for CH this season with this lineup!”

“Why is it like this? VIT clearly lost their mid tower, so why did CH’s tower fall so quickly?”

“I heard that the training team of VIT is all AI-powered. Could this be an AI-calculated strategy? It’s unbelievable!”

Xiao Yin also played the sacrificial role this game. He allowed Rong Yi and Ci She to eat up all his jungle resources.

“Come take the blue buff.” Xiao Yin said briefly over the mic.

“Coming~”

Rong Yi rushed over with his blood-colored wings, his silver-white attire resembling the moonlight turned into a sharp blade. He appeared cold and dazzling, unstoppable by anyone.

The system announced: [“Unstoppable.] Rong Yi also muttered this word casually.

“I’m already unstoppable~”

“You are unstoppable.” Xiao Yin glanced at him, a smile forming on his lips.

Even with the soundproofing effect of the training room and headphones, they couldn’t block out the roaring noise from outside. “No one can stop you.”

---

The first game was easily won without any suspense. The new combination of RS didn’t have a chance to show its effectiveness before being completely shut down.

In this game, the old team members of RS were left with only Lang Bai and Yao Cao. The second team members who trained within a season couldn’t blend as well as the old members. They collapsed along the way, and the whole team quickly fell apart.

Not only the players of RS but even the commentators and analysts were astonished.

In just under two weeks, Ci She seemed like a different person. In every aspect, it seemed like they had upgraded to a whole new level, but no one could explain exactly how they did it.

Such a level of improvement could only be strategic.

“Easy indeed,” the commentators couldn’t help but exclaim, “a priceless asset to the league.”

“After losing the last game, I heard VIT went into closed training,” others gossiped, “they did it aggressively, removing all discussions and attacking topics about Ci She. Didn’t they face a backlash for a whole week?”

“They say Yin is arbitrary, and VIT can’t take insults.”

“Faced backlash for a whole week, doesn’t it hurt today?”

“Yeah, hahaha, doesn’t it hurt today?”

Ci She had a good feel today. Their momentum was unstoppable. In the second game, it was VIT’s turn to ban first in the draft phase. Xiao Yin generously gave up the banning position for his hidden pick, allowing Ci She to secure Empress Hua.

Empress Hua was selected on the screen, wielding her giant sword, displaying her sharpness and sending chills down one’s spine.

The second game started quickly!

In this game, RS didn’t give up and could only keep making plays.

They had to make plays; otherwise, they had nowhere to go.

They couldn’t make plays in the mid lane, the jungler couldn’t secure kills, and the top laner lacked resources and vision value to make plays.

They had to choose between the bot lane and mid lane, and without a second thought, they chose the bot lane.

The mid lane was the biggest trap and the most unbreakable communication point this season. It was the consensus among all teams.

No one wanted to mess with Rong Yi.

Ci She played steadily in the second game, and Lang Bai tried to camp Xiao Yin, but he anticipated every move, with a rhythm one level higher than RS as a whole. Even when diving to kill him under the tower, he retreated first with Hui Mao’s protection, making it impossible to catch him.

In terms of vision control, VIT’s coordination was like a well-oiled machine. Whenever the enemy team made a move, one player called out the positions, and the rest of the team immediately placed vision to track the enemy’s movements.

Fake vision, bush ambushes, offside control, AoE attacks with no vision—before VIT’s players, they were like a blank sheet of paper.

How else could they play?

This was an ability that transcended the current esports era. Maybe it wasn’t apparent before, but as soon as every player caught up, this team became a precise killing machine, aiming for victory without any doubts.

RS had no way to fight back. All their upgrades against VIT had become ineffective. With the rotation of new players, they were even worse than the old team before.

The audience began to boo in the stands.

And when they saw Xiao Yin predicting Ci She’s moves for the third time, only to be counter-ganked, the boos in the stands reached their peak.

Everyone could see that the entire RS team was falling apart.

The second game was won without any suspense, and the victory came even faster

than the first game.

The overall score was 2-0, which meant RS had no chance of winning the championship this season.

With Rong Yi’s departure, the position of domestic champions for several consecutive years no longer belonged to RS.

This was the first time RS had fallen from the top after several years of ranking first in various statistics throughout the seasons.

The online community was undoubtedly in an uproar.

A storm of criticism and doubt raged against RS once again, but this time it was no longer filled with praise, compliments, and trust. It was a comprehensive wave of insults, suspicion, and mockery.

Although VIT had been the most dominant team this year, and CH had also risen later on, a large number of people still believed that RS could win another championship.

RS has many fans, and they have a large audience following. This failure undoubtedly serves as a heavy blow, awakening all the remaining members.

Throughout this season, RS’s comprehensive data has been declining across the board, worsening as they progressed.

As everyone reflects on this period, they suddenly and unanimously notice a turning point.

That turning point is Rong Yi’s transfer.

Whenever Rong Yi was in sync with the team, RS never lost a game. Even when Rong Yi was criticized for suppressing teammates, RS never lost a game.

Rong Yi was subject to various rumors and attacked by all kinds of fans, but as long as he was there, RS never lost a game.

However, after he left, RS started losing games, and to make matters worse, they lost to the team he joined.

The crux of all the problems lies in RS losing Rong Yi.

Until today, everyone sees this point, and no one can deny it.

Countless people start to wonder.

“Why would a team let Easy go?”

“Moreover, Easy was released, not his contract expiring. Easy and RS have had a strained relationship for years.”

“People in the industry, can you shed some light on the situation? Wasn’t Easy banned for a while? At that time, both their teammates and their small fans seemed quite happy, didn’t they?”

“How did they perform during that time?”

One question after another, even those who don’t know the behind-the-scenes situation start to ponder.

With Rong Yi’s departure, the team fell apart. That is a fact. Ci She seized the game as a breakthrough, and after two weeks of special training, they became a formidable force. That is also a fact.

The manager of RS’s team has gone mad backstage.

They spent a fortune on players and hired top-level coaches. The money invested could cover several advertising revenues.

The main issue is Rong Yi and Xiao Yin targeting them. This season, they have already lost a significant amount of advertising income and sponsors. Their previous approach is not working well, so they can only promote new talents and employ rotation tactics.

Previously, they didn’t realize that many benefits came solely because of their championship position.

Previously, it was easy for them to monopolize players, coaches, and championships.

But now, VIT and even the rising CH are telling them: “This path is blocked.”

“Third place!” the manager exclaimed in anger, throwing things around. “What the hell is this? Third place! Are you proud of achieving third place?”

After the match, members from both teams got up from the training room and walked to the front stage.

The manager of RS lost his composure in front of everyone, while the old members of RS remained silent, and the new members were filled with anxiety.

Just as the manager was about to throw the planning board to the ground, a hand firmly held his hand.

Xiao Yin’s gaze was cold. “Sir, calm down.”

“You should go out and ask how many teams and players would want this second runner-up position.”

“You hold the best resources in the domestic league, the most promising young players, and you’ve ruined the future of numerous youth training players and destroyed the bright prospects of many e-sports professionals.”

“Even if you’ve achieved third place, there’s no need to take it out on your team,” Xiao Yin said, glancing at the trembling new RS members. He released his grip after confirming that the manager had softened and wiped his hands with a tissue.

He and Rong Yi held no ill will towards those new RS members. They even felt a hint of pity.

They were all excellent talents, but it was unfortunate that they ended up in such a team.

In this industry, unlike some older individuals who were wary of newcomers and refused to acknowledge their talent, Xiao Yin and others found it unacceptable if newcomers were treated poorly.

Older players should support and help newcomers without any ulterior motives.

But what about those newcomers who were silently drowned in time? Who would pay attention to them and care about their future?

The entire RS team turned pale.

Xiao Yin and the others didn’t pay them any attention. The rest of them walked confidently to the front stage, receiving the spotlight and thunderous applause from the audience.

Only Ci She paused for a moment, staying beside Rong Yi.

“Captain, I’ll accompany you.”

Rong Yi tilted his head. “We won a comeback victory. Shouldn’t we show off a bit?”

Ci She sheepishly lowered his head. “I think it’s better to stay with the captain.”

“You brought all of us here. If you don’t go to the front stage to accept the applause and flowers, then I won’t go either.”

“But it’s difficult.”

In the audience, Lu Feng watched the people on stage.

“This year’s championship has become difficult. We underestimated Easy and VIT.”

“They adapted and adjusted in just two weeks. It’s hard to say if our strategy can withstand their current strength.”

Lu Feng quietly discussed with the teammates beside him, mostly filled with a sense of frustration.

“Our skills aren’t on par.”

“It’s not that I’m suppressing my own prestige to elevate others, but this year’s championship mostly belongs to them.”

---

At that moment, the door to the backstage live streaming room was pushed open, and the front desk staff entered to find the captains of each team for the ban-pick (BP) card draw and pre-match interview discussions.

The sound of the door interrupted the conversations on both sides, and Rong Yi finished taking the water and returned to the team.

The staff member approached and asked softly, “Who should be interviewed before the match, Captain Rong?”

Pre-match interviews were a new focal point added to the top three finals. Traditionally, it was usually the captain who appeared for the interview. However, in VIT’s case, they obviously did not dare to let Rong Yi go up.

“Brother Yin has seen the top four matches, and now everyone…”

The staff member hinted, “We are also looking forward to the newcomers on the team.”

“Ci She?”

Rong Yi didn’t give them time to react. He accurately guessed what they were thinking, “If he doesn’t go up, won’t your people know what he’ll see if he’s watching?”

The staff member was momentarily speechless.

The main goal was to generate discussion. Currently, The Serpent was a controversial topic for VIT. If he could come out for an interview before the match and elicit some intense reactions, it would undoubtedly add another major point of interest to the game.

As for whether this pre-match interview would affect the players’ mentality, who cared? They had all entered professional esports and should learn to handle pressure.

The staff member felt a bit embarrassed. “Well, we actually wanted to consult…”

“Thank you.”

Rong Yi naturally placed his hand on Ci She’s shoulder, assuming a protective posture. “Our team members won’t go.”

On the other side, the RS team finished their makeup, and the manager led them to the front for the interview.

The players’ expressions weren’t good, but they had to go.

All the veteran RS players looked at Rong Yi, and the way he protected Ci She by his side was so eye-catching.

He used to protect them like this.

“Regarding today’s match, which should also be the ultimate battle between RS and VIT this season, does anyone have anything to say?”

Lang Bai took the microphone.

“VIT is a very strong team.”

“Easy is a very skilled player and captain.”

“However, we all believe that some members of VIT still lack growth, and this time, we will seize the opportunity.”

This was also the first public occasion where RS rarely spoke positively about VIT for two rounds. However, the sense of competition in their words couldn’t be any more obvious.

The spokesperson for VIT was Xiao Yin.

Xiao Yin, who was on stage, was never one to speak much. He just nodded and smiled briefly.

“Welcome, looking forward to an exciting match ahead.”

The match began.

RS showed no mercy and first banned Yin, followed by banning Empress, focusing on countering The Serpent from the start.

Ci She sat in the competition room, flexing his fingers and calmly preparing himself.

Rong Yi said, “Stay steady.”

Xiao Yin glanced at Ci She, as he understood him better. “Don’t drift away.”

Ci She smiled and clenched his fist secretly.

How could he not drift away?

Countless hours of training, all to deliver an unprepared battle to the opponent.

The opponent thought they were prepared and believed they could still break through from him. But now, he also wanted to prove himself, that he was not the weak point or vulnerability of the entire team.

His ADC style is just that crazy; the crazier he gets, the better he performs.

They banned Empress, but he has other options.

He can also become the team’s anchor and rely on him for kills.

As the game started, Rong Yi stared at the changing screen and asked, “How do we want to play this round?”

The opposing team has three new members, new roles, and a completely new composition, making it unpredictable and unable to determine their main weakness.

But based on their coordination, they will surely target the bot lane.

Ci She stared at the screen.

Everything was the same as in the training room, and yet everything was different from the training room.

In the training room, he had a full blind perspective, which was the effect of his ultimate ability, the “blind” BUFF followed him everywhere.

In the first round, the economy of the three opponents suddenly jumped.

Ci She quickly reported, “The opposing jungler and support are both ganking mid lane.”

Rong Yi nodded, his face calm as water, with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.

“Protect him,” Xiao Yin’s voice came through the microphone, “Watch over Captain Rong.”

Rong Yi said, “I will.”

In this round, their early game lineup had the advantage.

Ci She had already squatted on the path where the opposing team would rotate, even using an acceleration effect, and Hui Mao almost had to use Flash to keep up with him.

From the top-down view, RS caught the opponent off guard, quickly clearing the mid lane, and preparing to converge on the bot lane.

On the game map, the minions in the mid lane reach the top lane four seconds faster than the bot lane, giving them enough time for rotation.

However, everyone saw that VIT seemed to have the eye of God, accurately guessing their movements. Xiao Yin directly flew into the red zone, pretending to scout the vision, forcing Lang Bai to retreat under the tower.

Rong Yi followed suit, and the opposing mid laner hesitated for a moment, unsure if they would fight or retreat. Without retreating, the rhythm of the three-man convergence was exposed, and they ended up retreating with only two players.

Only Yao Cao could safely position himself under the tower to farm, but it wasn’t a problem—just as the minions arrived, this wave didn’t cause any casualties.

However, what he didn’t expect was that during this absolutely safe time, Ci She didn’t stay in a safe position waiting for vision but directly ambushed him on his inevitable path!

The moment Yao Cao entered the brush, Ci She instantly unleashed his charged skills, launching a barrage of abilities at him. Hui Mao used the Key of Memories, timing it down to fractions of a second, using two skill rotations, and took down Yao Cao directly!

System announcement: First blood.

System announcement: Destructive power.

The training room fell silent, but the people, including Xiao Yin, couldn’t help but smile.

Ci She, this child, is indeed so aggressive.

Growing up, he is eager to prove himself, showing his edge to the world, unstoppable.

This is what they expect from the ADC position.

This position should shine brightly like this.

“Keep going, Xiao She.”

Rong Yi’s voice remained steady as he commanded, “Go all out.”

First blood appeared at the 20-second mark of the game, and the second kill happened at 45 seconds.

After Yao Cao died, the support quickly took a detour to control the lane.

The opposing support brought Lang Bai’s vision. Lang Bai wisely let go of the small monsters in his hands, moved upwards, and headed towards the mid lane.

“It might be fake vision.”

Ci She made an instant judgment. Before he could finish his sentence, Rong Yi took the initiative to engage, moving deep into the enemy’s mid lane tower and confirming this point for The Serpent.

Without hesitation, Ci She directly entered the jungle and killed Lang Bai face to face, who had returned from fake vision last night!

The jungle monsters still targeted Lang Bai, and with the first blood buff, Ci She, like a killing god, finished off Lang Bai.

Rong Yi joined the battle, protecting him closely. Right under the enemy’s mid lane, he sent Ci She back to the bottom lane.

And in the bottom lane, Hui Mao had already held the lane for Ci She for eight seconds without wasting any resources.

Everyone on VIT’s team smirked.

That’s what you call a swift kill.

That’s what you call a swift kill!

Everyone was astonished to find that in just one game, VIT’s bottom lane, represented by Ci She, grew at an astonishing speed.

No one knew how this change was achieved.

In the previous game, Ci She made many mistakes that could have been featured in highlights, but in today’s game, he suddenly stopped making any of those previous errors and matured as if he had become a different person.

No one could stop him now.

Today, all members of VIT willingly indulged Ci She and played along with him.

The opposing team’s composition, theoretically speaking, didn’t prioritize the bot lane, but since Ci She had already opened up the situation, they happily played it as a bot lane fight.

Ci She pressed forward, dealing explosive damage. By the ten-minute mark, his personal performance was already two thousand above the average of everyone else. Coupled with the impenetrable protection from Hui Mao and Rong Yi’s coordination, the enemy team would run at the sight of him.

What new tactics? What new strategies?

In the face of real maximum damage, they could only be torn apart on the way.

This is the result of Rong Yi’s special training.

Players who were taught step by step from a losing situation, players personally selected by him and Xiao Yin.

Now, everyone can clearly see it.

The members of VIT, how unfathomable they are.

And how Rong Yi’s training methods have convinced and awed everyone.

---

Ci She has begun special training.

He is a person who follows through on his words.

The reason VIT has not implemented internal militarization training thus far is because everyone understands their limits and prioritizes doing the right thing; there is no room for compromise.

If a mistake is made, it is acknowledged; if there is a challenge, it is confronted directly. Both Rong Yi and Xiao Yin hold high expectations for themselves, making it impossible for others to relax.

This is actually a rather rare talent.

Before 7 a.m., when everyone usually gathers for breakfast, Ci She has already spent a full hour in the silent training room adjacent to the main training area.

Inside the silent training room, all noise is isolated, and the data software is running. The coordinates of five simulated opponents on the screen are rapidly changing. With complete blind vision, Ci She deduces the data of both enemy and friendly forces, assessing their attack power based on the fluctuations in the panel data.

It is challenging. After practicing ten thousand times, it might become a reflex, but before reaching that ten thousandth repetition, it is the result of the brain operating under extreme strain.

The soundproof walls in the silent room were just installed a few days ago, and the air conditioning has yet to be turned on. The room is excessively hot. They look through the glass door of the training room and see the Ci She’s back drenched in sweat.

Even the auntie feels a bit sorry for him. “He ate fifteen small buns before entering. I told him it’s hot in there and he should find somewhere else, but he refused.”

Hui Mao silently grumbles, “He can really eat… I wonder why the buns are missing half at the beginning…”

Rong Yi and Xiao Yin exchange a glance.

Rong Yi says, “Yesterday, Xiao She mentioned that this training mode somewhat limits his talent.”

Xiao Yin understands and chuckles.

“His true talent lies right here.”

Go all out or die trying, either fully master it or perish—this is Ci She’s innate character.

They have not started yet today, so Rong Yi takes the opportunity to chat.

“How were they selected back then? Was it based solely on this aspect?”

“It was based solely on this aspect,” Xiao Yin’s tone is indifferent. “I really dislike the attitude of some e-sports players, always playing it safe, never pushing themselves. They seem to believe that by doing so, the championship will magically fall into their laps. ‘Avoiding mistakes’ and ‘staying stable’ are the most meaningless evaluations.”

Rong Yi nods, instantly recalling numerous players she knows.

“Some people choose this path for their livelihood and to prolong their professional careers,” Xiao Yin casually adds, “but if they choose that way, it’s only natural for them to lose.”

“So,” Hui Mao spoke up with a hint of sadness, “You didn’t choose us because of our talent. We know now.”

Wu Dao Gu sighed. “We know.”

Xiao Yin remained silent.

“So, in the boss’s eyes, we’re nothing,” Hui Mao mockingly raised a hand to his heart. “Spread the word: Yin says the other four members of the team have no talent.”

Rong Yi burst into laughter, joining in on the fun. He squinted his eyes and feigned innocence. “I got it.”

The morning light shone through the glass window, softly captivating as golden rays separated the cold and hot on the floor.

Rong Yi’s face, partially illuminated, had a playful and lively sparkle in his eyes, along with a gentleness and radiance that unintentionally appeared when someone looked at him.

Xiao Yin didn’t say a word. He simply gazed into his eyes, and his body leaned forward involuntarily.

Caught off guard, Rong Yi planted a kiss on his lips.

Everyone around watched, even the auntie watched. Rong Yi pushed Xiaoy Yin away, feeling somewhat flustered and shy. “What’s gotten into you?”

What’s wrong with this person? Clearly, he was just joking, but unexpectedly, he went in for a kiss.

Hui Mao and Wu Dao Gu averted their eyes, whistling casually.

“It wasn’t me who chose you,” Xiao Yin whispered, gently embracing Rong Yi’s shoulder. “It was you who chose me.”

In the national championship showdown, VIT:CH lost in the first round and entered the loser’s bracket, becoming the first team among the top three to do so.

However, CH continued to perform consistently and achieved a 2-1 victory against RS in their match.

After RS made substitutions in their lineup, their margin for error noticeably increased, and they truly demonstrated a back-and-forth battle against CH in terms of strength. They remained strong in the finals as well.

In terms of team composition, RS introduced four new players, all of whom seamlessly rotated.

Their new strategies proved to be highly effective. When CH encountered their coordinated gameplay for the first time, they were unable to counter with their initial tactics and ultimately relied on their high-defense strategy to secure victory.

The most intriguing part was that RS also employed their trademark high-defense strategy in the final game, resulting in a match duration of nearly seventy minutes, nearly breaking the record for the longest match in the league.

However, RS ultimately lost. This kind of match accumulated its outcome through numerous small mistakes.

The audience was quite practical. The immediate victory was the most exciting, and CH’s two consecutive wins had already been declared by some media and commentators as the path to the championship.

No one expected that CH would reveal their full strength in the top three matches.

As for RS, after the substitutions, their previously faded hopes gradually gained momentum.

The main shot-caller changed, team members changed, coaching staff changed, and the system changed!

No one didn’t want to win.

Perhaps their motives were impure, but no one didn’t want to win.

The original RS quartet had already given up everything they could.

RS lost a game and entered the loser’s bracket, which meant that the next game would be the final showdown between RS and VIT.

Meanwhile, CH stood in the winner’s bracket, waiting for the victorious team to rise from the abyss and challenge them.

The schedule was tight, and VIT had only one week to prepare.

Countless people were waiting to see the drama unfold. Fans were heartbroken, accusing, and hurling insults. Passersby were setting the rhythm, desperately mocking. Moreover, there were personal attacks against Ci She himself. The online frenzy had already begun, and the rhythm that used to target Rong Yi was slowly resurrecting.

[Easy can’t carry his teammates. He talked so big before, but Ci She still became a target, didn’t he?]

[If he could really lead his teammates well, VIT wouldn’t have lost that game. What’s all this talk about new players taking more risks? He’s the mid-laner, can’t he cover the bot lane?]

The members of VIT saw these comments but ignored them all.

Ci She was known to argue with netizens using alternate accounts, but this time he chose silence. Silence wasn’t a retreat or avoidance; it was his new way of challenging himself and engaging in sober self-reflection.

This was a competition where achievements spoke the loudest.

For five days straight, Ci She practiced tirelessly, day and night, while Rong Yi accompanied him in training, also day and night.

The soundproof room had its air conditioning rushed and installed, and the voices of Rong Yi and Ci She overlapped and repeated incessantly, echoing in this quiet space.

“Red 1 just finished clearing the jungle at position 270.260, and Red 2 might directly switch lanes or invade the jungle,” Ci She’s voice was steady. “Red 3 hasn’t moved for a long time, possibly lurking in one of the three bushes. Support, go ward.”

As soon as his voice fell, Rong Yi’s voice echoed simultaneously.

“Red 1 in position, Red 2, I’ll go scout their movements. No blue buff, so Yin and I will clear and eliminate the possibilities,” Rong Yi said. “No need to ward at Red 3. Red 3 is waiting in the dragon pit bush to meet the jungler. Dragon will respawn in 3 seconds.”

“Understood.”

Ci She continued to report, almost every second. The entire game paused for a moment as they repeated and predicted, with Rong Yi providing corrections and guidance.

Both of their voices gradually became hoarse. For three days, they worked tirelessly, without experiencing the outside world’s day and night.

But as Rong Yi watched Ci She’s reporting and predictions become smoother, his coordinated analysis, he felt his own confidence solidifying.

They were right.

Ci She had gained a third pair of eyes. Eyes that couldn’t be deceived by false vision, couldn’t be swayed by misdirection, couldn’t be shaken by unknown dangers and the void of doubt.

This was true global vision.

On the third day, Rong Yi took off his headphones and stood up.

“Your special training is over. Now, let’s rejoin the team.”

Ci She stood up. In such a short time, he had undergone an intense intermediate-level training, and he answered loudly, “Yes, captain!”

“Now you can play the invisibility game well,” Rong Yi patted his shoulder. “I’m waiting for you to knock Brother Yin off the position of the world’s number one-ranked player.”

“Definitely!”Ci She clenched his fist, his eyes shining.

On the day of the match against RS, the weather was clear and refreshing.

This match would determine who would be the third-place team of the season, but the media didn’t refer to it as the “third-place match” because securing the third place also meant that the team would be stopped at third place.

The media called this match the “One Step Away from Championship” match. The loser’s bracket would be the final decisive match of the year.

Before entering, the media and audience had already crowded around the league building. The two-level platform surrounding the arena was filled to capacity, with a sea of people. Countless media cameras were focused on the stage.

Outside the camera’s view, when VIT and RS entered, the members of both teams exchanged glances backstage.

The VIT members were backstage purely because the process had slightly changed. The training room was no longer open before the match, so they had to wait backstage, while the RS members needed to get their makeup done.

Both teams ignored each other as usual.

After experiencing repeated defeats, the RS members couldn’t display a superior attitude in front of Rong Yi anymore, but they couldn’t help but pay attention to him.

RS would be playing their first match today.

During a tea break, Rong Yi’s gaze swept over the four new faces in the team one by one. His gaze briefly landed on the former RS players but quickly moved on.

However, the people he saw deeply lowered their heads.

They could only lower their heads and feel their fingertips pressing into their palms.

Neng Li had been substituted for three consecutive matches.

It was no different from being a substitute.

In the past, stability was his advantage. As long as he listened to Rong Yi’s instructions, he could adapt to any situation. But this characteristic became his disadvantage.

Because of being stable, because he lacked independent thinking, and because there was no longer targeted training guided by Rong Yi’s hands-on approach, his style became styleless. He, as a person, became replaceable.

On the other side, Qing Yan’s expression was also extremely poor.

He had been substituted twice, slightly better than Neng Li, but he couldn’t avoid daily self-doubt and anxiety, even though he didn’t express it openly, he had already been replaced.

The longer the time passed, the more they felt the cruelty of this profession.

And surprisingly, this was something they had never felt when Rong Yi was with them. He had paved the way for their future, planned everything for them, and all they had to do was follow him.

Now Rong Yi wasn’t with them anymore.

It was their own choice not to have him.

Yao Cao’s expression was gloomy as he stared at Ci She.

The match hadn’t even started yet, but their basic tactics were already in place. To counter Ci She, they would try new combinations and substitutions. This also meant that the ADC facing Ci She would be under great pressure.

In their previous matchup against Ci She, it was quite torturous.

Both were talented ADCs, explosive high-damage players, but the memory of him breaking through their defenses still lingered in his mind.

“What kind of expressions are they making?”

The jungler, Lang Bai, spoke calmly, “Raise your heads. Are you already planning how to go home with those expressions?”

Everyone remained silent but lifted their heads, trying to maintain a positive mindset.

The newly joined members chatted and told jokes, some even approached VIT to greet them. These newcomers didn’t know much about the previous conflicts.

Only Lang Bai remained motionless, staring intently at Rong Yi.

When Rong Yi stood up to get some water, Lang Bai suddenly stood up and walked towards him.

The people who had been still suddenly understood the situation. Both sides became tense, and the entire VIT team became alert. Wu Dao Gu had already moved to block the path, staring at Lang Bai.

“What are you doing?” Wu Dao Gu asked.

Lang Bai showed no expression. “Getting water.”

Wu Dao Gu let him pass.

“I have something to say to the captain,” Lang Bai took a few steps closer, and Rong Yi turned to look at him as he lifted his cup.

“We will win, Captain,” Lang Bai said. “We can still make it to the championship without you. You’ve seen the rotations in our team.”

Rong Yi tilted his head slightly, not saying a word, but he listened attentively.

Surprisingly, his attitude was gentle.

At least there was no emotional change, like when a stranger asks for directions and strikes up a conversation on the side of the road.

“What does it prove?” Rong Yi asked.

His clear voice fell lightly, like a jade stone.

Lang Bai was taken aback.

“Prove that we’re stronger than you? Prove that we don’t need you?”

Rong Yi shrugged. “That’s meaningless.”

This was also his first direct response to the RS members in a public setting.

Lang Bai suddenly felt confused.

Yes.

What’s the point of proving…?

It was just that when they played in the past, he watched the people beside him calmly commanding, protecting them under their wings. The deep-seated inferiority and uneasiness of never being able to raise their heads remained within him.

They could grow even without him. They could become champions even without him. He could become his own commander, and they could all be stronger than him. They could get used to his efforts, or even disregard them, fueled by a strong sense of discontent that gradually turned into envy.

But what did it all mean?

“At least that way, you can acknowledge us,” Lang Bai said. “I’m sorry, Captain. No one in our team actually wanted you to leave.”

Saying this now seemed a bit too false.

Rong Yi looked at him strangely.

“In the past, I acknowledged all of you,” Rong Yi turned his head slightly and calmly looked at him.

Lang Bai’s fingertips tightened.

“The players I chose, I definitely acknowledged them.”

“There’s no distinction between good and just ‘okay.’ The players I chose are always the best.”

“When I chose Brother Yin back then and chose each one of you, it was the same feeling.”

Rong Yi glanced at the time, speeding up his speech. He didn’t have to say these words, but his confusion was genuine.

“Don’t you feel it?”

“In my eyes, all of you are members capable of becoming top players. That was the case originally.”

“A stable mid-laner, strong learning ability, an experienced player. Isn’t QILIN’s mid-laner the same type?”

No one could have predicted that he would take advantage of the situation and become self-satisfied.

“An AD with high talent, quick reactions, and aggressive playstyle, a good breakthrough player.”

Who could have known that he would be consumed by surface glamour and overlook progress?

Xiao Yun, how could he not be like that? Qing Yan, how could he not be like that?

Only Lang Bai had grown after Rong Yi left, but it was already too late.

“There’s just one thing I want to correct,” Rong Yi didn’t bother mentioning the past one by one. He put down his water cup and spoke in a calm tone. “Get the address right. Personally, I don’t like being called ‘captain’ by anyone other than the players.”

He pointed to VIT on the other side.

“Now, I’m their captain.”

Lang Bai and the teammates behind him were stunned, as if struck by lightning.

---

---

“I want to be alone for a while, Captain.”

After a moment of silence, Thorn Snake finally spoke up.

He was well-behaved, though his expression was particularly grim. He managed to control his emotions and didn’t vent his frustrations on anyone else.

Rong Yi paused for a moment and then nodded. “Alright, shall we have dinner together?”

Ci She remained silent, seemingly tormented by the thought of speaking.

For the time being, he couldn’t face anyone because he couldn’t face himself, who had caused the team’s failure.

“Okay,” Rong Yi nodded. “I’ll pack you some Wagyu Beef and Foie Gras Rice. If you’re feeling down, you can have an uncomfortable night. We’ll continue our regular training tomorrow, the third stage of our special training. Do you understand?”

Ci She nodded sullenly.

Rong Yi and Wu Dao Gu left.

Ci She followed the driver back to the VIT headquarters. Rong Yi and Wu Dao Gu waited for Xiao Yin and Hui Mao to finish their post-match interviews before heading to the restaurant they usually frequented after games.

Immediately after the match, VIT was already facing criticism online. Most of the blame was directed at the bot lane that collapsed today, especially Ci She.

It was the first time since VIT entered the domestic league that they faced such a massive internal attack.

At the dinner table, Xiao Yin casually instructed his assistant, “Lower the heat, limit the comments tagging Ci She’s name. Block any severe insults and false accusations.”

Assistant Xiao Zhou expressed concern, “Won’t the fans accuse us of hiding the truth? Being criticized is part of the professional gaming industry itself.”

“Neither I nor Rong’s team needs it, but they are still young. They don’t have to deliberately bear so much…” Xiao Yin said.

“Insults and normal audience opinions are two different things,” Xiao Yin said. “Protecting the players and their emotions is also our responsibility. Let others say what they want.”

Rong Yi nodded in agreement.

The fundamental reason is that the audience in the esports industry is different from that in traditional sports, and the environment is more toxic, with complex personnel.

Some of the negative comments are no longer part of the normal competitive industry, but with the widespread use of the internet, they inevitably appear in front of everyone, silently affecting a large number of people.

Xiao Yin’s decision was unchangeable, arbitrary, and didn’t care what others said.

After dinner, everyone returned to the club together.

The villa was dark, and Ci She wasn’t in the living room. There was someone in the room, but the lights were off, creating an eerie darkness.

Everyone looked at each other.

“What should we do?”

Rong Yi weighed the Wagyu Beef and Foie Gras Rice in his hand. “I’ll go. Let’s all review the match.”

Everyone agreed in unison.

Rong Yi knocked on the door. “Xiao She, I brought you some food. Can I come in directly?”

Ci She didn’t respond. Rong Yi pushed the door open and entered with the food.

Ci She curled up on the bed, facing away from the door. When he saw Rong Yi, he sat up and ran his hand through his messy hair. “Thank you, Captain.”

Ci She’s emotions were visibly low.

“Let’s talk,” Rong Yi said.

Ci She got up from the bed, his head hanging.

Rong Yi placed the food container on the table. “What are your thoughts on today’s match?”

“I dragged down the whole team.”

“That’s true,” Rong Yi said casually.

Ci She almost choked on his breath.

“What’s next? What are you planning to do?” Rong Yi asked.

Ci She hesitated, twisting his fingers anxiously.

“I can’t adapt to this stage of training. I can’t handle it yet.”

“Captain, it’s really difficult,” Ci She’s voice trembled with growing frustration, “This system really doesn’t suit me. I feel like all my talents are being stifled.”

“You’re right, but it doesn’t matter,” Rong Yi said calmly. “Whether your talent is stifled or not, it’s not that important.”

Ci She: “…………….”

He was shocked by Rong Yi’s words, to the point of forgetting his sorrow.

It was too shocking!!!

Everyone knew that Ci She was the ADC with the highest talent among the new generation. He had confidence in himself; otherwise, Xiao Yin wouldn’t have chosen him.

Everyone always said that he was a prodigy, capable of surpassing even the peak performance of Yao Cao. Ci She had heard the term “talent” countless times, but it was the first time someone said it wasn’t important.

After a while, Ci She slowly said, “So… should I… leave?”

Rong Yi patted his head. “There’s no need for that.”

Ci She: “…………….”

He looked at Rong Yi with a sad expression.

“Just look at your brother Yin. He has such high talent, but it won’t let us lie on the champion’s podium.”

Outside the door, Hui Mao and Wu Dao Gu, who were eavesdropping, exchanged glances.

Hui Mao couldn’t help but whisper, “Brother Yin, Rong Team said you can’t lead us to the champion’s podium.”

Sitting on the sofa, Xiao Yin wrote down the analysis instructions and raised an eyebrow.

“Look at QILIN and CH, they don’t have as much natural talent, but they can still reach a high position.”

“Talent and effort are different philosophies for choosing one’s path in life.”

Rong Yi said, “The methodology of our team has already been decided: it’s an AI-style coordinated cooperation and high-precision risk-taking.”

“This is the cruelest elimination. Everyone has to suppress their personal style and act in coordination with the team. Your talent is also your characteristic. It’s not that you can’t adapt to the current stage of training, but your sensory command is still in conflict with your rational command.”

“You’re not rational enough.”

Rong Yi saw Ci She’s confused gaze and nodded with certainty.

Ci She: “…………….”

Ci She looked around and found a small paper knife at the bedside. He said despairingly, “Captain.”

“Why don’t you just use this to stab me?”

The two people outside the door broke out in a cold sweat.

Isn’t this too terrifying!!!

What kind of team counseling and heart-to-heart conversation is this!

Ci She completely fell into a state of emotional turmoil. He choked in his throat and wanted to find a crack to hide in and ignore the world.

“But lift your head and look into my eyes,” Rong Yi said calmly. “This is not an unsolvable problem. People grow, problems get solved, and escaping has no practical meaning.”

Ci She wanted to argue: “I didn’t. I just wanted to try playing the way I used to…”

“I’m asking you,” Rong Yi said, “What are the drawbacks of playing the way you used to?”

Ci She’s voice dropped, “It can be countered by rotational lineups, and defensive-operational strategies like CH can target it even more effectively.”

“How do you solve it?”

“Learn… learn your and Yin-ge’s predictive methods, learn to synthesize all the information on the competitive field,” Ci She said with a choked voice.

Rong Yi smiled gently.

“You see, the path is right here.”

“After walking the initial part of the path and falling down, you say you want to go back. I know you can’t accept today’s result. It was just a casual remark. But just this once, do you understand?”

Rong Yi said, “E-sports is like this, cruel. You may not always win in the way you’re most confident, and you may not win in the state you like the most.”

“The captain was forced to play support before…”

Ci She said softly, “Did you also think that way?”

“Yes,” Rong Yi nodded calmly, “Everyone experiences pain, confusion, and doubt, but moving forward is always the right choice. Don’t turn back.”

He spoke calmly, but for Ci She, Hui Mao, and even Wu Dao Gu, it was unimaginable.

To be so calm and ruthless in analyzing one’s own role and development, not arrogant, not inferior, but able to crush anyone’s self-righteous pride.

Even the dissatisfaction after losing a match seemed like ordinary melodrama.

Rong Yi made Ci She so embarrassed that he didn’t dare to look at him.

“I’ll come for the review after finishing my meal, Captain. You guys start without me, and I’ll join later. I’ll practice more tomorrow.”

Rong Yi looked at him, not knowing which words had an effect, and nodded, “I’ll accompany you.”

Seeing that the situation was quickly pacified, Rong Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

He really knew how to comfort people.

Hui Mao, being a well-behaved child, needed encouragement and guidance, setting an example.

Ci She, with his prickly personality, rarely accepted defeat. If someone more mature and calm than him came along, he would immediately shake off his small emotions and quickly catch up, so as not to appear uncool.

But he rarely imposed his own standards on others.

Rong Yi got up and pushed the door open. Hui Mao and Wu Dao Gu were still caught up in their excitement and hadn’t had a chance to retreat.

Rong Yi casually gave an order, “Go in and take a picture of him.”

Hui Mao: “?”

Wu Dao Gu: “?”

Rong Yi: “After we win the championship, enlarge and print this picture and hang it in the living room. This picture will become the eternal black history of our Xiao She’s growth.”

Impressive, truly impressive.

Their captain is someone who can’t be underestimated for even a moment.

---

First match of the championship, CH against VIT.

It was unexpected for everyone that VIT would lose this match.

This is the top three battle. Currently, the highest-ranked teams in the playoffs, VIT, RS, and CH, compete in a round-robin format with double elimination. Losing one match puts a team in the loser’s bracket, where they compete against other teams from the loser’s bracket. Once the top team is determined in the loser’s bracket, they face the top team from the winner’s bracket in the final championship match.

The matches are scheduled closely together, with at most a week between them. VIT faces CH in the first round.

CH’s strategic intent for this match is difficult to grasp. During the draft phase, they chose their usual and stable operational system, neither taking an aggressive approach nor giving up any ground.

In this season, CH is known for prolonging games, often playing matches that last over forty minutes. They have numerous records of turning the tide in their favor during steady operations in adverse conditions.

On the other hand, VIT is the team with the most “fastest game endings” this season, often deciding the victory or defeat within fifteen minutes.

If VIT is considered a high-risk, high-reward team, then CH is a team that operates with the lowest possible risk.

The characteristics and pace of the two teams actually counterbalance each other; it all depends on who controls the tempo.

On the day of the match, the atmosphere is heated.

VIT’s momentum is high, like an unstoppable flame. Both fans and spectators are particularly eager to see the outcome. Will VIT become the team that wins all the way into the winner’s bracket and ultimately takes the championship this year?

The champion selection at the beginning is safe for both sides.

Yin was banned in the early stage, and Rong Yi took Lili as a substitute pick. Ci She picked Empress.

The mechanism of Empress determines that she heavily relies on her blood-sharing mode. The blood-sharing state can be activated for ten seconds, but after all the stacks are consumed, the skill’s cooldown lasts for twenty seconds.

A professional player who knows how to play Empress would usually consciously conserve the skill.

At the beginning, Lu Feng glanced at Ci She’s equipment and said, “Empress’s three stacks of blood-sharing. No rush, let’s drag it out slowly.”

Soon, VIT noticed CH’s special tactics.

In the bottom lane, CH maintained continuous harassment. The jungle, mid, and support players occasionally came over, intentionally or unintentionally occupying the entire vision of the bottom jungle.

Occupying this position sacrifices other resources, but the heroes selected by CH are excellent at clearing waves quickly. Since there was no clear advantage or disadvantage in the early game, it was difficult to establish a rhythm quickly.

CH is too familiar with defense and operations.

Ten minutes into the game, Ci She was ganked five times, but none of the encounters led to fights.

The highest number of opponents was four when they cleared the wave and then surrounded him. Rong Yi and Xiao Yin directly invaded the bottom jungle and CH, not interested in fighting, retreated immediately.

Two or even three players clearing waves, rotating lanes, maintaining global vision, and defending the bottom jungle together.

Ten minutes into the game, neither team had secured a single kill. In VIT’s judgment, it meant that there was no opportune moment worth taking risks yet.

Watertight.

Ci She’s feeling was the worst.

The opponents were constantly camping him. They didn’t create false vision; they just stayed near the bottom jungle, ready to appear at any moment.

Ci She remained calm.

“Leave me, leave the bottom lane, and go push.”

“It won’t work this game.” Rong Yi looked at the lineup and the disappearing vision of the bottom jungle. “They are controlling the vision resources in the bottom jungle, and their mid and top players are clearing waves and rotating. If you can’t farm properly, and they drag out the tempo, we will lose.”

“When the opponents play defensively, we must not force an attack.”

“Forcing an attack and having high attack power are two different concepts.”

“Forcing an attack means hitting a rock with an egg and being worn down. High attack power is a matter of time and tempo.”

“I and Brother Yin will help you, but you must farm properly. We can farm well in the early game, but if you can’t farm, and they prolong the tempo, we will lose.”

“We will lose.” These three words came out of Rong Yi’s mouth calmly and lightly.

However, for the young players on the team, it was the first time they heard these three words, and even the potato chips being eaten by someone in the training room couldn’t help but shudder.

Ci She said, “Okay.”

Rong Yi’s judgment was very accurate.

Subsequently, a skirmish occurred in the top lane. Xiao Yin and Wu Dao Gu teamed up to dive under the tower, attempting to force a kill. However, it was still the early game, and their damage wasn’t enough. With the opponents’ support arriving, Xiao Yin and Wu Dao Gu retreated temporarily, each losing one layer of their states.

This is the frightening aspect of defensive operation flow.

All-around avoidance of fights, maximizing benefits, a high defensive lineup, never taking risks – stable as a rock in the early game, controlling lanes and pushing towers in the later stages.

If VIT wants to catch someone, they need to send out at least two carries to counter. But even then, they might not gain any advantage. And once VIT initiates an attack, attempting tower dives or split pushing, CH will seize the opportunity to steal resources or collapse on them.

The premise for VIT to take action is high returns.

They need two players who can wipe out the opposing team.

Allowing Ci She to farm is the best choice.

If in training matches, CH was like a wall, then now CH has transformed into a true wall, and VIT is the blade trying to break through the city wall.

Whether CH’s wall is thick enough or VIT’s blade is sharp enough, the result will be determined in this game.

Sweat gradually forms on Ci She’s fingertips.

CH’s approach to him is very different.

They no longer create false vision, but they also don’t leave. The vision in the bottom jungle is under their control, and the opponents rarely reveal their movement. Several times they engage, but CH shows no interest in fighting, only forcing Ci She and Hui Mao to recall for replenishment.

Recalling once is equivalent to wasting all the previous vision information.

Rong Yi and Xiao Yin are constantly trying to expand their advantage, collaborating with Wu Dao Gu to find opportunities. However, with the high defensive play from the opponents, the tempo has been significantly slowed down.

Twenty minutes have passed, and the mid tower and top lane tier-one tower have only been worn down by half.

CH also picked a Cybernetic Mech top laner, a hero that can heal the tower, which is very frustrating.

Ci She looks at the gold panel, trying to determine the opponents’ position.

This has been his recent training content, but he hasn’t fully mastered it yet. His nature is to react to any movement, finding a way to survive in intense laning and ganks.

But when the enemy deliberately conceals any movement, he becomes like a blind hunting dog.

Rong Yi taught him a method, but he hasn’t fully adapted to it. It’s difficult for someone who used to rely on eyesight and reactions to suddenly rely on calculations and theories to assess the situation.

What’s even more challenging is bringing Ci She back to his previous state. Training has only been halfway, and many of his habits have already changed.

Hui Mao remains silent. He knows his own habits, staying in the lane with low health to be Ci She’s eyes.

But because it’s difficult to replenish health, Hui Mao was ambushed and killed in the thirteenth minute, giving away first blood.

“You go help mid, Xiao Mao.”

Ci She’s voice turns slightly heavy, “I can’t handle bot lane anymore.”

“I can’t go,” Hui Mao’s voice is very clear, “The captain said that we can only win this game if we both step up. Believe in me, and believe in yourself.”

Ci She’s expression becomes somewhat gloomy, with visible anxiety and unease between his eyebrows.

Rong Yi doesn’t say anything. He, along with Xiao Yin and Wu Dao Gu, is also exhausted. After taking down the top lane tier-one tower together, the opponents show no reaction and continue focusing on the bot lane.

Ci She still hasn’t caught up economically.

By the twentieth minute, the opponents have completed their items and started pressing forward step by step. They didn’t choose to dive the tower for kills but inflicted as much damage as they could, repeatedly grinding down

Ci She’s health.

Ci She has been targeted the entire game, and now a clear mistake appears—Empress draining blood is 0.5 seconds away from being ready. He wanted to use high damage to force Wind into the tower, but without the blood-draining mode activated, his damage was one level lower. Wind didn’t die, and Ci She once again lost Hui Mao, who had low health.

Hui Mao dies, and Ci She hesitates between recalling and facing the enemy. This hesitation allows the support and marksman lurking behind him in the brush to see through his intentions. The three of them dive the tower, kill Ci She, and calmly retreat.

This mistake leads to a double kill that could have been avoided, and the bot lane tier-one tower is pushed.

“No other choice,” Rong Yi looks at the scoreboard and commands again, “We defend and play safe.”

Ci She remains silent, but his gaze becomes sharper and heavier, and he clenches his teeth.

VIT regroups to defend.

Everyone is buying time for Ci She to farm, but he is clearly struggling to deal with CH’s playstyle. As they retreat step by step, for the first time, he becomes the breakthrough point for the entire team.

CH is extremely patient, grinding away bit by bit. They retreat at any sign of risk. Under Wind’s command, the whole team doesn’t make a single mistake. Although VIT’s other lanes have performed well, it’s not enough in the end.

VIT loses the game. Score: 0-1.

The number of kills in the game is also surprising: 5:1. From start to finish, only Ci She and Hui Mao died, while VIT managed to secure only one kill.

After the game, no one speaks in the training room.

Rong Yi maintains a calm expression and discusses with Xiao Yin, “CH was impressive this time. Their playoff level has directly ascended to another dimension.”

Xiao Yin nods, “It’s Lu Feng’s style. Very steady.”

Ci She has remained silent, keeping his head down.

In the second game, as expected, the opponents once again choose a high-defense and operation-focused lineup while also banning two heroes that can break through defenses.

VIT maintains their lineup as usual.

Rong Yi and Xiao Yin act as if the previous defeat didn’t happen, configuring almost the same lineup as before.

“Captain, think of a way.”

After five minutes into the game, when Ci She is once again surrounded, he speaks up.

“I can’t fight now. Let me go and try a different tactic.”

“There’s no other tactic.”

Rong Yi calmly operates while speaking.

“High returns come with high risks. We can only compete against their steady operations and see who can open up the situation faster.”

“If you can perform well, we can push towers faster, giving us an advantage.”

“But if you can’t hold steady, they will defend their towers faster than we can push, and we’ll still lose.”

“Their system is actually easy to deal with,” Rong Yi says. “You feel uncomfortable because they won’t allow our ADC to develop and won’t engage us in direct team fights.”

“Our team’s style is like an assassin. If we can’t kill the enemy with one strike, the opportunity will be forever lost.”

“It’s difficult for assassins to deal with warriors.”

Ci She remains silent, and everyone can see that he is still biting his lips, trying hard to focus and resist the ambushes and assassinations from the opponents, but he is still facing the same situation as in the previous game.

The opponents keep appearing, harassing, retreating, and lurking, grinding down his state repeatedly, forcing him to recall again and again, waiting for his vulnerability.

The situation from the previous game repeats itself, and Ci She becomes the breakthrough point once again. But this time, it’s not due to his mistake. The opponents use a continuous damage item, which he didn’t calculate correctly, and after an escape attempt, he is killed by the buff damage.

The situation is once again opened up from the bot lane. Rong Yi and Xiao Yin equip themselves with high damage items and try to surround and attack together, but the outcome of the aggressive assault is not optimistic. They manage to secure one kill through their coordination, but they can’t break through further.

The second game quickly comes to an end.

0:2.

VIT loses to CH, 0-2.

When this result is announced, not only the on-site audience but even the referee team pauses for a moment.

Since entering the domestic league, VIT has not lost a single game in the past half a year. They have won all the way through.

Today’s game is the first time VIT has lost.

Ci She still doesn’t say anything.

After the game, everyone else stands up, leaving him alone sitting in the esports chair.

Xiao Yin takes off his headphones and casually says, “Xiao Mao and I will go for the post-match interview. Everyone else, take a rest.”

Rong Yi nods and goes to the vending machine to get a bottle of drink, handing it to Ci She and Wu Dao Gu. “You’ve worked hard. You played well today.”

Wu Dao Gu takes it and says, “Thank you, Captain.”

He glances at Ci She, whose face is almost falling to the ground, emanating a sense of darkness.

Wu Dao Gu silently mouths, “Captain, what should we do?”

Rong Yi walks over, pulls a chair, and sits beside Ci She.

He hands the drink to Ci She.

“Xiao She, can we talk?” Rong Yi asks.

---

“Really?” Xiao Yin pinched his chin, kissed his cheek, and spoke gently, “What’s making you so greedy? Show me.”

Rong Yi suddenly reacted.

It had been a long time since he last saw Xiao Yin, yet he casually uttered such provocative words without changing his expression.

But, since he said it, Rong Yi acknowledged it.

He wrapped his arms around Xiao Yin’s neck, sat on his thigh, and gently rubbed against him.

He leaned close to Xiao Yin’s ear and blushed as he said, “Take a look.”

The zipper was opened, and the sound was clear, echoing in the smoky atmosphere.

Xiao Yin’s voice lowered, “What should we do?”

“It’s only been three days.”

“What about during the Lunar New Year?” Xiao Yin ran his fingers through Rong Yi’s hair, the touch heavy and slow, filled with intense emotions and desire. Just being touched like that by him, Rong Yi felt like he was melting, completely soft in his embrace, unable to even lift his waist.

“More than ten days.”

Rong Yi still wanted to save face for himself. “More than ten days, I can actually endure it.”

Then he saw Xiao Yin smile.

Phoenix eyes, cold yet gentle, with a faint smile, like a sea breeze.

Rong Yi’s heart was about to burst.

He heard Xiao Yin say, “I can’t hold back.”

Xiao Yin pressed him down onto the bed, covering both of them with the blanket.

It was tight, heavy, with no barriers between them. They both wanted to stay forever within each other’s bodies.

In this unfamiliar little hotel room, Rong Yi and Xiao Yin completed some necessary activities after being apart for a while.

It was relatively restrained this time, only twice. Mainly because the Mid-Autumn Festival break was almost over, and they had to return to VIT early the next morning.

Rong Yi wrapped himself in the blanket and sat up, leaning against the headboard. Xiao Yin also got up and held him in his arms.

Today’s activities were not intense, not exhausting. They were gentle and warm.

Kisses and hugs were more frequent than anything else.

Rong Yi had a feeling that he was falling.

He was falling so much that he couldn’t get up anymore.

He leaned in Xiao Yin’s arms and looked down at his well-defined, fair, and slender fingers. In his heart, he vaguely thought that maybe spending a lifetime like this wouldn’t be bad.

After cuddling on the bed for a while, Rong Yi pulled Xiao Yin out of the room. He fulfilled his promise and treated him to a stir-fry meal, then took him to his elementary school for a visit.

In the dim evening, the two of them stood on the playground of the elementary school.

Rong Yi felt a bit nostalgic. “The time in elementary school was the most carefree.”

Xiao Yin, as if no one else was around, held his hand and said softly, “If I had met you during your elementary school days, it would have been great.”

“The time we met is also perfect.”

Rong Yi knew what he was thinking and pinched his fingertips. “I had a dark period in the first and second year of junior high, but I’ve been happy since then.”

“Yes.”

Xiao Yin looked at him, a faint smile on his lips. “You can be free and happy anywhere.”

After visiting the elementary school, they didn’t stay for long and flew back to VIT the next day.

For both of them, the affairs of the team were always the top priority.

The playoff standings were almost settled, and if there were no surprises, they would compete for the championship against the

RS and CH teams.

One thing worth noting was that after VIT joined this year, the overall point rankings in the domestic league had increased by 30% compared to last year. This meant that this year, there might be more than one team with comprehensive data to enter the World Championships, and there would be many more domestic spots available.

After six months of hard work, it was finally coming to a brief conclusion.

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the entire VIT team no longer had long holidays or short breaks. The National Day period was the time for the matches, and everyone stayed at the club.

Everyone, including Shu Pian, was undergoing more intense and meticulous training. The training of Ci She and Hui Mao was also advancing towards higher difficulty.

Ci She had previously lamented about real-time calculations on the in-game panel, and now it was included in his training schedule.

Ci She was a typical instinct-based talented player. His judgment of danger on the battlefield mostly relied on his perception, but his perception was different from Rong Yi’s.

Rong Yi’s intuition was devoid of any subjective or objective factors, a kind of instinctive response close to wildness, while Ci She’s perception was more based on the changes in the situation on the field, relying on perceptive inertia to make inferences.

Neither side was superior to the other. Rong Yi was able to turn this characteristic into an advantage because he found a way to control this intuition: by calculating the in-game panel, collecting as much visual information as possible, and using it to assist his intuitive judgment. This was also the core of his high predictive ability on the battlefield.

As for Ci She, his keen perception could maximize his advantage in the ever-changing game situation and deal with dangerous situations.

But this was also his weakness, as he couldn’t balance the current situation and overall strategy and was easily distracted. Additionally, his performance heavily depended on his condition on the day of the match.

Entering this training schedule was, in fact, the opposite of Ci She’s personal style.

Among the entire team, only Ci She needed to undergo this training. Hui Mao was a calm player, bold yet meticulous. Although he was inexperienced, he never lost control and served as an opposite type of support player compared to Rong Yi.

One was the initiator who seized the advantage in team fights, setting the rhythm, while the other infinitely increased the team’s margin of error.

Wu Dao Gu followed Xiao Yin for the longest time and didn’t have this kind of problem. He could adapt to various team styles.

On the forums, there were countless analyses about VIT.

Apart from the mid-lane, people gradually started paying attention to the temporarily inexperienced bot-lane duo.

Being inexperienced meant having vulnerabilities.

Currently, VIT’s bot lane gives a sense of instability, but their performance is indeed very stable. Thornsnake occasionally goes 0-8 or 8-0, and it is related to VIT’s decision-making.

It seems that the bot lane can also be a breakthrough point, but despite thorough analysis, no specific and clear conclusions have been reached.

At this moment, the training groups of the other two teams, CH and RS, are also having late-night meetings.

RS’s training group has more people than ever before. Besides the main team members Lang Bai, Neng Li, Yao Cao, Xiao Yun, and Qing Yan, there is also an entire substitute team, each member having a substitute, and they all have different styles.

“VIT is strong and hard to defeat. Our usual strategies won’t work. Easy is very experienced, and Yin won’t give us a chance to collapse them.”

“Yin is not a pushover. He is a three-time world champion and the world’s best jungler.”

“Our usual strategies won’t work. The top lane’s strategic position is not important this season. We can only focus on the bot lane.”

“How do we play then? It’s impossible to defeat them.”

After the coach finished speaking, Long Bai’s voice turned cold, and he tapped the table.

“They lack experience, so let’s substitute players in.”

“Easy knows us too well, but their rookies don’t know us. Even if Easy knows our rookies, it will still take time.”

“We’ll play rotations, combinations, and disrupt their coordination between mid and bot.”

“They might give up on the bot lane, but it doesn’t matter. We’ll keep pushing.”

“As long as we can catch Thornsnake making obvious mistakes, victory will be ours, and it’s the only opportunity we have.”

On the other side, CH’s training group was also having a busy meeting.

CH had been quietly accumulating wealth this season. They adjusted the team composition, seeking steady progress. They maintained fourth place in the regular season and suddenly performed well in the playoffs, securing third place, just one win away from second-place RS.

“Targeting VIT’s mid lane is no longer feasible.”

Lu Feng turned on the display screen and spoke in a steady voice, “Just like me, all of us have been closely following VIT’s performance throughout this season and know how formidable they are.”

“VIT is not far behind the world champion teams. Targeting the mid lane won’t work, so let’s change our mindset.”

“Our top, mid, and jungle are all world-class, so we can only find a breakthrough from the bot lane.”

“Yin Yi, Qi Qi, do you have any ideas?”

Lu Feng looked at his support and bot lane.

Yin Yi became a regular support player this season and was very stable, while Qi Qi was a reliable bot laner.

CH and VIT had a very good relationship, and it was precisely because of this that the two sides always had fair and intense competition.

From the first training match of the season, the players from both sides constantly challenged each other, constantly seeking understanding and learning from each other.

VIT was formidable with two world champions and one intercontinental champion, as well as two rookie prodigies.

They might not have prodigies, but they had their own pride.

“I think the captain’s mindset is the same as ours,” Qi Qi spoke. “They lack experience, but our club doesn’t have the time or ability to train a second team capable of rotating in a short period. We can only rely on tactics.”

“Easy can see through all our tactics, but Ci She is still a bit lacking.”

“We can make feints and delay his rhythm. He’s very accurate at judging fake vision, so we should try to avoid using fake vision, but we can confuse his judgment with purposeless harassment.”

“Easy and Yin can help, but they can’t help all the time. Based on our previous matches, if we attack the bot lane, VIT is likely to give up on it.”

“You’re right,” Yin Yi nodded. “Their team can only focus on the bot lane now, so we’ll keep attacking until Thornsnake makes a mistake.”

Meanwhile, within VIT, Ci She was struggling to adapt to the recent training regimen.

Everyone could see that the training regimen contradicted his personal style.

---

It is impossible to dislike, of course.

Rong Yi actually felt embarrassed to say it.

They haven’t seen each other for three days and two nights, and they haven’t even made a phone call in between.

He really misses him.

He misses him a lot.

Rong Yi showed concern and asked, “Did you get hurt badly? Did you fall as soon as you got home? How did you sustain such severe injuries?”

Lei Ya coughed and said, “I’m not sure about that either because I flew back immediately. He will come over tomorrow, so you can see for yourself.”

Lei Ya didn’t stay for long. She had to go back to the production task at the station and flew away that night.

She and Rong Yi didn’t stay in the same hotel. Rong Yi stayed in a small inn, while she found a place near the elementary school. After finishing their stir-fry, Lei Ya packed a portion and left, satisfied.

Rong Yi returned to his hotel room and checked his messages first.

As expected, his messages tonight were explosive.

There were even gossip media outlets wanting to interview him.

It seems that after tonight, a glimpse of the iceberg of Xiao Yin and the Xiao family’s background has finally been revealed, and now people suddenly realize that it can also be an envy-inducing high society gossip.

Rong Yi’s mind is filled with Xiao Yin now, so he doesn’t have time to care about whether it’s a high society matter or not.

He called Xiao Yin, but his phone was out of the service area.

Xiao Yin’s phone only shows “out of service area” when it’s in airplane mode.

Rong Yi looked at his phone, and Xiao Yin didn’t mention the specific time of his arrival.

It was already late, and Lei Ya was probably resting. Rong Yi didn’t want to disturb his sister at this time and ask about Xiao Yin’s exact arrival time.

Rong Yi looked at the clock.

The A city airport is small, and there are only a few flights. If Xiao Yin is coming, he would have to transfer once. The nearest connecting flights are at 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. respectively.

He even thought about sleeping until 5:00 a.m. and going directly to the airport to wait.

It seems a bit crazy.

Rong Yi sent a message to Xiao Yin, saying, “If you arrive, come find me here. I’ll hide the room card under the doormat.”

Then he sent the location and went to bed after freshening up.

His dreams were filled with Xiao Yin.

In his dream, the door was gently pushed open, bringing a gentle yet cool scent of mint.

He didn’t turn on the light, so the room was dark, but Rong Yi knew it was Xiao Yin.

“The room card is hidden under the doormat. Anyone can come in, aren’t you afraid?”

Xiao Yin lowered his head, his fingertips reached into the blanket, covering Rong Yi’s hand.

His low and hoarse voice alone could make him feel comfortable, and a tingling sensation spread from the depths of his heart.

Rong Yi suddenly woke up.

He wasn’t dreaming; Xiao Yin was really here.

In the darkness, the man’s face was shrouded in shadows. He held him in his arms through the blanket, or rather, buried himself in him.

The room was still dark, and it was just starting to get slightly brighter outside. Rong Yi turned over and grabbed his phone to check the time.

It was 4:00 a.m.

He asked in a hoarse voice, “Isn’t the earliest flight arriving at five?”

“Flying to the neighboring city at three in the morning, the car I called will be here soon, so it will be faster,” Xiao Yin said as he lowered his head and kissed Rong Yi’s neck, his fingertips gently and tenderly pinching Rong Yi’s earlobe, as if to soothe him. “Go back to sleep. I came as soon as I saw your message and didn’t want to wake you up.”

Feeling drowsy, Rong Yi knew that Xiao Yin had arrived, and a huge weight lifted off his heart. He reached out and hugged Xiao Yin’s back, his voice becoming lower due to sleepiness.

“Okay.”

“Then I’ll go back to sleep.”

Xiao Yin’s voice was soft. “Mm, go to sleep.”

He started to get up, but Rong Yi immediately grabbed his neck and said, “Come sleep.”

When he was tired, he couldn’t be bothered with reasoning, so he forcefully pulled Xiao Yin into the blanket.

Surprisingly, Rong Yi had quite a bit of strength, dragging Xiao Yin deeper into the blanket. Xiao Yin let out a muffled groan, followed by a soft chuckle.

“Baby, I haven’t taken a shower yet.”

“Take one tomorrow, tomorrow,” Rong Yi mumbled. “Just cuddle with me.”

His unintentional manner was very clingy, making it almost impossible to let go.

Xiao Yin was a clean freak, and sleeping without taking a shower was more uncomfortable for him than being killed.

But Rong Yi didn’t have time to care about that, nor did he have the energy to think about it. He only remembered that Xiao Yin obediently hugged him tightly and stayed motionless until he fell asleep again.

When Rong Yi woke up, Xiao Yin should have already freshened up. His changed clothes were placed by the bed, and the suitcase was at the door.

Rong Yi faintly heard the sound of Xiao Yin doing laundry.

The hotel environment wasn’t that great, as it was located near an elementary school and wasn’t a high-class setting. It was just an ordinary double room with a narrow window facing the alley, and someone was selling steamed rice noodles through a loudspeaker. There were some suspicious stains on the wall.

But it also had a mysterious and worldly allure, adding a touch of sensuality.

Rong Yi called out to him from the bed, “Boss.”

“Yeah, awake?” Xiao Yin’s cool and pleasant voice came from the bathroom. “I washed your underwear.”

Rong Yi’s face reddened a bit, and he shrank into the blanket. “Oh, good.”

Xiao Yin was probably looking for a place to hang the laundry, as he didn’t come out for a while.

Xiao Yin was very casual, as if they hadn’t been apart for several days, just like they were at the club as usual.

Rong Yi waited for a while, then couldn’t resist anymore and said, “Boss, come out for a moment. Let me take a look at you.”

At the request, Xiao Yin came out.

Rong Yi raised his head and finally saw his face clearly.

There was a large bandage on the bridge of his nose, and the wound on Xiao Yin’s face was longer than he had imagined.

When he saw the wound, Rong Yi forgot everything for a moment, and his expression became tense. “How did you get such a big wound? Did you fall and hit something when your phone fell?”

Xiao Yin hadn’t coordinated his story with Lei Ya in advance, so he hesitated for a few seconds before coming up with an answer. “I… I fell while moving a flower vase for my mom. The vase shattered, and I got cut in the process.”

“What about changing the dressing?”

Rong Yi was still not at ease and confirmed with him, “Can I take a look?”

After a few seconds of hesitation, Xiao Yin thought about it and seemed to feel that there was nothing to conceal, so he tore off the bandage and showed it to Rong Yi.

“It looks a bit ugly,” Xiao Yin said. “But the doctor said it will heal. My mom insisted on finding a doctor from a beauty salon to suture it, saying that it won’t leave a scar afterwards, or if there is, it will be very shallow.”

Rong Yi looked at it attentively.

A long scratch diagonally crossed his nose, and the stitches were very fine, but faint bloodstains could still be seen.

It was actually quite close to his eyes.

Rong Yi felt a bit distressed. “You almost scratched your eye.”

“It’s okay,” Xiao Yin reassured him. He put the bandage back on, sat down on the bed, and pulled Rong Yi into his arms. “It didn’t hit the eye. See, I’m completely fine.”

Rong Yi wasn’t very happy.

Xiao Yin hugged him and gently comforted him.

“It’s really okay, Captain. I was given anesthesia, so it doesn’t hurt at all.”

“Will you come home with me this year for the Lunar New Year?”

The topic suddenly changed too abruptly, and Rong Yi didn’t react for a while. Only after a long while, he said, “Huh?”

“Will you come home with me this year for the Lunar New Year?” Xiao Yin said softly. “You’ve met my little sister, and my parents also really want to meet you. My mom said that after being together for so long, she should prepare a meeting gift as well.”

“Your family…” Rong Yi asked cautiously.

“Don’t worry, it’s not a problem with sexual orientation. They can accept it,” Xiao Yin’s voice was very calm and confident.

After all, if they didn’t accept it, his mother would cry and shake the whole house.

That’s how he gained the tacit approval of Xiao Father and came back to find him.

Rong Yi still felt a little sad.

He stuck to Xiao Yin’s embrace and stayed still for a while, while Xiao Yin gently kissed his face.

“My little sister sent me a message, telling me to come quickly.”

“I don’t know if you can accept this face of mine. What if it leaves a scar later and you don’t like it?”

As Xiao Yin kissed him, Rong Yi’s face gradually turned red.

“I won’t dislike it. I like men with scars,” Rong Yi said softly. “It’s manly.”

“What if there’s no scar?” Xiao Yin continued kissing him.

Rong Yi said, “Even without scars, I like it.”

“I like this face?”

Rong Yi looked at Xiao Yin’s face.

Exquisite and cold, with a touch of tenderness, tenderness with strength, long eyelashes. Such a handsome man, he hadn’t met another like him.

Rong Yi nodded obediently and admitted, “I like it. It’s good-looking. Handsome.”

“Then, do you only like the face?”

Rong Yi blushed again.

He put his hand in between Xiao Yin’s fingers, being particularly objective and rational. “Of course not, I’m also attracted to your body.”

---

QILIN.

Isn’t that the e-sports club where the world champion team is located?

Three years ago, they officially separated from ordinary e-sports clubs and became a publicly traded internet e-sports company. Their business ventures have extended far beyond electronic sports and into the global gaming industry.

It is rumored that QILIN has deep connections with the gaming companies where their active players are currently located. Moreover, they have been expanding their presence in the gaming field.

Large-scale interactive online games are one direction, high-precision, big-budget single-player games are another direction, and the biggest direction is VR gaming devices. Everyone wants to leverage their software advantages during the early stages of VR technology to gain a hardware advantage.

It is said that the highest-completed free VR game at the moment is being developed by QILIN. Not only that, but QILIN has also managed to secure exclusive partnerships with several game companies that have a history spanning hundreds of years.

In short, they are amazing, a company that can usher in a new generation of gaming life.

It is because of this that people around the world are paying exceptional attention to QILIN.

QILIN clearly started out based on technology and is now venturing into the most cutting-edge areas of gaming and AI. With the dust settling in various fields, it’s hard not to speculate if some big shots have joined in to play.

Lei Ya opened the car door for him and invited him to take a seat. She then got into the car from the other side and sat beside him.

“Indeed, it sounds exaggerated to achieve all of this in five years, but my brother’s greatest strength is not starting from scratch or developing the technology himself. He is very good at choosing the right timing and selecting the right people.”

“In simpler terms, he knows how to seize opportunities,” Lei Ya said. “He used part of his own money to seize a company framework where everything was readily available. The most precious assets were the people and the ideas.”

“I understand.”

Although Lei Ya couldn’t fully understand everything, she grasped the meaning. “Our VIT team now, he took over a disbanded team from an international tournament three years ago, and he personally led them. He does indeed have good vision.”

“That team has been with him for many years.”

Lei Ya sighed, “Do you know his philosophy?”

Rong Yi thought for a moment and playfully replied, “High risk, high return?”

“Hahaha, you know it!” Lei Ya nearly laughed to death. It was their secret code. “So you see, he would be more suitable to work in finance.”

Rong Yi nodded.

Indeed.

With Xiao Yin’s abilities and tactics, to put it bluntly, if he hadn’t stayed in the e-sports circle, his achievements would likely be tens of times greater than they are now.

The Lamborghini started with a cool roar.

Rong Yi glanced down and saw that his mother and relatives were frantically calling him.

He silenced the vibrating phone and asked, “Where are we going? Do you still have work?”

“I don’t know,” Lei Ya asked, “Sister-in-law, would you treat me to some stir-fried dishes? I’ll take a photo and make my brother jealous.”

Rong Yi smiled, “Drive a Lamborghini to eat stir-fried dishes?”

“What’s the problem?”

At this moment, Lei Ya finally showed a bit of her sister-like side. She had the same sharpness and cleanliness as Xiao Yin. “The food in your city is also famous. That picture you posted that day made us drool.”

Rong Yi quickly shared his location with the driver, and the Lamborghini made a turn, parking in front of a stir-fried dish restaurant near Rong Yi’s elementary school.

Rong Yi was generous and said, “Come on, my treat. Anything you want to eat.”

Lei Ya followed him inside and sat across from him, picking up her chopsticks and smiling.

Rong Yi was truly an interesting person.

No wonder Xiao Yin liked him. He had a unique aura, calm and casual, free-spirited. Even if he dressed plainly or had an ordinary background, he still had a radiance that caught people’s attention.

Even without such good looks, Xiao Yin would definitely still like him.

Rong Yi took a few bites of green pepper shredded pork with rice, and Lei Ya also dug in. Suddenly, Lei Ya raised her head and keenly stared outside.

For a moment, it seemed like a cold gleam flashed by.

Before Rong Yi could even feel the tingling sensation, the feeling of being watched vanished.

He looked back and saw nothing outside the door.

“There are reporters.”

Lei Ya swallowed a bite of food and casually said, “They wouldn’t dare to take pictures of me. Who do they think I am?”

“My brother told me about you and told me to be mindful of the cameras, so don’t worry.”

Lei Ya continued eating and then looked at her phone. “We can’t let others break the news first. Our media outlet will release news in five minutes about us dining together. Do you mind, sister-in-law?”

“I don’t mind. But how will you match the photo?”

Rong Yi was curious about Lei Ya’s job. It seemed like she had control over various media channels.

“Of course, it will be matched with my circle of friends.”

Lei Ya lifted her phone and handed it to Rong Yi.

Rong Yi took a look.

Ten minutes ago, she posted on her Moments, “Had lunch with Captain Easy!” The photo was of a dish on the table.

The number of likes below was countless.

Easy and Lei Ya, two names that seemed completely unrelated, had a strange impact when combined.

Due to their participation in competitions, Rong Yi himself was a frequent topic in online searches, especially since VIT entered the playoffs. Every match he played made headlines, occasionally mixed with news about his relationship with Xiao Yin.

This was Rong Yi’s first time witnessing the process of media work.

Five minutes later, online media articles had already appeared on his own homepage.

[Lei Ya and VIT.Easy dining together?]

There were even financial gossip articles.

[Having been seen entering and leaving together twice, is Lei Ya about to get married to her boyfriend?]

[That’s impossible. Easy and Yin’s relationship has already been announced.]

[But how can Lei Ya and Easy appear together at the same time? One is a TV station bigwig, and the other is a professional e-sports player. How mysterious!]

[Everyone, have you noticed something?”

[What did you notice?]

[Lei Ya and Brother Yin look alike!]

[Oh no, Brother Yin is being replaced.]

[Oh no, it’s a substitute story.]

[Wake up! Looking alike means they are siblings! We didn’t think about it before, but their appearance seems to hint at it!]

[One with the surname Lei and the other with the surname Xiao. Can the Lei family look into it? Are there any big shots with the surname Lei?]

[We couldn’t find anything about the Xiao family before, but adding Lei gives us a clue. There’s a very famous foreign couple of investors, one with the surname Xiao and the other with the surname Lei. They’re quite powerful.]

[We can only find their names; there are no photos or public activities. No one dares to speculate.]

[Could it be true? Do they have extraordinary abilities to keep Lei Ya and Brother Yin constantly trending?]

[Everyone, take a look first. Miss Xiao chose this profession herself. Brother Yin obviously doesn’t care.]

Everyone became excited.

They were thrilled by the tiny traces they found about the Xiao family.

The more they investigated, the more excited and amazed they became.

—This is too incredible!

The wealth had reached unimaginable levels. Just the bidding at the auction required counting the zeros at the end of the price many times over.

At the same time, the Li family was in shock and regret, caught in silence.

After a while, someone finally asked Li Er, Yi’s cousin.

“How does your son have a connection to the Xiao family? Their only young lady personally came to pick him up.”

Li Er looked bewildered. “I… I don’t know. Wasn’t he just playing games?”

“Now you know.”

Li Er’s face turned pale, and she frantically searched on his phone. “He mentioned having a date while playing games. Someone named Xiao Yin.”

“Also the boss of his team.”

“Xiao Yin, the second son of the Xiao family, is also the most favored and highly anticipated child in the family. The eldest brother holds the family business, the third brother pursues art, and the sister studied finance before switching to journalism and becoming a television director in China.”

“If nothing unexpected happens, Xiao Yin will inherit the family in the future. He doesn’t want the family’s assets, but he’ll have to take them because they won’t be given to anyone else.”

“If… if…”

Li Er became increasingly incredulous as she listened. “Someone like him is in a relationship with Ah Yi?”

“Now I’ve heard the news that he has come out to his family. My cousin is well-connected in the finance circle, and his expression looked a bit unpleasant—I don’t know if it’s because of the close relationship, he might be implicated and disliked by the Xiao family.

“Actually, if…”

Gradually, someone proposed a conjecture, “If A Yi didn’t leave this time, during the Chinese New Year, they would probably come back to meet the parents…”

What they didn’t know was that Xiao Yin not only had this plan but even prepared a substantial betrothal gift to meet Rong Yi’s maternal family.

The more they talked, the worse everyone’s expressions became.

They could never have imagined the opportunity they missed—a chance to soar to the sky in a single step.

The true ladder to reach the sky didn’t lie with any of them but with Rong Yi.

The speed at which the news spread became faster, and the fervor grew stronger.

Lei Ya was extremely skilled; after waiting for a while, she immediately went on social media, reposting the news and generating attention for her own platform.

—”Stop guessing.”

—”It’s my sister-in-law.”

Low-key and decisive.

A thousand waves surged once again.

Lin Yi’s message came in simultaneously.

“Damn it, Easy brat—did you go to meet the parents during the Mid-Autumn Festival? The Xiao family is directly acknowledging you!”

Rong Yi scrolled through the messages and almost choked.

“I didn’t—”

“No need to explain! Miss Xiao, in order to confirm your identity, exposed her own and Brother Yin’s news! Now the entire internet is discussing the Xiao family and your entry into a wealthy family.”

“Tell me quickly, does the Xiao family live in a castle? I’m from a small place and haven’t seen it, so I’m not familiar with overseas situations.”

Lin Yi started joking, “Or is it a manor? The kind with snow-capped mountains and a ski resort?”

Rong Yi: “……………”

He decided not to respond to him anymore.

Lei Ya remained composed, flipping through the messages, and said to Rong Yi, “Sister-in-law, can we stay one more day in City A? But if you want to leave earlier, that’s fine too.”

Rong Yi tilted his head to look at her.

Lei Ya coughed lightly.

“Well, my brother… might be able to come back tomorrow.”

Rong Yi was momentarily stunned, then restrained his expression, not showing too much surprise.

He only sought confirmation from her, “Really? He can come back tomorrow?”

“Yes, it seems so, after the meeting is over.”

Lei Ya looked at the photo sent by her own biological mother, her eyes brimming with tears, and thought of an appropriate way to phrase it, “Um, you wouldn’t mind…”

Rong Yi: “?”

“You wouldn’t mind if my brother had a bit of a bruised appearance.”

Lei Ya had a serious expression as she described it to him.

“His phone got dropped, and he got injured too. He has a cut on his nose.”

“He might look quite unsightly.”

“But he insisted on coming. We couldn’t dissuade him either.”

“You won’t dislike him, will you?”

---