Xiao Shengjing rode the bike very slowly. A journey of about ten minutes took nearly half an hour. Lin Lan in front was almost blown silly.
Occasionally, Xiao Shengjing would blurt out a question from behind. He was curious about Lin Lan’s original world, asking whatever came to mind. Even trivial matters like what his teammate’s surname was, he listened to with relish.
Xiao Shengjing: “Were you also a substitute at the beginning in IB?”
Lin Lan: “Strictly speaking, I wasn’t even on the roster. There were many people like me, all competent but just holding pitiful wages without even the chance to play.”
Xiao Shengjing: “How did you get to play then?”
“It was a very random opportunity. The mid-laner in the team didn’t want to play due to contract issues and claimed sick leave. The substitute mid-laner had a bad attitude and couldn’t handle it. When he got scolded a few times after going up, his mentality collapsed and his play deteriorated. The coach had no choice but to put me in temporarily. I didn’t even know I could play at the time. I didn’t prepare anything. I panicked as I went up. Unexpectedly, I ended up crushing the opponents.”
Xiao Shengjing could imagine Lin Lan’s indifferent demeanor, probably hadn’t fully woken up yet. People going on stage for the first time were usually clueless.
He couldn’t help but laugh, “So, how was your boss feeling at that time?”
Lin Lan: “He was opportunistic. Before I started playing, he made me apologize to a broadcaster and he patted my head. When he found out I could win games, he suddenly launched a massive PR campaign to promote me.” Lin Lan said with particular disdain, “When I needed the team’s help the most, he didn’t support me. I no longer need it, and he’s just putting on a show for someone…”
He had already emerged from the darkness. Giving him another light would just be glaring and unnecessary.
Xiao Shengjing asked him again, “Which broadcaster? Why did you have to apologize to him?”
Lin Lan: “It was a big broadcaster. I’ve even forgotten his name. It was Xing something. We met in a high-level game, and he was acting like a performer. I questioned him a bit and unexpectedly hit a nerve. He led the online bullying against me in the live broadcast. My boss didn’t care about the truth. He only knew this incident brought negative consequences to him, so he made me apologize.”
At that time, Lin Lan was not yet 18, seeing the world in black and white.
Being forced to write an apology for something he didn’t do wrong, every word and every stroke felt like it was carved into his flesh, an enduring humiliation he could never wash away.
Lin Lan was a proud man. Apologizing for someone else’s mistake because he was ordered to, just thinking about it was unbearable. Xiao Shengjing couldn’t imagine how Lin Lan managed to get through that time. It seemed like the Lin Lan from another world also had many wounds he didn’t know about.
He wrapped Lin Lan tightly from behind, trying to give him a sense of security. “So what happened later? Why didn’t you leave IB?”
Lin Lan mocked, “Those who understand IB’s contracts know that it’s either bound by this or bound by that. Unless you completely withdraw from the esports scene, you can’t cleanly break away. I was actually planning to retire completely after winning the championship that day, but I didn’t expect to have a car accident and end up here. But it’s not bad like this either. The training here isn’t too strenuous, just consider it my retirement life.”
Retirement life? Xiao Shengjing imagined Lin Lan’s brutal demeanor on the battlefield. If this counted as retirement life, then what was his true nature like?
Xiao Shengjing: “Is your main position mid-lane?”
“Yeah. I’m the world’s number one mid laner in our world. You haven’t seen me at the World Championships thrashing opponents. Kuien from Korea, who was hailed as the world’s number one mid-laner, lost his title the day after playing against me.” Lin Lan spoke proudly of these achievements. After being here for so long, it was the first time he could share his glorious record with someone else. His eyebrows were almost jumping with excitement. “I’ve been to the All-Star solo tournament a total of three times. I was the solo king twice, and the other time, I was injured and made a mistake in the final match. If my hand wasn’t injured, they wouldn’t have stood a chance…”
Xiao Shengjing couldn’t imagine such heights. Even the LPL’s top mid-laner, Qi Mo, struggled at the World Championships, falling several times in the semifinals. Kuien from Korea was a height that the LPL couldn’t challenge. As for the All-Star solo tournament, it was a gathering of top players, where victory and defeat hung on a knife’s edge… Yet for Lin Lan, these heights seemed effortlessly attainable.
He asked Lin Lan, “Will you switch to mid-lane in the future?”
Lin Lan spoke proudly when recounting his achievements. But when it came to returning to the mid-lane, he shook his head like a drum beating on the sea.
He played every position except mid-lane. Fatigue was one reason, and another reason was that he wasn’t ready to reopen old wounds.
Lin Lan: “No, I won’t go back. What’s there to go back to? I’ve already seen the scenery there, and it’s just like that.”
Just like that? But he was the world’s number one mid-laner.
Xiao Shengjing mostly cooperated with Feifei. Having not seen the top-level scenery, he suddenly couldn’t help but wonder what the synergy between him and Lin Lan in mid and jungle would be like.
As the night grew deeper, they finally returned to the club. Most of the teammates had finished their training, leaving only Jiang Jin yawning and going over replays, instructing Xu Shengwei’s movements.
He saw Lin Lan as if he were seeing a savior. “Lin Lan, could you please explain to him why we can’t engage here.”
Jiang Jin was a stickler for details, he liked to nitpick. On the other hand, Xu Shengwei was a roughneck who often found himself pulled into replay analysis by Jiang Jin. However, they had a communication barrier. Jiang Jin couldn’t articulate well, and Xu Shengwei couldn’t understand. So most of the time, they were stuck in this helpless stalemate.
Xiao Shengjing thought that Lin Lan wasn’t feeling well today after drinking a bit, and was about to find an excuse to help him decline.
As a result, Lin Lan didn’t hesitate and sat down, staring at the video for a while. “Indeed, you can’t engage. Have you noticed the movements of the enemy mid-laner? Your attack range is 650 units, while his ultimate has a range of 1100 units. When you engage, this mid-laner will be in a position to ult you as well. If you die at that moment, we’ll lose control of the third dragon.”
Xu Shengwei still insisted, “But isn’t AD supposed to deal damage? I have Flash. I’m confident I can kill him and get out.”
Lin Lan pulled the video forward again. “See. The mid-laner is controlling vision from this position. Your field of vision is limited to this area, and your reaction time is capped at 0.3 seconds. You only have a 50% chance of dodging. And have you considered this: the enemy team can afford to make mistakes in this skirmish, but you can’t. Your chance of winning this skirmish is fifty-fifty, but the risks you face aren’t. Attacking him now would put you at a disadvantage.”
Jiang Jin suddenly looked up, “Yes, yes, that’s what I mean!”
That’s what he meant! But he had repeated this to Xu Shengwei a thousand times, explaining that this would put him at a disadvantage, yet Xu Shengwei still insisted he wasn’t at a disadvantage! It almost drove him crazy!
While Jiang Jin understood a lot, his explanations were often convoluted, and Xu Shengwei, being stubborn and competitive, clashed with him. Lin Lan knew these two were definitely at odds.
He continued advising Xu Shengwei, “This is called risk assessment. You should learn more from Jiang Jin and not always wait for him to give you orders. Sometimes, team fights happen in the blink of an eye, and Jiang Jin may not always be able to make timely judgments. When you have a clearer view of the situation, you need to make your own judgments…”
Xu Shengwei nodded, seeming to understand a bit.
However, some parts were still challenging for him to grasp, and he couldn’t absorb them immediately. So Lin Lan replayed many matches for him.
Not until they reviewed did Lin Lan realized how poor the coordination was between Jiang Jin and Xu Shengwei.
It seemed like their brainwaves weren’t on the same channel. There was always a 0.5-second deviation, which they compensated for with their outstanding individual skills. These small deviations didn’t seem fatal, but when facing stronger opponents, it became very uncomfortable…
After watching, Lin Lan couldn’t help but comment, “You two are like 1+1.”
As soon as he said that, both Jiang Jin and Xu Shengwei dared not speak, looking at each other in silence.
They were aware of this issue, but they kept winning in every match, so the problem lingered unresolved. Having Lin Lan point it out on the spot was a bit unsettling.
Lin Lan brought up all their match perspectives, and the more he looked, the more frustrated he became.
He paused on a certain frame, and everyone was stunned. “One goes forward, one goes right? With unified decision-making, you could have capitalized on this opportunity. But instead, you wasted it. How could you miss such a great chance?”
Jiang Jin was already burying his head in the cement ground, while Xu Shengwei didn’t even dare to blink, afraid that Lin Lan would think he didn’t play well and his attitude wasn’t proper.
Lin Lan continued to scroll down, continuing his critique.
Time passed unnoticed.
Xiao Shengjing checked the time and saw it was almost 1 a.m. Normally, Lin Lan would have gone back to rest by now, but here he was, still energetic, passionately going over replays with the bot duo.
It seemed… harmonious?
Xiao Shengjing watched for a while, then suddenly smiled.
He was starting to believe that Lin Lan genuinely liked this world. From the initial indifference to now personally guiding and staying up late until dawn, he had been slowly changing.
Xiao Shengjing made a cup of coffee for each of them and quietly watched, occasionally listening to Lin Lan’s insights.
Having experienced the changes in game versions, Lin Lan had a top-notch understanding of the game. His thoughts and ideas sometimes aligned with the intentions of the designers, allowing him to analyze the game from their perspective.
This aspect resonated with Jiang Jin. Once they started chatting, they couldn’t stop, both of their eyes shining with enthusiasm.
Xiao Shengjing seemed to understand why Jiang Jin would give up his previous superior team to join DT. It was because in this world, besides Lin Lan, there probably wasn’t anyone who could understand him so well.
As the clock slowly ticked towards 2 a.m., Jiang Jin couldn’t bear it anymore. “I really need to rest, or my brain will turn to mush during training tomorrow.”
Lin Lan said to him, “Sure, go rest.” Then, turning to Xu Shengwei, he added, “He’s getting old and can’t handle it anymore. Let us two young ones keep going.”
Jiang Jin, who had already started to get up from his seat, sat back down with a “thud” upon hearing this, and persisted for another half hour.
Xiao Shengjing couldn’t help but chuckle.
Sometimes, he felt that Lin Lan was really mischievous. He always found everyone’s weak spots, occasionally giving them a little tug. Not enough to hurt, just enough to play with them.
As Xiao Shengjing watched, he also started to feel a bit sleepy, but he didn’t dare to admit it. He was afraid Lin Lan would say he was old and tell him to go to sleep.
But is being two years older really considered old?
And in terms of psychological age, Lin Lan should be older than him, right?
After watching the last video, Lin Lan finally let them go. Jiang Jin hurried back to his room to sleep, afraid that Lin Lan would change his mind. Xu Shengwei, who was slower, was indeed stopped by Lin Lan.
“Are you tired?” Lin Lan asked.
Xu Shengwei shook his head, too afraid to admit he was tired.
“Then come here, let’s chat.”
So Lin Lan called Xu Shengwei to the balcony, and the two of them started chatting. As for what they talked about, Xiao Shengjing didn’t listen. He finished cleaning up the unfinished coffee on the table, sat down, and watched videos while waiting for Lin Lan.
Lin Lan called Xu Shengwei to the balcony because he wanted to ask him, “What do you think of Jiang Jin’s skills?”
Xu Shengwei widened his eyes, surprised that Lin Lan would ask such a direct question. He hesitated to answer for a moment.
“Just be honest,” Lin Lan urged.
Xu Shengwei: “I think his mechanics are pretty average.”
Just as Lin Lan expected. Xu Shengwei didn’t fully acknowledge Jiang Jin’s skills. Although he appeared obedient on the surface, subconsciously, he still held onto his own judgment.
Having played professionally for five years, Lin Lan knew where this mindset came from. Every professional player had their pride, especially the stronger ones. They all believed they represented the pinnacle of the industry, and that’s how they had risen to the top. Consequently, they often insisted on their own correctness, which could hinder their progress in their professional careers.
This was also why so many high-ranking streamers, despite their skill, youth, and popularity, couldn’t attract the interest of teams.
Lin Lan found this problem quite tricky. As a manager, it was the first time he had encountered such a situation.
The more he remained silent, the more unsettled Xu Shengwei became. He kept glancing at Lin Lan. “You’re the one who asked me to speak up.”
Lin Lan chuckled in exasperation, “Yes, I asked you to speak up. So, what do you think about Jiang Jin’s performance when he plays bot lane with me?”
Xu Shengwei hesitated for a moment. He knew that when Jiang Jin played with Lin Lan, they performed exceptionally well. Although Jiang Jin’s mechanics weren’t peak and his gameplay wasn’t flawless, every move he made was crucial, often saving Lin Lan’s life. He had to admit, “He plays very well.”
“That’s it,” Lin Lan agreed. “Jiang Jin plays the game strategically. Despite his flaws in mechanics, he constantly practices control and is improving his reaction time. From my perspective, I think he plays just fine. Do you know why there’s such a big difference when you replace me?”
Xu Shengwei knew, “Because I don’t listen.”
“That’s too simplistic,” Lin Lan felt that he didn’t truly understand Jiang Jin. “When I play with him, I set the pace and he follows along just fine. Your speed can’t surpass mine, and even if he played with you, he could still keep up. But why didn’t he? Because he knew what you were doing was wrong. He didn’t expect you to play like that, so he didn’t follow.”
Xu Shengwei’s brute-force style might work in casual games. But on the professional path, he still had a lot to learn.
Meanwhile, Jiang Jin had always supported orthodox professional players, including himself. Having been immersed in the professional scene for many years, Xu Shengwei’s playstyle seemed irrational to him.
Seeing Xu Shengwei’s ears turn slightly red, Lin Lan knew that he had taken his words to heart, so he pressed on, “Have you ever watched streamer matches?”
Xu Shengwei: “I have.”
Lin Lan: “Each streamer team usually includes one or two retired professional players. If you’ve seen their perspectives during the stream, you should understand the vast difference in mindset between professionals and ordinary players. It’s not just a small gap, but a completely different understanding of the game’s overall situation. It’s something that covers the entire game and can determine the final outcome. Xu Shengwei, have you ever had the feeling that you could gain an advantage, but no matter how you played, you couldn’t win?”
Xu Shengwei suddenly looked up.
He had experienced such a feeling countless times. In those losing matches, despite having an advantage, he couldn’t secure a victory no matter what he did. And in those winning matches, he often felt powerless. If it weren’t for Lin Lan stepping up each time, the outcome might not have been a win…
Lin Lan: “Professional players care about the outcome of all five players, while ordinary players only care about their own. That’s the difference between professionals and ordinary players. On the battlefield, not every advantage should be aggressively pursued, nor should every disadvantage result in cowering and not retaliating. Being at a disadvantage doesn’t mean losing the game, and gaining an advantage doesn’t guarantee winning. What truly matters in the professional arena is always the big picture.”
These words delivered a profound shock to Xu Shengwei, forcefully impacting his thoughts.
He had always thought that Lin Lan’s ability to win was simply due to superior mechanical skills. As long as he was fast enough, he could reach Lin Lan’s level. But now, it seemed that he was far from it…
Xu Shengwei’s heartbeat quickened. He felt like he had touched some sort of peak, a sensation that excited him to the point of getting goosebumps all over his body.
“Xu Shengwei, you’re strong. You have the ability. But the sharper the sword, the more it should be hidden behind. Only then can it unleash its true power.”
After Lin Lan finished speaking, he looked at Xu Shengwei, who still seemed dazed. He was unsure if he understood his meaning. “Do you understand?”
The sharper the sword, the more it should be hidden behind to unleash its true power. What would be revealed is always used to confuse the opponent… So how sharp was the sword hidden behind Lin Lan?
Xu Shengwei’s gaze toward Lin Lan became increasingly fervent as if it were a peak he could never climb in his lifetime…
Lin Lan didn’t know if he understood or not, but he was tired. “Let’s leave it here. I need to sleep.”
As he turned to leave, Xu Shengwei hurriedly approached, eager to ask, “Can I watch more of your and Jiang Jin’s videos, and study your gameplay more?”
Lin Lan shook his head. “I don’t think you understand what I mean. If you can only reach my level, then there’s no need for me to bring you up. I could just go back and play bot lane myself, right? There are many people with excellent mechanical skills like yours, but I singled you out because I believe you are more suitable for Jiang Jin. You should be able to do better than me.”
Xu Shengwei couldn’t comprehend it at all. “Do better than you?”
He and Jiang Jin couldn’t even manage 1 + 1 > 2. How could he possibly do better than Lin Lan?
This was another perennial issue. Lin Lan patted his shoulder and earnestly explained, “Jiang Jin is an excellent support player. His excellence isn’t limited to the laning phase but rather in his forward-thinking game understanding. It might not be obvious in this patch, but in the next one, when game durations are shortened, Jiang Jin’s roaming will definitely dazzle the entire esports scene.”
But what did that have to do with him being suitable for Jiang Jin? Xu Shengwei still didn’t quite understand.
Lin Lan quickly clarified, “My playstyle is too focused on the laning phase, so I need to bring Jiang Jin with me. But you’re different. Your ability to handle pressure is the best I’ve seen. Your big heart can support Jiang Jin to roam freely without any worries, allowing him to unleash his full potential. Right now, he’s hesitant to roam because he’s afraid you might struggle without him. Once you fully integrate into the professional mindset, Jiang Jin will truly be liberated.”
Xu Shengwei’s ability to withstand pressure stemmed from his indomitable will. He was the kind of person who would never be easily defeated. Years of facing 1v2 situations in regular games had forged a strong heart within him. This resilient heart could sustain him even in disadvantageous situations, providing him with the strength to counterattack. This was exactly what Jiang Jin needed in an AD carry.
Upon hearing this, Xu Shengwei began to understand a bit. He seemed to have found a direction for change.
Lin Lan patted his shoulder approvingly. This rough piece of wood was quite obedient. “Making changes for your professional career is completely understandable. Your skill level and your position complement each other. If you want to reach higher levels, you have to raise your own standards.”
Xu Shengwei nodded firmly. He wasn’t tired at all now; in fact, he felt an urge to continue the conversation.
But Lin Lan couldn’t hold on any longer. He quickly escaped from the balcony and prepared to go to bed.
Xiao Shengjing was still waiting outside. When he saw Lin Lan come out, he shut down the computer and went back with him, curious. “What did you guys talk about?”
Lin Lan: “We talked about some views on the professional scene. Ah— I’m so sleepy.”
Xiao Shengjing: “How was the conversation?”
Lin Lan: “I felt it went quite well. I’m not sure how Xu Shengwei feels, though. I think he might have been quite shaken by it.”
Xiao Shengjing chuckled. “Are you speaking harshly?”
“Harsh? I can be even harsher,” Lin Lan wrinkled his nose, pretending to be fierce. “You useless piece of trash, always waiting for me to take action? At least give me some purpose!”
He finished speaking and burst into laughter himself, devoid of any intimidation. “When I was young, I did speak like that, which ruined my relationships with my teammates. But now I’ve realized, I’m here to retire. If things go well, they go well. If not, so be it. After all, I’ve reached the heights I wanted to in this lifetime…”
Xiao Shengjing pinched his cheek firmly, warning him, “No retiring. This is our career.”
Lin Lan almost forgot he and Xiao Shengjing were both shareholders of DT, and Xiao Shengjing was also related to Coach Zhang…
His thoughts began to wander, and suddenly a phrase came to mind: Family business?
Damn, that’s brilliant, hahaha…
As they returned to their rooms, Lin Lan casually said, “Goodnight.”
He hadn’t expected Xiao Shengjing to suddenly approach him leisurely, leaning down to kiss his cheek. “Goodnight.”
Lin Lan’s hand froze on the doorknob.
Watching his reaction, Xiao Shengjing’s smile grew more satisfied. He affectionately tousled Lin Lan’s hair. “Waiting all this time just for this moment. I’m going back now, rest well.”
Damn, no wonder he waited so long to go to sleep!
…
The next day, Lin Lan, Jiang Jin, and Xu Shengwei all overslept and were late, each fined 200.
With dark circles under his eyes, Lin Lan looked at the notification and messaged Xiao Shengjing in the group with resentment: I’m consoling Xu Shengwei in this situation! Why should I be fined too?
Xiao Shengjing: Well, everyone’s treated equally.
Lin Lan, feeling indignant, retorted: I’m also a shareholder of DT, we’re on equal footing. How can you fine me?!
Xiao Shengjing: Yep, everyone’s treated equally.
Lin Lan really wanted to rush over and give him a beating. Why was he so annoying? Yesterday, he was hugging him and saying “I like you”. And now he’s turning cold-hearted the next morning?
In his mind, Lin Lan cursed Xiao Shengjing a thousand times over. Suddenly his phone chimed with a message, a red packet from Xiao Shengjing: 520.
Lin Lan: !
Cursed too soon…
Author’s Note:
Xiao Shengjing’s logic: Pay the fine, give a red packet.
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