IRAJAS Chapter 98

Moonlit: I know I said no update today, but the research defense was moved to Monday next week. Yay! So, here’s an update for you guys~

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The heavy notebook was placed in Lin Lan’s hands, a full finger thick. Shi Quan looked at him, smiling faintly. His eyes, behind the lenses, were as deep as the sea, bringing an invisible sense of pressure. “Lin Lan, have you ever truly understood yourself?”

Lin Lan was taken aback, unsure why Shi Quan had suddenly asked this question.

When he couldn’t answer, Shi Quan cheerfully changed the subject, “Ah, this should only take a few days to copy, right? Lin Lan, once you finish copying, keep a copy for yourself and give my copy to Jiang Jin. Let Jiang Jin copy a version, then give it to Xu Shengwei. After Xu Shengwei is done, pass it to the captain. The captain will then give it to Lu Shi, and let him copy a version too…”

Lu Shi: “?? What? Give it to me? Why do I need it, Coach Shi? I’m not a substitute, I’m staff now.”

Shi Quan: “Yes, yes, I know. You’re my assistant, which means you should read it even more. This notebook doesn’t just contain tactical analysis, but also an analysis of the DT team and future battle plans. It reflects my thoughts entirely. As my assistant, understanding my thoughts is crucial. You are the one who should be copying this the most…”

At this moment, Lu Shi’s mind was filled with little question marks. He suspected that the other was making fun of him.

Everyone couldn’t help but laugh. Copying things was usually annoying, but somehow, the idea of Lu Shi copying too made it seem less bothersome.

This year’s MSI was canceled for some reason, and consequently, the start of the summer season was moved up. All in all, there were only two months left.

Lin Lan had hardly scheduled any training these past few days, dedicating all his time to copying. At first, it felt very tedious. However, as his understanding deepened, he discovered some concepts in Shi Quan’s notebook that he hadn’t realized before. Terms like multidimensional thinking and distraction training brought a cognitive shock to Lin Lan. He gradually immersed himself in the world constructed by Shi Quan, exploring more macro-level concepts.

By the time he finished copying, he realized it had only taken him three days to transcribe such a comprehensive esports system.

When everyone asked him how he felt after finishing, Lin Lan couldn’t quite articulate it. He rubbed his palms, trying to convey the feeling to them: “It’s like opening up a macro universe, where hidden and overlooked things are unearthed and given a complete system.”

No one really understood, including Jiang Jin. He adjusted his glasses and took the original notebook from Lin Lan’s hands. “Is it really that amazing? I’ll copy it.”

During the few days Jiang Jin was copying the book, Lin Lan also joined their training sessions.

Shi Quan’s training rhythm was very peculiar. He liked conducting stress training and would suddenly organize a session when everyone was relaxed, forcing them to snap to attention.

Alternatively, he would call for a halt during the most intense team fight and drag them outside for physical training. Exhausted, they would then be brought back to continue the earlier team fight.

This repeated pushing and pulling created mental pressure. After three days of training, many people gradually became overwhelmed and wanted to quit. At this point, Shi Quan would come over cheerfully and play the emotional card, “Tired? It’s okay. If you’re tired, take a break. I’ll give you half a day off, go and relax.”

Lin Lan always felt that Shi Quan was constantly testing their limits.

Or rather, he was raising their limits.

After copying the materials, Lin Lan often fell into deep thought. Nearby, Lu Shi was exhausted and complained to him, “Does this new coach want us dead? Who can withstand this? Lin Lan, do you think we should talk to Coach Zhang about this? Lin Lan? Lin Lan? What are you doing? Why are you always zoning out since you finished copying that notebook?”

Lin Lan snapped back to reality. He couldn’t quite explain it, “I just keep feeling that everything Coach Shi does has a deeper meaning, and I can’t help but think about what it might be.”

Lu Shi stared at him blankly, as if looking at a madman, then immediately got up and moved away, “Crazy, crazy…”

It took Jiang Jin about four days to finish copying the notebook. When he was done, he came out unusually excited, “This is incredible, incredible! Coach Shi did everything I wanted to do but didn’t! He’s really amazing!”

Not only did he copy the original content, but he also added his own insights. After sharing his realizations with them, he excitedly turned and ran to discuss them with Shi Quan.

Lu Shi clutched his chest in fear, “What kind of holy scripture is this? How come all of you go crazy after copying it?”

After Jiang Jin finished, he said, “Your turn, Xu Shengwei.”

Xu Shengwei stiffly took the notebook. Seeing his two seniors go crazy after copying it, he had no idea what state he would be in after finishing.

During the days Xu Shengwei was copying the notebook, Jiang Jin remained in an excited state. He often sat with Lin Lan, chatting and frequently spouting unfamiliar terms like “tier-three prediction”, “skill reshaping”, “three-point positioning,=”, and countless others.

Lu Shi, who hadn’t seen the notebook, was very curious. “What is tier-three prediction?”

Jiang Jin explained to him, “It’s Coach Shi’s three-tiered system of predictions. He divides it like this: the first tier is predicting the opponent’s intentions based on their actions. For example, if you see Garen raising his sword and coming towards you, you know he wants to Q you. This is called tier-one prediction and is the most basic level of predictive ability, which basically every player who has played this game possesses.”

Lu Shi understood, “That sounds simple. What’s next?”

Jiang Jin: “Tier-two involves predicting based on the opponent’s psychology. Simply put, it’s when he wants to kill you but hasn’t made a move yet. By his positioning, you realize his intent to kill you. This is called tier-two prediction, also known as psychological warfare. Generally, players with some competitive experience can reach this level.”

Lu Shi understood this, “So, what’s tier-three?”

“Tier-three is the highest level of prediction in the league, also known as the art of luring the enemy,” Lin Lan took over from Jiang Jin, calmly describing it. As he spoke, the entirety of Summoner’s Rift gradually appeared before him, becoming a living, breathing part of him, each bush and tree seeming almost real. “It means predicting the opponent’s next move before they even have the intention. Simply put, it’s realizing the opponent’s intent to kill you before they are even aware of it themselves, allowing you to escape in advance.”

At this point, Lu Shi was completely baffled. “What? This is prediction? Isn’t this theology?”

Jiang Jin patted him on the shoulder and told him, “Don’t think it’s mystical; this has actually happened. Last year, during the Korean Summer Split Finals, there was a sudden team fight at the Dragon Pit. The support had placed a ward behind them a minute earlier, which led to their decisive victory. According to many professional analysts, it made no sense to place the ward there, but he did it as if guided by some unseen force. In a later interview, the support player admitted that he had an unconscious feeling that the opponent would start a fight there, so he placed that ward in an unusual position.”

Jiang Jin: “Coach Shi also said that this kind of ability is an extremely rare talent. Not every player can possess it, but once you have it, you can shine in the esports industry.”

Lu Shi felt a chill run down his spine after hearing this; he was a bit scared. “Wow, that sounds like a ghost story.”

Lin Lan smiled, “Maybe the end of all things is theology. There are many things you can’t imagine.”

This statement gave Lu Shi goosebumps. He was already feeling intimidated by the mysterious notebook. “Can I skip copying it? I feel like I might go crazy after finishing it.”

“You won’t,” Lin Lan assured him, “You need a certain level of esports knowledge to truly grasp it. Have you ever heard of a student flunking out because they got scared by a sci-fi movie?”

It took Lu Shi a few moments to realize Lin Lan was calling him a noob.

However, Lin Lan’s statement was soon proven true.

Xu Shengwei took five days to finish copying the notebook. Looking at the messy handwriting, each word carrying its own unique thought, Lu Shi asked him, “How do you feel after finishing?”

He replied, “My hand hurts.”

As for the vocabulary and discussions in the notebook, Xu Shengwei didn’t take in a single word. His mind was solely focused on copying, without analyzing anything.

Shi Quan looked at him and then at his handwriting, sighing, “Sigh, it was a waste to have you copy it.”

Next, it was Xiao Shengjing’s turn. However, Xiao Shengjing was already very familiar with the contents. Lin Lan would discuss the notebook with him every day, usually with Lin Lan reading while Xiao Shengjing copied. By putting things together bit by bit, he had almost finished copying the entire notebook. He handed the notebook to Lu Shi that same night.

To prove that he wasn’t a “noob”, Lu Shi was more serious than ever. Whenever he made a new discovery, he would proudly share it with Lin Lan and the others.

Lin Lan suddenly noticed, “Wow, you have a good memory.”

Lu Shi: “Of course, I was admitted to university as an excellent student. I was really good at studying back then.”

Lin Lan: “Then why didn’t you get into college?”

Lu Shi felt as if he had been stabbed, “Personal reasons, okay, let’s not discuss this.”

Thus, all five of them had gone through the notebook. They had a common understanding of the technical terms inside, and during subsequent training sessions, the five of them were particularly in sync, with significant results.

By this time, Lin Lan had almost reached the last page of the notebook. When he opened the final two pages, he found that Shi Quan had created personality profiles for each of them.

On his first read, Lin Lan hadn’t paid much attention. On the second read, he noticed something peculiar. The evaluations of the others seemed accurate and matched his expectations.

But his own profile felt off as if it described someone else. There was a sense of familiar unfamiliarity. Suddenly, Shi Quan’s words flashed through his mind: “Lin Lan, have you ever truly understood yourself?”

The light flickered overhead as Lin Lan held his pen, staring at the ceiling and zoning out.

Xiao Shengjing had already finished the day’s reading. He packed up his desk and looked up to see Lin Lan in a daze. “What are you thinking about?”

Lin Lan, clutching his pen, asked, “I’m thinking, Captain, have you ever truly understood yourself?”

Xiao Shengjing thought Lin Lan was referring to an emotional issue. He carefully recalled their recent interactions but still couldn’t pinpoint what he was referring to. He immediately squatted down seriously in front of Lin Lan and grasped his hand, “Can you be more specific? Is there something I’ve done that’s made you uncomfortable? I might not have realized it.”

“Hmm?” Lin Lan sat up. “No, I’m discussing a philosophical issue with you, Captain. Have you ever felt that when you imagine others, their appearance and personality are very clear, but when you try to imagine yourself, nothing is specific, as if nothing can define you?”

Xiao Shengjing understood this: “When a person reaches a certain level, it becomes very difficult to have an objective evaluation of themselves. This is called the limitation of self-awareness.”

“Yes, you’re right. That’s why I often wonder what kind of person I am. I find that I can’t even imagine myself.” This realization brought a sense of unknown fear to Lin Lan, making him feel like he had hit a bottleneck on his path. “If I can’t see myself clearly, I can’t identify my strengths or weaknesses, which means there’s no room for improvement.”

To Lin Lan, this was like a horror story. He had always believed his playstyle was flawless, but today he realized he had a self-awareness issue.

Lin Lan reopened the notebook in his hand. Shi Quan’s evaluation of him was simple, listing both strengths and weaknesses. His strengths were his talent and experience, but his weakness was that his playstyle was not team-oriented.

For someone who had dominated the esports scene as a mid-laner for five years, being told his playstyle wasn’t team-oriented was like denying half of his abilities.

Lin Lan found it hard to accept. He kept thinking about it even when he went to bed. The more he thought about it, the more he couldn’t sleep.

Finally, one day, Lin Lan approached Shi Quan. “Coach Shi, I want to ask what your evaluation of me is based on. Is it from watching match videos, or something else?”

Shi Quan glanced at his watch. “Oh, it’s six o’clock. Time to clock out. An old man like me can’t stay up late. Let’s talk about this tomorrow.”

Lin Lan knew this was just an excuse. Tomorrow’s training schedule was so packed that it might not even end by six. He followed closely behind Shi Quan, ready to go wherever Shi Quan went. Even if Shi Quan got a taxi, Lin Lan looked determined to hop in as well. “Coach Shi, it’ll only take a few minutes. Please, talk to me.”

Shi Quan checked his ride-hailing app; the car was ten minutes away. Holding his teacup, he pushed up his glasses, his gaze sharp and penetrating. “Lin Lan, haven’t you noticed? You never pay attention to your teammates’ positions, whether in a match or in real life.”

Lin Lan was taken aback. “Not paying attention to my teammates’ positions… How is that possible?”

“I’m not talking in the narrow sense, but relatively. The first time I watched your match videos, I noticed it. Maybe you haven’t even realized it yourself. Your play style resembles that of a lone wolf or even a hero. You’re accustomed to a playstyle centered around yourself, so you rarely pay attention to your teammates’ positions.” Shi Quan’s voice wasn’t deep, but it weighed heavily on Lin Lan’s heart. “Have you noticed that the matches you can’t carry are usually losses?”

But if he doesn’t carry, then there’s no one else in the team who can.

Lin Lan wanted to argue, but he found himself unable to because just as Shi Quan said, all the matches he couldn’t carry ended in losses…

Could his playstyle really be the problem?

This realization hit Lin Lan hard, causing his pupils to slightly tremble as he gradually fell into self-doubt.

Shi Quan continued, “Is Xiao Shengjing’s rhythm not good? Isn’t Jiang Jin talented? Does Xu Shengwei lack talent?” He smiled and shook his head. “They are all excellent players, but Lin Lan, you haven’t given them the opportunity on the battlefield. Every time, you judge whether the match can be played from your own perspective, without trying to elevate their potential.”

Shi Quan: “But Lin Lan, this is a team game. No matter how well you play, there will be times when you can’t rise to the occasion, and that’s when you need your teammates.”

“Sometimes, winning every match isn’t necessarily a good thing. When I first joined HAH, they were struggling with losses, but they eventually rose from the ashes and won the Spring Championship, the Summer Championship, and the S-Series Championship. Losing matches isn’t scary; what’s scary is when problems persist and accumulate until one day they explode, like how ENG kept winning in the regular season but fell in the semifinals.”

These words had a profound impact on Lin Lan, feeling like a heavy stone hanging over his head, ready to crush him with the overwhelming pressure, leaving him struggling to breathe.

He knew there were many problems with DT, and they were significant. But he never expected that they would come from himself…

Shi Quan glanced at his phone. “Oh, my ride is here. Gotta go.”

“Coach Shi,” Lin Lan grabbed him, still having many questions to ask him. “Do you also think my playstyle is untenable, right?”

“It’s not that it’s untenable; it’s that your playstyle only considers one scenario, which is how you play after you’ve developed. But matches are ever-changing. This is a team game, and no one can carry forever. If someone can, it’s because they’re favored by Lady Luck, and that luck will run out one day. You need to consider how to play in that situation.”

After Shi Quan finished speaking, he lifted his briefcase and got into the car, leaving Lin Lan alone standing in the darkness, engulfed in self-doubt.

Suddenly, he felt confused about the achievements he had obtained over the years. Did he win consecutive championships in the original world because his playstyle was flawless, or was it because the team’s ability was strong enough to compensate for this flaw?

Lin Lan realized he couldn’t figure it out anymore, and the more he thought about it, the more bewildered he became.

Xie Zilu, who had just come out of the company, spotted Lin Lan immediately. He put away the cigarette in his hand and walked over to him in a good mood. “Didn’t you say training is so busy that you don’t even have time to chat? Why are you still standing here in a daze? Come on, tell me, what problem have you encountered this time? I’ll help you solve it.”

He habitually reached for his cigarette, but before he could light it, he saw Lin Lan beside him muttering to himself like a lunatic, “Could it be that my playstyle really has a problem?”

After saying this, Lin Lan suddenly ran back to the base like a pinball, leaving Xie Zilu holding the cigarette, his action of lighting it frozen in mid-air.

Xie Zilu: “Tsk, training hasn’t made him go crazy, has it?”

He pulled out his lighter, lit the cigarette with a flick, and found the image of Lin Lan standing dazed by the roadside surprisingly cute.

He shook his head with a smile, shaking off his absurd thoughts.

Only someone crazy would find him cute everywhere.

Lin Lan, running back to the base as if mad, frantically searched for match videos. Lu Shi accompanied him for the whole night, not knowing what he was looking for.

They kept searching until 2 in the morning. Lu Shi was so sleepy that he could barely keep his eyes open. It was only then that Lin Lan stopped. He didn’t feel sleepy at all. He immediately took out his phone and called Shi Quan.

Lin Lan: “Coach Shi, I know what to do now.”

Shi Quan, who was awakened in the middle of the night, didn’t really care about what Lin Lan wanted to do. “Whatever it is, let’s talk about it tomorrow.”

But Lin Lan couldn’t wait. He quickly laid out his plan, “Coach Shi, I want to play more practice matches. I want to verify alternative strategies beyond those variables as soon as possible.”

He then rapidly and calmly made a bunch of assumptions, causing Shi Quan to yawn repeatedly. He should have just comforted him tomorrow; this counseling session was too crazy.

After that, Lin Lan seemed like a different person, playing practice matches like a madman.

With Feifei leaving the team, Lu Shi had to step in to fill the top lane position, while Lin Lan went mid temporarily, using this lineup for practice matches.

But this lineup definitely couldn’t win, and Lin Lan, deviating from his usual style, brought out many unconventional mid-lane picks, forcing Xu Shengwei to carry, which made everyone miserable.

Lu Shi was already feeling nauseous from the games, “Why did Lin Lan suddenly become so crazy?”

Following Lin Lan’s madness, Jiang Jin also went crazy. He didn’t know why he and Shi Quan clashed philosophically, often arguing until they were red in the face, unable to eat, with their daily dialogue being, “My calculation system can’t be wrong. This is the optimal solution. You can’t convince me…”

Not long after Jiang Jin went crazy, Xu Shengwei quickly followed suit.

But his madness wasn’t ideological; it was driven by being pushed too hard. With the high-intensity training, he was expected to carry every game. Jiang Jin and Lin Lan kept pressuring him, and in the end, he started losing his temper, chasing after three opponents alone and even trading 1 for 3 at the enemy’s limits. After their practice matches, their opponents were left puzzled, wondering if their AD carry had been replaced, and why their temper had become so explosive.

Seeing them all going crazy, Lu Shi also felt like going mad. He shouted to the sky, “Why aren’t there any substitutes yet?! I don’t want to be a training partner anymore!”

The entire team, except for Xiao Shengjing, felt immense pressure. His comprehension was excellent, and he grasped things quickly. Shi Quan even praised him as the most intuitive player on the team.

Of course, the players going crazy wasn’t the most serious issue; the most serious problem was that if they couldn’t find a suitable mid-laner soon, Coach Zhang would go crazy.

Coach Zhang looked at the roster, feeling overwhelmed, “With so many players in the youth training camp, can’t he pick out two? My goodness, the match is about to start.”

Coach Zhang didn’t even want to bring it up, “It’s not just about not being able to pick two, he can’t even find half of one. He even said that if the quality is like this, he might as well forfeit early.”

Brother Mu: “Can’t he just compromise? Submit the roster first, and then I’ll try to negotiate for players later. I’ll spend a lot of money and make a fuss. Is that still not enough?”

Coach Zhang: “I said the same thing, but he just said it’s better to let Lu Shi play. Anyway, Lin Lan can also play mid-lane. It’s like treating the game as child’s play. It’s really infuriating…”

Brother Mu: “What about Feifei, can we still try to get him?”

Coach Zhang: “I asked, he’s already signed with AG, and it’s a non-free agent contract.”

In other words, there’s no way to fight for him no matter what. Brother Mu sighed heavily. Just the thought that after such a good performance in the spring split, they might stumble in the summer split was really disheartening.

Brother Mu: “What about the top lane? Can we sign a better top laner?”

Coach Zhang shook his head, “All the major clubs are holding onto their players tightly, and DT’s salary doesn’t have competitive power compared to the core players.”

Brother Mu likes to emphasize benefits; players earn as much as their abilities allow. So, in terms of salary, it indeed seems less appealing compared to other teams.

Outside the door, Lin Lan, who was about to knock, lowered his hand.

Originally, he wanted to ask if they had found a new mid-laner. But now, there was no need to ask.

He turned and left, his mind involuntarily recalling which players’ contracts were expiring in the original world. The conclusion he reached was: none.

Now happened to be the transfer window period, with many players’ contracts not expiring until the second half of the year.

Unless…

Lin Lan stopped in his tracks, looking at Xiao Shengjing, who was equally stressed out searching for players ahead. Almost on impulse, he said, “Captain, actually, my main position is mid-lane. How about letting me give it a try?”

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