Chapter One: EDG Cannot Accept Such an Immoral Player

At the end of 2016, the Demacia Cup finals officially concluded at the Wuhan Sports Center.

EDG first defeated RNG, then took down IM, charging forward with unstoppable momentum to claim their fifth consecutive Demacia Cup championship, bringing the S6 season to a somewhat unsatisfactory close.

The arena was filled with roaring crowds and thunderous applause, yet the atmosphere in the official livestream chat was a stark contrast—virtually drowned in scorn.

“Dominant in domestic matches but cowardly in international ones, getting crushed at Worlds, and then coming back just to brutally beat their own teams. The so-called ‘domestic gods’ EDG are nothing but a disgrace to the LPL.”

“4396 useless Ming Kai, every year the top eight but never more. Why not just go back to farming pigs? Planning to settle in the top eight again next year?”

“EDG doesn’t study MSI or Worlds, only their own region’s teams. With a team like this, the LPL will never rise above!”

Due to their dismal performance at the World Championship compared to their undefeated summer split victory, EDG had become the public enemy number one in the LPL, completely losing their credibility.

Amid the nonstop online abuse, the EDG organization was also inevitably undergoing a period of transition and a decline in Korean imports.

After the Demacia Cup and the awards ceremony, Deft, who had just won the season MVP, hurried back to Korea overnight with Pawn, who was carrying a back injury.

Suddenly, EDG lost two pillars of strength, and Zaozi lost his strictest mentor.

Before the new season began, EDG urgently needed to restructure their lineup to maintain their dominance in the league.

In the EDG conference room under the setting sun, Abu was sitting with the owner Edward Zhu and shareholder Ming Kai, discussing recruitment plans.

“The contract with Korea is settled. Coach Nofe will come over to coach next season, and he’s bringing a mid-laner named Zet along, saying this player can fill Deft’s spare role,” Abu said, his distinct neutral voice carrying as he briefly outlined the current recruitment status.

Nofe was the former coach of ROX Tigers, the team that had crushed EDG at this year’s Worlds.

Following the strategy of buying talent when you can’t beat it, EDG spent a large sum during the offseason to bring both coach and player over after ROX disbanded.

As a bonus, Zet was ROX’s backup mid-laner who had spent most of his time on the bench and rarely played official matches. Having abruptly switched to AD carry, Abu wasn’t very optimistic.

“What do you think, Ming Kai? Is this acceptable?” Abu asked proactively, seeing Ming Kai silent.

Ming Kai scratched his nose, shrugged helplessly, and said, “I don’t have much opinion. I plan to rest and find my form during the spring split, so I won’t be involved for now.”

Carrying the hopes of all LPL fans but still struggling with terrible Worlds performances, Ming Kai decided to take a half-season break to regain his form before returning.

Edward Zhu, the owner, already understood Ming Kai’s intentions and reassured, “Then we’ll let Aileoli start in the spring split to give the rookie some experience.”

“Having Scout in mid is fine, but for AD, iboy isn’t even seventeen yet. Relying solely on a mid-to-AD convert like Zet won’t cut it,” Abu voiced his concerns.

His implication was clear: they needed to find a backup AD just in case Zet didn’t adapt.

“If there’s a good AD available, of course we’ll buy one,” Ming Kai waved off the worries. Frankly, no one dared to have high expectations for a mid-laner turned AD.

Edward Zhu nodded, “We’ll scour around. The transfer window isn’t over yet; we can definitely find a good AD.”

Abu rubbed his temples in silence, his expression heavy with frustration.

Those words sounded easy, but since Deft announced he wouldn’t renew after the summer split championship, Abu had been tirelessly searching for a new AD, traveling extensively between China and Korea during Worlds without finding any promising candidates.

“AD carries aren’t cabbage you can just pick up anywhere. They’re hard to find,” Abu sighed, sitting down heavily.

“Let’s wait and see. If it doesn’t work out, we can change again for the summer split,” Ming Kai suggested.

Abu showed a look of agreement. At this point, there was no other choice but to use the spring split as a transition period. After Ming Kai’s return in summer and iboy’s eligibility, with the roster complete, they could then consider contending for the championship.

Just then, the conference room door slowly opened, and the quiet EDG support player Tian Ye walked in.

“Tian Ye, close the door,” Ming Kai mumbled.

Tian Ye casually shut the door, adjusted his glasses, and said, “Looking for an AD? I actually have a candidate.”

At those words, Abu’s eyes lit up like he had lost a sister, eagerly asking, “Tell me, who is it?”

Tian Ye opened the conference room computer, logged into TGP, and clicked into the profile page of an offline friend.

Abu leaned in to look and saw a solo queue win rate as high as 70%, with an impressive match record. A smile gradually blossomed on his face.

“Not bad. Is he already seventeen? Is he a free agent or from some team’s second squad?” Abu asked rapidly, then suddenly his expression darkened as he pointed blankly at the screen. “Why are all his latest matches from half a month ago?”

He clicked into the match details: the last ranked game was played at the end of November, a 15/1 Ezreal.

The current date was mid-December.

A professional player going half a month without ranked games was unheard of.

Even in the offseason, pros would play two or three ranked games daily to keep their skills sharp.

Seeing this, Tian Ye awkwardly scratched his head and earnestly explained, “Uh, my friend has pretty good mechanics and game sense, but… he doesn’t seem to play much. Probably just relaxing more during the offseason.”

Hearing that, Abu was at a loss for words, as if choked.

Even for relaxing, not playing a single game for that long was truly unprecedented.

“Not even playing regular ranked games? EDG can’t accept a player who neglects his main profession like this,” Ming Kai immediately opposed before Abu could speak, emphasizing discipline above all.

Half a month without practice showed no basic passion for the league. Why bother being a pro at all? Better to go home and farm pigs.

“Exactly, I support Ming Kai. Without the basic attitude, there’s no point in being a professional,” Edward Zhu agreed.

Tian Ye paused but honestly said, “It’s not like he doesn’t play at all—he actually plays other games outside of League quite often.”

Ming Kai and Edward Zhu were stunned.

So you’re called a League pro but spend your time playing other games?

Astute Abu, unlike the other two who bluntly opposed, considered for a moment before carefully saying, “Let’s have him come for a trial first. Ability and talent are the most important.”

After all, in gaming, talent always outweighs everything.

No amount of effort matters without talent.

Conversely, for a talented but unmotivated player, Abu believed he had a thousand ways to train them.

Tian Ye nodded, “In that case, I’ll contact him to come for a trial when I have time. He’s actually looking for a team right now.”

“Oh right, what’s his name?” Abu suddenly remembered to ask. As the youth development manager, he might know him.

Tian Ye seemed reluctant to say and chose instead to open a low-profile livestream on Huya, clicking into a relatively obscure channel.

“Seventeen-year-old streamer Lin Ruo, currently ranked online,” Abu murmured as he read the stream title, then furrowed his brows at the nickname: the Molten Giant.

Turning to Tian Ye with a mix of scrutiny and surprise, he said, “Lin Ruo… isn’t he the trainee who slacked off on training and played other games during the season, resulting in RNG canceling his contract?”

At the end of the spring split that year, RNG had indeed terminated a trainee’s contract, reportedly due to poor professional attitude. While the main roster was playing, he was caught sneaking off to play chess during matches.

RNG lost that match, and the club manager, furious, immediately let him go.

Tian Ye thought for a moment, biting his finger, eyes drifting away, “Seems like… that’s true, but his talent is really quite good.”

With a prior record like that, Abu, who had been resolute moments ago, suddenly hesitated.

As Ming Kai said, such a player could easily undermine team stability.

Just then, Ming Kai slammed the table and scolded, “Bringing in someone like that would ruin the club’s atmosphere. Listen to me—we absolutely cannot take him.”

Edward Zhu was about to agree when a loud voice came from the livestream playing on the computer.

“Ming Kai? You mean the guy who at the quarterfinals couldn’t beat Olaf with Lee Sin, couldn’t beat Lee Sin with Olaf, and was schooled both ways by the KDA-protecting Captain?”

The atmosphere in EDG’s training room instantly fell into a deathly silence.

Ming Kai’s face darkened immediately.

Tian Ye timidly turned his head away.

After a long moment, Ming Kai unclenched his fists and sighed quietly.

Though inwardly displeased, he seemed unable to find any argument to refute.

The sunset cast long shadows over EDG’s conference room, where the future of the team hung in delicate balance.