South Korea, Incheon.
After dinner.
Heart walked out of the restaurant.
He hugged a nearby landscape tree, refusing to leave.
He insisted it was the S-Series championship trophy and had to be carried back.
The team manager spent a lot of effort to bring him back to the hotel.
Jiang Chen was also exhausted.
Back in the room, he buried his head under the covers, leaning back, closing his eyes tightly, taking a deep breath of air, stretching comfortably.
After half a minute, he opened his eyes.
He turned sideways.
He took out his phone from his lower pocket.
He opened Weibo and saw that his followers had surged.
It was almost about to break 100,000.
There were also many private messages.
When he opened it, he found that most of them were scolding him, only a few were sent by RNG fans, asking him not to be affected by online comments and to prepare well for the upcoming game against IG.
And online.
Seeing that he didn't respond on Weibo, and that the Royal Club didn't make a move, seeming to have no intention of standing up for him, Ruofeng was even more smug.
His words became increasingly harsh.
He said that a player who didn't even dare to reply to a Weibo post didn't deserve to be Shy's opponent.
Finally, he even made a bet.
If Jiang Chen could beat Shy in lane, he would livestream himself standing on his head and washing his hair for a month.
He would wash his hair every day, even if his hair fell out.
He sold medical shampoo on his Taobao store, which specialized in treating hair loss...
Sure enough, the sales of his shampoo in his Taobao store surged again that day.
...
Jiang Chen looked at the increasingly radical comments in his private messages.
His fingers stopped scrolling.
He exited private messages.
He posted a dynamic.
He typed:
"Those who show their teeth and claws are often fragile."
"Because those who are truly strong at heart are confident."
"Confidence leads to gentleness, and gentleness leads to firmness."
He attached a picture of Riven.
In the picture.
Riven held a sword in her hand, a dark red slender sword.
She stood on a mountain peak, overlooking the mountains and rivers, with endless mountains stretching as far as the eye can see at her feet.
Jiang Chen didn't want to ignore Ruofeng, the clown, at all. He just planned to wait for the game against IG and see the results.
But since Feng Team said that, he wouldn't be polite if he didn't say a few words back.
Some people just wanted to get punched in the face.
...
...
October 27, 2018.
Today is the day RNG and IG play their semi-final match in Incheon.
The weather is clear.
No wind.
...
At the hotel, after finishing their last practice match against EDG.
Heart kept pulling his dwindling hair, with a look of utter despair.
"This is wrong! EDG's top laner, Ray, is only considered second-rate in the world at best. Even if Jiang Chen can't get Riven, he shouldn't be beaten 0-6-0!"
Because of this.
Heart's already meager hair fell out even more.
During the rest period in Incheon.
EDG served as a sparring partner.
They played several practice matches against RNG every day.
At this time.
Both sides of the players discovered.
As long as Jiang Chen was allowed to get Riven in the game, top lane would be a massacre.
If he couldn't get Riven.
It was also a massacre.
Only the result was reversed, and he was massacred by the opponent's top lane.
...
Heart sat in the car, his mind in a daze. He kept thinking about this, wondering, even if you're a 'Riven master', the skill gap shouldn't be so big, right?
Heart was having a hard time.
Should he let Jiang Chen play in the semifinals?
According to his performance in the last game against G2.
IG would likely not let Riven out.
But if she was banned...
Would Jiang Chen just disconnect?
Heart was a little conflicted.
He arrived at the Incheon Stadium in the suburbs in a daze.
When he saw Jiang Chen get off the car, his expression was indescribable.
Jiang Chen was also dumbfounded. He never expected that the system wouldn't trigger during the practice match against EDG, meaning his strength would only reach meticulousness when he picked Riven.
If he couldn't pick her, he was an ATM, a babysitter in the Canyon.
Although his living conditions didn't change to the previous level.
But Heart's attitude towards him had become much colder.
On the other hand, Xiangguo kept encouraging Jiang Chen.
...
Everyone arrived at the Incheon Stadium.
Under the guidance of the staff.
They entered the player lounge.
Head coach Heart sat on the sofa, asking the staff to make a cup of coffee. He said to Jiang Chen, "You've been playing so many practice matches, you must be tired. After the opening ceremony, say hello to the audience, and you can go back to rest."
He deliberately emphasized the word "practice matches".
Jiang Chen had expected this outcome.
There were no surprises.
He nodded calmly.
Heart looked at Jiang Chen sitting opposite him.
He thought that he was unassuming, with a steady mentality, a good seedling.
It's just that his strength fluctuates too much...
This sword cannot be drawn unless it's a desperate situation!
Soon.
The RNG team followed a female usher onto the main stage.
The sound system placed around the venue also sounded: "Let's welcome the RNG players to the stage. They are Uzi, Ming, Karsa... "
Jiang Chen followed his teammates through the process.
It was all over.
He went back to the player lounge with Xiangguo, one in front and one behind.
There was a sense of camaraderie between them.
The other teammates had already gone to the player seats to adjust their equipment.
Jiang Chen returned to the lounge and sat casually on the sofa.
He watched the picture played on the projection.
Heart walked back and forth behind the players, wearing a white shirt and black pants, holding a notebook, writing and drawing from time to time.
Sitting opposite them was the IG team.
Coach Jin Jingzhu looked serious, and he kept making notes in his notebook.
The ban and pick phase was over.
Jin Jingzhu shook hands with Heart and bowed, leaving the player seats.
"IG, fighting!!"
...
"RNG, fighting!!"
...
Accompanied by the deafening cheers of both sides' fans.
The big screen at the Incheon Stadium showed an advertisement for Mercedes-Benz SUVs.
This highly anticipated match was being cast by Guan Zeyuan, Haoran, and Jide.
Soon.
The sound of the casters came from the stadium's sound system.
"Okay, both sides have officially entered Summoner's Rift, the game is starting, this is an LPL civil war, in the end, whoever wins, we have to cheer for them."
Then, the topic turned to Jide.
"Jide, who do you think has a better chance in this match."
"The lineup is 50-50, it depends on how well they adjust their state today."
...
Ruofeng's livestream.
It can be considered the gathering place for TheShy's fans now.
"See! I told you Jiang Chen was scared. This dog-like thing doesn't even dare to play against Shy."
"That's right! That's right!!"
"With this kind of attitude, he still dared to post a picture of Riven on Weibo?"
Ruofeng looked at the barrage in his livestream.
He sarcastically said: "Hey, don't blame him, it's also understandable, who wouldn't be afraid of Shy? After all, he's Shy, right? If it were me, I'd be scared too. Fear is human nature."
He paused for a moment, then continued: "But if it were me, I wouldn't dare to play at all, I'd have deleted that Weibo post long ago, I wouldn't be able to bear the shame."
The barrage followed along, agreeing with him.
"You're right."
"TheShy's individual strength is too strong."
"Jiang Chen is right to be a coward."
Ruofeng looked at his ever-increasing popularity, feeling proud of himself. He felt that his decision to step on Jiang Chen and lick TheShy was too wise.
...