Chapter 39: Chen Yan Devises a Plan, Icon Watches the Match

LPL tournament venue.

The fifth and final game between EDG and RNG is about to begin.

Through the broadcast cameras, the players from both teams can be seen taking the stage. A quick glance at the EDG lineup reveals that Scout is nowhere to be seen; the same unknown rookie is stepping up to play once again.

The chat room immediately erupts into discussion.

"Looks like EDG is betting everything on the rookie, starting him even in a do-or-die game."

"That rookie's Kassadin is legit. He absolutely crushed Xiaohu's Ryze."

"Maybe, but I still think Xiaohu is the stronger player overall."

After all, Xiaohu is a mainstay on the competitive stage. While he may not have many flashy highlights, his performance in the LPL has always been solid and reliable. Even with Chen Yan's recent strong showings, it is difficult for the general public to place their trust in him.

Of course, Chen Yan couldn't care less. He sits in his gaming chair, chewing a piece of bubblegum.

"Let's wrap this up quickly. I need to get back to stream the VOD review; I can still farm some engagement off this."

"..."

His teammates are speechless, thinking to themselves that he’s really treating their opponents like trash. This is RNG, one of the top three teams in the LPL.

Clearlove, however, has become somewhat immune to Chen Yan's madness. Not only is he unfazed, but he even takes the initiative to ask, "Do you have any ideas?"

"It's the final game. Do you guys dare to go for a knife-fight?" Chen Yan asks point-blank.

"A knife-fight?"

Hearing this, everyone on the team furrows their brows.

A "knife-fight" is simple: it means engaging in high-intensity, aggressive combat to accelerate the pace of the game. The benefit of this strategy is its simplicity and brute force; it snowballs the game quickly, and even if the opponent is stronger, they can be caught off guard by the relentless tempo. The LPL often uses this approach against the LCK, hoping to pull off an upset against a superior foe.

But the drawbacks are obvious: the margin for error is razor-thin. Under such high-intensity aggression, players are more prone to making mistakes. In short, either the opponent explodes, or you do.

For a moment, no one on EDG dares to speak. It’s the final game, after all. If a major blunder occurs during such high-stakes aggression, not only will they lose the match, but their reputation and market value will take a hit.

Professional players aren't as noble as people imagine. They are all here to make money, and no one wants a single game to ruin their career or make them unemployable.

"Heh, so that's it," Chen Yan scoffs. "No wonder people always call us cowards. They weren't wrong."

Lies don't hurt, but the truth is a sharp blade.

This comment completely triggers his teammates. They are all young, hot-blooded men, and being mocked to their faces like this makes it impossible to suppress their temper any longer.

"Who's afraid of who?!"

"Let's do it! Right now!"

"Don't forget to call me daddy when you lose."

Even Clearlove declares he will bring out his signature "God Monk" Lee Sin to show them what he's made of.

Clearlove playing Lee Sin?!

Chen Yan jolts and quickly says, "That really isn't necessary."

Clearlove frowns slightly. Does he look down on his Lee Sin?

Chen Yan takes a breath and explains, "Brother Seven, save that 'God Monk' for the LCK. It's too much of a waste against an LPL team."

Nofe nods repeatedly. The other teammates also find themselves standing on Chen Yan's side for once. Once Clearlove's poke-style Lee Sin is locked in, there's no way they're winning.

"You have a point," Clearlove says after being persuaded, adding with a sigh, "I guess the opponents are lucky today. I'll let them off the hook."

"..."

Everyone is speechless, thinking that he has absolutely no self-awareness.

With the strategy settled, Chen Yan breathes a sigh of relief. He isn't doing this on a whim; a "knife-fight" in the fifth game is actually more favorable for EDG. A best-of-five doesn't just test a team's overall strength; it tests physical stamina. After five consecutive high-intensity matches, many professional players see their performance dip and their focus wane.

The stronger the player, the more severe the physical toll, which is why you often see players make amateur mistakes in the fifth game. Even Faker has been known to flash into walls or suffer from shaky hands. In more extreme cases, like the Snake team's legendary BO10, the ADC "Crystal" ended up in the hospital and was never the same player again.

Now that EDG and RNG are in the final game, with everyone suffering from exhaustion, Chen Yan—who just joined the series—is undoubtedly at his peak. Furthermore, when top-tier players suffer a dip in form, they are hurt more than average players because they rely on intense focus to exert pressure. When stamina runs low, maintaining that level of focus becomes incredibly difficult. Meanwhile, the "weaker" side, which only needs to worry about soaking up pressure, actually plays more comfortably than the side trying to force the game.

"I've done my best for that fifty thousand," Chen Yan thinks to himself.

...

As time passes, the atmosphere in the venue grows heavier. Because Chen Yan entered the series and pushed it to a fifth game, the match is now full of suspense and intrigue. Regardless of who wins or loses, there is a compelling reason to watch. Consequently, the popularity of the broadcast reaches an all-time high. Everyone is waiting for these two titan teams to decide their fate.

...

iCon's livestream.

iCon has recently fallen in love with streaming. Thanks to the popularity gained from his interactions with Chen Yan, he makes a fortune every time he goes live. However, he's run into a bit of trouble recently. Because of the upcoming match between OMG and WE, the club has increased the team's training volume. But even so, it couldn't dampen iCon's enthusiasm for streaming. Today is special, too—it's the "Battle of the Pigs and Dogs" (EDG vs. RNG).

Of course, iCon isn't all that concerned about the rivalry; he's more interested in Chen Yan's performance.

"Heh, I'm going to use a magnifying glass to review your play on stream. I refuse to believe you won't make a single mistake."

Holding onto the hope of finding flaws, iCon starts his stream. However, upon learning of Chen Yan's performance in the previous game, he is left completely stunned.

Wait, is this what I wanted to hear?

Shouldn't that guy have been beaten to a pulp by Xiaohu so that I could mock him relentlessly on stream? Instead, you're telling me he destroyed Xiaohu?

The viewers in the chat see iCon's expression and can't help but roar with laughter.

Chat:
"The streamer's world has collapsed."
"Leng Cai, don't be so bitter."
"Brother Yan is the mountain you'll never be able to climb."
"The streamer gets dumpstered when he faces Xiaohu, but Brother Yan kills him whenever he wants. That's the difference."

iCon stares at the chat, feeling incredibly frustrated. But he refuses to back down. "Don't just stir up trouble in the chat. When did I get dumpstered by Xiaohu? And let me tell you, EDG just had a better draft last game, and that Kassadin just happened to pick up some kills. If I were playing, I could kill just as much, if not more."

The chat doesn't believe a word of it, filled with nothing but skepticism.

"The streamer is blowing so much smoke he almost believes it himself."
"If you didn't know better, you'd think he was Faker."
"Leng Cai, also known as Chef Xie from Zhejiang."

iCon is flushed with anger from the chat. At that moment, the draft for the fifth game between EDG and RNG begins on screen.

iCon's eyes light up, and he quickly says, "Didn't you all say Chen Yan was so amazing? Let's see if he can crush Xiaohu this game."