Chapter 6: Abu II Invites Chen Yan, Chen Yan: Extra Pay Required!

At the EDG team base, Abu was scrolling through the latest news regarding Chen Yan. He had noticed a sudden surge in coverage surrounding him. Ignoring the clickbait headlines designed to stir up drama, Abu sat down and watched the recording of Chen Yan’s recent game analysis from start to finish. To his astonishment, he realized that Chen Yan’s breakdown of EDG’s gameplay was identical to the review conducted by their own coaching staff—and in some areas, it even covered points they had missed entirely.

Abu immediately summoned the coaching staff and played the video for them.

"Are you saying that Chen Yan came up with this on the fly during his stream?" NOfe asked, turning to look at Abu. When Abu nodded, NOfe let out a soft, sharp breath. It was absurd. The coaching staff had spent hours reviewing the footage to identify those problems, only to be told that someone else had pointed them out casually during a broadcast. It was a stinging slap to the face. The others in the room were equally skeptical, but the video was right there; it was impossible for Chen Yan to have predicted the future and prepared in advance.

A heavy silence descended upon the room. After a moment, NOfe spoke up. "Manager, do you think we could bring Chen Yan back to the base?" He remained unconvinced and wanted to test Chen Yan in person.

"That is exactly what I was thinking," Abu agreed. If he had only had a flicker of an idea before, that thought had now grown into a towering resolve. He was curious to see if Chen Yan had truly experienced some kind of epiphany during his streaming sessions, resulting in a complete transformation. As a veteran coach, he knew that some players underwent similar arcs—starting off mediocre, only to have a breakthrough one day and continue to improve thereafter. However, Abu didn't want to make the decision unilaterally; he needed to gauge the players' opinions first.

...

In the EDG conference room, almost everyone had arrived. Aside from the five starters, Clearlove and iBoy were also present. The group looked puzzled, wondering what kind of mood swing had gripped Abu this time. It wasn't until Abu explained the situation that Scout’s narrow eyes narrowed slightly.

The other EDG members couldn't help but glance at Scout. If Chen Yan were to return, Scout would undoubtedly be the most affected. Yet, they were confused. While Scout had made mistakes, the current EDG relied almost entirely on him to win games. What was the point of bringing Chen Yan back now? Moreover, regardless of whether Chen Yan had improved, they had been practicing with Scout for a long time; their synergy was surely far superior to anything they could have with Chen Yan. Thinking this, no one spoke first, unsure of where Abu’s head was at.

Finally, the blunt and straightforward iBoy broke the silence. "I don't think it's a good idea. He hasn't trained in so long—can he even keep up with the pace of professional matches?"

With iBoy leading the charge, the others began to share their thoughts, all voicing their lack of trust in Chen Yan. Listening to the discussion, Abu’s brow furrowed. He had wanted to inject some vitality into the team, but he hadn't expected such resistance.

Clearlove, who had been silent until now, sensed Abu’s intent. He gave a light cough and spoke up. "I think we should let Chen Yan come back and try. First, it gives a young player a chance. Second, our current record is not great..."

With Clearlove’s endorsement, the opposition vanished instantly. His point was undeniable; EDG had just lost to NB, and their form was at an all-time low. Rather than continuing to push forward blindly, it was better to rotate the roster and try a different style. With that, Abu made the final decision: Chen Yan would return.

The tense atmosphere in the room dissipated, though Scout remained sullen. Meiko joked, "Xiao Yan is a big streamer now. He has tens of thousands of viewers every day. If you ask him to come back, he might not even want to."

Abu retorted, "He wouldn't dare! Even if I have to drag him back, I will!" The room erupted in laughter.

Once everyone had left, Abu and Clearlove spoke privately. "This move of yours puts Xiao Yan in the spotlight," Clearlove remarked. He had noticed that the players clearly preferred partnering with Scout. It was understandable; among all the mid-laners in the LPL, Scout was top-tier. And Chen Yan? He only had a few recorded matches, and his performance had been unremarkable. Everyone wanted to win, so naturally, they wanted to be teammates with the strongest players.

"I have no choice. I know Scout isn't bad, but you see our results. If we go on like this, we might not even make it to Worlds this year," Abu sighed, then changed his tone. "Besides, I feel like Xiao Yan has grown. Have you seen the recent news?"

Clearlove nodded; Chen Yan had been trending frequently, and he had taken note.

"Since Faker personally invited him, I believe Chen Yan might have potential in certain areas that we haven't tapped into yet."

"..." Clearlove felt that the pressure was getting to Abu, causing him to overthink things. But on second thought, it didn't really matter—the team’s performance was already in the gutter. It couldn't get much worse. "I hope Xiao Yan can seize this opportunity."

...

"Ask me to come back for scrims?"

"Stop joking, Manager."

"My 'Yan Army' is waiting for me to start the stream."

Upon hearing the phrase "Yan Army," Abu’s face darkened. To throw away a professional career to act like a beggar on the internet, and to lead some ridiculous "Yan Army"—it was infuriating. The professional scene had always looked down on full-time streamers.

"I can't help it, Manager. I’m short on money."

"Short on money, my foot. I know you’re living in a big villa."

"..." Chen Yan gave an awkward laugh. "Manager, why are you still keeping tabs on me?"

"But I’m not lying. I really am broke."

"Besides, asking me to come back for matches is one thing, but asking me to return for scrims without knowing if I’ll even get to play? You’re putting me in a tough spot. I’d rather spend that time streaming."

Abu’s mouth twitched. "Don't forget, you’re still under contract. If you don't come back for scrims, you’re in breach of contract."

"Oh, Manager, don't talk to me about the contract. It’s making me feel depressed."

"..." Abu was speechless. The "depression" card had effectively ended the conversation. Still, he was annoyed by Chen Yan’s attitude. He felt he was offering Chen Yan a lifeline, only for the player to show no gratitude.

"Fine. Tell me, what will it take for you to come back and play?"

Chen Yan replied, "Well... you have to guarantee that I’ll be able to play in the actual matches."

Before Abu could respond, Chen Yan added, "And one more thing... I want a raise."