Chapter 41: Chen Yan's Masterclass in Verbal Sparring, RNG's Synergy Unleashed

Strong teams always have a deep repertoire of tactical systems.
RNG’s ultimate poke composition was the trump card reserved specifically for EDG.
As for EDG’s team composition…
After staring at it for a long time, the casters Wawa and Miller were completely at a loss for words, finally squeezing out a helpless statement that they trusted the players.
Icon was frantically mocking the draft in his livestream channel, "What kind of trash composition has EDG picked?"
This time it genuinely wasn't personal enmity; EDG’s lineup was indeed abstract.
It lacked both crowd control and front-line tanks, relying purely on the players' individual mechanics to find openings.
Icon: "I’m not trying to stir up controversy, but I wouldn't even pick this composition in ranked queue. EDG’s coaching staff is truly out of their minds."
Uncharacteristically, the livestream chatroom didn't retort.
EDG’s composition did indeed look terrible.
……
Shifting focus back to the match.
The coaches had already stepped off stage, and the game had entered the loading screen.
Displayed on the screen were the champions chosen by both teams.
EDG (Blue Side): Top Rumble, Jungle Kha'Zix, Mid Ryze, Bot Varus, Support Lulu.
RNG (Red Side): Top Maokai, Jungle Nidalee, Mid Jayce, Bot Ashe, Support Karma.
In terms of composition, RNG was undoubtedly much more well-rounded.
The EDG players felt uneasy in their hearts as well, but Chen Yan’s previous performance had taken effect.
Although they still harbored some grievances toward Chen Yan, everyone chose to put their trust in him for this game.
Chen Yan’s gaze swept over Jayce’s abilities.
Jayce’s keystone rune was the same as his: Stormraider’s Surge.
However, their summoner spells differed.
Jayce had chosen the more aggressive Ignite and Flash.
Chen Yan, on the other hand, went with Teleport and Flash.
Seeing Jayce take Ignite, Wawa and Miller couldn't help but look surprised.
Taking Ignite in professional play was as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
It was evident that Xiaohu was resorting to any means necessary to secure an advantage this game.
"With Ignite, the Ryze matchup is going to be quite tough to handle."
Everyone broke out in a cold sweat for Chen Yan.
At that moment, a flash of light appeared on the screen, and the players from both sides materialized in their respective spawning pools.
EDG didn't contest a level-one fight, simply setting up defensive vision in the jungle.
RNG, however, attempted an invasion.
Yet upon being spotted by vision, they chose not to force their way into EDG’s jungle.
"No fight broke out."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Wawa: "Both sides are playing it quite cautiously."
Miller smiled, "Considering it's the match point game, they ought to play it safe."
In-game, the two teams had a standard start.
Chen Yan maneuvered his Ryze to the lane.
Facing the Ignite Jayce, Chen Yan remained extremely cautious, terrified of giving Xiaohu an opening.
And Xiaohu was indeed playing aggressively.
However, the mid lane was different from the top lane; the mid lane was short, making it difficult for Jayce to freeze the minion wave.
Coupled with Ryze’s superior attack range, even though Xiaohu desperately wanted to pressure Ryze heavily, he simply couldn't do it.
"No need to rush."
"Wait for him to let his guard down, then take him down in one go."
Xiaohu was also a veteran of the competitive scene; although eager to prove himself, he hadn't lost his cool or launched reckless attacks.
He maintained control over the mid lane minion wave priority.
As for Chen Yan, much like his Kassadin in the previous game, he focused on securing every single last hit as cleanly as possible.
Only, the laning dynamics this game were a bit harsher than the last.
Even with Chen Yan’s top-tier fundamental skills, his cs count was falling slightly behind.
Yet Chen Yan remained completely unfazed; the minor laning disadvantage was well within his acceptable threshold.
……
"This Ryze is playing quite well."
In Icon’s livestream channel.
Seeing the chat demanding his commentary on the mid lane matchup, Icon reluctantly said, "In a disadvantageous laning matchup, this cs count is genuinely impressive. Moreover, Ryze is holding onto his W tightly; Jayce tried to bait out Ryze’s W several times and failed. You guys might not understand why Ryze is holding his W—it’s very simple. As long as Ryze has his W, it’s very hard for Jayce to assassinate him."
Icon’s analysis remained objective, while simultaneously feeling a sense of exasperation toward Xiaohu's lack of success.
"What kind of garbage Jayce play is this from Xiaohu? His proficiency is genuinely mediocre. If those top-tier IDs were playing Jayce, and this Ryze wasn't down by over twenty cs in lane, I'd straight up eat a—"
Icon had always spoken without thinking, blurting out whatever came to mind without considering the impact of his livestream.
The chatroom was instantly in an uproar.
"He's bursting!"
"Xiaohu's Weibo incoming, who’s the cold dish?"
"Bitter old man!"
Icon’s livestream chat went wild.
In the match itself, Chen Yan was growing more and more comfortable.
For Ryze against Jayce, the most agonizing phase was prior to the first recall.
Because Ryze lacked mana, and his damage output wasn't on the same level as Jayce’s, he could only take passive beatings.
Things changed entirely after recalling to purchase mana items. A Ryze with no mana issues who simply cleared waves without engaging Jayce left Jayce with zero counters.
Furthermore, Chen Yan noticed that Xiaohu’s Jayce proficiency was fairly average.
He had likely only practiced it recently and lacked innate talent for the champion.
The laning phase didn't exert nearly as much pressure as the OTP Jayce players in ranked games.
After trading blows evenly with Jayce, Chen Yan recalled with low health.
Then, fully restored, he returned to the lane using Teleport.
This was the advantage of taking Teleport: you essentially got two lives to fight against one.
At this moment, Xiaohu’s Jayce was in poor condition.
Yet because Ryze had teleported back to lane, Xiaohu's recall timing was completely ruined.
Helplessly, he had to call the Nidalee over to help shove the wave so he could forcibly recall and restore his status.
"This Ryze’s laning is genuinely impressive," Wawa said with extreme astonishment upon seeing this scene.
He never could have imagined that Xiaohu would be the first to call for his jungler.
Miller fell into deep thought.
Following the performances of the mid laners across these two games, an absurd thought couldn't help but cross his mind: Xiaohu < Chen Yan.
And the gap wasn't small; it was a comprehensive inferiority in every aspect.
Could it be that the LPL was about to welcome a true dragon of the mid lane?
Miller narrowed his eyes with a hint of anticipation.
……
"This guy is too slippery."
After several rounds of probing, Xiaohu finally woke up to reality: he couldn't suppress his opponent in lane.
Therefore, Xiaohu rapidly shifted his strategy, coordinating with MLXG’s Nidalee to roam toward the bottom lane, hoping to liberate Uzi first.
Chen Yan’s missing ping wasn't late, but it was still too late.
The bottom lane duo was flanked behind their defensive tower by Nidalee and Jayce, trembling in terror under turret.
Seeing this, Chen Yan made a decisive judgment, activating his ultimate to bring Kha'Zix along to gank top lane’s Maokai.
Facing Rumble, Maokai was suffering immensely under heavy pressure.
In a three-v-one situation, Maokai ended up dying even earlier than EDG’s bottom lane duo.
"First Blood."
The system’s kill announcement sounded.
Chen Yan’s Ryze secured First Blood onto Maokai.
However, EDG’s players felt no excitement; instead, their hearts sank.
Because from the bottom lane came the sound of their bot lane duo being slain in a double kill.
Moreover, all four members of RNG directly destroyed EDG’s bottom tier-one tower, claiming the first turret of the match.
As for EDG, although they secured a kill on Maokai top, the fortification mechanic on the top lane turret had not yet expired, and the minion wave was insufficient to allow EDG to take down RNG’s top tier-one tower.
"EDG is taking a massive loss from this wave!" Wawa couldn't help exclaiming.
Clearlove’s mind went completely blank.
Were they going to lose?