Chapter 9: Enter the Stage! Icon, the Solo-Kill King!

EDG training room.

When Aaron and Clearlove arrived, they immediately sensed an unusual atmosphere. They had expected to see friction between Chen Yan and the other team members, but the current situation was not quite what they had imagined. The players’ expressions were clear and calm, even Scout, who had been vocal about his dissatisfaction with Chen Yan, seemed the same.

What was going on here? Aaron and Clearlove exchanged confused glances. Neither could fathom how Chen Yan had managed this.

"Wait!" Clearlove suddenly noticed crushed walnut shells on the table next to Chen Yan. Aaron followed his gaze. A moment later, they seemed to understand, and their expressions turned peculiar. So, this was the method Chen Yan had been talking about? But, surprisingly, it actually seemed quite effective.

...

To put pressure on Scout, Aaron announced that Chen Yan would be the starter for the next match. Scout’s face darkened, but he regained his composure a second later. He wasn't panicked. He was certain that Chen Yan could never replace his value to the EDG roster. Once Chen Yan inevitably failed, the team would have no choice but to come crawling back to him. Since Scout didn't object, the others naturally followed suit.

With the decision finalized, Aaron looked at Chen Yan. "The match is tomorrow. We still have time to practice today. I’ll go find some teams to scrim against."

"Scrim against whom?" Chen Yan replied directly. "Just follow my lead in tomorrow’s match. We’ll just go out there and win."

Aaron was speechless, wondering if Chen Yan had fried his brain from too much live-streaming. But on second thought, a few more practice games wouldn't make much difference anyway, so he let it slide. The entire EDG team was given the day off.

The next day, the EDG squad boarded the bus to the arena. Chen Yan closed his eyes to rest, listening to the murmurs of the coaching staff. Their opponent today was OMG. In the past, during EDG’s prime, a team like OMG wouldn't have even been worth a glance. But this year, after the departure of EDG’s two star Korean players, the team’s strength had plummeted, while OMG had been performing exceptionally well. In terms of form, EDG and OMG were evenly matched; even if EDG held a slight edge due to their legacy, the gap was negligible. This was exactly why Aaron was so anxious every day. The LPL competition this year was fierce, with the rise of WE and RNG, and teams like OMG and Snake hot on their heels.

The dynasty built by EDG appeared to be crumbling, on the verge of total collapse. If they lost to OMG today, it would truly prove that anyone could walk all over them.

"Do you think Xiao Yan can handle the pressure?"

"We have no choice but to trust him."

Aaron and Clearlove whispered to each other, both fully aware that starting Chen Yan was a "last-ditch effort."

...

"Wake up, Xiao Yan."

Chen Yan opened his eyes to see Clearlove calling him.

"Are we here?"

"We’re here."

"Let’s go." Chen Yan yawned and stepped off the bus. Watching this, Aaron sighed inwardly, suddenly regretting his decision; perhaps bringing Chen Yan in had been a mistake. Chen Yan was unaware that his every movement was weighing on Aaron’s mind; he was simply drowsy from the bus ride.

...

The arena was packed. EDG’s popularity remained immense. The fact that Clearlove was present only fueled speculation that he was returning to the starting lineup.

"Clearlove! I love you!"

"7777777!"

The cheers from the audience were deafening. Clearlove tried to encourage Chen Yan, "Xiao Yan, as long as you play well, you’ll be this popular one day too."

Chen Yan curled his lip. "These riff-raff aren't even worth a fraction of my loyal followers..."

"What the hell is a 'Chen Yan Army'?" Clearlove was speechless.

Chen Yan ignored the fans' cheers and entered the venue. At the same time, the OMG players appeared: Top laner Xiyang, Jungler World6, Mid laner icon, AD carry SmlZ, and Support Five.

Aaron looked grim. "OMG’s mid-jungle duo is tough to deal with, especially icon; his individual laning strength is formidable." icon had made his debut as an assassin player and had even held the title of "Solo Kill King" in the LPL. Consequently, everyone present was worried for Chen Yan. "If you feel like you can't handle icon in the mid lane, just play safe and wait for team fights. Listen to Meiko’s calls..."

icon?

Chen Yan’s gaze swept over the crowd and landed on icon. At that moment, icon’s eyes were filled with arrogance, his entire demeanor radiating a rebellious, punk-like energy. His heavily tattooed arms were intimidating, clearly marking him as someone not to be trifled with.

But Chen Yan just wanted to laugh. Because every time he thought of icon, he remembered his lackluster performance—being solo-killed by every other mid-laner in the group stages, playing Electrocute Lissandra against LeBlanc, and getting completely destroyed... He couldn't reconcile the image of icon with that of a "Solo Kill King."

icon seemed to sense Chen Yan’s gaze and arched an eyebrow. Their eyes met, and sparks seemed to fly. However, they soon returned to their respective back-stage lounges.

As soon as they were in the lounge, icon spoke loudly. "Damn, who’s that kid on the other side of EDG? He looks like he’s trying to provoke me."

"Don't you know? That’s their substitute mid-laner. I don't know what EDG is thinking, benching Scout and starting this guy." The OMG coach’s tone was light, almost mocking. They hadn't known how to prepare for EDG, but now, it seemed EDG was digging their own grave.

icon was surprised. "He’s *that* Chen Yan?"

"I think so. I don't know much about him. His previous performances were mediocre; nothing worth analyzing."

Hearing the coach, icon wore a playful expression. He cracked his knuckles. "So, he’s a rookie. I love crushing rookies." He added, "And he’s quite arrogant, too. After the match, I’ll make him cry on his way home."

Xiyang joked, "Don't trip in the gutter and get crushed by a rookie; that would be a huge joke."

"Ha, I’m not even afraid of Scout; why would I be afraid of a greenhorn?" icon sneered, eager to start the match.

Meanwhile, Chen Yan rose from his seat and headed to the stage.

"Good luck." Scout patted him on the shoulder, his narrow eyes filled with a smirk.

"I will, junior," Chen Yan chuckled, patting Scout back on the shoulder.

Scout’s mouth twitched. As soon as Chen Yan left, he quickly rubbed his shoulder. Chen Yan had held back most of his strength; otherwise, he could have sent Scout straight into retirement.

...

On the competition stage, Chen Yan sat in the gaming chair. When the spotlight hit his face, the livestream chat was instantly flooded with question marks.

*Where’s Scout? Who the hell is this guy?!*