“Let’s congratulate DG! They’ve reached match point for the Spring Split Finals ahead of schedule!”
The moment the commentator’s voice fell, TIG’s crystal exploded on the battlefield. The cheers of DG’s fans from outside the glass room pierced through the headsets and crashed straight into Lin Anke’s heart.
The game screen froze on the second when his in game character collapsed in front of the crystal. He and the crystal had been taken down by DG at the exact same time.
Lin Anke sat quietly in front of the computer, remaining completely still for a long time.
“Anke, we’re going back to the locker room.” Xu Sheng, who was sitting beside him, stood up and gave him a pat on the shoulder.
Only then did Lin Anke take off his headset.
The other teammates had already left. He picked up the team jacket hanging over the back of his chair and followed them toward the backstage area.
Inside the locker room, the five players who had just returned from the stage were completely silent.
The TIG coach did not look particularly good either but he still did his best to keep his emotions under control as he went over the mistakes they had made in the previous game.
Starfall Echo, abbreviated as SE, was a globally popular 5v5 competitive MOBA game.
In every match, the players on both sides spawned at opposite ends of the map. Each side had five players and depending on their assigned lane and responsibilities, they were divided into five positions: top laner, jungler, mid laner, ADC and support.
Before entering a match, players could choose different hero characters according to their positions. However, two positions were somewhat special: the ADC and the support, who formed the duo in the bottom lane.
The ADC relied primarily on powerful basic attacks to deal damage but had relatively low health. Because Starfall Echo featured a relatively large jungle area and its game mechanics meant that teammates could not always arrive in time to provide assistance, the ADC and support had to remain together as a pair.
As a result, the coordination and chemistry between the ADC support duo were especially important on the SEL, the Starfall Echo Professional League, stage.
Lin Anke was TIG’s starting support and this was his third year competing in the professional league.
The Spring Split Finals were a best of five series, with the first team to win three games taking the championship. Their opponent, DG, had already taken two consecutive games. This meant that if they lost one more, they would be completely swept and would lose their chance at the championship trophy.
After briefly going over the problems of the other four players in the previous game, the coach reached Lin Anke. He paused for a moment.
“Anke, sit out the next game and let the substitute play. Your style is too conservative.”
The moment Xu Sheng said those words, the air in the locker room seemed to be sucked completely out.
Lin Anke froze where he stood and looked at Xu Sheng in disbelief.
The expressions of the others immediately became complicated. Everyone within TIG knew about the relationship between Lin Anke and Xu Sheng. They were not only childhood sweethearts and lovers but also TIG’s ADC support duo.
The two of them had joined TIG together and Xu Sheng had mentioned more than once that Lin Anke had entered the professional scene because of him but now Xu Sheng was saying that Lin Anke should be taken out of the starting lineup?
Lin Anke stood rooted to the spot as everyone’s gaze shifted back and forth between him and Xu Sheng.
Xu Sheng did not turn around to look at him.
The coach nodded. “That works too. Xingxing and Xu Sheng usually have pretty good chemistry during training. Let’s have the two of them try it in the next game. Anke, you can rest backstage.”
The mid laner hesitated. “Is that really a good idea? Xingxing doesn’t have any experience in major tournaments and the next game is also DG’s match point…”
That was indeed a problem.
The coach looked toward Xingxing and asked, “Can you play?”
Their opponent had reached match point in the finals. If they lost after making a substitution, the first people the fans would tear apart and nail to the pillar of shame would be the coach and the substitute player.
Xingxing’s first reaction was to look toward Xu Sheng. His eyes were filled with expectation as he asked, “Brother Sheng, do you think I can do it?”
Xu Sheng was helpless. “The coach is asking you.”
Xingxing gave a shy smile. “If Brother Sheng thinks I can do it, then I’ll have the courage to go on.”
Xu Sheng said, “Then go.”
Xingxing cheered and the coach nodded. “I’ll go communicate with the officials. You guys adjust your mentality as quickly as possible. Xingxing, don’t be too nervous. DG’s ADC is also a newcomer.”
“I know. Safer entered the youth training camp around the same time I did.”
Xu Sheng looked pleasantly surprised. “Really? I’ve never heard you mention that before. Then you should be pretty familiar with his playstyle, right?”
“More or less. Safer’s playstyle is relatively aggressive.”
“Being too reckless as a newcomer isn’t necessarily a good thing.” Xu Sheng did not seem particularly concerned. He turned his head toward TIG’s jungler and said, “Focus more on DG’s bottom lane next game. Don’t let him get the chance to farm and develop.”
The coach returned very quickly and the group immediately began discussing their tactics for the next game as though no one else were around.
Xingxing volunteered eagerly, “Brother Sheng, watch my positioning later. If I manage to catch someone, you go in.”
From beginning to end, no one had asked for Lin Anke’s opinion.
He opened his mouth, wanting to call Xu Sheng out so they could have a talk.
But then he saw Xu Sheng smiling as he reached over and affectionately ruffled his hair. “If you start the team fight, how could I possibly not follow? We’ll be relying on Xingxing to carry us next game.”
Xu Sheng’s words struck Lin Anke across the face like a slap.
His entire body went rigid.
The moment the words left his mouth, Xu Sheng also realized that something was wrong and he immediately stopped speaking.
Lin Anke could not stay there any longer. He stood up and walked out of the locker room.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Xingxing looked a little worried. “Is Encore angry?”
Xu Sheng paused.
A faint trace of remorse rose in his heart but when he remembered how good tempered Anke had always been, he quickly put his mind at ease again. He comforted Xingxing, “Anke won’t get angry. It’s only one game. He never really liked playing professionally in the first place, so it doesn’t matter whether he plays or not.”
Xingxing looked envious. “I know. I heard Encore came to play professionally because of Brother Sheng. You two really have such a good relationship.”
“Looking back at the previous game, we can see that DG’s rookie ADC put on an especially fierce performance. His damage contribution for a single game exceeded 30%! And the MVP for both of the first two games went to Safer.”
“Yes, Safer is a player I believe most of the audience here is still somewhat unfamiliar with. Safer only joined DG through their youth training program at the beginning of this year yet his performance throughout the entire Spring Split has been exceptionally impressive. DG’s coach previously said that Safer is the most talented rookie he has ever seen…”
…….
During the halftime break, the commentators were discussing the players from both sides onstage. Lin Anke stood in the corridor and listened for a while before turning around and heading toward the restroom.
The restroom was very quiet. The noisy sounds from inside the venue were completely shut out by the doors.
Lin Anke bent over and splashed some water onto his face. Droplets trickled along the line of his jaw before falling onto the countertop and only then did his muddled mind begin to clear a little.
He had not brought any tissues with him and he did not bother wiping his face. He simply stood there in silence, staring blankly at his own reflection in the mirror.
As for being substituted out, Lin Anke had actually seen it coming long ago.
During training matches, the substitute was occasionally sent in. The coach had arranged Xingxing’s position on the other side of Xu Sheng from him and Xu Sheng and Xingxing had been interacting with each other more and more frequently…
Everyone was saying that Lin Anke’s playstyle was no longer suited to the current version of the game.
Starfall Echo was currently in an ADC focused meta. Whoever had an ADC capable of stepping forward and dealing consistent damage was the one who could win the game.
What TIG needed was a support who could initiate team fights and create a safe environment for Xu Sheng to deal damage, rather than a support like Encore who only knew how to act as a tool for the team and protect the carry.
But Lin Anke had once been someone who dared to fight and take risks. He had been capable of seizing the right moment to initiate a team fight and lock down an opponent.
It was just that, back then, the version’s core focus had not been on the bottom lane. Xu Sheng wanted to play more steadily, so the coaching staff had adjusted their tactics accordingly, making macro play and controlled operations the primary focus.
Three years had passed.
The game had once again entered an era dominated by the bottom lane.
And yet, not a single person on TIG had asked Lin Anke what he thought before simply replacing him.
It was true that he had initially entered the professional scene because he wanted to accompany Xu Sheng.
But three whole years had passed.
If he did not genuinely love this game, then who would willingly give up attending a top university just to enter the professional league and be cursed at by online trolls?
“So what a coincidence.”
Someone walked out from the inner room.
The man was tall and slender, with a DG team jacket draped over his shoulders. His brows and eyes were filled with undisguised amusement as he looked at Lin Anke.
“Anke, you played pretty well just now. I kept you suppressed for so long and you still managed to find an opportunity to almost take me down. I won’t let you catch me off guard like that again in the next game.”
Lin Anke silently cursed his luck.
If there was anyone he least wanted to run into at a time like this, it was undoubtedly Duan Chi.
Duan Chi was a rookie who had only made his first appearance on the SEL stage at the beginning of this year. He was DG’s starting ADC and even though the finals had not yet concluded, he had already been officially recognized by the league as the Best Rookie. His performance had been exceptionally eye catching.
Normally speaking, even if a rookie who primarily played ADC like this was not particularly close to Lin Anke, there should have been no reason for the entire league to know that the two of them did not get along.
And yet, that was exactly what had happened.
In the first regular season match between TIG and DG, TIG had lost to DG two games to three.
According to the league’s official regulations, after every match, the players from both sides had to shake hands with each other in turn, as a gesture of sportsmanship.
Ten players shaking hands and exchanging greetings with one another was nothing more than an ordinary post match routine.
However, when Lin Anke stood in front of Duan Chi and extended his hand, Duan Chi suddenly curled his fingers back and deliberately avoided making contact.
That single small movement left not only Lin Anke standing there in stunned disbelief but everyone else on the stage frozen as well.
On the SEL stage, refusing to shake hands with the losing side had no other reasonable interpretation besides mockery and provocation.
Not to mention that Duan Chi and the other…
On the SEL stage, refusing to shake hands with the losing side had no other reasonable interpretation besides mockery and provocation. What made it even more obvious was that Duan Chi interacted normally with everyone else yet when it came to Lin Anke, he had deliberately withdrawn his hand.
After that match, Duan Chi received an official warning from the league and the news of his bad blood with Lin Anke spread like wildfire.
Lin Anke had always been a rather indifferent person. He rarely lost his temper and seemed as though almost nothing could bother him yet, for some reason, he remembered this particular incident for a very long time. Afterward, whenever the two of them encountered each other in any setting, no matter what Duan Chi said, Lin Anke would always find a way to throw a retort right back at him.
But today, Lin Anke was in no mood for it.
He merely said lightly, “I’m not playing the next game. Didn’t your coach tell you?”
Only then did Duan Chi’s gaze fall onto his face and he stopped short.
Lin Anke did not care what Duan Chi was thinking. After saying that one sentence, he pushed open the door and walked out.
Onstage, the commentators had received the notification and were already informing the audience in advance that TIG would be making a substitution for the next game. At the same time, they began introducing the rookie substitute who would be making his first appearance.
Naturally, Lin Anke’s fans inside the venue were having none of it.
They shouted loudly, “We want Encore! We want Encore!!!”
When Lin Anke returned to the locker room, the others were already getting ready to head onto the stage.
The coach saw him come back and immediately said, “Are Encore’s peripherals still onstage? Go get them. It would be better if Xingxing uses his own peripherals. Xu Sheng, help him adjust everything later. He isn’t familiar with the competition equipment.”
There was no one onstage at the moment.
If Lin Anke went back to retrieve his peripherals, then even if the director did not cut to the shot, there was no way to prevent the entire venue from seeing him.
Xu Sheng hesitated. “How about we just leave them there for now? After the next game, I’ll bring Anke’s peripherals back for him.”
Lin Anke did not even look at him. “No need. I’ll tell the staff.”
The venue staff worked quickly. Before the next game began, they retrieved Lin Anke’s peripherals and informed the team that they could head onto the stage.
The coach led the five players out of the locker room, leaving only Lin Anke and the other members of the coaching staff behind.
The screen in front of them was broadcasting the match live. The director had focused the camera on Xingxing as he adjusted his computer and chair. Xu Sheng occupied more than half of the frame, turned slightly to the side as he helped Xingxing install his peripherals.
Commentator A said, “Captain Xu is helping the rookie adjust his equipment. As we can see, he’s taking pretty good care of this newcomer.”
Commentator B laughed. “Haha, after all, he’s his own support.”
Commentator A continued, “The team chemistry seems pretty good. It’s understandable that a player making his first appearance would be unfamiliar with the competition equipment. That’s also why our professional players are required to bring their own keyboards and mice before taking the stage.”
Lin Anke did not look at the screen anymore.
He lowered his head and opened his phone.
There were several missed calls and unread text messages. They were all from someone saved in his contacts as “Father.”
Lin Anke glanced over the contents of the messages but did not bother responding.
He opened the esports forum directly.
Sure enough, people were already discussing TIG’s substitution in the finals.
#TIG Finally Came to Their Senses and Decided to Replace the No. 1 Support in the Country?#
【They should’ve replaced him ages ago. Why did they have to wait until they were down 0–2? What can the No. 1 support in the country even do besides coast through games?】
【Genuine question from someone who doesn’t know: Who exactly is the No. 1 support in the country?】
【Newbie above? The No. 1 Support in the country is, of course, our famous Anke! When he first debuted, his fans hyped him up as the No. 1 Support on the national server. Then he joined TIG and TIG only ever plays on the national server. Every year, they go home after reaching the quarterfinals at Worlds. At this point, he’s practically cemented his position as the No. 1 Support in the country.】
【Wasn’t there obviously a communication problem in that last play? Encore had clearly already caught Safer but Xu Sheng didn’t follow up.】
【A bunch of brainless fangirls keep trying to make excuses for your precious Anke. The ADC wasn’t there, so what’s the point of him charging in and initiating by himself? Can he even deal damage on his own? Why not just let the No. 1 Support in the country build a full damage setup and have Xu Sheng support him instead?】
【Esports really is an easy place to coast these days. As long as you’re good looking, you’ll naturally have a bunch of brain dead fans making excuses for you. You can even feed kills onstage and still have a huge crowd chasing after you and screaming “Husband!” What a bunch of idiots.】
Lin Anke frowned.
He was not very good at cursing people out but he really could not stand by and watch these people use filthy language to attack the fans who were defending him.
He copied the link to the post, opened his alternate WeChat account and sent it, along with the screenshots, to the contact saved as “AAA Paid Insulter.”
Lin Anke had more female fans than male fans. He himself had a mild temperament and his fans were not particularly aggressive either. Every time he lost a match, the comment section on Weibo would almost invariably turn into a one sided barrage of abuse. Neither he nor his fans were spared.
Until one day, quite by accident, Lin Anke discovered someone in his comment section with an exceptionally powerful fighting spirit. That person would single handedly chase after more than a dozen trolls from the opposing side and curse them out, while also taking the time to fire back at anyone who was attacking other fans.
With the attitude of someone sincerely seeking advice, Lin Anke used his alternate account to add him.
To his surprise, the person was extremely generous. He told Lin Anke that whenever there was someone he could not win an argument against, he could simply send them over and he would curse them out on his behalf for free.
Naturally, Lin Anke felt too embarrassed to accept that without paying him.
After doing business a few times, the two of them eventually established a long term arrangement. Lin Anke even paid him an annual fee in advance.
AAA Paid Insulter did not reply to him but Lin Anke was not in a hurry. He knew that once the other person saw the message, he would definitely help him fire back at those people, so he simply closed his phone.
By then, five minutes had already passed in the match.
Lin Anke’s gaze swept across the scoreboard.
Then he suddenly stopped.
The game had only just begun.
How was Xu Sheng already 0–3?
____________
Author’s Note:
Thank you for your support!
《Starfall Echo》 (SE) is an original MOBA game created by the author. The game mechanics and the format of its professional league are entirely fictional.
SE: The abbreviation for the game Starfall Echo.
SEL: The abbreviation for the Starfall Echo Professional League.
ADC: Refers to a character who primarily deals damage through basic attacks. Under normal circumstances, this is roughly equivalent to a marksman or ADC and in casual speech, it is sometimes shortened to AD.
I hope everyone enjoys reading!~
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Fleurveil
[Translator]
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Next →
ChaptersChapter 1 · He was substituted off the fieldChapter 2 · I’ll avenge youChapter 3 · Leaving TIGChapter 4 · Point and shootChapter 5 · Join DGChapter 6 · Live stream collisionChapter 7 · MysteriousChapter 8 · Transfer NoticeChapter 9 · Want the championshipChapter 10 · Galaxy BattleshipChapter 11 · Be my DogChapter 12 · Post match ConflictChapter 13 · ReportedChapter 14 · Weibo CodeChapter 15 · Live Streaming to attract FansChapter 16 · Duan Chi’s horse was exposedChapter 17 · Emotional articlesChapter 18 · Match voice recording