156. First Appearance
After more than a week of intensive training, Yun Ling had made up for his shortcomings and weaknesses and adapted to the pace of the Seventh League.
While Yun Ling was still immersed in the game, Bronya gathered the rest of the group for a small meeting.
"Listen up, the main purpose of this match isn't the championship, but to test Yun Ling's ability to handle situations," Bronya explained the purpose of the match.
"Indeed, Yun Ling is a complete mess in real life..." Little Rabbit nodded.
The others understood. After spending a week together, they had gradually come to realize just how insecure this introverted boy was.
He always spoke in a very soft voice, fearing he might disturb others.
He would panic terribly if he made a mistake, even if it was a small one that no one would care about.
When dining out, he would shrink into a corner alone, quietly eating his meal, not even daring to move the lazy Sushang.
When Little Rabbit occasionally joked with him, trying to get a little closer to Yun Ling, he would blush and silently endure it, not daring to resist.
This made Little Rabbit a little embarrassed.
Everyone saw his behavior.
But changing someone is easier said than done.
His daily life, aside from being dragged to morning training by Bronya, consisted of training at the club.
Soldier who was training him was crying out for overtime pay, but of course, he didn't show it to Yun Ling.
If he did, with his personality, Yun Ling might not feel comfortable bothering him anymore.
He was a 'god' who could live in the game, but humans can't just live in games...
"I always feel like Captain Bronya values Yun Ling a lot," Ai said, clasping her hands together.
"Ahem, after all, people with talent like Yun Ling are indeed rare," Bronya coughed lightly, glaring at Ai.
"I guess it's because when she was taking care of Yun Ling, Bronya was reminded of how she used to care for other children at the orphanage," Kiana exposed her secret.
"Oh? Our 'Moonlit Fish Cat' actually has moments of thinking?" Bronya retorted.
"Bronya! How many times are you going to call that name? I thought you were just joking when you said you wanted to go pro, so I just filled in a random ID, and who knew you'd win the championship…"
Kiana replied shyly in the voice chat.
They participated in the Third League. As a newly formed team, no one had studied their playstyle, and they won the championship by focusing on their bot lane.
However, because rumors started circulating online that BRN's top laner could win even with a dog on a leash, and that he could do it too, the pressure became too much for the top laner, and he chose to leave.
Therefore, the BRN esports team consistently lacked a top-tier top laner, which led to their failure to secure top lane positions in the fourth and fifth leagues.
They initially wanted to recruit Yun Ling for the sixth league, but due to the incident involving Yun Ling, Soldier ultimately played top lane, with Ai jungling.
However, players who transition mid-career rarely perform well, and Soldier, at 23, was past his prime.
These negative factors ultimately combined to cause them to miss out on the championship.
Currently, Soldier is a substitute for BRN and is nearing retirement. He might consider transitioning to streaming, leveraging his existing popularity for additional income.
"In short, everyone can relax a bit this time and just keep an eye on Yunling's situation," Bronya said calmly.
This match was primarily for Yun Ling's sake, so the result wasn't important.
Soon, the match began, the stands were packed with spectators, and the event was streamed live online.
With several professional teams participating, the event was generating considerable buzz.
"Yun Ling, are you alright?"
Looking at Yun Ling, whose back was already soaked with sweat despite being in an air-conditioned room, Ai's face showed concern.
"I'm fine..." Yun Ling took a few deep breaths, ran to the bathroom, and washed his face.
He tried to calm himself down, but upon closer inspection, his thighs were already trembling slightly.
He wiped the sweat off with a towel and changed his clothes.
"I absolutely...have to win!"
Yun Ling wanted to prove his worth because he was afraid of returning to that place... As the commentator finished the opening remarks, teams appeared one by one.
"Next up is... Team BRN!"
A roar of cheers erupted from the arena.
As a former champion team and last year's runner-up, their popularity was naturally high.
A spotlight shone on the five players.
Wait... five people?
Yun Ling subconsciously looked up to his side.
Little Rabbit had transformed into a fair-skinned, long-legged beauty, wearing a pair of rabbit ear headbands.
And the unfamiliar 'Moonlit Fish Cat' was enthusiastically greeting the audience.
Yun Ling glanced at her briefly before looking away.
He didn't dare look up and wave like Kiana; the constant flashing lights from the arena made him uncomfortable, but he could only silently endure it.
"It seems our BRN team's new top laner, 'Ling,' is a bit shy. According to the official information, this is his first time participating in a competition! I wonder if he'll be a strong dark horse?"
The host chuckled and briefly introduced Yun Ling to everyone.
All eyes were on the shy boy with his head down. Yun Ling felt a wave of dizziness.
"Let's take a seat."
Noticing that Yun Ling's mood was a bit off, Bronya quickly led the others to sit down.
"Are you alright?" Ai asked.
"A little...nauseous." Yun Ling frowned, covering his mouth with his hand, as if he would vomit at any moment.
"Do you need to rest for a bit?" Kiana asked Yun Ling with equal concern.
"I can manage." Yun Ling shook his head, but still held a small bag in his hand.
Soon, the first elimination match began.
Yun Ling, overly nervous, made several mistakes right from the start.
He fatally missed a control skill during Ai's gank, allowing the opponent to escape.
A chorus of sighs rippled through the arena.
Fortunately, the opponents weren't strong, and Bronya and Xiao Tu were perfectly capable of carrying the team.
...