As the crowd exclaimed endlessly, Jiang Yifan, sitting at the computer, gazed at the scene of the enemy's Nexus shattering and silently took off his headset.
"Haven't played in over half a year. I'm a bit rusty. Didn't play too well, failed to set the tempo in several fights!"
The people who had been madly mocking Jiang Yifan couldn't say a single word.
They had planned to watch a joke, but instead, their own faces were slapped until they stung.
'Flashy, even a show-off isn't as flashy as you!'
'He hasn't played in half a year and can still stomp noobs in Ionia's Diamond rank? Holy crap!'
'If this is his peak form, couldn't he just slaughter his way in and out of Challenger games?'
Everyone sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.
'This expert... is terrifying!'
Just then, the account's owner, Yellow Hair, hurried over, handing Jiang Yifan a Zhonghua cigarette with a fawning smile.
"Big bro, have a smoke!"
Jiang Yifan accepted it with a chuckle. Yellow Hair conscientiously bent over to light it for him.
"Expert bro, what do you do? Seeing your dominant style, killing gods and buddhas who stand in your way... you're not a pro player, are you?"
Yellow Hair asked tentatively while lighting the cigarette.
Jiang Yifan didn't answer immediately. He took a deep drag, the harsh smoke filling his lungs. It settled for a few seconds as the acridity slowly turned to heat, and then he exhaled lightly. In a hoarse voice, he said, "I used to be a pro."
"Holy shit, expert bro really is awesome." Yellow Hair offered some timely flattery, then asked, "May I ask which team you play for now, expert bro?"
Jiang Yifan exhaled another ring of smoke, pointed at the jacket draped over the back of the chair, and said, "Meituan Delivery!"
Yellow Hair couldn't believe it at first. But when Jiang Yifan finished his cigarette, put on the orange jacket with the Meituan Delivery logo, picked up his thermal bag, and walked out of the internet cafe, he had to reluctantly accept that this highly skilled expert was just an ordinary delivery guy.
Yellow Hair sighed. "Ai, even delivery guys have to be pro-level these days. It's really not easy. Meituan Delivery... crouching tigers, hidden dragons!"
Jiang Yifan carried his thermal bag and walked out of the internet cafe in a few steps.
Remembering the scene of his unrestrained slaughter on Summoner's Rift, he couldn't help but let out a long breath. The depression lingering in his chest eased for a moment.
'As I thought... I still can't let go of League of Legends.'
After all, in Jiang Yifan's eyes, League of Legends had long since ceased to be just a simple game. It was a kind of glory, even a faith.
He had been glorious, and he had been lost; he had stood at the peak, and he had fallen to the bottom.
'No matter the ups and downs of life, I have no regrets in joining the League!'
'Unfortunately, heaven doesn't grant people's wishes...'
Bzz... Bzz... Bzz...
The vibration of his phone pulled Jiang Yifan back from his thoughts.
He looked down at the number. It was a call from Doctor Liu. He quickly answered.
"Hello, Doctor Liu, hello. Why are you calling me so late?"
"Oh, you're talking about the hospital fees? Can you give me a few more days? I just paid the surgery fee the day before yesterday..."
"No, my sister's surgery can't be delayed... How about this, I'll figure something out, borrow some money from friends. The day after tomorrow. I'll definitely have the money paid in full by the afternoon, the day after tomorrow. Is that okay?"
"Oh, okay, okay. Don't worry, I'll definitely get the money together. Also, can I ask you a favor? Please don't tell my sister about the surgery and hospital fees. She... she can't stand spending a lot of money... Okay, thank you!"
Hanging up the phone, Jiang Yifan's face was etched with worry.
'Several thousand in hospital fees... where am I supposed to get it?'
Although he had been a pro for two or three years, the domestic pro scene was just getting started. It was completely different from games with more mature competitive circuits. A pro player's salary wasn't much at all.
Moreover, Jiang Yifan was someone who never showed his face. He refused all the endorsements the club wanted to arrange and any contracts with streaming platforms. In his heart, there was only the game.
The club owner was naturally very dissatisfied. He could clearly make a lot of money off Jiang Yifan, but he could only watch helplessly.
For the past six months, the owner had shown no mercy, stopping all his salary. Even if Jiang Yifan chose to stream, according to the contract he signed, the money would basically all go to the club. Not to mention, Jiang Yifan was unwilling to do it in the first place.
Some friends suggested he do some boosting. The money was quick, but as an active pro player, if he was discovered, his career would be ruined.
'Sigh!'
Jiang Yifan sighed and pulled a seven-yuan pack of Zhongnanhai from his pocket. This was one of his loves; whether poor or rich, this was the only brand he smoked.
Just as he put his phone back in his pocket, Jiang Yifan heard it buzz again.
'Damn it, who's calling me again?' Jiang Yifan was worried about the hospital fees, and his temper was starting to fray.
A strange number, yet somehow familiar. Jiang Yifan understood something.
"Hello? Who is this?"
"The surgery fee has been paid, right?"
"Yes. Thank you."
"Don't thank me. You haven't forgotten what we agreed on, have you?"
"Send me the agreement. I'll do what I said. I won't have anything to do with LoL for one year."
"Good. I trust you. I will deliver the agreement to you personally."
Jiang Yifan clenched his fists tightly, an indescribable feeling in his heart.
For his sister's surgery fee, Jiang Yifan had no choice but to sacrifice his pro career. The three hundred thousand in medical expenses... he simply couldn't afford it.
His career, his dreams, his honor... compared to his sister's health, they were not worth mentioning.
Although Jiang Yifan didn't know who this mysterious person was or what their motives were, he had no choice. He could only bow to reality.
Jiang Yifan had no other choice...
He hadn't even finished his cigarette when the phone in his pocket vibrated again.
'Heh, I'm really busy today.'
This time, a customer had placed a delivery order.
Jiang Yifan accepted the order without hesitation, got on his electric scooter, and disappeared down the road.
On the Cat Food TV streaming platform, in the League of Legends channel, inside some unknown minor streamer's room.
A good-looking, long-legged girl was mechanically and clumsily controlling her champion—Kassadin, the Void Walker—farming timidly under the mid-lane turret.
The opposing red side's champion was the infamous mid-lane assassin—Yasuo, the Unforgiven.
Although, by the game's design, Kassadin was supposed to counter Yasuo, this female streamer, named "Yelan Tingxue," was so unskilled it was painful. She was down over 100 CS to the enemy Yasuo, not to mention she had given up first blood at the ten-minute mark and was already behind by a major item.
The dozen or so comments in the bullet chat were all frantic complaints.
"Holy shit, first time seeing a Kassadin lose to a 'Yas-hole.' Streamer, you're really something."
"There are noobs like this in Gold rank? Tsk tsk, I've seen it all now!"
"Idiot streamer, just go to bed. What an embarrassment to the League."
"Good looks, but truly trash skill. Why not give up gaming and just be a 'body' streamer?"
"Haha, show us something hot, and I'll send you a 'Plane' gift right away."
When Chen Lanxue saw these crude and unbearable comments, her face instantly flushed red with shame, and she secretly ground her teeth in anger.
But what could she do besides swallow her anger?
On one hand, Chen Lanxue genuinely wanted to be a game streamer and prove herself with her skills. On the other hand, her skills truly were painfully bad. And just then, she was solo-killed under her turret by the enemy Yasuo again.
"Damn it!"
Chen Lanxue angrily slammed her mouse down, her small cherry-like lips pouting slightly. Her angry expression was actually a little cute.
Knock, knock, knock!
Someone was knocking on the door.
Chen Lanxue's eyes lit up instantly. The delivery guy was here!
For a dedicated foodie, no matter how bad her mood, she would never refuse the temptation of good food.
She quickly put on her slippers, not even bothering to grab a jacket, and pattered to the door in a few steps.
"Hello, Meituan Delivery."
Jiang Yifan said softly, handing over the packaged food.
"Hoo... it's so cold."
The moment the door opened, the cold wind swirling outside immediately rushed in. Chen Lanxue didn't even take the food; she dashed back, threw her jacket over her shoulders, and crouched in front of the heater, shivering.
Jiang Yifan: ...
When her body temperature finally rose again, Chen Lanxue slowly raised her head, grinned at Jiang Yifan, who was still standing outside the door, and said, "Um, could you please bring the food in?"
Jiang Yifan gave a helpless smile, walked inside as requested, and placed the food on the table beside Chen Lanxue. His eyes happened to glimpse the computer screen, and he couldn't help but ask.
"As a streamer, if you just AFK and screw over your teammates, you'll lose followers."
Chen Lanxue huffed, annoyed. "My teammates are so trash, we can't win even if I don't AFK. Besides, I'm just an unknown streamer with no followers. So what if I lose them!"
Jiang Yifan shook his head helplessly. "The spirit of League of Legends is to never give up. Think about Ambition, think about Uzi. They also walked from the valley of failure to the glory of success!"
Chen Lanxue stuck her tongue out playfully. "Them? They're old news. The current League idol should be the God-King team's rookie ADC, Jiang Chengzi."
'Jiang Chengzi.'
'What a familiar name.'
Jiang Yifan glanced around the female streamer's bedroom. The posters on the wall were all for the God-King team. The top laner, mid laner, jungler, support, and even the substitute mid laner were all on the posters, but the star ADC, Jiang Chengzi, was conspicuously absent.
Chen Lanxue noticed Jiang Yifan's gaze and sighed. "Ai, it's a shame. God Jiang is just too low-key. He's never even attended a single interview. I still don't even know what he looks like. He must be really handsome!"
"Absolutely!" Jiang Yifan's face flushed, and he quickly changed the subject. "If you don't get back online, your teammates aren't going to last."
"Hmph, I don't care. I'm hungry, I need to eat first." Chen Lanxue showed a sly, fox-like smile. "Seeing as you know so much about League, want to play this game for me?"
"This..." Jiang Yifan hesitated.