Chapter 117: Huh? Do I Need To Practice Heroes?
“Yes,” Ji De agreed.
“It can be said that today’s EDG victory, the perfect synergy between mid and jungle was the absolute cornerstone.”
“Clearlove’s veteran rhythm control created perfect performance space for Unreal, and Unreal repaid Clearlove’s trust with his phenomenal performance. This mid-jungle duo completely suppressed RNG’s Mala Xiang Guo and Xiao Hu today.”
Ji De paused, then continued: “So, here we must congratulate EDG again!
They have successfully obtained the ticket to the Nanjing finals! They will face WE next week, and we all look forward to EDG and WE continuing today’s fiery state and delivering even more exciting performances on the finals stage!”
On site, the huge cheers from EDG’s fan area almost lifted the arena’s roof.
Fans’ faces were filled with unbelievable joy and excitement, high-fiving and hugging those around them. No one knew how much pressure they felt when EDG was on a losing streak!
It can be said the entire internet was full of cold mockery…
Shouting for Clearlove to retire quickly, stop occupying the spot without performing.
However, in fact, Ai Luoli’s performance was not up to the task. Of the five lost matches, three were his games. How can the blame be entirely shifted to Clearlove?
Terribly poor performance, picking Graves right away. Do you think the enemy jungler is worse than you?
Thinking picking Graves can win the jungle?
Making Clearlove come carry the big blame…
Fortunately, Kuaisu Xing had keen insight later, discovering the hidden carry in the team. After Unreal came up, he truly completely changed the state of the entire team.
Previously, they never thought that EDG, this powerhouse team, would have to rely on a substitute.
But now they have to admit, Unreal is really amazing!
“I need to apologize to Fan Ge now. Before, I said he was slacking by streaming other games all day, but it turns out I was the idiot.”
“Indeed, Fan Ge is too amazing. Handsome and good at other games—aren’t players like this much better than LoL Dogs? His hobby is just playing other games!”
“Weren’t you calling him useless a few days ago? Saying to wash up and go to your main team next season. Does that still count?”
“Even if we diss him, he’s still our EDG starting mid laner.”
“Who isn’t? I didn’t know he was this strong when I dissed him! Fan Ge, I was wrong.”
“I’m a WE fan. RNG’s regular season performance was exaggerated. How did they get kicked out in playoffs like this? Just like a stray dog on the roadside…”
RNG fans hearing this had bloodshot eyes.
Came to support the team offline but lost, and then got taunted…
The whole person was about to explode!
But EDG fans were still very perceptive.
After all, their main team had already won; there was no point in verbal sparring.
Better to be magnanimous.
At this moment, someone stood up: “It’s probably because they haven’t adapted to the playoffs version yet. Look at EDG’s lineup—mid lane heroes are more support-oriented, and top lane is always frontline tank.”
“Not adapting to the version means it’s easy to be toyed with in matches.”
Hearing this, the RNG fan was stunned. It seemed like there really was no issue.
Completely because they adapted too poorly to the version…
Why is everyone else on RNG adapting to the version so poorly?
EDG can pick any hero: Galio, Shen, even Orianna Hecarim combo.
But what’s wrong with RNG? Still playing top Fizz… Wasn’t that just from the previous version?
Then mid can’t pull out Galio, still Viktor Karma Lulu!
Xiao Hai’s thighs are about to be hugged to pieces!
Thinking this way, no wonder they got mocked by strangers.
In the end, it’s because they themselves aren’t competitive enough…
If they were competitive, how could this happen?
Others adapt well to the version—why can’t they?
Thinking this, he couldn’t help pulling out his mobile phone and going to RNG’s official Weibo to leave comments.
Cursed everyone from coach to players except Xiao Hai.
Unreal streams all sorts of messy games on one side, yet perfectly adapts to the version here. You guys train all day every day and still can’t adapt to playoffs version?
Useless… really have to curse.
On stage, EDG players wore victorious smiles, walking one by one to RNG’s player seats for the post-match handshake.
Li Fan walked in the middle of the team, his expression calm. He wasn’t particularly excited by this key victory, still looking elegant and amiable, following behind Clearlove like a shy young man.
RNG’s player seats had an extremely heavy atmosphere.
Mala Xiang Guo hung his head, hands continuously rubbing his face, seemingly unable to accept the result…
Xiao Hai wasn’t like his teammates; he just pursed his lips, hands flat on his thighs, back straight, eyes fixed intently on the approaching EDG group.
His gaze passed over mouse in front, passed over Clearlove, and locked firmly on the unfamiliar yet familiar new mid laner Li Fan in EDG uniform.
Li Fan felt this gaze and looked up, meeting Uzi’s eyes exactly.
For Uzi, this legendary AD… Li Fan’s emotions were actually complex.
Because initially, Royal Club did carry LPL’s hopes, with two consecutive runner-ups, and he truly had goodwill toward the core Uzi.
This was the same for audiences who started watching matches at that time.
Even if not absolute fans, no one hated him.
After the infamous “half-map milk” scene in OMG era, everyone just explained for him: it’s eagerness to win, didn’t want to lose.
But after the 2018 World Championship, it completely changed.
Everyone realized Uzi was still the kid who threw tantrums, mentally immature and hot-tempered.
He does have competitive spirit… but wants everyone to be green leaves while he is the flower.
Having selfishness is normal, but the mistake is that this is a team competition game.
Except your parents, no one wants to selflessly dedicate forever.
But the club also wanted to completely protect this god.
This led to Xiang Guo being benched…
Because he explicitly said not to let Uzi remote-control him, and the starter was switched to Casa who likes level 2 gank bottom.
Then G2 discovered RNG bot lane likes to perform, Varus Tahm Kench avoids lane, successfully executing the tactic.
Letting Ap breakthrough Xiao Hu in mid.
Can only say in 2018, Xiao Hu lay comfortably; World Championship made him completely forget how to lane.
Right in this toxic atmosphere, RNG created the scenario of championship favorites being sent home 3-2 by G2…
It was so absurd that many thought there was match-fixing.
But losing to G2 and being eliminated tanked Uzi’s reputation.
Of course, the biggest controversy was Lone Swimmer…
Honestly, coming back for the dream is admirable.
But took Meituan ad, and quit the next year.
Isn’t this asking for public criticism?
Uzi stared dead at Li Fan, as if trying to see through him completely.
Li Fan’s expression unchanged, calmly met his gaze, nodding slightly as greeting.
When it was Li Fan’s turn to shake with Uzi, Uzi didn’t extend his hand immediately. He still looked up at Li Fan standing before him: “You… played very well.”
Li Fan stopped, seriously replying: “Thanks, you guys played well too.”
Uzi’s mouth twitched, like wanting to smile but couldn’t.
Indeed, when speechless, it’s truly speechless.
He couldn’t tell if Li Fan was praising them or yin yang-ing them.
Losing to EDG… rather, losing to Unreal. This one person completely crushed his team, without any temper left.
In the third match, even his own operation deformed, with many mistakes.
Otherwise, there might have been a chance to take a game.
After all, Vayne was picked; as long as developing steadily, there was great chance. But now the match is over; no point thinking.
Uzi packed his equipment while glancing at EDG full team bowing to audience at stage center, shook his head to clear these thoughts.
No meaning…
Under stage spotlights, EDG full team lined up, facing the boiling audience seats, bowing deeply.
Clearlove waved his arms vigorously, responding to fans’ tsunami cheers.
But awkwardly heard everyone shouting Unreal… Unreal…
“Fan Ge, you’re really amazing. In just over two months, your popularity has exploded like this.”
“Isn’t it because you helped mid so much? Otherwise, how could I play so comfortably?”
…
At stage center, lights focused on Li Fan and host Ren Dong.
Cheers from below surged to another small climax due to Li Fan’s appearance.
Ren Dong with professional smile handed the mic to Li Fan: “Congrats again to EDG, and welcome Unreal for our interview!”
“First, today you showed two heroes not used in regular season: Orianna Twisted Fate and Justice Giant Galio, both with very standout performances. Is this showing your unfathomable champion pool to all audience and upcoming opponents?”
Li Fan took the mic, but his words stunned the whole venue: “Actually… no, mainly feeling like usable heroes are running out, targeted heavily, so had to pull out some bottom-of-the-box stuff to try.”
“Oh?” Ren Dong perfectly showed curiosity, “Bottom-of-the-box Galio? Galio is a newly reworked hero; many players still exploring, yet you use it so proficiently in key matches. Does this mean you learn new heroes very quickly?”
Right after Ren Dong spoke, someone below grumbled.
Practiced jack shit, spent two days playing PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds with Pineapple, duo queue going crazy.
Don’t know why, but Galio played so well. Unexplainable.
“Ah? Need to practice heroes? I never practice heroes. Truth is, if I can play it, I pick it; if not, I don’t.” Li Fan shook his head, expression very sincere.
Ren Dong hearing this paused obviously.
He hosted countless interviews, heard all kinds: humble, arrogant, watertight. But “never practice heroes” from a pro player? First time.
He even doubted if he misheard, subconsciously confirming: “Ah? Never… practice heroes?”
Li Fan explained: “I mean… maybe my understanding of practice is different from everyone’s.”
“I think getting a hero to match-ready doesn’t need, like many imagine, mechanically grinding hundreds of games in training mode or ranked.”
“More important is understanding the hero’s mechanics, its position in lineup, and when to do what.”
“Like Galio, after rework I read skill descriptions, roughly got it, rest is judging in actual games based on situation. Strictly speaking, I don’t think that’s practice; more like… understanding and adaptation.”
This look, where is the angry cursing at Snake Team four clowns from Endless Tournament?
Below stage, noisy audience seats instantly quieted for a moment, then burst into bigger gasps and discussions.
“Ah?”
“No hero practice?”
“Showing off?”
“Fan Ge at it again?”
“But… he really doesn’t play League of Legends. For others I wouldn’t believe a bit, but for Unreal, I kinda do. Makes sense.”
“Right, when has Unreal streamed ranked? When did he practice Galio?”
Live stream room discussed exactly like on-site audience.
Overall, credibility is quite high.
Really no practice!
All from hero skill descriptions; once understood, felt playable, then used…
“So you mean your hero mastery relies more on talent… or super strong game understanding, not traditional repetitive practice?”
“Can understand it that way.” Li Fan nodded, “Also, often teammates do well, giving me space to perform. Like if Clearlove doesn’t help, my laning might not be so comfortable.”
Backstage lounge, meiko elbowed Clearlove beside him, lowering voice: “Brother Kai, what do you think of Fan Ge’s words just now… how much true, how much fake? He really plays like this just from reading skill descriptions?”
“You ask me? Who do I ask? But… think back carefully: since he joined, at training base, have you seen him like us, grinding one hero non-stop in ranked day and night?”
meiko stunned, then seriously pondered: “Seems… really not. He doesn’t play ranked at all; if he does, various heroes rotating, sometimes runs to other games… Galio was coach telling him to use in training match, then directly did—hiss—”
More he thought, weirder it felt.
Normal pro players maintain feel and deepen understanding through thousands of repetitive games?
But Li Fan’s appearance seems to completely break this iron rule.
For other heroes, you could say he practiced before with muscle memory, but Galio reworked is totally new hero. Besides reading skills to learn directly, no other explanation.
“So, maybe he’s telling truth; just this truth too scary.”
“What we think needs thousands of games to master, for him, really just understand skill mechanics, grasp lineup synergy, then… knows it.”
In another lounge, WE players watching this semi-final also heard Li Fan’s exaggerated remarks.
Xi Ye looking at Li Fan’s calm face on screen, frowned tightly: “What nonsense is this guy saying? Never practices heroes? Knows from skill descriptions? Bullshit!”
He completely couldn’t understand or accept.
As top pro mid, he knew every stably performing hero on stage requires massive time and sweat.
Must master every skill’s windup, projectile, damage calculation, grind synergy timings with teammates.
Only through massive training can fully master the hero.
Li Fan’s claim…
Made him feel like pro matches are child’s play in his mouth.
“Damn! In finals, I’ll properly teach this guy.”
“Wei Ge, now only 100% win rate in training matches, haven’t won real matches yet.” Kang Di directly tore down.
“Screw you, keep this up and I’ll really truth you!”
Li Fan’s “never practice heroes” like a depth charge, after interview quickly exploded entire esports circle, related topics rocketing up hot searches on platforms.
In League of Legends player Tieba, forums, etc., doubt and mockery dominated.
【Pretending what? Not reading skill descriptions, play by mind? But reading doesn’t equal pro match-ready!】
【Admit Unreal plays well, but this too absurd. Lane details, skill timing, team fight ideas—master instantly by ‘understanding’?】
【Typical: win match and start floating. Wait for WE to school in finals, see if he can keep talking.】
【If skill descriptions make you pro, us thousand-game vets should’ve been pros long ago? Clearly hype, building persona!】
However, in other game communities, especially fans following Li Fan’s other game streams, public opinion totally opposite.
【Finally get why Fan Ge excels at any game! PUBG marksmanship and awareness top-tier; he doesn’t need our hard practice!】
【Case cracked! Fan Ge has absolute game understanding superpower. Otherwise, how discover so many operations in QQ Speed? That’s how he finds super drifts.】
【League players stop barking. Hard for LoL Dogs to admit genius exists? Watched his streams so long—when did he grind one hero overnight like other pros? Never? Facts speak louder!】
【This explains: he plays other games not by piling time for proficiency, but quickly grasping core mechanics then applying to top-level games.】
Instantly, internet split into clear two camps.
One camp upholds effort-supreme traditional esports view, seeing Li Fan’s words as arrogant and irrational: the doubters.
Other camp convinced by Li Fan’s multi-game strength, believing in his unique gaming talent: the believers.
