Chapter 125: Double Major Award!
Abu’s Weibo post began to slowly ferment, with the popularity rising higher and higher.
“White horse with silver spear floating like poetry, fresh clothes on an angry steed in youthful days!”
This inherently vivid poetic line, paired with the black-and-red silhouettes of the entire EDG team looking spirited in unified team uniforms, immediately ignited discussions among fans and strangers.
【Holy crap! EDG’s appearance in this wave… has been pulled up so much by Unreal.】
【Abu Coach, please high-res big pics! Nine-grid! Unreal solo shot! Want it as wallpaper.】
【@EDG Esports Club official account, come out and work! @ the makeup artist sister and give her extra bonuses! Always wondered how handsome he’d be with makeup, now finally seeing it—not that fixed makeup edited pic.】
【Unbelievable, Unreal’s popularity is actually this high? Just one photo topping the Weibo hot search list.】
【#Request Unreal Promo Fixed Makeup Photo# Sisters, let’s push this topic up!】
The topic “Request Unreal solo photo” rocketed up, along with tags like #EDG Finals Promo Video Shoot# and #Fresh Clothes Angry Steed Youthful Days#, quickly climbing the hot search list with rankings still rising.
Many non-esports strangers clicked in: What does this player called Unreal look like to make everyone this crazy?
The result upon seeing…
Holy crap, this appearance really matches the hype.
Unreal is really great!
Meanwhile, at the shooting site.
EDG and WE teams were already in position.
Though they’d soon show tense rivalry on camera, privately the players got along well, greeting each other.
After all, they see each other often; if relations soured too much, training matches would be hard to schedule.
For example… NB can’t get training matches with RNG no matter what now.
The reason is Wu Zhuang Tai’s former “world’s first shockwave” remark.
So RNG’s coaching staff never schedules teams with Wu Zhuang Tai again…
The shooting site’s atmosphere had long lost its initial excitement.
Normally promo videos are shot casually without much time, but this one was done to the highest standard.
The video script had multiple scenes: players in team uniforms walking and staring on a specially built stage with finals “Silver Dragon Cup” elements; shots simulating intense match exchanges.
Even a green screen shoot of both teams split on sides with a virtual canyon in the middle to show “fated showdown.”
Every shot was perfected, the director constantly adjusting positioning, gazes, even finger placements.
Once intensity ramped up, it was tough for professional players.
After all, none were professional actors.
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., a full seven hours, radiating exhaustion from high-intensity work…
At 5:30 p.m., when the director finally called wrap, the entire studio let out a long sigh of relief.
Finally could relax a bit.
Staff started packing gear, players rose to stretch stiff limbs.
“Done,” Xi Ye rubbed his shoulder, “Not exaggerating, this is more tiring than a full day of training matches.”
Training match intensity rivals official matches, but if outlook’s bad they just surrender quick, not wasting much time.
“Who says it isn’t,” Kang Di chimed in, “Gotta practice quick when back, hand feeling’s fading.”
Though saying this, they eyed the EDG crowd.
Everyone shooting promo videos, pretty fair all around.
When boarding the bus, both sides’ players instantly turned serious-faced.
Mainly because… trash-talking shots got them fired up.
In that state, no one could muster smiles.
Each boarded buses to Nanjing…
Right, tomorrow’s match venue is Nanjing Gymnasium, so straight to Nanjing post-shoot.
Schedule was tight.
After all, this finals venue was a last-minute change after semis.
One week’s prep to pull this off was already tough.
On the bus, most EDG members slumped in seats resting eyes, only Abu still on his mobile phone, constantly refreshing Weibo and forum pages.
Since he didn’t join the video shoot, he was still full of energy.
Especially seeing hot searches on his Weibo post energized him more.
Abu is one of the few managers who loves browsing and posting on Weibo…
Especially five or six years ago, always posting wild copy.
Can still find plenty of his dark history.
Online, Unreal appearance discussions not only didn’t fade but fermented further from official and fan blurry side shots, work photos.
…
LPL official hustled and finished editing the final cut before 9 p.m.
Then edited Weibo post and sent it right away!
【Silver Dragon leaps, youth fearless! 2017 LPL Spring Split Finals EDG vs WE promo video shocks arrival!】
This Weibo post exploded across the entire League of Legends circle at astonishing speed upon release.
In half an hour, playback volume broke a million, comments, likes, reposts surged past ten thousand easily.
Opening with black-red EDG and red-white WE team logos clashing in darkness, sparking dazzling fireworks.
Followed by urgent drums paired with electronic music creating a chilling atmosphere.
Quick cuts: Clearlove stares at camera, gaze sharp.
Xi Ye with a confident smirk at mouth corner, Mystic’s side profile sharply contoured under lights…
Just as the chilling atmosphere peaked and audience emotions gripped by players’ close-ups, the promo rhythm suddenly shifted.
Pushing the promo to climax!
Li Fan appeared!
No exaggerated expression on face, he just calmly gazed at the camera.
Next second, before anyone reacted, he raised hand, lightly pressing slender index finger to lips.
A simple utmost action—”shh.”
【!!! My breath caught!】
【This shh… handsome to scalp-tingling!】
【My god, this aura! Said nothing yet said everything!】
【EDG’s new king? This pressure is insane!】
【Weird, this promo seems to make him the lead, Clearlove just green leaf foil?】
【LPL planning to create a new god? Gotta say, feels pretty good.】
Bullet comments in the video also erupted like a geyser with this shot.
Camera suddenly pulls high to visually impactful overhead view, EDG’s other five centered on Li Fan standing at sides…
Scout, mouse, Clearlove, Li Fan, zet, meiko.
This overhead shot lasted a full three seconds.
Then screen rapidly spins around the overhead EDG five-man lineup.
Amid the dizzying spin, finally freezing on the Silver Dragon Trophy, LPL’s highest honor standing quietly in the light!
Screen fades to black, finals time and place appear center-screen.
Promo ends.
Then total eruption.
Official Weibo comments section totally fell, messages growing at incomprehensible speed.
【Holy crap holy crap! Final shot design godly! From Unreal’s shh to EDG overhead, to Silver Dragon Cup, prestige maxed! Too handsome!】
【Unreal this rookie… where’s the rookie aura? Feels more boss than Clearlove!】
【What’s this shh mean? Telling WE to shut up? Or all haters to shut up?】
【Obviously both!】
【WE fans admit got handsomed… but more fired up, finals must take down this poser!】
【Wuuu, 18k tickets and I didn’t snag any, so upsetting!】
【Hehe, I got tickets, just standing room to Nanjing, but thinking tomorrow’s match makes heart sweet.】
LPL Spring Split Finals hype maxed in this atmosphere!
Next day, Nanjing.
Just past 10 a.m., outside Nanjing Olympic Sports Center, nearly seven hours from finals start, entrance already packed!
Crowds like tides forming different color blocks.
Black-red EDG team flags and red-white WE team flags crossing in breeze, fans’ cheers and support voices rising and falling, air thick with pre-battle tension.
Good thing lots of security on site, everyone just trash-talking to suppress opponents’ momentum pre-match.
More numerous EDG team fans had some advantage, drowning many WE fan voices, scoring first before match even started.
Making them very smug…
Amid this sea of team support, one area stood out.
A sizable group of young girls, holding not EDG logos but custom personal support signs clearly reading Unreal.
Also Li Fan photos, most exaggerated a super huge banner with yesterday’s promo classic shh pose!
Clearly rushed production, must’ve cost plenty.
Light signs, posters, support sticks all must-haves, fully mature idol support style.
Obviously… a fan group, and not ordinary!
Even some queuing League players couldn’t help sighing, Unreal guy’s fans are really something.
Now even developed this many fan circle fans.
Awesome!
Gotta respect!
This scene naturally caught early-arriving media doing perimeter reports and live-streaming enthusiasts’ cameras.
Obviously prime rhythm material.
After all, esports turning fan circle easily sours.
Clearly should go all-out for results, but loss becomes “happy as long as fun,” just hope he’s healthy…
If happy as long as fun why not win?
Can you be happy after losing?
Such talk is ultimate heaven-defying, hard to imagine the mentality behind it.
Time slowly passed in the clamor.
1 p.m., venue finally started ticket checks and entry.
Crowds surged toward entrance like floodgates opened…
2 p.m., Nanjing Olympic Sports Center lights dimmed, only central stage spotlight remained.
Stirring music rose, LPL Spring Split Finals awards and opening performance officially began.
Host Ren Dong center stage, smiling, revealing regular season honors one by one.
“First, the 2017 LPL Spring Split regular season Best Rookie is…” He paused deliberately, building suspense, then announced loudly: “OMG team icon!”
Polite applause filled venue, mixed with puzzled murmurs.
“Huh? Not Unreal?”
“icon played well, key to OMG’s top four, but Unreal’s stats more explosive right? Kinda unreasonable.”
“Rookie award to icon makes sense, Unreal only played second half.”
As Li Fan’s personal fans felt slight disappointment from missing this award, Ren Dong didn’t pause and revealed next.
“Next, the 2017 LPL Spring Split regular season Best Mid Laner is…”
Big screen player headshots flashed quick, finally locked!
Ren Dong shouted with full force: “EDG team Unreal!”
“Boom—!”
After brief stun, entire Nanjing Olympic Sports Center erupted in mad cheers and screams, nearly lifting the roof!
That trace disappointment instantly replaced by ecstasy!
“Official played 5D chess, I can’t match official.” One audience realized in deafening cheers, yelling to companion, “Best Rookie what? Straight nabbed higher-value Best Mid Laner! This setup reasonable!”
“Reasonable! Too reasonable!” Companion excitedly replied.
But this wasn’t over.
After all Best Lineup awards done, Ren Dong’s voice boomed again.
“Now, revealing the 2017 LPL Spring Split regular season Most Valuable Player…”
Full lights dimmed again.
Big screen flashed candidates’ highlight operations quick, each kill drawing cheers.
When Unreal’s earth-shaking pentakill appeared, site cheers peaked.
“No way?”
“Unreal regular season MVP?”
“My god!”
Ren Dong took deep breath, announced in unprecedented high pitch: “Winner of this honor—EDG Unreal!”
“Buzz—!”
Big screen IDs showed Li Fan among candidates.
But confirming Li Fan, everyone stunned.
If Best Mid Laner announcement was igniting explosives, this MVP reveal was dropping a nuke!
Double awards! Regular season Best Mid Laner! Regular season MVP!
A rookie, in first pro season, just half-season, swept league’s top personal honors.
【My god! Double award!】
【First in LPL history? Rookie half-season debut, double awards.】
【God-making! Official openly god-making! I don’t approve!】
【This screams forced, if EDG loses today it’s slap in face, Best Mid Laner stepped on!】
Though such talk, live stream bullet comments densely covered screen with “Unreal” and “MVP”.
Off-site couldn’t do interviews, but Li Fan as double-award winner naturally invited onstage from backstage.
Host Ren Dong handed mic, tone barely containing excitement: “Unreal, congrats on nabbing regular season Best Mid Laner and MVP in your first pro season—what’s your mood now? Anything to say to supporting fans?”
All eyes focused, live cam zoomed close-up.
Li Fan took mic, pondered one second.
“Thanks for fans’ support, it’s something I can really show off.”
