Chapter 141: We’ll Be Extreme Fans From Now On!
“Welcome, audience friends, to continue watching the 2017 League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational group stage match. I’m Wa Wa.”
“I’m Miller.” Miller’s expression wasn’t great at this moment; it was clear he was a bit nervous.
“Hello everyone, I’m Rita.”
“So after three days of intense competition, the qualification situation in our group is gradually becoming clear but also full of suspense, especially for us LPL audience members, whose mood might be the most complicated.” Wa Wa still brought it up; after all, the current situation made it impossible not to mention.
“Exactly, the focus is undoubtedly on our LPL champions EDG team. Their current record… 1 win 5 losses. To be honest, I didn’t expect it to be this poor. Not exaggerating, they’re already standing on the edge of a cliff with no way out.”
“Yes, according to the ranking, if EDG wants to advance to the later knockout stages, they must go all wins in today’s and tomorrow’s two match days! In other words, they can’t lose any of the next four matches! Any single loss could directly declare the end of their MSI journey…” At this point, the three commentators’ expressions weren’t good.
“The pressure is too great… And looking at EDG’s situation yesterday, it was really… The official roster listed Unreal as the starter info, but in the end, the one who appeared on the arena was still Scout.”
“Did you see, Wa Wa? The reposted report said Unreal was at BD club yesterday exchanging skills with local CF professional players.” Miller’s expression was extremely serious, even somewhat incredulous. “If it’s true, then the starting player didn’t even know he was starting—EDG’s management has a huge problem!”
While Wa Wa, Miller, and Rita were analyzing EDG’s dire qualification situation on the commentator desk, the bullet comments in the official live stream room had already completely exploded.
【Laughing to death, is EDG’s management all having brain hemorrhages? Now they know to panic, is it useful?】
【Blitz Poland 2.0: Blitz the Bench!】
【Wasn’t it tough keeping big dad on the bench before? How come after 1-5 you remember dad?】
【Nothing happens in summer, Chun comes when something does; nothing happens without the bell, Yan comes when it does! Abu gets it!】
【Really treating Unreal like a tool? Wins are the team’s awesomeness, losses are Unreal neglecting his duties affecting training? Now that you’re about to swim home, you remember to find dad?】
【I think Unreal did it on purpose. If it were me, I wouldn’t take this crap. I have so many fans, won QQ Speed and Street Fighter championships, got the team Mid-Season Invitational qualification, EDG was all me carrying! Treating me like this?】
【Kinda get Uzi’s feeling back then saying Royal Club was all him carrying—totally despairing!】
【I just want to see EDG get eliminated now, then watch how it all ends!】
【Get eliminated quick so Fan Ge can transfer—this crap club doesn’t deserve you.】
【Looks like we were too mild before… As fans, we’ve let you haters be arrogant too long. Now I declare we’re going extreme!】
The bullet comments were full of sarcasm and extreme distrust of the management.
But when a club shifts from focusing on results to making money, its original intent changes…
While the bullet comments were still verbally and textually attacking EDG’s management, and countless audience members waited with their last sliver of hopeful yet complex mood, the first matchup of MSI’s fourth match day, EDG vs G2, was finally about to begin.
The live stream camera, amid stirring background music, slowly swept across the stage, finally cutting to the players’ seats.
Everyone’s eyes were dead set on the left side of the screen, as if time slowed in that moment.
The camera froze.
On the seat, that familiar figure suddenly appeared before everyone!
Unreal appeared!
“He’s on! Fan Ge is on, my god, ED brought Unreal back up!” Wa Wa’s voice instantly rose, filled with relief.
Miller also let out a long sigh: “Hoping EDG puts on a performance in today’s match…”
Rita: “Not sure why, but seeing Unreal sitting there makes me feel a lot more secure all of a sudden. Maybe that’s the sense of safety top players bring? As if as long as he’s there, there’s always a chance to create a miracle.”
Not just the commentators—when Li Fan appeared on the big screen, the bullet comments in the entire live stream room reversed direction in an instant!
【！！！！！！】
【Holy shit! Back to my youth! Unreal, we’ve been waiting for you so long.】
【The backbone is back! Damn, I almost cried watching. If it was like this earlier, how could the record be like this?】
【Woo woo woo, Fan Ge! Team in danger!!!】
【Stable now! I said it, if it was like this earlier, wouldn’t it be fine?】
【Management is SB, but seeing Unreal sit down, I can’t help but say: EDG, charge for us!】
【Haters, speak up! Who is dad now? See clearly?】
【Don’t jinx, believe first! Pressure is real big today, can’t lose a single match, and there are SKT games later—lose one and qualification looks bad.】
【Fan Ge, lead EDG to create a miracle!】
Li Fan seemed to sense the camera on him, lifted his head and casually waved, his face still bearing that confident smile.
This simple action instantly ignited the passion of the live stream room fans!
【Aaaah! Fan Ge waved at me, too handsome!】
【This expression! Still that flavor.】
【Looks super relaxed mentality!】
【Done for, G2 is in for it heavy. Unreal smiles and life or death is uncertain!】
And on EDG’s player bench, the oppressive atmosphere of the previous days was completely swept away.
Meiko adjusted his headphones, feeling the heavy pressure on his shoulders lighten by more than half in an instant, and said in voice chat: “Phew… Fan Ge, not sure why, but you sitting here makes me feel my back straighten up, super confident inside.
Brothers, I feel like we’re gonna sweep the next four wins after this.”
His tone was filled with long-lost ease.
Hearing this, Li Fan, while skillfully adjusting runes and talents, responded with a smiling voice: “Tian Ye, remove those ‘I feel’ three words from your sentence—we will four-win straight to advance to the later matches.”
No passionate shouts, no deliberate pep talk—just this simple sentence, yet it was like injecting a strong heart booster into the entire team.
“Hahaha, no problem Fan Ge!” A Guang was the first to laugh out loud.
“Charge charge charge! Just do it!” Zet rubbed his fists eagerly; he really hated Abu now. He could’ve easily played matches, but they had to swap in noob Scout. Honestly, Scout mid laning wasn’t even as good as him doing it.
He was way stronger mid than him, only switched to bot lane for the club.
Even the usually steady Clearlove had a slight smile at the corner of his mouth: “Everyone perk up, first game today get a good start!”
Meanwhile, on the other side of the stage at G2’s player bench, the atmosphere was starkly different from EDG’s ease.
“Hey, guys, see who’s sitting mid opposite us?” G2’s core player Ap’s face lost its usual smile, his tone clearly serious.
They had naturally studied all of EDG’s playoff videos since then, knowing exactly how terrifying Li Fan was.
This was EDG team’s true core; as for Scout, he was just a substitute, lacking both presence and strength.
He had been easily taken down in previous encounters too.
Now EDG’s side felt completely different from before; they were sensing some pressure.
After all, they wanted good results and hoped EDG would get directly eliminated in group stage.
bo5 and bo1 were somewhat different. Though not performing well now, they felt EDG could adjust back in later matches, which would be pressure.
Best if directly eliminated, saving all the later trouble.
Jungler Trick nodded: “From previous LPL match recordings, this guy’s reaction and operation are a bit beyond normal—we can’t deal with him like we did Scout before.”
“Exactly, we can’t give him any operation space. Trick, early game mid-jungle link up, put pressure on him! Focus ganks mid, pin him dead in laning phase! Once mid collapses, EDG goes back to that leaderless state from the past few days.”
“Pin this LPL champions dead in this group stage, send them home fishing early!”
“Don’t worry, my rhythm will make Clearlove suffer. Previous matches I suppressed him in jungle from start to finish. I’ll make them know swapping a mid won’t change the final outcome…”
G2’s coach added tactical details from behind, emphasizing early vision control and mid gank priority.
This guy hasn’t played matches in so long, and these days played Street Fighter and Crossfire—these games. Hand feel and state definitely off. In this situation, not only won’t he be EDG’s savior, he’ll be a serious breakthrough point.
Hero selection ended amid countless speculations and discussions.
When EDG locked Kalista for Li Fan in the final counter pick spot, the entire venue fell into brief silence, then erupted in huge gasps and murmurs!
“What? Kalista? Mid Kalista?!” Wa Wa’s voice was full of disbelief. “This… is an ADC hero! Though strong lane dominance, mid lane… too rare, right? What surprise is Unreal bringing us?”
“Previously used Lucian mid, but today straight Kalista mid!”
Because bot had locked Ashe, and in this situation, red side’s final hero pick Kalista was obviously Li Fan’s hero.
Miller’s eyes widened too: “My god, in this do-or-die key game, Unreal pulls out such an unconventional choice. Facing Perkz’s Syndra, if Kalista doesn’t get advantage early, mid to late will be very tough!”
On G2’s player bench, Perkz was stunned seeing this pick: “Kalista? He wants to use this against me?”
Honestly, he’s the only one making unexpected picks like this; this was the first time someone pulled this black tech mid on him.
Thought it’d be Lucian, but swapped to Kalista—this hero abuses weak players well. You wouldn’t take me for a noob, right?
Match starts, both sides normal to lane.
Perkz’s Syndra walked aggressively, trying to poke with range and skill advantage.
But Li Fan’s Kalista used passive nimbly to dodge Syndra’s first Dark Orb.
Then, a suffocating scene happened!
Kalista showed no intent to retreat, directly started hopping forward, spear in hand stabbing Syndra once, twice—precisely!
Perkz clearly didn’t expect level 1 so aggressive trading, instinctively backed off, but Kalista with passive has strong chase ability!
Plus the foreshadowing planted earlier—right as about to leave attack range, E skill slow.
Chased up again!
“Unreal level 1 trading super aggressive! Perkz health dropping fast!” Wa Wa’s speech speed instantly quickened.
“My god! What is he doing? Trying for level 1 solo kill?!”
Syndra’s health already below half.
Still some distance from turret! With E refreshed, escaping under turret obviously impossible—could only grit teeth and Flash.
Li Fan saw couldn’t chase, didn’t force, stabbed one more spear to drop Syndra to only a third health!
This was just level 1 dominance… At level 2 with Q, no-Flash Syndra is meat on the board.
Not in vain grinding Kalista this time, straight to five-star card. Of course also because Street Fighter championship earnings super high even without streaming—huge influence, continuously gained nearly four thousand learning points.
Otherwise where get learning points to grind five-star Kalista.
Perkz downed health pot, looking at his barely over a third health, heart lingering fear.
He cautiously returned behind minion wave, trying to last hit far with Q—next just wait for jungler to help.
However, Li Fan gave him no breathing room.
First leisurely leveled to 2, then autoed a minion to plant foreshadowing.
Kalista’s precise Q Pierce shot out—spear not only killed a low-health minion, but pierced the wave to hit rear Syndra!
And the earlier one had already exploded.
Midway through spear flight, Li Fan used passive hop to close distance.
Not done yet!
Instant spear hit, Li Fan directly E Rend!
QE kill combo!
Though damage a bit short, still crippled half-health Syndra.
Follow with one auto attack, easily solo kill!
First Blood!
The system female voice rang out high-pitched!
Live stream bullet comments completely went crazy.
【Holy shit?! Holy shit?! Holy shit?!】
【Solo killed already? Not even level 2! Is Kalista this strong?】
【Is it possible not the hero strong? But Unreal strong? Think Scout could do it?】
【Ap is numb! Can’t even fight this】
【This damage?! Am I playing same hero?】
【Sorry Fan Ge, I admit I was stupid before. You this strength playing other games—so what? Still randomly killing.】
EDG team voice chat, everyone super excited too.
“Awesome! Fan Ge!!” Meiko’s shout loudest.
“Holy shit, too fierce Fan Ge!” A Guang though familiar with this, but hadn’t won matches in long time—this excitement no less than Meiko.
“Nice! Great play Li Fan!” Clearlove’s face showed genuine smile.
Before always worrying mid would collapse—now totally no need.
“Kill through them! Fan Ge!” Zet’s Chinese not standard yet, but could basically understand.
On G2 side, Perkz staring at his gray screen… already felt something off.
Kalista’s lane dominance too terrifying—not like normal hero stats.
Damage way too burst, couldn’t handle.
After first blood, Li Fan back to base, directly bought two Long Swords.
When he returned to lane, facing no-Flash, level and gear fully behind Syndra—this mid matchup had no suspense.
Perkz tried far skill last hits, but Li Fan’s Kalista gave no safe farming chance.
Three minutes fifteen seconds, jungler Trick’s Lee Sin first gank attempt.
However, Li Fan had seen through everything.
Instant Lee Sin Sonic Wave, Kalista nimble side hop, easily dodged.
Simultaneously, spears constantly landing on Syndra trying to follow control.
“Trick came, but Q dodged! Unreal counter-outputting Syndra, high damage! Perkz health dropping fast!”
Wa Wa exclaimed: “My god! He trying 1v2?”
Kalista like dancer on knife edge, using passive flexibly hopping between minions and heroes, constantly repositioning, dumping all damage on squishy Syndra.
One, two, three…
E skill【Rend】!
Rip!
Syndra health instantly bottomed, down again!
EDG Unreal killed G2 Perkz!
“Killed again, my old swan! With jungler gank, Unreal counter-killed Syndra! This operation, this boldness! This is the Unreal we know!”
Trick’s Lee Sin saw this, could only hurry retreat—Kalista still had intent to kill him…
Honestly this wave scared him a bit; not leaving meant double kill, really embarrassing.
He no longer satisfied with just suppressing mid, started eyeing top and jungle, directly learned ultimate.
Six minutes forty seconds, Clearlove’s Maokai coordinated Kalista ult entry, tower dive bot for zero-for-two.
Seven minutes thirty seconds, Kalista roamed top, with Mouse’s Maokai, killed G2 top.
While mid Perkz became total ATM.
Dare appear in Kalista vision? Awaited merciless hops, chase, and spear rends.
Last hits suppressed by over double, score at 0/4/0.
Lane economic gap exaggerated three thousand!
“Collapsed, G2 mid totally collapsed!” Wa Wa looking at stats, finally smiled. “This isn’t lane disadvantage, total crush! Unreal’s Kalista like a BOSS blocking G2.”
“This is absolute personal strength!”
Match time to fifteen minutes, EDG leading nearly eight thousand economy.
Li Fan’s Kalista like demon descended, kill whoever seen.
Finally, this hotly watched match ended at twenty-seven minutes.
EDG crushed with team fights, pushed G2 base crystal.
Li Fan’s Kalista final score locked at exaggerated 11/0/3, lane economy lead eight thousand, highest damage whole game, well-deserved MVP!
Ap totally abused into daze…
MSI post-match interview stage, lights focused, local Brazil host smiling, Li Fan standing beside calm.
“First, congrats EDG on the win, and congrats Unreal player on this match MVP! Your mid Kalista left extremely deep impression.”
Venue erupted in applause and cheers.
“However, we noticed an interesting situation.”
“On yesterday’s official roster, you were listed as starter, but didn’t appear. And per some reports, you were at our Brazil’s BD club exchanging yesterday?”
“Can you share what happened? Why listed as starter but didn’t play, instead went to BD club?”
Question out, whole venue quieted.
People love gossip…
“Um… this was kinda a mix-up. Simply put, in club’s arrangement, I was still a substitute then. After I left, didn’t get notification.”
“No match duty, Diego warmly invited, felt good to exchange and learn, experience Brazil esports atmosphere—not bad choice. Actually think management’s prior decision might’ve been right.”
Words out, host and audience stunned.
Li Fan paused, said in very sincere tone: “Everyone knows, before Mid-Season Invitational started, I indeed didn’t play training matches, instead went to Street Fighter tourney and won championship.”
He shrugged helplessly: “So my state and patch understanding probably not best. Put me in, maybe… result worse? Maybe not 1-5, but straight 0-6 start?”
“Thinking that way, letting me rest and adjust more seems reasonable? A player not trained much really shouldn’t rashly play— what if drags team down, right?”
【Hahaha!! If this game wasn’t 11/0 I’d believe you.】
【”State not best”, “result worse”—laughing to death!】
【《Straight 0-6 start》《dragged team down》!】
【No training and I randomly kill, you trained so long why still losing streak?】
【Haters faces hurt? Just ask if it hurts! Wasn’t it affect team not training? Why quiet now?】
【This wave, this is kill, heart-slaughter, and corpse-whip!】
【Whatever, us fans too silent now. Club and haters think easy bully. See bad I call out, see uncomfortable I curse!】
【Well done! Call us fan circle whatever— as long as Fan Ge not bullied.】
【Garlic chives!!】
“Ah… this… looks like Unreal player very strict with self. Hope you keep this hot state in next matches!”
Li Fan to camera, showed harmless smile: “I’ll effort, try not drag team down.”
Crush G2 excitement not faded, EDG faced fourth match day second game, first round beat their GAM…
This match for EDG not just to save shaky qualification hope, but dignity revenge war!
Vietnam captive sounds too bad…
Li Fan this match straight pulled mid Lucian.
Li Fan’s Lucian on lane showed extreme dominance.
Precise Q poke, flexible E reposition, hard-pressed enemy Vietnam mid breathless.
Four minutes thirty seconds, Clearlove’s Maokai back gank!
Li Fan’s Lucian E slide forward, follow output.
“Clearlove came Unreal advances, both damage very high! GAM mid Flash to run! But Lucian damage follows! Directly takes!”
First Blood!
“Beautiful mid-jungle link, first blood secured, EDG rhythm up again!”
With advantage, Li Fan fully became mid kill god.
Lucian gear lead and fluid operation, even solo killed on lane!
Then frequent roams, radiating advantage to sides.
Eight minutes, Lucian with Maokai invaded jungle, caught GAM jungler Levi (last game Swimming Dragon) this game too wildly restricted.
Twelve minutes, dragon team fight Lucian E slide in, Holy Shot instantly crippled GAM backline, EDG zero-for-three and took dragon.
Sixteen minutes, with Rift Herald, EDG mid group, Lucian’s ahead gear turrets super fast, continuously took GAM mid two outer turrets.
Economic gap snowballed bigger.
Lucian with Maokai seven in seven out in GAM formation, wherever went nothing left.
Once spirited Levi, before EDG absolute strength crush, no power to fight back.
Match time finally at twenty-one minutes.
EDG gave GAM no late-game chance, with over ten thousand economy advantage, cleanly destroyed enemy base.
“Overwhelming! This is an overwhelming victory!” Wa Wa excitedly said. “Today’s EDG like different team from before. Unreal’s return not just extra carry point, but injected soul and confidence into whole team!”
Miller nodded too: “Yes, you can clearly feel other players’ operations more confident and decisive. That’s the chemistry reaction core player brings!”
“Another thorough win, EDG under Unreal’s lead, just twenty-one minutes to successfully revenge GAM!!” Rita’s voice full of joy.
Li Fan’s Lucian handed perfect 8/0/5 score, again prime contributor to team victory.
With this win, EDG two straight wins on fourth match day, total record 3 wins 5 losses—ranking fourth… everyone finally breathed easy.
SKT current 7-1, lost one to Flash Wolves—pretty unexpected for everyone.
G2 strength solid too 5-3 second, Flash Wolves 4-4, EDG 3-5, TSM 3-5, GAM 2-6…
EDG still holds qualification chance in own hands!
At this moment domestic public opinion battlefield also underwent earth-shaking reckoning and purge.
Previous pent-up rage from Li Fan benched, and indignation at management’s muddled operations.
After Li Fan king return performance proved true core, finally found most justified outlet.
Major esports forums, Tieba, Weibo, overnight unified front.
Anyone daring pop up now saying like Unreal just lucky, beat weak teams only, exposed vs SKT—immediately thunderous strikes.
【Say Fan Ge no good, eyes can donate!】
【11/0/3 and 8/0/5 called lucky? You lucky one for me see?】
【Scolded happily before, now playing dead? Crawl for us!】
【Abu water army still washing? Coffin nailed shut!】
【Haters speak! Louder! Can’t hear!】
These counters no longer scattered complaints, but highly organized and aggressive.
Li Fan’s fan group, after this sub wave, cohesion unprecedented strong, quickly completed regular army transformation.
Spontaneously formed anti-hater groups, specially search and report speech bad for Li Fan; organized review control groups active in EDG official Weibo and related news comments, quickly downvote negatives…
In private chat groups, not much way…
【Win G2 and GAM and get cocky, really think champions?】
【Tomorrow vs SKT, watch how he dies!】
【Win G2 and GAM and get cocky, really think champions?】
【Faker will teach him!】
【Wait tomorrow SKT human machine him, see these fans how arrogant!】
As EDG got two straight wins, domestic fans celebrating, EDG club official Weibo and manager Abu’s personal Weibo simultaneously posted heavy announcement.
“Due to major mistake during this MSI, negatively impacting team results and player Unreal, I Abu, effective immediately resign from EDG Esports Club League of Legends Branch manager position. Deeply apologize, and wish EDG all the best future.”
This sudden resignation announcement like thunderclap.
【Holy shit! Really stepped down?!】
【He still has some self-awareness!】
【This is coup success? Unreal fans too strong!】
【Before you haters said Fan Ge not training same way?】
【Should’ve been long ago! Gone clean!】
……
