On the eve of the final
A fine snow fell in Shanghai in December. The heater in the SG team's training room was cranked high, a thin layer of mist condensing on the glass windows. Lin Yu stared at the AY team's match recording on the screen, his fingers tapping out a rhythmic rhythm on the keyboard. In the video, Su Ran, controlled by Zhang Liang, was pinning down the opposing jungler with his ultimate, cooperating with his teammates to complete the harvest. The commentary was filled with comments like "Ran Shen is too steady!"
"Watching AY's video again?" Chen Mo walked in with a bowl of freshly made noodles, the steaming white mist blurring his glasses. "The coach told you to take a break, but you've been watching for three hours straight. Your eyes are going blind."
Lin Yu didn't look back, but paused the video at the moment when Zhang Liang's ultimate move was used. His voice was a little hoarse: "Let's watch the last game again. I want to see the timing of his Zhang Liang's flash."
Chen Mo placed his noodles on the corner of Lin Yu's desk and leaned over to glance at the screen. "Su Ran's Zhang Liang is quite annoying. He always uses his ultimate right when the opponent has no skills. But don't get too hung up on it. Aren't the targeted tactics we practiced quite effective?"
Lin Yu remained silent as he replayed the replay. Ever since the finals match against AY was confirmed, he'd been like clockwork, arriving at the practice room at 7 a.m. every morning and staying up until the wee hours. Aside from eating and sleeping, he spent almost all his time in-game—either rehearsing strategies with his teammates or poring over AY's game replays, especially every detail of Su Ran's play, from hero builds to skill timings. He'd jot it all down in a dedicated notebook, filling two densely packed pages.
"Do you think Su Ran is also watching our video?" Lin Yu suddenly spoke, his eyes still fixed on the screen.
"Of course," Chen Mo said vaguely, taking a sip of noodles. "The finals are so important, who wouldn't prepare? But don't overthink it. As long as we execute our tactics, we still have a good chance of winning."
Lin Yu nodded, but his heart wasn't quite at ease. He knew Su Ran's strength—ever since they'd teamed up together in the city tournament, he knew better than anyone how formidable Su Ran was. Su Ran seemed calm, but in reality, he possessed a fierce determination. The more crucial the match, the more consistent his performance. The image of Su Ran's Mai Shiranui dominating the last league match still lingered in his mind, pricking him like a thorn, reminding him he couldn't lose again.
The door to the training room opened, and the coach walked in with a stack of playbooks. His footsteps were especially clear in the quiet room. He placed the playbook in front of Lin Yu, pointed to one page, and said, "This is our new strategy for AY. Take a look. If Su Ran chooses Zhang Liang or Mai Shiranui, you use Nakroth. Build an advantage in the confrontation lane early, then look for opportunities to pick him off in the mid-game."
Lin Yu picked up the playbook, his fingertips swiping over the words "Target Su Ran mid laner," and began to study it carefully. The coach's tactics were very detailed, even marking out Su Ran's possible movement routes. The confrontation lane was their advantage. As long as they could help Lu Bu in the confrontation lane gain lane control early on, they could contain AY's side lanes, making Su Ran's mid laner afraid to provide support easily.
"Is this tactic feasible?" Lin Yu looked up and asked, with a hint of uncertainty in his tone.
"It's doable," the coach said confidently. "We practiced with the youth team three times yesterday, and we were able to defeat the opposing mid laner every time. But the key is still you. You have to control the jungle rhythm and don't be as impatient as you were in the last league match."
Mentioning the last league, Lin Yu's face darkened, and he tightened his grip on the tactical sheet: "I know, I won't make any more mistakes this time."
The coach patted him on the shoulder and said nothing more. He knew Lin Yu's obsession—ever since his falling out with Su Ran, Lin Yu had regarded every match against AY as an opportunity to prove himself, especially this final, where he had staked all his pride.
Elsewhere, in Team AY's training room, Su Ran was also discussing tactics with his teammates. A whiteboard in the training room was covered with tactical roadmaps. Standing in front of it, marker in hand, Su Ran analyzed Team SG's jungle strategy: "Lin Yu's jungle tempo is very fast, especially Li Bai and Nakroth. They'll likely help the duo lane early on. Our side laners should focus on defending their towers and avoid being caught out by him."
"What if Lin Yu chooses Han Xin?" asked AY's jungler. "His Han Xin is too mobile and hard to counter."
Su Ran circled the location of SG's jungle on the whiteboard. "If he picks Han Xin, we'll counter his red buff. His Han Xin relies heavily on the red zone's economy. If we counter his red buff early on, we can disrupt his rhythm. I'll use Zhang Liang and support the jungle at any time. As long as we can pin him down, you guys should rush over to deal damage."
His teammates nodded, all agreeing that this plan was feasible. Su Ran looked at the tactical diagram on the whiteboard, and thought of Lin Yu. He remembered how, when they used to play together, Lin Yu's Han Xin always preferred to start in the red zone, and he always helped Lin Yu with vision in the red zone to prevent counter-jungling. But now, in the finals, they had to use their most familiar tactics to target each other.
"Su Ran, are you okay?" AY's shooter noticed that he was distracted and asked with concern.
Su Ran came back to his senses and shook his head: "It's okay, let's simulate the tactics again. Just like what I said just now, I choose Zhang Liang."
Training lasted until ten o'clock in the evening. When Su Ran returned to the dormitory, a push notification from an esports media outlet popped up on his phone. The title read, "Finals Preview: Lin Yu vs. Su Ran, a fateful showdown is imminent." He clicked on it and found a photo of the two of them winning the city championship. In the photo, Lin Yu was smiling brightly, holding the trophy, while he stood beside him, a faint smile on his face.
Su Ran's finger lingered on the photo for a long time, a mixture of emotions welling up in his chest. He hadn't wanted to get to this point with Lin Yu, but a game was a game; they were rivals, so he had to give it his all. He remembered how the coach had spoken to him after the last league match, asking if he and Lin Yu had a conflict. He hadn't admitted it at the time, simply saying, "It was just a normal game." But only he knew that every time he played against Lin Yu, he felt a pang of discomfort.
Three days before the finals, esports media conducted an exclusive interview with Lin Yu and Su Ran. The interview took place in the lounge of the Shanghai Esports Center. Lin Yu, wearing his SG team uniform, sat on the sofa, his eyes determined as he answered the reporters' questions.
"Lin Yu, are you confident in this final against AY?" the reporter asked.
Lin Yu nodded, his voice clear and powerful: "I have confidence. Our team has been preparing for this final for a long time. Both tactics and condition have been adjusted to the best. I will definitely win this game."
"Then what do you think is the biggest threat to Team AY?" the reporter continued to ask.
Lin Yu paused, remained silent for a few seconds, and then slowly said, "Their mid laner is very strong, but we are well prepared to counter them. I want everyone to know that I am the strongest."
He didn't mention Su Ran's name, but everyone knew that when he said "the strongest", he was competing with Su Ran.
Su Ran, on the other hand, appeared much calmer during the interview. Facing reporters' questions, he remained composed: "Our team has put a lot of effort into this competition. The players train intensively every day. I believe in our strength. No matter who our opponent is, we will give it our all and strive to win the championship."
"So what do you think of your opponent Lin Yu?" the reporter asked the question that everyone was most concerned about.
Su Ran tightened his grip on the microphone, his tone remaining calm. "Lin Yu is a very good jungler. He has a fast tempo and is very aggressive. Playing against him requires greater focus."
He also didn't mention their past friendship, but only objectively evaluated Lin Yu's strength. But after answering this question, he was silent for a long time, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.
After the interview aired, the internet went wild. Fans split into two camps: one supporting Lin Yu, believing he would definitely win; the other supporting Su Ran, believing his consistency would lead AY to victory. Many longtime fans dug out photos of them from the city tournament and lamented, "We were such good brothers before, how did it become like this now?"
On the day of the finals, the Shanghai Esports Center was packed. Fans, holding placards and wearing their team's uniforms, lined the entrance. In the chilly wind, shouts of "Go SG!" and "AY will win!" echoed, filling the air with a tense atmosphere.
Lin Yu and his teammates arrived at the competition venue an hour early and made final preparations in the lounge. He sat in front of the mirror, his makeup artist retouching his makeup, but he stared at his reflection, his eyes blank. He remembered his first city competition, when he'd been just as nervous. Back then, Su Ran had sat next to him, patting his shoulder and saying, "Don't panic, we can win." But now, they were rivals, facing off in the finals.
"What are you thinking about?" Chen Mo came over and patted his shoulder. "You're about to go on stage, don't be nervous."
Lin Yu came back to his senses and smiled: "Nothing, just a little emotional."
Chen Mo knew what he was thinking. He didn't say anything more and just handed him a bottle of water: "Drink some water and stay in shape. We will definitely win this time."
Lin Yu took the water and nodded.
At 2 p.m., the finals officially began. As Lin Yu and his teammates emerged from the aisle, the audience erupted in deafening cheers. He looked up at the stands, the densely packed lights dazzling his eyes. But he quickly located the SG fans' area—a sea of red, the shouts of "Go Yu!" resounding loudly.
He took a deep breath, straightened his back, and walked towards the center of the stage.
At that moment, Team AY emerged from the opposite passage. Su Ran, wearing the blue AY uniform, walked in the middle of the team, her hair neatly combed and her eyes bright behind her glasses as she headed towards the center of the stage.
When Lin Yu and Su Ran met at the center of the stage, their eyes locked. In that instant, time seemed to stand still—Lin Yu saw the determination in Su Ran's eyes, and Su Ran saw the unwillingness in Lin Yu's. It was as if they were back on the day they won the city championship, standing on the stage just like that. Back then, they were teammates and friends, but now, they were rivals.
"Both players shake hands and greet each other." The referee's voice sounded.
Lin Yu held out his hand, and Su Ran did the same. The moment their hands met, they both felt a strong current running through them. Lin Yu's hand was warm, with a hint of nervous trembling; Su Ran's hand was cool, yet powerful.
They didn't say anything, just shook hands and quickly let go. Lin Yu turned around and walked towards his seat, and Su Ran also returned to AY's seat area.
Before the match began, both players debugged their equipment. Lin Yu stared at the hero pool on the screen, his fingers tapping gently on the keyboard, silently reciting the tactics laid out by his coach. He knew this match wasn't just for the championship, but also to prove himself—he had to win, not just against AY, but also against Su Ran.
Su Ran sat in his seat, closed his eyes, and took a few deep breaths. He went over the tactics against Lin Yu in his mind, secretly telling himself that he could not make any mistakes and had to go all out.
"Both players are ready, the game officially begins!" The referee's voice sounded.
Lin Yu opened his eyes, his gaze becoming firm. He stared at the "Start Game" button on the screen, his fingers hovering over the keyboard, waiting for the game to begin.
Su Ran also opened his eyes, with a gleam in his eyes behind the lenses, staring at the screen intently.
With the referee's command, the match officially began. Lin Yu controlled his jungle hero and headed straight for the jungle area; Su Ran also controlled the mid-lane hero and began to clear the lane.
In the early stages of the match, both teams played cautiously. Following the coach's strategy, Lin Yu first secured lane control for Lü Bu in the confrontation lane, while Su Ran steadily cleared lanes in the middle lane, occasionally supporting the side lanes.
"Lin Yu's Nakroth is so fast! He got Lu Bu first blood right at the start!" the commentator said. "It seems SG's tactics are working."
Cheers erupted from the audience, and SG fans waved their light signs excitedly.
Lin Yu looked at the "First Blood" notification on the screen and breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that this was just the beginning and the next game would be even more intense.
Su Ran looked at the situation on the screen, his fingers moving quickly on the keyboard. He knew that Lin Yu's rhythm had picked up, and he had to find an opportunity to counterattack as soon as possible.
Ten minutes into the game, the first large-scale teamfight broke out in the middle lane. Lin Yu's Nakroth spun around and cut into AY's marksman, while Su Ran used Zhang Liang's ultimate to pin down Lin Yu and cooperate with his teammates to complete the counter-kill.
"Beautiful! Su Ran's ultimate was crucial!" The commentator's voice rose. "Team AY successfully defended the middle lane and took Lin Yu's kill!"
The AY fans in the audience cheered, their voices drowning out the shouts of the SG fans.
Lin Yu looked at the "death" prompt on the screen and felt a little impatient. He knew that he was too impatient and shouldn't have rushed in.
"Don't panic," the coach's voice rang out in the headset. "Take your time, we still have a chance."
Lin Yu took a deep breath and returned to the jungle to control Nakolulu. He told himself that he couldn't make any more mistakes and had to stay calm.
The following match was a stalemate. Lin Yu's Nakolu repeatedly looked for opportunities to cut into Su Ran's Zhang Liang, but Su Ran anticipated these opportunities and used his ultimate to neutralize them. Su Ran also repeatedly supported the wing lanes, trying to break the situation, but was restrained by Lin Yu's teammates.
Every clash of clashes set the crowd ablaze with excitement, and the commentators grew increasingly agitated, constantly analyzing the tactics and maneuvers of both sides.
"Lin Yu's flanking move was brilliant! Although he didn't get the kill, he forced Su Ran to flash!"
"Su Ran's Zhang Liang is so stable, he can always pin down the opponent's core at the critical moment!"
"The two sides have been fighting too fiercely. Now the economies are basically on par. Whoever can seize the opportunity will have the advantage!"
Twenty minutes into the game, the gold gap between the two teams was less than a thousand. Then, Team AY suddenly launched an attack. Su Ran's Zhang Liang used his ultimate to pin down SG's marksman, and with the help of his teammates, he completed the kill. Lin Yu's Nakroth tried to go up to save him, but was distracted by AY's jungler and couldn't get there in time.
"AY Team seized the opportunity and pushed down SG's mid-lane highland tower!" The commentator's voice sounded, "Now AY Team has the advantage, and SG Team's situation is a bit dangerous!"
Lin Yu looked at the highland tower that was pushed down on the screen, and his anger rose again. He knew that this could not go on any longer and he had to find an opportunity to fight back as soon as possible.
He controlled Nakroth and roamed around the jungle, searching for Su Ran. He knew that if he could kill Su Ran's Zhang Liang, he could disrupt AY's rhythm and create opportunities for the team.
Finally, at the 22nd minute mark, Lin Yu spotted Su Ran's Zhang Liang in the mid-lane bushes. He attacked without hesitation, using his first and second abilities, instantly closing in on Zhang Liang. Su Ran reacted quickly, attempting to use Flash to escape, but was stopped by Lin Yu's smite.
"Lin Yu seized the opportunity! Nakolu's damage is very high, and Su Ran's Zhang Liang is in danger!" The commentator shouted excitedly.
SG fans in the audience also stood up and shouted loudly: "Kill him! Kill him!"
Su Ran's Zhang Liang's health was dwindling, and he was about to be killed. But just then, AY's teammates arrived and surrounded Lin Yu's Nakolu. Lin Yu wanted to retreat, but it was too late, and he was eventually killed by AY's teammates.
"What a pity! Although Lin Yu found an opportunity this time, he failed to kill Su Ran and was killed by AY's teammates!" The commentator's voice was filled with regret. "Now AY team can directly push down SG's crystal in one wave!"
Lin Yu looked at the "failure" prompt on the screen, and his heart felt like it was being weighed down by a stone. He knew that he had lost again, and lost to Su Ran again.
The AY fans in the audience cheered loudly, and the AY players hugged each other excitedly to celebrate their victory.
Su Ran sat in his seat, watching the "Victory" message on the screen, but he wasn't as happy as he'd imagined. He turned to look at the SG seating area. Lin Yu was looking down, his head unsettled. He recalled the handshake and the days when they won the city championship together, and his heart ached.
After the competition, the awards ceremony began. Team AY stood on the podium, receiving the championship trophy. Su Ran stood in the middle of the team, holding the trophy, but his face didn't smile much. He looked at Lin Yu in the audience, who was turning to leave, his back looking particularly lonely.
Su Ran secretly wondered if the conflict between him and Lin Yu would become more serious after this game. Would their former friendship never come back?
After Lin Yu left the arena, he didn't return to the team lounge, but went straight back to the dormitory. He locked himself in his room, watching the snowflakes falling outside the window, his heart filled with anger and resentment. He didn't know why he always lost in every match against Su Ran. He also didn't know how to resolve the conflict between him and Su Ran.
The snow fell heavier, covering the entire city. The story of Lin Yu and Su Ran continued. Will the conflict between them be resolved in the future? Can they return to the way they were before? Everything is still unknown.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
