After taking a short break, everyone gathered in the training room at one in the afternoon, just as Chen Chen walked in.
“This afternoon’s training match is against Furia. You all know their spring season record—they finished fifth in the playoffs.”
Standing behind the five players, Chen Chen tapped his pen against his notebook. “Originally, we had a match lined up tonight with the European–American team Kus.X, but after discussing it with the assistant coaches, we decided not to train with foreign teams for now.”
As head coach, Chen Chen wasn’t the type to pull rank. Whenever he made a decision, he would at least explain the reason to his players, even if he didn’t consult them beforehand.
The logic was simple enough: during the offseason, every team was preparing to make a splash in the summer split, and the priority was to understand and adapt to the domestic competitive environment. Training matches with foreign teams usually didn’t happen until mid-to-late summer—or even right before Worlds.
There were also many aspects of training right now that weren’t suitable for foreign teams to see.
“Did Furia recently change their roster?” Wei Ye asked.
Chen Chen nodded. “Not exactly a replacement. They recruited a new mid-lane substitute—Reling, real name Xu Zhiyi. He’ll be the one playing against us today. Their old mid, mmgod, will also play.”
Then he lightly placed a hand on Sui Ning’s shoulder. “Xu Zhiyi might not be well-known on the Chinese server, but he’s quite popular internationally—his highest rank on the global server was 96. So, feeling any pressure?”
Sui Ning’s eyes curved with calm amusement. “None.”
“Good.” Chen Chen liked players who stayed composed no matter the circumstances. He clapped his hands. “I’ll let their coach know. Get ready—we’ll start soon.”
He called Furia’s coach, nicknamed “Orange,” and after a quick exchange, they got to the point.
Soon, Furia created the custom lobby, and both teams began joining. Today’s side selection followed standard tournament rules. Orange won the coin toss and chose the blue side.
Blue Side: Top – FR_Vitus; Jungle – FR_xiaopang; Mid – FR_Reling; marksman – FR_Gaogao; Support – FR_Col
Red Side: Top – Squirtle; Jungle – Charmander; Mid – Pikachu; marksman – Bulbasaur; Support – Ash
With voice chat on, Orange couldn’t help but twitch his mouth when he saw the IDs. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Still hiding your IDs? Everyone already knows who your mid is—come on!”
“The whole world knows it’s Fenglan. It’s him, isn’t it?”
Chen Chen was clearly pleased but flatly denied it. “Fenglan? Never heard of him. What’s wrong with Pikachu playing mid?”
“…Fine. But there’s still something I don’t get.”
“Go ahead.”
“Why is your support named Ash?” As a Pokmon fan, Orange was exasperated. “That’s not even the same species as the rest!”
Chen Chen didn’t bother hiding it. “He requested it himself. Said Ash can command the others just fine.”
“…Unbelievable.”
After a few minutes of banter, both sides finished their prep and were ready to start.
Hanging up the call, Orange turned his attention to his young player, Xu Zhiyi.
“Pretty sure their mid is Fenglan. Nervous?”
He kept his tone casual. “The guy’s had multiple national No. 1 ranks, and he even got Fan’en nerfed.”
Xu Zhiyi pouted and shook his head. “I’ve seen his stats. I can do that, too.”
He’d been playing Glory since he was fifteen, hit his first top-rank half a year later, and had just turned eighteen—an age when no one liked to admit defeat. Even if Sui Ning’s record was impressive, Xu Zhiyi didn’t think he was any worse.
Besides…
He’d never faced Sui Ning before. And from what he’d heard, the guy’s reputation might just be marketing hype.
Thinking of that, Xu Zhiyi pressed his lips together. The idea that his opponent might be some overhyped player annoyed him. He was eager to prove otherwise.
Orange sighed. “Confidence is good… Alright, let’s start.”
Chen Chen wanted to test his lineup—and so did Orange. With a seasoned veteran like mmgod holding the fort, Orange wasn’t worried about skill. What he really wanted was to see the kid’s mentality grow.
Still, thinking of Chen Chen’s smug tone earlier made him grind his teeth. Damn it—where did he even find someone like Fenglan? So young yet calm like an old sage! I surf the web every day and never run into players like that!
System: Loading Draft Mode…
The familiar tune played again as both teams did their final headset checks and entered training mode.
“The first game, let’s try the brothers’ combo,” Chen Chen said, watching the players’ screens. “Wind, after a full day of training, which heroes did you find the toughest to deal with?”
He clasped his hands behind his back, looking every bit like a teacher calling on someone in class.
This was part of the training, too—players needed to refine their understanding of the current meta through matches, assess team compositions on the fly, and compare their judgment with the coaching staff’s feedback.
This process not only helped coaches gauge each player’s thought process and patch up tactical gaps but also improved the players’ game sense, familiarized them with match pacing, and built confidence.
Once they got used to communicating like this with the coach, they wouldn’t panic on stage.
After all, even if the coach drafted the heroes, the execution still depended on the players. If a player wasn’t confident in the picks, the team had already lost before the game began.
Caught off guard by the question, Sui Ning still answered calmly: “Fan’en’s laning is weak and his wave clear is average. If we try to ban out every strong-lane mage, it won’t be enough. We can ban one with a similar role but faster rotations—Oracle—and also remove Dragon Monk for his jungle invasion pressure and Shadow of Vengeance for his strong map support.”
“The key to the brothers’ combo,” Sui Ning analyzed, “is that the jungle can’t get completely suppressed early. Van’s laning phase is secondary. As long as Fanlei can make plays in the jungle, he can always help Fan’en relieve lane pressure and rotate together.”
“This way, the first three bans basically ensure jungle strength. During the early- to mid-game tempo fights, the Oracle-type heroes also won’t be able to follow Fan’en around on double roams.”
Chen Chen: …
Chen Chen had asked with the intention of testing him. But the answer he got… well, he didn’t even know if he should hope his midlaner got it right or wrong.
If he got it wrong, Chen Chen could correct him and prove that the coach was still useful. If he got it right… Chen Chen had nothing to say—but it felt great.
It really did.
His Adam’s apple bobbed. Looking down at his notebook, he saw his own notes written in large letters: First three bans — Oracle, Dragon Monk, Phantom Trickster.
Only the third ban differed from Sui Ning’s list.
Perfect—proof the coach still mattered. Chen Chen’s lips curved slightly as he prepared to speak—
…Wait, something’s off.
He paused mid-sentence. Thinking it through carefully—yes, Phantom Trickster’s strength was mainly in the mid-game, and his roaming wasn’t exactly stellar.
Meanwhile, Shadow of Vengeance, who became a global threat after hitting level 6, was clearly the real natural enemy of the Fan’en–Fanlei duo.
Damn it… fine, you be the coach then!
Silently, Chen Chen crossed out “Phantom Trickster” in his notebook and replaced it with “Shadow of Vengeance.”
But instead of feeling annoyed, he actually felt even more satisfied.
“What do you think, Coach?” Sui Ning asked.
“Uh…” Chen Chen struggled to suppress the grin threatening to break loose. “Good. Let’s ban that.”
First three bans: PNG banned Oracle, Dragon Monk, and Shadow of Vengeance.
Orange, who had already gotten word, guessed at PNG’s intended draft and asked his own rookie, “Seeing their bans, can you guess what they’re going to pick?”
“I don’t know… but it doesn’t really matter, does it?” Xu Zhiyi replied, then realized that sounded too arrogant, and quickly added, “Maybe they’re just cutting down jungle power, banning strong junglers.”
Orange: “...And mid? Who’s their mid going to be?”
Xu Zhiyi shrugged. “Doesn’t matter who I face. Uh… heroes that fear Oracle… maybe some utility type?”
Orange: “…”
Orange sighed in defeat. “They’re going for Fan’en and Fanlei. What kind of mid-jungle combo do we use against that?”
“Pick a mid with strong laning and an aggressive early-game jungler.”
The coach pointed at the banned champions on the BP screen. “And then?”
Xu Zhiyi’s pupils contracted as he finally caught on.
He took a deep breath. “There aren’t many good jungle picks left. Then I’ll take a strong laning mage—just crush him in lane.”
Orange’s heart sank further, and he fell silent.
Classic solo-queue thinking… He sighed inwardly.
In ranked games, where opponents’ skill varied wildly, sure, you could sometimes “crush lane” easily. But in pro play? Everyone was sharp.
Even the best mid laners in the world couldn’t guarantee they’d “smash” anyone in lane—especially with all the strategic complexity mid involved.
But that kind of lesson couldn’t be taught through words alone. Xu Zhiyi would have to learn it the hard way.
At least, Orange thought with relief, this was still just a training match—there was time to fix things.
He followed Xu Zhiyi’s choice and locked in—
“You sure about this?” Orange’s mouth twitched. “You really want to pick that?”
Xu Zhiyi nodded firmly. “Yeah. Stellar Sprite. Super strong in lane.”
Orange: …
The coach sighed. “You do know Fenglan’s ranked No. 1 in China on that hero, right?”
Xu Zhiyi didn’t care much. “I guess so. It’s fine. Hardly anyone plays her domestically anyway—but there are plenty of strong players on the international server. I’ve fought them all.”
Orange nodded silently and jotted down a few words in his notebook: doesn’t research opponents ahead of time and overconfident.
——
Blue Side (Furia) locked in Stellar Sprite - Aeria.
“Oh damn!” Lin Zhaoxu was the first to blurt out. “What’s that supposed to mean? Dude’s going overboard!”
“So they’re skipping the synergy picks and going pure lane?” Wei Ye muttered a few soft wows, then shut up—he didn’t dare spark a war.
Sui Ning’s lips curved faintly, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Seems like they’re planning to crush me in lane.”
“I can cover you early—” Ji Yunyu started.
“No need. Just play normally.”
Sui Ning cut him off, voice calm but edged. “I won’t let him get away with it.”
Lin Zhaoxu, always one to fan the flames, couldn’t resist adding fuel: “Feng-bao, he’s underestimating you! Forget about Wind Stirs the Mugwort for a second—just look at his draft logic, tsk tsk!”
“This lineup—they can’t even function unless they’re ahead by a few thousand gold,” Lin Zhaoxu said, his mouth agape and tone exaggerated. “Which means… the other side is straight-up—”
“—not treating you like a human being!”
The draft really was a bit wild. Even Chen Chen couldn’t hold back a laugh. “It’s fine, just play normally.”
“Wind, same for you—just follow your own plan.” He gave Sui Ning a reassuring glance and only relaxed when he saw the player’s calm expression.
Rookies could easily lose their cool under this kind of provocation… but it was just a training match. Whether Sui Ning got tilted or not, it would all be experience.
In fact, Chen Chen almost appreciated Furia’s draft—if it managed to push Sui Ning’s buttons, that was great. It’d give the coach a chance to be useful again.
Sui Ning tapped his fingers lightly against the table, answering in an unhurried voice, “Yeah, I know.”
Welcome to the War of Glory!
Red Side vs Blue Side
Top: Verdant Treant vs Blood Count
Jungle: Falcon General vs Shadowbane
Mid: Stellar Sprite vs Specter of Shadow
Marksman: White Bird vs Soul-Piercing Spear
Support: Scythe of Calamity vs Shadow Hawk
Xu Zhiyi was full of confidence—he started with a 435-gold Magic Codex and a 50-gold Health Potion, the classic “I’m going to bully lane” setup.
“Wow~! Look at that build!”
Lin Zhaoxu shouted while helping his jungler with the buff. “Dude’s cocky as hell!”
As he yelled, the buff monster on-screen visibly trembled.
Ji Yunyu muttered, “…Can you quiet down? You’re scaring my buff.”
As a pro, Sui Ning naturally tabbed to check enemy items. He noticed Xu Zhiyi’s loadout but said nothing.
Both sides arrived mid.
Seeing the familiar blue-haired sprite being piloted by someone else, skipping out from under the tower with a playful bounce, Sui Ning felt something oddly familiar—yet strange.
Aeria blinked, pulled a cheeky face, and raised her right hand.
The instant he saw that motion, Sui Ning instinctively moved Fan’en a step back and to the right, easily dodging the poke from her Q skill.
“Hm?”
Xu Zhiyi raised a brow in surprise. “That fast? …Interesting.”
…Interesting, my ass.
Behind him, Orange closed his eyes in despair. “Oh, for crying out loud…”
Kid, please do some research next time.
The coach sighed inwardly. That Fenglan on the other side was Aeria incarnate—he could probably play her better than 99% of Aeria mains with his eyes closed.
To put it bluntly, the moment you so much as twitch, he already knows what spell you’re about to cast. All your fancy little lane tricks? He’s seen them a thousand times. You think you’re being slick, but he’s probably correcting your mistakes in his head.
As if reading his thoughts, Sui Ning arched an eyebrow. “…This Aeria…”
“How is she?” Lin Zhaoxu asked between last-hits.
“A bit weak,” the young man replied flatly.
Lin Zhaoxu let out a sharp, teasing whistle.
You’re killing me here! Orange screamed internally.
But as the coach, he couldn’t step in mid-training match—he had to maintain fairness. All he could do was glare daggers at Xu Zhiyi, hoping his scorching gaze could somehow convey his exasperation.
——
Xu Zhiyi prided himself on being a top Aeria player. His summoner spells—Flash and Ignite—made his intentions clear: all-in for lane dominance. He knew levels 3 and 6 were Aeria’s prime kill windows.
But Fan’en’s movements were slippery as an eel, making every early poke miss. By level 3, Sui Ning’s health bar was still practically full—
He hadn’t even used a potion. At this rate, a solo kill looked impossible.
…Still, maybe it was worth a try.
He’d often caught opponents off guard in high-ranked international matches, taking first blood that way.
Even if he couldn’t get the kill, forcing Fan’en low would give him lane control.
Clenching his teeth, Xu Zhiyi began shoving the wave.
At the same time, both Sui Ning and Orange sighed in unison: That’s so obvious… you really don’t think the other guy’s human, huh?
Furia’s analyst, watching nearby, couldn’t help whispering to the coach, “He’s going for it already? Isn’t that too reckless?”
“…Yeah.” Orange sighed again, utterly defeated. “Where’s mmgod?”
“In the bathroom.”
“Tell him to get over here. He needs to see this—he’ll have an easier time mentoring the kid later.”
The match had barely started, and yet—from draft to lane—Xu Zhiyi had already exposed far too many problems.
Furia placed great importance on mentorship between veteran and rookie players. Their veteran mid-laner, mmgod, was both Xu Zhiyi’s guide and his big brother figure within the team. Having him review these issues would help him communicate better with Xu Zhiyi later.
Coach Orange, though not as mechanically skilled as his pro players, had a keen sense for reading the “flow” of the game. The moment Xu Zhiyi decided to recklessly force a solo kill, Orange immediately recognized that his player was already at both a mental and laning disadvantage.
And indeed—he was right.
Aeria subtly shifted her position, aligning herself with the enemy minion and Fan’en in a straight line. She was preparing to use a common trick: last-hit a minion at the exact moment of casting a skill, so her E’s crowd control would land cleanly, followed by her signature QAWAQ + Ignite combo.
Against a fragile champion like Fan’en, that combo would either kill or leave him barely hanging. She could even Flash mid-combo to extend her projectile range for the finishing blow—maybe she’d even snag first blood.
Xu Zhiyi had already written the whole script in his mind.
Unfortunately…
“Too bad,” Sui Ning’s lips curved slightly, “I know these tricks better than you do.”
How well?
So well that he could not only predict when Aeria would cast her spell based on her movement—but could even bait or force her into attacking exactly when he wanted.
3… 2… 1—
Now.
Fan’en stopped moving. The white priest’s robe swayed lightly with the motion.
“Opportunity!” Xu Zhiyi’s eyes lit up. “He misstepped!”
Orange, who had been watching bot lane, jumped in his chair and instantly refocused mid, heart pounding.
The chubby coach licked his lips nervously.
No way! Did the number one Aeria in the country just make a mistake—against another Aeria? What kind of cursed mirror match is this?!
Without hesitation, Xu Zhiyi cast his E. A glowing snare shot forward, and at the same time, Aeria’s auto attack—a tiny meteor—pierced through the minion.
The path between Aeria and Fan’en was now completely clear.
The silver-haired youth looked down from above, faint amusement tugging at his lips. The inverted crimson cross at his brow glimmered like divine blood.
He gazed at the blue-haired girl beneath him, his golden irises darkening with ink-like shadow, a faint smirk suggesting—
Is that all you’ve got?
The next instant, twin flashes of light—purple and gold—burst forth.
Dark violet, the color of a fallen galaxy. Aerie followed her E instantly with Q and W, canceling Q’s end lag with the W animation, then reactivated Q to pull back the flying star—a textbook-perfect, elegantly timed combo.
Xu Zhiyi grinned—“He’s dead—uh…?”
Because at that same moment, Sui Ning had already planned several counter-options—even considering tanking the damage and Flashing away. But recalling the opponent’s earlier arrogance, a small devil inside him whispered for payback.
It whispered, laughed, and urged him to teach the guy a lesson.
So when the moment came, Sui Ning made Fan’en Flash forward.
“What—” Xu Zhiyi froze mid-breath.
Aeria’s pupils constricted as a sudden gust of wind swept past her. In the blink of an eye, the elegant priest stood behind her. Her trap and stars?
Still lying harmlessly on the ground ahead.
Furia’s analysts gasped. “He missed everything!”
“Uh oh—Reling has no skills up!”
“It should be fine, Fan’en early damage isn’t that high.”
But the little blue-haired girl now looked genuinely flustered—caught in her own trick, like a mischievous child about to be scolded. She forced a sweet, pleading smile, gazing up at the priestly man as if begging for mercy.
Too bad… Fan’en wasn’t a priest of light.
When Aeria met his golden eyes, she saw the shadows writhing within. Black tendrils coiled around him, dripping onto the ground like inky stains from the abyss, pooling into dark puddles from which twisted, sticky Children of Void began to crawl out.
Aeria’s face went pale—eww!!
Fan’en early-game damage might not have been high, but that didn’t mean Sui Ning planned to let her go. Without a word, he unleashed Q–E–W and followed up with a relentless chain of autos, shredding her health bar for every point of damage possible.
“N-no way—!”
Aeria was fragile; she couldn’t withstand much. Her HP plummeted fast.
When her health hit 45%, Xu Zhiyi exclaimed, “Wait—he’s actually trying to kill me?!”
Coach Orange, having watched the entire exchange: …Why was I even hoping for anything different?
When her HP dropped to around 27%, Xu Zhiyi finally panicked and burned Flash, retreating to his turret.
Sui Ning hadn’t taken Ignite, so he let her go. He pinged the minimap a few times instead.
“So aggressive,” Xu Zhiyi muttered with a click of his tongue.
Teammate Xiao Pang glanced over. “What happened? You burned Flash?”
Xu Zhiyi pursed his lips. “Yeah, misplayed. He dodged a few of my skills.”
He parked Aeria between his tier-one and tier-two towers to recall.
“That Fan’en has no Flash either. Later we can—”
[Charmander (Shadowbane) has slain FR_Reling (Stellar Sprite)!]
[First Blood!]
“Are you fuc—… damn it!” Xu Zhiyi stopped himself mid-curse, remembering that pros weren’t allowed to swear on comms.
He grumbled instead, “What the hell? Why was Fan’en’s jungler even there?!”
Ji Yunyu, having just cleared bot-side jungle, chirped happily, “Thanks for the 400 gold, Feng-bao~!”
Sui Ning chuckled lightly. “Knew he’d be there. Nice timing.”
“Yeah, saw your pings.”
Sui Ning didn’t reply—just typed a short message while recalling to base.
[Pikachu]: ^^.
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