Chapter 172

“The champion Jian Ji is not in Mo Yin’s official champion pool, with zero usage in professional matches. Jian Ji is a champion who greatly tests skill proficiency—if played well, she can carry the entire game in a split second; if played poorly, she becomes a liability in lane and team fights. Despite this, since Mo Yin has chosen Jian Ji, none of REAL’s players dare to underestimate her.

‘Insane, need help?’

Entering the game, the support asks if Mo Yin needs help top lane.

Ye Chi says, ‘No need, we’re solo.’

DSG’s jungler and support also ask Mo Yin, ‘Level 1 camp mid?’

‘Mid lane solo.’

Without prior discussion, both independently choose a 1v1 mid lane matchup.

During their special training sessions, Mo Yin has never brought out Jian Ji.

There are several possibilities: Mo Yin intentionally kept Jian Ji hidden, or Jian Ji simply doesn’t require practice for Mo Yin.

Knowing Mo Yin as he does, Ye Chi believes the latter is likely.

Sure enough, after reaching level 1, in their one-on-one, Ye Chi immediately senses Mo Yin’s high proficiency with Jian Ji—her timing and precision in using skills are impeccable, each trade exerting immense pressure.

The patch changes force Mo Yin to focus solely on lane dominance early on. If roaming yields little in the first ten minutes, then maximize advantages in lane.

Mo Yin and Ye Chi clash in lane, both highly focused.

Compared to their initial encounters, Ye Chi’s laning against Mo Yin has markedly improved, allowing Mo Yin only a slight edge.

As in their usual solo practice, both are aggressive in trading blows, sparks flying in lane, skills piercing through minion waves, their effects echoing through their headsets, matching the rhythm of their racing hearts.

Mo Yin calmly says, ‘Mid, incoming.’

‘On my way.’

Controlled by Guan Ming, Leopard Girl arrives in mid lane. Low on health, Jian Ji senses danger and uses her mobility skill to flee under her tower. Simultaneously, Ye Chi notifies his teammates over the mic, ‘Leopard Girl mid.’

Jian Ji swiftly enters the tower, aiming straight for the low-health Blade Dancer!

Ye Chi tries to stun Mo Yin with a skill, predicting his movement. In that instant, Jian Ji’s lunge counters, skills overlapping, Jian Ji closes in on the side of the Blade Dancer, her ultimate unleashed—

The entire engagement lasts only five seconds.

Yet to Ye Chi, it feels like slow motion.

The speed and precision of Blue Steel Blade’s dance, the precise angle of each strike, the green healing circle casts, Leopard Girl diving into the tower to absorb its damage, simultaneously firing a spear.

Ye Chi’s screen goes black.

The support arrives mid, but facing the two retreating with low health under the tower, they can do nothing but watch as the enemy mid and jungle leave.

‘Damn,’ Sun Yuanyang says, ‘this Jian Ji plays insanely well.’

‘Don’t rush.’

Ye Chi respawns at the fountain, ‘Take it slow.’

Top-tier players like Mo Yin can’t be given even a slight advantage; any edge will suffocate the opponent.

Ye Chi has experienced this feeling facing Mo Yin in the Spring Split, but he’s not the same as before. Though Mo Yin takes his life in lane, Ye Chi isn’t completely at a disadvantage in subsequent exchanges; he isn’t falling behind in CS.

Jian Ji vs. Blade Dancer in lane, especially with Jian Ji’s item advantage, makes it difficult for Blade Dancer to win. When Ye Chi picked Blade Dancer, he suspected Mo Yin might choose between Jian Ji and Crocodile.

Choosing Crocodile, Crocodile and Leopard Girl form a strong snowballing combo in lane, but if their coordination falters, the combo can also look ugly.

He encountered Guan Ming’s Leopard Girl in ranked, an ugly sight, so Ye Chi speculated Mo Yin would choose a champion less reliant on team synergy to win.

That leaves only the Undying Jian Ji.

DSG’s lineup: Camille, Leopard Girl, Jian Ji, Varus, Tahm Kench.

Each champion is strong individually, but Ye Chi sees no synergy among them.

Jian Ji—a trap he set for Mo Yin.

Win lane, lose team fights?

Ye Chi believes Mo Yin should see through this trap too.”

“But Mo Yin still chose to jump in, fearless and arrogant, which fired up Ye Chi’s blood.

‘Vanguard,’ Ye Chi commanded, ‘Can bot lane come up?’

‘Yes, the lane is clear.’

‘I’m heading there.’

Top lane Lian Cheng volunteered.

Not allowing DSG to snowball was a lesson etched in REAL’s hearts like blood—they excelled in team fights and wouldn’t lose even in a 4v5!

‘Control the vanguard.’

Guan Ming’s heart raced. Though he controlled the jungle’s core Leopard Girl, he should have been farming and ganking, playing at full speed. But besides coordinating to kill Blade Dancer in mid, the other two ganks didn’t yield much advantage. He wasn’t accustomed to such champions and felt uncertain and lacking confidence when asked to lead the vanguard.

Qin Kunlun felt comfortable controlling the top lane. Engaging aggressively, he thought the enemy top laner had gone back to base when he disappeared from sight. When Guan Ming called for the vanguard, Qin Kunlun hesitated for two seconds, choosing to clear a few minions first. That’s when the team fight erupted.

‘They’re all—’

Guan Ming’s voice trembled.

Qin Kunlun immediately rushed over with his skills. The vanguard team fight had erupted.

As expected by Ye Chi, in a brawl, or even in a 4v5 brawl, DSG was no match for REAL.

The Pigs and Blades combination, along with the Support Hammer, controlled the battlefield from above. Could Mo Yin block one control skill after another, or even one?

‘Lock them down, lock them down!’

Sun Yuanyang cheered excitedly.

‘Secured, secured!’

Despite being focused down after the fight, Mo Yin remained unperturbed: ‘Retreat.’

Qin Kunlun arrived, but all he could do was step back as DSG’s jungle and support pushed too deep and were also taken down by REAL.

0 for 3.

The first small-scale team fight of the first training match after the rebuild ended in 0 for 3.

DSG’s team voice was silent.

Mo Yin respawned at the fountain, equipped himself, and went back online to farm minions. He didn’t console his teammates aloud. After a while on the voice chat, Ding Wenquan’s voice came through, ‘It’s okay, bot lane has an advantage.’

‘Top lane has an advantage too,’ Qin Kunlun found his voice again, ‘MY, be careful, they might clash in mid for the vanguard.’

Guan Ming, who had led them into this trap, couldn’t say a word. All he could think about were two words—substitute.

The vanguard was picked up by REAL’s jungle, and it seemed they intended to unleash it in mid, lurking suspiciously with a glowing mark in mid.

However, Mo Yin’s perfect control of the mid lane minions made Sun Yuanyang unsure if he could release the vanguard directly, afraid it might get picked off.

‘The vanguard can’t be released mid,’ Sun Yuanyang decided decisively, ‘Support, come top.’

The game had been going on for more than ten minutes. Qin Kunlun operated steadily, remembering the principle that father couldn’t come over. Keeping the line controlled within the range of skills, he became aware of the enemy jungle and support approaching and immediately retreated.

‘Weapons are gone, weapons are gone, I’m going back, you guys take what you can.’

The support immediately returned to base. The top lane’s Blade was quickly clearing minions, and the jungle emerged to release the vanguard. With a bang, the tower economy exploded.

Qin Kunlun could only grit his teeth and go up to clear minions and fight the vanguard. Under the tower, he lost most of his health to the opposing jungle and had to go back after a wave of losses.

The balanced ecosystem in the top lane was broken by this vanguard wave, and life in the bot lane wasn’t easy either. Ding Wenquan and Tang Qi’s lineup gradually lost their early-game advantage, combined with Tang Qi’s vanguard death once. The opposing Ezreal and Hammer support combo gradually improved, and the jungle Pigs’ activity was significantly higher than Leopard Girl’s. Ding Wenquan and Tang Qi had to be cautious in their lanes, continually clearing the surrounding vision to avoid ganks.

This version is too jungle-oriented.

Both the top and bottom lanes thought so almost simultaneously.

As the jungle, Guan Ming clearly felt the game needed him to step up. He was anxious, and anxiety led to mistakes. In several attempts to help gank, he ended up at a disadvantage.

REAL’s jungle Pig, accompanied by the support Hammer, roamed recklessly. Ezreal was Chen Dong’s signature champion, and he casually said in the bot lane, ‘Wuhu, I’ll 1v2, just casually, it feels good to hit my ex-wife.’

‘Go to hell,’ Sun Yuanyang, with Zhang Hanyu in mid lane, forced Mo Yin to retreat and clear minions, ‘Watch out, Flag’s getting angry, he might cry.’

‘Hahaha, love to see him cry—’

As the game progressed, DSG fell further behind.

The top lane turret fell first, followed quickly by the second turret. Qin Kunlun retreated in embarrassment, calling for jungle support. Guan Ming’s focus was shattered, only able to help clear minions.

In the bot lane, Ding Wenquan and Tang Qi finally found their opportunity. Tang Qi flashed in, devouring Ezreal and spitting him back out, while Ding Wenquan unleashed his ultimate to swiftly dispatch Chen Dong.

Amidst teammates conceding kills, REAL’s voice chat remained cheerful.

“Oh, got smacked by the ex-wife.”

“Who’s crying now?”

Chen Dong feigned tears. “Brothers, avenge me!”

In the mid lane, after clearing a wave with Jinx, Ye Chi retreated under the tower to recall. At the same time, Chen Dong also recalled.

Seconds passed.

Ye Chi looked at the proud standing Jian Ji across from him, a feeling of indescribable desolation seizing his heart.

This was a team game; individual strength, no matter how formidable, couldn’t dictate victory or defeat.

Heroes returned to the fountain.

Mo Yin said, “Qin Kunlun.”

Qin Kunlun, defending the top lane turret, acknowledged.

“Switch lanes.”

Jian Ji appeared in the top lane, quickly clearing minions. Meeting the enemy solo laner head-on, he realized they had switched. Lian Cheng immediately shouted, “Jinx is top!”

But it was too late.

Although DSG remained at a disadvantage overall, Mo Yin’s Jian Ji had never fallen behind in farm. His ability to last-hit minions was terrifying; no team fight could stop his growth.

With similar equipment levels, they clashed. Lian Cheng and mid laner Talon made the same choice without hesitation—run!

And Mo Yin certainly wouldn’t miss this opportunity. Jian Ji dashed in, skillfully sticking to his target, smoothly executing maneuvers, and in twelve seconds, claimed the head of the Steel Shadow.

What followed was almost a solo performance by Mo Yin.

Jian Ji appeared randomly in all three lanes, farming aggressively. If facing one opponent, he’d engage; if two, he’d test their skills; if three…

“Damn it—”

Sun Yuanyang burst out, “I’m dead!”

Three against one, and they still swapped out one, a situation in ranked games that would earn you the question, “Do you even know how to play?”

But clearly, it wasn’t that they didn’t know how to play—it was that the opponents were too strong.

Steel Shadow and the low-health support stood in the vanishing healing zone. Lian Cheng calmly said, “The Sword Girl is on top.”

The screen returned to color. Mo Yin returned to the fountain, bought equipment, and moved his mouse to switch screens, his eyes reflecting the light from the computer screen. “You play your game; don’t mind me.”

Yes.

He knew Jian Ji was a trap from Ye Chi.

He knew this was a 5v5 team game.

He knew the protagonist would have an unbreakable team.

So what?

He had himself.

Their lineup did indeed have significant flaws; their team fights were a mess. But REAL also had an equally fatal flaw—they had no hero to stop Jian Ji’s split-pushing.

Jian Ji could rapidly boost his personal economy through split-pushing, reaching equipment levels far ahead of the timeline, achieving unbeatable 1v1 strength. The enemy had to send at least three people, sacrificing other lanes, just to have a chance at killing him.

Once he got into this split-pushing rhythm, he was a team in himself, rolling a snowball through the entire game!

“Hold them off,” Ye Chi’s expression gradually became focused, entering an exhilarating zone when facing insanely strong opponents, “Take Dragon, don’t let him carry.”

“MY.”

Tang Qi’s ward saw REAL’s movements. “They’re going for Dragon!”

Mo Yin was pushing the top lane, breaking through the enemy’s last turret.

“Let them take it,” Mo Yin calmly continued forward, “Jungle goes for punishment, others take Dragon, hold them off, don’t let them control Dragon Soul.”

With Dragon’s enhancement buff, Jian Ji’s split-pushing slowed significantly. With the buff, the pressure from the minions lessened, and all five REAL members gathered in the bot lane, charging towards Jian Ji.

As control skills surged, Jian Ji seemed to predict it all in advance, blocking skills, positioning, flashing, mechanically dodging all control.

When the Unstoppable Jian Ji broke free from the center of control, REAL realized it was dire!

“Go down.”

Mo Yin said, advancing and stabbing into the crowd towards Talon.

The teleport flashed instantly, and the 5v5 team fight erupted. DSG’s heroes landed without coordination but fiercely engaged with the remaining members of REAL. After Jian Ji killed Talon, instead of returning to the battlefield, he continued to press forward, flashing into the bushes.

Ye Chi lay motionless on the ground, immediately saying, “Jian Ji is backdooring!”

The members of REAL panicked, quickly reacting to try and escape the team fight and recall to base.

In that moment, Ye Chi knew they had lost.

Breaking away from the team fight, turning it into fragmented 1v1 skirmishes, REAL’s lineup was no match for DSG.

It was over.

As all the members of REAL fell, Ye Chi leaned back. The players of REAL also expressed their frustration and regret.

“Damn, we could’ve won…” Chen Dong was about to explode. He clenched his fist, then exclaimed in surprise, “The Base didn’t explode!”

Indeed, the Base hadn’t exploded.

Ye Chi switched screens.

The Unstoppable Jian Ji had demolished the inhibitor tower, calmly waiting for his teammates at the fountain. Her stance, proud and sword in hand, seemed to carry a mocking arrogance.

Ye Chi understood Mo Yin’s tactics just now.

Mo Yin had feigned a backdoor attempt, luring them into the trap. This caused everyone to break formation in a rush to recall and stop the backdoor, dispersing REAL’s team fight lineup. Thus, DSG’s uncoordinated team composition instantly turned from a liability. Even if they managed to survive one or two, by the time they recalled, Mo Yin would actually be backdooring. They would face an Unstoppable Jian Ji fully healed at the fountain, a hero they struggled to handle even in a 3v1 situation.

They lost.

He lost.

From execution to strategy, he lost.

Ye Chi stared at the screen where Jian Ji stood silently, waiting for her teammates to dismantle their base. Her elegant and proud stance was reminiscent of Mo Yin’s demeanor, as if he could hear the classic line from Unstoppable Jian Ji: “I have no equal.”