The popularity of the Intercontinental Tournament plummeted after IKG was eliminated, and everyone’s attention quickly shifted to the upcoming National League.
The National League is the biggest event in the entire LPL region. Only LPL teams can participate. It draws massive traffic. The top six not only share a huge prize pool but also earn points toward the World Championship. Every year, even before it begins, a large number of spectators are already discussing which team has the best chance of winning the title.
IKG is still a championship favorite. In this Intercontinental Tournament, they were the only ones who performed decently. After Fang Zhixu left, TIN’s new jungler hasn't quite adapted yet, and the team isn't very competitive.
Just as everyone was discussing fervently, a bombshell suddenly exploded on the trending list: Qu Xiangtian joins TIN!
[No way, the ace pilot went to TIN?]
[Damn, now I get why TIN sold Fang Zhixu. Turns out they’d already negotiated with flyer.]
[TIN already brought up a new jungler. Now with Qu Xiangtian joining, they don’t really need Fang Zhixu.]
[No wonder. This is maximizing benefits.]
[I’m leaning toward TIN now. They also ranked first in the point standings.]
[Same here.]
[Let’s see how IKG responds. They’re no pushovers.]
[Lu Sheng hasn’t announced anything yet. Don’t rush to vote.]
[If TIN signed Qu Xiangtian, Lu Sheng is probably going to IKG.]
[Not necessarily. IKG’s mid is strong.]
[There’s no news yet. Lu Sheng might take a six-month break.]
[That would suck.]
[Actually WG isn’t bad this year either.]
[Come on, in my opinion they’re still not as good as FFT…]
Most people were discussing veteran teams. Suddenly, someone made a surprising comment: [I’m different. I’m backing RAG.]
[Who? Never heard of them.]
[Is it the newly promoted one? I kind of remember.]
[It’s the team Bai Yu founded. They just steamrolled the lower league and made it into the LPL.]
[Uh…]
[Although the roster is strong, it doesn’t look like they have a high ceiling. The only relatively young player is the AD, who has no major tournament experience.]
[And the team has had too little time to build synergy. I can’t imagine what kind of coordination you’d get from a top laner who’s been retired for two years, a washed-up support, a rookie AD, and a jungler who transferred two months ago.]
[They could mess around in the lower league, but now that they’re in the LPL, they’d better behave.]
[Even though everyone complains every day, no one really thinks the LPL is weak, right?]
[I mean, LPL is still the top domestic league. All the national talents are here.]
[Maybe because people complain too much, some actually think LPL is trash.]
[LMAO I’m dying…]
No one took it seriously. Everyone was still talking about Qu Xiangtian.
Then, in an obscure corner, RAG’s low-profile official account suddenly posted: Warmly welcome @Akoi-Lu Sheng to our team~ (rose)
With proper operations now in place, they even took a few photos of Lu Sheng at the base. This time he wore the official team jersey. Just sitting there, his long legs seemed to spill out of the frame. Among the crowd, his demeanor was calm, figure outstanding, with that gaze forged in world-class tournaments, completely different from everyone else. just looking at him gave a sense of pressure.
Once posted, the news quickly shot up the trending list.
Because it was too absurd, almost no one in the comments believed it, claiming it was some surreal fan fantasy. Some even said the photos were AI-generated by desperate RAG fans.
The official account didn’t even have a verified badge, looking just like a fake account, with only a few crude posts. The comments were all:
[Fake.]
[Obvious fake.]
[Not official.]
[Fans being delusional.]
[Hmm, but the photos don’t look fake.]
[Has to be fake.]
Then the account passed verification and got the yellow badge.
The official side also released a public notice, updating Lu Sheng’s contract period.
He hadn’t even signed recently, he signed two weeks ago.
At that time, RAG hadn’t even been promoted yet.
[??]
[What the hell!]
[Fake, right?]
[It’s publicly announced, how can it be fake?]
[Even the official notice is fake now…?]
[If it’s not my eyes playing tricks, it must be my brain.]
[Can someone explain why? Why did Lu Sheng join this team? That team obviously looks broke!]
[I went to check it out two weeks ago. They couldn’t even afford a proper door.]
[Ahhh I’m going crazy! Did Lu Sheng get possessed or something!]
[Must be blackmail involved, right?]
[Oh my god, did Lu Sheng actually pay 90 million in termination fees for this team?]
[Now I’m seriously considering sorcery…]
[Even if he signed after they got promoted…]
[Mom, I don’t want this!]
[I don’t dare open my eyes. I hope this is a hallucination.]
[Can any department do something about this?]
[Boohoo no wonder he came back wearing RAG gear, it was already finalized.]
[And not even official gear…]
[They couldn’t afford a door, and you expect official jerseys?]
[AAAAHHH I can’t take it!]
[This is infuriating! I want to report this to the officials! This is abuse!]
[Lu Sheng say something! Say you didn’t do it willingly!]
[How is it unwilling? He even booked the next available flight…]
[I can’t take it. I need oxygen.]
[Huh? What’s that sound? Oh, it’s the sound of my heart breaking.]
Before the official announcement, someone in Zhou Xunwen’s internal group posted a screenshot:
@Zhou Xunwen this is hilarious. Someone just claimed your team signed Lu Sheng. I told them that’s impossible. I’m in the same group chat as you. If it’s true, I’ll eat a pound of shit.
The sender had a good relationship with Zhou Xunwen, saying it jokingly.
A bunch of people followed along, and the joke escalated.
Then someone posted the official announcement screenshot:
Half the group now had to eat shit.
Everyone: "...."
Everyone started mass deleting their messages.
The first person couldn’t delete theirs anymore and begged:
Please, I’m begging you, delete your messages too, don’t let it leak out. I still need to face people in the future.
The group burst into laughter, but after the laughs, reality finally sank in.
[Wait? RAG signed Lu Sheng?]
[No way bro, did you Photoshop that screenshot?]
[Don’t joke. You dare fake something like that?]
[Photoshop your ass. The official notice is trending.]
[Holy shit! You guys really signed Lu Sheng?]
[@Zhou Xunwen, your team using black magic?]
[I thought Lu Sheng and Bai Yu didn’t get along? How’d you manage it?]
[Didn’t Bai Yu piss off Lu Sheng before?]
[Yeah, didn’t Lu Sheng leave for NA because of him? Even publicly said he wouldn’t join any LPL team again?]
[Then turns around and joins Bai Yu’s team…]
[My friend and I visited RAG’s base. Lu Sheng had already been there for a while. The two were even smoking together.]
[Bai Yu made Lu Sheng pay 90 million, what kind of bullshit is that?]
[Why does it feel like something weird is going on between those two? Are they just a bickering couple?]
[So we’re just part of their “play,” huh…]
Zhou Xunwen saw the messages and almost dropped to his knees:
[Stop it stop it, nothing’s going on!]
When he finally appeared, everyone @-ed him, combining old and new grudges to squeeze him again.
But this time it wasn’t to roast him.
It was to get on his good side.
[@Zhou Xunwen, can Bai Yu teach me too?]
[I can pay on time, just ask for me.]
[I can kneel and listen.]
[I can do a handstand and listen.]
[Huh? If we’re going there, I’ll take off my head and listen.]
[LMAO stop it, you’re gonna kill someone with this!]
The public discussion grew louder and louder.
RAG, like they were cut off from the world, calmly posted their starting roster.
Their team manager had a kind of pure college student vibe, daring to make the roster public in the middle of all the chaos.
A lot of people were caught off guard.
Clicking in, the list read:
Starting top: @Chron-Chen Shi’an
Starting jungle: @Noway-Fang Zhixu
Starting mid: @Akoi-Lu Sheng
Starting ADC: @Alata-Qi Yi
Starting support: @Moira-Bai Yu
Sub ADC: @XB-Xu Bo
Looking through the list, it was full of big shot names.
People unfamiliar might think it was an award list.
[I’m getting knocked out.]
[Who said RAG was weak and unthreatening?]
[Do they even need synergy? They’d win just from laning.]
[A lot of teams won’t be sleeping tonight.]
[This roster is top 3 in the LPL at least.]
[Don’t do this, there are only 3 World slots, and RAG just walked in without saying a word…]
[Kind of rude.]
[They were polite. They announced their roster, courtesy before combat.]
[Bai Yu’s been insane since leaving SG.]
[Bai Yu was always insane.]
[Who gets it, gets it. Power-enjoyers are losing it.]
[Starting today, I’m an RAG fan.]
[Still time to become a fan of RAG?]
[There’s time. We’re all starting from the same point. Low investment, high return. Most importantly, everyone’s a new fan—no old fans bossing around.]
[LMAO hurry up and join, or you’ll miss the chance!]
[Declaring now, I’m a die-hard RAG fan starting today.]
[RAG 10-year veteran fan, reporting in!]
The tournament hasn’t even started, and RAG has already been booked as a top-tier team.
[So what if they signed Lu Sheng? I’m not jealous at all. Not one bit. Sob sob sob…]
[I’m not jealous either sob sob sob. So what if they got Lu Sheng, Chen Shi’an, Fang Zhixu… sob sob sob. They even signed Qi Yi… but so what sob sob sob…]
[It’s fine. We’ll just watch on our knees, sob sob sob…]
It’s not just the fans losing sleep, the team execs aren’t sleeping either.
Because Bai Yu’s appearance isn’t just to take a seat at the table.
It’s to smash everyone’s bowls.
Outside, the noise was deafening.
Inside RAG, everything was calm.
Bai Yu sat next to Qi Yi, patiently replaying the last match frame by frame.
“You see, you still shifted too much in that direction. That habit’s no good. If I need to save you, the terrain here blocks me. I’d have to flash. But after flashing, there’s no way to retreat.
Of course, I can counter-control their AD.
But in that case, how would you respond?”
Qi Yi was afraid of upsetting him and didn’t dare speak. Bai Yu encouraged him, “Don’t be afraid, speak boldly.”
If he had to say it, Qi Yi replied, “I would sell you out. That could delay them for five seconds, giving our teammates time to arrive and counterattack. Then the dragon would be ours.”
Xu Bo disagreed with this plan. “How can you sell Bai Yu out?” He pointed to the enemy AD’s position. “If it were me, I’d go in and trade one for one at the limit. No one gets to walk away.”
But the dragon was about to respawn, and the contest over the advantage point was very important. Neither of them gave the right answer.
Bai Yu suddenly turned to the side and looked at Fang Zhixu. “You say it. If it were you, what would you do?”
Fang Zhixu had been watching for a long time. He said something shocking: “No matter what they choose, it’s the same. I wouldn’t go bot lane for this wave. I’d go top to push the tower.”
In other words, he would sell all three of them.
Even sell the dragon.
Xu Bo and Qi Yi looked at him in shock. But Bai Yu said, “Actually, his is the correct answer.”
He pointed at the screen. “Once a team fight breaks out here, the enemy top laner will definitely teleport down to defend the dragon. Instead of joining a risky fight, it’s better for Fang Zhixu to push the top lane. Use the dragon as bait to take their top high ground. That way, all the lanes are in a pushing state, and they have to defend top. Then their bottom lane is exposed again, and our win rate increases…”
It looked like they were giving up the dragon, but in reality, they were trading it for high ground.
The dragon’s buff is good for team fights, but don’t forget this is a tower-pushing game.
Qi Yi’s eyes widened slightly. His vision seemed to expand, and he suddenly saw the map beyond the bottom lane. He understood Bai Yu’s intention. “I get it. So we shouldn’t retreat, and we shouldn’t engage either. We should fight while retreating to buy as much time as possible!”
Bai Yu snapped his fingers. “Perfect answer.”
Xu Bo hissed. He had worked with Bai Yu for so many years and only knew how to follow his calls. He had never thought this deeply. “You two are really something else.”
Song Bo, who was watching from the back, was enlightened. He kept nodding and took notes in his notebook. He knew following Bai Yu would definitely teach him a lot.
The discussion grew more natural and enthusiastic. Watching from the side, Chen Shi’an smiled at the scene. “Surprised? First time seeing this side of him?”
Only Lu Sheng could hear him. His ear twitched slightly, but he didn’t speak and continued playing his game.
Chen Shi’an didn’t look at him either. His gaze was gentle, as if talking to himself. “The first time I saw him on stage, I felt the same way. Back then I thought, if he never noticed me in this life, I’d really regret it. Unfortunately, the only one he ever saw was Lin Kun. Maybe that’s why, when he so firmly decided to retire, he was shaken only because of him…”
Lu Sheng didn’t know why Chen Shi’an was telling him all this.
The match had reached a critical moment. His fingers moved on reflex, using Flash to dodge the enemy’s damage trigger and striking back for the kill.
He played an impressive maneuver, but felt empty inside.
He suddenly understood what Chen Shi’an meant. no matter how well you play, how clean your mechanics are, if Bai Yu doesn’t acknowledge you, it’s like you’ve never truly reached the peak of pro play.
Lin Kun of the past was like a mountain pressing down on him. Though he was gone, his shadow still lingered.
After training ended, Bai Yu was the last to leave.
He expertly turned off the training room lights and walked upstairs step by step. Halfway up, he suddenly stopped.
Under the dim lights, Lu Sheng was leaning in a corner, waiting for him.
Bai Yu was surprised. “Why haven’t you gone to rest?”
Lu Sheng stood up. “Waiting for you.”
Waiting? Was there something he wanted to talk about?
Bai Yu wondered if it was personal or team-related. But even by the time they reached the fifth floor, Lu Sheng hadn’t said a word. Then Bai Yu realized he really was just waiting for him.
Back in the youth training camp, Lu Sheng had been like this too. But Xu Bo was always with Bai Yu, so Lu Sheng never followed, only watching from a distance before leaving.
Bai Yu couldn’t help but ask, “Why wait for me?”
He thought there would be a special reason. But Lu Sheng looked away and simply said, “I can’t sleep if I don’t wait.”
His voice was soft, with no added emotion, as if stating a simple fact.
The motion-sensor hallway lights suddenly turned off, and all senses became sharper.
Wind passed by their ears, the air faintly smelling of dew. Lu Sheng didn’t enter the room or say anything that would trouble Bai Yu. He simply stood there, waiting for him to go in first.
Bai Yu suddenly felt his head heat up. “You…”
As Lu Sheng looked at him, the narrow eyes held a glint of moisture. Bai Yu didn’t dare meet his gaze and quickly went inside. “Good night!”
The door closed, but his heart was still racing.
Bai Yu pulled up Zhou Xunwen’s WeChat and quickly typed: Install more motion-sensor lights in the hallway.
Then he realized the problem wasn’t the lights, so he immediately added: Add more in the stairwell too. And in the training room.
Zhou Xunwen: Did you get photophobia or something?
---
After Bai Yu announced the final roster, other teams gradually released their own.
WG kept their original lineup with no changes.
TIN brought in a new jungler and signed Qu Xiangtian as their mid laner, making the team stronger overall.
WG also didn’t make any personnel changes. Mid laner Chen Yanxing was ranked third, AD Tang Su was also ranked third. Their competitiveness was clear.
TUP renewed their contract with their AD. It was said that TUP had tried and failed to sign Bai Yu. Ningmeng originally didn’t plan to stay, but TUP showed great sincerity and even signed two supports for him, which convinced him to remain. Their mid laner Chu Fei also gave the team decent overall strength.
Other teams made some changes too, but none significant enough to make waves. Nothing could top the absurdity of Lu Sheng signing with RAG.
[The LPL is really changing.]
[It already has. Didn’t you notice how late everyone announced their rosters?]
[Lmao, roster announcements used to feel like gunpowder in the air. Now everyone just looks dead inside.]
[RAG announced theirs first. Everyone after them just looked like clowns.]
[Before Lu Sheng signed with RAG, people were mocking the team. But even without him, their lineup wasn’t weak. Bai Yu is the undisputed top support, Fang Zhixu is now ranked first, Qi Yi shot up to fourth after the qualifiers, and Chen Shi’an’s account has already reached 1000 LP and that’s while training.]
[After watching so many Top 16 games, I forgot Bai Yu was a tier above.]
[Same here, my bad.]
[Wait, Xiao Fang is already ranked first? I didn’t notice.]
[God Shi hit 1000 LP? That’s insane.]
[Damn, when you put it like that, it's kind of scary.]
[Whoever said RAG was weak was dead wrong. They’re stacked.]
[Feels like RAG is locked for top three.]
[Crying. Does my team even have a shot at Worlds now?]
[But why am I so hyped? Haven’t seen a team this stacked in forever. I want to see them destroy people.]
[+1]
[+10086]
[When does the season start? I can’t wait.]
Just then,
“The match schedule is out!”
Song Bo ran into the training room with the printed schedule, breathless. “The regular season starts on the 7th!”
Bai Yu scanned the long chart. Most of their matches were scheduled at night. The few prime-time slots were given to top-ranked teams IKG and TIN.
As expected, the schedule was based on initial rankings.
Initial rankings were determined by team points. That was the biggest advantage for the legacy teams. They had already played a round of qualifiers and gained points. Newcomers like RAG and BN had none, so they were ranked last and scheduled accordingly.
Bai Yu had already done the math. Only the top three teams would qualify for Worlds. For RAG, there was only one path:
Win Nationals.
Qualify directly for Worlds.
Bai Yu’s goal was clear: “We must win the championship.”
Seven days left. Song Bo put up a banner in the training room: Surpass yourself. Claim the crown.
Five days left. Xu Bo chased enemies down with Flash.
Three days left. Chen Shi’an’s account reached 1200 LP. The solo queue ladder was crying for mercy.
One day left. Bai Yu called a team meeting.
The room was dead silent.
Song Bo stared at the data in confusion. “Aren’t we strong? Why are we losing so many scrims?”
Bai Yu, holding back his frustration, braced the table. “Individually, yes. You’re all strong. But why does everything fall apart when we try to work together? Forget the past. Just look at today’s scrim. In that Baron fight, I said to focus the players first. Lu Sheng dived and killed their mid. Chen Shi’an teleported in too. Fang Zhixu, why did you take such a long route from behind?”
Fang Zhixu explained, “I was worried about getting burst down. If they forced Baron, I thought I could flank and cut off their AD.”
Fair enough. Bai Yu moved on and looked at Chen Shi’an. “Then why did you follow him around that path after teleporting?”
Chen Shi’an responded, “I was worried he’d get picked off. I wanted to cover him. The whole situation felt chaotic. I thought wrapping around would give me a better view.”
Everyone had their reasons.
The result?
Lu Sheng killed their mid and turned around to find no backup. He had to Flash out. Qi Yi had already committed, couldn’t retreat, and died trying to deal as much damage as possible.
Bai Yu had to 1v5.
He died horribly.
During the review, everyone insisted their decision-making was fine.
And yet, they kept losing.
After all their scrims, their win rate was under 60%.
They talked about winning the championship?
Let’s just try to reach playoffs first.
Bai Yu was losing it. “Why the hell is this happening...?”