Bai Yu showed Chen Shi'an a match video of IKG's top laner. This player, Rote, is one of the few Korean imports in the domestic scene. During his tenure, he's been dedicated, with no negative records, and his performance has been steadily improving. This year, his form is outrageously good, having already defeated FFT's top laner, Jiang Yuan, who's currently ranked number one, in a recent match.
"I was originally checking out tomorrow's opponent, but I didn't expect to stumble across this guy," Bai Yu said.
Chen Shi'an had watched that match before, but from a third-person perspective, it didn't stand out. Now, watching from the first-person view, Rote's mechanics were undeniably intricate.
Bai Yu admitted, "I've never seen a top laner with such precise micro-control, and it's getting even sharper with age. He's been playing in China for four years, racking up tons of competitive experience. His communication in the team is no longer an issue, and the team loves building strategies around him. He even beat Jiang Yuan yesterday, so I'm really worried about you."
Chen Shi'an watched calmly. "Oh no, what should I do?" His tone dripped with mock concern, but his eyes showed no real emotion, carrying an air of detached indifference.
Rote's micro-precision was indeed improving. Sometimes, his mouse placement was accurate to within half a pixel, a mythical feat for regular players and a devastating dimensional advantage for pros. Even under high-pressure situations, Rote's precision remained near-perfect, consistently approaching that half-pixel mark.
Chen Shi'an gestured with his hand, joking, "Half a pixel? The game's models probably can't even handle that, right?"
Bai Yu's expression grew increasingly serious. He suddenly realized that a half-pixel difference might not even be supported by the game's system. How was Rote pulling this off? Could his eyesight be fundamentally different?
He immediately called Xu Bo over and made him watch closely. At first, Xu Bo was confused, saying, "I don't see anything." After Bai Yu forced him to rewatch several times, Xu Bo finally caught on. "Are you making me look at his landing positions?"
Bai Yu nodded and pulled up two comparison clips. "Look at these two moments. His Naar, at this spot, lands exactly half a pixel off during a jump. In another clip, it doesn't happen. Why? And there are more instances like this, look."
Bai Yu could only discern the half-pixel difference; anything beyond that was unclear to him.
Xu Bo, whose ability to catch minute details was three times sharper than the average person's, reviewed all the clips and quickly spotted the issue. "It's the terrain."
Bai Yu didn't get it. "What do you mean? Is the terrain different?"
Xu Bo paused at a specific frame. "This part of the mountain is slightly wider. The model gets stuck at that half-pixel spot, causing a tiny displacement. If it doesn't get stuck, it doesn't happen."
Bai Yu watched it several times and finally understood, but his heart sank. Using the terrain's modeling to manipulate a half-pixel difference meant Rote's understanding of the map was freakishly meticulous. This didn't just mean he could pull off insane angles in lane, it also meant he could execute terrifyingly precise plays in teamfights.
Bai Yu immediately pulled up later teamfight footage to test his theory, and it was exactly as he feared. Rote, using Naar's half-pixel landing precision, managed to barely clip an enemy AD with his ultimate, pinning them to a wall when it should've been impossible. The enemy team, misjudging that half-pixel distance, thought they were safe, only to be caught completely off guard.
Who could've predicted that?
After watching, Bai Yu broke out in a cold sweat. In all his years as a pro, the only player he knew with micro-precision at this level was Lin Kun.
Rote was 23, wasn't he? At that age, he shouldn't be capable of such mechanics anymore. The only explanation was that he was undergoing grueling, relentless micro-precision training, training so intense it could damage his hands and force him out of the competitive scene early.
Chen Shi'an's faint smile faded as he watched. For the first time, he said with genuine admiration, "What a beast."
Bai Yu checked the upcoming schedule. "After we face FFT, it'll be a while before we run into IKG. With our current coordination, beating IKG is basically impossible. We're getting crushed in scrims, and our win rate against TIN and WG is under 20%. Tomorrow's FFT is our easiest matchup by comparison, we have to take their points. Shi'an, with your current recovery, can you handle Jiang Yuan?"
Jiang Yuan was the top-ranked top laner, and Chen Shi'an's skill was no longer on his level. Still, he replied, "I should be able to counter him in teamfights."
With that assurance, Bai Yu nodded. "Alright, we'll focus on teamfights."
The next day, the match arrived, and the venue was packed. FFT already had a massive fanbase, and with the hype around RAG, the atmosphere was electric. The barrage of comments online was heating up even before the game began.
[Come see our Jiang-ge.]
[Come see our God Shi.]
[Who would've thought after all these years, God Shi and Jiang Yuan would cross paths again?]
[I still remember that semifinal where God Shi broke the curse. He beat Jiang Yuan right?]
[Yeah and Jiang Yuan was at his peak back then. Still ended up as just a stepping stone on God Shi’s road to glory.]
[God Shi was so clutch in that match. His teammates were falling apart, and he somehow dragged the game to win. Held the line until the AD carry scaled. The Nexus only had 58 HP left, remember? My heart legit stopped.]
[I still get chills thinking about that match.]
[It was such a shame when God Shi retired.]
[Right after beating Jiang Yuan, he hit rank one. Just like that.]
[Honestly, if God Shi hadn’t retired, I don’t think Jiang Yuan would've ever made it to the top. Too bad he left at his peak.]
[Still, I’m rooting for Jiang Yuan in this one. God Shi’s been out of the scene for nearly two years.]
[But if you’re underestimating God Shi, that’s on you.]
[He’s the kind of player who can pull off a turnaround kill even when he's behind in gold.]
At that moment, the one everyone was talking about, Chen Shi’an, was adjusting his voice chat settings and smiling as he spoke into the mic. “I’m counting on you all this game.”
Fang Zhixu ran a hand through his pink hair, completely speechless. “God Shi, are you pretending to be weak?”
Chen Shi’an let out a long sigh. “I’m just an old man now. Can’t keep up with your play anymore…”
Bai Yu didn’t say a word. He finished setting up his mic per the ref’s instructions. Just as Chen Shi’an was joking around, Bai Yu suddenly cut in. “I’m keeping an eye out for the game thrower this match.”
Chen Shi’an feigned confusion. “Huh? Game thrower? Who? Last game’s thrower was Fang Zhixu. One before that, Qi Yi.” He chuckled. “Good thing it’s never me.”
Fang Zhixu: ???
Qi Yi: "....."
Bai Yu gave him a deadpan stare. “Chen Shi’an, this is a real match. Why are you messing with your teammates’ mentality?”
Chen Shi’an blinked like he had just realized, then apologized with a smile.
“Sorry. Old habits die hard.”
The match loaded quickly, and both sides entered champion select. Bai Yu had already gone over this in yesterday’s meeting. FFT was basically a stronger version of OT. Great laning, even better macro.
To shake their early tempo, Bai Yu banned three aggressive jungle picks and first-locked Kha’Zix for Fang Zhixu, who was lethal on that champion. It would pressure the map early and force the enemy into more defensive setups. With any luck, they could secure control in at least two lanes.
But FFT didn’t blink. They locked in their signature top and mid: Twisted Fate and Jax.
TF was a classic roam pick with fast waveclear, perfect to counter Lu Sheng’s aggressive style. Most teams used it to neutralize him. As for Jax, that was Jiang Yuan’s comfort pick. He had solo killed nearly every top laner in the league with it except Chen Shi'an.
Bai Yu stayed calm. This was expected. “God Shi, this game’s on you.”
After yesterday’s scrim, they had spent hours analyzing comps and figured Jiang Yuan would likely grab Jax to try and snowball.
Chen Shi’an’s answer had been simple: “I can play Gragas.”
Jiang Yuan had solo killed almost every top laner in the LPL. Almost.
Back in the day, Chen Shi’an had pulled out Gragas as a counter and not only survived lane, but solo killed Jiang Yuan. That match made Gragas the go-to answer for Jax in pro play.
Of course, not everyone could execute it well. A wave of “New Gragas” players followed, and it became a meme as everyone failed.
Now, Chen Shi’an wasn’t at his peak anymore, but a well-played Gragas could still hold lane or even turn it. Worst case, he would still scale into a tanky engage.
The team had agreed to the plan. This was the perfect time to run it.
As soon as the lineup locked in, Jiang Yuan, who had been frowning the entire time, finally relaxed.
Good.
He had worried Chen Shi’an wouldn’t dare face him again. Ever since Shi’an beat him and shot to the top, then disappeared, Jiang Yuan had been holding that grudge. He thought he would never get the chance to settle it.
But now, Chen Shi’an was back. And Jiang Yuan was ready to make him pay.
The game loaded. The battle began. The casters focused immediately on top lane. Everyone knew what this meant.
Aside from his own lane, Bai Yu’s eyes stayed on top. Chen Shi’an’s Gragas was still solid.
Early game, he went even with Jax. But Bai Yu noticed a small gap. Jiang Yuan’s actions per minute were clearly higher. He was trading at max speed, and Chen Shi’an couldn’t fully keep up. It wasn’t a huge difference, but it was enough for Jax to start edging ahead in CS.
And in a lane this tight, CS is everything.
Just as Bai Yu was about to give a warning, Jiang Yuan hit level 3 first and dove in.
If Chen Shi’an had instantly Body Slammed to disengage, he could have turned it. But he was mid-last hit, animation-locked. There was no room to react. By the time he tried to move it was too late. He got stunned and took a ton of damage.
Bai Yu’s warning caught in his throat.
“Ah~.”
It wasn’t panic or fear. Just pure deadpan.
“Captain, what if I can’t beat him?”
Bai Yu looked skyward. What could he even say to that? If you’re losing lane, just play safe. That didn’t need spelling out to a veteran.
He ignored him and turned back to bot lane.
A skirmish was breaking out. He cast Q to zone the enemy ADC and saved Qi Yi’s life.
Then, Chen Shi’an got dove again. He had been playing safe under turret with low HP, but Jiang Yuan wasn’t letting it slide. He brought his jungler and tower dove for the kill.
Chen Shi’an yelled, “That’s insane!” But Bai Yu could hear it. There was no fear in his voice. None.
He glanced at the map, and something clicked. “They gave up their bot-side jungle.”
Fang Zhixu’s eyes lit up. The moment he saw top and jungle show, he invaded and secured a three-buff start. The gold evened out, and his jungle pathing was way ahead of the enemy’s now.
Bai Yu had seen this strat before. Sacrifice jungle tempo to feed top, then run a 4-1 split push in mid to late game. And with a fed Jax, no one could match him.
The Rift Scuttler spawned.
He heard last-hit sounds through his headset. Qi Yi was farming when Bai Yu told him, “I’m going top. Their support might roam too. You and their ADC, don’t fight.”
Qi Yi nodded. Just then, the enemy ADC overstepped, offering a juicy kill. Qi Yi’s instinct was to go in, but he remembered Bai Yu’s words. Two autos, then he backed off.
Right then, TF hit level 6 and ulted.
Qi Yi nearly got caught. That was close. If he hadn’t listened, he would have died.
Meanwhile, Bai Yu arrived top to help Chen Shi’an farm and contest Scuttler. Chen Shi’an was behind, but Fang Zhixu had the jungle lead.
The game was even. No one should have had the guts to force a play.
But Jiang Yuan made the first move again.
He jumped on Fang Zhixu first, unleashed a full combo, then used E to leap away just as Chen Shi’an tried to counter, shaving off a chunk of Fang Zhixu’s health without taking any damage himself.
With that, Fang Zhixu didn’t dare contest the Rift Scuttler anymore, and Lu Sheng had to return mid to farm. This gave the enemy jungler a chance to secure the scuttler.
The crowd screamed, and the casters shouted, "This Jax is insane! He completely overturned the matchup disadvantage and is now suppressing Gragas!"
Bai Yu immediately sensed danger. "God Shi, you need to suppress that Jax. If he starts split pushing, we’re done for."
This time, Chen Shi’an didn’t joke around. He gave a serious "Mm" in response. "I’ll stop him."
Although he couldn’t outplay Jax purely on mechanics, Chen Shi’an was as sly as a fox.
He gave up two last hits to let the enemy minion wave push in, slowly pulling the wave under his turret. The more Jax tried to trade, the more Chen Shi’an tightened his control over the wave. By the time Jax realized what was happening and tried to reset the lane, it was already too late.
Even Jiang Yuan found it hard to believe. "He’s been retired for two years, and his wave control is still this sharp?"
Behind Chen Shi’an’s calm smile was a bloodthirsty fox. He slowly placed both hands around Jiang Yuan’s neck, tightening his grip just enough to go unnoticed. By the time Jiang Yuan realized he was suffocating, it was already too late.
Chen Shi’an had claimed the high ground. Jiang Yuan’s Jax could no longer dominate the lane.
The commentators were amazed. "Chron really is the god of top lane. His Qs are so precise, always clipping just the edge to last-hit exactly what he wants."
Gragas’s Q is an area-of-effect skill. To control the wave with it, you need perfect angle and damage calculation. Chen Shi’an pulled it off flawlessly.
Bai Yu finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Just then, Twisted Fate was forced to recall again, the third time this game.
He had picked TF to roam, but Lu Sheng’s pressure in lane was overwhelming. He couldn’t spare the attention to roam at all.
Which meant...
Bai Yu popped his ult, swallowed Fang Zhixu, and tunneled bot to force a fight.
Fang Zhixu’s damage was insane. A few swings dropped the enemy to half health. Bai Yu was still slowing them down, and Qi Yi caught up to deal more damage. With no better option, the enemy had to let Twisted Fate abandon mid and ult to bot lane to help.
Just as TF stunned Fang Zhixu and was about to burst him down, Bai Yu’s ult came off cooldown. He opened his giant maw, swallowed Fang Zhixu again, and safely brought him back under tower.
FFT: ???
What just happened?
The answer came quickly. Lu Sheng destroyed the enemy’s mid turret. Despite FFT securing all three early Rift Scuttlers, RAG took first tower instead.
The casters were stunned. "Wow, FFT really lost out here. Akoi already has a 1700 gold lead in his lane. I’m not even worried about who’s going to stop Jax anymore. Who’s going to stop Viktor? His damage is out of control!"
Viktor is a scaling champion. With this kind of lead, the enemy team had every reason to be afraid.
But FFT still had Jax. They still had a shot.
Jiang Yuan realized the outcome of the game now rested on his shoulders. He played even more aggressively.
Chen Shi’an’s wave control was flawless, but he no longer had the dominance he once did. He couldn’t hold off Jax’s pressure for long and was soon forced back to base, losing his turret. Jax began his unstoppable split push.
Bai Yu ran into him once. Jiang Yuan went in hard. When Jax activated Counter-Strike, he became immune to auto-attacks. Bai Yu couldn’t trigger his passive and had no choice but to run.
Seeing Jax about to become unstoppable, Bai Yu made a quick call. "Trade objectives."
If Jax pushed towers, they’d take dragon.
If Jax split-pushed, they’d force team fights.
Back and forth they went. Chen Shi’an picked up a kill and an assist, then returned to bot lane for a crucial 1v1 against Jax.
This duel would determine the outcome of the match.
If Jiang Yuan won, Jax would become unkillable and split-push freely.
If Chen Shi’an won, the split push would be shut down, and FFT’s entire plan would fall apart.
Everything hinged on this moment. Even Bai Yu was holding his breath.
Before the fight, Chen Shi’an smiled and asked,
"Captain, if we lose this match, does that make me the thrower you mentioned? I’ve never thrown a game before. Kind of nervous."
He walked forward slowly, and Jiang Yuan struck first.
His hands were lightning-fast and his combo was perfect. Chen Shi’an’s health dropped to half instantly, within kill range.
The crowd erupted. Bai Yu’s heart was in his throat.
Jiang Yuan followed up with Counter-Strike. He still had Flash. As long as he dodged Chen Shi’an’s Body Slam, Chen Shi’an wouldn’t be able to kill him.
Chen Shi’an launched his counterattack, trying to interrupt Jax’s Counter-Strike with his Body Slam. But just as he cast it, Jiang Yuan Flashed, perfectly dodging the engage.
Chen Shi’an was in danger. He was one step away from death.
But right then, the seemingly passive Chen Shi’an suddenly Flashed in return, redirecting his Body Slam mid-air and interrupting Counter-Strike the moment Jax landed.
A reverse Body Slam.
After Chen Shi’an pulled off that move, the crowd erupted in screams!
Chen Shi’an didn’t even have the reaction speed to make that play happen. He relied on prediction.
He predicted where the opponent would Flash, then used his own Flash to change the direction of his charge. That move was even crazier than a reflex play.
Jiang Yuan’s Counterstorm was interrupted on the spot, failing to block any damage.
Chen Shi’an took a shaky sip of Drunken State, then boom his ultimate landed, blasting Jiang Yuan straight into the turret. He followed up with a perfectly aimed Q skill and instantly turned the fight around.
[Ahhhhh God Shi! You really are my god!]
[Holy crap, so the reason you all call him God Shi is because he really is one.]
[Oh my god, a top laner who’s been retired for two years just solo-killed the current number one top laner. Should the LPL just disband at this point...?]
[I don’t even know if God Shi is just too strong, or if the other side is too weak.]
[Upstair, are you silly? If Jiang Yuan is ranked number one in LPL. If he’s not strong, then who do we even have left?]
[Damn, this year’s top laners are stacked. IKG’s Rote solo-killed Jiang Yuan just the other day, and now Chron pulled it off too. Unreal.]
[Rote really is strong this year.]
[Wonder how he’d do against God Shi?]
[Ahhhhh God Shi, you’re too handsome!]
[Fun fact: Jiang Yuan’s Riven has solo-killed a ton of top laners except for God Shi.]
[My God Shi has never been stomped even at Worlds.]
[I have a question. How is this guy both soft and ruthless at the same time?]
[Haha, maybe it’s because he’s polite.]
After the kill, Chen Shi’an looked down at the opponent’s body and smiled slightly. “Sorry, looks like you still need more practice.”
Bai Yu finally let out a long breath. What was he even worried about? Chen Shi’an’s specialty had always been playing weak to catch others off guard.
After Jiang Yuan got solo-killed, Chen Shi’an pushed down two turrets in a row. By the time Jiang Yuan respawned, he no longer had the power to take Chen Shi’an one-on-one. On the contrary, he now had to be wary of Chen Shi’an using his ultimate with his teammates to instantly burst him down.
Their split-push strategy completely fell apart. FFT’s offense ground to a halt.
At that point, Lu Sheng and Qi Yi had also hit their power spikes. No matter what FFT tried, they couldn’t win. They kept falling back, retreating again and again, until there was nowhere left to run. As they watched their Nexus explode, their hearts sank.
They had actually lost to RAG.
A team that only had a 44% win rate against them in scrims.
Back in the lounge, Jiang Yuan took a deep breath, still unable to believe it. “How could I lose to him? His mechanics have declined so much!”
The coach placed a heavy hand on his shoulder and said in a low voice, “Because you walked right into his trap.”