The training team of demon kings didn’t disband directly after that night. On the contrary, they gathered online soon after returning home. After a few days, it had almost developed into a fixed training program.
As the finals approached, the topic of which team was more likely to win the championship became more popular on the Internet. Still, it was basically a confrontation between supporters and nothing much was going on.
Lin Yan saw that the players were tortured physically and mentally by the demon kings’ training and finally called a halt to the training in the last few days.
On the one hand, it was sparing some time for the interview with the organizers before the match. On the other hand, it wasn’t a good thing to be too tense before the match. It was necessary to leave room for the players to make their final self-adjustments.
The pre-match interview was a mandatory part of the finals. In this process, the two teams stated that they looked forward to this year’s competition and greeted their opponent in the next match. From a certain perspective, it was considered a very traditional pre-match trash talk in the field of e-sports.
On the day the interview ended, the organizers posted the video on the Internet.
The KING team was a popular candidate to be this year’s champions and they maintained their own kingly demeanor. In fact, this team had gone through many ups and downs along the way. They were facing disbandment and it was An Seungyeob’s return that made them barely hold on. Then step by step, they rose from the bottom and returned to the peak.
In the first half of the year, the KING Club went through a major internal rectification. This championship trophy was very important in determining if they would continue to operate in the future or not.
Therefore, the determination could be seen just from the players’ firm attitude when facing the interview camera. Determination might be a good thing but they had to ask if their opponents were willing. Perhaps due to the relationship with Song Cheng but KING was very restrained in this pre-match trash talk. The players basically expressed their determination to win and then it was over.
In comparison, the GH side was a lot less polite. Taunting was taunting and clamoring was clamoring. “This year’s championship trophy is ours. If we can’t win it, the heads of Labor and Capital will be taken off and kicked to you.”
Comparing the two videos, those who didn’t know anything would think they were the old giant.
A large number of netizens felt that GH’s confidence was because ‘newborn calves aren’t afraid of tigers.’ In other words, GH wasn’t taking KING seriously. This type of pre-match trash talk might be an official process but there was no need to say anything that left no room for retreat. After all, the opponent’s strength was there and GH’s odds of winning weren’t considered too high by the outside world. If they talked too much, it was simply a warning to be slapped in the face.
Not surprisingly, this performance set off another bloody storm on the Internet. Seeing the match day get closer, the idle Lin Yan lay on the sofa and read the netizens’ comments. He read a few of them and immediately laughed. “Interesting, who here isn’t rushing for the championship? We’ve arrived all the way to the global finals? What f*king path to retreat? KING didn’t dare to speak harshly because they feel guilty. They are cowards but they want us to take the initiative to give them some face? I’ve never heard of such a thing!”
Jing Yuanzhou was amused by Lin Yan’s cursing words. “Why are you so angry before even playing the game?”
Lin Yan didn’t quibble over it. “I can’t help being angry. I’m not happy when I see a certain someone.”
Then he looked at the top comments and the expression in his eyes gradually grew deeper. Obviously, Song Cheng’s KING was facing GH where Jing Yuanzhou was located. There were so many grievances before that it was difficult not to mention this topic. Further down, the discussion was surprisingly consistent.
[Song Cheng knows Titans too well. With his deployment behind KING, GH’s top lane will probably be difficult right?]
[Indeed, when Titans was previously in the BK team, it seems they have never won against KING.]
[It is because if the side core system can’t be played, the damn BK coaching team doesn’t know how to play anything else!}
[So if Titans doesn’t have an advantage, GH will have a broken arm, right?]
[There is no way. Titans was brought into BK by Song Cheng. He must understand the combat modes developed during the time in BK.]
[It isn’t too much to scold the dog Song as a traitor, right?]
[It has been a long time since Dog Song became a traitor. In any case, Dog Song is really popular in South Korea. He probably doesn’t care about the domestic evaluation.]
[It is a pity that PAY lost before. Even a civil war wouldn’t be as painful as it is now.]
[Song Cheng is destined to make Titans suffer but there is really no answer. It depends on what Coach Lin will prepare.]
[Tut, KING’s habit of targeting the side lane when playing Titans has already become a big tradition. What else is there?]
[It is hard! From past matches, Song Cheng has already held Titans to a standstill!]
The more Lin Yan looked down, the more he wanted to sneer. Suddenly, there was a cup of coffee in front of him. Lin Yan stared up at Jing Yuanzhou and the corners of his mouth lowered slightly. “I suddenly have some regrets. I knew I should’ve dug you out of BK earlier.”
Jing Yuanzhou saw Lin Yan’s expression and knew this person must’ve been annoyed by the comments on the Internet again. He felt something vaguely moving in his heart.
He had fought for so many years on the field and was accustomed to the process of striving for victory. The final result might be happy or disappointing but in the final analysis, he just wanted to find an answer for his own hard work. Now, Jing Yuanzhou still wasn’t sure about whether he had found the answer but everything seemed to have reached the best outcome.
Lin Yan didn’t expect this man to suddenly lean down and firmly grasp the wrist that was holding the coffee cup. He couldn’t help being stunned for a moment. By the time he came back to his senses, his cheeks burned from the action of the entangled lips and teeth.
Jing Yuanzhou’s lips had a strange red color that was set off against the sharp outline of his face, adding a different type of temptation. Lin Yan resisted the urge to pull this person over for another kiss. He gently stroked his aching lower lip with his thumb and whispered, “Don’t touch me. I’m still angry.”
The soft tone fell into Jing Yuanzhou’s ears and he couldn’t help laughing slightly. “Isn’t letting your emotions be shaken before the match by the opponent a taboo thing, Coach Lin?”
“KING isn’t worth my emotions being shaken. I just don’t like the rhetoric on the Internet.” Lin Yan was silent for a moment before continuing in a low tone, “What is Song Cheng holding you to a standstill? How does Song Cheng clearly understand you, huh? He just understands the shadow left behind!”
Jing Yuanzhou’s eyelashes moved slightly as he watched Lin Yan’s stubborn behavior, his heart softening even more. He didn’t know how to coax this person so he could only say, “I’ve never worried about those things. Don’t let it affect your mentality.”
Lin Yan didn’t answer directly. He just got up and hooked an arm around Jing Yuanzhou’s neck. He raised his hand and unceremoniously kissed this man on the lips. Under such a move, his gaze was suddenly close at hand. A fire seemed to be burning in the depths of these eyes.
However, there wasn’t much anger. On the contrary, they seemed to be full of eager excitement. It was dazzling and flamboyant at first glance.
Lin Yan laughed and joked, “Song Cheng isn’t qualified to influence my mentality. On the contrary, once the match starts, I’ll have to see whose mentality is better. The name of a master tactician isn’t deserved by just anyone.”
His cool fingers slid across Jing Yuanzhou’s chin and he gently squeezed twice, his voice slow. “In this year’s global finals, I won’t let just Song Cheng see it. I will let the whole world take a good look at who you should really be, Titans…”
On the day of the global finals, the venue of the competition was crowded with people. It had fermented for several days so people’s emotions had been mobilized to the highest point in advance. The moment the players from both sides came out, the entire venue was completely swallowed up by the overwhelming cheers. Such shouts came more enthusiastically than any previous match. As the last hope of their competition area, it hit the hearts of the players heavily.
The director’s camera passed over the players of both sides in turn. In the midst of the screams, it finally stopped on GH’s player viewing stands. It could be seen on the screen that the substitute player Jian Ning, who hadn’t appeared before, was sitting upright in the center while holding a GH uniform that was exactly the same as the one he was wearing.
Who owned this team uniform and what type of function would it play? These questions inevitably aroused heated discussions.
At this time, the players on the field had already put on their soundproof headphones and were performing the final equipment checks before the game. It was just that along the way, the flashing LED cheering cards were very eye-catching. In addition, the series of banners held up in the audience made everyone in GH a bit excited. Just like in any previous match, Lin Yan reminded them to inspect their equipment in detail. Then he stopped.
Gu Luo waited a moment. He really didn’t hear anything else and couldn’t help asking, “Coach, do you have nothing else to say?”
“What else needs to be said?” Lin Yan wondered. “You have trained in all the necessary tactics and analyzed all the games that have been reviewed. I don’t need to talk about the details you need to pay attention to when facing KING right? All the preparations have been completed. I don’t think there is anything else that I temporarily need to emphasize to you right now?”
His words caused the team’s voice channel to fall silent.
Lin Yan paused before suddenly laughing. “But… if you really want me to say a few words, I do have a question.”
Gu Luo blurted out, “…What is it?”
Lin Yan raised his eyes to the KING player area on the other side of the stadium. Then he asked, each word clearly enunciated, “Tell me, can you win today’s championship?”
He asked a question but it was almost a statement.
The GH members were slightly stunned before nothing but determination appeared on their faces. “We can—!”
Proofreader: Nao
Any support on Patreon will be appreciated and you will also get access to advance chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/rainbowturtle
If you just want to support or buy me a coffee, you can consider Ko-fi:
https://ko-fi.com/rainbowturtle