TCWSITD – Chapter 71

***
Chapter 71 – Grand Slam

On the day the team regrouped, Lin Jiang and Shen Ju showed up to join the fun.

After two months apart, everyone was in high spirits, proof that success truly nourishes the soul. Winning the world championship had clearly kept everyone in top form.

The most obvious change was in A’Deng. He used to be extremely shy around Lin Jiang. This time, upon returning to the team, Lin Jiang even felt that he had been “turned into Song Zhixu,” speaking so much it was frightening.

Lin Jiang shook his head, sighing, “Looks like A Deng’s talking more than ever.”

His teammates chuckled without saying a word. Only Zhou Wen gave him the honest truth. “Actually, A’Deng has always been a chatterbox. Before you joined OT, he and Song Zhixu were like a comedy duo, and the team voice channel was never quiet.”

“Back then, his words were as rapid as a Gatling gun¹A Gatling gun is a type of early rapid‑fire firearm / machine gun with multiple rotating barrels that fire in quick succession as they spin. So calling someone a Gatling gun in conversation is a playful (or slightly teasing) way to say they talk too much or too fast.. I couldn’t even hear the tactics clearly.”

“There was even a time when Song Zhixu had a sore throat and barely spoke. A’Deng managed to monologue in comms all by himself until the match ended.”

“Oh, and remember when he got warned by the referee for talking too much? His voice drowned out the referee’s instructions.”

“Hahaha, that’s insane…”

Lin Jiang was astounded. So this was the real A’Deng. No wonder he was so lively when chatting privately with Zeng Yuan, hopping around like a rabbit.

“By the way, why hasn’t Song Zhixu returned to the team yet?”

The smile on Lin Jiang’s face slowly faded. Shen Ju, who knew the inside story, stayed silent. Zhou Wen glanced at Duren in confusion, only to see him looking deeply troubled. “That kid Song Zhixu isn’t planning to renew his contract.”

Zhou Wen froze. “What? That can’t be. Where else would he go?”

“Don’t know. Rumor has it another team’s been approaching him, offering way more than OT.”

“But…” Zhou Wen glanced at Lin Jiang, hesitating. “But at OT, he can learn so much more. Leaving isn’t a good choice for him.”

“That’s exactly what I told him, but he wouldn’t listen. I got mad and told him I wouldn’t bother with him anymore. I haven’t spoken to him in half a month. No idea what he’s up to now.”

Lin Jiang hadn’t been able to reach Song Zhixu for half a month either. He took a sip of coffee and finally said, “It’s up to him. This is his decision to make.”

Zhou Wen and A’Deng stayed silent. Zhang Mingying looked around before turning to Lin Jiang in confusion. “You’re really just going to let him leave?”

Lin Jiang was far more magnanimous than anyone expected. He nodded. “Of course. I respect his decision.”

Everyone knew Song Zhixu had been personally mentored by Lin Jiang. If even Lin Jiang didn’t mind his departure, no one else had the right to object.

Everyone felt a bit discouraged. A’Deng felt a pang of sadness at the thought of Song Zhixu leaving. He pulled out his phone, hesitating for a long time. “Should I call him or not?”

“What’s there to hesitate about?” Shen Ju said coldly before snatching the phone and dialing Song Zhixu’s number himself.

Song Zhixu’s voice came through the speaker. “Hey, what’s up?”

A’Deng was still trying to figure out what to say when Shen Ju cut straight to the point. “Whatever you’re doing, get your ass back here right now.”

“What? Right now? That’s not possible, I’m currently—”

“I don’t care where you are. Get back here and explain yourself, or I’ll use all the cash you’ve hidden under your bed to buy lollipops.”

Shen Ju hung up before Song Zhixu could respond and ignored his follow-up calls. Zhou Wen stifled a laugh, while A’Deng silently raised a thumbs-up. “Now that’s how it’s done.”

Soon, Song Zhixu’s call came through to Lin Jiang’s phone. He picked up, hearing Song Zhixu’s frantic voice on the other end. “I’m looking for a place near the team base. I really can’t come back today. Captain, please keep an eye on Shen Ju for me. Don’t let him touch my private savings, or I’ll have words with him when I get back!”

Looking for a place near the team base?

Everyone pricked up their ears, wanting to know the reason.

Lin Jiang asked him, “Why are you looking for a place?”

“I got kicked out by my family. I figured I’d find a place to stay first, but that damn landlord screwed me over. Kicked me out after just half a month, saying they were selling the place.”

“You cut ties with your family?”

“Yeah, completely. My own dad told me not to come back if I left. Not like I care about them anyway. From now on, I’ll never have to worry about money again! Anyway, Captain, you protect my savings, I’ll secure my place. Once I sort things out here, I’ll be back with the team!”

Hearing that Song Zhixu still planned to return, everyone got excited. Duren even fired off. “Stop wasting time looking for a damn place and get your ass back here! I’ll apply for temporary housing for you. Free of charge!”

As soon as he heard it was free, Song Zhixu’s voice immediately rose. “Old Du, why didn’t you say so sooner? No point suffering like this then. Wait for me. I’m coming back right now!”

With that, Song Zhixu was officially staying. It meant that next year, OT would keep its championship lineup intact—and there was a real chance they could make another run for the title.

Everyone was thrilled. After their victory, many clubs had tried to poach them, especially Lin Jiang and Shen Ju, followed by Song Zhixu. Even A’Deng and Zhou Wen had received tempting offers.

Yet they all silently turned them down, choosing to stay and improve themselves. It felt like the things they held onto were also being held onto by the others.

If there was one word to describe it, it would be “kindred spirits.”

Finding one kindred spirit in life was rare, yet they had found an entire team.

This time, Lin Jiang and Shen Ju had only returned to check on the team. Once they confirmed everything was fine, they left again to continue their recovery, traveling while keeping an eye on the Demacia Cup.

Since the Demacia Cup didn’t affect rankings points, most teams used it to train new players and test lineups. Some even fielded their secondary teams outright.

With Lin Jiang and Shen Ju absent, OT brought in two players from their secondary team. Song Zhixu and Zhang Mingying fully displayed their abilities in this tournament and, without even meaning to, ended up winning the Demacia Cup championship.

Lin Jiang, traveling in Tibet at the time, called to congratulate them. The other end was a chaotic mix of excited voices, making it hard to pick out any words. Lin Jiang just laughed along.

“Now that the Demacia Cup is over, isn’t it about time you came back? Shen Ju’s hand should be almost fully recovered by now, right?”

Lin Jiang glanced outside at Shen Ju, who was roasting sweet potatoes by the campfire for him, and chuckled. “I’d say so. Today he peeled those sweet potatoes more smoothly than the locals.”

“Good, good. This Spring Split, not a single player from our team has left. We’re charging into the competition with our full roster. It’s definitely going to send shockwaves through the scene.”

As it turned out, Duren’s prediction wasn’t wrong. The day the Spring Split roster was announced, the entire scene erupted.

It’s common knowledge that a team can only afford to keep one to two top-tier players at most—any more would be unsustainable. So after winning a world championship, many players see their value skyrocket and choose to leave for teams offering better conditions. This often leaves championship teams with endless regrets the following year.

Even after OT’s championship victory, the online chatter and speculation never ceased.

One moment, rumors swirled that Lin Jiang would return to revive KUG. The next, it was said ZG was offering Shen Ju a sky-high deal to poach him. Then came whispers that Zhou Wen had long been fed up with Shen Ju and was planning to leave, followed by claims that Song Zhixu had decided not to renew his contract.

Amidst the flood of mixed messages, no one could separate truth from fiction. Everyone was on edge until the official roster was released. All six players remained, and the entire fanbase collectively exhaled in relief.

[Thank heavens, all six of them stayed!]

[They’re clearly gearing up for another championship run.]

[Wow, it’s rare for a championship team to stay intact. These six have some serious resolve.]

[Of course! Lin Jiang has shares in OT, so he won’t leave. Shen Ju is his boyfriend, so he won’t either. Song Zhixu and Zhang Mingying are on the rise, while Zhou Wen and A’Deng are in a bottleneck phase. Only a fool would walk away.]

[With Lin Jiang staying, who’d dare leave? There’s so much to learn from him—anyone who leaves would be a fool.]

[Regardless, keeping all six is OT’s greatest show of commitment.]

[OT’s manager is really impressive, managing to keep all six players.]

[Wow, so they’re aiming for another title?]

Yes, with this roster intact, Lin Jiang had already resolved to chase another championship. While he was still at his peak and the championship-winning lineup remained, he wanted to push for his fourth career title.

Once the roster was finalized, teams across all regions felt unprecedented pressure, especially in the LPL. They’d thrown everything they had at OT’s players, only to find them utterly unshakable, immune to all temptations!

Team managers gnashed their teeth, baffled by whatever spell Lin Jiang had cast on them.

The following year, the LPL descended into an era of unprecedented bloodshed. OT surged ahead, mercilessly claiming the championship, while the remaining teams of TG, YIG, SNG, WG battled viciously for points, leaving each other battered.

After securing the domestic title, OT represented the LPL at the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), where they claimed yet another championship, leaving other regions stunned.

Summer Split arrived quickly.

Lin Jiang remained as steady as ever, the team’s unshakable anchor. After two months of rest, Shen Ju’s lightning-fast hands still set the record, and with Zhou Wen at his side, they utterly dominated the LPL’s bot lane.

As for Song Zhixu, there’s no need to say more. After winning the championship, he seemed to have become extremely fearless²吃了熊心豹子胆 (chī le xióng xīn bào zi dǎn) – lit. ate a bear’s heart and a leopard’s gallbladder. On the stage, he wasn’t afraid of anyone, and even dared to clash with the LPL’s number one top laner.

Zhang Mingying’s growth was terrifying. Like a sponge, he absorbed everything, becoming a nightmare for opponents³鬼见了都要发愁 (guǐ jiàn le dōu yào fā chóu) – lit. even ghosts would be worried when they see him on the Rift.

A’Deng had little left to prove, but his playstyle grew increasingly polished, now bearing traces of Zeng Yuan’s legacy.

With such a formidable lineup, their Summer Split victory came as no surprise, securing them the top spot and a ticket to Worlds.

Everyone feared them. Even the usually proud LCK felt a sense of dread. When their teams were drawn into the same half as OT, they instinctively dubbed it the group death.

OT lived up to expectations, advancing from the group stage in first place. They met their old rival WAG again and directly dealt a crushing blow, taking them 3:0, giving the opponents no chance to resist, and advanced to the semifinals.

In the semifinals, they again met the former HIT team, but this year their performance was poor, only taking second place in the LCK. OT was like a completely different team from back then, losing only one game in the entire series and winning 3:1, advancing to the finals.

A year later, the six of them stood on the stage once more. But this time was different. They no longer felt fear. Like Lin Jiang, they had once reached the pinnacle, and now they were simply revisiting familiar ground.

Amid the commentators’ excited shouts, “Once again, River charges in with his body! OT executes flawlessly, wiping out their opponents! After more than 300 days, River dives in again, proving he hasn’t lost his edge. Victory will always be ours!”

Golden confetti rained down once more. This time, on LPL’s home turf, they received even louder applause and greater glory.

That year, OT achieved the Grand Slam⁴大满贯 (dà mǎn guàn) – Borrowed from sports terminology; winning all major championships in a season..

That year also marked the birth of a legend.

Whenever Lin Jiang’s name was spoken, it was now etched permanently into LPL history. This time, no one would ever ask who he was.

He was Lin Jiang.

The past and future of LPL.

— — — —

• 1
  A Gatling gun is a type of early rapid‑fire firearm / machine gun with multiple rotating barrels that fire in quick succession as they spin. So calling someone a Gatling gun in conversation is a playful (or slightly teasing) way to say they talk too much or too fast.
• 2
  吃了熊心豹子胆 (chī le xióng xīn bào zi dǎn) – lit. ate a bear’s heart and a leopard’s gallbladder
• 3
  鬼见了都要发愁 (guǐ jiàn le dōu yào fā chóu) – lit. even ghosts would be worried when they see him
• 4
  大满贯 (dà mǎn guàn) – Borrowed from sports terminology; winning all major championships in a season.