Believe me, I really am a professional League of Legends player.

Chapter 125 Double Award! (Please Subscribe)
Abu's Weibo post began to gain traction and its popularity grew.

"White horse and long spear flutter like poetry, youthful days of dashing clothes and spirited horses!"

This already vivid line of poetry, paired with the image of the entire EDG team looking spirited and dressed in matching black and red uniforms, immediately sparked discussion among fans and casual observers.

Holy crap! EDG's looks... are really boosted by Unreal Engine.

[Coach Abu, please provide high-resolution images! A nine-grid layout! A solo photo in Unreal Engine! I want it as my screensaver.]

[@EDG eSports Club Official Weibo, get to work! Tag the makeup artist and give her a bonus! I'd been imagining how handsome she'd look with makeup, and now I finally see it's not just some pre-edited makeup photo.]

[Unbelievable! Unreal Engine is incredibly popular? It topped the Weibo trending list with just one photo.]

[#Seeking Unreal Engine Promotional Video Stills# Sisters, let's get this topic trending!]

The topic of requesting Unreal Engine solo photos has skyrocketed, quickly climbing to the top of the trending topics list along with hashtags such as #EDGFinalsPromotionalVideoShoot# and #YouthfulDays#, and its ranking continues to rise.

Many casual viewers who don't follow esports clicked in, wondering what this player named Unreal looks like that could drive everyone so crazy.
A look at the results...

Holy crap, this face definitely deserves all the hype.

Unreal Engine is really great!
Meanwhile, on the filming location.

Both EDG and WE teams are ready.

Although they will have to project a tense atmosphere on camera later, the contestants actually have a good relationship and are greeting each other in private.

After all, we see each other all the time, and if the relationship gets too strained, it will be difficult to schedule training matches in the future.

For example... no matter how many scrimmages NB tries, they can't get a match with RNG.

The reason is because of what Wu-Zhuang once said about the world's number one shockwave.

The RNG coaching staff will never again invite a team with Cool (or someone else)...

The atmosphere on set had long lost the initial excitement.

Normally, shooting promotional videos like this is quite easy and doesn't take much time, but this time it was shot to the highest standards.

The video script includes several scenes: the contestants, dressed in team uniforms, walk and look at each other on a specially constructed stage with elements of the "Silver Dragon Cup" for the finals; there are also shots simulating intense exchanges during the competition.

There are even designs intended to embody a "fated showdown," with members of two teams positioned on either side and a green screen of a virtual canyon in the middle.

Every shot was meticulously crafted, with the director constantly demanding adjustments to the positioning, eye contact, and even the placement of fingers.

When the intensity increases, it becomes a bit too much for professional players.

After all, none of us are professional actors.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., a full seven hours, the work was exhausting due to the intense workload...

At 5:30 p.m., when the director finally yelled "Cut the call," the entire studio breathed a long sigh of relief.

Finally, I can relax a bit.

The staff began packing up the equipment, and the athletes got up to stretch their stiff limbs.

"It's all done," Xi Ye said, rubbing his shoulders. "It's no exaggeration to say that this is more tiring than playing a whole day of practice matches."

The intensity of training matches is no less than that of actual matches. However, if the situation doesn't look promising, we will choose to surrender directly, thus minimizing the wasted time.

“Who says otherwise?” Condi chimed in. “I need to go back and practice quickly, my touch is almost gone.”

However, they were also staring at the EDG players when they said this.

Everyone is making promotional videos, so it's fair that we're all doing it.

The expressions of both contestants instantly turned serious when they boarded the bus.

The main reason is that... people get very angry when filming trash talk scenes.

Under these circumstances, people can't force a smile.

They each boarded the bus bound for Nanjing...

Yes, because tomorrow's competition venue is the Nanjing Gymnasium, and we have to head straight to Nanjing as soon as we finish filming the video.

The schedule is still quite tight.

After all, the venue for the finals was changed temporarily after the semi-finals.

With only a week to prepare, it's already quite an achievement to have done this well.

On the bus, most of the EDG players were so tired that they slumped in their seats and closed their eyes to rest, but Abu was still holding his phone, constantly refreshing Weibo and forum pages.

Even though he wasn't involved in filming the video, he still had a lot of energy.

Seeing my own Weibo posts trending on social media gives me even more energy.

Abu is one of the few managers who likes to browse and post on Weibo...

Especially five or six years ago, they always posted those outrageous captions.

You can find a lot of his dark history if you look.

Online discussions about Unreal's appearance have not subsided; on the contrary, they have continued to escalate due to blurry side shots and work photos leaked by official sources and fans.

……

The LPL officials were working overtime to finish editing the video before 9 PM.

Then edit the Weibo post and send it immediately!
[Silver dragons leap, fearless youth! The promotional video for the 2017 LPL Spring Finals EDG vs WE is here!]

This Weibo post quickly went viral throughout the League of Legends community.

In just half an hour, the number of views exceeded one million, and the number of comments, likes, and shares skyrocketed, easily surpassing ten thousand.

The opening scene features the black and red EDG logo colliding with the red and white WE logo in the darkness, sparking dazzling flames.

Immediately afterwards, the rapid drumbeats combined with electronic music created a somber atmosphere.

The camera quickly switches to the scene where the factory manager stares intently into the lens, his eyes sharp.

A confident smile played on Xi Ye's lips, and Mystic's profile was sharply defined under the light...

Just as the somber atmosphere was built to its peak, and the audience's emotions were gripped by the close-up shots of the contestants, the pace of the promotional video suddenly changed.

This brought the promotional video to a complete climax!
Li Fan has appeared!
He didn't show any exaggerated expression on his face; he simply stared calmly at the camera.

The next second, before anyone could react, he raised his hand and gently placed his slender index finger to his lips.

A simple, almost super simple action – “Shh”.

【!! I gasped for breath!】

[That was so cool... it gave me goosebumps!]

My God, what an aura! He didn't say anything, yet it was as if he said everything!

[EDG's new king? This pressure is incredible!]

[That's strange. It seems like this promotional video makes him the main character, while the factory manager is just a supporting character?]

Is the LPL planning to create a new god-like player? To be honest, it seems pretty good.

The comments in the video also began to explode like a geyser following this scene.

The camera suddenly zoomed out, switching to a visually striking overhead view, showing the other five EDG players standing on either side of Li Fan as the center...

Scout, mouse, factory manager, Li Fan, zet, meiko.

This overhead shot lasted for a full three seconds.

Then, the camera began to rotate rapidly, focusing on an overhead view of the EDG five-man formation.

Amidst the dazzling spins, the final image settles on the Silver Dragon Trophy, the highest honor in the LPL, standing quietly amidst the light!

The screen eventually went dark, and the time and location of the final match appeared in the center of the screen.

The promotional video has ended.

Then came the complete explosion. The official Weibo account's comment section was completely overwhelmed, with messages increasing at an incomprehensible rate.

[Holy crap! That last shot was brilliant! From the Unreal Engine's whistle to the EDG overhead shot, and then to the Silver Dragon Cup, it was so cool! So awesome!]

[This newcomer to Unreal Engine... his aura is nothing like a newcomer! He seems more like the big boss than the factory manager!]

[What does this "shh" mean? Is it to shut up WE? Or to shut up all the haters?]

[Clearly, all of these are present!]

[WE fans say they were impressed by his coolness... but it also fueled their fighting spirit; they absolutely must take down this arrogant guy in the finals!]

[Waaaaah, I didn't manage to get any of the 18,000 tickets! I'm so upset!]

Hehehe, I managed to snag a ticket! It's just that all I can get in Nanjing are standing room only, but the thought of watching the game tomorrow still makes me really happy.

The LPL Spring Split Finals are taking place in such an atmosphere that it immediately raises the bar for anticipation!

The following day, Nanjing.

Just past 10 a.m., outside the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center, even though there were still nearly seven hours before the start of the finals, the entrance was already packed with people!

The crowds, like a tide, converged to form different color blocks.

The black and red EDG team flag and the red and white WE team flag intertwined in the breeze, and the shouts and cheers of the fans rose and fell, filling the air with the restlessness of an impending battle.

Fortunately, there were plenty of security guards on site, and everyone was just venting their frustrations, trying to intimidate the other side before the match started.

EDG, with its larger fan base, had an advantage, drowning out the voices of many WE fans and taking the lead before the match even started.

This made them very proud...

Amidst this sea of ​​cheering for the teams, one area stands out particularly.

It was a sizable group of young girls, and what they were holding aloft were not the EDG team logo, but meticulously crafted personal support signs that clearly read "Unreal".

There were also photos of Li Fan, and the most outrageous one was a huge banner with a picture of Li Fan making a classic pose from yesterday's promotional video, Shh!
It's clear that processing this in such a short time must have cost a lot of money.

As for light sticks, posters, and light sticks, these are essential, making it a mature form of idol support.

It's obvious... this is a fan club, and not just any ordinary fan club!
Some League of Legends players in the queue couldn't help but remark that Unreal Engine's fanbase is truly complex.

It's amazing that such a large number of fan groups can still be developed now.

Cow batch!

Have to serve!

This scene was naturally captured by the media who arrived early and were providing peripheral coverage, as well as by enthusiastic netizens who were broadcasting live.

This is obviously a very good way to set the pace.

After all, competitive sports can easily become distorted if fan groups develop around them.

He clearly wanted to give it his all and achieve good results, but after losing the game, he just wanted to be happy. I only hope he stays healthy...

If you just want to have fun, why don't you win?

Can you be happy after losing a game?

Such words are absolutely outrageous; it's hard to imagine what mindset led to saying them.

Time slowly passed amidst the noise.

At 1 p.m., the venue finally began checking tickets and allowing entry.

The crowd began to surge towards the entrance like a floodgate being opened...

At 2 p.m., the lights inside the Nanjing Olympic Sports Center suddenly dimmed, leaving only a spotlight in the center of the stage.

As the rousing music began, the LPL Spring Finals awards ceremony and opening performance officially commenced.

The host, Ren Dong, stood in the center of the stage with a smile on his face and began to announce the honors and awards of the regular season one by one.

"First of all, the winner of the 2017 LPL Spring Split Regular Season Rookie of the Year award is..." He paused deliberately, whetting the audience's appetite, and then announced loudly: "OMG team icon!"

A round of polite applause rang out in the venue, but it was also mixed with a lot of skeptical whispers.

"Huh? It's not Unreal Engine?"

"Although icon played well and was a major contributor to OMG's advancement to the semifinals, Unreal's stats are obviously more explosive, right? It's a bit unreasonable."

"It's reasonable to give the Rookie of the Year award to Icon, after all, Unreal only played the second half."

When Li Fan's fans felt a little disappointed that he didn't win this award, Ren Dong immediately announced the next award without pausing.

"Next, who will win the 2017 LPL Spring Split Regular Season Best Mid Laner award is..."

The contestants' avatars flashed rapidly on the big screen before finally freezing!
Ren Dong shouted with all his might: "EDG team Unreal!"

"boom--!"

After a brief moment of stunned silence, the entire Nanjing Olympic Sports Center erupted in wild cheers and screams, a sound so loud it almost lifted the roof off!
The slight disappointment I felt just moments ago was instantly replaced by overwhelming joy!

"So the official rankings are on the fifth level after all. I'm still not as good as the official ones." One viewer suddenly realized, shouting to his companion amidst deafening cheers, "What's Best Rookie? Just take the much more prestigious Best Mid Laner award! This arrangement is perfectly reasonable!"

"That makes sense! That makes perfect sense!" his companion exclaimed excitedly.

However, this is not the end.

Just after all the Best XI awards were presented, Ren Dong's voice once again resounded throughout the venue through the speakers.

"Now, I will be revealing the MVP of the 2017 LPL Spring Split regular season..."

The lights went out again.

The big screen began to rapidly display highlights of the candidates' amazing plays, with each kill eliciting cheers from the audience.

When the scene showed Unreal's incredible pentakill, the cheers from the audience reached a peak.

"No way?"

"Is Unreal the regular season MVP?"

"Oh my God!"

Ren Dong took a deep breath and announced in an unprecedentedly high-spirited tone: "The recipient of this honor is—EDGUnreal!"

"Om-!"

Look at the IDs on the big screen, Li Fan is one of the candidates.

When it was finally announced that it was Li Fan, everyone was stunned.

If the announcement of the best mid-laner just now was like detonating a bomb, then the unveiling of the MVP is like dropping a nuclear bomb!
Double awards! Best Mid Laner of the Regular Season! Regular Season MVP!

A newcomer, in his first season as a professional, won the league's highest individual honors in just half a season.

My goodness! Double!

[Is this the first time in LPL history? A rookie who played halfway through the season and won two major awards.]

[This is blatant idolization by the authorities! I don't approve!]

[This is way too contrived. If EDG loses today's match, it'll be a huge slap in the face; their best mid-laner will be trampled on!]

Despite these comments, the live stream chat was still filled with "Unreal" and "MVP" covering the entire screen.

Others who weren't present couldn't be interviewed, but Li Fan, as a double winner of the Imagination Award, was naturally invited to the stage for an interview since he was backstage.

The host, Ren Dong, handed the microphone to him, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement: "Unreal, congratulations on winning both the Best Mid Laner and MVP awards in your first professional season. How do you feel right now? Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans?"

All eyes were on the scene as the live stream camera zoomed in for a close-up.

Li Fan took the microphone and hesitated for a second.

"Thank you for your support, fans. I am indeed very proud of my work."

(End of this chapter)