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Chapter 139: EDG Can't Do Without Unreal! (7k views, please subscribe)
Li Fan's phenomenal performance and championship win in the Brazilian Street Fighter tournament caused an unprecedented sensation in the domestic e-sports circle...

Other games might have a foundation, but Street Fighter is a game where everyone starts from scratch with their account.

It really took a week to get my score to over 20,000.

But they really didn't expect that participating in the competition would lead to a championship, because this was not an entertainment competition, but a points-based competition, and the champion would qualify for the Street Fighter World Championship at the end of the year!

To put it bluntly, if it weren't so far away, many people in China would want to go and participate...

This truly proves that he is a top-tier gaming genius.

However, alongside the overwhelming memes and amazement came a long-suppressed outburst, with pent-up anger erupting at that moment!

Many loyal fans of the EDG team and League of Legends viewers attach great importance to the Mid-Season Invitational.

Previously, there had been considerable criticism of Li Fan's neglect of his duties.

He went to participate in the QQ Speed ​​competition before the playoffs. Although he won the Spring Championship, it made many people nervous. After all, as the core mid-laner of the team, why did he lead the way in not playing well? What was he trying to do?
With the Mid-Season Invitational just around the corner, such a crucial world-class event, why is he participating in these random matches before the tournament? What is he thinking?
They also looked at the Street Fighter tournament schedule. Although it only lasts for three days, these three days are extremely important for EDG.

On his first day in Brazil, while everyone was adjusting to the time difference and getting back into shape, he went to participate in the Street Fighter qualifiers, which could be explained as him experiencing the atmosphere.

The next day, the team's performance improved and they began to get back into the rhythm of preparation. He then played a full day of the main competition!

On the third day, they fought their way to the finals and won a championship that had nothing to do with League of Legends!
They saw the process of the game; it wasn't a complete stomp but rather a full-blown battle. Under such circumstances, their energy must have been greatly affected. So what will they do about the upcoming Mid-Season Invitational?
and!

These three days have been completely wasted!
In the crucial first three days after arriving in Brazil, the team's core mid-laner was completely separated from League of Legends training and team tactical drills for two and a half days. What to do with practice matches?
How do we understand the version? How do we improve team synergy? What about the waiting and practice of other teammates?
With only the 10th left to prepare, and then rushing to play the match, is this really the right state of mind?

"For your own interests and popularity, the entire team was forced to shut down for two days! Unreal, do you even care about your team? Do you even care about the Mid-Season Invitational?"

This pent-up anger was completely ignited by the slightly misleading and inflammatory rhetoric of the marketing accounts.

A veteran fan with considerable influence within the EDG fan community posted a lengthy Weibo post of over a thousand words, each word dripping with emotion and each sentence piercing the heart:
"@EDG Esports Club, @Coach QuickStar, @Manager Abu—please open your eyes and take a look! How long are you going to tolerate Unreal?!"

"I admit he's a very talented player, but with your indulgence, he's become like a giant baby!"

"The League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational is a top-tier global tournament that represents the honor of the LPL!"
We, EDG, finally secured this spot, and all LPL fans are looking forward to you bringing glory to the region.

But what is your core mid laner doing?
Go participate in a competition that has absolutely no meaning for League of Legends!

Two whole days! A precious pre-match adaptation period, during which the team's core players missed all team training!

Before the last playoffs, he went to play QQ Speed. We were on tenterhooks, but luckily nothing happened.

This time, you actually dared to let him act so recklessly again? Do you really have to wait until you're crushed in the MSI group stage and get thrashed by other regions before you regret it?

……

With the Mid-Season Invitational just around the corner, we don't want this to happen, but we don't want to see the whole team's efforts go to waste because of one person's willful and reckless behavior!
The club must immediately and seriously address this matter and establish clear disciplinary rules!
This long article was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.

Countless fans, suppressing their discontent, forwarded and commented to express their support, while many haters also seized the opportunity to join in the support.

I've disliked Li Fan for a long time. With his old fans leading the charge, it's great that they're following along and taking advantage of the chaos!

It has to be said that this wave of events is truly the biggest one to date.

The number of comments and messages has now exceeded 100,000!
Such a powerful impact has terrified EDG's Weibo operations team. Upon seeing these comments, they immediately sent a message to Abu in Brazil.

When Abu saw this information and logged onto Weibo, he didn't expect that Li Fan's Street Fighter winning the championship would cause such a huge stir!

I quickly checked their official Weibo account.

That's so well said! It really resonated with me!

[Management, wake up! Players with absolutely no discipline need to be severely punished.]

[Scout is working so hard, playing ranked games for 14 hours a day, and he still hasn't gotten a single chance to play. What kind of mind-altering drug did XuDr give you guys? How can you be so deeply poisoned? Who is it?]

[Unreal, get out of EDG! Selfish!]

[The thought of the other five guys training hard in the hotel while he's out there winning Street Fighter championships makes me feel so sorry for Mouse, Clearlove, Meiko, Zet, and Scout!]

If Unreal Engine doesn't perform well at MSI, they'll be the biggest culprit!

I'm never buying anything from your sponsors again! Boycott! I'm going to boycott Shuangfeiyan and Dongpeng Special Drink!

[We can't control the clubs, but surely we can control the sponsors? If Unreal doesn't deal with this, then we'll boycott the sponsors!]

【Yes!】

Public opinion shifted dramatically within just a few hours.

What started as "Haha, Fan-ge is awesome!" quickly turned into condemnation of Li Fan's selfish behavior and anger at the inaction of EDG's management.

Abu stared at the constantly refreshing abusive comments on his phone screen, along with inquiries from the operations team, wondering how to handle the situation. His temples throbbed with anxiety.

He originally thought that Li Fan's Street Fighter championship was just a minor incident, and could even be a good story, adding some lighthearted topics to the tense preparations for the Mid-Season Invitational.

After all, when EDG won the Spring Split championship, many people specifically brought up Li Fan's QQ Speed ​​championship to talk about.

The club has also received many commercial orders and endorsement offers.

During that period, the boss was very satisfied with the club's development.

This time... he didn't expect Li Fan to win the championship; he was more interested in letting him relax before the competition.

Once he relaxes, Li Fan will be in excellent form and better able to face the upcoming matches.

But he never expected that public opinion would escalate to this extent!
"Boycott sponsors"... Just seeing those words made Abu break out in a cold sweat.

Although clubs don't place that much importance on sponsors, having sponsors and not having sponsors are two different things, plus LPL slots are very valuable now.

EDG has already received a very substantial amount of sponsorship funding...

This year, even after deducting all the players' salaries, we still made a significant profit.

They have the resources to strengthen their bench or create other divisions later on.

Ed Zhu now has other ideas. He wants to make money and generate profits, and he wants to build a real e-sports powerhouse!

A powerhouse in esports, covering all games...

This is why he wanted to establish a PUBG division.

He had also discussed this plan with Abu, and at that moment Abu was genuinely nervous.

If things are going in this direction, then securing sponsorship is essential.

However, if sponsors lose confidence due to public pressure, it will be a devastating blow to the project.

This is no longer just simple fan dissatisfaction; it directly relates to the club's future development.

I put down my phone and rubbed my temples vigorously.

"Maybe... I shouldn't have let him go in the first place?" This thought popped into my head uncontrollably.

Thinking about the comments these people left online, Li Fan did seem a bit arrogant...

They all recklessly participate in competitions outside of League of Legends.

Recalling Li Fan's relaxed expression when he proposed to participate in the competition, and how both he and Kuaisuxing agreed.

Looking back now, weren't they too lenient?
Is it because Li Fan's past willfulness ultimately brought good results that they subconsciously relaxed their management, even adopting a "let's see what kind of show this kid can pull off this time" mentality?
But now, the cost of watching the show has far exceeded expectations.

Perhaps it really needs to be addressed.

Abu took a deep breath, knowing he had to act immediately to quell the storm.

He walked over to Quickstar and lowered his voice, saying, "Come here for a second, I need to talk to you about something."

Quick Star, accompanied by a translator, led the three of them to a corner of the corridor outside the training room.

Although he did learn Chinese during this period, the learning time was relatively short, and he still needed to translate.

Abu told him about the seriousness of the situation at this stage...

"The pace is too fast now. We have to do something to give the fans an explanation and calm the public opinion."

Abu then shared his thoughts: "My idea is to let Scout play in the group stage first. Firstly, Scout hasn't missed any practice matches recently, and we know his form. Secondly, this shows that we have heard the fans' voices and punished Li Fan's behavior, which can greatly calm the situation. Thirdly, it can also help Li Fan calm down and realize the seriousness of the problem."

After hearing the translation, Quickstar immediately shook his head and objected, saying, "No, I understand your pressure, but this is MSI, not an ordinary league."

"Although the group stage looks like a best-of-one round-robin tournament, every point is crucial, and a bad start can affect the morale of the whole team."

"Scout... he did play in scrims, but I don't think he's in good form. Li Fan has a faster pace, but his skill and mentality are the most stable in the team right now."

He then paused, his tone becoming even more resolute: "And as long as we win the game and get off to a good start, all these off-field controversies will naturally disappear. Isn't esports all about results?"

"If we lose the game because of a substitution, the backlash will only intensify. How will we explain that? That we put in players who weren't at their best to quell public opinion? That would be a real loss... It would easily become a laughing stock."

When he coached LCK, it was easy for fans to influence the club's decisions.

If they actually believe it, the club will be the one to suffer in the end, and these "fans" will even laugh at them.

“I understand what you’re saying, but the problem is that public opinion is already affecting our sponsors! This is no small matter… We need to stabilize our core customer base first!”

"Let's decide it like this. Scout will start in the group stage. This is a decision made by the management. We need to send a signal to the outside world that EDG is disciplined. As for Li Fan, I'll talk to him."

When Abu officially announced in the training room that Scout would be the starting mid laner for the group stage, the entire room fell silent.

Scout was so excited when the translator confirmed the news that his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

He suddenly raised his head, "Finally, this moment has come."

Finally... finally, I have another chance to prove myself on the world stage!

As expected, you guys knew we still had to rely on me for the mid lane...

However, his barely concealed excitement fell right into the eyes of Quick Star, who was filled with displeasure.

The Faststars were already extremely dissatisfied with the management's decision, and seeing Scout's eagerness to take over only fueled their anger.

She immediately glared at Scout, her eyes carrying an undisguised warning.

Scout was stung by that gaze, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head. His excitement cooled considerably, and he hurriedly lowered his head, no longer daring to meet Quickstar's eyes. At that moment, he felt immense pressure!
The other team members in the training room looked bewildered and confused.

Li Fan's strength and performance are undeniable, so why make a last-minute substitution at such a crucial World Championship? Just because of public opinion? Isn't that a bit too frivolous?

Everyone's eyes swept over Li Fan, but his expression didn't change at all; he was still laughing and playing the game.

Meanwhile, EDG's official Weibo account released the starting lineup for the MSI group stage.

When fans saw that Scout was listed as the mid laner instead of Unreal, the public opinion exploded again!
The fans who were previously angry about Li Fan's participation in the Street Fighter competition and demanded punishment are now celebrating wildly.

Good! EDG finally did something decent!

[This should have been done a long time ago! Putting undisciplined players on the bench—do they really think there are no other professional players like him?] [Support the management, Scout, keep it up! Your time to prove yourself has come!]

This is what it means to be responsible in a competition!

[No way, I'm starting to doubt if you guys are even human. Have you even watched the games? If Scout were any better, the regular season wouldn't have been so disastrous.]

[These haters are outrageous! This is the first time I've ever been affected by haters while watching a fan club.]

However, Li Fan's fans, who have always supported him, are furious!

Although they all urged Li Fan not to play League of Legends professionally and to play other games, where he would still be incredibly popular, they couldn't accept that he was benched before the match even started!
Making a decision is far too much for them.

[Is this for real? He was benched because he won the Street Fighter championship?]

[Has this management team lost their minds? Are they cutting off their own arm? Don't they know the mid lane is the real core?]

[Hilarious! You're scared just because outsiders are making a fuss? Is this how you treat the team's big boss? If you don't want it, you can simply terminate the contract. I'm sure many clubs would want it.]

[Didn't you say you wanted to boycott sponsors? Fine! You boycott, we support you!]

Angry Li Fan's fans quickly sprang into action, flocking to e-commerce platforms and frantically placing orders for EDG's sponsored products.

In A4Tech's official flagship store, orders for keyboards and mice surged in a short period of time, with many orders noting "Supports Unreal Engine"!
The official Weibo account of Dongpeng Special Drink was also flooded with comments such as, "I'll drink Dongpeng from now on, what kind of garbage is Red Bull?" and "Dongpeng, we believe in you, keep it up!"

In an instant, the online public opinion battlefield was divided into two distinct camps.

One side applauded Li Fan's move to the bench, while the other side defended Li Fan's situation and launched a counterattack using their financial resources to prove to the club that Li Fan's economic value would not be affected by one or two haters.

Abu had hoped to quell public opinion by changing the launch site, but unexpectedly, he pushed the war of words in a more intense direction.

However, some people unexpectedly reaped enormous wealth amidst this public opinion storm.

After initial concerns, Shuangfeiyan and Dongpeng Special Drink, two major sponsors of EDG, were pleasantly surprised to find that their sales figures were rising against the trend at an astonishing speed!

The e-commerce platform's backend showed that a large number of new orders included notes supporting Unreal Engine, and the interaction and positive comments on Dongpeng Special Drink's social media accounts also soared to unprecedented levels.

This has never happened before when sponsoring the RNG team...

The marketing and public relations departments quickly reported this situation to senior management.

Two internal reports were placed on the desks of the two brand managers almost simultaneously, and the conclusions were surprisingly consistent: the personal influence of contestant Unreal and the purchasing power of his fan base far exceeded expectations, and his commercial value was extremely and powerfully demonstrated in this public opinion crisis.

"What a blessing in disguise!" The marketing director of Dongpeng Special Drink beamed as he looked at the report. "We never expected Unreal's fan loyalty and spending power to be so strong! This is more effective than any amount of conventional advertising we could put in!"

"Tell EDG not to feel pressured. Dongpeng fully supports Unreal players!"

A4Tech made a similar decision and even began internal discussions about whether to launch a customized peripheral for Li Fan.

It ultimately passed unanimously...

……

"Hello, is this Abu, the manager of EDG?" A warm voice came from the other end of the phone. "I am Wang, the manager of KPLQG Club."

Abu's heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding washing over him: "Manager Wang, hello, what can I do for you?"

"Haha, Manager Abu, let's not beat around the bush," the other party laughed. "We've seen some of your club's arrangements regarding the Unreal players... To be honest, we all think it's a real shame. Isn't it a waste to keep such talented players on the bench? Our QG club is top-tier in the KPL, and in terms of both treatment and platform, we absolutely deserve Unreal. I wonder if your club is interested in... discussing a transfer? The price is negotiable! We are very sincere."

Abu's face instantly darkened: "Manager Wang, what do you mean by this? Unreal is not for sale to us at EDG! We at EDG also have our own King of Glory division. If Li Fan wants to play King of Glory, he can go to the King of Glory division. Besides, he has no such intention at all!"

"Hey, Manager Abu, don't be angry." The voice on the other end also turned into a teasing tone. "You guys are in such a situation... relying on fans to manage the team, you have no professionalism or courage at all. Isn't it a waste for Unreal to have players like him stay with you? If he had the chance, he would definitely want to leave. We're just making a call to express our sincerity."

"You...!" Abu was so speechless by these words that he almost couldn't catch his breath, but the other party had already hung up the phone with a smile.

But when I came to my senses, I was also startled. What if Li Fan really wanted to leave?
Just like what QuickStar said, as a professional player, all you need to do is ensure that you win the game when you get to play.

He was benched without even playing a single game... If his words come true and he really has the idea of ​​transferring, then there are definitely quite a few clubs willing to pay that price.

Because of the contract... these clubs can totally accept it!

Abu then regretted it a little, realizing he had done something stupid.

But Abugan has done far more than just one or two stupid things.
Amidst a storm of public opinion and a delicate atmosphere within the clubs, the MSI group stage finally kicked off.

EDG's first match will be against Flash Wolves from the LMS region.

In EDG's first match against Flash Wolves, Scout seemed to be in good form, cooperating with Clearlove's Jarvan IV to dominate the bottom lane, ultimately securing a victory against the provincial team in 34 minutes. This first win relieved a lot of pressure on Scout, and he also played his Taliyah very well. Coach, did you see that?
Back in the backstage lounge, I longed to hear the coach praise me for playing well...

Scout simply nodded in response, which greatly disappointed him.

It seems that Quickstar played a mediocre game in this match, without any standout moments.

It's just something a normal mid laner could do, following the jungler's rhythm, nothing special.

Any mid-laner could do that; if they can't, then just kick them.

As for the live stream room, it's now a time of revelry for the haters.

[I already said he was spoiled rotten. People really thought he saved EDG and helped them win the championship, and now he's acting like a tyrant. It turns out, the junior player can do just as well.]

That's it! I really don't know what they're yelling about. There are plenty of mid-lane clubs like Unreal.

[Haha, EDG now has the perfect five players, let's go!]

……

However, this commentary changed completely in the last game of the first day.

Li Fan and other game fans finally got their revenge.

EDG was actually defeated by GAM!
Levi's Mantis went on a killing spree...

Scout clearly picked LeBlanc this game, but he couldn't utilize her abilities at all.

The mid lane was even suppressed by Lulu.

As a result, EDG suffered a crushing 9-24 defeat to GAM!

[Shout! Where are those people who were shouting just now? Shout again!]

[You even lost to Vietnam? What a Vietnamese prisoner! Is this the discipline you wanted?]

[This is hilarious! I could play Scout's LeBlanc too, it's all just observation anyway.]

[The management continues their blunders! They benched the big boss and brought on a Vietnamese fermented bean curd...]

[These are the correct five players? The correct five players were treated like bots by the Vietnamese team?]

[Hey, why aren't you barking anymore?]

[It turns out that without Unreal Engine, EDG was a joke at MSI!]

the next day……

EDG's starting lineup remains unchanged.

Today's first match is against SKT, which is even worse than playing against GAM!
Peanut wreaked havoc in the jungle, slaughtering his way through.

Even when Faker is a substitute, he's treated like a dog...

Both mid and jungle are countered, making it impossible to fight under these circumstances.

It only took 25 minutes for SKT to speedrun it.

The second match was equally explosive!
After a grueling 37-minute battle, frequent problems arose in crucial decision-making.

As a result, G2 decisively initiated a team fight!
EDG initially had the advantage by going first, but ended up turning the tables.

Scout was instantly killed, and the team fight completely collapsed.

It's obvious that the problem stemmed from the crushing defeat in the first game.

After the second day of matches, EDG's record was a shocking 1-3!

Aside from the initial win, they lost all the subsequent matches, resulting in a three-game losing streak!

Some people even saw a red mark on Scout's face when EDG left the venue...

In just two days, public opinion has completely shifted.

When EDG finished their second day of matches with a dismal record of 1 win and 3 losses, the online scene was already quite different.

The voices that had previously shouted for discipline and cheered for Scout's starting position have now vanished without a trace, replaced by an overwhelming barrage of doubts, ridicule, and... pleas.

The comments section on EDG's official Weibo account was filled with angry and disappointed fans.

[1-3! Where's their face? Where's EDG's face? Where's LPL's face?]

Please! Bring Unreal Engine back! If you don't find someone else, you might as well go home!

[I now believe the management has truly lost their minds. For the sake of so-called discipline, they're willing to sacrifice even good results?]

[It turns out some people are just meant to be substitutes! Scout, get out!]

[No wonder QuickStar kept pressing Scout; now I understand—this guy's just bad! This is a region that can't be helped!]

[Hilarious! Where are all the people who were criticizing Unreal Engine? Why aren't they jumping up and down now? Doesn't that slap in the face hurt?]

[Now management knows who's in charge, right? Without Unreal, you're nothing!]

Fans who were previously angry because Li Fan was benched are now feeling vindicated and are making sarcastic remarks in various comments.

It was just awesome...

[Haha, the slap in the face came so fast, like a tornado!]

[I've said it before, it's not that Unreal needs EDG, it's that EDG can't live without Unreal!]

Some people just won't learn their lesson until they're facing certain death. Now that the coffin lid is on, they're crying for help?

Watching Scout play is torture. He gets pressured in lane, plays like a sleepwalker in team fights, and yet he dares to be a starting player?

[Is the management still being stubborn? Let's see if your discipline is stronger or your results are stronger! If you have the guts to keep refusing to change the starting lineup, then I'll say you're real men!]

Some people even started creating various memes and GIFs, comparing Scout's bewildered expression and dismal stats during the match with Li Fan's triumphant appearance when he won the Street Fighter championship.

District vs. God!
The result went viral online.

Meanwhile, EDG's official Weibo account quietly announced the starting lineup for the third day.

Top laner: Mouse; Jungler: Clearlove; Mid laner: Unreal; AD carry: Zet; Support: Meiko...

(End of this chapter)