LOL: Do I have to be a spinning top too?

Li Hu slowly typed a line of text and clicked send.

[General Tiger's hand gesture dance is so cute!]

"I just turned 18 this year and I'm interested."

The message was sent and received a reply from the other end in less than two seconds.

【TES-zhouxiang】：

"Perfect age!"

"Eighteen years old is the golden age for professional players to rise!"

【TES-zhouxiang】: "I have carefully reviewed your game history, and your hero pool doesn't seem very deep."

"But its strength lies in its solid understanding of each hero's role, making it a very well-rounded team overall."

"Given your talent at your age, you are definitely a promising talent worth nurturing."

【TES-zhouxiang】：

"Our TES is a recognized powerhouse club in China. Our salaries, training system, and logistical support are all top-notch in the industry. We will never mistreat talented players."

【TES-zhouxiang】: "Which city are you in now?"

"If you have time, you can come to our base for an on-site inspection. During the trial training period, meals and accommodation are provided, and all round-trip travel expenses will be reimbursed."

"If you're interested, add me on QQ and we can discuss it in detail?"

  

A long string of messages scrolled down, each word filled with urgency.

Li Hu chuckled softly.

No wonder TES is anxious; their annual investment is substantial.

However, apart from an MSC in 20, he has no international competition record.

Especially in this year's S12, among the four LPL teams, TES suffered the worst defeat, with the second seed unable to beat a Vietnamese team.

They were eliminated in the group stage and sent home immediately. After their return, the forums were flooded with angry comments.

The youth training system was also criticized for only buying big names and not nurturing new talent.

The urgency we're in boils down to one thing...

The transfer window is almost here, and Wayward's reputation is completely ruined. He probably won't even dare to do a live stream now.

TES needs a new top laner, preferably someone young, inexpensive, and capable.

He, with 1957 points in the Challenger tier and an 81% win rate, perfectly meets all the criteria.

Li Hu didn't keep them in suspense and casually sent them his QQ number.

The friend request popped up almost instantly.

The message arrived as soon as I clicked "agree".

Coach Zhou: "Hello, my surname is Zhou."

"Just call me Coach Zhou."

Coach Zhou: "May I ask which city you're in right now?"

"Could you arrange a trial training as soon as possible?"

"We happen to be short of a top laner as a reserve player."

Li Hu: "I'm in Shanghai, and I've been free these past few days."

The reply was sent out and received another reply instantly.

Coach Zhou: "That's great!"

"Our headquarters are in Shanghai."

Coach Zhou: "If everything's alright, could you come over tomorrow?"

"We have an internal training match scheduled for this afternoon. Come on up and play three games, and let us see your actual skill level."

"If it's suitable, we can easily discuss subsequent contracts and such."

Li Hu looked at the screen and tapped the keyboard twice with his fingers.

Training game.

The fact that Zhou Xiang is letting him play in training matches so quickly shows that Zhou Xiang really takes him seriously...

If I go tomorrow, I shouldn't have to give him 50 yuan to get rid of him.

Li Hu: "Okay, see you tomorrow."

[Coach Zhou] "See you tomorrow!"

"I'll send you the base address. When you get there, just tell the receptionist you want to see me!"

After checking the address information, Li Hu immediately closed the chat window.

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the translucent golden illustration.

The progress bar for the Fiora remained steadily at 12%...

These advancements all stemmed from the relentless attacks Li Hu made by Fourteen Sword Maidens and other Sword Maidens.

This allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of Fiora's skills and overall gameplay.

[Passive - Spinning Top Absorption]: The harder you are whipped, the faster you learn and the stronger you become.

If even the best solo queue players on the Rift have this effect with their whips, what about the whips of professional players?

Li Hu tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his mind already racing with calculations.

TES's top laner Wayward, nicknamed "Big Yellow," had inconsistent performance throughout the S12 season, but his skill level cannot be denied.

There must be many hidden talents in the youth training programs of each team's second team.

If he really joined a professional team, he'd be laning against professional top laners every day.

If you're constantly being whipped around by the intensity of professional gameplay, your hero proficiency will skyrocket!

As for whether I can pass the trial?

He wasn't worried about that at all.

With his current understanding of those heroes that he's 100% proficient with, carrying the game on his own is no problem at all.

Even if you can't carry the game because your teammates are too bad, you can still pretend to be a tragic hero.

As long as the TES management isn't blind, he'll definitely stay.

If he can successfully enter a professional team this time, he can get paid to play games and practice his skills with others every day as a professional player.

Is there any better deal in the world?

He raised his hand and pressed the power button. The moment the screen went dark, a face that looked remarkably like a young Edison Chen appeared.

Li Hu instantly recalled Edison Chen's words:

"I was nineteen or twenty years old back then, so of course I thought I was very handsome."

"Forehead."

"Okay, that's a bit extravagant..."

"I'd better just stick to being a spinning top!"

Li Hu smiled helplessly, slid his chair back, stood up, and casually tossed the empty ice dew bottle into the trash can next to the table.

The internet cafe was still noisy; the people who had been surrounding him were long gone...

Occasionally, passing players would glance at him, their eyes filled with disdain for being exposed for using someone else's account to show off.

Li Hu pretended not to see it.

Why explain to strangers?

How can you explain that you have a spinning top system that makes you stronger by getting beaten up?

No need.

Whether the spinning top has become stronger or faster, you can judge for yourself.

One day Li Hu will prove himself; even a spinning top will bite when pushed too far.

He walked out of the internet cafe with his phone in his pocket. The manager glanced up at him, then looked down and continued scrolling on his phone.

The evening breeze in Shanghai in December was cool, and the neon lights on both sides of the street lit up like a flowing river of light, while cars and people rushed past.

Li Hu walked slowly toward the rented house, his hands in his pockets.

He had only been reborn for a month and was living in a partitioned room in a nearby old neighborhood, not much different from the dilapidated place he lived in after retiring and working as a gaming companion in his previous life.

In his previous life, he endured until he was twenty-two, but only spent a year on the bench in the second division.

He didn't even get a chance to officially play, and in the end, he slunk away to a gaming companion shop to make a living.

He had just turned eighteen when a prestigious club approached him.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't a little emotional.

But more than anything, there was an irrepressible urge to try.

He never got to experience the professional esports arena in his previous life, but in this life, he's not only going to stand on it, he's going to stand at the highest point and win that damn S-series championship.

Even if it means being turned into a spinning top along the way, I'm willing to do it.

"TES..."

Li Hu ran through the timeline in his mind.

It's the end of 2022 now, and the transfer window has just begun.

What will TES be like next year?

Rookie joins the team, forming an all-star senior squad with JKL.

They performed well in the regular season, but then collapsed in the playoffs.

As for the S13 World Championship?

Oh, they didn't even make it to the S13 World Championship in 2023.

They were crushed by WBG when competing for the last spot.

But none of that matters.

The important thing is... he needs a springboard now.

Although TES is a weak team, they are still a powerhouse in the LPL, with high exposure, good training conditions, and decent competitive level.

Play a few more games against those freakish top laners on that stage, and get stomped a lot...

Maybe the spinning top encyclopedia can be filled with several heroes at once.

Li Hu looked up at the starlight in the night sky and hummed softly:

"Perfect, let me show you..."

"What is a top-tier top laner with exceptional spinning ability?"

Silent all night.

The next afternoon, Li Hu took a taxi and headed straight to the TES headquarters in Shanghai.

The car stopped at the entrance of the industrial park. After paying, Li Hu got out of the car and looked up to see the huge TES team logo on the exterior wall of the office building. The iconic design almost made Li Hu's mouth clench.

It really does look more and more like a spinning top, no wonder netizens call you the Spinning Top Team.

He followed the signs and walked inside. The base occupied two whole floors, with a simple yet grand decoration, exuding the style of a high-end club.

After the receptionist found out why we were there, she immediately called Coach Zhou.

Within two minutes, a man wearing black-rimmed glasses and a team hoodie strode over. He was around thirty years old, with a capable expression and eager eyes.

"Li Hu, right?"

"This is Zhou Xiang. I contacted you yesterday."

Coach Zhou looked him up and down and nodded in satisfaction:

"You look even more energetic than in the photos. Come on, I'll take you inside."

Li Hu nodded and followed him inside.

The corridor was covered with a thick carpet, making no sound when you stepped on it. The walls on both sides were covered with group photos of the team from previous years and their trophies.

In the 2020 photo, Knight is standing in the center, smiling like a child.

In the 2022 photo, Wayward stands on the far side with a somewhat stiff expression.

MSC champion, Demacia Cup champion...

The trophy is displayed here, but the fact that we only reached the top 16 in this year's S12 tournament casts an awkward shadow over these honors.

"The second team and the youth training team are both waiting in the training room."

Coach Zhou said as he walked:

"Today we have a practice match between the second team and some youth training players. You will replace the youth team's top laner and play three games."

"We mainly look at the laning phase details, team fight execution, and team coordination."

"no problem."

Li Hu spoke calmly, without a trace of nervousness.

Coach Zhou glanced back at him, somewhat surprised.

In the past, most of the top-ranked players who came for tryouts felt a little awkward when they first entered the professional training base.

This kid, on the other hand, looked completely calm, like he was just back home.

He has the demeanor of a top expert.

His expectations of Li Hu rose even higher.

We walked to the entrance of the training room for the second team and the youth training team.

Coach Zhou pushed open the door, and the sounds of keyboard typing and mouse clicking immediately filled the air.

A dozen or so computers were neatly arranged, and the young players, dressed in their team uniforms, sat in front of their computers. They all turned around at the sound of the noise.

"Brother Zhou," someone greeted.

"Let me introduce you all. This is Li Hu, ranked third in the Chinese Super Server. He's here today for a trial of the top lane."

Coach Zhou clapped his hands:

"Young Yang from the youth training team, come down first. Li Hu, you sit here and play three games with the second team."

The room was silent for half a second.

Third in the canyon?

The contestants all showed surprise, which was then followed by scrutiny.

Those who can reach the top three in the Challenger tier are all true solo queue kings.

Whether a streetball player can withstand the intensity of a professional match is always an open question.

The top laner from the youth training program, in particular, glanced at Li Hu, his lips pursed, clearly showing his dissatisfaction.

Li Hu ignored the stares and walked straight to his seat.

These professional-grade keyboards and mice feel far superior to the generic brands found in internet cafes.

He casually adjusted the mouse speed and caught a glimpse of the opposing team's top laner looking in his direction.

That stance clearly indicated they wanted to give this streetball king a hard time.

A faint smile appeared on Li Hu's lips.

Trying to intimidate me? I'd love to.

He was also worried that professional players were too unskilled to keep up with his progress and make it difficult to complete his hero encyclopedia!

"Is everything ready?"

Coach Zhou stood in the back row, arms crossed, and spoke in a deep voice:

"Let's get ready first."

"We're ready, the training match is about to begin."

Li Hu's fingertip landed on the Enter key, and he pressed it lightly.

The moment the game loading screen slowly popped up.

The golden illustration on the side of his vision gleamed faintly.

Zhou Xiang quickly organized this training match with the second team coach.

I could hear Zhou Xiang discussing with the second team coach.

Li Hu looked at the opposing team's second-team top laner, his smile deepening.

He won't just randomly practice any hero during this professional trial; he needs to make a name for himself and dominate the entire field.

Only then can TES's management see his value...

As long as he stays with the TES team, he'll have plenty of opportunities to be "spinned" (a metaphor for being hit with a spinning top).

At that time, Li Hu will be able to receive the harshest criticism and absorb the strongest hero proficiency and game understanding in the professional arena.

After all... TES's fate is to be picked off.

Only the top that follows the right team can become the fastest spinning top...

The King of Spinning Tops.