Ding!
That night, at midnight, Xu Junyan had just finished a ranked match when he immediately received a greeting from his only friend, want to breathe.
Just four words: Can we talk?
Xu Junyan was surprised and teasingly replied, "Why the sudden sentimental tone? Don't tell me you've been losing scrims lately and feeling depressed?"
Ding!
want to breathe: "Yes."
Xu Junyan did not know whether to laugh or cry. This guy was unexpectedly honest. But then again, losing scrims nonstop? Bdd's KZ should not have been that bad, right? As he remembered, wasn't KZ the LCK's ace team this year?
want to breathe: "May I ask, have you found a team for the new season?"
MinnaaQAQ: "No. Nobody wants me."
Since the other side was being so frank, Xu Junyan did not hide anything either and candidly explained his current situation.
The other side immediately sent three question marks, apparently not believing him and thinking Xu Junyan was lying. From his perspective, that was understandable. After all, they had duo queued together for a long time, and he knew exactly how strong Xu Junyan was. How could such an outstanding top laner possibly have no team wanting him?
Or had the top-lane players in the neighboring LPL become that strong already? But that was clearly impossible! They had been utterly crushed just a month ago.
Xu Junyan smiled and continued typing. "Really. My situation is a little complicated, and it's hard to explain clearly right now."
Ding!
want to breathe replied instantly: "Is it a contract issue? Are you unable to play because of your contract?!"
Amused, Xu Junyan typed, "Why do you sound so excited? Of course it's not because of a contract. It's just some public opinion issues."
Ding!
want to breathe: "That's good."
A moment later, seemingly realizing that his reply had been inappropriate, he added, "Sorry, I wasn't laughing at you for not having a team."
Xu Junyan felt that his only Korean server friend was acting a little crazy today, so he replied, "If you have something to say, just say it. Stop beating around the bush. You seem like you need my help with something?"
The chat box fell silent. About half a minute later, just as Xu Junyan raised his Sprite to drink, the other side sent a very long message.
want to breathe: "Let me introduce myself again. I am SKT's mid laner, Faker. I really want to invite you to join SKT. It's a little embarrassing, because our SKT roster isn't particularly strong this year and we may not achieve much. But I truly want to keep working with you. Playing mid and top with you feels easy. If you join us, I believe the two of us might be able to create a miracle. Do you dare to come? Fight with me just once!"
Pfft!
The moment Xu Junyan saw that message, he sprayed all the Sprite in his mouth out. Clutching his chest, he broke into a coughing fit.
What the hell? Faker?? What happened to the Bdd he had guessed? How had it suddenly become Faker?!
Back when he had been trying to guess this guy's identity, Faker had been the very first person he ruled out! After all, this person was completely unlike Faker's usual image.
"How could this guy who begged me to duo queue with him like a clingy bandage possibly be Faker?!"
Xu Junyan grabbed a tissue in a fluster and wiped his mouth. His eyes were still filled with disbelief. He simply could not believe it.
Ding!
The other side sent another message.
want to breathe: "Please rest assured, if you come to SKT, the treatment definitely won't be poor. If the club can't offer you a high enough salary, I can take a pay cut and subsidize you myself. Come on, fight with me for one year! I can tell from your top-lane playstyle that you're definitely someone with a strong fighting spirit too."
Xu Junyan lightly rubbed his brow and sent Faker two consecutive "Wait" messages. Suddenly, he hesitated.
He had originally thought the person duo queuing with him was Bdd. KZ was fierce this year. If he went there, all he had to do was suppress Khan and take his place, then crushing RNG to win the championship would not be difficult.
Even if it was not Bdd, he had at least expected Pawn. KT was also a superteam this year. If he went over and replaced Smeb, crushing RNG to win the championship would not be difficult either.
But SKT?
If he remembered correctly, SKT was terrible this year. Because they were unwilling to spend money on players, aside from the three veterans Faker, Bang, and Wolf, everyone else on the roster was just mediocre.
If he remembered correctly, SKT would also have internal power struggles around this time. In that conflict, even Faker would be sent to the bench.
Top laner Thal, jungler Blank, and mid laner Pirean—the three emperors gathered together and formed a stable iron triangle of incompetence. Even if Bang prayed to Valhalla and summoned his strongest self, carrying like mad, he still could not drag those three along.
In SKT's history, this was about to become the weakest period their team had ever seen.
"Although it's shocking that this unnamed player turned out to be Faker, I don't want to go to SKT at a time like this."
Xu Junyan furrowed his brow tightly.
He still had a grudge against RNG—a deep, nearly irreconcilable hatred. If he went to SKT and could not carry them to crush RNG...
"No, with the system here, what am I hesitating for? Besides, Bang will be very strong this year, and Faker has always been a player filled with miracles. As long as those two are there, plus me, do I still have to worry about being unable to beat those imperial mutts to death? Leading a declining three-time champion dynasty back to rise again and crush everything in its path—wouldn't that be even more fulfilling?"
Xu Junyan shook his head, refocused himself, and felt that he had really been overthinking things.
They were just a few imperial mutts. Why would he need so many powerful teammates? With him included, the three of them would be enough!
Besides, once he really joined SKT, it was not as if he could not discuss things with Faker or kkOma. Swap out the jungler, and they would take off immediately.
Also, SKT was different from other teams. Once he joined, he could directly deliver a dimensionality-reduction strike against that Void Sword Pointing team at the team level!
Xu Junyan smiled. At a glance, he saw that Faker had sent many more messages in the chat box, hoping that he would definitely join SKT and fight alongside him. The other side seemed afraid that he would refuse, to the point that his tone even seemed somewhat humble.
From this, Xu Junyan came to understand this legendary League of Legends mid laner anew. He typed, "Don't rush. First listen to my situation, then decide whether you really want to invite me to join you."
Ding!
want to breathe: "Please tell me!"
Xu Junyan immediately told Faker everything about his grudge with RNG and his current circumstances.
When Faker learned that he was Silence, the top lane player who had appeared once for RNG in the World Championship semifinals, he was extremely surprised. Then he felt somewhat ashamed, because in that match, they had targeted top lane like never before. After all, Xu Junyan had appeared suddenly, and they had worried he might be RNG's secret weapon.
However, as the opponent at the time, Faker definitely did not believe in any match-fixing claims. If Xu Junyan had been match-fixing in that game, then what were the others? Idiots?
Therefore, he firmly believed that everything Xu Junyan said was RNG deliberately causing trouble. There was nothing good about that club, from top to bottom.
After Xu Junyan explained the entire story, he also said that he held grudges. Even if he went to SKT to compete, he would definitely continue fighting RNG to the bitter end in the future. Would SKT still be willing to take him?
Faker did not hesitate in the slightest. Very quickly and decisively, he sent his answer: "I can make the decision. We're willing!"
Before you continue