Rookie

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Rookie
Alias(es)	Song Yijin; Brother Yijin; “Demon King Ji”
Gender	Male
Affiliation	V5; Rookie’s Team (2022 LPL All-Star Weekend)
Occupation/Role	Professional League of Legends player; mid laner; veteran leader
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

V5 recruited Rookie as its new mid-lane cornerstone after a disastrous year in which the team lost 16 consecutive LPL games. His arrival, alongside Rich and Karsa, gave the rebuilding roster veteran experience before it found an ADC. 1

When V5 management evaluated Luo Zhen as a prospective ADC, Rookie initially withheld judgment and asked to watch more. He quickly recognized Luo’s advanced bush usage and Kalista mobility, but specifically wanted to see the “presence” he associated with top ADC players before fully approving him. 1 2

Rookie became Luo Zhen’s teammate on V5 and a central veteran figure in his development. He regarded Luo as a rare ADC who could play steadily, carry when needed, maintain a good temperament, and improve team morale; he also compared Luo’s potential to a younger JKL. 12 27

His first official LPL appearance for V5 came on January 16, seven years after his first LPL match for IG. His history with IG remains emotionally significant, and V5’s matches against IG, TES, and WBG are framed as opportunities for his “revenge” against former connections and rivals. 36 41 49

Personality

Rookie is generally shy and easygoing, though he takes responsibility seriously when decisions affect his teammates or the team’s direction. During V5’s evaluation of Luo Zhen, he resisted making a rushed endorsement despite the staff’s enthusiasm. 1 2

As V5’s senior mid laner, he is patient with rookies and pragmatic about risk. He encourages Luo after difficult games, reminds him that opportunities to perform will come, and warns him when aggressive plays rely too heavily on favorable circumstances. 83 287

He is also selfless in-game. Rather than demanding a composition built around his personal grudges against former teams, he defers to Coach Homme’s plans. His willingness to sacrifice lane resources and roam for teammates is repeatedly treated as a defining part of his play. 41 187 206

Abilities & Skills

Mid-Lane Fundamentals

Rookie is an elite laner with strong mechanical execution, wave control, and pressure management.

• Pressures opposing mid laners through fundamentals while carefully tracking level breakpoints and roaming windows. 42 81
• Uses champions such as Azir, Poppy, Orianna, Ryze, Sylas, Ahri, LeBlanc, Taliyah, Syndra, and Akali in professional play. 17 22 58 65 182 225 284 298
• Can create decisive openings through precise engage timing, including Azir’s Wall of the Imperial Guard and aggressive EQ entries. 17 29
• Is capable of surviving coordinated enemy pressure through fast pathing decisions and use of allied tools such as Thresh’s lantern. 52

Macro Play and Roaming

Rookie combines lane pressure with map awareness, often functioning as an additional engine for V5’s tempo.

• Reports enemy mid-laner movement and helps coordinate responses to ganks. 22
• Uses lane priority to roam toward objectives or reinforce side lanes. 42 182
• Can deny opposing jungle tempo by prioritizing wave control and experience advantages over immediate kills. 206
• Recognizes when a teammate needs help and supports rotations rather than pursuing individual advantages. 65 102

Teamfight Execution

Rookie is a high-impact teamfighter who can either stabilize a fight from the center or make a sudden commitment to reverse it.

• Split FPX’s formation with Azir’s ultimate to secure the Rift Herald and protect V5’s backline. 17
• Entered TES’s Kennen ultimate to engage Leona and create the opening for Luo Zhen’s cleanup. 29
• Hid Orianna in a flank position and synchronized his attack with Luo Zhen’s Zeri against RNG. 58
• Used Lissandra’s wall-glitch E to begin V5’s ambush against T1, enabling a devastating follow-up from his team. 298

Veteran Leadership

Rookie serves as a stabilizing mentor within V5.

• Helped assess and accept Luo Zhen as V5’s ADC prospect. 1 2
• Encourages Luo to trust the team rather than shouldering every responsibility alone. 83
• Supports 369’s confidence and shields him from teasing within the team. 39
• Actively introduces Luo to other players as a promising new-generation ADC and potential practice partner. 152
• Advises teammates after victories when he believes their plays were unnecessarily dangerous. 287

Relationships

• Luo Zhen / AK — V5’s ADC and Rookie’s junior teammate. Rookie initially evaluates him cautiously, then becomes one of his strongest supporters and mentors. 1 2 12 83 152
• Karsa — V5’s veteran jungler and frequent mid-jungle partner. Their coordination is repeatedly central to V5’s objective control, ganks, and teamfights. 17 39 65 206
• 369 — V5 top laner. Rookie supports his confidence, works with him in teamfights, and joins the team’s efforts to help him develop. 39 94 201
• PPGOD — V5 support. Rookie coordinates with him on dives, flanks, and crowd-control setups. 42 150
• Coach Homme — V5’s coach. Rookie respects Homme’s authority and does not ask him to alter team strategy for personal revenge. 41
• TheShy — Former teammate and WBG opponent whose reunion with Rookie is a major point of anticipation for V5. 40 41
• IG — Rookie’s former team. Matches against IG carry personal emotional weight after his long tenure there. 36 49
• Faker — Veteran rival. Rookie admires Faker’s dedication while confronting the reality that younger teammates now shape the competitive era. 298
• Doinb — All-Star opponent and captain of the team featuring Luo Zhen. Rookie’s team lost their exhibition series to Doinb’s side. 323 329

Story Role / Major Arcs

V5 Rebuild and Luo Zhen’s Recruitment

Rookie joins V5 as the organization rebuilds around experienced mid-jungle leadership. He observes Luo Zhen’s stream gameplay, praises his mechanics, and helps establish the standard Luo must meet to join the roster. 1 2

Demacia Cup and Early V5 Development

Rookie becomes a key on-stage carry and strategic organizer for the new lineup. He protects the team’s backline, creates teamfight openings, and increasingly recognizes Luo Zhen as a dependable ADC rather than merely an untested rookie. 12 17 29

LPL Return and Former-Team Rivalries

Rookie makes his V5 LPL debut on the anniversary of his original IG debut. V5’s encounters with TES, WBG, and IG become linked to his desire to move beyond the past by defeating the teams and players tied to it. 36 41 49

Veteran Mentor of V5

As Luo Zhen and 369 develop, Rookie takes on a more explicit senior role: he reassures rookies, gives tactical cautions, supports team-first decision-making, and helps create a safer environment for younger players to grow. 83 94 152 287

International Competition

Rookie remains a tactical centerpiece in V5’s international matches. Against T1, he helps execute a decisive ambush; against DRX, he continues to serve as a calm mid-lane presence despite pressure and long series. 298 312

2022 LPL All-Star Weekend

Rookie captains Rookie’s Team in the All-Star main match against Doinb’s Team, which includes Luo Zhen. Though Rookie’s Akali kills Luo’s Vayne during a trap, Luo’s team ultimately wins the BO3 2–1. 323 328 329

Notable Quotes

“I might need to watch a bit more.” 1

“Apologies, my AD is still in the back dealing with some minor troubles, not receiving guests for now.” 17

“Don’t rush. This is just the first game, and you’re still in the mutual probing phase.” 83

“You might die.” 293

Trivia

• Rookie’s long tenure with IG earned him the fan title of the team’s “soul.” 36
• He is repeatedly described as a veteran whose experience and calmness help stabilize V5’s younger players. 83 90
• Rookie’s performances can be affected by prolonged BO5 series, making V5 vulnerable to “Old Man Ao” strategies designed to exhaust veteran players. 223
• Despite his reputation, he has a recurring weakness involving difficult Flash escapes near walls, most notably when his Flash hits the F6 wall against EDG. 227