When the exhibition match ended and Cheng Che stood up from the players' seat, the Clearlove was the first to walk over and pat him on the shoulder.
"You played well," the Clearlove said, his tone very honest. "In that team fight in the bot lane, your kiting was so good, I almost thought I was fighting a professional AD carry."
Cheng Che smiled and said, "You did a good job protecting Brother Juanmao."
Juanmao waved his hand beside him:
"No, no, no, you EZ, all I need to do the whole time is stand in front of you. You do everything else yourself."
The group walked backstage while talking.
As soon as I entered the rest area, there was a small group of people blocking the entrance.
Several young professional gamers stood in the corridor, holding their phones and autograph boards. They looked a little nervous, but their eyes were bright.
A young player in a black team uniform was pushed to the front. He took a step forward and said in a slightly tense voice, " Teacher Cheng, could I get your autograph? I play AD carry, and I watched your Ezreal play the whole game today."
Cheng Che took the pen, signed the team jersey he was offered, and then asked, "Which team are you on?"
"TT's second team."
"AD, huh?" Cheng Che handed the pen back to him and smiled. "During that dragon fight, did you notice why I used Q on Jinx first and then E back?"
The young player paused for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "Because Nautilus has already used his ultimate, Jinx is the only damage dealer. If we weaken him first, the enemy team's team fight will be disrupted."
Cheng Che nodded. "Yes. You're playing AD, so you need to have that kind of judgment."
When the young player stepped aside, the expression on his face looked like he had just finished a Master.
Several other contestants immediately gathered around; some wanted photos, some wanted autographs, and one asked, " Teacher Cheng, can we add each other as friends?"
Cheng Che agreed to all requests, signing seven or eight autographs and taking five or six photos.
The Clearlove, watching from the side, chuckled and said to Juanmao, "This is even bigger than when we played in the World Championship back in the day."
Juanmao nodded. "Their popularity now is nothing compared to ours back then. It's different."
After leaving the rest area, Cheng Che didn't go backstage but went straight to the side stage.
He already knew the process; he had gone through it once during rehearsal, adjusted the in-ear monitors, and checked the accompaniment and harmony. All he had to do was go on stage.
Outside, the host was introducing the event. "Did everyone enjoy tonight's exhibition match?"
The audience shouted in unison, "That was awesome!"
"Now, let's hand the stage over to a special person. He delivered a professional-level performance with Ezreal in the Rift today, but he also has another identity. Let's welcome him, Cheng Che!"
Cheng Che walked out from behind the curtain.
[ Absolute Center Position ] Triggered.
[ Stars Surrounding the Moon ] Triggered.
He changed his clothes, from his casual attire to a long black coat over a pure white T-shirt, and black slim-fit trousers.
It's a very simple outfit, but when he wears it and the lights come on, he stands out from the background, like the only focus on a stage.
From the stands, the female spectators erupted first.
" Cheng Che!!!"
"Aaaaaaah!!!"
"Honey, look this way!!!"
Several girls in the front row of the inner area stood up from their seats and frantically took pictures with their phones.
Someone in the second-floor stands held up a light board that read, " Che Baby, fly with confidence."
Someone in the third-floor stands started shouting " Ezreal King!" After shouting it twice, they burst out laughing, but the people next to them joined in.
The live chat exploded with comments.
[He changed his clothes!!! Black jacket!!! I'm dead!!!]
[This entrance, this lighting, this aura—I feel like I'm at a concert!]
[My husband is singing!!! My husband is finally singing!!!]
I thought today would be over after the exhibition match, but there was even a singing segment!
[ Tengjing, you know how to maximize your prestige!]
Wait, what is he singing? Legends Never Die? That's a really difficult song!
Haven't you guys heard Cheng Che sing? Don't you remember how popular " Chasing the Wind" was back then?
I don't care, I'll listen to whatever he sings.
When the intro started, the venue fell silent for a moment.
The arpeggios on the piano are very soft and slow, like water dripping onto a stone.
The CG footage on the big screen switched in, showing classic moments from previous League of Legends World Championships: lifting the trophy, shedding tears, making comebacks, and cheering.
Cheng Che stood in front of the microphone stand, holding onto the microphone holder, and closed his eyes.
Then he spoke.
[ The Bard Incubus Voice ] is triggered at this moment.
"Legends never die--"
When the first sentence was uttered, someone in the stands gasped.
The voice was very clear, with a slight huskiness, but it sounded even better than the original singer's, like it was telling a story.
"When the world is calling you--"
Cheng Che opened his eyes, tilted his head, and glanced at the stands.
The light followed his movements, outlining a clean silhouette on his profile.
"Can you hear them screaming out your name--"
When the chorus started, his voice rose a little, but not forcefully, as if it were a natural progression.
The CG on the big screen switched to a scene of Faker lifting the trophy, and some people in the audience started humming along.
"Legends never die--"
Cheng Che took his hand off the microphone stand and changed his grip.
The director cut to a close-up of that action, and on the big screen, his fingers gripped the microphone, his knuckles clearly visible. The light shone from the side, outlining the contours of his knuckles with a faint silver edge.
The comments section went silent for a moment, then shifted to another direction.
[His hand!!! The hand holding the microphone!!!]
[I took screenshots, thirty in total]
[That sound gave me goosebumps]
He sang with a deeper tone than the original, as if he were talking to someone.
I was eating, but now I've stopped.
He sang this song with a different flavor; it's hard to explain, but it just makes me want to cry.
[The one in front who wants to cry, you're not alone]
In the second verse, Cheng Che took a step forward and walked out from in front of the microphone stand.
He held the microphone and slowly walked forward along the extended platform in the center of the stage, the lights following him, one light for each step.
[ Camera Language ] Triggered.
His every step was in time with the music and the rhythm of the camera cuts.
As he walked to the very front of the extended stage, the main light shone on him, and he tilted his head slightly as he sang the last verse of the chorus.
"Legends never die--"
His voice rose in pitch, but remained steady. His eyes were fixed on the farthest level of the stands, as if he were looking at someone, or perhaps at everyone.
[ Iconic Moment ] triggered.
At that moment, the light narrowed into a very narrow beam, just enough to cover him alone.
The CG on the big screen switched to the last scene: golden rain fell from the sky, and the lights on the stage also turned golden.
Cheng Che stood in the middle of the beam of light, holding the microphone, his head tilted slightly back, the last sound fading into the air.
There was a two-second silence in the audience.
Then applause erupted from all directions. Some people shouted "Bravo!", some shouted " Cheng Che!", some shouted " Ezreal King!", and some people in the third-floor stands held up light boards above their heads and waved them frantically.
Several girls in the front row of the inner area were already crying, clapping as they cried.
The barrage of comments made it impossible to see the screen clearly.
I cried, I really cried.
I never expected him to sing this song like this.
[In the final scene, with golden rain falling and him standing in the light, I died.]
[I declare that from today onwards, Legends Never Die will forever be Cheng Che's song in my heart.]
[Esports players say this is the first time we've heard this version of the song in all these years.]
[ Cheng Che, please release an album! I'm begging you!]
Cheng Che put down the microphone, took a step back, and bowed in each of the four directions.
Every time the ball is thrown in a certain direction, the stands on that side explode once.
" Cheng Che!!!"
"Husband!!!"
One more song!!!
He straightened up, smiled at the stands, then turned and walked back to the side of the stage.