Chapter 8: Leaving RNG

“Seventeen, almost eighteen. At that age, with those stats, it’s incredibly tempting.”

“Chen Dong. We can’t wait until RNG casts him aside before extending an olive branch. That would show a lack of sincerity. When it comes to talent, we must show our utmost sincerity.”

Abu’s excitement was now impossible to conceal. “The RNG management probably hasn’t seen these stats. If they had, from now on, RNG’s bottom lane would be on a rotation system.”

“He will definitely be valued! We have to act immediately; this information surely isn’t exclusive to us.”

Lu Ziang had a sound sleep on the plane.

If not for the sweet-voiced flight attendant waking him, he might have continued sleeping for several more hours.

“Sir, you have arrived at your destination. Please gather your belongings and prepare to disembark…”

The flight attendant’s voice was exceptionally sweet and gentle.

Her gaze held a hint of shyness and bashfulness—it was clearly the stirrings of a youthful crush.

“Oh.”

Lu Ziang was somewhat puzzled. He had seen such expressions many times before, but that was back in his school days. He had been mostly holed up in the youth training camp these past two years and rarely went out. Overall, though, his appearance was still quite striking.

Of course, he still looked good now. But this was an international flight to and from South Korea, and as a flight attendant, she must have seen plenty of tall, handsome European men.

Had he become even more handsome?

He didn’t dwell on it, packed his luggage, and followed the group back to the training base.

Once Lu Ziang had left, the flight attendants whispered among themselves in the break room:

“Wow! That young man was absolutely stunning. I’ve been on this flight for nearly four years and have never seen such a handsome boy!”

“I almost couldn’t resist asking for his contact info. Such a shame I missed the chance.”

“Way better looking than those plastic-surgery ‘tall legged oppas’—it was like a devastating blow. I’m sure he’s a celebrity!”

“No comparison. That young man was all natural, no surgery at all!”

...

The RNG Esports Club was also located in the Magic City.

After all, the Magic City was the most prosperous hub of the domestic esports industry.

The headquarters of the LPL region and Riot Games both resided there, and the main arena was right in this city.

Most of the top esports organizations were headquartered here as well.

Being close by made scheduling matches much easier.

Otherwise, traveling back and forth for regular season matches would only cause unnecessary hassle.

Lu Ziang went straight back to his dorm.

At that moment, his fellow youth training camp teammates were all training at the base. As for RNG’s wins and losses, it didn’t affect them much.

After watching the match, everyone plunged into intense scrimmages.

Esports is not the same as gaming. The former is a serious sport, while the latter is mainly entertainment.

The two are worlds apart. The intensity of training for esports pros rivals or even surpasses that of traditional athletes.

Most importantly, the career span of an esports player is extremely short. Usually, seventeen or eighteen is the peak age for all aspects.

By the time one turns twenty, performance often begins to plummet sharply.

It’s a young person’s competitive sport that demands both talent and hard work—sometimes even a sprinkle of luck.

The entire RNG team returned quietly. Achieving the top eight might be commendable for other teams, possibly even warranting a celebration.

But for RNG, it was a disgrace, especially since they lost to G2.

Hours after the match ended, the online backlash showed no sign of abating.

Head coach Sun Dayong resigned in disgrace but did not earn the audience’s forgiveness. Several of RNG’s key players’ social media accounts were flooded with angry comments.

No one paid attention to a minor substitute ADC.

Moreover, he wasn’t even an official RNG player yet—no youth training contract, no formal player contract—just an outsider.

After this ordeal,

Lu Ziang no longer felt any attachment to RNG. He was somewhat disheartened.

They didn’t care about him; he left with no burdens.

The contract termination process was swift and without delay.

In fact, RNG had already prepared the termination contract, just waiting for his signature.

He even received a stipend of twenty thousand yuan.

This was compensation from RNG for his two years of dedication in the youth training camp. Given his true talent, he could have already graced the LPL stage and shone brightly.

Unfortunately, he had arrived about half a year later than the so-called “Esports Inventor” Qi Qi Prince, who had already secured a rotation spot.

“Lu Ziang, your skill and talent are truly impressive. RNG not keeping you on shows a lack of wisdom in their management. I believe you will definitely shine brilliantly on the stage!”

The legal officer handling Lu Ziang’s contract termination said earnestly.

Those words brought a faint warmth to his heart.

Lu Ziang didn’t have much luggage, but his savings were considerable. The youth training camp players earned very little, but Lu Ziang hardly spent any money and saved every penny.

Food, clothing, accommodation, and transportation were all covered for him.

When he decided to drop out of school and resolutely pursue a professional esports career, Lu Ziang never once considered turning back. He was driven by stubborn courage and pure passion.

Yet,

His efforts and talent seemed unseen by others.

Thinking about it, Lu Ziang felt a pang of sadness. Thankfully, he now had a system—a small comfort on a psychological level at least.

“Are you Lu Ziang?”

Early morning, just at dawn, the air still held the chill of the previous night.

Lu Ziang, having packed his bags, was walking out the RNG training base’s gate when a group of men in suits blocked his path.

Back in school, although an academic top student, Lu Ziang was known as a troublemaker whom no one dared to provoke.

Plus, in the past two years at the training camp, he hadn’t neglected his physical development. Now standing at 1.87 meters tall with a strong build, he carried a certain intimidating presence.

His appearance didn’t quite fit the traditional image of an esports player; he looked more like an action movie star.

“Yes, that’s me.”

Lu Ziang nodded calmly, his expression composed.

“We’ve waited a long time to find you. We’re staff from the EDG Esports Club. Here’s my business card. Our EDG team looks forward to having you join us!”

Upon receiving a clear answer, the men in suits instantly changed their expressions to something more flattering.

“???”

Lu Ziang gave them a deadpan look, thinking, “Is this how you invite someone? You’d think they were looking for a fight.”

“That’s right. Our manager wants to discuss details with you. How do you feel about that?” Seeing Lu Ziang’s calm demeanor, one of the men grew a little anxious and asked nervously.

Before coming, Abu had repeatedly emphasized the importance of recruiting Lu Ziang to EDG.

“Alright, I’ll go meet Manager Abu. Lead the way.”

A slight smile curled at Lu Ziang’s lips, easing the awkward atmosphere somewhat.

Soon after,

They invited Lu Ziang into their Mercedes MPV.

“EDG? Seems… not bad.”

Sitting in the car, Lu Ziang thought to himself: them coming to find me is definitely better than me chasing after them.

Moreover, EDG was a veteran powerhouse in the LPL, its reputation on par with RNG.

That was secondary. More importantly, Lu Ziang’s favorite jungler in his early years, Ming Kai, was also on EDG. Joining EDG seemed like a promising choice!

It was enough to fuel his dream of becoming a champion.

Gazing out at the bustling traffic, Lu Ziang felt as if he already had a plan.