Someday [Esports]

[Complete! I'll make occasional edits and catch typos~]

[My next story, "The Stars Drown Me," has been renamed "Wild Ambition." It's a Honor of Kings story featuring a perfectionist jungler with a tsundere streak x a sweet-looking, goofy, no-nonsense girl. The blurb is below. If you like it, please add it to your favorites~]

Two years ago, Seven, the world's top mid laner and a prodigy, led TE to win the S Championship. Then she was exposed in a match-fixing scandal, and retired, vanishing from the scene.

Two years later, Jiang Qi, a newly popular third-tier actress, is tossed into an esports variety show by her agent. She smiles innocently at Qi Ye, a former world champion and current head coach of TE, seated among the mentors.

Jiang Qi, as in "I play games for a living," but also, "I'm here to practice acting": "I haven't played League of Legends for long. I mainly play support, so please give me your guidance."

Qi Ye raises an eyebrow. Heh. Like hell I'm buying that!

The players assume Jiang Qi is so bad she can barely stand, and that she's only here to build an esports persona before leaving. But who could have guessed that the dazzling actress would get better and better, even dominating the entire game?

Later, netizens uncover that Jiang Qi is actually Seven, the player accused of match-fixing, and Qi Ye's unattainable first love. Qi Ye takes no nonsense and argues with everyone, but he's been begging in vain for her to come back. The rumors spread like wildfire, and she attracts countless haters.

Later still, after learning the truth, netizens flood Jiang Qi's Weibo with tears.

"Sister S is incredible! You've suffered so much all these years!"

"I hereby declare that you and Qi God are made for each other! I've even brought the marriage bureau to you. Get married right now!"

[Dazzling, free-spirited actress who keeps her secret identity under wraps x arrogant, unruly loyal wolfdog who is tamed by one person alone]

[Reader's Guide]

1. Set against the backdrop of League of Legends S10, with some fictional elements. The platform and its official details differ from reality.

2. None of the characters or teams are based on real people. Please don't read them that way.

3. Some aspects of the variety show are based on the S Championship and All-Star event formats.

4. This story is entirely fictional and based on the author's imagination. [Important]

The following is the blurb for the forthcoming story "The Stars Drown Me"

[Perfectionist jungler with a tsundere streak x sweet-looking, no-nonsense female host]

Lu Chi, recognized as the KPL's top jungler, has been called "the man who controls the entire jungle" ever since his debut five years ago. Nobody knows just how severe his number-related OCD is. To ease his condition, he creates an alternate account and starts tearing up the Rift.

Then, during one game, he hears his own support, in a sweet girlish voice, mercilessly mock him: "Is this Lu Chi even worse than a delivery guy at making deliveries?"

Lu Chi: ? Got a problem?

You're the one who fed the most this game!

Lu Chi can't let that stand. The moment he leaves the game, he sees that crappy support has posted "Looking for a CP" in the game chat. He sneers and adds her as a friend.

He plans to carry her to victory, then reveal who he really is as she gazes at him in awe, giving her a proper face-slapping.

Instead, he ends up falling for her.

One day, bored, Lu Chi opens spectate mode on his friends list and sees his weak, helpless support CP in a game. Curious, he clicks in, only to find her flying through the air as Shangguan Wan'er, slaughtering everyone in the middle of a chaotic team fight.

Lu Chi lowers his eyes. Oh-ho, caught you!

Qi Yu is a game streamer and a top-ranked player on the national server. She has a versatile voice, but never shows her face.

One day, just to make her stream more entertaining, she disguises herself as a sweet support player and finds herself a jungler CP. In game, she casually steals his buffs and kills, then abandons him cleanly in team fights.

She never expected that this jungler who seemed a little weak was actually Lu Chi, the KPL's top jungler!

During the post-match interview, Qi Yu has barely had time to get used to her internship offer as a female KPL host when she meets Lu Chi's murderous gaze. Her hand holding the microphone trembles nonstop.

Qi Yu's inner thoughts: I'm done for. I've offended the most tyrannical man in the entire league. My career is probably GG from here on out.

[Bonus Scene 1]

Everyone knows that Lu Chi's only publicly stated requirement for a partner is that her eyes must sparkle like stars. He's so obsessed with eyes that every one of his electronic devices uses the same picture as its wallpaper. The face in the picture is too close to make out, but the eyes shine like a galaxy.

The real person in the picture, Qi Yu, exposes the truth without mercy: "They're just colored contacts."

Lu Chi gazes deeply at her, tenderness in his eyes. "No. I've seen her eyes filled with a galaxy."

[Bonus Scene 2]

One day, Lu Chi and Qi Yu are playing doubles to rank up. They're pushing toward the high ground, and Lu Chi needs just one more kill to meet the KDA target he set for himself that day. But Qi Yu snatches it right from under his nose, then pushes straight to the crystal.

Lu Chi drops his phone. His OCD makes him feel awful.

Just then, Qi Yu quickly leans in and kisses the corner of his mouth.

Lu Chi springs back to life: I think I'm okay again!

Theme: Even among thorns, you can still claim the crown