Chapter 11

Zyra’s attributes differed significantly from those of conventional supports. When she was first released, she was designed as a [Mid Lane] champion, and some players even developed jungle builds for her. However, as the meta evolved, she became predominantly seen in the [Support] role.

Combined with the Thunderlord’s Decree mastery, her burst damage spoke for itself.

Su Yi and Han Lingfeng’s first practice match together ended with an unstoppable steamroll through bot lane, resulting in victory.

However, as the support, Su Yi’s score was 7/0/12, while Han Lingfeng, the ADC, ended with 4/2/10. The system naturally assigned the MVP title to Su Yi.

Staring at the stats screen, Su Yi felt inexplicably awkward. She laughed weakly and offered a pale explanation: “This champion has really high burst damage.”

“Mm. One more kill and you’d have gone legendary.”

“…………..”

“Queue up. Next game,” Han Lingfeng said flatly, once again donning that deadpan expression, making Su Yi extremely nervous.

Was Wind God angry? Sure, this champion’s damage output was somewhat excessive for a support role, and several of those kills really had been finished off by the plants—it genuinely wasn’t her fault…

Han Lingfeng glanced at the girl beside him, seemingly reading her thoughts. “Your mechanics are fine. If you can’t hold back on a kill, don’t.”

Su Yi: “………… Oh.”

Han Lingfeng: “Pick your positions.”

In the second game, Su Yi was assigned [Support] again and went bot lane with Han Lingfeng. This time, instead of picking a burst damage support, she chose Nami, the Tidecaller—a champion with excellent defensive capabilities and counter-engage potential.

However, eight minutes into the match—

[Player E-MAIL (Nami) has drawn First Blood!]

Han Lingfeng: “…”

Su Yi explained, “Ebb and Flow (heals allies and deals magic damage to enemies)… healed them to death.”

Han Lingfeng farmed minions expressionlessly. “It’s fine. Focus on vision control.”

Third game—

[Player E-MAIL (Leona) has drawn First Blood!]

“Solar Flare (increases armor and magic resist, then explodes in an AoE after three seconds) exploded them.”

“…It’s fine.”

Fourth game—

[Player E-MAIL (Janna) has drawn First Blood!]

“…………”

Su Yi stared at the ‘+400 gold’ floating above her champion’s head, her mouth twitching. “Probably blown away by the wind…”

“Mm. I know.”

Han Lingfeng seemed to have no strong reaction to Su Yi stealing First Blood every single game, but she herself felt incredibly guilty. Fine, she could justify it with burst supports, but getting First Blood with defensive and tank-type supports too… She felt that if this continued, there was absolutely no way she’d pass the tryout.

Let alone surviving until next year’s Spring Split.

Under the constant emotional toll of having his First Blood stolen, Han Lingfeng carried Su Yi through Summoner’s Rift all evening. Their win record was almost entirely green.

Around midnight, Xu Ruiqi, sitting behind them, finally couldn’t hold back. “Sis, aren’t you going to sleep?”

Su Yi was mid-conversation with Han Lingfeng about talent builds when she turned her head and replied, “I want to get back to Challenger Master 250 LP. One more win and I’ll go wash up and sleep.”

Xu Ruiqi: “…………”

After about two seconds of silence:

Xu Ruiqi asked, “How about I wake up early tomorrow and carry you on the Chinese server?”

Su Yi thought about it, looking at him with a bemused expression. “Don’t you prefer playing on the Korean server?”

Before she could finish speaking, her screen entered champion select. Su Yi hovered her mouse over her usual support champions, turning to look at Han Lingfeng. “The enemy comp is all squishy high-burst. What should I pick?”

Han Lingfeng paused, then analyzed, “Alistar or Poppy. Can you play them?”

Su Yi: “…Yes, though I haven’t played them much.”

Forgotten in the corner, Xu Ruiqi: “…………”

Coffee and Lightning, sitting on either side of him, laughed in perfect harmony like a comedy duo.

Lightning: “Our new support is practicing with Wind God. Why are you butting in?”

Coffee: “Riki, don’t tell me you’re a sister-complex bro. If so, your towering image as captain crumbles instantly in my eyes.”

Xu Ruiqi: “…”

After a moment, Coffee added, “Then again, it was never that impressive to begin with.”

Xu Ruiqi frowned, the corners of his mouth twitching involuntarily. “Coffee, from now on, you’re on your own top lane. Pray for the best.”

“Whoa, don’t be like that! Riki! Holy crap, you’re seriously not carrying me anymore?”

Having made his declaration, Xu Ruiqi immediately buried himself in solo queue, completely ignoring Coffee’s heart-wrenching cries next door. Whether it was his imagination or not, Xu Ruiqi felt a wave of cosmic malice at that very moment—and the source of that malice was none other than their own ADC.

After the final ranked game, Su Yi reclaimed her Challenger Master 250 LP and prepared to shut down, clean up, and happily head to bed.

But the instant she closed the game, she remembered something oddly out of place.

When she and Han Lingfeng started their first ranked game together—who had invited whom into the party? Su Yi stared at the screen in deep thought, then slowly turned her head toward Han Lingfeng, who was taking a break between matches and watching a streamer’s tutorial video. “Wind God…”

Han Lingfeng removed his headphones, draping them around his neck, and looked at her. “What’s up?”

“How did you… know… that I was on your friends list?”

*Holy crap, how did Wind God know her ID?!*

Han Lingfeng looked at the bewildered girl across from him and smiled. “I always knew.”

Su Yi gaped. “Huh?”

Then he added meaningfully, “I also know your Rengar camped bot lane and killed me three times last game.”

“…………”

So she wasn’t the only one holding grudges. Yeah, this was incredibly awkward.

…

After Su Yi shut down her computer and returned to her room to wash up, the moment the sound of her door closing faded, the team manager—who had been sitting silently in the living room all evening—finally spoke.

“How’s the synergy with her?” Tai Yi watched Han Lingfeng walk past him. “Compared to Xi Gua from the academy team?”

Han Lingfeng pulled a can of coffee from the dining room fridge, popped the tab, and took two sips. “Her positioning and awareness are solid. She tracks the enemy jungler’s camp timers and calculates when the enemy support will place wards. She controlled their vision throughout the entire game and knows when to push and when to hold back. Clearly, she’s played a lot of support.”

“Oho.” Tai Yi wore a mischievous grin. “Didn’t expect your assessment of Su Yi to be this high.”

“Better than Xi Gua.”

“No matter how good, it’s still just solo queue,” Tai Yi said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “Let’s see how tomorrow’s tryout against CNZ goes.”

“Mm…”

Tai Yi studied Han Lingfeng’s unusually quiet demeanor and said curiously, “I spectated your ranked games with her earlier.”

“…………”

“I’m just puzzled,” Tai Yi said, half-amused, half-exasperated. “Every single game, she got First Blood. Either Zyra’s plants spat them to death or Nami’s heal somehow killed them—and you actually tolerated that? Wow, if it were Xi Gua, you would’ve lectured him into oblivion. Is it really because she’s a girl…”

Han Lingfeng shrugged, completely nonchalant. “It’s just solo queue. Not a scrim.”

“Sure, sure. I also saw her take your cannon minion, by the way.”

“She hit it by accident while poking the enemy.” Han Lingfeng pulled out his phone to order delivery, muttering to himself, “I’ll order from that place again.”

Tai Yi watched him and asked slowly, “Wind God… are you this gentle with all girls?”

Han Lingfeng thought for a moment, then answered with utmost sincerity, “No.”