Did The Captain Catch Up With The Coach Today [Esports] Chapter 31
byChapter 31
Shortly after EN’s MID and Jungler revived, FHM’s Top, MID, and Jungler’s ultimate abilities were ready.
EN’s Jungler told the MID to follow him to the top lane, but the MID immediately refused: “The mid tower is gone, why bother helping top? Help bot! Let’s feed the ADC!”
EN’s Jungler, who had already given up three kills, was frustrated and exploded in anger, immediately firing back: “Are you an idiot? If we don’t free up the top laner, how are we going to team fight?”
The MID retorted, unwilling to back down: “You’re the idiot! Who cares about the top tower at this point? Tell the top laner to come down, let’s gank bot lane directly and wipe out their duo!”
In truth, both of their strategies had merit.
EN’s Jungler was thinking that their top laner had a lane advantage, so helping him push down the enemy top tower first, pushing the minion wave, and then stabilizing bot lane was the safer option. This would prevent the top lane from being completely overrun if they only focused on bot—after all, this is a tower-pushing game; they couldn’t just ignore the towers.
The MID, on the other hand, believed that the game could no longer be played around the Jungler core, and they had to quickly establish an advantage for the ADC. As long as the ADC got strong, any lost towers could be recovered—when already deeply poisoned, if they didn’t perform a bone-scraping cure, they would only be slowly executed by a thousand cuts!
Since they were already at a disadvantage, there was no perfect solution. Both methods offered a chance for a comeback, and both could fail, but either one required teamwork.
The nominal captain and shot-caller for EN was the Jungler, but EN’s MID had been acting independently for a while. EN’s coach not only didn’t criticize him but even agreed with some of his tactics, causing him to become increasingly arrogant.
When Wen Shi Yu was active, he chose to swallow his pride and cooperate because Wen Shi Yu hated to lose.
But EN’s current Jungler, Yi Jia Jun, couldn’t tolerate this disrespect!
“Are you the captain or am I the captain? Are you coming up or not? If not, then go back to the fountain!” He insisted on heading toward the top lane.
“Idiot! You gave up three kills and you still have the nerve to order me around? Don’t listen to me and you’ll be waiting for the coach’s scolding!” The MID insisted on going bot.
“If you’re so good, why don’t you shot-call! Damn it!”
In the game Hero League, during the three-lane confrontation, players don’t always have time to check the minimap. The Jungler, who has the clearest view of the overall situation, is the most suitable person to be the shot-caller.
Perhaps to ensure the shot-caller commanded respect, a team’s shot-caller is usually also the captain, though not necessarily the carry.
For example, FHM’s next opponent, KCD, has an ADC as their carry, but the captain and shot-caller are both the Support.
EN’s carry and shot-caller have always been the Jungler—or rather, it had always been Wen Shi Yu.
Therefore, whether EN’s Starters or Substitutes, they were all trained with a Jungler-centric core strategy.
After Wen Shi Yu retired, his Substitute, Yi Jia Jun, naturally became EN’s new core damage dealer, and inheriting the captain and shot-caller positions was logical.
He felt he deserved this, but the other Starters were not convinced, only agreeing to try and mesh with the new style for a while, considering the team’s established strategy.
But disrespect was disrespect. So, upon hearing Yi Jia Jun’s words, the MID responded righteously: “If I’m the shot-caller, then I’m the shot-caller! I’m telling you to gank bot right now!”
Before his voice faded, a girl wielding massive scissors rushed out from the brush ahead, delivering a swift, sharp snip!
EN’s MID frantically pressed E to activate his shield, but the E was pressed and the shield didn’t deploy, because before that, the opponent’s crowd control had already landed!
After Zhou Miao Miao’s Blade Shadow Dancer stunned the target, she immediately seized the opportunity to land a basic attack, and then, before the control effect wore off, she used her ultimate—Death Curse!
Black cursed symbols crawled all over the Soul Warden’s body, suddenly transforming into black flames that completely engulfed him!
[System Notification] Blade Shadow Dancer, First Kill!
[System Notification] Enemy Soul Warden has been slain!
—EN’s MID was solo-killed by FHM’s MID in EN’s bottom jungle!
On the other side, Wei Xiao also found the solitary EN Jungler, Full Moon Wolf, in the top jungle. He entered stealth, came up behind him, stabbed him fiercely with a sword, landed a Phantom Curse Q, then used a dash to dodge the Jungler’s damage, activated his ultimate “Phantom Pierce,” and secured the kill!
[System Notification] Phantom Assassin, First Kill!
[System Notification] Enemy Full Moon Wolf has been slain!
Help top? Help bot? Who cares which lane you help, we’ll cut you down on the way!
This was the fourth kill Wei Xiao had secured, and it was still on EN’s Jungler.
The bullet comments were typing “My heart aches,” but in reality, they were all spectators enjoying the show.
[Wow, this feels a little personal.]
[Rumor has it that Jia Jun and God Yu don’t get along.]
[Is Wei Wan avenging God Yu?]
[God Yu, quickly tell us if you authorized this!]
Wen Shi Yu felt wronged; he hadn’t mentioned the grievances he suffered at EN to any FHM members, as it wasn’t a memory worth revisiting.
Moreover, compared to EN’s incompetent coach, Yi Jia Jun, who was merely less skilled and had a foul mouth, was much more tolerable.
The two commentators for this match also wanted to gossip, but as commentators, they had to maintain professionalism.
So, Yue Xia said, “Wei Wan seems to have targeted Jia Jun,” and then immediately questioned EN’s strategy: “Right now, FHM is walking into EN’s jungle like it’s their own backyard. How dare EN’s MID and Jungler walk alone?”
“Exactly. The mid lane inner tower is already gone. The Jungler should clear the wave with the MID, and the MID should follow the Jungler. Why are they going their separate ways?” Ri Xi also found it strange.
“Did EN’s MID and Jungler break up? Hahaha, I’m just kidding.” Yue Xia didn’t realize she had unintentionally revealed the truth.
After Wei Xiao solo-killed EN’s Jungler, he immediately coordinated with Qin Jin Yao for a gank top. Zhou Miao Miao, meanwhile, went to gank bot lane.
Ultimately, Wei Xiao successfully killed EN’s top laner, Bone Queen, and pushed down EN’s top outer tower with Qin Jin Yao.
Zhou Miao Miao helped Tang Li and Lu Qing Yang drive EN’s duo lane back to the base.
“Should we take the Crab?” Zhou Miao Miao asked Wei Xiao.
The Crab refers to the resource that spawns in the bottom river channel at 3 minutes and 15 seconds into the match. Its full name is the River Overlord Crab, and killing it provides vision protection, team experience, and gold.
FHM’s players deferred to Wei Xiao’s judgment. If Wei Xiao thought they should take it, they would; if he didn’t, they wouldn’t.
Wei Xiao’s response was: “Take it! Take it, take it, take it! You guys start, I’ll be there right away!”
Hearing this, Zhou Miao Miao immediately attacked the Crab. Tang Li and Lu Qing Yang quickly arrived as well.
After the three of them took down a third of the Crab’s health, Wei Xiao arrived, unleashed a burst of damage, and secured the kill in minutes.
Afterward, he didn’t forget to praise Zhou Miao Miao: “You make me feel like we have two Junglers this game. It’s really nice having someone help control resources!”
Being praised by the expert! Zhou Miao Miao chuckled foolishly: “It’s a Jungler’s playstyle, but my Jungling rhythm is terrible. I only know how to gank bot and control the Crab; everything else is up to you!”
“You’re being too modest, too modest. You played quite well, really well. When I Solo Queue, I never expect teammates to help me control resources.”
Wei Xiao was never stingy with praise; whoever he praised would feel giddy.
Zhou Miao Miao was so flattered that his movements became erratic: “No, no, no, quickly scold me, or I’m going to mess up!”
Wei Xiao: “…”
Wei Xiao: “Three versus two bot lane and you can’t even get a kill? Trash!”
Zhou Miao Miao: “I’m sorry, I’ll try harder!”
Lu Qing Yang: “Sorry, next time for sure!”
Tang Li: “…So why did we get scolded too?”
At this moment, EN’s voice chat was silent. No one wanted to speak. Yi Jia Jun was too lazy to shot-call anyway; no one listened even when he did.
When FHM had only taken the mid tower, they still had a chance. Whether they helped top or bot, as long as they could take back a tower, the situation wouldn’t be too bad.
But now, FHM had taken their top outer tower and they had lost a Crab.
The economic gap between the two sides was widening. The Goddess of Victory not only didn’t beckon to them but even rolled her eyes.
They were a team with fixed members who had been practicing together for over half a year, yet they were playing like a team of random Solo Queue players.
After EN’s MID revived, he continued running bot. This time, not only did he die, but the ADC and Support were also tower-dived and killed by Wei Xiao, who had come bot.
EN’s Jungler, with the top laner gone, continued running top, seemingly planning to split-push, but he was solo-killed by Qin Jin Yao’s Bamboo Forest Swordsman!
In a 1v1, the Bamboo Forest Swordsman was certainly not a match for the Full Moon Wolf, but the Bamboo Forest Swordsman had one more item and a dash that instantly refreshed upon landing his first skill.
Qin Jin Yao relied on his flexible dashes to dodge the Full Moon Wolf’s fiercest attacks, achieving a counter-kill!
This was his first 1v1 confrontation with EN’s Jungler, and after the solo kill, he gave the same assessment as Wei Xiao: “With this level of skill, how did he become a Starter?”
“Right?!” Wei Xiao immediately agreed as if he had found a kindred spirit. “EN’s recruitment standard must be based on how bad you are! In that case, Brother Wen definitely didn’t meet their requirements.”
He said this while standing in EN’s bottom jungle.
EN knew he was in their bottom jungle, yet no one dared to enter the jungle to drive him out.
Assassins are extreme heroes. If their economy is low, they can’t deal or sustain damage, making them feel like one less person in a team fight.
But once they gain an economic advantage, whoever they target is guaranteed to die.
Whether they are a cat or a tiger depends entirely on their gold.
Clearly, Wei Xiao was the latter this game.
Qin Jin Yao and Zhou Miao Miao were also the latter this game.
The three of them, relying on their economic advantage, killed wherever they went.
Even though EN had become scattered, they were forced to group up under the pressure.
Because anyone who walked alone had only one outcome—death.
Before this match began, everyone thought FHM’s composition couldn’t team fight; even if they won, it would be through single picks.
However, 20 minutes later, the Abyssal Dragon spawned. FHM pretended to take the Dragon, attacking it once and then running, successfully luring EN into the pit, forcing them into a team fight—and then, they won the team fight!
Lu Qing Yang’s Thorn Whip activated his ultimate, spinning, jumping, and closing his eyes in the Dragon pit, attracting all the damage. Tang Li threw out crowd control amidst the chaos, and Wei Xiao, Qin Jin Yao, and Zhou Miao Miao cleaned up. EN died all over the ground.
Finally, Tang Li seized the opportunity to activate his ultimate. A massive bell rose into the air, its light covering the Dragon pit—while the Soul Bell exists, it blocks one instance of fatal damage for all allied members within range.
FHM’s five squishy heroes seized the chance to take the Dragon. Each person was saved once by the Soul Bell, and they managed to secure the Dragon while everyone remained alive!
[System Notification] Our Phantom Assassin has dealt the final blow to the Abyssal Dragon!
“Push, push, push! No going back, push directly!” Wei Xiao, with low health, dashed toward the mid lane.
“Got it!” Zhou Miao Miao followed with a dash.
“End it now!” Qin Jin Yao also dashed forward.
“Brothers, charge—” Lu Qing Yang’s short-distance dash is also a dash!
Tang Li: “…”
The Soul Bell, who had no dash, angrily used Flash!
Tang Li: “Charge—”