The second part of the show "A Date with Luyu" delves into the lives of the Invictus Gaming members featuring Ning, JackeyLove and Baolan. The host visits them and tries to understand their environment and Esports. The show starts with an introduction on Ning's beginning.





Ning started out as an elo booster, making around $900USD a month for living expenses. It was in 2015 that he joined Young Miracles for two years where he never got the chance to play on the LPL stage. It was under PDD's recommendation that he had the chance to join IG to have the opportunity for people to acknowledge him.









Q: Aren't you afraid, not knowing what the future brings?





Ning: There's not turning back. Once you decide to go back to studying, you realize it's too difficult. There's nothing you can do, but try your best to continue on your path to the end. If you can't achieve the path you hoped to walk on, there's no choice but to pick another path.





Q: I know for Ning, his dad gave him 2 years to try to play professionally. He said that he would go back to school if it fails.





Baolan: I think it's very difficult to go back to school and unreasonable. I think if you decide to go pro, you can't turn back.





JKL: I've never considered a "back-up plan" because I think I can definitely make it as a professional player.









Q: What's the standard of making it as a pro?





JKL: To have most people know who I am





Q: What did you think initially about the future of being a pro?





JKL: I didn't really think about it in the begining. I started out streaming. Streaming and playing professionally are two completely different things. Playing professionally only has one goal: To win.





Q: How do you know whether you will succeed or not?





Baolan: If you try your best, you might succeed, but you will not fail. For the longest time my phone wallpaper was EDG Meiko. I looked up for him as a player. In difficult times I would look at it and it would give me motivation. I think to be able to do something I love as a job is a very fortunate thing.





Q: There was a time where you insisted on having the opportunity to play, even without pay. You valued the chance more than money.





Ning: Because you can't buy opportunities with money. I played in the LSPL and understood what it was like to play on the LPL stage, to have everyone's eyes on you. I thought that I was very strong myself, but nobody noticed or acknowledged me. No one thought I was strong. I'm a very persistent person, I need others to acknowledge how strong I really am. So I said to the team at the time, you can not pay me any salary, but I hope that I can get the chance to prove myself on the stage. I don't want to be a substitute. I don't think I am weaker than the starters. I can accept you taking me out after I perform poorly on the stage, but I can't accept not even getting a chance to play.





I think the spotlight is earned. If anyone proves they are better than me, I would be willing to step down.





Q: So you've never doubted your abilities?





Ning: Never, if you ever doubt yourself, that means you don't have self-confidence.





Q: So being the hero of a generation has it's own feeling of satisfaction and glory?





Ning: I am not a hero by any means. I am just a lucky, normal person. It's just that Fate chose me to represent everyone to lift up the trophy. This opportunity was given to me by Fate. I am the luckiest of all, to be able to achieve the dreams of this generation.

Q: I feel like professional players all mature at a very quick rate





Ning: It's like the animal kingdom; it's survival of the fittest. It's very cruel. It's because of this that I've motivated myself to continue to walk forward because if you don't, you will lose. You are forced to mature.





JKL: I think that's the way it should be. You may be influenced by those around you, and you enter society earlier than others.





Baolan: It's quite risky. I believe I have talent and that I won't fail.









Q: What kind of thing would affect you the most?





Baolan: I need to feel needed. If I don't feel needed, I feel like I have lost my value. It's the worst feeling.









Q: After winning, your worth has definitely increased, what are your thoughts on this matter?





JKL: I think the most important thing is passion, the second is your desire to play professional. Money would be last.





Ning: It correlates to your abilities. If I don't have the abilities, I wouldn't even take it (the salary). It doesn't matter if a team pays you a lot if you can't take home the trophy. It is the most important thing, money comes behind victory.





Q: So IG is a team that you think has high potential?





Ning: That's right, and even if I leave IG, I would join a team that has the ability to win the championship.





Q: So have you thought about the short lifespan of this career?





JKL: You basically use your youth as currency. Most players retire around 24.









Q: Would you plan for the future? or after your career of a professional player?





JKL: I haven't thought about it yet because I can still play for a long time. I am still young and I am very confident in my abilities.





Baolan: That's why many professional players use age as a reason to retire. They may say their mechanics have deteriorated or whatnot. I understand this, so I want to play for as long as I can.









Q: The lifetime of a game is very violatile, should there be a new game that's more popular than LoL, do you feel like you would be replaced?





Baolan: If you succeed as a professional player, you have a strong feeling of "If I can succeed doing this, I can also succeed in other areas if I put my focus into it"





Ning: I think will play until I am 25 or 26. I might be a coach and learn English. I will probably also learn computer science. I've put some thought into it before. Due to some circumstances after Middle school, I wasn't able to learn English well and it is very regretful. I hope to learn English and as for computer science, I fell in love with playing on computers in middle school too.





Some fun and quick questions for the team





Q: What is the style of your team?





JKL: I think we are a team that loves to fight!





Baolan: I don't think we play stupidly, I think we play pretty smart actually.





Q: Would you want your girlfriend to know how to play games?





JKL: I think so, but maybe not at an obsessive level.





Baolan: I don't mind either way.









Q: Would you play ranked with your girlfriend?





JKL: Sure, no problem. As long as I'm good enough haha





Baolan: I am willing to but I think it's dumb. As a professional player why do I need to play LoL with you haha





Q: Between you and Uzi, who is the strongest ADC?





JKL: It's my first year playing, so the level of my abilities vary greatly. He's been playing for 7 years and he keep improving. Just by this you can tell who is stronger.





Q: How would you rate IG WXZ's abilities in LoL?





JKL: He's actually not bad. It was surprising he actually won when playing professionally though (laughs).





Credit: The show "A Date with Luyu"

Translated by: Benson Cheng @1337sn1per



