CHAPTER 152: CHAPTER 149: AN UNORTHODOX BREAKOUT

The girls in the waiting room were just as shocked; no one expected Yuwei’s group to have trained to this extent.

Lv Fangxin cheered for Yuwei with a look of pride, relentlessly rooting for her. The few people next to her were baffled—when did these two get so close?

Chen Yinghan wore a polite smile and clapped in an equally courteous manner.

Actually, the reason all the girls were cheering so hard was because Yang Xiaoyue had told them that their behavior in the waiting room would be edited into the final broadcast.

It would even be shown to the live audience, so many of them were putting on their best performance.

Lu Bingbing, although smiling, had a glint of icy sharpness in her eyes. She truly didn’t expect Yuwei to lead this group to such a level.

After the synchronized dance, Ni Chunshu performed a solo rap, displaying solid stability. Having studied modern pop vocal techniques, her skills were decent, though her voice lacked distinctiveness.

Toward the latter half, Wang Na joined in with harmonizing vocals, which Ni Chunshu herself insisted on adding. Yuwei, not wanting to disrupt the team’s routine, had to negotiate with Chunshu.

Frankly, the harmony was quite mediocre. If the part had been given to a professional singer with a rich vocal texture, it could’ve been perfect.

The originally fast-paced, exhilarating music gradually softened, leading to Simona’s brief solo performance.

Having received professional training herself, Simona could handle static vocal delivery just fine. However, the earlier fast-paced singing and dancing threw off her rhythm, and she stumbled during the ending.

Yuwei resumed singing, and the six performers began swift positional changes, resembling figures weaving through a treacherous, densely wooded forest.

The live audience heard powerful, rhythmically charged vocals, while the professional women in the field could only marvel.

Even amidst intense physical movement, Yuwei’s voice remained as steady as a rock. At this point, it wasn’t just rap anymore—this was singing, with a vocal range hovering around C3.

This level of performance was already exceptional for a girl group, comparable to any professional vocalist in terms of stage delivery.

Yuwei’s prowess stood out not only within her group but also among all 101 trainees, undeniably top-tier.

Furthermore, due to the song choice, this stage didn’t even showcase her strongest dancing abilities.

Simona provided English backing vocals for Yuwei, which was flawless since she grew up abroad.

Wei Xin, who had faltered during her opening solo, got her second chance to perform solo. Unfortunately, she encountered challenges again today, never managing to hit the right pitch.

Du Jiayu then followed with her solo segment. Being underage, her youthful voice lacked the power to fully convey the song’s energy. Although her pitch was correct, it felt out of place with the overall performance.

Moreover, Du Jiayu started struggling physically. Ordinarily, her stamina would’ve been fine, but she had followed other girls who were dieting recklessly, often skipping meals.

As someone still growing, she needed significant nutrition. Her poor eating habits caused her stamina to decline more severely than others. Yuwei had tried persuading her a few times but couldn’t get through.

The consequences were now on full display onstage.

Du Jiayu realized she was struggling to keep up with the rhythm.

She couldn’t believe that, at her young age, she was already unable to endure even a five-minute performance. After another round of formation changes, she barely managed to hit her mark, visibly strained.

Yuwei launched into another solo dance segment. This is the advantage of being in the center position (C-position)—having additional performance sections to showcase oneself further.

Next, Du Jiayu completely panicked. Following Yuwei’s singing and dancing was her segment, along with Wei Xin and Ni Chunshu. This time, it wasn’t a static section but a singing-dancing combo.

Yuwei even gave her the prime spot in the middle.

However, this girl failed to seize the opportunity; her uncontrollable, chaotic breathing rendered her unable to sing a word. Du Jiayu wanted to cry in desperation.

Eventually, Wei Xin provided the final harmony for their trio segment, finally hitting the right notes this time, but her performance still faded into the background.

The closing ensemble culminated in group vocals. The audience could only truly hear Yuwei’s voice, while the others sounded almost like background harmonies.

The live audience erupted into thunderous applause. Even the seasoned fans accustomed to smaller theater performances were blown away, feeling like they were experiencing professional-grade artistry.

However, only those onstage or with an insider’s perspective knew that there were significant flaws in this performance.

The members’ singing abilities were exposed in full under the top-tier sound system, allowing professionals to easily distinguish who could handle it and who couldn’t.

Although Yuwei’s voice wasn’t particularly unique, her technique and delivery were exceptionally solid, ensuring that her singing resonated clearly with every audience member present.

Intense dance routines hadn’t affected her performance at all—her level was unequivocally professional.

Yang Xiaoyue and Sun Miao couldn’t hide their satisfied smiles, while the mentors kept nodding in approval.

Yuwei had truly lived up to their expectations, single-handedly elevating the performance to new heights.

"Yuwei! Yuwei! Yuwei!"

The shouts of the audience pierced the clouds. Xiao Du and her fellow diehard fans were ecstatic beyond belief.

Their idol turned out to be this incredible, far surpassing their expectations.

Standing in the camera zone, Long Zitao’s eyes sparkled brilliantly. This girl was practically the epitome of perfection in his mind.

Her charisma was almost irresistible; given the chance, she was bound to become the brightest star.

Even the self-proclaimed powerhouses like Meng Meixuan were now feeling immense pressure. Yuwei’s performance was outstanding, far superior even to the rehearsals, a benchmark for the others.

At this moment, the camera lens captured the mentors, whose elated faces appeared on the big screen, followed by a playback of the waiting room footage featuring the girls.

"Amazing, absolutely amazing!" Tian Jiaxuan clapped enthusiastically while encouraging everyone.

"So, how do you feel now? Intimidated yet?" Hu Binbin began tossing playful remarks.

Luo Junxiang and Zhang Wei, initially sticking to their scripted lines, now looked inexplicably pressured.

If their upcoming "alternative" style fell flat, it would leave them embarrassed, especially with so many eyes watching live.

"Of course not. We have someone even better!" Luo Junxiang insisted firmly, refusing to concede defeat.

"That’s right. Our ’alternative’ performance will blow you away," Zhang Wei added confidently.

Onstage, Ju Lin felt overwhelmingly tense—or perhaps it was true for her entire group, as they all faced unprecedented pressure with Yuwei’s brilliant performance.

She inhaled deeply, a confident smile gracing her face.

Her bold, resolute gaze swept across her teammates, igniting a fierce longing in each of them: Bring it on! Yuwei may shine like the brightest star, her singing and dancing immaculate, but they were undaunted.

The stage now dropped into the hazy ambiance of a city’s nightscape.

Ju Lin slowly raised her hand, forming a gesture of wilting purple flowers above her head.

The other team members clustered around her, extending their arms like warriors cornered by an enemy.

The lights flared brightly as Ju Lin lowered her arm to her face.

She was breathtaking. Her mixed heritage blended the gentleness of Eastern beauty with the striking features of Western physiognomy, especially her eyes—not purely black but imbued with a deep, enchanting allure.

The tight white outfit sculpted her figure into mesmerizing curves, complemented by the toned, taut legs she developed through years of training. Her legs, though muscular, were neither bulky nor disproportionate.

The black, glimmering trench coat billowed behind her as she moved, her expression tinged with a sense of solemnity. Her waist twisted, her body arched back, and the fluid waves of her movements rolled like tides across the sea.

The music, previously anchored by guitars and drums, transitioned into piano interspersed with electronic mixing.

The group scattered as the golden-haired Li Tiange emerged with the pulsating music, moving like a "wild lynx" surveying its territory.

Her coarse voice, grainy like sand, carried with it a raspy texture. The lyrics exploded like bombs from a bomber, igniting the entire stage.

Bodies across the room moved involuntarily in rhythm to her voice, even the trainees in the waiting room started singing along.

The movements of everyone were almost perfectly synchronized. The inherent beat of the song was already strong, but the instrumental simplification amplified its resonance.

The lead percussion, primarily driven by drum kits, enhanced the rhythm and was complemented by electronic mixing, creating an auditory sensation reminiscent of the electronic music of the ’80s and ’90s in Europe and the United States!

Ju Lin, a dance powerhouse herself, integrated European modern dance styles into the choreography for this track. The six performers embodied true "alternativity."

Neither cute in the Japanese style nor sexy in the Korean style, but exuding the essence of Western electronic modern dance.

Xiao Du watched Ju Lin’s group setting the stage ablaze and couldn’t help but feel anxious for her own idol.

While Yuwei’s performance was dazzling, it still adhered to the confines of the Korean aesthetic.

In contrast, this group had created a distinct identity, enhanced by Ju Lin’s explosive physique and captivating appearance—perhaps they could emerge as the dark horse.