CHAPTER 172: CHAPTER 167: LAYERS OF CONSPIRACY

Yang Xiaoyue also laughed loudly. As the person in charge of the entire program, she clearly knew the real level of each team, even each individual.

Lu Bingbing’s group was indeed a cut above Jiang Xijie’s group, and also had the advantage of a fast-paced song. If it were a normal competition, the latter would likely lose.

The production team had already tampered with the vote count to sabotage Wu Zixuan once, and this time they couldn’t use such means again, to avoid criticism.

So they directly employed the method of a stage accident. It was a whole unexpected incident, unavoidable, and one could only say you were unlucky.

The purpose was to highlight the "village flower." If Jiang Xijie’s group won, no one would say how capable Jiang Xijie was as a captain; they would only say the village flower was popular, or that her popularity was the main factor for the win.

The production team desperately needed people with heat; without someone to stir discussion, the show was doomed.

Plus, this method had another advantage. Even if the audience later found out it was a stage accident that caused Lu Bingbing’s team to lose, they would only direct their anger at the winning team.

Then they would focus their attention on the most outstanding individual, which still creates a topic of discussion.

In short, the production team, no matter how they play it, stands to "win without losing."

On the stage, Lu Bingbing, unwilling to compromise with fate, was still making her final effort.

She sang desperately, wanting more people to hear her voice.

Ge Xiaohui, Yang Han, and Hu Yue’er, all with some stage experience, calmed down after the initial panic.

They began to follow the rehearsed routine for their first position. As the C position, Lu Bingbing was the first to open her voice, standing at the top of the regular triangle formation.

Her singing was flawless, and to enhance the joyful feel of the song, the other five harmonized for her.

Then the formation changed. Hu Yue’er stepped back, while the others squatted slightly and swayed with the beat, and the former sang a short verse.

Hu Yue’er’s voice was quite nice. Although not a professional singer, she didn’t sing off-key.

The formation changed again into two rows with two people front and back. Yang Han took the C spot and started singing. Her singing level was similar to the previous, with no major flaws.

At this moment, the trainees in the waiting room were stunned because they couldn’t hear what was being sung on stage, clearly indicating a stage accident had occurred. Yet, the show wasn’t stopped.

Lai Ruoxuan and Gao Ziyi’s groups were so nervous they stood up, thinking about if it happened during their performance...

"Everyone, don’t worry, they can handle it, and so can the production team. There are so many audiences!" Chen Yinghan’s words snapped Lai Ruoxuan and the others back.

Exactly! If such stage accidents happen continuously, how could the show explain it to the live audience?

Jiang Xijie’s group on the opposite stage was equally tense.

"Don’t be afraid. Such accidents are very rare. The production team will definitely resolve them. You just focus on singing and dancing with me," Jiang Xijie said softly.

Because their mics weren’t on and due to the live music, the audience couldn’t hear what they were saying.

"It’s such a pity for them! They practiced for such a long time," Jiang Xijie seemed to be lamenting for the others.

However, the others heard a different meaning. Since that group encountered an accident, didn’t it mean they were bound to win!

Fangxin, who had been worried just a moment ago, suddenly felt relieved; others also took a breath of relief. They only had two words in their minds, "destiny."

Lu Bingbing’s performance continued. Ge Xiaohui arrived at her difficult chorus segment, which included a high note, although her singing wasn’t capable of a C3 level song.

But handling it below that level was manageable; as long as she didn’t aim too high, Ge Xiaohui’s skills were decent.

The others continued with their positions, their bodies twisting seductively with the beat. The choreography of this group was the spitting image of a K-pop group.

Bending knees, twisting waists, standing hip thrusts, and half-arc body turns to showcase their figures.

The entire stage performance was fiery and spicy, with precise and complex positions.

But alas, with the mic off, the sound couldn’t be conveyed, and the audience just watched a dance.

On stage, a few were still fighting stubbornly, tirelessly, a group song almost costing them their voices, but at this point, they couldn’t care less.

The formation continued to change, the pace quickening. Zhang Xinlei, who lacked a foundation in dance or singing and had average stamina, felt her lung capacity failing, her steps wobbling, failing to execute several dance moves.

Ge Xiaohui was the same, though her stamina could still hold up.

Surprisingly, the best performance on site was from Zhang Xinjie of Half of the Golden Autumn. She came from a song and dance troupe and was a regular in New Year’s programs on major networks, though only as a backup dancer.

Lu Bingbing, Hu Yue’er, and Yang Han had no major problems either.

After an eight-beat count, the formation returned to the starting position in a vertical line, the moves were the same, but this time the lights were brighter, making it not as effective as the first time.

Initially, dim lighting masked the flaws in the dance.

Zhang Xinjie welcomed her first singing segments, which she performed steadily using true voice. It was evident that her singing ability was not below Lu Bingbing’s, but she was given very few beats.

Lu Bingbing could tolerate Ge Xiaohui outshining her in singing during this performance because she couldn’t handle those specific bars.

Besides, she was not Lu Xiaoman or Zhu Riri, foolish enough to overshadow the entire performance just to highlight themselves.

But she couldn’t let a second person surpass her in singing, so Zhang Xinjie was only given two non-spectacular singing bars.

It was now the final part of the performance. Six began singing together, the dance moves even wilder and more bewitching.

Ge Xiaohui exerted her last bit of effort to do a high pitch echo for this chorus.

Making the final chorus feel more layered.

The group finished in a forward triangle formation, with Lu Bingbing at the front, side-facing with her hands behind her back and eyes alluring.

They were already too exhausted to speak.

Lu Bingbing listened to the polite applause from the audience below, feeling a pang of sourness in her heart, nearly bringing her to tears.

She was already 25, with her youth nearing its end, and the production team and Galaxy showed no humanity!

She had given her all, spent all her sweat, but why did the heavens never show her favor?

In the idol industry, or rather the whole entertainment circle, "human resources" are always oversupplied. Young and beautiful girls are countless like fish in the river.

Every year, countless little girls eager for fame step into this industry. Many aren’t lacking in cunning, means, talent, appearance, but in the end, most fade into obscurity.

Long Zitao watched the six girls with their foreheads beading sweat, feeling a complicated mix of emotions. They were hard-working and desperate, but ultimately, they’re just pawns in the production team’s hand.

Often, hard work does not guarantee no regrets.

But he was also helpless; he was just a pawn in this scheme himself.

All he could do was help these girls within his capabilities.

The other four mentors also felt heartache; that sanctity felt earlier was now pointless.

They once regarded this stage as a way to help these girls achieve their dreams, but ultimately, it turned out to be a beautiful illusion.