Chapter 117: Challenge! Impossible (Group Variety Show) (About 30% Forum Format)
Over the past two years, TP had filmed a total of four group variety shows.
Three of them were smaller productions, with themes revolving around an amusement park, their dormitory, and an escape room.
The large-scale variety show, on the other hand, involved flying abroad for half a month as a company reward after their second year, when the group started earning money.
To be honest, it wasn’t a lot.
It wasn’t that Shenghong was stingy—it was just that the first two years after debut were a crucial period of growth. The only way to maintain maximum exposure and popularity was to keep returning with new releases and actively promoting their music.
Now, two years post-debut, they had swept all the rookie awards in their first year and claimed the major music awards in their second.
As fans put it, “They could live off these achievements for years.”
And so, group variety shows—offering benefits for both employees and fans—finally began being planned and produced.
The timing of the announcement was rather awkward. It had only been a couple of days since Xie Xizhao had finished his conversation with Shenghong. While his teammates were discussing the news, he and Miao Haicheng exchanged glances. Half-jokingly, he asked, “Am I even still qualified to go?”
Miao Haicheng chuckled. “Anyone else could skip it, but the company said you can’t.”
The results of the Seeking Immortality audition had arrived at the company just yesterday and would be officially announced that evening.
The outcome was obvious—Shenghong had finally resigned itself to reality.
Xie Xizhao was firm in his stance. No matter how tempting it was, this was money they simply wouldn’t be making. The last thing they wanted was to push things too far and end up paying a penalty fee to terminate his idol contract—now that would truly be a loss.
At this point, a breach-of-contract fee meant nothing to Xie Xizhao.
Miao Haicheng, who had worked as a manager for years, had never seen an artist capable of turning the tables on their own company like this. All he could feel was admiration—pure admiration.
At the same time, he also let out a sigh of relief.
Being caught between both sides had been exhausting for him, too.
As the two of them chatted, Ai Qingyuan happened to pass by and caught a snippet of their conversation. Instantly, he grew alert.
“Not going? Who’s not going?”
He looked at them eagerly.
Miao Haicheng turned to Xie Xizhao.
The latter calmly ruffled Ai Qingyuan’s hair.
“We’re going.”
“No one is skipping it,” he said. “It’s a group variety show—how could we not go?”
After finalizing the rough itinerary, the group returned to their dorms to pack.
Meanwhile, TP’s fans, who had just received news of the upcoming group variety show, had erupted into an unprecedented frenzy of excitement.
—
Just a couple of days ago, TP’s fan community had gotten into another minor argument.
That was just how things were with top-tier groups.
Even though there were popularity differences within the team, TP had reached a level where even the least popular member could easily overshadow an entire other group. There was hardly any real competition outside—so the only place for disputes was within the fandom itself.
As always, the arguments revolved around the same old topics—popularity, resources, and individual career developments. Just when things seemed to be escalating into a full-blown war, the group variety show announcement came as a blessing in disguise. The moment the official news dropped, the forum’s atmosphere changed completely.
[A GROUP VARIETY SHOW AAAAAHHHH!! I’ve been waiting for this forever! Shenghong, you finally did something right!]
1L: I’m crying tears of joy.
2L: If we do the math, the timing works out perfectly, hahaha. This break period is just right for filming, and the crisp autumn weather is perfect for traveling!
3L: The boys worked so hard this year… T.T They should take this chance to relax during the show.
Fans, you guys should rest too. Stop fighting, please 🙁
4L: 2 and 3, please make up already. How did a main dancer and a main rapper even start fighting in the first place?
You hit me, I hit you… Meanwhile, there’s a good chance that Xiao Ai is eating a meal cooked by Brother Fu tonight. They bicker all the time, but their relationship isn’t nearly as bad as you guys make it out to be. Help.
5L: Must be all new fans.
Back in the day, 2 and 3 actually fought on camera. It’s only in the past couple of years—after fan wars became more intense—that they toned it down a bit. Their personalities just don’t quite match, but at this point, it feels like they’ve settled into a fixed dynamic.
Fighting over resources is one thing, but arguing about TP’s internal relationships is really unnecessary…
7L: +1, let’s not even talk about Xiao Ai and Brother Fu
Another duo that gets into a lot of fan arguments is 1 and 2. 1’s fans say that 2 is always showing off in front of him and teasing him non-stop, like an annoying little brother. But when you actually look at how he teases… it’s basically the elementary school boy pulling on the pigtails of the girl he likes to get her attention (not saying this behavior is okay, of course).
Then, 2’s fans claim that 1 is cold and distant, acting all aloof even though 2 treats him so well. But when they give examples, what do they bring up? That one time in a variety show when 1 had just woken up, and 2 asked if he wanted candy. 1, still half-asleep, said no. But later, once he was fully awake, he quietly took the candy and ate it anyway.
Guys, please stop. You’re basically writing free fanfiction for the YuanZhao shippers.
7L: I’m laughing so hard I’m in pain…
8L: TP really is the peak of boy groups. Not only are they insanely talented, but their relationships are solid too.
I’ve been watching all the fandom arguments lately, and honestly? It’s pointless. This group doesn’t even do cliques.
One day someone’s hanging out with X, the next day they’re playing with Y. The only exception is Xizhao, since everyone takes extra care of him due to his health. But overall, they all get along great.
They even queue up together in five-man teams for games 🙂
…Even though they keep losing streaks.
9L: In cases like this, I really think they don’t need to show too much team spirit.
10L: Alright, enough of this. True fans know they’re close. Let’s focus on the real deal—the group variety show!
This is going to be a major production.
Where do you guys think they’ll go?
11L: Last time, they went abroad—beach diving lessons, open-air barbecues, and street performances (bushi). Honestly, I think Shenghong really knows what they’re doing when it comes to variety shows. That one could’ve been marketed as a full-fledged travel show, and it even attracted a bunch of variety show fans.
So this time… another country?
12L: I feel like there are plenty of fun places domestically too! And communication would be easier in our own country.
The downside is that there are too many fans. They’d get recognized everywhere.
(Speaking of which, I have to say—Xie Xizhao is way too versatile. Back in the last group variety show, he switched languages seamlessly, practically carrying all four other members. Wait, isn’t he supposed to be a math major?!)
13L: (He even re-enrolled in school. I think he already finished his credits ahead of schedule this year—just waiting for his diploma now.)
14L: Yeah, I remember him saying on a livestream that math was his weakest subject.
So he had to spend extra time studying.
15L: Bro just redefined ‘weakest subject.’
16L: I really envy people who have strong self-discipline and learning abilities. If I had even a fraction of that, I wouldn’t be failing calculus.
17L: Guys, we got sidetracked again hhh.
So where are they actually going???
—
This was exactly what the TP members wanted to know.
After three days of packing, everyone gathered in the living room.
The camera panned across the group as the crew asked, “What are your expectations for this variety show?”
Silence filled the room.
A moment later, Zou Yi asked, “If we say it out loud, will the production team actually make it happen?”
Five pairs of eyes simultaneously turned toward the familiar staff members behind the camera.
One of them cleared his throat. “Of course.”
“…We’ll try our best,” he added.
Yun Pan stared at him in silence.
His large, watery eyes carried an innate sense of innocence and accusation when he looked at people. The entire production team collectively sucked in a breath. After a moment, the assistant director cleared his throat and said, “You can make your requests first.”
Just in case.
And so, TP made their requests.
“We want a feast,” Yun Pan said. “One where we don’t have to cook ourselves.”
During their last group variety show, they had to make all their own meals. It was pure exploitation—completely inhumane.
“We need a generous budget,” Ai Qingyuan added.
Last time, after all the deductions, the entire group was left with just a hundred bucks between them. In the end, they had no choice but to perform on the streets. If it weren’t for the two main vocalists attracting a crowd of temporary fans with their singing, they wouldn’t have even had dinner.
“If possible,” Xie Xizhao coughed lightly, “let’s not be too stingy with the accommodations this time.”
Last time…
Well, it was also a money issue.
Since their funds had been wiped out, they couldn’t afford proper lodging and had to resort to sleeping in tents.
Fu Wenze didn’t say anything. Sitting beside Zou Yi, the two silently exerted pressure on the production team with their gazes. But to their surprise, the staff actually seemed relieved after hearing their requests.
“Sure,” the director said cheerfully.
TP: ?
Having been absolutely tormented in the last show, TP couldn’t quite believe these words had come from the director’s mouth. They exchanged skeptical glances.
“There’ll be a feast. A proper one,” the director continued with a grin. “Your budget? We won’t touch it. Spend as much as you want—it’s your own money anyway. What else? Accommodation? Right, each of you gets a luxury single suite, complete with afternoon tea. Sound good?”
TP: !
Yun Pan’s eyes lit up like tiny flames, and he let out a cheer. “Director! You’re such a good person!”
The director chuckled smugly.
A week later, sitting on the plane, TP received the itinerary for their upcoming group variety show.
In the dead silence of the cabin, every member’s gaze landed on the bold, eye-catching title at the top of the schedule:
[Challenge! Impossible.]
—
When the plane landed, TP made their way through the crowded terminal.
Although this trip was meant to be off the record, a considerable number of fans had still shown up to greet them. At TP’s current level of popularity, a completely confidential schedule was practically impossible.
Still, compared to the last trip, where publicity had been deliberately stirred up, the crowd this time was relatively smaller.
In the midst of cheers and excited screams, a fan suddenly seemed to notice something and asked in confusion, “Brother Qingyuan, why do you look so pale?”
Ai Qingyuan’s mouth twitched.
“Motion sickness,” he muttered.
The fan’s eyes widened.
Zou Yi, unable to listen any longer, explained on his behalf, “The turbulence was bad,” before casually throwing an arm around Ai Qingyuan’s shoulder and steering him forward.
The five of them boarded their van together.
Ai Qingyuan slumped into his seat, his eyes vacant.
“I want to file a complaint.”
The director cleared his throat. “Complaint denied.”
He silently turned to look at him, eyes filled with quiet condemnation.
The director gazed upward, pretending not to notice, then sighed in an official, matter-of-fact tone:
“You should start mentally preparing yourselves. Once you arrive, you’ll have a day to rest before filming begins.”
The ship had sailed. They had already boarded this pirate vessel.
Variety show directors had no bottom line, and the suffering ahead of them had no ceiling. All of it—all their misery—existed for one purpose: ratings.
As experienced artists, they all knew this well.
After taking a moment to compose themselves, the members of TP finally pulled themselves together and started reading through the itinerary in their hands.
This season’s group reality show was called Challenge! Impossible, and its content lived up to the name. Essentially, it was designed to have idols—and even ordinary people—experience extreme activities that most would never try.
The director had drawn inspiration from the first season’s diving segment.
Back then, during that part of the show, the TP members had dived into the ocean and witnessed the breathtaking underwater world. That particular moment had gained some traction outside their usual audience.
Nowadays, even for idol-centered variety shows, breaking into the mainstream was incredibly difficult. There were only two viable approaches: either fully embracing a laid-back, everyday-life format or introducing something truly innovative.
The director had put a great deal of effort into this.
At that moment, they were in a beautiful town in the southwestern border region.
This location had been carefully chosen.
It featured distinctive tourist attractions, a rich local food culture, and unique activities that could be incorporated into the show. It was an ideal setting for TP to explore while filming.
“We have planned a few activities,” the director said. “Of course, they can be adjusted. Some of the more extreme ones, like bungee jumping—if anyone feels they can’t physically handle it, just let me know. If enough of you find it too much, we’ll swap it out.”
He paused, then turned to Xie Xizhao. “Xizhao?”
His biggest concern was Xie Xizhao.
Xie Xizhao thought for a moment before saying, “I’m fine with anything.”
To the outside world, he still had the image of being fragile.
But in reality, after these past two years, his health had nearly fully recovered. His teammates’ constant care was more out of habit than necessity. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared to push himself so recklessly.
Of course, this was largely thanks to the system. From a certain perspective, calling it a “medical miracle” wouldn’t have been an exaggeration.
As expected, the director didn’t completely believe him. He assumed Xie Xizhao was just putting on a brave front. After a moment of thought, he said, “We’ll see when the time comes.”
Then, he turned to the others. “What about the rest of you?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Ai Qingyuan cleared his throat and said, “First of all, let me clarify—I am not afraid.”
Director: “…”
The others: “…”
In the dead silence that followed, Zou Yi rubbed his temples and turned away, unable to bear watching.
