Chapter 83: Finals (3)
At the same time, a message from the production team appeared on the voting device of every audience member present: “The one you want to vote for—are they truly the best in your heart?”
“Damn it, doesn’t the production team know my heart is like a durian? Why do I have to pick just one from all these precious ones!”
“I love each of these four—Shen Xiu, Song Chengwang, Shang Yu, and Xiang Yueting. Choosing just one of them? The production team is too cruel!”
“Every time this moment comes, I seriously envy solo fans. How do they manage to love only one? Wuwuwu, unlike me—I want them all.”
The audience clearly understood how crucial their votes were at this very moment.
This would determine what kind of milestone would be added to the trainees’ careers after their debut tonight.
Who would rise to the top and debut as the center, and who would fall short of the top three?
In a sense, the trainees’ fates were now in the audience’s hands.
Though they joked playfully, after following the show all this time and watching so many livestreams, everyone had already made up their minds.
The nine trainees lined up on stage had no idea that the production team had added that little message before the voting began.
While waiting during the brief setup for the voting, Xiang Yueting couldn’t hold back from speaking.
“I just don’t get it—why was I assigned ‘Puppy Love’? That totally doesn’t match my fierce, badass, and cool image!”
Song Chengwang curved his lips into a smile. “What else could it be? Of course it’s because this is fate’s best arrangement for you. Forget about being all cool and arrogant. You are a lit-tle pup-py~.”
Jiang Yanxi laughed: “Hahaha, truly a divinely ordained fate.”
Shang Yu: “Song Chengwang, stop talking or Xiang Yueting’s going to cry.”
Hearing Shang Yu’s comment, Shen Xiu—who was standing next to him, and also furthest to the left—quietly nodded in agreement in his heart.
Up until now, Shen Xiu still couldn’t understand: from Xiang Yueting’s words and actions, to the pet he raised, and even the way he carried himself—everything about him screamed adorable.
So why was he so obsessed with being… cool, edgy, and devilishly charming?
Xia Wenhao let out a snort. “If this weren’t on stage, I’d bet there’s a 99% chance Xiang Yueting would be crying while chasing Song Chengwang down to beat him up.”
Xiang Yueting: “???”
“You guys call that polite?!”
At this final stage, everyone had already given their best performances. As long as they didn’t let the audience down, then they hadn’t let themselves down either.
Having completed half of the show by now, they were clearly feeling more relaxed—both in their tone and demeanor, everything exuded a lighthearted joy.
Shen Xiu, who had been listening intently to their banter, also wanted to relax.
But the moment he remembered that tonight could decide his fate, he not only couldn’t relax—his heart was a nervous mess.
If he didn’t win first place and debut as the center of the group, the system had said it would “eliminate” him…
Would that be on stage?
Dying on stage, more or less, would basically mean suddenly dropping dead in front of everyone.
His… oh no—
At that point, he’d have to be referred to as a corpse.
His friends, the staff, and all the audience members—both live and watching online—would be horrified. It would scar them for life.
And his body might even get dissected to find the cause of death…
The more he thought about it, the more Shen Xiu’s scalp tingled. A chill crept down his entire body as if he’d fallen into an ice cave.
Whether for the people who’d witness his sudden death, or for himself—it was all just way too terrifying!
As the only one who had watched everyone’s first-round performances, Shen Xiu began secretly analyzing what he’d seen while the others were chatting—not only to avoid scaring anyone, but more importantly, to save his own life.
After analyzing the first round, half of the weight on Shen Xiu’s heart was lifted.
As for the other half… it hadn’t even started yet!
Shen Xiu: [Depressed.jpg]
When he wanted to analyze things, the database had no relevant data to help him. He was in agony!
While the nine trainees were still chatting, one of the staff members gestured an “OK” sign toward He Ting, indicating that the five-minute prep time was over.
He Ting turned to the crowd and announced, “Voting will last for one minute. Now… the countdown begins!”
As soon as his voice fell, the countdown started on the voting devices held by the audience members.
Some stared at their devices, hesitant and struggling to choose, while others made up their minds immediately and cast their votes the second it began.
On stage, the nine trainees had their backs to the massive screen and faced the audience.
Seeing the crowd lowering their eyes to focus intently on their voting devices, the air thick with tension, the trainees couldn’t help but grow anxious.
They all fell silent in unspoken agreement, simply watching the audience.
The tense minute came to an end.
In that final second, everything was decided.
The voting devices in the audience’s hands became inactive.
Those who had already voted let out a long breath of relief.
Those who had hesitated and missed their chance… lost it for good.
As the countdown on the screen behind the trainees hit 0, it instantly shifted into nine vertical bar graphs.
Each bar was a different color, and next to each trainee’s name on the graph was the number of votes they had received in the first round.
The stage was huge, and naturally, the screen behind it was massive as well. With the help of close-up shots from the program’s live-feed cameras, even audience members sitting in the back rows could clearly see the numbers on the screen.
Once the voting results were visible, a wave of screams swept through the crowd.
“Aaaah, as expected—you can always trust my Xiu-baby!”
“My pick is amazing, absolutely amazing—I’m completely in love!”
“Help! I knew it would turn out like this!”
“We finally made it to this day… no matter the results now, I just want to cry, wuwuwu…”
[What can I say? Seeing these results, both in terms of individual popularity and skill—it’s pretty much exactly what I imagined.]
[Look at our Xiu-baby’s calm and indifferent expression—he clearly saw this coming and isn’t the least bit anxious!]
[I’ll say it: even though the second round hasn’t started yet, the Demon King Xiu already has a complete grasp of how the debut results will play out. That’s why he’s so chill. No one understands the Demon King better than us Xiuologists—we’re just that confident!]
[Wuwuwu, when will we Ha Fans have the confidence of the Xiuologists?]
[Maybe… Brother Ha could share just a tiny bit of that confidence with you all?]
[Fans resemble their idol. When it comes to pure-hearted ruthlessness, no one beats Song Chengwang’s fans. (doge)]
…
Different fans had different biases, and in a high-stakes showdown like this, some were overjoyed—others disappointed.
But in the end, all those emotions turned into cheers and encouragement.
The front two rows were reserved for trainees who had been eliminated earlier—specially invited back by the production team.
Behind them sat the show’s mentors and special guest judges.
Compared to the hyped-up audience, these groups remained calm.
Especially the eliminated trainees in the front two rows—none of them screamed or shouted.
They simply watched the nine on stage in silence.
As trainees who had once trained together, those sitting below the stage now felt the gap between themselves and the nine on stage more clearly than ever.
Everyone’s emotions were a tangled mess.
Some quietly rejoiced for the nine on stage.
Some felt disheartened and disappointed.
And some—even if they didn’t show it—harbored resentment deep inside.
Under the camera’s gaze, each person’s expression as they looked up at the stage was different…
Although the stage wasn’t that far from the audience seating, it wasn’t exactly close either.
And since the front few rows weren’t regular fans, the nine on stage had no idea what the audience was saying or shouting.
Unless the host asked them to turn around, they had no way of seeing the screen.
They could only rely on the expressions of the audience to try and gauge how the voting had gone.
But… all nine had fans scattered throughout the venue, each group reacting differently—
So there was no way to tell what the actual first-round voting results were.
Xiang Yueting was the first to lose patience: “I really want to turn around and look!”
Xia Wenhao responded gloomily, “Who doesn’t?”
Hearing that, the rest of the group all glanced silently at Xia Wenhao…
Then, in perfect unison, turned their eyes toward the person still standing furthest to the left—Shen Xiu.
Xia Wenhao: “……”
At that moment, no one said anything, but he understood exactly what they meant.
Among the nine of them, the only one who wasn’t anxious… was Shen Xiu!
He’d bet anything that Shen Xiu didn’t even need to turn around to know what the first-round results were.
After all… Shen Xiu wasn’t just the kind of terrifying guy who could break down details in his head like he was building an Excel spreadsheet—
He was the type to actually write it all out.
Xia Wenhao blurted in his mind: “Give Shen Xiu a laptop right now and he’d whip out a full PowerPoint presentation.”
Meanwhile, Shen Xiu had already finished mentally reviewing the performances from round one.
And to avoid suddenly dropping dead, he was now going over the training details for “Eternal Starlight” in his mind to make sure everything would be perfect.
Just as Shen Xiu finished mentally simulating and reviewing everything, he snapped back to reality—
And immediately noticed his teammates’ gazes locked on him, utterly confused.
Shen Xiu: “?”
Again? What now?
Could it be… that while he was fully immersed in recalling their training, someone had called on him?
Oh no—
If that was the case, then he totally missed it and didn’t respond!
With that thought, Shen Xiu’s expression turned awkward.
He tilted his head slightly, eyes apologetic as he looked at the group all staring at him in unison.
He opened his mouth to speak:
“Sorry, I—”
Before he could finish, the host’s voice rang out in everyone’s ears:
“Trainees, please turn around and view the first-round voting results.”
Everyone’s attention immediately shifted to the host’s words, and they all turned around in sync.
Shen Xiu also turned with the others, temporarily pushing aside whatever apology he’d been about to give.
As the trainees turned, the production team switched to close-up shots of each one, broadcasting the footage live on the side screens—
So that the audience wouldn’t miss a single reaction as each trainee saw the voting results.
At the moment of truth, the audience saw a variety of emotions flash across their faces—surprise, relief, calmness, indifference…
“Third place—ugh!”
Song Chengwang voiced dissatisfaction with his rank, but after seeing who placed ahead of him, he was honestly convinced and accepted it with grace.
“Aaaaahhh I’m fifth! I’m so happy!!”
Xiang Yueting nearly took off from sheer joy.
Shen Xiu’s gaze landed on the result that showed him in first place.
Even though he had analyzed the possibilities countless times before, actually seeing the result with his own eyes felt completely different from the cool-headed expectations he had.
Those vote counts—
In this moment, they weren’t just numbers tied to his life and survival.
To Shen Xiu, they were clear, fervent, and genuine expressions of affection and support.
What had he done to deserve this?
If he really did survive this…
How could he ever repay everyone’s love for him?
How could he make sure he never let them down?
The voices around him were indistinct—
Standing on the stage, Shen Xiu once again felt lost about the road that lay ahead.
Listening to the voices around him, Shang Yu looked at the result showing he ranked second in the vote, and a genuine smile appeared on his face.
Although he didn’t know how everyone’s training had gone, or which songs they’d each drawn, judging from previous strength rankings, the current results were pretty much what he had expected.
After that thought, Shang Yu turned his head and glanced at Shen Xiu.
Seeing the indifferent expression on Shen Xiu’s face, Shang Yu understood instantly.
Just as they had guessed at the beginning— Shen Xiu, like him, had already predicted everyone’s rankings. Not a trace of surprise could be seen on his face.
For Shen Xiu, all of this was unfolding methodically—as if everything was proceeding exactly according to the trajectory he had set in advance.
The final vote tally on the big screen was:
1st Place: Shen Xiu
2nd Place: Shang Yu
3rd Place: Song Chengwang
4th Place: Ning Sinian
5th Place: Xiang Yueting
6th Place: Xia Wenhao
7th Place: Jiang Yanxi
8th Place: Mu Zhenchu
9th Place: Zhuang Yi
“The results of the first round of voting are in! Trainees, please proceed backstage to prepare for your second stage performance of the night!”
He Ting’s voice snapped Shen Xiu out of his daze.
Coming back to his senses, Shen Xiu saw his teammates walking offstage and stiffly followed behind them.
As they walked backstage, Shen Xiu heard the host’s voice over the speakers:
“Before Eternal Starlight begins, let us enjoy a spectacular performance brought to us by our mentor team!”
The farther they walked, the more distant the stage sounds became.
Recalling the moment when everyone onstage had looked at him, Shen Xiu, still feeling guilty about not hearing what they said earlier, quietly opened his mouth to apologize.
“About earlier… I’m really sorry.”
The other eight: “……”
Whether it was before or after seeing the results, Shen Xiu’s two consecutive apologies seemed to be for dominating first place in the first round of voting—so far ahead it was practically a landslide.
Wait a minute… so that first apology before seeing the results—was Shen Xiu trying to spare their feelings ahead of time, as if giving them an emotional cushion?
What was this if not proof that Shen Xiu truly cared about them?
Realizing this, Ning Sinian, who was walking in front of Shen Xiu, turned back to look at him seriously.
“You don’t need to apologize. None of us mind.”
Whether it was based on popularity or skill, this result was something Shen Xiu deserved.
Shen Xiu: “!”
He got it now—so it was Ning Sinian who had spoken to him earlier, when he was immersed in practicing the routine in his head.
The others chimed in one after another:
“Yeah, there’s no need at all.”
“Not necessary whatsoever.”
“We really don’t mind.”
Hearing that the person in question, Ning Sinian, along with the others who’d earlier looked at him with concern on Ning’s behalf, truly didn’t mind—Shen Xiu felt deeply moved.
“Mm, I understand now.”
Although Shen Xiu’s expression didn’t seem to change much when he looked at them, after being together for so long, the others could tell from the extra weight in his tone that:
Shen Xiu really did care about them.
They entered the room the production team had provided, and everyone began changing and getting their hair and makeup done with practiced ease.
After everyone had changed into their next outfit, they all gathered in front of the dressing tables to do their makeup.
While they were getting ready, Song Chengwang, sitting next to Shen Xiu, casually asked:
“Shen Xiu, what made you think of using the tie as a blindfold? That wasn’t in the original choreography at all.”
Before Shen Xiu could reply, Song Chengwang turned to Shang Yu: “Same goes for you—your styling wasn’t part of the original either.”
With Song Chengwang breaking the ice, Xia Wenhao also chimed in: “You two didn’t secretly plan this together behind our backs, did you?”
Shang Yu replied with a smile still tugging at the corners of his lips: “Take a guess.”
Shen Xiu: “……”
Shang Yu was seriously bold—he actually dared to provoke the two most difficult people in their group, Xia Wenhao and Song Chengwang, at the same time!
Shen Xiu silently admired Shang Yu’s courage. If it had been him…
Just thinking back to past encounters made a chill run down his spine.
Forget it. He wouldn’t dare.
Shen Xiu had barely finished that thought when he found himself locking eyes with Song Chengwang’s piercing gaze.
Worried that Song Chengwang would suddenly get serious and start grilling him, Shen Xiu stiffly said: “No.”
Each person’s first-round stage performance had been trained individually. No one had discussed their routines back at the dorms.
There was no way he and Shang Yu could’ve coordinated anything ahead of time!
Besides… even if he did want to casually chat about training, his go-to would definitely be the person he was most familiar with—Xiang Yueting.
After Shen Xiu’s calm and indifferent voice fell, Shang Yu drawled lazily: “Pure coincidence~”
Shang Yu might lie, but Shen Xiu definitely wasn’t the type to stoop to lying.
Only then did Song Chengwang drop the matter.
…
With one minute left until the twenty-minute mark, the nine of them had already finished hair and makeup and were waiting backstage for the performance.
Xiang Yueting was so nervous his heart felt like it was about to leap out of his chest. He wanted to say something, but when he saw Shen Xiu’s cold expression, his thin lips pressed tightly together, he swallowed the words back down.
If he dared to say something like “I’m scared I’ll blank out on stage and forget what to do,” with Shen Xiu’s extreme need for control, he’d definitely get killed by Shen Xiu’s gaze for ruining the stage he’d already envisioned in his mind!
Xiang Yueting shivered, and his heart turned cold.
At that moment, the voice of the host came from the front of the stage: “Up next, let’s look forward to ‘Eternal Starlight’!”
As the host’s voice fell, the entire stage went dark in an instant. The nine of them quickly took their positions on stage as rehearsed.
The moment the intro music started, the stage lights came on.
The light poured over the entire stage. The nine members, in a triangular formation, knelt on one knee with heads lowered.
They were dressed uniformly in white shirts and black trousers. The well-tailored outfits accentuated their perfect figures.
As the first line of the verse was sung through Shen Xiu’s microphone, he suddenly rose to his feet. The thin gold chain of the brooch pinned to his chest swung in an arc, and the red gemstone at its center sparkled dazzlingly under the light.
After singing the first line, Shen Xiu quickly stepped back and blended into the formation. Song Chengwang, Shang Yu, and Xia Wenhao—standing in the second row of the triangle—immediately stepped forward. After they sang, they too moved into position behind Shen Xiu.
Finally, the last five—Ning Sinian and the others—stepped forward into position, the gemstones of different colors on their matching brooches flashing with brilliant light…
As the first verse ended, Xiang Yueting and the other four quickly retreated to the sides and into formation. Shen Xiu used their hands—Mu Zhenchu and Xiang Yueting’s—to push off and leap into the air, soaring over the joined hands of Song Chengwang and Shang Yu at their waists.
The moment Shen Xiu landed, he dropped to one knee, then quickly lifted his gaze. His eyes—accentuated by red contact lenses—locked onto the audience, and with a raspy, intense voice, he sang the first chorus climax of “Eternal Starlight.”
The crowd erupted into screams at the sight.
As soon as he finished, Shen Xiu smoothly moved to the side with a dance transition, initiating the center rotation…
The entire group flowed like melted chocolate—every formation shift seamless, exuding a beauty that seemed to defy the friction of the stage floor.
Under the dazzling stage lights, with all eyes upon them, every member’s vocals and dance moves were fully exposed—nothing could hide.
Because the choreography was so intense and physically demanding, their shirts were pulled taut, barely held together by straining buttons.
A silver cross-star necklace swung at the base of Shen Xiu’s neck as he danced.
His expression control was effortless and precise.
When the vocals and dance softened, the movement flowed like water—graceful and smooth. At the peak of intensity, they burst forth with full force. During the group choreography, the synchronization was so perfect it felt copy-pasted, delivering a full visual feast.
There was no doubt—during the group sections, every movement was so precise that not a single flaw could be found. And during solo center turns, each member brought out their own unique style.
At the end, with Shen Xiu at the center, Song Chengwang, Xiang Yueting, Mu Zhenchu, and Ning Sinian stood to his left; Shang Yu, Jiang Yanxi, Zhuang Yi, and Ning Sinian stood to his right.
The nine of them had their heads bowed, one hand placed over their hearts. As the final note faded, they simultaneously lifted their heads.
In the instant that all nine opened their arms and looked up, a cascade of glittering streamers rained down upon them.
Bathed in shimmering lights, they struck their ending pose—radiant and dazzling.
Tonight, each one of them was the brightest starlight.
“Eternal Starlight” came to an end.
At the moment the performance ended, the venue was filled with thunderous cheers and screams loud enough to lift the roof—some even choked with emotion.
It didn’t matter what exactly people were shouting. What mattered was that everyone’s excitement was being expressed fully and freely.
Even the previously silent, eliminated trainees in the front two rows could no longer suppress their emotions. Along with the passionate fans, they shouted out the feelings they’d been holding in:
“I love you guys so much, do you hear me? I LOVE YOU!”
“Ahhh Xiu-baby kneeled to us—he kneeled! He loves us!”
“Why couldn’t it be me?! I’m dying of envy!”
“You are the eternal, undying stars!”
“Hahaha girl, it’s Eternal Starlight!”
“I regret it so much! Why couldn’t I have worked just a little harder back then?!”
…
Meanwhile, the bullet comments were just as lively:
[Even though they’re all dressed the same, each person’s vibe is completely different—it’s amazing!]
[Why are the buttons on their shirts so strong?! The dancing was that intense and still no buttons popped—unbelievable!]
[Wait a minute, I remember the original Eternal Starlight stage didn’t look like this! Something’s changed!]
[You’re not wrong—on the original stage, only the main center was portrayed as a true “star.” All the other center swaps were just supporting him.]
[But in this version of Eternal Starlight, not only did Boss Shen as the center dominate the spotlight without losing a shred of presence, the other trainees had their own shining moments too. Especially that final scene—it was literally a sky full of stars. How could that not be called starlight?!]
[All I can say is—they did such a good job with the adaptation! I’m dying to know how they discussed things during rehearsals! After watching so many idol survival shows where boy group members smile on the surface but stab each other in the back, I never thought that one day, I’d actually be shipping real, deeply moving brotherhood in a boy group!]
He Ting returned to the stage once more, his voice ringing out across the venue through the microphone: “Looks like everyone’s feeling very emotional. Well then, dear excited audience members—are you ready for the second round of voting?”
