Peninsula: My cheat code is unscientific

Chapter 166 A World Reunited

He was a man in his forties, busy with his work.

"Excuse me, sir." Jiang Che put on a harmless smile.

The prop master looked up, saw it was "sunny," and was very kind.
"Oh, Sunnyxi, what's wrong? Is there a problem?"

Jiang Che pointed to Zhou Ziyu's pillow and said with concern:

"Agassi, that little prop we prepared for Tzuyu... isn't it a bit inappropriate?"

The prop guy clearly didn't pay much attention and casually replied:
"There's nothing wrong with it; it's just a little prop to add some visual interest."

Jiang Che's smile faded, and his expression turned serious:

"Agassi, this is no ordinary gadget. Using a regional flag instead of a national flag is a matter of principle."

If the program airs and attracts the attention of those with ulterior motives, it could spark a lot of controversy. This is certainly not the situation that JYP's Park Jin-young wants to see.

The prop master paused, a look of surprise flashing across his face—the person in front of him was clearly Sunny from SM Entertainment, so why was she constantly mentioning the CEO of their rival company? Shouldn't SM artists be mentioning Lee Soo-man?

But the content of Jiang Che's words, and the fact that he mentioned the president of JYP Entertainment, made him realize that this might not be a small matter. His casual expression softened, and he hesitated, saying:
"Well... I'm just preparing the props according to procedure. Sunny Xi, I understand what you mean, but I need to report this situation to the chief PD."

"Yes, thank you for your help." Jiang Che nodded, feeling slightly relieved. It was good that they could communicate.

At this moment, Yoona, who had been keeping an eye on Jiang Che's movements, also came over and asked in a low voice:
"What's wrong? What happened?"

Jiang Che turned his head and quickly explained in a voice that only the two of them could hear:
"The props prepared for Tzuyu are wrong."

"The props are wrong?" Yoona frowned slightly, not understanding for a moment.

“Hmm,” Jiang Che said succinctly.

"They prepared a regional flag."

Yoona understood instantly. Her expression changed slightly as she looked in Tzuyu's direction, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes. She had a very good impression of that polite, well-behaved, and somewhat timid Chinese maknae.

It's clear that if this flag were actually waved on the show and spread, and if it were spotted by serious netizens, it would be an undeserved disaster for this newly debuted girl.

"So how's it going now? Have they communicated?"

Yoona's voice was urgent.

"I've already spoken with the PD, it's up to him to decide," Jiang Che said, mentally considering backup plans. If the head PD was stubborn and insisted on using the original props, then he would have no choice but to...
I'm trying to figure out how to accidentally move the flag off-camera. Although doing so might seem like meddling and could upset the production team, I can't worry about that now. I just hope the worst doesn't happen.

While the two were exchanging whispers, on the other side, the chief PD frowned after listening to the prop master's report. He himself had chosen this prop simply for convenience, thinking it only needed to represent that region.

But now that Sunny brought it up, and it involved JYP artists, he had to consider it carefully. It would be a huge loss if it caused any real trouble over such a trivial prop.

"Then replace it!" The chief PD made the decision decisively, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Okay, PD!" Upon receiving the instruction, the props guy immediately jogged off to prepare.

The head PD glanced at "Sunny" who was talking to Yoona not far away, and secretly rejoiced:

'As expected of Girls' Generation, who have been in the industry for many years, they are indeed very experienced.'

Not long after, just before the MC announced the official start of the segment, the props guy went around to Tzuyu's mattress and quickly pulled the Republic of China flag from under her pillow.
At the same time, a brand new five-star red flag was inserted. The whole process was quick, and apart from Jiang Che and Yoona who had been closely watching, a few staff members, and Zhou Ziyu, the person involved, almost no one noticed this little episode.

Chou Tzu-yu stared blankly at the staff's actions, completely bewildered as to why the props had suddenly been changed.
Out of politeness and trust in the production team, she didn't ask any more questions and simply waited patiently for the next part of the recording.

When Jiang Che saw that bright red stain, the weight that had been hanging over him finally lifted.

"It's resolved." He tilted his head slightly and whispered to Yoona, who was also relieved beside him.

Yoona nodded, her eyes filled with admiration and curiosity as she looked at Jiang Che. Sometimes she thought he was reckless and impulsive, but at crucial moments like these, he was surprisingly reliable.

But is this the sensitive item he mentioned earlier? How did he know about it beforehand? Was it a coincidence or was there some other reason?
Yoona fell into deep thought.

"Everyone, get ready, we're about to start recording!" The PD's voice came through the loudspeaker, interrupting Yoona's thoughts and announcing the official start of the recording session.

The six people lay down on the beds arranged by the production team. After a short period of sleep, they all pretended to be woken up by the morning sunlight.

After waking up, the four members of TWICE greeted the camera with great energy, and then, as per procedure, reached under their pillows to retrieve a small flag representing their "place of origin".

Momo, Sana, and Mina all successfully retrieved the Japanese flag, their faces beaming with sweet smiles as they gently waved it.

It was Chou Tzu-yu's turn. She reached under her pillow and touched the folded flag. As she shyly pulled it out and waved it gently, the camera captured the five-star red flag clearly in a close-up.

Next up was the talent show segment, where the four members of TWICE naturally performed their debut song.

As soon as the music started, the four beautiful young girls instantly got into character. Their energetic dance moves and sweet smiles ignited the studio, and even the busy staff couldn't help but stop and gather around the camera, watching their performance with smiles on their faces.

The live chat was instantly flooded with comments like "TWICE is awesome!", "The girls are so cute!", and "So energetic!"

Jiang Che was also engrossed in the reading, when his arm was suddenly lightly touched. Turning his head, he saw Yoona with a helpless yet mischievous smile on her face, asking in a low voice:
"Wow, you're still so engrossed in watching? After their performance, it'll be our turn. What are you going to perform? Want to dance 'Gee' with me?"

"Performance?" Jiang Che then remembered that he also had to prepare a program.

"Gee? Although the dance looks simple, it's actually not easy at all, and I don't know it at all. Forcing myself to perform it would probably ruin Sunny's image. Although Sunny is very laid-back now, at least her professional skills are still there."

He thought to himself, 'How about performing that crab dance from later generations? That should be pretty simple, right? But if Sunny saw me doing the crab dance, would she kill me?'

Jiang Che couldn't help but shiver and quickly waved his hand:
"No, no, I can't dance 'Gee' at all." "Then what should we do?" Yoona blinked.
"We can't exactly go up there and tell jokes, can we?"

Jiang Che's mind raced. Dancing was definitely out of the question—if he dared to dance, Sunny would probably be ridiculed by the entire internet the next day. Singing, on the other hand… Suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind.

"I've got it!" His eyes lit up. "Let's sing!"

Yoona raised an eyebrow: "Sing? What will you sing? 'Gee'?"

"No, no, no," Jiang Che quickly shook his head:
"How about singing 'Into the New World'? This song has a special meaning, and it would be quite suitable for us to sing together."

"The Into the New World?" Upon hearing the song title, Yoona's expression instantly became complicated. She gave Kang Cheol a deep look, her tone somewhat subtle:

"This song also has choreography, and the dance is quite difficult."

Jiang Che gave an awkward but polite smile:

"Well... I'm really not good at dancing. But doesn't this song have a ballad version? Let's sing the ballad version, that way we won't have to dance."

"A ballad version?" Yoona's gaze deepened. Almost uncontrollably, her mind flashed back to the 14 Tokyo Dome concert—the eight of them singing a ballad version of "Into the New World" on stage, barely managing to finish the performance.

They were supposed to be nine people, but in the end only eight of them stood on that dream stage.

She paused for two seconds, her gaze sweeping over Jiang Che's serious face, before finally nodding slightly, her tone devoid of emotion:
"Okay, let's sing the ballad version. I'll go talk to the PD and find some accompaniment."

After she finished speaking, she walked over to the PD and began to communicate with him in a low voice.

Soon, TWICE's performance ended amidst enthusiastic applause from the staff and a barrage of comments on the screen. The four girls, their cheeks flushed, bowed politely, their excitement and shyness mingling with the aftermath of the performance.

Next, it was Jiang Che and Yoona's turn. Amidst everyone's anticipation and the focus of the cameras, they walked to the center of the scene and stood still. The comments section immediately sprang to life:
Yoona is so beautiful!

Sunny looks so cute today!

Will it be "Gee"? Or "Tell Me Your Wish"?

I love watching these two unnies just casually chatting.

Just then, the prelude began—not the energetic rhythm of a popular dance track, but a soothing, familiar, and even somewhat solemn piano melody.

The venue, which had been somewhat noisy due to TWICE's energetic performance, suddenly quieted down considerably.

Some of the younger staff members looked somewhat bewildered, but the MCs and older staff members all showed a complex expression of surprise and nostalgia.

The comments paused for a moment, then erupted in an even more frenzied manner:
[This prelude...?]

[Did I hear that right? This melody?!]

Is it "Into the New World"?!

Standing in the center of the scene, Yoona took a deep breath, her gaze seemingly piercing through the lens, looking towards a distant past. Her voice trembled slightly as she sang the first line.

Immediately afterward, Jiang Che, standing beside her, also put away his usual carefree attitude and steadily followed up with the next line, without any fancy techniques or exaggerated performance.
The two simply took turns singing, but their voices intertwined in an unexpected harmony, instantly drawing everyone into a specific emotion.

In the staff area, a young female PD stared blankly at the stage. The walkie-talkie in her hand had slowly fallen to the ground. Her mouth was slightly open, her eyes were fixed, and a "buzz" went through her mind—she was SONE, a fan who once regarded the nine members of Girls' Generation as her entire faith.

But after that incident, her enthusiasm seemed to have been extinguished by half. The Tokyo Dome concert in 2014 was the last one she attended, and the one where she cried the most. Since then, she has gradually faded out of that world.

But at this moment, the familiar song echoed in my ears, and the scene before my eyes slowly overlapped with the brightly lit but regretful dome stage in my memory.

Her nose suddenly stung, and she hurriedly lowered her head, pretending to adjust her earpiece, but quickly wiped it away from the corner of her eye with the back of her hand.

The head PD stood behind the monitor, watching the two performers' heartfelt singing on screen, and the clearly stirred emotions in the audience. He felt a mixture of amazement and understanding. He murmured to his assistant beside him:

"This trending topic... looks like it's going to happen. Girls' Generation... as expected of Girls' Generation."

The comments section exploded:
[I'm so sad! I almost cried as soon as I heard the intro! I was there at the Tokyo Dome concert in 14!]

The Tokyo Dome concert was a shared dream for all nine of them! But in the end... it was so heartbreaking! *bursting into tears*

I initially thought the dance version was better, but after hearing the ballad version, I realized this song could be so sad...

Why do I have to get stabbed in the back on a comedy variety show?!

[At that concert, Sunny's eyes were red from the very first line, and she sang with a sob in her voice at the end.]

[It's as if no one else cried...]

[In this world where we meet again... I wonder if the real nine members will ever be able to reunite and sing this song together again... o(╥﹏╥)o]

Inside the studio, the atmosphere, which had been light and cheerful due to TWICE's energetic performance, subtly shifted as the soothing yet somber melody of the ballad version of "Into the New World" played. A silent, heavy sense of nostalgia filled the air.

Standing to the side, the four members of TWICE, still basking in the afterglow of their performance, were completely overwhelmed by this sudden emotional storm—Tzuyu, Sana, Momo, and Mina all held their breath in unison.

They stared intently at the two senior artists performing in front of them. Although they didn't fully understand the deep entanglements behind the song, the sincere emotions and subtle sadness contained in the music still accurately reached their hearts.

Yoona, at the center of the storm, realized after singing the first note that she had overestimated her resilience. She had thought she was strong enough to face everything the song carried.
But as the lyrics flowed from his lips, those years they had spent side by side, the sweat and glory, and that dome stage that was destined to never be fulfilled...

Complex emotions surged into her heart like a tide. As she sang the second half, she felt as if something was blocking her throat, and her eyes began to warm slightly.

(End of this chapter)