Three Kingdoms: Start by marrying Cai Yan, then vie for supremacy.

30

"I strongly support Ziqi; girl groups simply can't compare to Linghua!"

......

Just as fans were rallied in support of Deng Ziqi, Hua Chenyu suddenly appeared and spoke out.

"I think all the girl group members are excellent singers, and Suzuka alone might not be able to surpass the entire group. I hope some people won't use their influence to mislead the public."

"This is also an analysis from a professional perspective; corrections are welcome."

This is Hua Chenyu's first public appearance since being blacklisted.

No one doubted the authenticity of the account; after all, who would impersonate a banned celebrity?

His remarks were clearly directed at Deng Ziqi.

When Deng Ziqi presented herself as a professional singer, many people found it difficult to refute her. Now that fellow singer Hua Chenyu has raised objections, it is indeed difficult to argue with her.

"Hua Chenyu, are you saying that girl groups already have the strength of top-tier singers?" Deng Ziqi responded sharply.

Hua Chenyu immediately retorted, "Why not? Although individual strength is limited, the power of teamwork should not be underestimated. You should understand this principle, right?"

Deng Ziqi coldly responded: "Don't waste the wisdom of our ancestors! Girl groups are just starting out. What they should be doing now is building their skills, not rushing to compete for fame and fortune!"

Hua Chenyu immediately retorted, "To draw conclusions before the outcome is even decided? Let's wait until they compete on the same stage!"

"Ha!" Deng Ziqi replied with only two simple words.

Hua Chenyu continued, "I've said it before, Mo is completely superfluous in Phoenix Myth! This is a perfect example—Mo's hospitalized, and Linghua is collaborating alone with the girl group. If the effect is even better, it proves that Mo doesn't matter!"

"Soon everyone will realize that I was right!"

This debate caused a huge uproar online, sparking heated discussions across the country. Although many singers in the music industry were secretly watching, hoping to reap the benefits, the verbal battle between Deng Ziqi and Hua Chenyu did not give others an opportunity to take advantage.

At this moment, in the ward of the Shanghai hospital, Mo, who should have been resting, suddenly opened his eyes and revealed a meaningful smile.

"Hua Chenyu has triggered another system task. Keeping this guy around is definitely useful."

"But this mission is quite interesting..."

The system indicates that since Mo is unable to perform, this counterattack mission will be carried out by Suzuka alone. Her performance will directly determine the success or failure of the mission, while Mo can only serve as an observer.

"Let Suzuka do my job? Interesting." Mo stroked his chin. "But everything is going according to plan."

As night deepened, Mo slowly closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Still recovering from his injuries, he has been feeling particularly tired lately.

……

This day.

At dusk.

The gala on Shanghai TV is about to begin.

Inside the hospital room, Mo gently patted Linghua's shoulder: "Linghua, you've grown a lot over the years. It's time to learn to face challenges on your own."

"Your master is here waiting for your triumphant return."

"We'll celebrate with champagne when you get back!"

Upon hearing this, Linghua's almond-shaped eyes widened: "You want to drink before your injury has even healed? Dream on!"

Yang Mi, Dilraba Dilmurat, and Deng Ziqi, who were standing nearby, couldn't help but laugh.

Linghua continued, "There's nothing to be proud of even if we win against those popular girl groups. What's truly worth celebrating is your speedy recovery, Master."

"Okay." Mo nodded with a smile.

"Ziqi, we should get going." Linghua turned to Deng Ziqi.

Only the two of them will be attending the party tonight. Yang Mi and Dilraba were unable to participate in rehearsals due to scheduling conflicts while filming, so they were not invited. As for Mo, her leg injury has not yet healed, so it is impossible for her to attend.

After the two left, Mo said, "Honey, turn on the live stream, let's see how Linghua performs."

Yang Mi obediently connected the equipment and brought up the live broadcast of the gala.

"Reba, I'm thirsty." Mo looked at Dilireba again.

"Let me get you some water." Reba was about to get up when Mo stopped her: "No need for water, I want to eat peanuts."

"Thirsty...eat peanuts?" Reba was momentarily stunned.

Yang Mi chuckled: "Ignore him, he's just bored and teasing you!"

She glared at Mo, annoyed. "If you keep acting like this, we might leave you here all alone!"

Mo looked completely innocent: "What nonsense am I talking about?"

Do you know what "doing whatever you want" means to men?

I feel like you're subtly criticizing me!

Yang Mi's face flushed instantly, certain images flashing through her mind. She spat out, "Vulgar!"

Dilireba's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lowered her eyes quietly, but couldn't help glancing at Mo out of the corner of her eye. She sighed inwardly, marveling that there could be such a perfect man in the world—talented, exceptionally handsome, and knowing how to make one's heart race.

Lost in thought, she suddenly exclaimed softly, picked up the peanuts on the table, and began to carefully peel them. "Teacher Mo, please wait a moment, I'll peel the peanuts for you." She focused intently on the peanuts in her hands, her expression serious.

Seeing this, Yang Mi shook her head helplessly, while Mo gave her a smug look, which made Yang Mi even angrier.

……

at the same time.

When Deng Ziqi and Linghua rushed to the Shanghai TV gala venue, the clock was already approaching eight o'clock. Under the guidance of the staff, the two quickly entered the venue and found their respective seats.

Since they weren't in the same group, Linghua and Deng Ziqi weren't seated next to each other, but they weren't far apart. The party was star-studded, with the front row filled with music superstars—Zhou Jielun, Lin Junjie, Chen Yixun, Zhang Xueyou, Wang Fei, and many others were all present.

The second row was reserved for top-tier singers, including Linghua, Deng Ziqi, and Xue Zhiqian. Linghua didn't pay much attention to the guests in the back rows.

Standing next to her happened to be Xue Zhiqian, an acquaintance. Upon seeing her, he leaned closer and whispered, "Linghua, has Mo recovered?"

Linghua sighed softly, "Why don't you all just call him and ask? Everyone asks about Master first when they see me; it makes me sad." In a short time, many singers had already inquired about Mo's recent situation. After all, in Phoenix Mythology, Mo is the core soul, while she is mainly responsible for singing.

Xue Zhiqian laughed, "I haven't even had a chance to ask, and you're already complaining."

"Master is fine," Linghua replied. "He'll be on time for 'I Am a Singer' on Saturday."

"That's good." Xue Zhiqian nodded, then looked around. "Tonight is truly star-studded! To be honest, everyone is most looking forward to 'The Landscape Painting,' your collaboration with the popular star; the other programs are just supporting acts."

"There are betting odds outside, betting on who will win between you two. I've placed quite a bit of bet on you."

Linghua, whom Xue Zhiqian mentioned, already knew about the news. Someone informed her of it as soon as she entered, but Linghua had no interest in participating in these people's activities.

Her goal was clear—to teach those outspoken, popular girl groups a lesson so they would never dare to slander Mo again!

Zhou Jielun, Lin Junjie, Wang Fei, and Chen Yixun in the first row noticed Linghua and Deng Ziqi's appearance, exchanged glances, their eyes filled with amusement and anticipation.

"Is there any suspense about the result?" Zhou Jielun shrugged.

Lin Junjie laughed and agreed, "It's definitely a foregone conclusion."

Wang Fei gently stroked her chin: "That being said, the process itself is even more worth looking forward to."

"The fun lies in the information gap!" Chen Yixun raised an eyebrow. "Knowing the ending yet still feeling itchy and restless."

The topic quickly shifted to silence.

"It's a pity he's injured. How many tricks has this kid been hiding? I really want to see him unleash his full power."

"It's hard to say for sure, but Linghua is definitely going to blow up the scene this time. The Chinese music scene is probably going to change."

"The one under the most pressure is Jie Lun. He's writing and singing silently, he's practically a carbon copy of him."

"Give him some time, and he'll soar to great heights sooner or later!"

-

Good evening, distinguished guests!

At 8:00 a.m. sharp, a loud opening speech resounded throughout the venue.

On stage, the male and female hosts stand side by side.

As soon as the male voice finished speaking, the female host continued, "Welcome to our viewers at the screen! Let's begin tonight's feast together!"

The programs then proceeded in turn.

Deng Ziqi's performance ranked seventh. She covered Xue Zhiqian's "Serious Snow," giving the song a brand new soul with her unique voice.

"Ziqi is amazing! This adaptation is so flavorful!"

"The 'Iron Lung Little Queen' lives up to her name; her breath control is terrifyingly steady!"

"I never imagined Xue's love songs could be sung like this, it's a perfect match!"

Cheers erupted from the audience.

The venue was packed, and the star-studded guests quietly enjoyed the performance, while the live stream was flooded with enthusiastic comments.

Although Deng Ziqi's performance wasn't the opening act, it became the most eye-catching program in the first half. After she finished singing, she smiled and gestured to Linghua on the side of the stage.

Inside a ward at Shanghai People's Hospital, Mo, Yang Mi, and Dilraba were glued to the screen. When Deng Ziqi finished performing "Serious Snow," Yang Mi couldn't help but exclaim, "Ziqi sang so well; I'm nowhere near as good as her."

"Sister Honey, you're amazing too!" Dilireba said with a smile, trying to comfort her.

Mo immediately exposed her: "Dami, you're not cut out to sing at all. You can't even find the right key. How dare you compare yourself to Ziqi?" He then deliberately shrugged and gave a mocking smile.

"Are you looking for a beating?" Yang Mi pretended to punch him, while Dilireba laughed so hard she almost fell over.

The gala program proceeded smoothly, and when the host returned to the stage, the atmosphere suddenly became tense—the most anticipated grand finale performance was finally about to begin!

"Thank you to all the guests for lighting up the night in Shanghai!" the male host said in a loud voice.

The female host then added, "Thank you also to the millions of viewers watching on screen!"

"Next, let us witness tonight's ultimate feast together—'Landscape Painting'!" the male host shouted, raising his arms.

The female host gracefully stepped to the side: "Please welcome Phoenix Myth's Linghua and the popular girl group to the stage!"

At this moment, the entire venue erupted in cheers!

"It's finally here!" Deng Ziqi's eyes gleamed with excitement.

Zhou Jielun and Lin Junjie exchanged a smile: "Even though we were prepared, it's still exhilarating."

Eason Chan, Faye Wong, Xue Zhiqian, and others straightened their backs and stared intently at the stage.

The live stream chat exploded with comments, as countless viewers spammed the screen – the highly anticipated showdown was about to begin!

Fans of Phoenix Myth excitedly waved glow sticks!

"Rinka-ochi!"

"Suzuka, you are our pride!"

"Suzuka, we will always support you!"

"Even without Mo, Suzuka can still carry the Phoenix Myth!"

"The Landscape Painting is eternally divine!"

"Finally, we can hear Suzuka's solo version!"

"I'm so lucky to be able to witness this moment in person!"

On the other hand, the fans of popular girl groups were not to be outdone.

"Stop bragging, our girl group is the strongest!"

"Our sisters are both beautiful and talented, what can you compare them to?"

"The girls have been training in seclusion for so long, they're sure to amaze everyone this time!"

"Are you kidding? A dozen people can't subdue one Suzuka?"

"Just wait and see our girl group blow up the stage!"

"Sisters, let's show off our style!"

The two groups of fans in the live stream were already arguing fiercely.

The stage lights suddenly blazed on, and Suzuka and the girl group members, dressed in gorgeous performance costumes, made their appearance.

The female host said softly, "We chose 'Landscape Painting' as the finale because it sings of the magnificent landscape of China."

The male host then added, "Originally, we planned to invite the entire Phoenix Myth group, but due to special circumstances, it has been changed to a collaboration between Linghua and a girl group. We believe this crossover collaboration will bring a brand new surprise!"

"Now let's welcome—"

"Suzuka and the popular girl group!"

"Let's interpret 'Landscape Painting' together!"

As soon as the host disappeared into the darkness, the entire venue was plunged into complete darkness.

Several spotlights suddenly illuminated the stage, bathing the performers in beams of light. A giant LED screen began playing magnificent images of the landscape.

The screen prominently displayed the three large characters "[Landscape Map]", with the creator's name, Mo, displayed in the lower right corner.

A melodious tune slowly began to play.

The highly anticipated showdown has officially begun!

……

Stage**.