Life countdown begins, ice queen bursts into security room

The boos and whispers in the studio had not completely subsided.

"Are you awake before you come up and sing?"

"Get down here right now, don't embarrass yourself!"

A few harsh comments came from the front row of the audience.

Hua Xingyu leaned back in her chair as a mentor, a slight smile playing on her lips, her gaze fixed on the figure sitting in the center of the stage.

Everyone was waiting to see this "backstage sleeping guy" make a fool of himself.

In the center of the stage, Jiang Fan acted as if he hadn't heard any of these voices at all.

He sat on a high stool, his long fingers pressing on the guitar fretboard, his right thumb gently plucking the strings.

"Buzz—!"

A clean, unadorned monotone flowed from the speaker.

Next comes the fourth string, the third string, and the four most basic chords.

To what extent should the basics be covered?

Any beginner who has studied guitar for three months can play this.

When Zhao Tianyu heard this prelude in the waiting area, he almost burst out laughing.

How many techniques did he use in his rendition of "South Wind"?

The capo is on the third fret, the chorus modulates, and an impromptu solo is added to the interlude.

This guy is something else, he has four universal chords in a loop.

They dare to bring things from the very first lesson of guitar to the stage of "The Rising Star"?

The comments section reacted even faster than he did.

"That's it? That's it? I learned to play guitar in a month!"

"Oh no, this guy is just trying to be funny."

Hua Xingyu leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, having already prepared at least ten sarcastic remarks.

As soon as Jiang Fan opens his mouth, he will mercilessly criticize him until he is completely torn apart, thus completing the task assigned by Sheng Hai Entertainment.

On the judges' panel, Xue Zhiheng, who had been nonchalant, suddenly stopped moving.

As a "melody genius" in the Chinese music scene, his ear is more discerning than anyone else's.

As soon as the prelude to these few bars began, he could hear something different.

advanced.

Minimalist yet extremely catchy and sophisticated.

The guitar music built up for about ten seconds.

Jiang Fan approached the microphone and slightly parted his lips.

"Wandering, on the road."

Are you leaving, via?

The voice was very soft. So soft it was almost like talking to oneself.

There were no fancy embellishments, no techniques whatsoever.

Among the five hundred audience members, some frowned.

They were originally waiting to hear a song that could rival Zhao Tianyu's "South Wind".

What followed was a soft, murmuring sound, like a street performance.

"Fragile, yet proud."

"That was once what I looked like too."

Jiang Fan raised his head.

The stage lights shone down from directly above, casting a distinct shadow on his face.

"Boiling, restless."

"Where are you going, via, via?"

The guitar's rhythm began to intensify, with each strum carrying a forward-pushing force.

"Mysterious, silent."

Are you really listening to the story?

The chorus is coming.

Jiang Fan swept his right hand down sharply, causing all six strings to vibrate simultaneously.

"I have crossed mountains and seas, and I have walked through crowds of people."

Everything I once possessed vanished like smoke in the blink of an eye.

"I was once lost, disappointed, and directionless, until I realized that ordinariness is the only answer."

His voice suddenly opened up at that moment.

The five hundred audience judges all looked up, staring blankly at the slender figure holding a guitar on the stage.

Several of the more sentimental girls already had tears welling up in their eyes.

There was a ten-second silence in the live stream chat.

Then came an explosive blowout.

"Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit!"

"This is an amateur? This is original content?"

"Why do these lyrics make me, a 30-year-old man, want to cry?"

"Who just said he was trying to attract attention? Come out and show yourself!"

Control room.

The director, Liang Boyuan, had just picked up his water glass when he heard the chorus, and immediately put the glass down on the control panel.

He grabbed the walkie-talkie.

"Switch all the cameras over there."

On stage, Jiang Fan's fingers flew across the piano strings.

"I destroyed everything I had."

"I just want to leave forever."

"I once fell into boundless darkness."

"I want to struggle but I can't extricate myself."

"I was once like you, like him, like the wild grass and wildflowers."

"Desperate yet yearning, crying yet laughing, living an ordinary life."

After the chorus, he lowered the volume during the interlude.

Time is silent, and so it is.

Tomorrow is just around the corner.

"The wind has blown, but the road is still long."

Where did your story end?

The guitar sound gradually faded away.

Jiang Fan plucked the strings one last time, the sound fading into the stage lights.

On the judges' panel, Xue Zhiheng could no longer sit still.

He has written lyrics for half his life and believes he is unrivaled in the Chinese music scene.

But Jiang Fan's lyrics sent chills down his spine.

This is the true meaning of simplicity!

Hua Xingyu's face was extremely ugly.

The harsh words he had prepared were now stuck in his throat like a fishbone, impossible to spit out or swallow.

Xu Qingya sat in the middle of the judges' panel, looking at Jiang Fan with a puzzled expression.

Was he really that security guard?

Why would someone who can create such amazing songs be willing to work as a security guard?

There was no applause.

It's not that I didn't want to drum, it's that I didn't realize it at the time.

The silence lasted for a full six seconds.

Until Xue Zhiheng suddenly stood up.

"Slap! Slap! Slap!"

He clapped his hands vigorously until they were red.

The applause was like a signal, instantly igniting the entire studio.

Five hundred audience members spontaneously stood up, and the thunderous applause almost lifted the roof off the stage.

Screams and cheers mingled together, creating an even louder commotion than when Lu Ming had appeared earlier.

This is true stage presence.

No need for fancy dances, no need for industrialized, sycophantic gazes; just one song is enough to make everyone submit.

In the waiting area, Zhao Tianyu rested his hands on his knees, his fingers clenched so tightly they turned white.

He was just basking in the glory of his song "South Wind," where the lyrics and music were perfectly matched and the chords were sophisticated.

But compared to this song now...

A contestant next to me whispered, "Isn't this song... a bit too powerful?"

The chat in the live stream room has gone completely crazy.

"That's awesome! This is the best song I've heard all year!"

"This guy's name is Jiang Fan, right? I'm a fan!"

"I'm sorry, I yelled too loudly earlier. I'll kowtow to Jiang Shen!"

Xue Zhiheng picked up the microphone.

"Jiang Fan," Xue Zhiheng's voice trembled with excitement, "did you really write the lyrics and music for this song all by yourself?"

Jiang Fan nodded.

"Genius. The arrangement of this song is simple, but the emotional build-up is absolutely perfect. Especially the lyrics. I, Xue Zhiheng, have been writing lyrics for so many years, but today, standing before you, I am completely convinced. In the solo competition, this song of yours is undoubtedly the trump card!"

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Xue Zhiheng is known for being arrogant and conceited, so for him to say "I am completely convinced" speaks volumes about the quality of Jiang Fan's song.

He pressed the score button.

A number popped up on the screen.

98.

A collective gasp filled the room.

Today's highest score.

Zhao Tianyu's 93 points suddenly seemed somewhat glaring in comparison.

Xu Qingya picked up the microphone, and her gaze met Jiang Fan's.

"You're a very contradictory person," she said steadily. "Your attitude makes people uncomfortable, but your songs make it impossible for people to say no."

"95 points."

When the two scores were displayed, the contestants in the waiting area fell silent.

All eyes turned to the third star mentor.

Hua Xingyu picked up the water glass on the table, took a slow sip, and put it down.

This action gave him a few seconds to process the situation.

He was well aware of the significance of this song.

But as clear as it is, he's not here to be a music judge.

"To be honest, I never had any expectations for your work. I don't think someone who sleeps backstage deserves to be on this stage."

He speaks very slowly.

"As for this song... it's just a loop of four chords, the melody is catchy, and the arrangement is practically nonexistent. You're all praising it, but I actually think—"

"It's nothing special."