The song "The Actor" at the beginning stunned me with its portrayal of the aloof school be

The venue was so quiet you could hear someone breathing.

The host didn't let the solemnity last long, raising his hand to indicate the large screen.

The rules for the playoffs were listed one by one.

"In the upcoming playoffs, eight more players will come to challenge us."

"They will engage in one-on-one battles with the eight people present."

Before the audience could react, the host dropped the most crucial sentence.

"These eight challengers are all singers who have already officially debuted, have works, and are talented."

"They're missing just one thing."

"Fame".

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the entire venue changed.

……

The eight people in the audience immediately realized the significance of this.

They made it to the top eight thanks to the exposure they gained from each episode of this variety show.

The show provided them with screen time, topics, and buzz, gradually bringing them to the forefront of the audience's attention.

But the group that challenged them was different.

They were a group of people who had released singles in the real music scene, performed in livehouses, and survived being beaten down by the market for three to five years without falling.

He has talent and works, but he just hasn't become famous.

They've released songs, held small concerts, and won some awards, some minor ones.

But fame has been slow to come.

What they lack has never been ability, but a stage to be seen.

Now, this stage is right in front of you.

Contestants who emerge from variety shows face off against established artists who have worked their way up in the music industry.

The rank has been raised by one level.

As if afraid the audience wasn't tense enough, the host added another blow.

"Today, they're here to steal your jobs."

Whether you can hold on or not depends on yourselves.

……

The faces of the top eight contestants visibly paled.

Zhou Mingyue lowered her head, her hands gripping the sheet music so tightly it crumpled.

She thought the song she prepared was good enough.

But when facing someone who had been in the real market for several years, she had no confidence at all.

Xiao Huang's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and he remained silent for a long time.

He is a creative talent, and his works are his source of confidence.

But the group that challenged them also had their own famous works; none of them were pushovers.

Several contestants who were ranked lower wished they could shrink into their seats on the spot.

They knew in their hearts that they were able to stand here because of the variety show.

If you really run into a debut artist who has been holding back for years and has staked their life on music, the odds of winning are really hard to say.

The atmosphere in the venue gradually became tense.

……

The live stream was also ignited by this rule.

"Good heavens, this is like letting a hungry wolf into a sheepfold."

"A lot of the original players are going to be eliminated."

"A debuted artist comes to challenge a variety show contestant; who can withstand that?"

"Putting everything else aside, I just want to see how Jiang Shen handles this."

"The challenger concept is interesting. I'm waiting for either a major upset or a major upset."

The comments section was flooded with messages, and the vast majority of people were not optimistic about the original top eight.

After all, the title "debut artist" carries significant weight.

A person who has fought in the market is fundamentally different from someone who gains popularity through variety shows.

……

On the mentors' panel, Qin Lie, Shen Yan, and Cheng Xue exchanged a glance.

Shen Yan spoke, but his voice was soft.

"I know two of these challengers."

"They are all promising talents who have been overlooked."

These words, spoken by him, carried immense weight.

Shen Yan is a top-tier gold medal producer in China with a sharp eye for talent.

If someone can be described as a promising talent, their skill level is definitely not bad.

Qin Lie held his teacup and nodded slowly.

"Not becoming famous after several years in the industry doesn't mean you lack talent."

Sometimes, all you need is a chance to be seen.

"Today, this opportunity has been given to them."

Cheng Xue also spoke up.

"People who have been tempered by the market are more stable in terms of both their mental state and their ability to handle typhoons than variety show contestants."

"This hurdle will be difficult to overcome."

None of the three mentors spoke lightly.

These few words further whetted everyone's appetite.

……

Soon, short introductory videos of the eight challengers began playing on the big screen.

One name and resume after another popped up.

Some play hardcore rock, some go the R&B route, some specialize in healing folk music, and some work in electronic music.

Each of them has a masterpiece to their name.

Some people have had their singles played over 100 million times, some have held several solo concerts, and some have won awards, both big and small, in the industry.

As these resumes were presented, the faces of the original top eight contestants in the audience darkened further.

At the end of the short film, a particularly striking face appeared.

Lu Xunzhou, a national film star who crossed over to become a singer.

Just hearing that name made many contestants in the audience gasp.

With a movie star taking over the competition, who can withstand this onslaught?

The short film also features a rapper named Chen Ming who is signed with Shengda.

The introduction was written in a very arrogant tone, saying that he came here to challenge the strongest person on the show.

Following those words, everyone in the audience turned to look at the corner.

Everyone knows who the strongest person on this show is.

Jiang Che acted as if he hadn't heard anything, not even lifting his eyelids.

……

Wang Haoran, who was in the dormitory, was also stunned after hearing the rules.

His first reaction was to stand up for his brother.

"You're a debut artist, right? Come on then, my brother's got nothing to be afraid of."

He was all talk and no action, but looking at the list of challengers on the screen, he didn't even bother to drink the bottle of soda in his hand for a long time.

Those documents all listed them as formidable figures with notable works and awards.

Some have held their own concerts, and some have had their singles played over 100 million times.

This time, even he was unsure.

He silently deleted the comment "My brother's got it all figured out" from the live chat and changed it to "Wait and see".

"Jiang Che, Jiang Che, this time your opponent is really something."

……

Amidst this atmosphere of apprehension, only one person remained unmoved.

The figure sitting against the wall in the corner showed no change in expression.

After listening to the rules, Jiang Che slowly turned his gaze away from the big screen.

What others fear is an even stronger opponent.

What he wants is precisely a stronger opponent.

There are very few people on this show who can get him to take it seriously.

He won all those games too easily, so easily that he himself felt they were meaningless.

Since eight debuted artists have come, that's perfect.

He was even somewhat looking forward to it.

Hopefully, one of these eight people who are holding back will be able to force him to produce something truly impressive.

He had experienced this kind of start in his previous life, where he was underestimated by everyone and surrounded by strong opponents.

When he first debuted, he was also relegated to the sidelines and mocked for lacking talent.

Later, the lights in the stadium, which could hold 10,000 people, were all turned on just for him.

So he wasn't flustered at all.

……

Lin Xi'er, sitting in the guest seats, felt a wave of helplessness as she looked at Jiang Che's relaxed demeanor.

Everyone in the room tensed up, except for him, who leaned against the wall as if he were there to watch a play.

She still hasn't figured out the source of that confidence.

How can a student with no company, no background, and working all by himself be so stable?

She couldn't understand it, yet inexplicably believed that he could keep things stable this time.

……

The remaining contestants huddled together and whispered their strategy.

After much discussion, neither of them seemed very confident.

They knew nothing about their opponent's background.

All I know is that each of them is a ruthless character who has fought in the market.

They had never seen this kind of fighting style before.

On the other hand, Jiang Che didn't need anyone to consult with from beginning to end.

He leaned against the wall, calm and composed.

This composure was inexplicably jarring to the anxious contestants.

……

The drawing of lots began quickly, and the lists of pairs were finalized one by one.

The challenge match is about to begin.

In the first round, a contestant with a good reputation among the original top eight took the stage first.

He chose his best song, and soon after he started singing, the judges in the audience frowned.

The original contestant gave it his all, but the challenger on the other side was too steady.

Every note was perfectly timed, the breath control was solid, and the delivery was expert, giving the impression of someone who had been performing on stage for many years.

The original contestant was completely dominated for the entire song, unable to find even the slightest opening to fight back.

When the results came out, the original contestant was defeated.

This challenger is more ruthless than anyone imagined.

And this is just the beginning.