I Became the Top Competitor in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 19

Xue Weiran’s provocative words lit the fuse. Screams erupted, and Song Jiaqi, who had been sleeping soundly, was jolted awake. She lifted her long lashes and glanced curiously at the tension-filled recording hall.

In the midst of the uproar, she yawned, switched her chin to her left hand, and went back to dozing off sideways.

At the center of the stage, the trainees of Bluebird Dream who were scattered among other classes looked anxiously at Liu Yuexin.

Nervous, Liu Yuexin swallowed hard before rising to her feet. Just then, Song Yuze—also an A-Class trainee—suddenly said:

“We don’t necessarily have to do a PK. Yuexin, you could just take the remaining seat in Class A.”

Hearing that, Liu Yuexin froze. “If I PK with Xue Weiran, and I lose, I won’t get demoted?”

The surrounding trainees were just as confused and immediately looked toward the mentors’ table.

The mentors, clearly enjoying the spectacle, said:

“Since there’s still one seat left in Class A, your PK is only a contest for ranking, not class placement. Losing won’t demote you.”

As soon as they said this, Wen Yao from Class B suddenly stood up and shouted:

“Yuexin, don’t chicken out! Go against her!”

Relieved, Liu Yuexin yelled, “Feeling cocky now, are you?!”

Wen Yao grinned and cheered, “Go for it!”

Around them, whether because they wanted to see another performance or simply loved the chaos, trainees started raising their hands and chanting rhythmically:

“PK! PK!”

Liu Yuexin knew that regardless of whether there was demotion at stake, she had to accept Xue Weiran’s challenge. Even if she lost on stage, she couldn’t lose her spirit! To admit defeat without a fight would look terrible to the audience. Since she had chosen to sit in the first position, she had to face countless contenders for it. She couldn’t back down.

“PK,” Liu Yuexin declared, raising her hand.

Xue Weiran lazily raised hers in response.

The two of them slapped palms mid-air.

Chi Meng tilted her head back, her bright eyes filled with admiration and envy. Only capable trainees could be so confident about “crossing hands.” No matter who won or lost, they had earned themselves another stage.

Six trainees stood on the stage together. Host Xie Tongyue clenched her fists, hunching her shoulders excitedly:

“They’re the ones competing, but I’m the one getting hyped!”

Relaxing her expression, she asked the six on stage:

“Which group will go first?”

Lin Yuxin raised her hand. Next to her, Jiang Menghan sighed and stepped forward.

Xie Tongyue glanced at her cue card and said:

“The PK rules are as follows: as the challenged side, you have the right to choose the content of the PK. You may choose from vocals, dance, or rap—or any combination of them.”

“And who decides whether they advance or drop down?” She paused her voice dramatically, then turned around under the curious gazes of the trainees.

“Check under your seats. There’s a voting device hidden there! As the program continues, remember our creed: ability first, ability above all. But here in camp, popularity also matters. Our six trainees on stage must win your hearts with their skills~”

Gasps of realization spread through the pyramid. Before going on stage, staff had told them there was a small bag under each seat containing water and tissues. Many trainees had noticed the small calculator-like device inside when reaching for water. Now they understood what it was for.

“Remember this: the challenged trainee is button number 1, the challenger is button number 2. After each stage ends, you’ll have thirty seconds to cast your valuable vote!”

The trainee beside Chi Meng laughed:

“You vote, I vote, and our sister debuts today.”

Eyes curved into crescents, she cradled her voting device and looked toward the stage.

On stage, Jiang Menghan glanced at Lin Yuxin and felt uneasy. She had only trained for a year. Having seen Lin Yuxin’s earlier performance, she knew that as a big-company trainee, Lin Yuxin was solid in both singing and dancing. Even Jiang’s best songs might not outshine her.

Lin Yuxin gave Jiang a nod, signaling her to begin.

Since challengers couldn’t know in advance, they hadn’t submitted song lists to the program. Therefore, they could only perform acapella. Jiang and Lin had agreed on a song they both knew, each singing a verse.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang lifted her mic:

“In my heart, there’s an endless ocean, stretching beyond the horizon…” ①

It was the theme song of a blockbuster animated film from a few years back.

As the first to perform, Jiang’s voice trembled, her hand clutching the mic shaking as well. A fellow trainee from her company, Zhou Chunfei, stood up to cheer for her. Gradually, Jiang’s quivering voice steadied.

“I hear the call from beyond the horizon, I don’t need to know how far the end lies… Life is a wandering trial of strength…” ①

Lin Yuxin immediately picked up:

“Though staying safe at the starting point would be so much easier…” ①

Her voice trembled slightly at first, but she quickly stabilized. Having earned an A at Xinghuo Entertainment, Lin Yuxin’s skills were not weak. She had been a trainee the longest of Xinghuo’s participants and was the oldest in the company’s lineup. By the time she finished her final verse, everyone already knew the result in their hearts.

The big screen lit up with a voting interface. Thirty-second countdown began.

Chi Meng pressed button 2. Looking up, she saw Lin Yuxin’s votes surge ahead. Lin exhaled in relief, hugging Jiang Menghan.

“Congratulations,” Jiang said, also relieved. Class A was good, yes, but sitting in that seat was too dangerous. She wasn’t confident enough yet.

Hand in hand, Lin went to Class A, while Jiang headed to Class B.

Next came the duel of An Kui and An Ran—the “double An” PK. An Ran, with her fiery red hair, contrasted sharply with sweet-looking An Kui. After one glance at her rival, An Kui made up her mind.

This PK stage would definitely be broadcast. Her performance could not falter.

Thinking this, An Kui suddenly faced the direction of the production team and raised her hands in a big heart. With a sugary smile, she pleaded:

“Could we have some dance music? Something cute, please! Thank you!”

After making the heart, she bowed.

Soon, a lively track began to play—it turned out to be a song from Mentor Luan Xiu’s former girl group. An Kui’s face lit up in surprise. She swayed lightly, eyes sparkling, and under the cheers of her teammates, she began to dance.

Playful steps, a flaring pink skirt, and her sweet smile cast the stage in a pink glow. Who wouldn’t like a cute girl? At least Su Mengyao was already waving her arms and cheering again, her fluffy hair bouncing wildly.

When An Kui ended with a happy, hands-framing-her-face smile, the applause was thunderous. Relieved, she bowed in thanks and gave a cute smile to An Ran beside her.

An Ran laughed as she stepped forward. Since An Kui had chosen dance, she would naturally answer with dance.

Soon, music of a completely opposite style started. An Ran hit the beat instantly, freestyling her way closer to An Kui. The other performers quickly stepped aside with amused smiles as An Ran circled her opponent.

The shorter An Kui widened her eyes, clasping her hands nervously at her chest like a helpless little lamb.

An Ran’s cheeky playfulness came from confidence in her strength. Moving with ease, she abandoned the teasing once the music grew intense, returning to center stage with powerful, rhythm-driven moves.

The pyramid of trainees gazed with fiery eyes at Xinghuo’s A-Class trainee, radiant in her prowess.

With a sharp final pose, An Ran raised her arm and gently patted An Kui’s head. Her red hair flared in the air before settling down. She smiled at wide-eyed An Kui, then turned to bow to the crowd.

Chi Meng clapped earnestly, her eyes brimming with awe at this unfamiliar world. She couldn’t even understand how their limbs could move with such flexibility.

“All right,” Xie Tongyue announced, “both trainees have finished their performances. Please cast your votes: press button 1 for challenged trainee An Kui, button 2 for challenger An Ran.”

“Thirty-second countdown begins.”

The screen ticked down. Chi Meng hesitated, thought for a moment, then pressed 2.

The result soon appeared: An Ran claimed the A-Class seat with a thirty-vote lead. An Kui sighed, shook An Ran’s hand, and went to join her fellow company trainees Lin Tingxia and Luoguo in Class B.

On stage, only Xue Weiran and Liu Yuexin remained. Xue stood with her hands behind her back, looking at Liu.

“Please,” she said.

Taking a deep breath, Liu asked nervously: “What do you want to compete in?”

“Anything,” Xue answered coolly.

Her calm attitude, coupled with her previous performance, only made Liu more anxious. Her only comfort was that no matter the result, she wouldn’t be demoted.

Around Chi Meng, trainees whispered to each other about what they would choose if they had to face Xue Weiran. A friend who had grown close to Chi Meng asked for her opinion.

Propping her chin thoughtfully, Chi Meng said, “I’d invite her to sing a song with me—like how Lin Yuxin and Jiang Menghan did in the first round.”

Curious gazes fell on her. Chi Meng’s lips curved into a smile, her eyes squinting playfully as she added:

“Sing ‘Qinghai-Tibet Plateau’ together!”

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