Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Wang Zhan's fans genuinely thought he had lost his mind, daring to challenge number 78.

He was just one step away from the finals, with a solid chance to secure second place and aim for the top.

Fans couldn't understand why he would increase the difficulty for himself at this critical moment.

Completely unaware of the truth, fans were deeply distressed by these thoughts.

While fans were feeling down, netizens were impressed by Wang Zhan's bold move.

"Awesome!"

"I thought the cat would be left until the end, but I didn't expect the second most popular contestant to challenge him directly."

"Wang Zhan is really brave this time."

"I love this kind of underdog story. What's the point of picking on someone weaker? Challenging the strong is where the real excitement lies. Wang Zhan is a real man."

"I've switched to being a fan of Wang Zhan."

"Go Wang Zhan, I hope you pull off a comeback."

In the live stream, many were drawn to Wang Zhan's bold move.

After all, compared to a predictable match where someone picks a weaker opponent to secure a spot in the next round, everyone loves to see a challenger take on a stronger opponent and rise above.

As soon as Wang Zhan finished speaking, viewers following the live stream on various forums spread the news of his choice to challenge number 78.

Apart from his fans, almost everyone else praised his courage.

Many onlookers even started placing bets on the outcome.

"The top two in popularity are about to face off. Oh my, this is so exciting!"

"Let the battle begin! Place your bets, will the undefeated legend number 78 retain his crown, or will number 92 ascend as the new king?"

"787878, the cat is forever the king."

"929292, number 78's style and ceiling seem limited. Every performance is just about showing off skills, and it's getting old. Wang Zhan is more versatile in both singing and dancing. I want to see a new king rise."

"I support Wang Zhan taking down that guy who hides behind a mascot costume and builds his persona. He's handsome, versatile in singing and dancing, and it would be a travesty if he doesn't win first place."

"SRDS, just enjoy the drama. Subtly putting others down is a bit low. How do you know his ceiling after just two matches?"

"My cat hasn't offended anyone. Who says you can't compete in a mascot costume?"

Some people are naturally the center of attention.

No matter the reason, the discussion among viewers always seems to circle back to the popular king, Su Xingyao.

Even if it's negative.

Su Xingyao's fans were exasperated by the subtle digs.

After clapping back at the haters, they noticed the host announcing number 78.

Thus, Wang Zhan, who had just gained some attention for choosing to challenge number 78, was quickly forgotten again.

The live stream chat instantly shifted direction, immediately flooded with comments like, "What kind of mascot outfit will Cat Cat wear today!!"

The audience at the venue also unanimously turned their gaze to the stage.

Just like the netizens, they were all curious about what Cat Cat was wearing today.

Soon, a little fox with a fluffy tail walked out from backstage.

The moment the little fox appeared, the audience, as expected, went wild over the unexpectedly cute design, cheering loudly.

"It's actually a little fox, so cute!"

"This is an animal image I never thought of, but why can Cat Cat make every animal design so adorable?"

"I haven't even managed to snag the Sunset Dog set from last time, and now there's a new little fox!"

"Pre-order for the hot-selling mascot outfit."

"That tail looks so fluffy and pet-able!!"

"I'd gladly lose ten pounds just to pet that little fox's tail once."

While the audience was still coveting, the host, being close to the stage, took the opportunity to pet the little fox's tail first.

"Cat Teacher's mascot outfit today is a little fox~" After petting it, the host made sure to show off to the audience.

"My daughter tunes in to every episode of our live stream, and afterward, she always begs me to buy her Cat Teacher's mascot outfit."

He laughed, "Previously, we bought knockoff versions, but today I finally got to touch the genuine article."

After making the fans jealous, the host quickly changed the subject to avoid more envy.

"Cat Teacher, does today's mascot outfit have a name too?"

Since the Coral Cat and Sunset Dog had names, the host was curious about what today's little fox would be called.

Not just the host, but the other audience members were also eager to know.

When suddenly asked about the name, Su Xingyao chuckled lightly.

"Actually... I haven't thought of a specific name..."

Previously, the outfits had names because they were based on small animals at home.

This little fox was Lu Jiuxu's idea, but he couldn't name it after Lu Jiuxu, could he?

As Su Xingyao was thinking, the host sounded a bit disappointed. "No name? That's too bad."

It was a bit of a shame that the mascot outfit inspired by Lu Jiuxu didn't have a name.

With that in mind, Su Xingyao spoke up again.

"But it could have a name."

Remembering their conversation that night, a name suddenly came to Su Xingyao.

"How about Star Fox?"

Hearing the name, the host quickly asked, "Oh? Star Fox? Cat Teacher, is there a story behind it?"

Su Xingyao smiled and said, "Because I didn't have any inspiration at the time, a friend helped me come up with the little fox."

After a pause, he continued, "He said he liked the little fox."

The host, now aware of the origin of the little fox, nodded but still seemed a bit puzzled, "Is 'Xingxing' the name of your friend?"

"No," Su Xingyao denied the guess.

"'Xingxing' is because that night he invited me to go stargazing together..."

But I didn't go.

Su Xingyao didn't mention the outcome.

However, as soon as he finished speaking, the comments exploded.

"What an enviable friendship!"

"Ahhh, I want to be his friend too!"

"I like little lambs. Can you design one for me?"

"Um... is it just me who finds the stargazing thing a bit romantic? (Don't mind me, everyone)"

"You're not alone! Going stargazing with him... ahhh (Don't mind me either, everyone)"

Unaware that his words had sparked a frenzy among fans who enjoy imagining romantic relationships between characters, Su Xingyao followed the host to Wang Zhan's side.

Standing together, everyone focused back on their upcoming PK.

Although there wasn't an intense atmosphere between them yet.

Everyone knew this was a do-or-die battle.

After all, the two most popular contestants of *The Voice of Heaven*, whoever loses this round will have to go home directly.

With Su Xingyao wearing a headpiece that concealed his face, the audience couldn't see his expression, so they turned their attention to Wang Zhan.

Surprisingly, Wang Zhan seemed relaxed and confident, even engaging with the audience.

This piqued everyone's curiosity.

Is Wang Zhan not nervous at all?

"Alright, before we proceed with the PK performance, let's follow the usual routine and see who the two contestants least wanted to face in the previous surveys."

Earlier, the show had everyone list who they least wanted to face, and today during the competition, each contestant would personally open the envelope to reveal the answer.

Following the order, the selected contestant opened the envelope first.

Su Xingyao then took his envelope from the staff and opened it.

Five groups of contestants had already competed, and their answers about who they least wanted to face had been revealed.

After watching, the audience noticed that contestant number 78 was mentioned most often.

Seven out of ten had written that they didn't want to face contestant number 78.

The contestant everyone dreaded was now on stage.

The audience was also curious about who he didn't want to compete against.

Soon, the little fox's nimble hands opened the envelope.

Su Xingyao's card had the number 77 written on it.

"I thought the cat would pick Wang Zhan."

"With such strength, how could the cat possibly be afraid of Wang Zhan?"

"But number 77? Not surprised at all, haha. The cat doesn't want to compete against a good friend, right? Hehe."

"Number 77 also wrote number 78 just now, which is hilarious."

"77 and 78 voted for each other? What kind of revolutionary friendship is this? I'm totally shipping it."

"Give up, a relationship between two submissive types has no future."

"Huh? A relationship between two submissive types??"

After Su Xingyao's choice of who he didn't want to compete against was announced, it was Wang Zhan's turn to reveal his choice.

After Wang Zhan took the envelope from the staff, his expression noticeably changed.

However, the host didn't notice and immediately asked him, "Number 92, who did you pick?"

Wang Zhan didn't answer, just gave an awkward smile.

Because Wang Zhan had been so bold when picking number 78 earlier, everyone almost assumed that even if other contestants had voted for number 78, he definitely wouldn't have.

But who would have thought the answer would be so unexpected?

The number Wang Zhan picked was indeed 78.

This contradiction left netizens utterly confused.

"Wang Zhan didn't want to compete against number 78??"

"If he didn't want to compete against him, why did he pick the cat this time?"

Fans immediately came out to help find reasons.

"Don't use ordinary logic to understand these strong contestants. Many people enjoy challenging those who are stronger than themselves."

"So Wang Zhan is actually pretty brave."

"My opinion of Wang Zhan has skyrocketed."

While the audience and fans speculated and explained Wang Zhan's choice, he on stage wished he could go back in time and stop himself from picking number 78.

At the time of recording this segment, no one knew that contestants would end up voting for each other's songs.

Naturally, he didn't know he'd have such a great chance to defeat his opponent later.

Because of the solo beauty image he had been building early on, Wang Zhan couldn't beat number 78, so his company planned a new strategy for him, trying to have him follow the currently popular CP trend.

He's already the second most popular, and collaborating with someone less popular would only overshadow him.

So to tie him up, he had to tie himself to someone more popular than himself.

He made an effort to create a sense of fated mutual respect with the skilled contestant number 78.

At that time, after writing down the other's name, he even made an elaborate statement in front of the camera about how much he admired the other and how he really didn't want to face them...

Before he could even start marketing this angle, an even bigger opportunity came his way.

Wang Zhan couldn't help but regret that he had played his hand too early.

However, compared to the possibility of defeating the other and securing the first place, Wang Zhan quickly felt that it was all worth it.

After winning, the company's PR and fans would automatically justify everything he did.

So after a brief moment of regret, Wang Zhan regained his confidence and even managed to spin it in his favor.

"Although it's the last person I wanted to face, it's also the one I've always wanted to face the most."

Wang Zhan's words hit the mark.

After he finished speaking, he immediately received raucous applause from the audience.

His fans at the scene were even more moved, chanting nonstop, "Number 92, go! You will definitely be the champion!"

After both contestants took the stage, the host asked them to trade barbs with each other.

Wang Zhan looked at Su Xingyao from two meters away and boomed confidently, "Number 78, although you are strong..."

"But!" He clenched his fist and thumped his chest, determined.

"The first place will undoubtedly be mine!"

The competition thrives on the energy.

Although Wang Zhan's tough words were a bit over-the-top, they were exceptionally thrilling in the eyes of his fans.

After hearing this, the fans and audience were fired up.

After Wang Zhan's bold challenge, the audience quickly shifted their gaze to Su Xingyao, eager to see how he would respond to the provocation.

But the styles of the two were night and day.

Su Xingyao just calmly nodded and coolly responded, "Leave it to the audience."

Who takes first place? That’s up to the audience.

A simple five-word response, not as over-the-top as Wang Zhan's, but confident and composed enough.

After both sides had their verbal sparring, it was Wang Zhan's turn to perform.

He curled his lips into a smile and shot a sly look at Su Xingyao.

It was a look of unshakable confidence.

The competition had not yet started, but he carried himself like he was already the champion of the night.

Soon, the big screen displayed the song Wang Zhan would perform—"True Love."

Seeing this song, Wang Zhan's fans let out a small sigh of relief.

Soon, Wang Zhan confidently stepped onto the stage, microphone in hand.

Just as his fans had expected, the song seemed tailor-made for Wang Zhan, fitting his style perfectly.

The musical style was his strong suit, and the vocal range was right in his comfort zone.

During the performance, the live audience was exceptionally engaged.

After all, part of the final score would be determined by the audience.

Wang Zhan's song was undoubtedly a surefire way to win over the audience.

Both Wang Zhan and his company knew this well.

To maximize his votes, not only was his makeup and styling exceptionally on point this time, but he also hired a dance teacher to choreograph a routine for him.

To highlight his talent and cement his image as a prodigy, the company even brought in several ghostwriters to tweak the lyrics and music overnight.

The collective effort of an entire team was poured into Wang Zhan today, and his performance naturally wowed the audience.

Seeing the audience's reaction, a very satisfied Wang Zhan, catching his breath after finishing his performance, waved to his fans below the stage.

"This song was adapted by me," he shamelessly declared, "It's my first time adapting a song in such a short time, and I was a bit nervous. But no matter what, I hope everyone likes it."

After blatantly lying, Wang Zhan subtly glanced in Su Xingyao's direction, hinting at something unspoken.

"Please give me your support, I've done my best!"

As soon as Wang Zhan said this, his fans and the company's trolls immediately started singing his praises.

"Adapting the lyrics and music in such a short time and choreographing the dance so well—isn't that a bit too much talent?"

"Even though I really like the cat, I somehow hope Wang Zhan wins this round—he's really hardworking."

"Hardworking and brave—I really love this guy."

"Wang Zhan's performance tonight is too awesome—I'm calling it, Wang Zhan is tonight's top 1."

"Honestly, I finally get why he dared to go up against the cat—with this performance and skill, he's got the confidence."

"I just don't know what the cat's going to perform—Wang Zhan's song is so explosive, I'm a bit worried for him."

"It's probably their group's internet song, but those are usually pretty average. Wang Zhan is so amazing—if the cat can't top that, it feels like he's done for..."

"Out +1—even though his last performance was great, if he only knows how to sing, it might get old fast."

After Wang Zhan's performance, many people started setting the tone for Su Xingyao, prematurely writing him off.

As a PK opponent, it's understandable that he'd be brought up, but the overwhelming criticism before his performance even started was too much.

Su Xingyao's fans also sensed something was off.

"He hasn't even started singing yet—no need to write him off already."

"The cat is also really strong—can't you wait for his performance?"

"Tone it down, you'd think Wang Zhan has already won the championship."

After firing back a few times, the fans noticed the group kept parroting the same lines.

Realizing they might be dealing with trolls, the fans stopped engaging and just focused on the screen.

The show had already cut to Su Xingyao, and his song choice was about to be revealed.

Before Su Xingyao took the stage, several contestants from Sheng Yan's group had already performed.

So, everyone knew that, thanks to the competition rules, their group had been stuck with the 'internet hits' category by the other teams.

This genre is inherently at a disadvantage, so Sheng Yan's group ended up performing slightly worse than the other three.

Given this, many started wondering which internet hit contestant 78 had picked.

Internet hits are a far cry from Su Xingyao's usual style, so everyone was curious how he'd pull them off.

Before the second contestant performed, there was a judge commentary segment.

After watching Wang Zhan's performance, several music critics began their comments.

"Contestant 92 set the bar high for me, and I'm curious what the so-called stronger contestant will bring to the table."

"I don't know how contestant 78 is feeling, but performing after 92 must be nerve-wracking."

Several critics took subtle digs at Su Xingyao for the sake of drama.

As they spoke, the on-screen predictions and support shifted.

This was a new segment where ten critics could freely back any contestant and switch sides anytime.

Before Wang Zhan performed, Su Xingyao had six supporters to Wang Zhan's four.

But after Wang Zhan's performance, those two critics jumped ship to back him.

These critics were always flip-flopping, so the audience didn't buy into their predictions.

But when the screen revealed Su Xingyao's song, three more critics bailed on him.

In the end, only one critic still believed in him.

"Contestant 92: 'True Love' vs Contestant 78: 'Mist'"

When 'Mist' popped up on the screen, the audience was stunned.

Online, people who had no clue what was happening were already freaking out.

"'Mist'? Seriously?"

"That cheesy, trashy 'Mist'?"

"OMG, the lyrics are so cringe, how is Cat gonna pull this off..."

"Cat, what were you thinking picking this song?"

"No matter how good your voice is, it can't save a trash song, Cat. What were you thinking?"

"Don't even think about showing off your skills with this kind of song... how could you?"

The moment the song was announced, almost everyone was questioning Su Xingyao.

Wang Zhan's fans, who were initially worried their idol might be overshadowed, suddenly perked up upon seeing Su Xingyao's song choice.

"I feel like my guy might actually win this time..."

"What’s up with number 78? Wasn’t he praised for his great taste? Why pick a song like this?"

"Can I start celebrating my guy’s win already?"

"Stay humble, stay humble."

Because of the added guest judges, the show’s runtime was stretched thin.

This time, the show’s production team cut the contestants’ VCR time down to a brief segment, almost only showing their song selection process.

The rest of the highlights will be shown in full in the next episode.

This time crunch left the audience completely in the dark about the song selection rules.

Coincidentally, none of the earlier contestants had received such overwhelmingly low scores as Su Xingyao.

So their songs were picked based on their dance scores in the corresponding genres.

This lack of info led the audience to mistakenly believe Su Xingyao had chosen his own song.

Many couldn’t wrap their heads around this choice.

"Unless he had no other option, I just don’t get this choice..."

"Just because you’re skilled doesn’t mean you can throw it away like this..."

"Do you think you’re so sure of winning that you can just mess around?"

"You didn’t see Wang Zhan coming this prepared, did you?"

"Oh no, I feel like Kitty’s in trouble!"

As the audience flooded with skepticism, Su Xingyao’s 30-second VCR played on the big screen.

Then it hit everyone—he couldn’t vote or pick a song.

His song was already decided for him!

He had no say in it at all!

The moment this footage aired, everyone’s curiosity shot up.

But since the VCR only showed his personal clips and didn’t reveal who voted for him, no matter how curious they were, the audience couldn’t uncover the truth.

Once they realized what happened, the audience’s anger turned to sympathy.

"This is so unfair... being forced to sing such a shallow pop song."

"I knew Kitty wouldn’t make such a weird choice."

"Why can others pick their songs, but Kitty can’t? Was he just out of options by the end?"

"The production team really knows how to keep us hooked. I'll definitely catch the next episode, but can you just tell us the truth now?"

"What do I do? I'm so worried about Kitty. Unless some miracle worker rewrites the lyrics and melody, not even a god could save this song."

Su Xingyao's fans are on the verge of tears, they're so worried.

They can handle losing, and they're not sore losers, but losing because of outside factors? That's just too hard to swallow.

Just as the fans were starting to panic, other viewers suddenly realized something.

"No wonder Wang Zhan was so confident in choosing number 78. He must've known that song was a dud."

"So this isn't some underdog story, but just taking advantage of a weak opponent."

"So that's what this was about? Kind of a letdown."

With the backlash growing, Wang Zhan's fans rushed to his defense.

"Going after the top spot? That's just how the game's played."

"There's no shame in playing to win - it's just good strategy."

"And what does the song's quality have to do with anything? Everyone knew about number 78's song, so why'd everyone chicken out before?"

"Exactly, your fans need to chill. What if your boy kills it and totally nails the song?"

As Wang Zhan's fans were quietly gloating and spinning their excuses, the stage lights dimmed.

All eyes turned to the stage as mist started swirling around.

Soon, the entire stage was enveloped in layers of fog.

A few ghostly spotlights swayed unnaturally, and then the sharp click of a winding mechanism echoed through the space.

After the mechanism sounded three times rhythmically, a deep, haunting music box began playing a classical tune.

A netizen recognized it: "It's 'La Bicicleta'!"

The tune lasted mere seconds.

Soon, the once-lovely melody turned jagged and warped.

In the dark venue, hearing such eerie music, the whole audience broke out in goosebumps.

Those who were a bit slower to react, still waiting to hear Su Xingyao sing a divine song, had no clue this was the reworked intro to 'Mist'...

The music box's sound gradually weakened, as if it had exhausted its life.

At the moment the last note disappeared, it was replaced by the sound of an old door creaking open.

Then, a timeworn classical piece filled the space.

Majestic, solemn, and with a hint of... eeriness.

Because within this piano piece, there was also a faint, distorted strange chant.

It seemed like an opera singer was performing.

It also seemed... like a desperate scream.

Ten seconds later, intense drum beats and guitar sounds joined this eerie melody, and the chanting abruptly stopped then.

The sound of the breaking porcelain shattered the silence.

A woman's scream grew louder, as if she’d suddenly seen something horrifying.

On the empty stage, under the dim lights, Su Xingyao's voice rose through the swirling smoke.

"Open your eyes, with classical music in your ears,"

"Push open the door, a misty scene before your eyes,"

"Against the light, your figure quietly appears,"

"Following you, yet I’m lost in the faint dawn light."

Su Xingyao's singing was unlike anything before.

Ethereal and clear, yet icy cold, a suffocating atmosphere spread through the scene.

Su Xingyao's voice suddenly brought the audience back to reality.

Hearing these four lines of familiar yet unfamiliar lyrics, a flash of surprise lit up their eyes.

Their eyes locked on the little fox on stage, the audience’s hands trembled with excitement.

"It’s really 'Mist'!!!"

"Holy crap, I thought the director messed up the song—why haven’t I heard such an amazing prelude before?"

"Wait, is this the same lame 'Mist' I’ve heard before?"

"Wow, the atmosphere of this prelude is just too amazing!!!"

"Even though it’s a song, it feels like I’m watching a movie."

No wonder the audience was blown away.

With just a twenty-second prelude, Su Xingyao’s adaptation fully captured the song’s dark, suspenseful vibe.

In this atmosphere, paired with the lyrics, the listeners could already picture the scene.

Someone who’s lost their memory wakes up in an empty, deserted castle. They’re searching for someone who means everything to them.

With eerie music playing, they leave the castle and stumble into a place called the Misty Forest.

They keep searching through the swirling smoke.

They find countless traces left by the other person.

This only strengthens their resolve to keep searching.

But as they follow these clues, they also recall many shared memories with the other person.

They were lovers. But now, the other person has vanished into this mysterious forest.

"In the moonlight, the misty forest transforms everything before my eyes into an illusion."

"You gaze gently from the corner, yet I can't make sense of anything."

At the climax of the song, Su Xingyao once again shifts his singing style.

The little fox standing on the stage is like the most accomplished opera singer.

His elegant and magnificent bel canto is muffled by the thick fog inside the puppet costume.

Feelings of being lost, confused, and helpless...

Ultimately giving way to a faint sorrow.

The intense emotions overwhelm all the listeners.

The audience, like the protagonist in the song, feels the same.

The truth is right before their eyes, yet all clues dissolve into hazy illusions.

Every time they are about to uncover the truth, it all slips away.

All the mysteries are like this forest, shrouded in mist that never lifts.

After a bizarre melody, the song's BGM once again includes a shattering sound.

But this time, it's the sound of a mirror shattering.

A mournful female voice echoes right after.

As the agitation subsides, the quiet melody of the piano begins.

The performer on the stage sings softly.

"I emerged from the misty forest, my lost memories finally coming back to me."

"The you I desperately searched for has already gone."

At the story's end, the protagonist breaks free from the mirror maze that had trapped him.

In that moment, it all comes back to him.

His lover had already passed away.

By his own hand, she was gone.

Using the shards of the shattered mirror.

"A faint creak..."

As the soothing piano fades, the sound of a door opening fills the air.

The whole world holds its breath at this moment.

Everything comes to a standstill.

The stage smoke clears, and bright lights flood the stage once more.

When the little fox puppet costume comes into clear view again, the audience finally returns to the present.

"Aaaaaahhhh"

Amidst the screams of the live audience, the netizens watching online also went wild with their barrage of comments.

"So amazing, so amazing, so amazing"

"This song is so vivid; it feels like I'm watching a suspense movie"

"So, did this guy kill his own wife?"

"Yes, yes, this adaptation is so dark, mysterious, and amazing—I love it!"

"The original was a cheesy breakup song, but Cat transformed it into a dark suspense thriller"

"The operatic part in the middle by Cat—I could listen to it ten thousand times; it's so beautiful"

"Cat, I had no idea you could sing opera"

"Who was always underestimating my Cat? Isn't this just incredible?"

"Honestly, I got goosebumps all over—I was so shocked"

Originally, when Su Xingyao chose "Mist," people didn't have high expectations for his performance.

Although many fans firmly believed in him.

But in the public's eyes, making this song bloom was as difficult as reaching the sky.

However, these people didn't expect Su Xingyao to actually make this song bloom.

Not only did it bloom, but the arrangement and lyric changes also gave everyone goosebumps.

While others are still focusing on traditional singing and dancing, he's already combined sound and visuals.

"If this song gets released as a single, I'll definitely buy it"

"The storytelling is just too powerful"

"Who knew a song could have such a strong visual impact? It's too powerful"

"A good arrangement, lyrics, and vocal skills can really breathe new life into a song, no matter how vulgar or lowbrow it was before"

"Wuwuwuwu, Cat's performances never disappoint me"

"Not exaggerating—while listening to the song, I even started deducing... and when I realized the murderer was myself, I broke out in a cold sweat"

"Aoaoao, who arranged Cat's song? With a change in melody, the pop song turned into something unattainable for ordinary people"

"Actually, I'm also very curious about the lyrics—the lyricist is too strong. I just compared the original lyrics, and Cat's version didn't change much, just replaced a word or two in each sentence, but it tells a completely different story??"

"Sisters, let me tell you something I just discovered—not sure if it's an Easter egg. Do you remember the music box in the prelude of this song? It plays the melody of 'La Biscella.' This classical piece tells the story of a husband who kills his wife, then develops delusions that she was kidnapped by a mysterious person, and he goes alone to rescue her"

"Holy crap!!! As a layman, I thought that part was just added to set the mood—didn't expect it to be foreshadowing??"

"Mom, what kind of divine adaptation is this? I'm totally blown away!"

While netizens were digging into the song's details, Su Xingyao, after finishing his performance, stood at the center of the stage.

And without anyone noticing, ten music critics had somehow switched sides, all jumping on Su Xingyao's bandwagon.

Wang Zhan, standing nearby, had an expression that was more than just unpleasant.

He knew Contestant 78 was strong, but he never expected him to be this strong.

He had the guts to challenge Su Xingyao because he knew that most people couldn't handle the song "Mist" in such a short time.

After all, even with the massive support of a big company behind him, he couldn't possibly turn this mediocre song into something impressive in such a short period.

But who would have thought that this person, in just two and a half days, managed to make the song so impressive.

Realizing he had made a huge mistake and was likely to be eliminated, Wang Zhan felt a chill run through his limbs.

For a moment, he felt so shaky that he cursed himself for being an idiot.

If he hadn't chosen Contestant 78, he could have easily entered the finals and happily taken second place.

But now...

He couldn't even crack the national top twelve.

Wang Zhan almost vomited on the spot.

He couldn't accept that he was about to be eliminated.

So when the host invited him onto the stage, he couldn't help but blurt out to Su Xingyao.

"How did you do it?"

Wang Zhan's disbelieving voice echoed across the stage, laced with disbelief.

"Who helped you rearrange this song?"

He was desperate, so desperate.

The show's rules stated that only the contestants themselves, their mentors, or the show's team could help with the arrangements, and no outside help was allowed.

But since Wang Zhan himself had secretly cheated, he was also deeply suspicious that Su Xingyao had privately sought team help to cheat.

In moments of despair, people cling to any straw that might save them.

Therefore, even though he knew he shouldn't be saying this now, Wang Zhan couldn't control his emotions.

Getting him to admit he broke the rules was his only chance to turn the tables.

Facing Wang Zhan's increasingly desperate questioning, Su Xingyao replied coolly.

"No one helped me; I did it on my own."

Wang Zhan didn't believe it, "Impossible! I even got help with my song arrangement..."

In his haste, he almost revealed his own rule-breaking, but a last bit of sense made him change his words.

"What I mean is, my song was less complex and it took me a long time... Your song's so complex; how'd you finish it in two days?"

Su Xingyao glanced at him and replied nonchalantly, "Well, I have a video recording."

The five words "I have a video recording" spoke louder than any explanation.

But Wang Zhan, on the verge of a breakdown, couldn't take anything in.

He was about to ask the production team if this was true, but then Su Xingyao's mentor, Sheng Yan, spoke up.

"I can attest that Contestant No. 78 wrote and composed the song himself. The song we performed last time was also adapted by him. He has the talent, and I've witnessed it firsthand."

With the mentor vouching for Su Xingyao at this moment, Wang Zhan had no grounds to question further.

Wang Zhan was left speechless, while the music critics on the other side were abuzz with excitement.

One of them was Liang Li, who had previously been notorious for his harsh critiques from the audience.

This harsh music critic, however, seemed like a completely different person in front of Su Xingyao, radiating warmth.

"If the arrangement is your own, what about the lyrics? Did you modify them yourself too?"

Su Xingyao: "Yes."

Liang Li's eyes lit up.

"Contestant No. 78, you're simply a genius!!"

After heaping exaggerated praise on Su Xingyao, he continued, "This dark style is rarely attempted in the music scene nowadays, as it's too challenging."

"But you did an excellent job, brimming with creativity."

Liang Li didn't stop, and the flattery kept coming.

"You're the most outstanding musician I've seen this year, without a doubt. Honestly, I'm really looking forward to your original album now."

Another music critic enthusiastically agreed.

"I think the label of singer is too limiting for you. With this level of skill, you could easily be a songwriter and composer."

For the next few minutes, the audience watched as several music critics took turns at the microphone to shower Su Xingyao with praise.

"Wow, these music critics outdo even the fans with their flattery."

"They must really admire Kitty, after all, good works are so rare."

"Whose Kitty can sing, compose, and write lyrics all by himself~"

"My boy is really making me proud, sniffle sniffle."

[You might not believe it, but my Kitty wrote and composed the entire song in two and a half days, transforming a 'divine song' into a true masterpiece!]

"Teacher Sheng himself confirmed it. He also adapted the last performance, no wonder it sounded so good."

"Kitty is truly amazing, sniffle sniffle."

"Who was it earlier that said Kitty had reached his limit? Does that sting?"

"It's hilarious to think how quickly that group dismissed Kitty."

"Did anyone else notice Wang Zhan breaking down just now?"

"He was hinting that Kitty cheated, wasn't he? But he didn't, lol."

"He likely never imagined that Kitty could rearrange the song so brilliantly."

"Realizing he's on the brink of elimination, he's lost all composure. What a sore loser."

"I've been holding this in, but Wang Zhan chose Su Xingyao because he knew Su's song choice wasn't strong, thinking he could easily beat him, but who knew it would backfire."

"It's kind of funny."

While netizens were laughing at Wang Zhan, the live audience and critics had already started voting.

Each critic's vote counts for ten, and each of the 500 audience members gets one vote, totaling 600 votes.

Of the 600 votes, 554 were for Su Xingyao.

Wang Zhan, who was initially confident in challenging Su Xingyao, didn't even get a fraction of Su's votes.

The most amusing part was the critics' vote.

Wang Zhan received zero votes from the critics.

Wang Zhan is the first contestant tonight to get zero votes from the critics.

"Hahaha, that's pretty tragic."

"He was so confident earlier, now look at his votes."

"LOL, serves him right for starting with bad intentions."

"But honestly, Su Xingyao is really amazing. If it were anyone else, they would've been easily beaten."

While netizens mocked Wang Zhan, critic Liang Li added insult to injury during the voting.

"Contestant 92, you performed well today, but unfortunately, you chose the wrong opponent."

You chose the wrong opponent...

Each word hit Wang Zhan like a heavy slap.

If it had been someone else...

If contestant 78 wasn't this strong...

Backstage, Wang Zhan's manager had already passed out from anger.

Facing this result, Wang Zhan was so angry he couldn't speak, his eyes turning red.

There's no cure for regret; his bright future was ruined by a moment of poor judgment.

Following international protocol, the winner is expected to hug the eliminated contestant.

Su Xingyao approached Wang Zhan and offered a friendly handshake.

But Wang Zhan turned away, refusing the gesture.

Without a word, his whole demeanor showed hostility and resentment towards Su Xingyao.

Seeing such disrespect, the audience was outraged.

"Why are you directing your anger at Su Xingyao?"

"You're not as skilled, yet you overestimated yourself—how dare you cry?"

"It was your choice, not Su Xingyao's—how can you have the nerve to be rude to him?"

Originally, the audience was criticizing Wang Zhan for his sore loser behavior.

But then, something even funnier happened.

"Just got off work late—didn’t Wang Zhan win? Why’s he crying?"

"??? Girl, you didn’t watch the show, did you? Su Xingyao won."

"??? Didn’t the marketing accounts post on Weibo that Wang Zhan made it through?"

"Wait, what???"

At first, everyone thought the latecomer had misread the news.

But when netizens checked, they found several marketing accounts had posted congratulatory messages for Wang Zhan’s advancement at the same time.

And these marketing accounts were tied to Wang Zhan's company.

"Did Wang Zhan’s team forget to tell the marketing accounts? You’re already out!"

"What’s this nonsense? Buying your own hype before the results? Overconfident much?"

"Guys, I found Weibo posts claiming Wang Zhan would defeat Su Xingyao and win it all… hilarious."

"This shade is next level."

"Wang Zhan, how were you so sure you’d beat Su Xingyao that you bought all these articles ahead of time?"

"Probably his buddies hyping him up."

"Buddies??? What did I miss this time?"

"Go watch Su Xingyao’s latest BTS footage."

The show’s been on for an hour now.

As usual, the show team starts dropping BTS footage around this time.

Originally, Su Xingyao’s behind-the-scenes footage was supposed to drop later.

But after the song selection drama, casual viewers thought the show was rigged to eliminate him, leading to backlash on Weibo.

Feeling the heat, the show team dropped Su Xingyao’s BTS early.

After watching, the audience finally got why Su Xingyao picked that song.

"Four people teamed up to give Su Xingyao the worst song—classic Wang Zhan."

"The best part? Even with his buddy’s help, he still lost to Su Xingyao."

"The mystery of why he picked contestant 78, his least favorite opponent, is solved. Always seemed fishy—now we know why. Tsk tsk."

"Bold move picking contestant 78P—they were clearly planning to take him out during voting."

"Before, people were pushing Wang Zhan’s underdog narrative—now I bet their faces hurt."

"This song was trash. Without Su Xingyao’s genius rearrangement, he’d be gone. Wang Zhan’s shameless."

"So how does he even cry? He brought this on himself—deserved elimination."

"I take back everything I said about you; you're just a coward."

"After all these schemes, you still can't compare to others. Stop embarrassing yourself already, Wang Zhan, just get off the stage!"

"I’ve lost all sympathy for him; he totally deserves this."

"Wang Zhan truly epitomizes what it means to be a clown."

As the second contestant to be eliminated, many viewers felt a twinge of regret.

But now, seeing him throw a tantrum on stage and refuse to hug, while secretly scheming against stronger competitors behind the scenes, the audience’s sympathy vanished.

Any sympathy the audience had for him completely evaporated.

Now, seeing Wang Zhan eliminated, it’s clear he brought this on himself.

On his Weibo feed, the viewers he deceived have turned against him, all cursing him out.

After this elimination, Wang Zhan struggled to accept the reality and the disparity, refusing to leave the stage.

The host tried to coax him for a while, but he wouldn’t budge, so they moved on to the next segment.

He handed the pass card to Su Xingyao and announced the next thrilling event.

"Number 78, congratulations—you’ve successfully advanced!"

"As per this episode’s rules, it’s time for you to reveal your contestant identity."

With that, he handed the envelope representing Su Xingyao's contestant identity to him.

"I’m sure there are countless viewers, just like me, dying to know who you are."

"So, audience... are you ready for this?"

The moment the host finished speaking, the venue exploded with deafening screams.

Netizens watching online were spamming the comments section in excitement.

After such a long wait, everyone was finally about to discover who number 78 is.

Even though it’s not the finals, this is one of the most highly anticipated moments in "The Voice of Heaven."

"Ahhhh my precious cat!"

"Mom can finally find out who you are tonight!"

"I’m so freaking nervous!"

"My hands are literally shaking."

The audience and fans were on edge, their nerves through the roof.

Similarly, as Su Xingyao prepared to reveal his identity, Fu Qingyan felt an inexplicable wave of nervousness.

He had this nagging feeling that he should know who number 78 is.

"Come on, cat, open that card already..."

At the host’s cue, all eyes were glued to that card.

Fu Qingyan's heart felt like it was being squeezed tight at that very moment.

"Three"

"Two"

"One"

...

As soon as the host finished speaking, Su Xingyao opened the envelope with his self-written contestant identity inside.

Then, he turned the card over.

When he saw the name on it, Fu Qingyan, who had been holding the microphone ready to speak, quietly set it down.

LostTide

A name he'd never heard before.

Fu Qingyan stayed silent, but Xu Beizhou couldn't stay seated after seeing the contestant identity Su Xingyao revealed.

He turned on his mic and asked Su Xingyao urgently, "Are you sure you're LostTide?"

The question was odd, but Su Xingyao nodded and said, "Yes, I'm sure."

Xu Beizhou seemed skeptical and kept asking Su Xingyao to confirm multiple times.

Xu Beizhou looked uneasy as he spoke and kept pressing for answers.

Not just Su Xingyao, but even the audience could tell something was wrong.

Just as everyone was starting to wonder what was up with Xu Beizhou, they suddenly heard him say to Su Xingyao, dead serious, "If that's the case, then I'm sorry, but I can't let you move on to the next round."

"Can you explain why your song's melody is so similar to Misssu's?"