(5k Nutrient Solution)

With three days left until the public performance, Pei Dahai took pity on the trainees and canceled all their military training, letting them focus on stage practice instead.

The three teams used separate practice rooms. Though everyone still got along well, whenever they met over meals or during other breaks, they kept mum about their songs and stage styles, keeping everyone in suspense.

In the practice room reserved for Room Four, Jiang Renbao came pattering in with six boxed meals.

"Guys! I found out!"

The four had just finished a run-through and were lying on the floor, drenched in sweat. Jiang Ji was watching the recording to look for problems.

Without looking up, Jiang Ji said, "What did our social butterfly go snooping for this time?"

After a few days, the two had grown much closer, and they felt more like a team.

Jiang Renbao plopped down on the floor with them. "Those guys in 402 are singing that breakout hit 'Charming Life,' and they even got Chaz, one of Instructor Tao's former students, to choreograph it. He's incredibly famous in the industry—he choreographed several of those first-generation groups' breakout stages! 403 went even further. Li Xun and Hu Bin got a big shot in the industry to rearrange their song, and Pei Dahai found a national champion to do their choreography..."

The more Jiang Renbao said, the more discouraged he felt.

But when he looked closely, Qiao Huan and the other three were completely absorbed in their meals, paying him no attention at all.

"Xiu Si!!!" Jiang Renbao cried in anguish. "How come none of you are nervous?"

Afraid Jiang Renbao's spit would land in his lunch, Ye Yiwei edged half a step away. "Mm."

Jiang Renbao: ...

Fuck. After all these days, this guy had only ever smiled at Qiao Huan. He didn't think of Jiang Renbao as a teammate at all!

Jiang Ji rubbed his aching temples and beckoned Jiang Renbao over. "Come watch the video of their last run-through. I might have been looking at it too long, because I can't spot the problems anymore. See if you can pick out any flaws."

"Okay!" Jiang Renbao rushed over at once.

The performance lasted only a few minutes. Qiao Huan and the others were wearing their own clothes, with no styling at all, and even the music kept stuttering.

And yet, by the time Jiang Renbao finished watching, his eyes had turned red.

"Holy shit..." After a long moment, Jiang Renbao finally let out a faint exclamation from the depths of his soul. "That was amazing."

The four kept eating with barely a reaction, as though filling their stomachs was the most important thing in the world.

Jiang Renbao came to his senses as if waking from a dream and shook Qiao Huan by the shoulders. "How did you do it? Your vocals have improved so much!!!"

Qiao Huan: ...

How did I do it? How else could I have done it? By training with Tao Zhenting!

When Ye Yiwei invited him, he had accepted in the hope of getting closer to the other man and fishing for information.

While he was at it, he could also learn more about Tao Zhenting.

But to his surprise, Tao Zhenting was an extremely strict teacher. Not only did he make Qiao Huan and Ye Yiwei practice separately, but during Qiao Huan's vocal lessons, he said nothing beyond his instructions.

And outside training, Ye Yiwei outdid even the most hard-working overachievers, leaving Qiao Huan no choice but to work just as hard.

Although he didn't want to debut, he couldn't let his three teammates down.

Before this, Qiao Huan's singing had relied entirely on his talent and the intensive training he'd undergone before going undercover. Tao Zhenting, on the other hand, had him drilling the basics. With training this intense, it was a good thing he had a solid foundation, or he wouldn't have held up. Both his technique and his singing style had improved by leaps and bounds.

During today's performance, he had actually wanted to sing a little worse and leave the spotlight to Ye Yiwei. But the point of drilling the basics was to hone the most fundamental skills until they were almost instinctive. Only when Jiang Renbao brought it up did he realize that he couldn't sing badly now even if he wanted to.

Jiang Ji had more or less guessed that Qiao Huan and Ye Yiwei were getting extra coaching when he ran into them at the instructors' building that day. He had mentally labeled them hard workers, so he wasn't too surprised by their progress.

Jiang Renbao, meanwhile, had been busy with another part of the performance. This was his first time hearing them, which was why he was so shocked.

"You must have been practicing in secret... Jeez, we're already rehearsing for more than ten hours a day, and you're doing extra training too. You've really worked hard!" Jiang Renbao said with conviction. "So being a salted fish means practicing until three in the morning every day, which is why you look sleepy! Brother Huan, you're my idol in every way!"

Qiao Huan, who was actually sleeping only four hours a day and teetering on the brink of sudden death, gave a weary smile and made no comment.

Ye Yiwei, however, thought the smile expressed gratitude toward him, so he said quietly, "Instructor Tao said we could practice all night tonight. Let's do our best."

Qiao Huan: ...

Forced to become a vocal powerhouse. I'm truly grateful.

With training this intense, Qiao Huan had no chance to have a heart-to-heart with Ye Yiwei. Every day, he was either rehearsing for the stage or getting extra coaching from Instructor Tao.

On top of that, Qiao Huan was on the verge of a mental collapse. He felt he'd slept only about ten hours in total over the past few days, and his head was spinning.

Days spent working hard always passed quickly. Qiao Huan felt as if he still hadn't woken up when the day of the first public performance arrived.

Seven or eight hundred people filled the auditorium at Azure Dragon Base. They were all forest rangers, search-and-rescue workers, coastal patrol officers and others training at the base, along with some of their family members.

After their short-term training here, the young men would be stationed in hidden corners across the country, shouldering heavy burdens to protect the lives and property of the people. Their families all knew it would be a long time before they saw them again, and they were taking as many pictures as they could.

The singing competition was also intended partly as publicity, which was why Star Radiance's trainees had been invited to perform between acts, with a livestream to attract younger viewers.

But these trainees didn't have many fans, and only a small number of people were watching live. At the moment, there were just over a hundred thousand viewers in the livestream.

"Aaaaah, is this really a boy group's public performance? Why is the audience so... calm?"

"Just so you know, this is Azure Dragon Base's singing competition. Star Radiance's performance is only the icing on the cake."

"That's right. Newcomers, please pay more attention to these 'national team' members, and don't just spam the screen~"

Most fans who had watched The Birth of a New Star had been moved by the Star Radiance trainees' transformation, so their comments were especially positive and kind as they filled new viewers in.

After a brief introduction, the performances began. The singing competition here wasn't particularly professional; the contestants sang simple patriotic songs such as Little White Poplar and Yellow River Cantata.

The young performers were only in their teens, and their voices still carried a hint of youth and uncertainty. But what mattered was their pure hearts, and that simple approach was moving enough.

Under the spotlight, every sincere emotion was magnified. It naturally touched both the audience and the viewers in the comments.

"Oh my god, I thought this would be boring, but they sing so well!"

"This is so moving. I really didn't expect there to be so many professions protecting our beautiful land."

"Yes! We usually never see them, but this time, at least we can hear their voices!"

"Wishing all these young men and women lasting safety and good health!"

The comments gradually grew livelier, but in the waiting area, people were talking less and less.

402 would perform during intermission, while 403 and 404 would sing after the contestants' performances and after the awards ceremony, respectively.

Eight groups had already finished singing, and intermission was coming up. The four members of 402 were at the height of their nerves.

"Hey, holy shit..."

Yao Xiaofu from 402 sucked in a sharp breath as he looked at the comments on his phone.

Pei Dahai had just returned their phones so the trainees could check their movements and keep polishing them. But the moment Yao Xiaofu saw the comments online, he regretted getting his phone back.

"What is it?" The others from 402 crowded around, all talking at once.

Yao Xiaofu opened the screen.

"The comments were pretty warm before, all praising the young people who devote themselves to the country without recognition..." Yao Xiaofu said. "But about an hour ago, I noticed some nasty comments, and now there are tons of them."

Everyone looked at the screen.

"Actual trainees are performing soon, right?"

"Fast-forward, fast-forward! I don't want to watch this!"

"Boo-hoo, I want to see the real oppas' stage. They'll definitely rub these choirs into the dirt!"

There were even more vicious disparaging remarks.

Yao Xiaofu frowned deeply. "Are these our fans?"

Li Xun immediately denied it. "Impossible. We may not have many fans, but none of them would be like this."

Yao Xiaofu asked, "Then who could it be?"

"Antifans, maybe?" Li Xun thought for a moment. "It's obviously a setup, hyping us up so we'll fall harder. Xiaofu, whatever you do, don't get nervous."

To his surprise, his attempt at comfort had the opposite effect. This was Yao Xiaofu and the others' first public appearance, and now they were so nervous they could barely speak.

"Next, please welcome our guests, the trainees from Star Radiance, with an intermission performance." As the announcer spoke, the lights went out.

Not only were the eyes of several hundred people in the audience fixed on the stage, but the livestream's viewership also suddenly surged to a million.

After one last check of one another's makeup and styling, Yao Xiaofu and the other three walked onto the pitch-dark stage.

Li Xun watched them nervously, then glanced down at his phone and sucked in a sharp breath.

The comments hyping them up for a fall were multiplying, practically increasing exponentially right on cue...

The song Yao Xiaofu's group had chosen was fast-paced, and the choreography was fairly complex, requiring particular attention to rhythm and dynamics.

But Azure Dragon Base wasn't a professional venue, after all. Despite the rehearsal, something went wrong when the music was played: a note or two sounded, then stopped before the track started over.

From backstage, Qiao Huan saw Yao Xiaofu's hand lift and drop again, then begin to tremble uncontrollably. He knew things were going badly.

Sure enough, when the music started again, all four lost their composure.

Fortunately, days of training had given them a decent foundation. No matter how panicked they felt, their singing had only a few minor flaws, and their dance moves didn't fall too far out of form.

When the performance ended, the lights came back on, and the audience gave them enthusiastic applause.

After all, the audience wasn't there to nitpick; a performance like that was enough.

But the viewers online weren't so easily satisfied. Their expectations had already been raised by the earlier comments, and now, whether they were antifans or casual viewers, they all began to complain—

"What kind of dancing was that? They couldn't even hold their arms steady. That's it?"

"The arrangement of this song was awful. Garbage."

"I'm dying. They didn't even sing as well as the contestants before them. Their vocals are way too weak."

The four came offstage looking dejected, and one trainee burst into tears.

Pei Dahai, Jiang Ji and Tao Zhenting left the control area and came straight backstage to be with their kids.

Yao Xiaofu sighed. "It's my fault. I'm just too easily rattled!"

"It's not your fault, Brother Xiaofu. It was me. I came in early on the beat in my first section!"

"Blame me! I didn't land my backflip on my mark. That's on me!"

All four tried to take the blame. As their team leader, Tao Zhenting felt miserable too. "It's my fault. I didn't choose the right song for your first performance! I'm sorry!"

The trainees couldn't hold back anymore, and they and Instructor Tao cried together in a huddle.

Jiang Ji, however, didn't think it was that simple.

"Did someone pay for those comments online earlier?" Jiang Ji asked quietly.

"I think so," Pei Dahai replied. "They were too organized, and the timing was just right. It doesn't look like a natural influx of antifans."

With that, the two fell silent.

Who would pay for a smear campaign against them at a time like this?

Qiao Huan listened without interrupting. Just then, Bai Jike returned.

When Qiao Huan had seen those hateful comments earlier, he had signaled to Bai Jike, who immediately understood and slipped backstage to investigate.

Bai Jike spoke at a volume only the two of them could hear. "Someone paid for them. The IP addresses are all very close together, but I can't find out who paid for them yet."

"Fuck," Jiang Ji said, looking at his phone and uncharacteristically swearing. "The new director came today too, and I wanted to show him what we could do. We can't go on like this."

The plan to turn OSOK into a "new-era boy group" had been his and Pei Dahai's idea in the first place. The company wasn't optimistic about it, and the two were under crushing pressure.

"Yeah, but I don't know where he went," Pei Dahai said with a frown. "Hopefully he won't go online."

Jiang Ji sneered. "Is that even possible?"

"Brother Dahai? Brother Jiang Ji?" Qiao Huan spoke up at just the right moment. "Have you heard of any other companies planning to debut a boy group soon?"

Pei Dahai thought for a moment. "I haven't heard of any."

Then he understood what Qiao Huan meant. "I was just wondering whether one of the other two of the big three companies had paid for them, but both of them are up to their asses in shit. One of their new groups just released an album, and the other has a group about to film a variety show. They definitely wouldn't dare pay for a smear campaign, for fear we'd retaliate."

"Oh..." Qiao Huan pondered for a moment. "Then could it be that our own company paid for them?"

His words were like a thunderclap exploding out of a clear sky. Pei Dahai and Jiang Ji both looked incredulous.

Then they looked at each other and said in unison, "It wasn't me."

They turned back to Qiao Huan. "If the higher-ups paid for them... what would they have to gain?"

"Let's wait and see." Qiao Huan shrugged. "We'll see who benefits the most in the end. Either way, it's either a rival or someone on our own side."

The two were speechless for a moment and could only pray that the night would pass smoothly.

Not far away, a tall, thin man stood concealed in the darkness. He gazed intently at Qiao Huan, and the corners of his lips curled up.

As the four members of 402 gradually calmed down, 403's anxiety reached its peak.

Although Pei Dahai had immediately contacted a marketing company he knew to suppress the comments, it was only a cup of water on a burning cart of firewood against the other side's overwhelming firepower.

"Are these people almost done singing? Bring out the real boy group already!"

"+1. The songs in this singing competition are so old."

"These people aren't professional singers. Why does all their singing sound like howling? I can't stand it."

"Hurry, hurry, hurry, fast-forward to the stage!"

"Fuck." Li Xun had changed into his performance outfit, and when he saw the livestream and comment section, he couldn't help swearing too.

He wasn't angry about the attempt to hype them up for a fall. He was simply angry that these people were slandering the contestants who had performed earlier.

"Don't let it get to you too much. Just perform as usual. You've worked so hard lately, and I believe it'll pay off," Pei Dahai reassured his team. "The audience's opinion is secondary. What matters is you."

After spending so much time with these kids, Pei Dahai's own attitude had long since changed.

Though for the moment, he still didn't know whether that change was good or bad.

"Mm."

Li Xun gathered Hu Bin and the others into a huddle. "Finish the performance! Do ourselves proud!"

"Let's go!"

As the four's fighting spirit was rekindled, the last squad's performance came to an end.

Li Xun walked to the side of the stage, mentally reviewing the dance moves.

They were performing an old song this time, a classic piece of soundtrack music from a Hong Kong film of the Shaw Brothers era. Their adaptation had turned it into something rousing and passionate, perfectly suited to the occasion.

However.

The announcer walked onto the stage. "Next, while the judges score the contestants, please welcome our guests for a performance. Let's hear it for the AUV Boy Group from Dule Entertainment!"

!!!

What???

Li Xun had intended to cartwheel onto the stage, but he froze in shock just as he bent down.

Backstage, Pei Dahai and the others also stared at one another.

Where had this Cheng Yaojin sprung from?

"Fuck, AUV debuted a year ago and never made a splash. Why are they performing now? They didn't even show up at rehearsal!" Pei Dahai finally came to his senses. "No, I need to find the person in charge and ask!"

With that, he stalked off angrily.

Li Xun and the others stood rooted to the spot, unsure what to do.

But that wasn't the worst of it.

Although AUV's eight members had remained lukewarm in the year since their debut, they still had the basic skills. On top of that, they charged straight onto the stage from the audience, and the venue instantly exploded.

The songs they sang were also from old Shaw Brothers films, and they were even in the same style as the songs the four from 403 had chosen!

AUV had clearly come prepared. Anyone with eyes could see that they had put more thought into both their singing and dancing and their stage design than 403 had.

The surging melody and the eight members' razor-sharp synchronized dance alone were enough to make an imposing show!

The audience at the venue wasn't the only one fired up; the bullet comments were just as enthusiastic:

"This is what a fucking boy group should be!"

"Seriously, they're so much better!"

"The guys are so handsome! Aaaaah, I'm so into them!"

"They're leagues better than those four from Star Radiance earlier!"

More and more people poured into the livestream, pushing its popularity to a peak for the night.

The four from 403 were dumbstruck.

Halfway through AUV's performance, Pei Dahai returned with a man at his side.

Seeing everyone staring at him, the man spoke first. "Hello, everyone. I'm Ling Ji, Star Radiance's new director."

Ling Ji was smiling, but his voice was flat, and the backstage area fell silent at once.

"I did approve AUV's appearance. Forgetting to tell you was an oversight on my part, and I apologize," Ling Ji said without a trace of apology in his voice. "But please understand that this is purely a business decision. Dule Entertainment offered a good price to have them join, and they could draw some attention, too. Of course I wouldn't turn them down."

The trainees were both angry and bewildered, and they looked at Pei Dahai.

But Pei Dahai merely stared at the floor, not daring to say more.

This was the man he had seen in the Star Radiance president's office that day.

Ling Ji's words were brief and forceful. "But I still hope you'll put on a good performance. Do your best."

With that, Ling Ji walked away without looking back.

Only Qiao Huan noticed that Ling Ji's gaze lingered on him for a moment as Ling Ji turned.

Qiao Huan had a faint feeling that his undercover assignment was about to begin.

Everyone was still staring at one another, and Pei Dahai didn't dare speak either.

Jiang Ji could understand Pei Dahai. Just as he had always thought, no matter how popular they were as idols, they were still at the bottom in the eyes of capital.

When AUV's performance ended, the audience continued to applaud enthusiastically. The bullet comments had long since exploded, with viewers praising it as the best stage of the year, saying this was what a real boy group should be, and so on.

The four from 403 had no choice but to take the stage in that atmosphere. Their arrangement was already similar to AUV's, and they had fewer members. Even though they held up under the pressure and performed perfectly, they were still outshone.

It wasn't just the other performance that had outshone them. It was more as though capital had put them in the shade.

It was as if the stage they had poured their hearts and souls into was nothing more than a bit of insignificant business in someone else's eyes.

After leaving the stage, the four sat dejectedly in a corner without saying a word.

While the mood backstage was at rock bottom, Xiu Si were making their final preparations in their own dressing room.

They had only about ten-odd minutes before it was their turn.

Bai Jike hurried into his costume, then rushed off without a break to make a final check with Jiang Renbao, who was watching the control console. Zhuo Yang went to cram in some last-minute practice with Uncle Yang.

The dressing room was only a dozen or so square meters, and Qiao Huan and Ye Yiwei were the only two grown men left sitting inside.

The room felt cramped and awkward.

The time alone they had both been longing for over the past few days had come at this very moment.

After turning it over in his mind, Ye Yiwei finally spoke. "Qiao Huan, you have to perform well today. Your future in show business depends on the performance coming up."

Ye Yiwei had actually sent Qiao Huan to train intensively with Tao Zhenting as part of a layered plan:

First, he hoped Qiao Huan would have better prospects. Only if his skills improved and more people liked him would Star Radiance's new director feel reassured enough not to terminate his contract.

Second, once Qiao Huan's future was settled, Ye Yiwei should have gotten on good terms with him and could ask whether he knew anything about Bro Buffing.

After all, both his parents had belonged to Spring Grass Hall. Although Ye Yiwei didn't know much about the inner workings of the smuggling trade, he figured they were all part of the same crowd and might know one another.

Qiao Huan smiled. "What, doesn't your future in show business depend on how you perform today too?"

Over the past few days, he had increasingly felt that something was off about Ye Yiwei.

Ye Yiwei hurried to cover it up. "Yeah..."

Then, just to be safe, he changed the subject. "How come I haven't seen you contact your parents all this time at Star Radiance? Will they come see you perform today?"

Qiao Huan said firmly, "No."

Hopefully not.

He instantly pictured Qiao Tang leading the men from the Anti-Hate Station, waving glow sticks to cheer him on, and shuddered.

"Oh..."

Seeing Ye Yiwei start to hem and haw again, Qiao Huan didn't know what he was thinking, so he asked in return:

"What about you? I don't think I've seen you contact your parents either."

"Yeah." Ye Yiwei thought for a moment. "They don't really support my career plans, so we don't keep in touch much."

That was the truth.

His parents, who were thriving in the art world, still hadn't forgiven him for joining the Mobile Unit.

"Sounds like you have a good relationship with your parents?" Ye Yiwei abruptly changed tack.

Between them, the two had eight hundred schemes up their sleeves, and every word they said was an attempt to sound the other out.

"It's all right," Qiao Huan said, not quite understanding why Ye Yiwei liked asking about his parents so much. "Just like any other family's... I guess."

Ye Yiwei's brow tightened.

So they're still alive?

But they're just like a normal family... What on earth is going on?

Even so, Ye Yiwei felt relieved. Since the whole family was safe and sound, Qiao Huan probably wouldn't be targeted for revenge or anything like that.

Stop. He was getting ahead of himself again.

"Yiwei-ge, besides vocal training, have you trained in anything else?" Qiao Huan asked calmly. "Back on Deserted Island, I noticed you were in great physical shape, and you were also good at things like first aid."

Ye Yiwei's hand trembled as he picked up a tissue, and he unconsciously touched his chest.

Qiao Huan's gaze followed at once.

!!!

He noticed what looked like a slip of paper in Ye Yiwei's breast pocket.

It looked to be the same material as the paper with the code on it.

Ye Yiwei hastily turned his head away and sighed. "I just mess around with training. I like sports."

"Oh." Qiao Huan picked up the nuts on the table, seemingly without thinking. "Want some?"

"No, thanks."

Qiao Huan casually tossed one into the air. The nut traced a graceful arc and landed in his mouth.

Then.

"Cough, cough, cough—"

Qiao Huan began coughing violently.

Ye Yiwei was startled.

Qiao Huan no longer had the strength to cough. His face was flushed red, and he kept pounding his chest, a look of pain on his face.

In a flash, Ye Yiwei reacted on instinct without needing to ask.

He went straight behind Qiao Huan, wrapped his arms around his upper body, clasped his hands over his abdomen, and **.

Qiao Huan squirmed, but Ye Yiwei was immensely strong. He restrained Qiao Huan's movements and gave another thrust.

"Pfft—"

The nut traced another arc through the air.

Qiao Huan bent over, gasping for a long while, still unable to catch his breath.

"Have some water." Ye Yiwei handed him a cup and explained awkwardly, "That was the Heimlich Maneuver. I learned it on a website before..."

Ye Yiwei hadn't expected to save Qiao Huan like this... With this experience between them, he made up his mind to ask him about Bro Buffing after tonight's performance.

He would definitely get revenge on the guy who had nearly killed him. He couldn't wait.

Seeing that Qiao Huan hadn't spoken for a while, Ye Yiwei asked, "Are you okay?"

Qiao Huan drained the cup and waved a hand.

Of course he was fine. He had kept the nut pressed under his tongue the whole time.

In those one or two seconds of close contact, he had already seen what was in Ye Yiwei's pocket.

It wasn't a slip of paper, but a photograph.

A photo of two people.

A teenage Ye Yiwei and a boy his age had their arms around each other's shoulders and were making goofy faces at the camera.

And a bright red cross had been drawn over the boy's face.

Qiao Huan suddenly felt ashamed of having just used a trick to sound Ye Yiwei out.

The photograph had faded, so it had clearly been a long time.

Ye Yiwei had brought it with him even on an occasion like today's... Could he have wanted his departed best friend to witness the stage with him?

A lot went through Qiao Huan's mind.

A commotion sounded in the hallway as the people from 402 and 403 came to hurry them along.

Their public performance was about to begin.

Ye Yiwei took a deep breath and looked at Qiao Huan. "I'm glad you're okay. We have to work twice as hard tonight."

Only if you debut will I feel assured enough to ask you about Buffing and avenge my wound!

He felt the photograph against his chest grow hot too.

That was his sworn enemy. After learning that Ye Yiwei had been stabbed by some smuggling underling, the guy had mocked him for ages. That was why Ye Yiwei had kept their only photo together on him all this time, to spur himself on!

Qiao Huan nodded solemnly. "Okay."

He would make sure Ye Yiwei performed well. His best friend and everyone else would surely see him shine!