As in previous provincial knockout stages, the further the competition progressed, the fewer spectators came to watch in person.
It wasn't that the matches weren't exciting enough. There were simply two main groups who followed high school competitions.
Either they were parents of contestants, or parents looking to learn more about high schools for their children who were still in middle school.
By the later stages of the knockout rounds, the number of contestants had dwindled sharply. The parents choosing schools for their children had already learned pretty much everything they needed from the earlier matches, so naturally, they wouldn't waste time coming later.
It was such an important competition. How could there be hardly anyone watching?
To demonstrate the government's emphasis on and attention to the competition, on the final day of the knockout stage—the provincial finals—Zhehai Province's two major satellite channels would livestream it simultaneously.
The staff from the two television stations who had hauled their equipment over expected the venue to be as deserted as usual.
But when they arrived, they were completely stunned.
The stands at Kainan Pet Beast Battle Arena were packed to capacity, and the atmosphere was as lively as that of a major event that had been promoted for months.
Once the match lineup was announced, almost everyone shouted Qiao Sang's name in unison.
Qiao Sang?
The staff sent by the two television stations were already getting on in years. As overworked office drones who went straight between home and work every day, with neither the time for entertainment nor the energy to browse trending topics, they had no idea why this student named Qiao Sang was so popular. Still, that didn't hinder their professionalism.
The staff quietly aimed their cameras at the girl named Qiao Sang and gave her a close-up.
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