Chapter 60

Wang Zhan’s fans truly thought he had lost his mind, daring to challenge 78.

He was so close to entering the finals, and he could have easily secured second place and fought for first.

The fans couldn’t understand why he was making things harder for himself at this point.

Completely unaware of the truth, the fans were feeling down.

While the fans were upset, the online community started to look at Wang Zhan in a new light.

【66666666】

【I thought Catcat would be saved until the end, but I didn’t expect the second most popular to directly challenge him.】

【Wang Zhan is really brave.】

【I love seeing scripts like this, where you face challenges head-on. What’s the point of fighting someone weaker? Challenging the strong is what makes it interesting. Wang Zhan is a real man.】

【I’m now a fan of Wang Zhan.】

【Go Wang Zhan, I hope you can make a comeback!】

In the live broadcast, many people became fans of Wang Zhan after seeing his bold move.

After all, compared to an uneventful match where someone picks a weak opponent to easily move on, people love to watch these kinds of underdog stories, where one challenges the stronger opponent.

As soon as Wang Zhan finished speaking, almost every major forum following the live stream was buzzing with news about his decision to challenge 78.

Except for his own fans, the general public was mostly praising him for his courage.

Many spectators who were just there for the drama had already started betting on the outcome.

【Top 2 in popularity is about to PK, oh my god, this is so interesting.】

【Fight, fight! Place your bets! Will the undefeated 78 successfully defend the title, or will the new king, 92, rise to the top?】

【787878, Cat is forever the god.】

【929292, 78’s style and limits seem average. Every performance is just about showing off skills, it’s getting boring. Wang Zhan can sing and dance, he’s much more versatile. I want to see the new king rise.】

【Support Wang Zhan and take down that person who doesn’t even dare show their face and hides behind a mascot costume. Wang Zhan is handsome, can sing and dance, and is all-around talented. It’s impossible for him not to take first place.】

【Please, just enjoy the drama. Don’t make subtle digs at others. What do you mean ‘average limits’? After just two performances, you already know what their limits are?】

【My Cat hasn’t wronged anyone. Who decided that you can’t participate in a mascot costume?】

Some people are born to be the center of attention.

No matter what started the debate, the audience’s discussions seemed to always circle back to the most popular contestant, Su Xingyao.

Even if it was negative.

Su Xingyao’s fans were speechless at this smear campaign.

After confronting the haters, they realized that the host had just read out 78.

At that moment, just as Wang Zhan had gained some attention for choosing to challenge 78, he was immediately forgotten.

The live stream’s bullet comments quickly changed direction and were immediately flooded with messages like:

【What mascot costume will Cat wear today?!】

The audience on site, like the online viewers, all looked towards the stage, wondering what Cat would be wearing today.

Soon, a little fox with a fluffy tail appeared from backstage.

The moment the little fox appeared, the audience, living up to expectations, was once again overwhelmed with a mix of surprise and cuteness at the unexpected yet incredibly adorable costume.

【It’s actually a little fox, ahhh!】

【Such an unexpected animal costume, but why is it that Catcat can make every animal costume look so cute?】

【Last time, I couldn’t even get the sunset dog costume, and now there’s a new little fox!】

【Pre-ordering this popular mascot costume!】

【That tail looks so great to rub!!】

【I would lose ten pounds just to rub the little fox’s tail once!】

While the audience was still envious, the host, already in prime position, quickly rubbed the laughing fox’s tail.

“Mr. Cat mascot costume today is a little fox~,” the host said, proudly showing off to the audience.

“My daughter watches our live stream every episode, but after watching, she always asks me to buy her a Mr. Cat mascot costume.”

He smiled. “Before, I’d buy the fake ones, but today I finally got to touch the real deal.”

After making the fans envious, the host quickly changed the topic, not daring to stir up any more jealousy.

“Mr. Cat, does today’s mascot costume have a name?”

Previous costumes, like the Coral Cat and Sunset Dog, had names, so the host was curious to know what the little fox would be called today.

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

Caught off guard by the question, Su Xingyao smiled lightly.

“Actually… I haven’t thought of a specific name…”

The previous ones had names because there were corresponding animals at home.

This little fox was suggested by Lu Jiuxu, so he couldn’t exactly name it after Lu Jiuxu, could he?

As Su Xingyao was thinking, the host’s slightly disappointed voice rang out. “It doesn’t have a name? That’s a shame.”

It was indeed a bit unfortunate that the mascot costume inspired by Lu Jiuxu didn’t have a name.

Thinking about it, Su Xingyao spoke again.

“But actually, it could have one.”

After reflecting on the conversation they had that night, a name suddenly popped into Su Xingyao’s mind.

“Let’s call it Star Fox.”

The host immediately responded after hearing the name, “Oh? Star Fox? Is there a story behind this name Mr. Cat?”

Su Xingyao smiled, “Because at that time, I didn’t have any inspiration, and a friend helped me think of the little fox.”

After pausing for a moment, he continued, “He said he liked little foxes.”

The host nodded after hearing the origin of the little fox but still seemed a bit puzzled, “Is Star the name of your friend?”

“No,” Su Xingyao denied the guess.

“Star is because, that night, he invited me to go stargazing…”

But he didn’t go.

Su Xingyao didn’t mention the outcome of what happened afterward.

Just as he finished speaking, the bullet comments went crazy.

【What a friendship to envy】

【Ahhh, I want to be Catcat’s friend too】

【I like little lambs, Catcat, design one for me】

【Well… I know it’s a strange focus, but does anyone else think stargazing sounds kind of romantic (don’t mind me)】

【You’re not! Going stargazing with Catcat… ahhh (don’t mind me either)】

Unaware that his words had sent fans into a frenzy, Su Xingyao followed the host to Wang Zhan’s side.

The two stood side by side, and everyone’s attention shifted back to the PK between them.

Although there wasn’t yet any intense atmosphere between them, everyone knew this was a life-and-death battle.

After all, the two most popular contestants on “The Voice of Heaven”—whoever loses in this round will go home directly.

Su Xingyao, with his headgear on, hid his expression, so the audience had to focus on Wang Zhan instead.

They found that Wang Zhan appeared surprisingly relaxed and confident, even taking the time to interact with the audience.

This made everyone curious.

Was Wang Zhan really not nervous?

“Alright, before the PK performance begins, let’s stick to the usual routine and first take a look at who the two contestants least want to face, according to a survey conducted a few days ago,” the host said.

Previously, the production team had everyone fill out a survey about which opponent they most didn’t want to face. Today, each contestant would open their envelope and reveal the answer when it was their turn to perform.

The selected contestants would open their envelopes in order.

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

Earlier, five pairs of contestants had already competed, and their answers were revealed.

After watching, the audience noticed that 78 was the most frequent name appearing.

Out of ten people, seven had written that they didn’t want to face him.

The contestant, who is feared by everyone, is now on stage.

The audience is also curious about who he doesn’t want to face.

Soon, the little fox skillfully opened the envelope with both hands.

On Su Xingyao’s card, the number written was 77.

【I thought Catcat would choose Wang Zhan】

【With Catcat’s abilities, how could he be afraid of Wang Zhan?】

【But 77, I’m not surprised at all, haha, Catcat doesn’t want to go up against his good friend, hehe】

【Just now, 77 also wrote 78, laughing to death】

【77 & 78 mutually voted for each other, what a revolutionary friendship with a double direction, I’ll ship it for respect】

【Give it up, shou-shou romance has no future】

【Hmm? ^[1]“Shou-shou romance” (受受恋) refers to a type of relationship dynamic often found in Chinese BL (Boys’ Love) fiction. It involves a “shou” (受), which is the passive … Continue readingShou-shou romance??】

After Su Xingyao’s choice was revealed, it was time for Wang Zhan to announce his.

Wang Zhan took the envelope handed to him by the staff, and his expression clearly changed for a moment.

However, the host didn’t notice and immediately asked, “92, who did you write?”

Wang Zhan didn’t answer, just giving an awkward smile.

Because Wang Zhan had shown such boldness when he chose 78 earlier, everyone had almost assumed that, even if other contestants had all chosen 78, he definitely wouldn’t.

But to everyone’s surprise, the answer was unexpected.

The number Wang Zhan had written was, in fact, 78.

Such contradictions between his actions and his choice instantly confused the viewers.

【Wang Zhan doesn’t want to face 78??】

【If he doesn’t want to face him, why did he choose Catcat in this round?】

Fans quickly stepped in to offer explanations.

【Don’t use ordinary logic to think about these strong contestants, many people actually like to challenge those better than themselves】

【So Wang Zhan really is quite courageous】

【My favorability for Wang Zhan just skyrocketed】

While the audience and fans were speculating and interpreting Wang Zhan’s choice, he, on stage, wished he could travel back and stop himself from writing 78.

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

He naturally didn’t know he would have such a great opportunity to counter the opponent later.

Because he had previously built a “solo beauty” persona, Wang Zhan couldn’t beat 78, so the company had planned a new route for him, hoping he could try out the popular CP route that everyone was currently into.

He was already ranked second in popularity, and collaborating with someone with lower popularity would only drain him.

So, in order to build his brand, he had to tie himself to someone more popular than himself.

Thus, he worked hard to create a sense of fateful admiration with the skilled contestant, 78.

After writing down the opponent’s name, he even grandly spoke to the camera about how he admired the opponent and how he didn’t want to face them…

He hadn’t even had a chance to market it yet when a bigger opportunity unexpectedly fell into his lap.

Thinking about this, Wang Zhan couldn’t help but regret that he had started the publicity too early.

But compared to winning over his opponent and taking first place, Wang Zhan quickly decided that it wasn’t such a big deal.

After winning, the company’s PR team and his fans would automatically justify all his actions.

So, after a brief moment of frustration, Wang Zhan regained his confidence and didn’t forget to make a comeback for himself.

“Although they’re the one I didn’t want to face the most, they’re actually also the one I’ve always wanted to face the most.”

Wang Zhan’s words had an immediate impact.

After he finished, the audience erupted in loud cheers.

His fans on-site were particularly moved, continuously shouting, “Go, 92! You will definitely be the champion!”

Once both contestants were on stage, the host asked them to exchange some tough words with each other.

Wang Zhan, standing two meters away from Su Xingyao, looked at him with confidence and loudly declared, “78, although you’re very strong…”

“But!”

He clenched his fist and thumped his chest, determined.

“First place, it will definitely be mine!”

The competition was all about the atmosphere.

Although Wang Zhan’s bold words sounded a bit childish, they came across as passionate and filled with energy to his fans.

Fans and the audience were excited after hearing his declaration.

After Wang Zhan’s one-sided declaration of war, the audience quickly shifted their focus to Su Xingyao, eager to see how he would respond to the provocation.

But their styles were clearly different.

Su Xingyao simply nodded calmly, then lightly responded, “Leave it to the audience.”

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

A simple five-word response, not as reckless and arrogant as Wang Zhan’s, but it was confident and composed enough.

After the tough words were exchanged, it was time for Wang Zhan to perform.

He curved his lips into a smile and slyly glanced at Su Xingyao.

It was the look of someone who was certain they would win.

The competition hadn’t even started, yet it seemed like he was already the champion of the night.

Soon, the big screen showed the song Wang Zhan would be performing — “Beloved.”

After seeing the song, Wang Zhan’s fans let out a slight sigh of relief.

Soon, Wang Zhan confidently took the stage with a microphone.

As his fans had predicted, the song seemed custom-made for him, perfectly matching his style.

The genre was his specialty, and the vocal range was his comfort zone.

During the performance, the atmosphere with the audience was exceptionally good.

After all, the final result was partly determined by the audience’s votes.

Wang Zhan’s song was an absolute weapon for gaining points from the audience.

Wang Zhan and the company, of course, knew this.

In order to ensure that he could gain as many votes as possible on stage, not only was his makeup and styling meticulously done for this episode, but he had also specially hired a dance teacher to choreograph a routine for him.

To highlight his talent and scholarly persona, the company even had several top experts work overnight to help him revise the lyrics and music.

The collective wisdom of an entire team was put into Wang Zhan’s performance today, and it naturally left the audience stunned.

Seeing the audience’s reaction, Wang Zhan, very satisfied after his performance, caught his breath and waved at his fans in the audience.

“This song was arranged by me,” he said shamelessly.

“This is the first time I’ve tried to arrange a song in such a short amount of time, and I was a bit nervous. But anyway, I hope you all like it.”

After speaking the untruth with his eyes wide open, Wang Zhan cast a subtle glance toward Su Xingyao’s direction, with implied meaning.

“Please support me. I did my best!”

As soon as Wang Zhan said this, his fans and the company’s online supporters immediately praised him to the heavens.

【Arranging lyrics and music in such a short time and choreographing the dance so well, he’s truly multi-talented.】

【Although I love Catcat too, I somehow really want Wang Zhan to win this round. He really worked hard.】

【Effort and courage, I really love this young man.】

【Wang Zhan’s performance tonight was amazing. I unilaterally declare Wang Zhan the top 1 tonight.】

【To be honest, now I understand why he dared to choose Catcat. With this stage presence and strength, he really has the confidence.】

【I just don’t know what Catcat will perform. This song of Wang Zhan’s is so explosive, I’m a little worried for him.】

【They’re doing an internet song, but internet songs are usually of mediocre quality. Wang Zhan is so amazing, if Catcat can’t bring something even more impressive, it feels like they’ll be eliminated…】

【Eliminated +1. Although his last performance was great, if he only knows how to sing, it might get a bit monotonous.】

After Wang Zhan’s performance, many people began to build up the narrative against Su Xingyao, prematurely starting to criticize him.

Because it was a PK, fans would naturally say there was nothing special about the opponent.

But before the performance even started, the negativity began flooding in.

Su Xingyao’s fans could faintly sense that something wasn’t right.

【He hasn’t even started singing yet, there’s no need to start bringing him down ahead of time.】

【Catcat’s strength is impressive too, okay? Are we not going to wait for their performance?】

【Hold on, don’t make it seem like Wang Zhan has already won.】

After the fans exchanged a few words, they realized that the other group of people was just continuing to talk among themselves in a similar manner.

Once they realized these people might be fake accounts, the fans decided to stop arguing and just focused on watching the screen.

Because the production team had already switched the camera to Su Xingyao and was about to announce his song choice.

Before Su Xingyao took the stage, several contestants from the Shengyan group had already performed.

From this, everyone knew that, due to the rules of the competition, their group had been assigned the internet song section by other groups.

The style of these songs naturally has a disadvantage, so the overall performance of the Shengyan group this time was slightly worse than the other three groups.

Given this context, many people were curious about which internet song No. 78 had chosen.

The style of internet songs was completely different from Su Xingyao’s usual music, so everyone was very curious to see how he would interpret the song after choosing it.

Before the second contestant began performing, there was a segment where the judges spoke.

After watching Wang Zhan’s performance, a few music critics started their commentary.

“Contestant No. 92’s performance has raised my expectations quite a bit, and I’m very curious to see what kind of performance this legendary, even stronger contestant will bring next.”

“I don’t know what No. 78 is feeling right now, but after No. 92’s performance, the pressure to perform should be pretty big.”

For the sake of the show, a few music critics subtly downplayed Su Xingyao.

While they were speaking, the predictions on the big screen also changed.

This prediction was part of the music critics’ betting segment created by the show.

The rules were simple: the ten music critics could freely choose the contestants they supported, and they were allowed to switch their support at any time.

Before Wang Zhan performed, Su Xingyao had the support of six critics, while Wang Zhan had four.

But after Wang Zhan’s performance, the two critics who had supported Su Xingyao switched their support to Wang Zhan.

These critics had always been fickle, and the audience hadn’t taken their predictions seriously.

However, when the big screen previewed the song Su Xingyao would perform, three more critics switched their support.

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

【92: “Beloved” vs 78: “Mist”】

When the song name “Mist” appeared on the screen, all the audience felt a little stunned.

Viewers who had no idea what was going on immediately blew up on the internet.

【“Mist”?】

【Isn’t that the cheesy, garbage song “Mist”?】

【Oh my god, the lyrics are so low—how is Catcat going to sing this…】

【Catcat, why did you pick this song?】

【No matter how good your singing skills are, you can’t overcome a terrible song! Catcat, what were you thinking!】

【Don’t even think about showing off your skills with this kind of song… how can you even show off?】

As soon as the song was revealed, everyone almost immediately started questioning Su Xingyao.

Wang Zhan’s fans, who had been worried that their idol might get eliminated, suddenly perked up when they saw Su Xingyao’s song choice.

【I feel like my guy might actually win this round…】

【What’s up with No. 78? Weren’t they supposed to have good taste? Why choose this kind of song?】

【Can I celebrate my brother winning first place now?】

【Stay humble, stay humble.】

Due to the addition of guest judges, the program’s duration was stretched.

The production team had to shorten the time for contestant VCRs, so only their song selection segments were shown, while the full highlight reel would be aired in the next episode.

This time compression caused the audience to be completely unaware of the song selection rules.

And, coincidentally, none of the previous contestants had been given such a blatantly terrible vote as Su Xingyao.

Therefore, the songs they performed were chosen from a selection of songs within their style, based on dance scores.

This information gap led to the audience mistakenly thinking that Su Xingyao had chosen the song himself.

Many people found it difficult to accept this choice.

【Unless it was unavoidable, I really can’t understand…】

【Even if you’re strong, you can’t just pick something like this…】

【Is it because you thought you had first place locked and just decided to play around? You didn’t realize how prepared Wang Zhan was, huh…】

【Wuwuwu, it feels like Catcat is in danger!】

Amidst the overwhelming doubts from the audience, Su Xingyao’s 30-second VCR was shown on the big screen.

Then everyone realized that he wasn’t able to vote or choose his song.

His song had been pre-selected for him!

The contestant himself had no say in it at all!

When this was revealed, the audience’s curiosity was piqued.

However, since the VCR only showed the contestant’s personal footage and did not reveal who cast the votes for him, no matter how curious the audience was, they couldn’t learn the truth.

After realizing this, the audience’s anger turned to sympathy.

【This is too cruel… being forced to sing this kind of meaningless pop song.】

【I knew Catcat couldn’t have been this confused.】

【Why can other contestants choose their songs, but Catcat can’t? Did he have no choice because he was left until the end?】

【Program team, you really know how to tease us. I’m definitely watching next episode, but can you tell us the truth first?】

【What should I do? I’m really worried about Catcat. Unless some miracle happens and the lyrics and music are completely rewritten, even the King of Kings couldn’t save this song.】

Su Xingyao’s fans were on the verge of tears.

They weren’t upset about losing, nor were they unable to accept defeat, but if he lost because of external factors in such an unfair way, anyone would feel dissatisfied.

Just as the fans were getting anxious, other audience members suddenly realized something.

【No wonder Wang Zhan was so confident picking No. 78, he must have known the song was bad from the start.】

【So it wasn’t about challenging a strong opponent, but rather, he knew the song was bad and had bad intentions.】

【So that’s the reason, a bit disappointing.】

Wang Zhan’s fans saw the negative reactions and quickly jumped in to defend him.

【This is a competition, it’s normal to try to eliminate the number one to take their place.】

【Wanting to be first isn’t shameful, it’s just a reasonable strategy.】

【And it has nothing to do with the song’s quality. Everyone knows No. 78’s song, so why did no one choose him earlier?】

【Exactly, you fans are too insecure. What if your idol performs unexpectedly well and nails the song?】

As Wang Zhan’s fans gleefully rationalized the situation, pretending to justify everything, the lights on stage suddenly dimmed.

The audience looked at the stage and saw mist gradually filling the area.

Before long, the entire stage was enveloped in thick fog.

After a few eerie flashes of dark light, a clear, crisp winding sound rang out.

The winding sound echoed three times, and then a hauntingly beautiful music box began playing a classical piece.

Some fans recognized it. 【It’s “Lapiscolo”!】

The melody played for only a few seconds.

Soon, the music from the once-beautiful music box suddenly distorted, breaking into a disjointed and fractured tune.

In the darkened venue, with such eerie music in their ears, goosebumps instantly rose on all the audience members.

Those who were slower to react, still waiting to hear Su Xingyao sing a popular song, didn’t even realize that this was the prelude to “Mist,” but now adapted…

The music box’s sound grew faint, as if it were running out of life.

When the last note faded, it was replaced by the sound of an old door creaking open.

Then, a piano piece began to play.

It was as though a classical melody, aged by the passage of time, echoed throughout the entire venue.

Solemn, dignified, yet… strangely eerie.

In the piano piece, there was also a strange, off-key chant, faintly accompanying the melody.

It seemed like an opera singer was performing.

But it also seemed… like someone was screaming in despair.

Ten seconds later, intense drumbeats and guitar sounds joined the eerie melody, and the chant abruptly stopped.

The sound of breaking porcelain shattered the silence.

A woman’s scream became clearer, as if she had suddenly seen something terrifying.

On the empty stage, under the dim lights, Su Xingyao’s voice appeared amid the swirling smoke.

“Open your eyes, classical music in your ears”

“Push the door, a misty world before your eyes”

“Backlit, your silhouette quietly appears”

“Following you, yet I get lost in the faint morning light”

Su Xingyao’s singing was unlike any before.

It was ethereal and clear, yet it felt as if it was soaked in cold air, and a suffocating, oppressive atmosphere began to spread across the venue.

Su Xingyao’s voice brought the audience back to reality.

After hearing these four familiar yet unfamiliar lines, a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes.

Their gazes locked firmly on the little fox on stage, and they were so excited that their hands began to tremble.

【“Mist” is actually “Mist“!!!】

【Oh my god, I thought the director had cut to the wrong song just now, I was wondering why I’d never heard such an amazing prelude before.】

【Oh my god, is this really the same “Mist” that was so bad and cheesy?】

【Wuwuwu, this prelude’s atmosphere is absolutely perfect!!!】

【It feels like I’m watching a movie, even though I’m listening to a song.】

It’s no wonder the audience was so shocked.

The adaptation of Su Xingyao’s song, with just the first 20 seconds of the prelude, immediately elevated the entire song’s dark and suspenseful atmosphere.

In this mood, paired with the lyrics, the audience began to imagine the scene in their minds.

A person who had lost their memory suddenly wakes up in an empty, desolate castle. They need to find someone who is very important to them.

With the eerie music playing, they leave the castle, only to find themselves in a place called the Misty Forest.

They continue searching through the swirling smoke.

They find many traces left by the other person.

This makes them even more certain of the direction they are searching.

However, as they follow these clues, they also uncover many shared memories between themselves and the other person.

They had been in a romantic relationship.

But now, the other person had disappeared into this mysterious forest.

“The Misty Forest under the moonlight, everything before my eyes turns into an illusion.”

“You watch me gently from the corner, yet I can’t grasp any clues.”

During the climax of the song, Su Xingyao changed his vocal style again.

Standing on stage, the little fox seemed like the best opera singer.

The elegant and magnificent voice, coming through the puppet costume, was wrapped in thick mist.

Confusion, bewilderment, helplessness…

It eventually evolved into a faint sadness.

The strong emotions were contagious to all the listeners.

The audience, like the protagonist of the song, felt the same.

Obviously, the truth was right in front of them, but all the clues turned into vague, indistinct illusions.

Every time they were close to solving the mystery, everything seemed in vain.

All the puzzles felt like this never-ending misty forest.

After a strange melody, another sound of shattering appeared in the song’s BGM.

This time, however, it was the sound of a mirror breaking.

The sorrowful female voice then echoed again.

After the agitation, the piano’s quiet melody played.

The person on stage gently sang.

“I walked out of the Misty Forest, the lost memories have finally been awakened.”

“The you I’ve been searching for, have long since left me.”

At the end of the story, the protagonist shattered the mirror maze that had trapped them.

In that moment, they finally remembered.

Their lover had already died long ago.

Killed by their own hands.

With the shattered pieces of the mirror.

“Zii…”

After the soothing piano, there was the sound of a door being pushed open.

The entire world became silent at that moment.

Everything settled.

The smoke on the stage dissipated, and the bright lights once again illuminated the stage.

When the audience finally took a good look at the little fox costume, they snapped back to reality.

“Ahhhhhh!”

Amidst the screams from the audience, viewers watching online flooded the screen with comments.

【So cool, so cool, so cool, so cool】

【This song has such a strong visual sense, I feel like I’m watching a suspense movie】

【So this man killed his wife, right?】

【Yes, yes, yes, the way this song was adapted is so dark, so mysterious, so awesome, I love it】

【The original was a cheesy breakup song, but the little fox turned it into a dark, suspenseful thriller】

【I can listen to the opera-like part that the little fox sang a thousand times, it’s so beautiful】

【Little fox, you can sing opera too】

【Oh my god, who was it that kept saying the little fox can’t sing? This is amazing!】

【Honestly, I was covered in goosebumps listening to it, I was so shocked】

At first, when everyone saw Su Xingyao choose “Mist,” they didn’t have high expectations for his stage performance.

Although many fans firmly believed in him, most people thought it would be almost impossible to make this song stand out.

However, no one expected that Su Xingyao really did make this song shine.

Not only did he sing it beautifully, but the arrangement and lyrical changes made everyone’s scalp tingle.

While ordinary people focus on traditional singing and dancing, he has already combined the voice with the visuals.

【If this song is released as a single, I’m definitely going to buy it】

【The sense of storytelling is too strong】

【I didn’t realize a song could have such strong imagery, it’s amazing】

【Good arrangement, lyrics, and vocal skills really give a song new life, even if it was once considered cheesy or lowbrow】

【Ugh, the little fox’s stage performances never disappoint me】

【No exaggeration, while listening to the song, I even started trying to figure out the mystery… and then I broke out in cold sweat when I realized I was the killer】

【Ahhhh, who did the arrangement for this song? The melody was transformed from a cheesy pop song into something unreachable for ordinary people】

【I’m really curious about these lyrics, the lyricists are so talented. I just compared the original lyrics, and the version sung by the little fox didn’t change much at all, just swapped out a word or two per line, yet 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 part in the intro? It played the melody of “Rhapsody in Blue.” This classical music tells the story of a husband who kills his wife, then develops a delusion that she was kidnapped by a mysterious person, and he goes off alone to rescue her】

【Holy crap!!! I thought that part was just thrown in to set the mood, but it turns out it was foreshadowing the whole story??】

【Oh my god, who did this divine adaptation? I’m absolutely blown away!】

While netizens were digging into every detail of the song, Su Xingyao had already positioned himself at the center of the stage after finishing his performance.

Unnoticed by everyone, ten music critics had already silently switched sides and all jumped over to Su Xingyao’s side.

Wang Zhan, standing nearby, looked far from just displeased—his expression was beyond that.

He knew contestant No. 78 was strong, but he hadn’t expected him to be this strong.

Wang Zhan dared to choose Su Xingyao for the challenge, knowing that no ordinary person could handle the song “Mist” in such a short time.

After all, a trashy song like that, even someone with a big company backing them, could never manage to make it stand out in such a short time.

But who would have thought that in just two and a half days, Su Xingyao had managed to turn this song into something incredible?

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

For a moment, he almost lost his balance and mentally cursed himself for being so foolish.

Had he not chosen No. 78, he would have securely made it to the finals, comfortably settling for second place.

But now…

He might not even make it to the top twelve nationwide.

Wang Zhan almost gagged right there on the spot.

He couldn’t accept the reality that he was about to be eliminated.

So, when the host invited him on stage, he couldn’t help but grab the microphone and urgently ask Su Xingyao.

“How did you do it?”

Wang Zhan’s incredulous voice echoed across the stage, his tone filled with disbelief.

“Who helped you with the arrangement of this song?”

He was unwilling, so unwilling.

The program rules stated that only the contestants, mentors, or the show’s team were allowed to assist with arrangements, and outside help was strictly forbidden.

But since Wang Zhan had secretly broken the rules himself, he was now doubting whether Su Xingyao had also secretly gotten a team to help him cheat.

When people are desperate, they’ll grab onto anything that could save them.

Even though he knew he shouldn’t be saying this, Wang Zhan couldn’t control his emotions.

Getting Su Xingyao to admit to breaking the rules was his only chance to turn things around.

In the face of Wang Zhan’s increasingly frantic questioning, Su Xingyao merely responded calmly.

“No one helped me. I arranged it myself.”

Wang Zhan didn’t believe him. “Impossible! I had to ask for help with the arrangement…”

In his panic, he almost revealed his own rule-breaking, but the last bit of rationality stopped him from saying anything further.

“What I mean is, it took me a long time to arrange my song, which was much easier… How could you finish such a complicated song in two days?”

Su Xingyao glanced at him and still replied indifferently, “Hmm, I recorded a video.”

The four words “I recorded a video” were more effective than any explanation.

But Wang Zhan, who was already on the verge of collapse, still couldn’t listen to anything.

He had wanted to ask the program team if it was true, but before he could, Su Xingyao’s mentor, Sheng Yan, spoke up.

“I can vouch for it. No. 78 arranged and wrote the lyrics himself. The last song we performed, the lyrics and arrangement were also his. He has the ability, I’ve witnessed it with my own eyes.”

With the mentor publicly supporting Su Xingyao, Wang Zhan had no more room to question.

Wang Zhan was left speechless, while the music critics were excitedly talking non-stop.

One of them was Liang Li, who had been ruthlessly criticized by the audience for his sharp tongue.

This critical music critic, in front of Su Xingyao, was acting completely differently, with a warm and friendly expression.

“You arranged the music yourself, what about the lyrics? Did you modify those yourself too?”

Su Xingyao: “Yes.”

Liang Li’s eyes lit up.

“No. 78, you’re a genius!!”

After praising Su Xingyao in an exaggerated manner, he continued, “This dark style of music is rare in the industry now, since it’s so difficult.”

“But you did it so well, it’s captivating.”

Liang Li didn’t stop there, continuing to shower him with praise.

“You are the best musician I’ve seen this year, without a doubt. To be honest, I’m really looking forward to your original album.”

Another music critic nodded in agreement.

“I think the role of a singer is too narrow for you. With your level, you could totally be a songwriter and composer.”

For the next few minutes, the audience watched as the music critics eagerly took turns grabbing the microphone to shower Su Xingyao with compliments.

【Wow, these music critics are praising more enthusiastically than fans.】

【They really like Catcat, after all, great works are hard to come by.】

【Which family’s cat is so talented, singing, arranging, and writing lyrics~】

【My son is really making it, sobbing.】

【You might not believe it, but my cat turned a “hit song” into a true masterpiece in just two and a half days, handling the lyrics and arrangement all by himself!】

【Certified by Mentor Sheng himself, the last performance was also arranged by him. No wonder it sounded so good.】

【Catcat is really amazing, woooo.】

【Who was the one saying Catcat’s potential was limited earlier? Getting slapped in the face?】

【Thinking back to those who were constantly putting Catcat down, it’s so funny.】

【Did anyone else notice how Wang Zhan cracked under pressure just now?】

【He’s subtly insinuating Catcat cheated, but Catcat didn’t, haha.】

【He probably never imagined in his wildest dreams that Catcat could turn this song into something so amazing.】

【Realizing he’s about to be eliminated, and he’s completely lost his composure, can’t handle losing, really.】

【I’ve been holding this in, but the reason Wang Zhan dared to pick Catcat was that he thought the song wouldn’t be good. He thought he could knock him out by choosing a bad song, but who knew he’d crash and burn.】

【It’s honestly kind of funny.】

As the audience laughed at Wang Zhan’s misfortune, the audience and music critics began voting.

One vote from a critic counted as ten, and there were five hundred audience votes, making a total of six hundred votes.

Out of these six hundred votes, five hundred and fifty-four went to Su Xingyao.

Meanwhile, Wang Zhan, who had been so confident in challenging Su Xingyao, received fewer votes than Su Xingyao’s decimal place.

The funniest part was the music critics’ votes.

Wang Zhan’s vote count was zero.

At this point in the competition, Wang Zhan was the first contestant to receive a zero from the critics.

【Hahahaha, it’s a bit tragic.】

【He was so confident before, now look at how pathetic his votes are.】

【Laughing to death, serves you right for having impure intentions from the start.】

【But honestly, Catcat is amazing. If it were anyone else, they would have been eliminated immediately.】

As the netizens mocked Wang Zhan, Liang Li, one of the critics, took the opportunity to rub salt in his wound while voting.

“Number 92, your performance was good today, but unfortunately, you picked the wrong opponent.”

You picked the wrong opponent…

Each word felt like a heavy slap on Wang Zhan’s face.

If only he had chosen someone else…

If only No. 78 weren’t so strong…

Below the stage, Wang Zhan’s manager had already fainted from the shock.

Wang Zhan, facing the result, was too angry to say anything, his eyes red with frustration.

There’s no such thing as a pill for regret, and his bright future had been ruined in a single moment of poor judgment.

According to international competition etiquette, the winning side must go and hug the eliminated opponent.

Su Xingyao walked up to Wang Zhan and extended his hands in a friendly gesture.

But Wang Zhan turned his back and rejected it.

Although he didn’t say a word, his entire body radiated resistance and hostility toward Su Xingyao.

The audience couldn’t tolerate such impoliteness.

【What’s with the attitude toward Catcat?】

【Can’t even match up to others’ skills and still has the nerve to cry?】

【You made the choice yourself, it wasn’t Catcat who chose you, how dare you give him the cold shoulder?】

At first, the audience was all criticizing Wang Zhan for his inability to accept defeat.

But then, something even more ridiculous happened.

【I just got off work and came late, didn’t Wang Zhan win? Why is he crying?】

【??? Sis, you didn’t watch the show, Catcat won.】

【??? Didn’t the marketing accounts post about Wang Zhan advancing smoothly?】

【Huh???】

When they heard this absurd news, at first, everyone thought the person who came late was mistaken.

But when the netizens started searching, they found that several marketing accounts had indeed posted congratulatory messages about Wang Zhan advancing at the same time.

And these marketing accounts were closely associated with Wang Zhan’s company.

【Did Wang Zhan’s team not communicate with the marketing accounts? You got eliminated!】

【What kind of confusing behavior is this, buying your own promotion articles in advance? So confident?】

【Fam, I even found a Weibo post saying ‘Wang Zhan defeated his rival Catcat, the champion of the finals will definitely be him’… This is just too funny.】

【This move to pull others down is really impressive.】

【Wang Zhan, how confident were you to think you could definitely beat Catcat, buying so many promotion articles this early?】

【Probably just the confidence his bros gave him.】

【Bros? What did I miss?】

【Here’s the link to Catcat’s latest behind-the-scenes footage.】

The show had already aired for an hour by now.

According to the usual pattern, the program would start showing behind-the-scenes footage of the contestants at this point.

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

But because of the song selection issue, many viewers were upset and thought the show’s producers were intervening, trying to push him out, which caused the official Weibo to be heavily criticized.

The production team, feeling wronged, decided to release Su Xingyao’s footage early.

After watching the footage, the audience finally understood how Su Xingyao ended up choosing this song.

【The four of them grouped together and gave Catcat the worst song, typical Wang Zhan.】

【The funniest part is that even if his bros gave him the best song, he still couldn’t beat Catcat.】

【Turns out the person he least wanted to face was No. 78, yet he chose them. The mystery is finally solved, no wonder it was so contradictory, tsk tsk.】

【He boldly picked No. 78 to be eliminated, and even started plotting to kick him out when voting for the song.】

【Before, everyone was hyping up Wang Zhan’s underdog story. Now, I wonder if he feels any shame.】

【This song is so trash, if it weren’t for Catcat’s divine revisions and arrangements, he’d be the one eliminated today, is Wang Zhan shameless or what?】

【So how does he have the nerve to cry? Didn’t he bring this on himself and deserve to be eliminated?】

【Take back everything I said about you before, you’re just a coward.】

【He tried so many tricks but still couldn’t beat him, Wang Zhan, stop embarrassing yourself and get off the stage.】

【I have no sympathy for him anymore, I just want to say, he deserves it.】

【Wang Zhan is a perfect example of what clownish behavior looks like.】

After all, he was eliminated in second place, and many viewers felt a sense of regret.

But now, seeing him throw a tantrum and refuse to embrace others, while secretly sabotaging a stronger competitor, all the sympathy the audience might have had has completely vanished.

Now, watching Wang Zhan be eliminated, viewers purely think he brought it upon himself.

On his real-time Weibo feed, those viewers he had deceived were now turning on him and cursing him out.

Wang Zhan couldn’t accept the reality and the disappointment of being eliminated, standing on stage and refusing to leave.

The host tried for a long time to get him to move, but in the end, they had no choice but to proceed to the next segment.

The host handed the clearance card to Su Xingyao and then announced something even more exciting.

“Number 78, you’ve successfully advanced.”

“Now, according to the rules of our show, it’s time for you to reveal your identity as a contestant.”

After saying that, the host handed him the envelope representing Su Xingyao’s contestant identity.

“I’m sure many, many viewers, just like me, are really curious about who you are.”

“So, audience… are you ready?”

As soon as the host finished speaking, intense screams erupted from the crowd.

Viewers watching online were also frantically spamming the screen.

After waiting so long, everyone was finally going to find out who contestant number 78 was.

Though it wasn’t the finals, this was already one of the most anticipated segments of The Voice of Heaven.

【Ahhhhhh, Catcat, my dear child!】

【Mom will finally know who you are tonight!】

【I’m so nervous!】

【My hands are shaking!】

The audience and fans were on edge.

Similarly, as Su Xingyao prepared to reveal his identity, Fu Qingyan couldn’t help but feel a wave of anxiety.

He had a feeling that he should know who contestant 78 was.

“Come on, Cat, please open your card…”

At the host’s cue, everyone’s gaze was fixed firmly on the card.

Fu Qingyan’s heart felt like it was being clenched at that moment.

“Three”

“Two”

“One”

—

As the host’s voice fell, Su Xingyao opened the envelope with his contest identity that he had written himself.

He then turned the card around.

After seeing the name on it, Fu Qingyan, who had been about to speak into the microphone, silently lowered it.

LostTide

A name he had never heard of before.

Fu Qingyan didn’t say anything, but after seeing the contest identity Su Xingyao revealed, Xu Beizhou could no longer sit still.

He immediately unmuted his microphone and urgently asked Su Xingyao, “Are you sure you’re LostTide?”

This question was a bit strange, but Su Xingyao still nodded at him, “Yes, I’m sure.”

Xu Beizhou seemed to not fully believe it and repeatedly confirmed with Su Xingyao several more times.

Xu Beizhou’s face was dark, and he continued pressing the issue.

Not only Su Xingyao, but the audience also sensed that something was wrong.

Just as everyone was wondering what was going on with Xu Beizhou, they suddenly heard him speak very seriously to Su Xingyao.

“If that’s the case, then I’m sorry, but I can’t let you pass this round.”

“Please explain to me why the melody of your song is so similar to Misssu’s?”