Chapter 16  

Even the host froze for two seconds.  

Having hosted so many competitions, this was the first time he’d seen the audience screaming nonstop before the preliminary rounds even began.  

The audience below first reacted with astonishment. Some even thought the tiny “Flying Lambkin” on the big screen was an official mascot designed by the organizers to surprise them. It wasn’t until they pulled out their shopping guides and couldn’t find any matching merchandise that they reluctantly turned their attention back to the stage.  

…Was that really a contestant?  

Seizing the momentum, the host cracked a joke to draw the audience’s focus before cheerfully introducing the remaining contestants.  

Above the stage were the entrances to various caves, each marked with a number. Contestants were to proceed to their assigned cave entrance based on their registration numbers.  

With so many participants in the preliminaries, You Mi followed closely behind the person in front of him as they ascended the stone steps.  

The host had finished introducing all the contestants and began explaining the features of each cave.  

Eager to reach their assigned caves quickly, the other contestants stopped queuing in order and dashed toward their targets, taking two or three steps at a time.  

You Mi couldn’t keep up at all. Even taking one step at a time required him to run and jump, while the tall Sina Star People effortlessly overtook him. Their strides were so powerful that every time they passed him, You Mi’s hair and clothes fluttered wildly in their wake.  

Soon, You Mi fell to the very back of the group.  

As the host was about to describe his assigned cave, You Mi sprinted forward with all his might. Just before the host announced Cave No. 5, he finally stood firmly at the entrance, panting slightly as he nodded at the camera.  

Unbeknownst to him, You Mi had already become the center of attention the moment he started climbing the steps.  

The tiny, horned figure was effortlessly left behind by his competitors, only to struggle forward again—like a pitiful little lamb wobbling its way through an army of giants.  

The contrast was striking.  

When he finally made it to the cave entrance in time, even the audience couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief for him.  

In the VIP section of the audience seating, a man sat with his face completely concealed. His shadowed gaze remained fixed on You Mi’s retreating figure, unmoving.  

Not long before, Anshus had clenched his fists so hard his knuckles cracked, barely restraining the urge to rush up and carry You Mi straight to the cave entrance.  

Doing so would undoubtedly interfere with the competition.  

Meanwhile, the audience buzzed with chatter, their discussions inevitably revolving around the tiny Contestant No. 5.  

“Oh my god! That—that’s…”  

“So small! Standing among those contestants, he’s practically a lamb surrounded by wild beasts! Ahhh, someone save him!”  

“I was thinking… wouldn’t he make a much better mascot for the organizers?”  

“Stop it, he’s basically a life-sized doll, isn’t he?”  

“Hey, speaking of dolls, doesn’t he look kinda familiar…?”  

Amid the pity and amazement, however, there were also dissenting voices.  

“Pretty sure he’s just here to fill a slot.”  

“Look at how tiny he is! I’m afraid those skinny little legs will snap at the first turn!”  

“Wife! Why are you filming him so much? What’s there to film? Aren’t we here to support our son? Focus on him!”  

“…Some people seem to have forgotten—this is a cave exploration competition, not a cute creature contest!”

“What? What did you just say? Who said cute creatures are banned from competing? Oh my god, I’m filing a complaint for discrimination against cuteness!”

“…”

“Stop messing around. While smaller builds might have some advantages, they still need enough strength to climb out! Something that tiny—do they even have the stamina? Aren’t you worried they’ll get smashed or fall to their death down there?”

“Ahhh, shut up! Why would you curse him like that?”

“Who—who’s cursing anyone? I’m just objectively explaining the situation with the contestants…”

“Hey, don’t start a fight… I didn’t come here to watch boxing.”

“…”

Sitting behind this group, Kurt was practically dying from their noise.

—Kurt, a new-generation director.

Recently, he had been running all over the place with his team to scout talent from remote wastelands for his new show *It’s Okay to Be Different*, exhausting himself to the point of collapse.

The show was sponsored by Prince Joseph from the royal family. The staff on that side weren’t industry professionals—they just provided a theme, leaving the rest of the work to Kurt’s experienced reality show team.

Kurt used to be a cave-diving enthusiast himself, but after an injury forced him out of the sport, he became a spectator instead. No matter how busy he was, he’d always buy tickets to watch competitions, especially when work stress piled up—it was the perfect remedy for mental and physical fatigue.

And lately, he’d been under immense pressure.

The selection process for the Sina Star People outside the main city district wasn’t going smoothly.

Prince Joseph, who had cheerfully assigned the task, seemed completely unaware of the difficulties involved: the dangers of traveling to different regions, the exhausting effort to persuade selected candidates to come to the main city district, and then dealing with those who wanted to go home because the food didn’t suit their tastes—not to mention Jim, the secretary, who nitpicked every guest who had traveled from afar…

Even after solving all these problems, he still had to figure out how to prevent these eccentric, wildly varied guests from causing mishaps on the show and avoid production disasters…

On the other hand, the other set of guests had long been finalized: royalty, nobility, and influential figures from various industries—wealthy, powerful, or prestigious.

All handpicked by Prince Joseph’s side to create contrast.

Just yesterday, Jim had told him this show was bound to be a massive hit, with at least a few of the Sina Star guests becoming overnight stars and changing their fates… Jim urged him to give it his all, insisting they weren’t just working—they were helping these people. In short, it was practically charity!

But those words only left Kurt feeling even more drained. He knew exactly who the show’s focus was on and what kind of conflict Jim wanted.

To make Prince Joseph the hero who saved the underdogs, someone had to play the fool on screen.

The thought that some of these Sina Star People, who had come so far with dreams in their hearts, would leave bearing mockery or even infamy pained him.

Yet this was too important an opportunity to abandon over a pang of conscience. He wasn’t a saint—he, too, hoped this show would be a hit and elevate his standing in the industry…

Arriving at the competition venue, Kurt had only intended to relieve stress by watching the matches. Once it was over, he planned to focus solely on his show and put everything else out of his mind… But he never expected to find a heaven-sent guest here—  

Contestant No. 5, You Mi!  

Such a petite frame, such perfect proportions, that flawless face… Just standing there, the little one was enough to captivate everyone’s gaze!  

Truly, truly a born star’s face!  

As the competition was about to begin, Kurt, as a spectator, couldn’t interact with the contestants no matter how excited he was. The only thing he could do was film.  

Through the lens, the boy’s profile was smooth and seamless, like a piece of white porcelain. His gentle features and striking facial structure resembled a meticulously crafted doll—so perfect it seemed unreal.  

But what Kurt fixated on most at that moment were those eyes.  

Beneath thick, fan-like lashes, the dark pupils reflected his own insignificant shadow under the sunlight. It was as if You Mi was looking at him, yet also as if he were merely a blade of grass, quietly undergoing photosynthesis… His life, in that moment, radiated a serene stillness.  

Like an artist at a creative impasse finally meeting their muse, Kurt could no longer hear the chatter around him, let alone the work stress he had left behind.  

He couldn’t quite describe the feeling, only that his tense heart couldn’t help but flutter—like stumbling upon a blooming flower in the middle of a winter snowfield.  

A renewed passion for his work surged within him.  

Kurt resolved then and there—no matter what, he would invite this person to join his show.  

He had a strong premonition—his career was about to undergo a monumental change.  

…  

Meanwhile, upon hearing someone question Contestant No. 5, Anshus abruptly stood up.  

At the same time, Carl swiftly sensed the oppressive aura emanating from the Crown Prince’s direction. Fortunately, he had already anticipated Anshus’ protective instincts. To prevent the prince from revealing his true form and causing chaos, Carl immediately pulled the guards around him to their feet, initiating Plan A to contain the Crown Prince’s outburst—  

They raised glow sticks and roared at the top of their lungs: “Go No. 5! Go You Mi! Go go go! Go No. 5 You Mi…”  

In an instant, the audience and contestants all turned to look.  

The guards, now shouting along with Carl, never imagined they’d one day become a cheer squad. But once they chanted “Go You Mi!” and saw You Mi’s wide-eyed gaze turn toward them, they couldn’t stop.  

The group competed to shout the loudest, faces flushed, all to ensure the tiny contestant could see them clearly.  

The plan worked—Anshus, his expression dark, sat back down.  

Carl sighed in relief, only to notice the Crown Prince in front of him pulling out a glow stick engraved with “You Mi” from who-knows-where…  

“……”  

The organizers didn’t prohibit such behavior. After all, there were always shops selling glow sticks outside the venue, and spectators had bought them before—though usually only waving them at key moments. Rarely had a scene like today’s occurred.  

Thus, the supporters of other contestants, seeing this, immediately dropped their criticisms, fearing their own side would fall behind. They hastily followed suit, shouting the names and numbers of their loved ones to cheer them on.

For a moment, the preliminary arena of the Vitality Star Drilling was filled with waving glow sticks and banners printed with numbers, resembling a sea of flames—so grand and imposing that it surpassed the excitement of all previous major competitions!

Yet, the competition hadn’t even begun.

At the entrance of the cave tunnels, the contestants turned back in confusion, staring at the audience stands, utterly baffled by the sudden surge of enthusiasm.

Some even thought a drilling celebrity had arrived on-site, their hearts leaping with joy as they prepared to put on a stellar performance later…

Each contestant was matched with a cave tunnel suited to their physique. You Mi, the smallest of them all, was assigned the tiniest tunnel.

However, the preliminary tunnels were generally the most basic in difficulty, and no contestant had ever been injured at this stage. This round only tested speed and proficiency.

Standing before his tunnel, You Mi spotted Anshus and Carl among the crowd and waved vigorously at them. Then, as a mechanical countdown sounded, he swiftly turned around.

The competition was about to begin.

On the massive screen overhead, countless grids displayed real-time footage of all the contestants.

The audience, referees, hosts, commentators—everyone’s eyes were fixed on those grids.

The moment the countdown ended, the contestants in the screen’s grids leaped down. Some executed flashy poses, others descended with cautious precision, while a few even showed off with the most challenging techniques… After all, many weren’t first-time competitors. Some were seasoned veterans, for whom this preliminary round posed no difficulty at all, let alone nerves.

The last to set off was the tiny Contestant No. 5.

He first pressed firmly on his horns, then peeked into the tunnel before suddenly flopping down like a penguin, presenting his backside to the camera as he slid in softly…