Chapter 22: The Official Commencement!

"President Ning, I strongly oppose Wang Tianqi participating in the show!" Wu Fan said angrily.

Was this a joke? He was a top celebrity, expected to compete on the same stage as a mere bar singer? How could he not feel humiliated by such an arrangement?

Ning Cai only looked at Wu Fan with a calm indifference. "Whether Wang Tianqi competes or not has nothing to do with you. If you don't want to go on stage, you can withdraw right now."

She had no intention of indulging anyone, regardless of whether they were a trending star or a music king or queen.

Wu Fan's breath caught in his chest. He had already announced his participation in the show on his social media and short video accounts. His fan club and groups had prepared for this day long ago; some wealthy fans had even chartered several buses to gather near the venue.

If he withdrew now, what would the fans say? What would the media say?

"President Ning, I hope you won't regret this!" Wu Fan stared at Ning Cai, enunciating each word. "After the competition, I will apply for contract termination!"

He looked at Ning Cai with a hint of arrogance. "I really can't understand why you would let Wang Tianqi compete, nor why you would offend me for his sake. But today, I'll show you what true top-level prowess means!"

"With my strength and fan base, I will definitely be in the top three in this competition, and I will win the final. When that happens, I hope you won't regret your decision today!"

Ning Cai only gazed at him in silence.

Two words floated through her mind—naïve fool.

Yet she said nothing, her tone steady and flat: "Understood. Go do your thing."

Wu Fan's breath stalled again. He was so angry that his chest ached.

All the words he had prepared to vent and negotiate were rendered useless in an instant.

He had expected Ning Cai to patiently advise him, gently coax him, reason with him, and that after he made a show of resistance, he would be given a way out and the matter would be settled.

Instead, Ning Cai was completely unmoved, her attitude indifferent and unconcerned.

Indifference and disregard are, after all, the greatest forms of humiliation.

Shen Xian stood to the side, stroking his chin as he watched the exchange between Ning Cai and Wu Fan, a thoughtful expression on his face.

This Ning Cai truly was a woman without emotions.

She was like an android, utterly unperturbed, treating everyone with the same detachment.

Seeing Shen Xian's bystander amusement, Wu Fan felt his anger surge, and when his gaze landed on Wang Tianqi standing nearby, it only fueled his rage.

"Shen Xian, you troublemaker of the entertainment industry, what are you so pleased about?" Wu Fan glared coldly at Shen Xian. "I'll show you soon what a real gap in ability looks like!"

Shen Xian smiled gently, his eyes sincere as he looked at Wu Fan. "Mr. Wu Fan, please don't be angry. It's all my fault, don't get upset. Anger is bad for your health."

Then he turned to Ning Cai with a look of deep apology. "President Ning, let's withdraw from the competition. I don't want to make things difficult for you. After all, it's not easy for you, a young woman, to manage such a large operation. If it were me, I couldn't possibly do it."

From the moment he opened his mouth, Shen Xian was already the master of subtlety, his tone full of hidden meanings.

Ning Cai looked at Shen Xian earnestly. "Thank you for understanding. You have dreams, and I will help you fulfill them. Just focus on the competition. If anything happens, I'll take responsibility."

Wu Fan clenched his fists.

Had Shen Xian just managed to pierce Ning Cai's 'artificial intelligence firewall'?

Had he found a way in, planting a virus in this machine?

Why was Ning Cai showing favoritism?

Liu Sheng stood quietly nearby, watching the scene unfold with interest.

It was almost comical.

"Mr. Shen, your art of subtlety is truly masterful," Wang Tianqi whispered to Shen Xian.

"Nonsense," Shen Xian replied. "This is genuine emotion."

Backstage, more and more contestants and their agents arrived, crowding the area.

Meanwhile, the online criticism against Shen Xian grew ever louder.

Eventually, it stormed to the top of the trending topics.

With deliberate pushing behind the scenes, Shen Xian had earned a new nickname—the Entertainment Industry's Troublemaker.

Just intercepting Chen Feng's twelve songs was enough to nail him to the pillar of shame.

Liu Ruyun's attack was swift and ruthless.

But Shen Xian had yet to offer any rebuttal, so many believed it to be true.

Even the fans who once supported Shen Xian began to switch sides.

Fans are fickle; their allegiances shift rapidly.

Today they adore one idol, and when he falls from grace, they move on to the next.

True fans and anti-fans are often the same group.

Liu Ruyun looked down at the trending list, feeling satisfied.

Chen Feng was all smiles as well.

Even Zhou Wan, at home still in bed, saw the news and couldn't help but sigh.

How had that dazzling, prodigious young man from three years ago come to this?

Ruined by a woman, indeed.

"My taste in people really isn't great," Zhou Wan muttered, curling her lips. "The Postman is still the best—dedicated and sincere."

Soon, the show "The Singer" was officially underway, broadcast live!

There were five judges on-site. First, the judges would comment and vote, followed by interactive voting from the one thousand-member live audience.

There were four rounds in total, and the entire competition spanned five days.

From thirty to fifteen contestants in the first round—fifteen eliminated. Then from fifteen to five, eliminating ten more. Next, from five to three, dropping two, and finally, the top three would compete for the championship, second, and third places.

In other words, to make it to the end, a contestant needed to prepare at least four songs!

To ensure fairness, the show's team had randomly invited one thousand audience members online. The judges, however, might have personal biases, but it wasn't a concern—these five were industry heavyweights, and with the live broadcast, nothing too blatant could happen.

"Ladies, gentlemen, honored guests, and everyone watching at home, welcome to the live stage of 'Who Is the Singer—I Am the Singer!'" The golden-voiced host, Wang Ling, stood center stage, his enunciation clear and rapid, yet every word distinct. He took the opportunity to thank the sponsors. "Now, let's welcome our five judges to their seats!"

All five judges were in their forties—three men and two women—all renowned figures in the music world.

"Today, there are thirty contestants, divided into three groups of ten. Let's invite the first group to draw lots."

Host Wang Ling directed the staff to bring out a red box containing thirty ping-pong balls, each marked with a number.

Wang Tianqi was scheduled to draw with the third group.

That meant he would perform last.

Opening or closing a show is never entirely fair, after all.

But in this world, is there really such a thing as perfect fairness?

One after another, the contestants went on stage to draw lots.

"Number thirty..." Guided by Shen Xian, Wang Tianqi went up to draw, and his hand landed on the ball marked thirty—the very last slot.

"Hard to say if you're lucky or unlucky," Shen Xian said with a wry smile.

Going last meant the audience might be tired of listening, and the judges might be weary from commenting, leading to careless scores.

But if everyone before you is mediocre, last might just be an advantage.

"Don't be nervous. You've prepared well these past few days," Shen Xian reassured Wang Tianqi with a smile.

Wang Tianqi nodded in silence; it would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous.

Going from a bar singer to such a grand stage was certainly an adjustment.

Soon, the first contestant took the stage—hailing from Red Queen Entertainment—the "I Am the Singer" competition had officially begun!