The Villain Slaps The Protagonist’s Halo - Chapter 45

Chapter 45: I'll Tell You Who's the Boss

Even when the situation escalated to its peak, Nie Jia didn't step forward to face the press, and his social media remained silent, merely sharing the official announcements of the program. It seemed like he had no interest in getting involved with Shi Yan and Xie Yihang's affair. Nie Kaiyi, on her end, only focused on the finals in her social media posts, completely avoiding any mention of those two.

As soon as Nie Kaiyi relaxed a bit, CBC took full control. Despite some die-hard fans of Shi Yan and Xie Yihang vehemently protesting, the majority of the public's attention shifted back to the finals, largely alleviating the negative press surrounding them.

CBC swiftly leaked information through the media about the finals at the Blue Theater. Sponsored entirely by Wankai Group, not only did they cover the stage construction at the theater, but they also upgraded all the equipment on-site, from sound systems to microphones, using expensive custom-made devices boasting the highest safety and cutting-edge audio technology, reaching the standards of a concert.

Naturally, this caused a commotion among spectators. While some sympathized with Nie Fei due to Nie family's support, it was hard for him to compete against Shi Yan, whose older brother was a director at Wankai Group. Without that backing, Nie Fei, despite his talent and looks, could only endure being overshadowed by others.

Various analyses from onlookers echoed Nie Fei's concerns, leaving hearts heavy.

Shi Yan, upon seeing this news, finally relaxed after days of tension. His brother's willingness to generously sponsor the program and the theater implied no grudge held against him. With this relief, his confidence soared.

In these days leading to the finals, Nie Jia rehearsed the song with the other four members. The team's chemistry wasn't ideal; the atmosphere was awkward, and three of them weren't accustomed to rock music. Fortunately, Nie Jia carried the weight of the entire song, while the others managed to keep up. Just before the competition, as Nie Jia prepared to leave for dinner with Shi Si, Shi Yan intercepted him.

"Nie Fei, could you clarify recent events for Xiao Hang during the post-finals interview?" Shi Yan asked.

Nie Jia glanced at him impassively, and upon seeing his expression, Shi Yan guessed his request might be refused. Before he could add to his plea, Nie Jia's voice turned cold. "Clarify what?"

Shi Yan perked up, saying, "You've been with DDD for nearly five years now. You understand Xiao Hang's personality—how can he pretend for five whole years? If you speak up, explain to the public, and restore Xiao Hang's image, I assure you the company will fully support you in the future!"

"Support like what Xie Yihang gets?" Nie Jia questioned.

Shi Yan nodded eagerly. "If you think CBC's support is limited, I can talk to my brother. You can pick resources from Wankai Entertainment, no strings attached."

It was indeed a tempting offer. Nie Jia raised an eyebrow, seemingly contemplating. As he turned, he caught Xie Yihang looking at him expectantly and Chen Tian gazing over, exhaustion evident in his eyes.

Nie Jia patted Shi Yan's shoulder, smirked coldly, and said, "You can't even protect yourself, yet you're thinking about others." With that, Nie Jia walked away, ignoring Shi Yan completely.

Shi Yan appeared infuriated, unsure of Nie Jia's stance.

"Is there any falsehood in what the public and media say?" Chen Tian, with a chilly demeanor, joined in. "Where do you get the nerve to have Nie Fei, the victim, speak for Xie Yihang? Over the years, has Nie Fei received any support from Xie Yihang? What's more, what Nie Fei faced was all misunderstandings. Can you say the same for the criticisms you and Xie Yihang face?"

"What are you trying to say?" Shi Yan's face grew cold.

Chen Tian's family had overseas business connections and substantial capital. He didn't believe that Wankai's chairman would risk the company's reputation for Shi Yan's whims. Unafraid, he continued his firm stance.

He calmly retrieved the guitar's cord, walked past Shi Yan, and scoffed, "Using resources Nie Fei rightfully deserves as compensation isn't a threat or unfair—it's just shameless."

Shi Yan glared back, momentarily speechless.

Xie Yihang lowered his head in dismay. Tomorrow's finals marked his first public appearance after the controversy, and it was in front of thousands. The pressure was suffocating; he was already struggling to breathe even before stepping onto the stage.

The next day, Nie Jia arrived early at the theater for rehearsal. His performance in the semifinals had already won over countless fans outside of the Non-Wei circle. With the ongoing buzz, tonight was destined to captivate fans worldwide, sparking a frenzy of popularity.

Shi Si had customized a set of wireless microphones for DDD. The German originals had just been delivered yesterday. Quietly lying inside the box were four delicate and expensive microphones. One of them, the Tempered Mic, had been specially tailored to Nie Jia's voice. It seemed like Shi Si, the audience, valued the final showdown even more than Nie Jia, the performer.

Members of Galaxy and their management also placed immense importance on the finals. They had brought their own accompanying band and vocal group to the venue, gearing up for a face-off against DDD.

If Galaxy aimed to salvage their honor, the best decision would actually be to withdraw now. Realistically, DDD had the upper hand, and securing second place would cement Galaxy's position as perpetual underdogs, always overshadowed by DDD. However, Yu Jingwei rejected the company's suggestion to withdraw. Nie Fei had specifically prepared a rock piece for the finals, challenging Galaxy in their forte. It was a move that even he looked down upon.

Yu Jingwei had dedicated half a month to preparing for the finals, confident in himself and in Galaxy. Apart from Nie Fei, none of the opposition seemed formidable, especially considering Nie Fei's attempt to excel in the unfamiliar territory of rock music. In this scenario, Galaxy had to face the challenge head-on and win.

Both sides had brought their A-game in terms of upgrading the hardware to concert-level equipment. At this point, it wasn't just a variety show anymore; it had become an honor-bound battle for the crown of the music industry.

The showdown between the uncrowned king, DDD, and the illustrious Galaxy was a clash between aces, igniting a fire between them. Any title for this century-defining battle could stir the blood of the audience!

While the theater was still in rehearsal, the competition between the main stars hadn't commenced, but the fanbases were already at odds.

No one could deny Nie Fei's stunning performance that had enraptured the audience during the semifinals. As the copyright for the new theme song was still in Nie Jia's hands, the official audio hadn't been released yet. Only low-quality videos clipped from the program were circulating on some video sites. Despite their poor quality, these videos had already amassed over a billion views, showcasing the enormous impact of this song.

This song marked the most spectacular four minutes of the show thus far. Nie Fei had captivated everyone, but amidst the Ni Fei fervor, did anyone remember someone else?

Of course, some remembered Xie Yihang's fall.

This was the sore point for Galaxy's fans. It was a team competition, not Nie Fei's solo concert!

Xie Yihang's fall, and Shi Yan's attempt to help, had affected DDD's performance. Faced with such a significant stage mishap, why should DDD advance ahead of Galaxy? Not getting eliminated would be fair enough!

The fanbases had vehemently expressed their grievances earlier, but during the semifinals, the entire online discourse had focused on the new theme song and Xie Yihang. Not many had noticed the unfair treatment Galaxy had faced. Now, with the finals sparking renewed discussions, the fanbases vented their long-pent frustrations.

"The three judges had criticized this significant point deduction, especially Teacher Chen Huanyin. They clearly stated that DDD didn't deserve judge's votes, yet they separately voted for Nie Fei. Excuse me? Is this Nie Fei's personal match? Before getting too hyped, let's focus on the facts. In a synchronized diving event in the Olympics, if one person's splash is two meters high, while the other has no splash at all, how do you think the judges would score that?"

"Our Jing-ge's performance isn't any less than Nie Fei's, okay? Nie Fei didn't light up the stage at all. Back when the theme song was at its peak two years ago, it wasn't that great. I don't understand why everyone was hyping it during the semifinals; I didn't see anything exciting."

"If it weren't for Xie and Shi's mistakes, our G-Fans wouldn't be blind to the truth. But with such significant errors, DDD still manages to outshine Galaxy in votes. It's truly unfair."

"Uncle Guo has always admired DDD. Isn't this vote too emotionally driven? Both Chen Huanyin and Lin Haoclear are following the same pattern—first denying DDD, then exclusively praising Nie Fei. It's full of loopholes throughout! Teachers, this is a team competition! A team competition, okay! Why not just give the championship directly to Nie Fei? And in the end, Lin Haoclear kept shouting Nie Fei to the audience. Is it right to make it seem like DDD consists only of Nie Fei?!!"

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