The Villain Slaps The Protagonist’s Halo - Chapter 35

Chapter 35: I'll Tell You Who's the Boss

He was still catching his breath in quick gasps, but the symptoms of hyperventilation had eased considerably. The dance in "Battle of the Stars" was too intense. Xie Yihang had collapsed a few times during rehearsals at the company's studio due to hyperventilation. Fans were well aware of this, and many felt that this delicate, easily overwhelmed little angel had done exceptionally well in maintaining stability during this performance.

Even though he stumbled at the end, by that time, the dance had concluded. Fans believed that as long as their idol gave their all, that was sufficient.

"Xiao Hang, are you okay? You seem to be breathing a bit heavily. Want to take a seat and rest?" The host joked lightly.

"I'm fine, really." Xie Yihang became even more embarrassed, and Chen Tian stood beside him, patting his shoulder.

Nie Jia remained expressionless, awaiting the host's announcement of the votes.

The semi-finals' format differed from previous ones. Previously, after the performers finished, three judges would state their immediate feelings and provide professional comments. Then, the audience would vote. For the sake of fairness, the audience voters were often not fans of the contestants. Even after the judges' comments, they could still influence the audience's votes to some extent.

But in this semi-final, the show increased the number of votes from the audience to 1549 from 999. Additionally, each judge was given voting power—450 votes per judge, totaling 1350 votes. Combined with the live audience, the total number of votes amounted to 2899!

As soon as this new format was announced, the show was immediately criticized online. What a ridiculous competition! With judges holding such a significant number of votes, isn't it tantamount to favoritism? Why? Is the show trying to manipulate the finals?

In reality, the majority of the votes still lay with the live audience. At this point, only four groups of contestants remained. The total votes from the audience far exceeded the judges'. Although the judges held considerable power, if all three voted for one group, that group could immediately win. However, this scenario was highly unlikely. The show likely invited these specific judges due to this unique situation. They were seasoned music industry figures with their tastes and preferences, making their choices compelling.

Moreover, the audience's votes outweighed the judges'. Whoever managed to capture the audience's hearts could potentially win more than 1350 votes. Even just 1351 votes could override the judges' decision.

However, the online criticism wasn't solely about the judges' votes; it revolved around another ridiculous rule.

During the first round, as the four groups took turns performing, the audience began voting from the first group until the fourth group finished. This, in particular, was what netizens found utterly ridiculous. The standard procedure was to vote after all performances concluded. Why did the show insist on tallying votes during the performances, making it unfair for the first and last groups of performers?

The first group's audience might hesitate to vote, while the last group's audience might have given away their votes in the previous round. Who truly had the patience to wait until all four groups finished before casting their votes? Is the show insane? Is the planner's mind dysfunctional? How is the producer's mom doing?

The show's format sparked a heated online debate but undeniably turned the show's topic into a hotbed of discussion.

After Nie Jia and the others finished their performance, the audience's voting ceased entirely after 30 seconds.

"Next, we'll announce the highest votes from the audience. Which group will it be?" The host spoke with a hint of excitement.

"DDD!!!"

"DDD!!!"

"D! D! D!"

Not only in the fan section but also among most of the live audience, there were synchronized chants. With four groups performing, the results were no longer a mystery; the winner was already determined.

On stage, Wen Yu, along with the other four members, joyfully joined in the audience's subdued chant: "Ding ding ding! Ding ding ding! Ding ding ding!"

However, after the host's words, the big screen displayed the name of Yu Jingwei's Galaxy Group.

Galaxy, highest votes: 1327.

The venue suddenly fell into silence. Even the judges displayed fleeting expressions of surprise. They were astonished that the group with the highest votes wasn't D Group and at this vote count. The total audience votes were only 1549, yet Galaxy managed to secure 1327 of them?!

This proportion was unprecedented on the competition stage.

Chen Huanyin shook his head in disappointment. Under this format, the most unfair situation had indeed occurred.

He didn't deny that Galaxy had electrified the entire audience, almost bringing down the studio. It was an exceptionally outstanding performance. However, compared to DDD, it was like night and day. Yet, it was precisely because Galaxy had pumped up the audience that so many people had disregarded their votes, leading to Hertz Era and D Group losing out in the later performances.

The four groups on stage were all taken aback. They quickly caught on and began applauding, while the members of Galaxy smiled and bowed in thanks.

With such a high number of votes, advancing to the finals was a done deal. Yu Jingwei felt relieved; finally, they had trumped D Group face-to-face!

Shi Yanshen and Chen Tian hadn't anticipated this outcome. Failing to advance in the first round meant they had to prepare for a second-round encore performance... but they hadn't prepared a second song at all! They had to make a last-minute decision.

Nie Jia glanced at the screen, his expression unchanged. He turned to face the audience coldly, "So, you all like to get hyped, huh?"

His attitude was haughty and arrogant, yet devoid of mockery. It sounded more like a genuine inquiry than anything else.

The audience who voted for Galaxy earlier are now mostly regretting their choice. Galaxy performed exceptionally, and many thought that the subsequent Hertz Era and D Group couldn't surpass Galaxy. That belief led to the astonishing 1327 votes.

In the midst of this, a few non-Galaxy fans in the fan zone suddenly exclaimed, "Nini's battle song was the most spectacular! Are you all blind and deaf?"

"Even with Nini's incredible performance, no votes? The show's organizers are biased!"

"Conspiracy! Give our votes back to Nini!"

"Conspiracy! Conspiracy!"

"Conspiracy!"

"Conspiracy! Conspiracy! Conspiracy!"

Starting from the D Group's fan zone, the chants gradually spread to Box and the Hertz Era's fan zones, and even among other audience members. Everyone echoed accusations of conspiracy, waving their placards rhythmically in protest against the production team, fighting for justice for their idols!

Even Chen Huanyin, the esteemed elder, joined in with a few chants of "Conspiracy, conspiracy."

The eight members of Galaxy and their previously cheering fan group displayed expressions of utter embarrassment. Each accusation of conspiracy felt like a martial arts move landing on their faces.

Meanwhile, the directors and planners backstage were both anxious and innocent. While the show indeed employed some manipulative editing and intentionally instigated conflicts between contestants to boost ratings, there was genuinely no vote manipulation or conspiracy.

It was a mishap, an unfortunate incident. The host's mind was filled with bold, alarming words. Yet, being an experienced pillar of the show, they quickly regained composure. Just as they were about to salvage the situation, a young man in black stepped forward, calmly gesturing for silence.

His gaze remained composed, unperturbed amidst the tumultuous outcry. Holding a microphone in one hand, he signaled for quiet with the other. His demeanor seemed nonchalant, almost as if he had just woken up, relaxed yet exuding an authoritative air.

Gradually, the audience quieted down, all eyes fixed on the handsome young man standing at the edge of the stage.

"I believe the production team did not manipulate the votes. Please, everyone, don't worry. There's a flaw in this competition format, and someone merely exploited it. Don't be hasty. You should understand, DDD's absolute strength is enough for us to stay here." Nie Jia spoke calmly, devoid of any emotional influence from the votes or audience reactions, maintaining a cool and even slightly ruthless composure.

His words pacified the audience, and the scene fell completely silent.

As for the group of audience members who had just voted for Galaxy, their faces now flushed with shame and guilt.

After this minor upheaval, the program resumed its course. Following the announcement of the highest votes, it was time for the judges to cast their votes. Lin Haoclear, one of the three judges, who had been ardently supporting Galaxy since the first episode, cast his vote for them. With Lin Haoclear's support, Galaxy could advance to the finals with an absolute vote count of 1777, without needing to disclose other groups' vote counts.

Yu Jingwei was also excited, having indirectly humiliated DDD without much fanfare. Even if Nie Fei were to return, they would still be outmatched!

"As I've said before, this is a championship-level performance, and in my opinion, DDD is already the champion." The music maestro didn't beat around the bush and decisively cast his 450 votes for DDD.

A distinct sound echoed in the venue. On the big screen, below Galaxy's team name, appeared the name of DDD.

DDD: 517.

In essence, apart from the 450 votes from the music maestro, DDD only received 67 votes during the audience voting phase.

For a top-tier boy band, receiving only 67 out of 1549 total votes was immensely distressing for Chen Huanyin.

"I fully agree with what Old Guo said just now. DDD has indeed presented us with a champion-level performance... No, DDD doesn't need the title of champions because no one can compare to them. They are icons in the music industry, and I believe there will be no controversy about that." Chen Huanyin smiled warmly, looking at Xie Yihang as if he were watching his own grandson, affectionate and gentle. His gaze then swept over the team captain Shi Yanshen, rap specialist Chen Tian, and today's most dazzling ace, Nie Fei.

Xie Yihang blushed slightly, nodding in gratitude towards Chen Huanyin.

However, Chen Huanyin suddenly changed the topic. He continued to smile but said, "But today, I don't want to give my vote to DDD."

Xie Yihang was suddenly stunned, and both Shi Yanshen and Chen Tian furrowed their brows in unison.

The fans became anxious, some even on the verge of tears. If DDD couldn't get the votes from all three judges, they would truly lose! Why, when the idols performed so well, and Little Angel even nearly got injured! DDD clearly dominated the stage today, how could they be inferior to Galaxy! Why couldn't they get the votes?

Compared to the astonishment and embarrassment of the other three members of DDD, Nie Jia's face remained emotionless. It was unclear if he was too confident, thinking they could turn it around in the second round, or if he simply didn't care about the competition results.

But if he didn't care about the results, why was he here? Was it because he had absolute confidence in his own abilities? Being so calm and composed was quite impressive.

The fans started to get noisy, and Nie Jia's eyes showed some impatience. He gestured for them to quiet down with a single hand.

Chen Huanyin continued, "I admit that I won't give my vote to DDD because a significant mistake occurred during their performance. Xie Yihang fell. I noticed he seemed a bit exhausted. Of course, I understand this wasn't intentional on Xie Yihang's part, but to me, this is not acceptable and a serious mistake! You are a professional singing and dancing group, performing your own songs and dances, and it's only the first round. I don't understand why Xie Yihang, who is supposed to be a singer and dancer, is exhausted. Are you not a singer and dancer, or are you not a part of this group? In today's performance, you are neither in the center nor the main vocalist. I noticed you didn't even have a solo part. So, tell me, are you the one with the least physical exertion? Then why are you exhausted? Is it because of the cold you had in the previous round?"

Despite Chen Huanyin's smiling appearance, his critique was sharp and to the point.

Xie Yihang, faced with the sudden barrage of questions, was completely bewildered.

"Chen Teacher, he's a bit nervous," Shi Yanshen stepped forward to defend Xie Yihang.

Nie Jia sneered inwardly, thinking, 'What a teammate, throwing Xie Yihang under the bus.'

Chen Huanyin chuckled and said, "Nervous? DDD has held concerts with an audience of 200,000 people, and they've had countless concerts since their debut. The numbers have reached astronomical figures. Are you telling me that Xie Yihang is nervous in front of just four thousand people today?"

Shi Yanshen was also at a loss. The venue fell silent, and the fans dared not speak. Who would have thought that the usually gentle Chen Huanyin would suddenly become so critical today?

"And you, Shi Yanshen. When Xie Yihang fell during your performance, the show didn't end. You went to help him, completely disrupting this otherwise perfect performance. I hope you remember that you are singers, you are working. Xie Yihang, I hope that if you fall on stage again, you can get up immediately and continue working, instead of waiting for someone to help you. Maybe you should participate less in variety shows and take fewer acting roles. First, make sure your singing, dancing, and performance are good before thinking about other things. Shi Yanshen, the same goes for you. You are the outstanding younger generation in the music industry. Even if you don't want to take on the responsibility of being a role model, please fulfill your duties well and don't bring a bad influence to the circle." Chen Huanyin said with some heartfelt disappointment.

Shi Yanshen had never been criticized like this before, especially not in front of so many people. Coupled with his strong self-esteem, his face turned red, and he felt utterly embarrassed, wanting to find a hole to hide in.

Chen Huanyin suddenly changed back to the gentle old man with a smile. He said, "Of the four performances today, the most outstanding ones are DDD and Galaxy. That's widely recognized, right? Considering that I cannot tolerate DDD's on-site mistake..."

Members of Galaxy and their fans had already shown contented smiles.

Chen Huanyin continued, "I have decided to give my vote to Nie Fei! Only to Nie Fei."

Before anyone could react, Nie Jia nodded indifferently and said, "Thank you, Teacher Chen."

Then, on the stage screen, DDD's vote count increased to 967.

Immediately after, thunderous applause and excited cheers erupted like thunder, drowning out the host's voice.

"Nini!!! Nini!!!"

"Our Nini is so impressive!!!"

"With Nini, DDD is forever DDD!!!"

Although the voices of non-fans were drowned out in the chaotic cheers and applause of the fans, the cameramen still found their figures. Even though they knew no one could hear their voices, they were still shouting for their idols with all their might. This should have been a proud moment, but non-fans couldn't help but shed tears.

For so many years, their idols had been subjected to slander and defamation. They wanted to tell all the exclusive fans that today's honor of DDD was defended by Nini, not by the "hardworking, diligent, sunny, and warm" Xie Yihang! It was defended by Nini's own written songs, composed music, and performed singing and dancing!

With Nini, DDD could truly be called DDD!

The scene went wild. Countless people stood up, applauding. The applause was for Nie Fei, who truly dominated the stage, and for Teacher Chen Huanyin, who dared to speak the unspeakable.

"This scene, not a single frame should be cut." Shi Si dropped a comment in the control room.

The planner, after learning Shi Si's identity, almost threw the phone at the station director. Not knowing how to handle this situation, the secretary managed to calm down and realized that Shi Yanshen turned out to be the younger brother of Chairman Shi. But now, the planner was puzzled. Although this footage had explosive potential, it was not favorable for the chairman's younger brother...

Chairman Shi, aren't you setting a trap for your brother?

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