How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 460 Head-to-head confrontation
Two days flew by, and January 7th finally arrived.

After days of pre-release promotion, the clash between Future Girls' new album and the Super Trainee finale has been regarded by netizens as the final showdown between the two sides. Therefore, since the morning, there has been a tense atmosphere between the two sides.

At 9 o'clock, Future Girls' official Weibo account took the lead, releasing two promotional posters for their new album.

The first image shows the five members dressed in black, standing in front of a background with the word "elimination" shattered, their eyes resolute, accompanied by the caption: "Coming from the dust, running towards the starlight."

The second one is a timeline of the album's pre-order numbers: over 200,000 on the first day, over 400,000 on the second day... over 115 million on the seventh day, and finally marked: 19:30, official release.

As soon as the posters were released, the related topics quickly became trending topics, reaching 30 million views within an hour. It was obvious to everyone that these two posters were aimed at the final of "Super Trainee".

Especially the release date of the new album.

Singers usually release their albums during the day, and at the latest by midnight. However, Future Girls' new album was released at 7:30 pm. Isn't that because the final of "Super Trainee" will be broadcast at 8 pm?

At that time, everyone's attention will be on Future Girls' new album, and the "Super Trainee" finale, which will air shortly after, will inevitably be affected.

Moreover, comparisons inevitably lead to hurt feelings. After listening to Future Girls' new song, netizens will inevitably compare it with the trainees who have entered the finals. Once these trainees are outshone by Future Girls, the production team will certainly be met with friendly greetings from netizens.

On the other hand, the "Super Trainee" program team did not sit idly by. At 10 a.m., they made an emergency official announcement: In order to thank the audience for their support, a "mentor collaboration performance segment" will be added to the final. The five mentors will team up with the trainees to sing and bring a special stage performance.

The news caused quite a stir online, but most netizens were not convinced and mocked the passive response of the "Super Trainee" program team.

After all, it's obvious to everyone that this impromptu performance segment wasn't a surprise for the audience, but rather a change made out of necessity due to the show's lack of popularity.

At noon, the official Weibo account of Future Girls updated again with a brand new poster.

The five members are in the recording studio, their smiles warm, with the caption: Every melody holds a promise to you.

After seeing this, the production team of "Super Trainee" could only respond by releasing a brand new trailer on their official Weibo account. The video included clips of the trainees practicing dance late at night, attempting to create an atmosphere of passionate pursuit of dreams and not wanting to be outshone in terms of popularity.

At 4 PM, Future Girls' official Weibo account updated for the third time, this time with a set of nine photos showing the enthusiastic scenes of fans queuing up in nine cities to wait for the release of their new album.

Fans in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and other cities beamed with joy, some holding up posters of the Future Girls group, others wearing clothes with Future Girls designs, all showing their support for their favorite idols.

The production team of "Super Trainee" was completely stunned after seeing these photos; they never expected Future Girls to have so many tricks up their sleeves.

However, their competition was only held in Beijing, and unlike the Spring Festival Gala, there were no branch venues in other cities. In the end, they could only take a few photos of fans outside the stadium for the finals and put them into a nine-grid layout to post online in order to show the popularity of the finals.

At 6 p.m., the official Weibo account of Future Girls released a big surprise: a 30-second music video for their new song. The catchy melody and stunning visuals immediately got the fans excited.

Some even predict that this will definitely be another hit song of the year!
However, the finale of "Super Trainee" was in an unprecedentedly awkward situation.

Director Chen Peng looked extremely grim as he watched clips from the music video for Future Girls' new song.

A new song even has a music video? This is just too much!

"Director, we've run out of materials to release," a staff member whispered.

In the past few days, in order to overshadow Future Girls in terms of popularity, the production team has released everything they can. Now, faced with Future Girls' moves, they have absolutely nothing to do.

Who would have thought that even on the last day, the other side would still have so many tricks up their sleeve?

"What?" Chen Peng frowned deeply, a hint of anxiety flashing in his eyes.

The show is about to start, and at this crucial moment, they've been overshadowed by Future Girls. How can they possibly regain their popularity later?

"Take a video of the scene and post it online," Chen Peng said, pointing towards the stage.

"Huh?" The staff member was stunned for a moment, then stammered, "If we upload the stage scene now, won't it lose its novelty during the live stream?"

"Who told you to film the whole stage? Couldn't you have filmed a corner of the stage and left the audience with some anticipation?" Chen Peng said irritably.

He wouldn't have revealed the stage prematurely if he hadn't been forced to.

The staff immediately fell silent, lowered their heads, and slunk away.

Chen Peng looked at the meticulously designed stage, clenched his fists, and secretly prayed that the guy surnamed Zhang was out of ammunition, otherwise there would be no way to fight the battles to come.

The atmosphere was equally subtle in the mentors' lounge backstage at the finals.

The five mentors were sitting around the sofa, their eyes all falling on their phone screens as they discussed the music video for the new song by the girl group Future Girls that they had just come across.

"The music video was made with great care, using 'comeback' as its theme and incorporating their own experiences, making it very engaging," Liu Yifei remarked after watching it, her tone full of approval.

Cai Yaxuan nodded, "Yes, it's obviously Teacher Zhang's work. It's full of irony, and they almost filmed us all."

"Hey, because of these few people, I'm getting a lot of flak from netizens, even though I didn't do anything," Wang Shengjie said with a wry smile.

He only made a few comments; the votes were cast by the audience, so what does it have to do with him?
Now he doesn't dare to post on Weibo easily. As soon as he does, the comments section is full of four-character idioms like "blind to the truth".

He was quite relieved that at least netizens were very restrained and no one used vulgar language.

"Yes, they're really taking the blame for this, it's unfair." Peng Jie sighed deeply. He really didn't expect that in just three months, the five eliminated trainees would become so popular.

Although he didn't eliminate the person, he still felt like he'd been slapped in the face.

While others were sighing, Li Yuqi laughed, "Teacher Zhang's fighting power is as strong as ever, but this 30-second new song is really good. If nothing unexpected happens, it will be another hit song."

After saying that, he hummed along a few times, clearly moved by the melody of the new song.

"Li Yuqi, I heard Teacher Zhang wrote a song for you? Looks like you're going to be really pushing yourself this year," Wang Shengjie said with a look of envy.

Actually, I had wanted to invite Teacher Zhang to write a song before, but it was delayed because I had to participate in the show "Super Trainee". But who would have thought that I would offend Teacher Zhang because of this show? Now I have no face to invite him.

“There’s only one song. Ya-xuan has one too.” Li Yu-qi suddenly seemed to remember something and looked at Cai Ya-xuan next to her and asked, “When are you planning to release your new album? I’m planning to release mine in July. Let’s not clash.”

"I haven't decided yet. I'm still choosing songs, but the earliest I can do it is September," Cai Yaxuan said after thinking for a moment.

After buying Zhang Laoshi's songs, she started preparing for her new album. In fact, she didn't want her new album to clash with Li Yuqi's.

"That's good." Li Yuqi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Do you think Zhang Wen will make any moves before the release of Future Girls' new album?" Peng Jie asked.

"There's only a little over an hour left, it shouldn't be too late, right?" Wang Shengjie said, but there was a hint of worry in her voice.

Every time Zhang Wen makes a move, he and his mentors are ridiculed by netizens, which made him sneeze seven or eight times this afternoon.

"Hehe, that's because you don't know Teacher Zhang." Li Yuqi said playfully, "Knowing him as I do, there's definitely more to come."

"What? No way! What time is it?" Peng Jie said in surprise.

"Do you guys remember the Golden Melody Awards ceremony? When the guests announced the winners, he sat down quietly. When everyone felt sorry for him, he still didn't react. Just when everyone thought he had given up, what happened? He pulled off a big surprise at the end," Li Yuqi reminded her.

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately recalled the scene of Zhang Wen smashing the trophy on the awards stage, a moment that has now been voted by netizens as one of the top ten memorable moments of the Golden Melody Awards.

If they dare to do this at the Golden Melody Awards ceremony, how much more so would they do it for a small variety show?

They looked at each other, and a feeling of being dominated welled up deep inside them.

as predicted.

Just as the clock struck 7:20, Future Girls' official Weibo account released another set of nine photos.

In the photo, Zhao Tong, Zhang Jiajia, Cheng Sisi, Chen Silu, and Su Jin appeared at an album sales point in a shopping mall in Beijing, interacting closely with fans waiting to buy the album.

The official Weibo account posted: "January's surprises don't just include the album, but also our mutual journey with you. In the future, we will be launching a nationwide autograph tour, covering nine cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Sichuan, Shenyang, Wuhan, and Suzhou. Here we come!"

As soon as the news was released, fans across the internet instantly went into a new wave of celebration.

"Oh my god, I'm right near this mall, is it too late to get there now?"

"Great, I'll be waiting for you in Shanghai."

"They even have autograph sessions! Future Girls really spoil their fans."

Meanwhile, some fans shared videos of the event on short video platforms.

The girl from the future took photos with fans, taught them to dance, and even sang "The Best of Us" with them, creating a very lively atmosphere.

Chen Peng stared at the news online, completely devastated. His hands trembled as he held his phone, muttering to himself, "When will this ever end?"

When Li Yuqi saw the new message from the official Weibo account of Future Girls, she quickly reached out and clicked on it. After seeing the nine-grid photo, she immediately showed the screen to the other mentors.

"Well, am I right?"

"..."

The others silently closed their eyes, afraid that watching too much would make them withdrawn and affect their performance in the upcoming live stream. Time ticked by, and finally, amidst the anticipation of countless fans, it reached 19:30 PM.

When the time came, Future Girls' new album "The Best of Us" was officially released.

Major music platforms unlocked the album on time, and despite having been in pre-sale for a week, it still sold over 100,000 copies in just a few minutes.

The offline sales points were equally bustling.

The album sales area in the shopping mall where the future girl is located has become a carnival gathering place for fans.

Fans lined up for hundreds of meters, holding up posters of the Future Girls group. It seems that the official Weibo account posted a nine-grid photo revealing the location of Future Girls, and countless fans came from all directions, making the already long line even longer.

Those fans who bought the album immediately rushed to the autograph area to queue up.

The five members of Future Girls sat behind a long table, with albums piled up in front of them waiting to be signed.

Some fans even bought two albums, one signed to keep as a collector's item, and the other unpacked to listen to.

With the simultaneous release of the album, the four new songs quickly dominated various music charts.

The song "Against the Light" instantly captured the hearts of countless listeners with its sincere narrative style and strong emotional expression. The lyrics, which express setbacks, confusion, faith, and perseverance, convey resilience and ideals to the listeners.

"I run against the light through the pitch-black night, and no matter how strong the wind and rain, it cannot stop me."

"I have wandered in the fog and been overwhelmed by doubts, but I know that where the heart leads, there will eventually be light."

Every lyric seems to tell the story of the girl's own experiences, from the confusion of being eliminated in the first round of "Super Trainee" to her persistence in pursuing her musical dreams, and now her dazzling comeback with her new song, all of which are condensed into this melody.

The song lived up to expectations, topping the real-time play chart on Huaxia Music Network within just ten minutes of its release, and the comment section was full of positive reviews.

"When I listened to 'Against the Light,' I remembered the days when I was rejected, and suddenly I had courage!"

"This is not a song, it is clearly the growth experience of a future girl."

"The more I listen, the more inspired I become. I feel like I can run forward against the light."

The remaining three new songs, "Our Promise," "Departure," and "Evening Breeze," also performed strongly, ranking second, third, and fourth on the charts respectively.

Netizens' comments on this album were straightforward: "There isn't a single song that's just there to fill space."

The topic of Future Girls' album dominating the charts quickly became a trending topic.

At this moment, the atmosphere at the final of "Super Trainee" was extremely awkward.

With just over ten minutes left before the broadcast, the number of people who had booked the live stream not only did not increase, but actually dropped by 10,000.

Even the loyal audience members at the scene were looking down at their phones, with music coming from them—songs from Future Girls' new album.

Chen Peng stood to the side of the stage, his gaze sweeping across the audience. He was incredibly frustrated. Who were these audience members? Could they be undercover agents sent by that Zhang guy, here specifically to cause trouble?
He grew angrier the more he thought about it, so he walked over to a member of the audience, pretending to pass by, but actually secretly listening.

However, after listening for only half a minute, his face darkened, because the lyrics of the song "Against the Light" were like a hand slapping him hard across the face.

Most importantly, the melody of this song is also very catchy, even better than the debut song written by the show's production team for the "Super Girl" group.

Isn't this a complete humiliation?
Although the finals hadn't started yet, his mood was already clouded over, and he roared inwardly: Feng Xinghai, you've ruined me!

If God were to give him this chance again, he would definitely speak up for Chen Silu and the others.

Backstage mentor lounge.

The five mentors were ready to go on stage, but they were still staring at their phone screens, silently watching Future Girls' new album.

After listening to four new songs, the lounge fell into a long silence, with only the melodies from the phone still echoing.

Liu Yifei broke the silence first. She turned off the music and said with deep emotion, "The lyrics of 'Against the Light' are so heartbreaking. I regret coming to this show."

She sighed after speaking, her voice filled with helplessness and frustration, as if the show had become a stain on her life, one that couldn't be washed away.

Li Yuqi nodded, still playing the song "Against the Light" on repeat, and said with the same emotion: "Although it is a mini album, the quality is very high, and each song has its own style, and they have brought out the strengths of each of them to the extreme. Teacher Zhang is too awesome. After this show ends, I must ask him to sit and guide my new album."

Cai Yaxuan's lips twitched slightly. She also planned to release an album this year and compete for the Best Female Singer and Best Album awards. If Teacher Zhang supported Li Yuqi, what would she do? Wouldn't she be outshone by Li Yuqi?

Sisters may be sisters, but it's still unpleasant to compete against each other in awards.

Wang Shengjie also sighed, "Now I finally understand why netizens are criticizing me. If I hadn't listened to the director and had given them more opportunities, we could be considered their mentors when they debuted."

"There's nothing we can do. We're paid to do things for them. We've only ourselves to blame," Peng Jie said, thinking to himself: I must ask if Zhang Wen has any students before accepting any variety show offers in the future.

Silence fell again in the dressing room. The five girls wore complex expressions, including regret, remorse, and frustration. They all knew that in the face of a "god-tier" show like "The Best of Us," no matter how well the trainees performed tonight, it would be difficult to attract the audience's attention.

Even if it's good, can it be better than a future girl?
"Dang Dang Dang!"

There was a sudden knock on the door, and then a staff member pushed the door open and entered.

"Dear teachers, the live broadcast is about to begin. You may go on stage now," the staff member said.

"Okay, I understand." Liu Yifei replied, handing her phone to her assistant and walking out of the lounge first.

The other four also stood up and followed Liu Yifei out.

When the countdown reached zero, the lights in the studio suddenly went out, plunging the entire venue into darkness.

A few seconds later, the circular lift platform in the center of the stage lit up with a faint blue light, like a halo floating in the darkness, instantly capturing the attention of the audience.

"Welcome to the Super Trainee Annual Finals!"

The host's passionate voice resounded throughout the venue through the speakers. As his voice faded, the circular LED screen above the stage lit up, and countless lights converged from the edge of the screen to the center, eventually forming the words "Super Trainee".

Accompanied by rousing music, the lights in the entire venue suddenly blazed on, red spotlights swept across the audience, blue lights filled the stage, and holographic projections on both sides were activated simultaneously, projecting nine dynamic figures onto the stage, representing the nine members of the "Super Girl" group.

The production team spent half a month preparing for this opening, from building the stage to programming the lighting. The stage design alone cost nearly ten million yuan, all in order to retain the audience with this kind of "visual impact".

As the music tempo quickened, the curtains on both sides of the stage slowly opened, and the 15 trainees who had advanced to the finals walked out quickly from the passageway in five groups.

They were wearing matching pink sequined jumpsuits with tiny light bulbs scattered along the hem, which flickered as they moved.

Suddenly, the music switched to the show's theme song, "Chasing Dreams," and the 15 trainees quickly took their positions and began performing the opening dance.

For this three-minute dance, the trainees underwent a full week of closed training, rehearsing for more than 12 hours a day. The production team also deliberately invited top choreographers from abroad, all in an effort to surpass the future girls.

However, the idea was good, but the reality was cruel; problems arose right from the start for the 15 trainees.

The trainee on the far left was out of sync with the rhythm, his movements were noticeably half a beat slower; the trainee in the center position used too much force and hit the trainee next to him; and another trainee seemed unaccustomed to wearing high heels and always bent his legs while dancing.

Because the final was broadcast live, there was no opportunity for reshoots, so every problem was presented to the audience without reservation.

"Is this the level of the top 15 in the finals? Why can't they even dance in sync?"

"The movements didn't feel smooth at all, and it was far inferior to the performance of the Future Girls at the New Year's Eve party."

"This choreography is too ordinary. It's not even as good as the dance in Future Girls' 'The Best of Us' MV."

Numerous negative comments appeared in the live stream as bullet comments, and the enthusiasm of the audience was far below expectations. Some close-up shots showed audience members with blank expressions and no reaction whatsoever.

The three-minute opening dance finally ended, and the trainees stood in a row and bowed to the audience.

The applause was sparse and far from the "enthusiastic" response the production team had anticipated. Even the enthusiastic applause from the atmosphere team sitting in the front could not energize the entire audience.

Chen Peng, backstage, looked at the monitor with a face even more unpleasant than a steamed eggplant. He had hoped to use this performance to get off to a good start and impress the audience, but it seemed that it had not met his expectations.

Fortunately, there were quite a few viewers watching the live stream, 73...

Huh?
How did it become 69?

Chen Peng rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was seeing things.

After staring at it for a while, 69 became 68 again.

Chen Peng's expression froze instantly.

what's the situation?
Was it because they were discouraged at the very beginning?

……

(End of this chapter)