Have you ever been a celebrity? Why are you writing about entertainment?

Chapter 274 Indigenous Melee

As they rehearsed their lines more often, Qi Yuan and the others began to find their rhythm. They no longer limited themselves to simply reciting lines, but started to try different performance styles.

Yu Wei's explanations and demonstrations were of great benefit to them. Over the course of several days, through repeated practice, they gradually found a common language for comedy.

They can understand even the slightest pauses or eye contact that are not marked in the script.

That afternoon, Yu Wei stopped them and brought up the new format of the third round of the fake competition "Top Idol".

Since they had all advanced to the top 24, explaining the new rules directly to them would also make it easier for them to prepare in advance.

Sharing the version information with friends shouldn't be a problem; it won't disrupt the balance, especially since the competition hasn't even started yet.

"The third round is very short, 24 to 16, three people per group, three to two."

His fake competition has progressed to the point where only thirteen contestants remain, and the remaining eleven are all AIs with names and identities.

In this round, there is a detailed competition schedule: one group every three days, and eight groups of matches will be completed in twenty-four days.

This way, the competition has a clear time limit, preventing them from dragging it out and missing the deadline.

"Why so strict all of a sudden?"

Previously, Yu Wei's competition emphasized flexibility; if you had something to do, the competition time could be postponed, which was quite humane.

Now a competition schedule has been released, which is getting closer and closer to the standards of a real competition, and the level of rigor has increased significantly.

"I've been too good to you guys before."

Yu Wei explained seriously, "You don't think I'm joking, do you? The competition isn't real, but my goal is to determine a true top star."

The second round was truly a boon for them; almost everyone benefited from the competition, with Chi Leying and Zhang Lingye even gaining recognition from higher-ups.

But don't forget, Yu Wei's initial goal was to have cyber battles between crickets, letting them compete to determine a true top star.

Some people will definitely ask, wasn't your initial goal to drive traffic and boost data for the novel? ... I can only say you're bold, but don't make unwarranted comments about Yu Wei's vision.

"Then, is it still possible to get the song?"

This is their biggest concern. They work themselves to the bone in competitions just to equip themselves with their work.

"of course."

The music library is the most attractive aspect of this fake competition, and the reward mechanism must be retained, otherwise everyone's enthusiasm for participating will be greatly reduced.

Online competitions are only interesting if you go all out. Only when you are striving to win can you give it your all, making the competition more exciting.

But...

"In the three-to-two elimination round, only the first place in the group can get the song, the second place just advances normally, and the third place is eliminated directly."

Yu Wei's new rule silenced them all, meaning that winning now wasn't enough; they had to win big to get the reward.

It sounds strict, but it's actually a win-win situation. Some people just want to get points, while others are aiming for first place.

Scarcity increases value. If songs are obtained too easily, the competition will lose its appeal. Only the strongest deserve to receive songs, which makes perfect sense.

After discussing it, the group felt that the new competition format was not bad. If they wanted to fight, they should fight, and their swords were not necessarily at a disadvantage!

"Can we invite guest performers for this round?"

Chi Leying spoke calmly, seemingly already preparing to use her connections to recruit people. Having tasted the benefits of the competition, she naturally wanted to do the same again.

Being carried along by Yu Wei is really addictive. After being carried along by Yu Wei once, they didn't want to take any more detours and just followed Yu Wei's arrangements.

If she performs like this after just one song in the second round, wouldn't she be ecstatic if she advanced to the finals and won the championship?

"Of course, top stars need to be well-rounded, not just have individual abilities. Having connections and being good at creating entertaining content also counts."

Yu Wei's words were a confirmation of Tong Yulu's unorthodox methods. Last time she was able to advance by doing abstract things, and this time she could do it too, but the difficulty would be greatly increased.

When three people compete, the contrast will only become more pronounced. It's possible to steal a win through underhanded tactics, but it's much harder in a free-for-all.

"In addition, this round is a themed competition."

Yu Wei's next words were the real inside information, hoping they could prepare early: "Each group has a fixed theme, and your song selection should revolve around that theme."

If the first two rounds tested singing skills and performance, this round tests song selection ability and song comprehension.

Not only do they need to sing well, but they also need to understand the core meaning and purpose of the song. They can't just sing randomly or make assumptions. Cultural workers must be cultured.

"what?"

Hearing this, Qi Yuan and his group were somewhat taken aback. The group stage was a three-into-two round, and it was a themed competition. Yu Wei's tricks were a bit too much.

If the theme of the song selection is limited, wouldn't the creative ideas for singing original songs be severely restricted?
However, of the remaining thirteen contestants, apart from Shen Yutong, it's estimated that none of them will sing original songs in the competition.

"Stop 'ah'ing, go back and prepare. I'll update the group list tonight." Yu Wei paused, then added another hint.

"Friendly reminder: two of you are in the first group."

Several lines of traditional Chinese opera rang out from the audience. They were already scheduled for the first round before they were even familiar with the new competition format, as if they were afraid that they wouldn't be eliminated quickly enough, right?
The group looked at each other and began to speculate about the two contestants in the first group.

"It feels like it's the two of us."

Qi Yuan patted Zhang Lingye on the shoulder. This was Yu Wei's usual trick: to put the two of them together to generate buzz.

If it's a three-into-two elimination round, there's a good chance that both of them will advance; this time, there's no need for internal conflict.

"That's great, I've wanted to beat you for a long time."

Zhang Lingye grinned. Qi Yuan's fans had all left, and he now held an absolute advantage in the voting.

He would be in real danger if he were in a group with someone else, but Ying Qiyuan is a good friend who can help him choose a song.

However, there's also the possibility that Yu Wei might rearrange the groups. They looked at Chi Leying and Tong Yulu beside them; the two were already taunting each other. As rivals, it's quite possible they'll be grouped together, since Yu Wei likes to create buzz.

"I hope my sister can hold on to second place, and not get eliminated by accident."

Chi Leying spoke softly but with an overwhelming sense of pressure. If you're in her group, don't even think about getting first place; the group's first place has already been taken.

"It's hard to say."

Although Tong Yulu was stubborn, she was actually a little unsure of herself. The gap between the two of them had already widened, and catching up would be even more difficult.

A rational analysis suggests that her best option this time is to secure second place and advance first.

As the group continued analyzing the competition format, their gazes fell upon Su Jian, who had just arrived the day before.

"Why are you looking at me? I was eliminated in the second round."

Su Jian was utterly speechless. Studying an opponent is fine, but why go through the trouble of desecrating a corpse? He's been dead for ages...

Hopefully, the AI ​​will perform well this round and take down a few as scapegoats, otherwise it will be very embarrassing for him.

After the acting training ended, the group dispersed, leaving only Yu Wei typing away while Qi Luoan stayed behind to watch the spectacle.

This competition format is quite interesting, full of tension; she loves watching bloodshed.

Yu Wei thought about the third round of the competition for a long time, so he wrote very quickly and finished typing the schedule of the third round in no time.

The chapter title is concise and to the point: "The New Schedule." Readers clicked on it without hesitation.

These past few days they've been pushing out updates on the filming of "The Myth" every day. They're all getting so bored they just want something exciting to watch, and the new competition is perfect.

When they clicked in, they found that the competition format had changed again, this time more complex, but also more standardized.

They were getting a bit tired of the previous 1v1 arenas, so Yu Wei's decision to have a group stage where three teams advance to the next two is exactly what they wanted.

Choosing songs with themes is good; songs with the same theme are easier to compare. Otherwise, if the styles are not consistent, it will be difficult for everyone to make a judgment.

Yu Wei knew what they wanted to see: a big battle!
[Group 1 (Best Friends Group): Qi Yuan, Zhang Lingye, Zhou Mulun.]

As Qi Yuan expected, he and Zhang Lingye were indeed assigned to the first group, but their group also included an unfamiliar native character, who had probably been mentioned only briefly before.

Readers, unaware of this person's background, can only patiently continue reading.

[Group Two (Internet Celebrity Group): Lin Yuting, Chen Chen, Xu Gao.]

This group is quite interesting. Lin Yuting and Chen Chen are both internet celebrity singers, so the group name is fine. So, is this Brother Xu also an internet celebrity singer?
Wow, Brother Xu is awesome!
[Group 3 (Mandarin Duck Group): Fei Hong, Zhou Mumu, and Ke Zong.]

Upon seeing this, the readers couldn't hold back any longer. Yu Wei completely stopped acting and directly arranged a romantic pairing, as if afraid that everyone wouldn't notice, right?

Wouldn't Zhou Mumu's fans be furious if they saw this?
However, this person, whom the leader of the Kremlin had mentioned earlier, finally appeared—a native they recognized.

[Group 4 (Queen's Group): Shen Yutong, Xiang Huaixue, Deng Shi.]

This is undeniable; this group is truly top-tier. Netizens are already looking forward to the match. Three women make a drama; just thinking about it is exciting.

Deng Shi is definitely the most popular indigenous singer in Yu Wei's novels, and her metallic high notes are very impressive.

Senior Xiang Huaixue's high notes were extremely exaggerated, while Shen Yutong was the least noticeable one in comparison.

The fourth group is widely considered the most anticipated match, and the outcome remains to be seen.

[Group 5 (Best Friends Group): Chi Leying, Tong Yulu, Liu Ying.]

The feud may have been delayed, but it has finally come. Yu Wei's group name is really bad. What kind of best friends are these? Best friends who are used as a sacrifice?
When Tong Yulu saw her schedule, she felt like the sky was falling. Liu Ying, this local singer, was incredibly strong. Now, even the second-place contestant might not be able to hold her own.

When she saw the sixth group, she got even angrier...

[Group 6 (Concept Group): Meng Lei, Qunxing, Zhang Wei.]

One person against two bots, it's rigged, definitely rigged. She also wants this kind of guaranteed win; surely she can beat one of the two bots.

[Group 7 (Laodeng Group): Jiang Siheng, Song Wei, Fei Ting.]

She dared not challenge the seventh group, as they were all seasoned musicians with formidable skills. She had heard Fei Ting's "Yi Jian Mei" at the audition, and it was terrifying.

Group 8 (3 players, 1 player missing): Wang Er, Tao Jiji, Lin JJ.

What's this?
The last group didn't even bother with acting; three natives suddenly appeared, each with an incredibly abstract name.

The group name is also abstract. What does "three missing one" mean? Are they playing mahjong?

Tong Yulu was on the verge of tears after reading it. So many human-machine interaction machines, it would have been so much better if they had arranged two for her.

Little did she know that Yu Wei had already been very considerate of her; if she were really assigned to the last group, that would be truly disastrous...

"Is Zhou Mugun in the first group strong?"

After reading the new chapter, this was what Qi Luo'an cared about most. Although the final group of natives fighting each other was a bit confusing, she could still accept it.

All she cared about was whether the locals in the first group had a chance of eliminating her brother.

"His name is Mu Lun."

"Got it, so is the wooden stick strong?"

Yu Wei was stunned for a moment, unsure how to answer the question. He wasn't a braggart, but he wasn't one to make unfounded accusations either.

Objectively speaking...

Qi Yuan and Zhang Lingye are only here to compete for the second place.

(End of this chapter)