Huayu: From the Era of Ringtones to Becoming a Legend

Seeing that the three of them were giving him face, Park Jae-hwan crossed his arms and looked at Lu Jiuge with a mocking expression, becoming smug.

"Brother Park, the three of us will stick with you. Help us get revenge! That Lu Jiuge dragged us all into Class F!"

The lead trainee clenched his fists and gritted his teeth:

"With our abilities, we could have at least been in Class D, and Park Ge would definitely have been number one in Class A. Now, because of this plagiarist, who offended President Lee, we've been put in Class F, which has ruined everyone!"

The other two echoed this sentiment, urging Park Jae-hwan to take the lead in targeting Lu Jiuge.

Park Jae-hwan had just received confirmation from Joo Ji-soo and now had three cheap underlings. Just as he was about to challenge and provoke Lu Jiuge, Lu Jiuge sneered, ignored the four of them, and turned to leave the dormitory.

Once outside the manor, Lu Jiuge found a blind spot where the cameras couldn't reach her and took out a copy of the contestant information she had smuggled out to examine it.

"So it was him? I knew that kid looked familiar!"

Lu Jiuge's gaze fell on a page of personal profiles, and she suddenly realized.

The person in the profile is named Jiang Dasheng.

The name exploded in his mind instantly.

One of the members and lead vocalists of BigBang!

Although he is not as famous as G-Dragon, he is definitely a top star in the Korean entertainment industry.

More importantly, if he can acquire Kang Dae-seung, he will have enough say when BigBang is formed.

Having figured this out, Lu Jiuge had a goal in mind. She returned to her dormitory and, taking advantage of the absence of the other three, called Jiang Dasheng out alone.

The two walked one after the other into the depths of the bamboo path on the west side of the manor. This place was far from the recording area, and even the patrolling security guards rarely passed by. The rustling of the bamboo leaves in the wind became the only background sound.

Jiang Dasheng gripped the hem of his clothes, his steps slowing down. When he saw Lu Jiuge stop, he immediately took a half step back, his back against the bamboo pole, his face full of vigilance.

"Lu Jiuge, what do you want from bringing me to a place like this?"

His voice carried the tension of a young man, and his eyes were full of vigilance, as if he were afraid that Lu Jiuge would play some tricks.

Lu Jiuge turned around, leaned against the bamboo pole on the other side, and looked at him frankly without making any unnecessary movements, getting straight to the point.

"I'm not going to waste time with nonsense, I'm going to get straight to the point."

"Park Jae-hwan is SG's chosen one. Joo Ji-soo personally promised him a comeback story. Even if he stays in Class F, he can still make it to the end smoothly. His debut is a sure thing."

"The three people with him have all signed with small agencies. Even if they don't go far this time, the company will arrange other resources for them, so their future isn't bleak."

He paused, his gaze falling on Jiang Dasheng's pale face, his words precise and accurate:

"Only you, Jiang Dasheng. No company, no background, no backers, you came to compete all alone."

"If you stay in Class F, without mentor guidance or media exposure, you'll be eliminated in the first performance."

"Given the ruthlessness of the Korean entertainment industry, this setback means you'll never be able to stand on the mainstream stage again in your lifetime."

Lu Jiuge's words were like a sharp knife, piercing straight into Jiang Dasheng's heart.

Behind his parents' backs, he secretly took on several part-time jobs to raise enough money for the trip to the competition, putting all his dreams and future on this talent show.

If he were to slink back like this, he really wouldn't know how to face his life.

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

Jiang Dasheng raised his head, looking at Lu Jiuge with a struggling expression.

Lu Jiuge didn't answer, but instead took out a folded note from her pocket and handed it over.

Jiang Dasheng hesitated for a few seconds, but still reached out and took it. The moment he unfolded it, lines of neat melody and lyrics came into view.

It was a melody he had never heard before, and the lyrics carried the stubbornness and courage of a young man. Yet every note and every word seemed to be tailor-made for his voice.

He was just reading it silently in his mind when the matching melody started playing in his head, and his heart began to pound uncontrollably.

"This is a song that belongs to you."

Lu Jiuge's voice rang out in the silent bamboo forest, firm and steady, without the slightest hesitation.

"With your voice, singing this song could make you a hit all over South Korea, and everyone would remember the name Kang Dae-seung."

"Work with me, and I can guarantee you'll start in Class F and fight your way out!"

Jiang Dasheng looked back and forth between Lu Jiuge and the song several times, but still couldn't make up his mind.

What Lu Jiuge gave him was his future hit song, "Look at Me, Guishun".

He could see the song's potential at a glance, but the thought of offending SG Records made him shudder.

Seeing his struggle, Lu Jiuge continued her psychological attack:

"Park Jae-hwan was the chosen one, and the other three have their companies backing them up. Only you are the real pawn to be discarded."

"If you don't cooperate with me and stay in Class F, you'll be eliminated in the first round and will never be able to turn things around."

"Come with me, and you'll have a stage and a future."

Jiang Dasheng's Adam's apple bobbed as he looked up at Lu Jiuge:

Why are you helping me?

Lu Jiuge spoke calmly:

"I was ostracized by everyone in South Korea. You are the only one here who is like me, with no background or connections."

"If we help each other out, we'll have a way to survive."

"I……"

Jiang Dasheng's mind raced as he weighed the pros and cons, making the most difficult decision of his life.

I believe you.

The three words, spoken softly yet with unwavering conviction, echoed for a long time in the bamboo forest.

Lu Jiuge's lips curled up slightly, and a barely perceptible smile flashed in her eyes.

Discovering this future trump card is more worthwhile than winning ten verbal battles.

[Ding! Detected that you have gained Jiang Dasheng's trust. Positive Faith Value +13500!]

A system notification sounded quietly. Lu Jiuge understood immediately, but her face remained expressionless as she nodded to Jiang Dasheng.

"Go back and prepare well, practice this song until you've mastered it!"

"Remember to keep it a secret, don't let the song leak out or someone will pick up the fallen fruit!"

Jiang Dasheng nodded and took the lead in walking back.

Lu Jiuge followed behind, and the two returned to the dormitory one after the other.

Park Jae-hwan and the other three were waiting to make their move when they saw the two of them enter one after the other, and they were a little confused.

Park Jae-hwan stopped the two who were about to cause trouble and led them out of the dormitory.

……

The atmosphere in the dormitory became extremely oppressive over the next few days.

Park Jae-hwan and his two companions constantly targeted and mocked Lu Jiuge, who remained indifferent, while Jiang Dasheng adopted a neutral stance.

Unbeknownst to Park Jae-hwan and the others, the two had already reached a tacit understanding in secret.

A week has passed in the blink of an eye.

At 8:00 AM on Friday morning, the dormitory hallway broadcast the following:

"All trainees, please proceed to the assessment hall immediately for your initial stage performance assessment. Repeat this once, then proceed to the assessment hall immediately!"

Park Jae-hwan glared at Lu Jiuge defiantly, then turned and walked downstairs first.

The other two trainees said something harsh to Lu Jiuge and then chased after her.

Only Lu Jiuge and Jiang Dasheng remained in the dormitory.

"Let's go, to the testing hall."

Lu Jiuge patted Jiang Dasheng on the shoulder, her tone calm but full of confidence.

"Sing freely, with this song, no one can easily eliminate you."

Jiang Dasheng took a deep breath and followed closely behind Lu Jiuge. His initially flustered steps gradually became firm.

As we walked into the testing hall, the atmosphere was already extremely tense.

Above the huge stage, tens of thousands of lights intertwine to form a dazzling light curtain, with as many as ten camera positions around the perimeter.

As soon as Lu Jiuge stepped into the evaluation hall, a camera immediately turned around and locked onto him.

It's not preferential treatment, it's surveillance.

It was a special arrangement by the production team to record his every move and wait to capture the moment when he made a fool of himself.