Esports world champion, debuted as the center of a talent show

A heavy rain brewed in the dark night. Before dawn the next day, fine rain began to fall, then gradually intensified. Before long, the rain suddenly turned into large raindrops that pounded heavily on the ground, splashing up sprays of water.

Just as Jiang Zhiyu said, it rained.

The rain came quickly and suddenly. Thick, dark clouds covered the city, blocking out the sunlight and making the whole place dark and oppressive.

After getting up, Lu Shanshan thought about it for a long time and finally decided to release the original photos of Jiang Zhiyu leaving his first stage performance.

Before releasing it, she asked Tan Yi for her opinion.

[Lu Shanshan: Yiyi, do you think it's okay if I post those unedited original photos?]

Tan Yi hadn't slept well either, and got up early. Her tone when replying to her was both helpless and amusing.

[Tan Yi: If it were before, I would have said to wait and cover for the child again.]

[Tan Yi: Whatever! Even if the King of Heaven himself came, it wouldn't be able to cover it up! I really don't understand how someone could just blurt it out like that!]

Lu Shanshan couldn't help but smile, her eyes crinkling. Even now, she still hadn't fully processed the fact that "Jiang Zhiyu is the legendary e-sports world champion River," and she felt both dazed and excited.

As a fan who has followed her all the way, no one can resist the feeling of their idol standing at the top in two completely different fields. This double surprise and pride fills her whole being.

She took a deep breath, opened her social media account, and carefully edited the text, revising it several times before finalizing the content.

"I never expected that the photo that first made him famous would reappear on my account in this form. I still remember the amazement I felt when I first saw him that night, and I can't forget the look in his eyes when he looked at us under the night sky. It's quite interesting, actually. I initially thought that the small black dot under his eye in the photo was a lens malfunction, but I only recently realized that it wasn't an equipment problem at all. It was his natural 'anti-counterfeiting mole'."

Below the text, nine high-resolution original images are arranged in sequence.

Nine different shooting angles show a boy with a tall and straight posture and clear and handsome features. In each photo, you can vaguely see a faint mark under his eyes in the same position.

As the photographer and publisher of the first legendary photo in the industry, Jiang Zhiyu gained fame from the early days of participating in the program with her excellent photography skills. She took the first legendary photo in Jiangmen that was widely circulated in the industry. Later, she took the lead in organizing various support activities and managing fan affairs, which accumulated a huge popularity base for her fan account.

The moment I clicked to publish this post, notifications for shares, comments, and likes started ringing incessantly, and the message refresh rate was so fast it was dizzying.

Within minutes, the post had spread like wildfire, attracting a flood of viewers, including fans of the show, casual observers, and a large number of River fans who had rushed to the scene.

[Another legendary unedited photo from Jiangmen! To be honest, why is this unedited photo so stunning? It's the first time I've ever seen an unedited photo that can completely outshine many celebrities' retouched photos.]

[Haha, I watched the entire live stream of my first stage performance, and I didn't see that mole at all. It was obviously covered up completely with concealer. I guess the recording took so long that my makeup gradually smudged as I left, and that's when it finally showed up.]

[As expected, he knows himself quite well; he even knows to put on some disguise (removing the anti-counterfeiting label). If he went on the show without any disguise, wouldn't he be recognized in no time?]

[I can't take it anymore! My focus is completely on his face. How did God open a window, a door, and even break through the ceiling for him?]

[Giseth, her beauty is truly favored by the Creator!]

Comments flooded the screen, and this post propelled the entire trending topics list, with several new terms emerging one after another, soaring all the way up and firmly occupying the top positions on the trending topics list.

# Jiang Zhiyu almost got exposed on his first stage performance #

# Jiang Zhiyu's mole under his eye was mistaken for a camera flaw#

#River, the creator of divine beauty#

The term's popularity soared, and related discussions spread across various online platforms.

- [Has the Shining Project Shined Yet?] Forum

#Is Jiang Zhiyu the River? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? #

[OP: I thought it was some kind of double-fan prank, but it turns out it's real??]

[1L: OP's internet speed is like a snail's pace! The whole internet has been discussing this for ages, and you're only just now realizing it.]

[2L: I've been shocked for a long time. This is an absolutely devastating shock to my worldview!]

[3L: The most unbelievable plot in the world is here! River and Jiang Zhiyu are like two completely parallel lines, extending in different directions, but one day they suddenly twist into one, and then I'm told that they were originally one person, is that right?]

[4L: I'm still speechless with shock. I don't know much about the esports scene, but who hasn't heard of River? Is this god-like figure in the esports world really Jiang Zhiyu?]

—Reply: [Jiang Zhiyu is almost a legend in talent shows; he's amazing, he makes every category his own.]

The post's popularity skyrocketed, with new comments appearing every second, keeping readers constantly on the go.

[63L: I read the analysis from River's fans, and it's really interesting. I recommend you check it out too; their timeline is very clear.]

[64L: Wait a minute, so Jiang Zhiyu was clearly focused on playing ZPL before, but after only one month of practice, he became the most popular player in "Shining Project"?]

—Reply: [Yeah, I've always thought this was ridiculous! His talent is clearly maxed out in esports, so why is he also so far ahead in the draft?]

—Reply: [And he really didn't rely on any of his own fame; he relied solely on his talent to go from an unknown trainee to a breakout star with an overwhelming number of followers!]

[65L: I'm starting to wonder why he's participating in this talent show. He's already a legend in another field, why is he starting from scratch? Is it really because he likes singing and dancing? But I still feel like he prefers playing video games.]

—Reply: [I'm a former fan of both streamers (why "former"? Because there aren't any more "both" streamers now), and I can say with certainty that River is a pure professional player who loves Zero-Zero very much. He hasn't expressed any interest in becoming an idol before, so I'm actually very curious why he wanted to sign up for the audition.]

……

[185L: When I watched his skillful gunplay in the esports reality show, I felt it couldn't just be luck; he clearly had real skill. But I never expected him to actually become River!]

[186L: But why didn't anyone notice before that they were the same person? Even though River always wore a mask, didn't anyone think they looked alike?]

—Reply: [Actually, quite a few people have said this, but because someone once trolled River's own account and was subsequently attacked by River's fans, very few dare to publicly express similar opinions. Furthermore, River's fans are extremely loyal; even though he's no longer competing and rarely appears in public, his core fans won't switch allegiances to other stars.]

—Reply: [This is a recurring issue; it's simply a combination of numerous factors that have kept his identity secret for so long. Otherwise, if the photos hadn't been leaked this time, he might have been able to keep it a secret for a while longer.]

[187L: I think the convenience store employee's behavior wasn't very good either. If, as he said, Jiang Zhiyu wasn't feeling well at the time, then his act of secretly filming someone and releasing the footage is extremely rude.]

—Reply: [I think so too. It's really disrespectful.]

—Reply: [Actually, I'm also a fan of both, but after the shock and surprise, I felt heartache. I really hate seeing this kind of behavior happen to him.]

The heavy rain showed no signs of stopping; it poured down relentlessly, and the air was filled with the roar of water.

Jiang Zhiyu followed Mi Lan and Lin Sen toward the dressing room.

Lin Sen had prominent dark circles under his eyes and looked somewhat listless.

After learning the truth last night, he was so excited that he tossed and turned all night and couldn't sleep soundly until dawn when he finally managed to doze off for a short while.

He walked slowly beside Jiang Zhiyu and Mi Lan, sighing all the while.

"Oh no, I'm doomed. If I go to get my makeup done looking like this, the makeup artist is going to yell at me."

Mi Lan glanced at him sideways and couldn't help but tease, "Serves you right, who was hiding in bed making those weird laughs in the middle of the night?"

Lin Sen sounded a little aggrieved: "I tried to keep my voice down, but I couldn't control myself. Who could resist getting excited about the shocking news that my idol has suddenly become my buddy? Anyone would have insomnia."

The two bickered all the way to the entrance of the dressing room.

Jiang Zhiyu pushed open the door. There were already quite a few people in the dressing room, and several makeup artists were busy organizing makeup bags and arranging tools.

Kui Shuang sat alone on a swivel chair to the side. Hearing the sound of the door being pushed open, she looked up.

Seeing Jiang Zhiyu "forced to reveal his identity," a smile flashed in Wei Shuang's eyes, but he didn't say anything more, only nodding to the three of them.

The fact that many trainees secretly hid their phones was no secret at the recording studio, and even the staff turned a blind eye.

Most people hope to be able to observe public opinion in real time, and that's why the news that Jiang Zhiyu is River has already spread throughout the trainees.

A moment later, An Junying rushed in from outside, saw Jiang Zhiyu at a glance, and immediately raised her voice to shout.

"Zhiyu! You're amazing! A world champion! That's incredible!"

He rattled off a string of praises, his tone full of admiration, chattering incessantly around Jiang Zhiyu.

The makeup artist, feeling helpless, stepped forward and half-pulled him to another seat before finally calming him down.

Yao Wei's first reaction upon seeing Jiang Zhiyu was one of concern. His face was full of genuine worry, and the tension in his eyes was almost impossible to hide: "Brother Jiang, are you alright?"

Jiang Zhiyu shook his head and said softly, "It's nothing."

Yu Wen, who followed Yao into the dressing room, had been casually glancing at Jiang Zhiyu with sparkling eyes ever since she saw him.

Deng Sushui couldn't help but glance at him frequently, her amazement and curiosity impossible to hide.

Wang Yan, who arrived late, remained silent and showed no unusual behavior. Only a few complex emotions flashed in her eyes. She walked to an empty seat without saying a word and sat down quietly, waiting for her makeup to be done.

Today, the production team arranged a fresh and clean makeup look, paired with uniform trainee outfits, making everyone look energetic and vibrant.

Raindrops kept hitting the glass window, the pattering sound never stopping, always lingering in my ears, dull and noisy.

The room's doors and windows were tightly closed, and the air circulation was poor. The crisp, thick uniform he was wearing clung tightly to his body, and the bow tie at the collar seemed to tighten with each breath, making Jiang Zhiyu feel inexplicably tight in his chest and his breathing become somewhat difficult.

"Are you feeling unwell?" The makeup artist, who was applying his base makeup, noticed his unusual behavior and asked softly.

"It's nothing." He blinked but didn't say anything.

The powder puff is gently patted onto the cheeks, with a gentle touch and no discomfort whatsoever.

While the makeup artist was busy working on her skin, she casually chatted, "Your skin is in such great condition, so clean, smooth, and firm. You don't need any heavy foundation at all, and the contouring is very simple to do, so it's a breeze."

As they were talking, she suddenly remembered something: "By the way, are you still covering up that mole under your eye?"

At this point, further attempts to conceal it would be superfluous. Jiang Zhiyu remained silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "No need, let's leave it as it is."

"Okay." The makeup artist replied.

The makeup artist permed his hair into a few small curls, which sat fluffy on his head, making him look well-behaved and harmless.

After finishing his makeup and styling, Jiang Zhiyu got up and walked to the single sofa in the corner. He leaned back slightly, closed his eyes, and rested.

After some time, someone pushed open the door to the dressing room: "Is your makeup and hair done? Get ready to leave."

Upon hearing the sound, everyone stood up and followed the staff outside.

On the way, the staff leading the team repeatedly reminded them of the precautions, their tone particularly serious.

"The situation outside is special. The production crew's minibus can't drive directly into the base, so everyone has to walk out to get on the bus. There are a lot of people gathered around the base now, so please stay close to the group when you go out and don't get lost. The roads are slippery because of the rain, so walk slowly. No matter how much the fans outside shout or wave, please don't stop. Also, a reminder: there are not only fans outside the fence, but also a lot of paparazzi, live streamers, and other people. Please protect yourselves and avoid contact with outsiders."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Zhiyu pursed his lips and lowered his eyes slightly.

The group walked to the lobby on the first floor, where staff members waiting there distributed umbrellas to them one by one.

He took the umbrella and glanced at it. It was a large, uniform black umbrella with very large ribs, making it quite heavy.

Jiang Zhiyu opened his umbrella, enveloping himself in its black fabric, and quietly followed the others into the rain.