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

I'm so nervous...

While frantically refreshing the rankings page of "Shining Project", Lu Shanshan sent a message to her friend Tan Yi.

Don't be nervous, didn't the forum predict before that your team had a high probability of winning first place?

There are so many established fans this season, and they're all clamoring to grab the center position... My Jiangjiang is just a newcomer, I'm really worried about her.

This is the light of democratic elections, okay?!

Are you really not going to join me in pursuing Jiang Jiang? I think you'd definitely be a fan of his looks.

[There's nothing I can do. Ever since my son stopped appearing, I've shut myself off from love. Besides, the new ZPL season is about to start.]

Are you going to supervise RXG's matches for your son?

No—it's because the storm is brewing, and the streams I know are getting more and more restless as the competition approaches. I reckon it'll be quite noisy once it starts.

[I wish you win the argument... Ugh! The rankings are out!]

Lu Shanshan nervously covered her phone screen with her hand, squinting her eyes as she secretly peeked at it.

The moment she saw the rankings, her breath caught in her throat.

"ah--"

She pulled the blanket over her head, drowning out her screams in the cotton.

"First rankings announced"

1. Jiang Zhiyu

2. Deng Sushui

……

She had no interest in looking at the rankings after that; she was only focused on the words "first place," and her whole body was burning with excitement.

Lu Shanshan, her face flushed, kicked and flailed wildly on the bed before quickly typing to share the good news with Tan Yi.

[Yiyi! He's number one! Jiang Zhiyu is number one!!!]

-

- "Has the Shining Project Shined Yet?" forum

#What do you guys think of Jiang Zhiyu's five-day rise from an unknown nobody to number one?#

[This is amazing! I don't know whether to say it's because his personal charm is too irresistible, or it's the inevitable result of his perfect acting skills.]

[However, this is only the first ranking announcement, so let's not overhype it. What if it drops later? (I'm a fan, so I'll start by criticizing.)]

[Fans should have more confidence! In just a few days, they've already surpassed those with established fan bases; doesn't that already mean a dark horse has emerged?]

I thought it would take Jiang Huang at least several episodes to reach the top, but I didn't expect it to be so fast. Jiang Huang's fans are amazing.

I still stand by my opinion: he has good public image now, but few die-hard fans. I'm putting it this way: if he can survive the one-pick stage, I'll accept it.

——【Place an eye here】

——【Place two wards】

—【It's you again, freeloading again】

Don't underestimate Jiang Huang's die-hard fans. Although his fandom may seem scattered and disorganized, it has actually formed a well-organized and clearly defined support group...

[Seriously, not long ago I saw Jiang Zhiyu's fans in the square complaining that he's too amateurish and can't find a company to connect with, and that his fan club is growing wildly.]

……

#The show has been airing for five days now, and I've been following it the whole time, so let me talk about my current favorite CP/CB pairings! (Soloists beware!)#

[Let me tell you, I'm really curious about what's going on between Mi Lan and Wang Yan. The tug-of-war between them is so intense!]

—【This couple seems to harbor nothing but pure hatred.】

—【Actually, that's not the case; the relationship between the two is quite delicate.】

I'm really curious about the relationship between Jiang Zhiyu and Wei Shuang. They seem like they're not that close, but they don't interact much. However, every time their eyes meet, it's like lightning strikes (physically). Is this something I can just say...?

—【I understand the original poster! Especially on the day of the initial stage performance, Jiang Zhiyu's gaze towards Wei Shuang was practically a declaration of war, but it subsided later. It's also possible that Wei Shuang's initial stage performance was indeed too ordinary and didn't catch Jiang Huang's eye.】

—【I don't believe there's no future for these two. They definitely have the feel of arch-rivals. Let's wait and see how things develop.】

[It feels like you're gradually becoming Jiang Zhiyu's favorite character. Everyone on the show has to praise him. What kind of 'heartthrob' setting is this?!]

—【This original poster's comment became an art form when the focus of subsequent replies completely shifted to Jiang Zhiyu.】

【Fenjiang Zhiyu, whether you're into couples or casual sex, you can eat your fill. It's a true go-to chef for the food scene】

[Isn't Chen Yue the only trainee who publicly expressed dislike for Jiang Zhiyu?]

—【Chen Yue is nothing but a clown. After failing to ride on Jiang Zhiyu's popularity during the theme song practice and being exposed by Mi Lan in public, he started slandering him, saying that Jiang Zhiyu got to where he is by his looks and is arrogant, and that Mi Lan has violent tendencies and should be disqualified from the competition.】

—【How come he hates Mi Lan more than he hates Jiang Zhiyu?】

……

Jiang Zhiyu walked into the large classroom. The final rating of the theme song will be announced this morning. Although there will be no elimination at this stage, the initial rating still means exposure, which is closely related to whether you can advance to the next round.

A figure suddenly squeezed between him and Mi Lan, his shoulder brushing roughly against Jiang Zhiyu. He staggered slightly but quickly regained his balance.

The man stopped and turned around, his expression blank: "Sorry, you're walking too slowly. I'm in a hurry."

Mi Lan's face instantly darkened: "Chen Yue, are you never going to stop?"

Chen Yue shrugged: "Why are you so angry so early in the morning?"

"you--"

Jiang Zhiyu reached out and pressed down on Mi Lan's shoulder, gently patting him to comfort him. Then he looked up at Chen Yue, his tone flat but devoid of any warmth: "We're about to enter the live broadcast area. If you want to continue your monkey show, no one will stop you."

Jiang Zhiyu, who always seemed gentle, suddenly spoke sarcastically, and Chen Yue froze on the spot, his smug face turning as black as the bottom of a pot.

He silently cursed, glared fiercely at Mi Lan, and stormed into the main classroom.

"Wow, Jiang Jiang, you've ruined your image, but I like it."

Mi Lan watched as Chen Yue, his defenses broken, fled in disarray, and then her smile shifted to Chen Yue's face.

Jiang Zhiyu ignored Mi Lan's joking remarks and pulled her into the large classroom.

To put it bluntly, River, who is capable of winning the world championship, has never been someone to be trifled with. It's just that over the years, his mentality has become less affected by others in most cases, and even recently, when he has an attack, he rarely completely collapses.

The two found Lin Sen, who had arrived at the large classroom earlier, on the steps. He was currently squeezed into the crowd, gesturing wildly as he talked.

Catching sight of Jiang Zhiyu and Mi Lan approaching out of the corner of his eye, Lin Sen darted over and whispered mysteriously.

"A guy secretly hid his phone and checked the first ranking last night. Guess who's number one?"

Mi Lan put her hands behind her head and said firmly, "Jiang Zhiyu."

"How did you know?" Lin Sen's eyes widened. "You hid your phone behind our backs too?"

"Isn't it obvious... Haven't you noticed that lately, the person calling Jiang Jiang's name is gradually becoming the loudest after work?"

"It seems—it really is!"

Jiang Zhiyu didn't join their conversation, went straight to find a seat and sat down, leaving them with only his determined back of his head.

Seeing that everything was ready, the staff nearby immediately announced the start of the theme song assessment results.

The projector in the large classroom flickered twice, projecting the words "Theme Song Rating" onto the white wall in a simple, even slightly rustic, manner, immediately eliciting some suppressed laughter from below.

The host, Yu Lan, stepped forward with a graceful smile to announce the evaluation results.

"Hello everyone, trainees!"

The highly anticipated rating results for the theme song will be officially announced soon.

All the sweat and effort of the past few days will be witnessed today.

Ratings may vary, but effort is of equal importance.

Regardless of the outcome, I hope everyone stays true to their original aspirations and continues to move forward.

Next, let's reveal the rating results!