Don't be afraid, I've truly come to bring you happiness.

To this day, they have encountered a series of "unexpected incidents," including "the equipment transport vehicle getting stuck in a tunnel," "the dedicated makeup artists suffering from food poisoning," "all the boxed lunches in the backstage dressing room being soaked by fire sprinklers," "all four tires of the nanny van bursting at the same time," and "the performance costumes disappearing from the dressing room."

That initial excitement had almost completely faded.

"Those guys...how despicable!"

Dizzy and sweaty from walking ten kilometers to get to the venue, Hina, the new lead vocalist of Diamond Star.

At this moment, he could only wear casual clothes, his face bare, and his eyes filled with anger as he stared at the VIP audience seats in the distance.

There, their target, Lin Yuanshan, was leisurely crossing his legs, accepting a cigar from the organizer.

This is the instigator of today's series of unexpected events.

Before Hina could finish speaking, a tremendous roar came from the sky!

Everyone instinctively looked up.

A helicopter painted in black was circling and slowly descending.

The hatch slid open, accompanied by a highly oppressive background music track, "Ah-ee-ya-ee-ya-ee-ya—".

Wearing sunglasses, expensive makeup, and rock-and-roll stage outfits, the members of the Thornless and Thornless band filed out of the plane like secret agents.

The stark contrast made the members of Diamond Star feel an unprecedented sense of humiliation.

In the VIP section, Lin Yuanshan showed absolutely no awareness of being the main villain.

He lit a cigar, took a deep drag, but choked on it.

Disdainfully, he tossed the barely touched cigar into the trash can.

"Cough cough cough hmph hmph hmph hmph hmph, you guys were already worlds apart from us in terms of popularity,"

"In addition to the organizers, drivers, security guards, sound engineers, and even the vendors selling glow sticks, all of them are my people."

"How can you fight me?"

Chapter 124 The Power of Capital

The stage and backstage of the band with thorns and without thorns.

White tablecloth, cake, champagne glasses stacked into a pyramid.

The excessive investment of funds has made this place look like a ball for the upper class.

"I wonder how things are going at Diamond Star."

Tao Xiang walked over carrying a tray filled with six cups of hot drinks.

Lin Yuanshan immediately got up to greet him.

"Oh dear, we can have the assistant handle this kind of thing from now on."

As he spoke, he raised his hand in greeting.

"Little assistant, come and work with us."

In the corner, Su Shi, who was watching Miao Meng's live stream on her phone and liking Mujica's new promotional video, skillfully put her phone away.

"Come on, come on!"

She jogged over, her tone carrying a numbness born of long-term oppression.

"Is this time about dealing with Chu Hua or getting rid of Mortis? Surely it's not about me taking down Xing Ge, is it?"

Upon hearing this, Tao Xiang paused slightly and looked at Su Shi with sympathy.

"So what does that devilish Toyama usually make you do?!"

After saying that, she quickly grabbed Su Shi, who was really about to make a move.

"I can handle it. You should get some rest and don't overwork yourself."

Meanwhile, backstage at Diamond Star.

Lead singer Haruna was squatting under the leaky roof, carefully using a found mineral water bottle to catch the murky "rain from heaven".

"Water...I'm so thirsty..."

Her teammate, the band's drummer, had eaten some kind of "specially provided boxed lunch" before the competition and was now lying weakly in the corner, almost completely dehydrated.

Strangely, every time they rushed to buy water at any of the music festival booths, they were told that "it was just sold out."

Therefore, it can only collect rainwater.

What? It didn't rain, so where did the rainwater come from?

God knows why it was only raining in their stage area, and the roof was even leaking!

But that's actually a good thing, now it's convenient to get water!

Even in adversity, Hina's eyes burned with an indomitable flame.

Just wait and see, whether it has thorns or not!

Just you wait, Ninja!

No matter what despicable means you use, the rock and roll spirit of Diamond Star will never admit defeat!

After giving myself a pep talk, the water bottle was also full.

"The water's here!"

Hina held the bottle of precious rainwater as if it were the Holy Grail, and rushed toward the dying drummer.

However, something tripped him up.

"Snapped!"

The water bottle flew out of his hand and rolled to the ground, the life force he had painstakingly accumulated instantly seeping into the muddy ground.

At this moment, a string called "strength" finally snapped completely.

Hina could no longer hold back, collapsed to the ground, and burst into tears.

"That's too much!"

Why are you treating us like this?!

"We're already less popular than you! Why are you trying to wipe us out completely?!"

The cries were heart-wrenching, bringing tears to the eyes of all who heard them.

On the stage, with or without thorns, the lights shone brightly.

The sound check is over, and everything is ready.

"Everyone! I'm a photographer from the Tokyo Music News. Look over here, yes, smile!"

Under the spotlight, the girls smiled brightly and confidently at the camera.

The photo will be used on tomorrow's front page, and Lin Yuanshan has already come up with the title: "Trends fade, style endures."

"pat-"

A hundred-yuan coin, with a touch of pity, fell into the empty mineral water bottle at Yangcai's feet.

Hina suddenly looked up and roared:

"What do you mean! We're not beggars! We're a band performing here!"

"Hina...I...I can't hold on any longer..."

In the corner, the drummer's voice was barely audible.

"Those people...they even brought out the artificial snow machine...it's so cold..."

"No! We can't fall here! Falling here would mean we've bowed down to evil capitalism!"

"But...didn't we already bow our heads once when we transformed into an idol band?"

"Uh……"

Yangcai was speechless for a moment.

"With thorns or without thorns! Oh oh oh! With thorns or without thorns!"

The thunderous cheers from the audience nearly shook the entire Bay Area.

"Thank you everyone!"

Rencai's voice resonated throughout the venue via the microphone.

"So, here's the band's new song—'Blank and Catharsis'!"

"Oooo!"

A frenzied cheer erupted once again.

"I think I saw my great-grandmother waving at me."

"I'm so sleepy."

"Don't fall asleep! If you fall asleep, you'll never be able to wake up again!"

Just as everyone on Diamond Star was about to lose consciousness, a figure rushed over.

"Diamond Stars, I'm your fan, and I've brought you some blankets!"

"Look, our fans have finally come to help us!"

Hope rekindled in Hina's eyes.

However, in the instant she looked down at her teammates,

A dark shadow flashed.

fan:

"Oh ho ho ho ho ho ho ho oh oh oh~~~~"

Hina turned her head, but the fans from before had already grabbed their blankets and rushed towards the thorny and thornless stage without looking back, leaving behind only a fervent shout.

"Prickly or thornless is the best!!!"

"Waaaaah, don't abandon us!"

Hina's cries were drowned out by the wind and snow.

Bay Area Music Festival, closing ceremony.

"Let's welcome all the bands that performed tonight to the stage for their final bows!"

When the members of Diamond Star walked onto the stage, supporting each other like a group of refugees returning from the battlefield, the audience erupted in uproar.

"Hey, what's this band I've never seen before taking the stage again?"

"Who are they? Did they show up tonight?"

"The Wandering Singer Band?"

Backstage, Lin Yuanshan watched this scene and felt a surge of admiration.

After being relentlessly tormented by him all day long, the fact that this band still managed to survive until the closing ceremony shows just how tenacious they are.

On stage, Nina looked at Hina, who was dressed in rags and shivering, and asked in confusion,

"What are you..."

Hina glared at her fiercely.

"Half a year has passed, Jingqin Rencai, have you degenerated into such a ruthless and unscrupulous person?!"

Nina frowned and retorted:

"Degeneration? You guys, who are swayed by capital and abandon rock and roll for popularity, transforming into idol bands, are the ones who are truly degenerate and truly unscrupulous!"

"How dare you say that!"

Haruna was filled with grief and indignation.

"Look at us now, we're nothing like idols anymore!"

Looking at her opponent, who resembled a beggar, Nina fell silent.

She silently took off her coat, which had the "thornless yet thorny" logo printed on it, and gently draped it over Hina's shoulders.

Seeing this, the other band members followed suit and handed their jackets to the other members of Diamond Star.