From Apocalypse To Entertainment Circle (BL)-Chapter 100: The Moment Everyone Waited For

Song Zijian wasn’t boiling with anger—he was burning with excitement. In his mind, he had already won and crushed Sian onstage. His grin was so contagious that even Jin Ruohan, sensing the other’s delight, smiled politely and said,

"Brother Jian, even though we’re competitors right now, we’re still brothers. No matter the outcome, our bond isn’t something fake—it won’t be affected. I wish you the best of luck."

The first thought that crossed Song Zijian’s mind upon hearing those words was to scoff.

Where does all this blind confidence come from?

He thought Jin Ruohan should be the one needing luck—him and the others, not himself.

Still, he was a master at masking his thoughts, always playing the role of the obedient, delicate garden flower. So he simply nodded with polite composure, offered a faint smile, and turned his gaze toward the stage.

After a few words from the host and a short break to allow the five judges to prepare, the competition finally began.

First up was Shi Long. He had chosen a gentle yet emotionally potent romantic ballad—one that didn’t require powerful vocals or high notes. It relied on a consistent tone and was a perfect fit for his voice. But as expected, the "Musical Prodigy" judge wore his usual expression, as if forced to eat something disgusting. He didn’t offer a single compliment.

Then came Jin Ruohan. To everyone’s surprise, the delicate little idol chose a rock song. His voice, rough and raspy, actually suited the genre quite well. Unfortunately, rock music didn’t have much appeal here. Even the four judges—including rapper Long Weiji—echoed similar sentiments, pointing out numerous flaws and technical mistakes in the performance. As for the Prodigy, he didn’t utter a word—his silence alone spoke volumes about his displeasure.

Who said Western music styles would automatically gain popularity here?

Country B was known for embracing a variety of genres in different languages, but rock just didn’t have the same charm here. The main reason? Poor-quality singers in that field.

At first, the audience had been entertained by the judges’ critiques. But after three back-to-back disappointments, even the average viewer was losing hope. Honestly, the performances were barely passable. It was clear these contestants didn’t have the talent required for a prestigious show like this. They must have gotten in through money or connections.

And the audience’s expressions? They mirrored the judges’—unimpressed, to say the least.

Even their comments online ranged from sarcastic to outright furious:

[What is this? These idols clearly don’t even know what a musical scale is.]

[Exactly. Even without a trained ear, I can tell this level is far from good.]

[Tell me when Sian’s turn is—I’ve been obsessed with his last song ever since.]

[Ah yes, the forest song! I get chills every time I hear it.]

[Sian, Sian—please come onstage before my ears bleed from this trash.]

[Shhh, look at Emperor Liang Zixuan’s face—he looks like he’s about to murder someone.]

[Emperor Liang has always been hard to please in both music and acting. But when it comes to music, he’s a disaster—he hates almost every voice. The best praise I ever heard from him was "Not bad," which basically means "barely average."]

[Haha, but for some reason, I love how he roasts every contestant. Did you see that girl cry after he said just one word?]

[So what? He only told the truth. Her performance was weak. It’s not like he insulted her—she’s just overly sensitive, crying after a single comment.]

[Dude upstairs, I know you. Weren’t you the same guy who cried two days ago because Sian teared up during his performance in the forest? Didn’t you comment that you’d kill anyone who made him shed a single tear? And now you’re mocking sensitive people?]

[Nah, you don’t get it. When you see Sian... when you see those starry amber eyes filled with tears, it feels like your heart’s being ripped out. The first thing I thought was that I’d give everything—everything—just to see those eyes smile at me. You wouldn’t understand. Wait until you watch his performance. Maybe then you’ll get it.]

[Wow. Bro, you’re really in love with this Sian guy, huh? I don’t know if he’s as good as you claim, but now I’m curious. His turn should be next. One more minute, and we’ll see if you’re just blowing rainbow smoke... or if this little idol is really something special.]

As the last contestant mentioned, Sian’s turn in the performance order was fourth. If you’re curious about Jin Ruohan’s performance, let’s just say it was disastrous—just like many others. Truthfully, as a member of an idol group, Jin Ruohan was fairly well-rated. But his voice wasn’t suited for a solo performance. The moment his voice rang out alone on stage, all the flaws were laid bare under the spotlight. And to be fair, it wasn’t entirely his fault. Most idol groups thrive as a unit—one member covering for another’s shortcomings. But when left alone, their weaknesses become painfully clear.

As for Jin Ruohan’s so-called best friend, he quickly hid the delighted smile on his face when he saw his friend being harshly critiqued, his head hanging low as every mistake echoed in the air. What a "friend," truly. Honestly, I’d rather have a thousand enemies than a friend with such a dark heart.

During all the other performances, Sian didn’t lift his head. He remained still, deeply lost in thought, seriously considering which song to choose for the day. He absentmindedly played with the CDs in his hand, each disc labeled with a different song title. He thought and thought and thought...

And even when it was finally his turn, he still hadn’t decided.

So, the ever-strong, steel-hearted, apocalypse-surviving Sian made what was supposed to be the most mature and serious decision of his life.

"Hey, you. Pick one," Sian said, turning to Jiao Liangchen, who was seated beside him on the right.

Jiao Liangchen looked at Sian, a giant question mark clearly floating above his head. But when he finally lowered his gaze to Sian’s hand, he understood what the other meant.

And once he did, he couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.

[Is this really the same Sian—the one strong enough to kill a man with a single blink? He couldn’t pick a song, so he handed me all the CDs and asked me to choose at random? Adorable. So adorable].

"Ahem, alright then. I’ll choose this one," Jiao Liangchen said, noticing the faint signs of impatience and growing irritation in Sian’s expression. He quickly picked the CD from the center and looked at Sian with dark yet somewhat gentle eyes. "They say the middle choices are often the best. But honestly, I feel like all your songs are good, so relax—and good luck."

"Thank you. I’ll be heading off now."

Sian gave a sincere nod of thanks before stepping toward the backstage area to prepare for his performance. He had to hand the CD to the background music crew, check his mic and settings, and then begin his performance.

The program staff worked with professional precision. Less than three minutes passed between the previous act and Sian’s.

The stage was finally ready—lit with dazzling lights and stars shining across the black LED screen behind him. The audience was buzzing with anticipation. Many already knew of Sian, and even after months, many still remembered him.

Viewers sat up straight in front of their phones and television screens—why? A small figure had entered the camera frame, walking slowly toward the center of the stage—the most brightly lit, most visible spot where the judges could clearly see him and the cameras could capture the best shots.

And there he was—tall and slender, like a prince from a fairytale. His snow-white hair was loosely tied back, as always. No matter how tightly Sian tried to tie it, his silky hair always caused the tie to loosen after just a few steps. After trying multiple times, he eventually gave up and left it as it was.

Today, Sian wore simple black pants and a white blazer—yet he looked absolutely stunning. Honestly, even if he wore a sack made of straw, he’d still look amazing, so standing like a fairy.

That’s the charm of having an exceptional body and an extraordinary face.

And finally—it was time for Sian’s performance to begin.

Everyone was curious about the song Sian had chosen to perform. Even Song Zijian sat up straight, his eyes glued to the figure gleaming under the stage lights. His pupils darkened, nearly turning black with jealousy, envy, and a storm of other bitter emotions.

Not once did his gaze leave Sian’s form. He waited with bated breath, eager to hear Sian’s voice—itching to watch him make a fool of himself.

He simply couldn’t believe that Sian could sing. Not in a million years.

To him, that song Sian had performed in the forest back then had either been fake... or pure dumb luck.

To be continued...