The pressure was on head judge Zhang Zhe. Everyone was watching him.
Zhang Zhe remained silent for longer than usual. He looked at Lin Chen, his gaze sharp, as if he were re-examining this young man from the deep mountains.
"Lin Chen," he finally spoke, his tone complex, "your performance today… surprised me, even caught me somewhat… off guard."
He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts: "I admit, your performance today was emotionally rich, even destructive… no, penetrating. It broke some of our preconceived notions of judgment. I saw in you a… almost wild, primal vitality. This is something you don't see in industrially trained singers."
"However," his expected "however" arrived, and the atmosphere in the room tensed slightly, "I still maintain my opinion. This strong personal style is a double-edged sword. It can instantly captivate an audience, but it can also become a barrier to a wider market. You need to consider how to combine this uniqueness with a more universal aesthetic and a more commercial approach."
He picked up the scoreboard in front of him, revealing an unexpectedly high score!
"Given your highly infectious stage presence today, and the enormous potential you demonstrated… my score for you is—advancement!"
Direct advancement!
Not pending, direct advancement!
The audience erupted in applause and cheers once more. Lin Chen stood frozen, almost unable to believe his ears. He saw the encouraging smiles on Li Wei and Zhou Mufan's faces, and he also noticed the unfathomable meaning beneath Zhang Zhe's enigmatic expression.
Backstage, A-Jie, watching this scene on the monitor, excitedly pumped his fist. The other contestants, especially those with company backgrounds, looked at Lin Chen with complex emotions—surprise, scrutiny, and a barely perceptible sense of apprehension.
This "ordinary person" named Lin Chen, like a dark horse, had entered their field of vision in a way they had never anticipated, and was already showing his talent.
After leaving the stage, before Lin Chen could even calm down, Mr. Wang's phone call came like a shadow.
"Congratulations on advancing! Lin Chen, your performance today was outstanding! The company's senior management just watched the live broadcast and were very satisfied!" Mr. Wang's tone was warmer than ever before. "This proves our judgment was correct! You now need a professional team to help you stay on track. How's your consideration regarding the contract? We can negotiate even more favorable terms..."
Standing in the noisy backstage corridor, listening to the urgent voice on the other end of the phone, and seeing the various gazes around him, Lin Chen clearly felt that something had changed. He was no longer just a "pending" contestant waiting to be chosen; he had gained a little initiative with his voice, attracting more attention and... covetousness.
The road ahead, because of this initial display of talent, seemed to have widened a bit, but it also seemed to be shrouded in even greater mystery.