Chapter 15: Prelude to the Kill!

The show continued. After the performance of "Wild Bird," all four mentors unanimously gave their approval for advancement, and the real climax arrived. Fang Xing became the third contestant to receive four advancement votes, but there were only two seats available. The host then announced a battle round, allowing Fang Xing to choose his opponent. Without the slightest hesitation, Fang Xing picked Hashim, bringing their rivalry into the open.

The show entered its final battle segment. Hashim uttered a provocative challenge: "This song is called 'Yield to Me.' I’m going to blow the roof off and make you get out!" The production team translated "Yield to Me" literally in the subtitles, but for "get out" they opted for a gentler rendering, using "leave" instead of "get lost." When Hashim spoke, his expression was both provocative and arrogant, displaying the worst habits of certain circles.

The singing began in earnest. On camera, Hashim worked the drum pad, unleashing an electrifying melody that once again ignited the audience. After Hashim finished, it was Fang Xing’s turn. He stepped onto the stage and requested to play the piano. The band’s music director stood up and yielded the instrument to him. Fang Xing sat upright at the piano and quietly announced, "This piece is called 'Nocturne.'"

With his introduction finished, his fingers pressed down on the keys. Melodious notes leapt from the black and white keys.

Ding ding ding ding ding...

After just nine bars of the "Nocturne" prelude, the live chat exploded:

[That prelude!]
[The prelude alone—instant knockout!]
[I blame my lack of culture; all I can say is “damn”!]
[Is it just the prelude? This piano playing alone is a knockout.]
[Suddenly, it feels like the previous DJ is from another world.]
[The DJ took a stray hit.]
[Best of the night, no arguments.]
[I declare you the winner. If the mentors disagree, just ignore me.]
[That's it, I think I might become a fan.]
[Becoming a fan is impossible. I'll just roast him for life.]
[I’ve replayed this over a dozen times. Still amazing. That prelude is unreal.]

[You're forcing me to vote now.]
[Prelude kill!]
[Prelude kill! +1]
[Prelude kill! +2]

Amid the barrage of chaotic messages, the chat gradually settled into a unified pattern, covering the entire video, drowning out the earlier negative comments about Fang Xing in a tidal wave of [Prelude kill].

On screen, the prelude ended, and Fang Xing began to sing the opening lyrics:

"A swarm of bloodthirsty ants, drawn to rotting flesh.
I watch the lonely scenery, my face expressionless.
Losing you, love and hate become clear.
Losing you, what else is there to care about?
When doves no longer symbolize peace, I am reminded at last—the ones fed in the square are vultures.
With elegant rhymes, I describe a love plundered and left bare..."

When the "Nocturne" ended, many casual viewers who had stumbled onto the show found themselves unexpectedly drawn in. That night, numerous people posted about "Wild Bird" and "Nocturne" on their social feeds:

[This show’s actually pretty good. I thought it’d just be a bunch of misfits and random foreigners to gross out the audience.]

...

In a dorm room at the Donghai Conservatory of Music’s Arts Management Department, Ma Wenwen’s eyes lit up at the first notes of the "Nocturne" prelude, feeling exactly as those online commenters did. When the main lyrics appeared, she read the subtitles attentively, and couldn’t help but glance at Chen Shirong.

Everyone in their class knew a boy had been pursuing Chen Shirong for two years. Now that boy was singing on TV, and the lyrics seemed to carry a deeper message.

Chen Shirong’s heart gave a jolt, her emotions tangled and complicated. Wang Mantong, though average in grades and musical ability, was a fan of rap shows, and on hearing this song, she was clearly impressed. She pointed at the screen in surprise: "He can rap, too!"

Ma Wenwen listened to the melody and read the subtitles, feeling the emotion pouring from the song. "Feelings between classmates are really pure," she mused. She didn’t know why, but she found herself able to understand Fang Xing’s emotions. When you like someone, you’re willing to do so much for them—asking nothing in return, needing no promises.

But Chen Shirong had always claimed she felt nothing, insisting on staying friends and never going further. Yet when Fang Xing sang the line, "Playing Chopin’s nocturne for you, to mourn my dead love," Chen Shirong’s heart skipped again. Was he giving up?

She thought back to her last visit to the training camp to see Fang Xing; his demeanor had changed so much, and the way he looked at her was no longer as gentle as before. In that moment, she felt as if something precious was slipping away.

Ma Wenwen noticed Chen Shirong’s daze and felt a pang of regret. She had always thought Fang Xing was a good guy—simple campus affection, a hazy fondness, no need for reward or promises; just liking someone enough to laugh and cry with them. Ma Wenwen wasn't one of the prettiest girls in the class, so sometimes she envied Chen Shirong. But those who are loved always take it for granted.

Ma Wenwen sighed. "First there was 'Wild Bird,' about humble dreams and an indomitable spirit. Then this 'Nocturne,' a requiem for lost love. I never expected he had this side to him."

Chen Shirong’s feelings grew even more complicated, convinced the song was about her.

...

The show pressed on. When "Nocturne" concluded and the final notes faded, the expressions of the four mentors turned truly remarkable.

First was Zhang Huiying. She was known for being straightforward—always saying what was on her mind. She stood up, flustered, and asked, "Why doesn’t this show have a button-pressing segment?

"Director, can we get Fang Xing in my group?

"No groups? Can’t we change the rules?

"Director, is there an A-class advancement ticket? I think Fang Xing should be in A-class—not for his sake, but for the sake of the other F-class contestants.

"With him in F-class, how can the others even compete?"

Next, Chen Chaonan began urging Fang Xing to consider graduate school, all but writing "Apply to my program" on his forehead. Then Liang Yusong started inviting Fang Xing to collaborate on songs, discussing album plans right there on the show.

Host He Hao couldn’t take it anymore and joked, "Mr. Yusong, we’re still filming! Mr. Chen is poaching students, you’re recruiting songs—is this still a show or what?"

With the performances and the mentors’ comments, even viewers without much musical training could tell that both songs were on another level. The melodies were irresistibly catchy, the lyrics beautifully crafted, and listening while reading the words, one couldn’t help but be moved by the stories in the music.

Within less than an hour of the second episode’s release, both "Wild Bird" and "Nocturne" shot onto the trending charts, with "Nocturne" breaking into the top three and still rising.

In contrast, hardly anyone was talking about Hashim anymore. On the rare occasions he was mentioned on social media, the replies had become formulaic: either "Let the work speak for itself," or simply, quoting his own words, "get out."