Chapter 111: The Crucial Draw

8:00 p.m.

The highly anticipated seventh season elimination round of "My Song" officially commenced!

Eight singers, each displaying distinct poise, sat on the couch appearing on the television screen. Instantly, the "My Song" forum exploded with countless comments:

"Such a fierce aura! Cannon King is so commanding!"

"Cannon King makes a powerful comeback!"

"Damn! Trash Zhang Da Pao is wearing black eye shadow again! My eyes are going blind!"

"Is Zhang Da Pao’s stylist an idiot? Dressing him in black-and-white spotted clothes—this trend died out over a century ago!"

"Pink off-shoulder evening gown! Beautiful Xuan looks radiant tonight, like a blossoming peach flower! Ten thousand likes for Xuan’s look this evening! I already have a dream theme for tonight!"

"Have you noticed? Trash Zhang Da Pao looks like a spotted dog next to Beautiful Xuan! Hahaha!"

"Damn it! Zhang Da Pao, can you stay away from our goddess Xuan? You’re an eyesore!"

"Tonight, Xuan’s aura is extraordinary. Seems she feels threatened by Zhao Ziqi’s fresh momentum."

"Zhao Ziqi’s taste is definitely questionable, or maybe her stylist is an idiot. For such short legs, she dares to wear white leather pants—they make her legs look so thick!"

"Zhao Ziqi is a powerhouse; she doesn’t need flashy outfits to showcase her strength. Go, Zhao Ziqi!"

"Hao Ran looks so handsome! Don’t let rumors get to you—go and give a perfect performance! My soul blooms for you!"

"According to insider news, Beautiful Xuan will perform a new song tonight! And it’s a new piece produced by the mysterious musician Caidao! Everyone, look forward to it! I can’t wait to hear Beautiful Xuan’s new song!"

"Trash Zhang Da Pao, get out of 'My Song'! Support me by liking this! When we reach ten thousand likes, Zhang Da Pao will be struck by lightning!"

"Have you ever seen someone as dumb as Zhang Da Pao? Claiming he’ll be remembered forever—better if he’s forgotten for good!"

"If you don’t like Cannon King’s singing, get lost! Don’t embarrass yourself! Long live Cannon King! Cannon fodder stands with you till the end!"

"I—Wang Mingming—is here again! Cannon King, you must get first place this week! I’ve already bet with my deskmate: if you win first, she’ll kiss me!"

"Stupid elementary schoolers, get lost. This week, Zhang Da Pao will probably finish last."

"Cannon King, old Shaanxi fans support you all the way!"

...

Judging by the forum’s buzz, this week’s "My Song" ratings would surely skyrocket!

The preliminary viewership data obtained internally by Luo Tao invigorated the entire production team.

3.7%!

A phenomenal opening rating!

If this trend continued, the average rating for this episode could surpass 5%!

The production team was ecstatic, but the singers felt tense.

Zhao Ziqi, the upstart, had intensified the competition’s fierceness.

No one wanted to be eliminated halfway through.

Yet the competitors’ skill levels were quite close—Li Xuan, Zhou Delin, the newcomer Zhao Ziqi, and the hot topic Zhang Da Pao were unlikely to be eliminated immediately.

The other four’s fates were uncertain.

Except for Zhang Qiyang, all the singers cared deeply about the order in which they performed this round.

Because that order could heavily influence their final rankings.

Li Xuan, Zhou Delin, and Zhao Ziqi all aimed for the championship, so they desperately needed the advantage of later performance slots.

Lin Haoran, Zhao Lei, Yue Li, and Ji Chunying wished to avoid elimination; they also preferred to perform later.

Only Zhang Qiyang was indifferent.

But he was quite concerned about Li Xuan’s performance order—he hoped she would draw a favorable slot to firmly overshadow Zhao Ziqi.

The audience was also highly attentive to the draw order this week.

Over half probably wished for Zhang Qiyang to draw an early slot, hoping to eliminate this "trash" quickly.

Following last week’s ranking order, singers drew their performance order one by one.

This week, Zhang Qiyang was no longer first.

The first to draw was Li Xuan.

Draped in a heavy, elegant peach-pink evening gown, Li Xuan gracefully approached the draw stage and confidently flipped over the first performance card.

Facing the main camera, it showed number 7!

The second-to-last performance slot!

After wearing new shoes from Caidao’s label, Li Xuan’s luck seemed to improve week by week.

Chen Ke and others showed satisfied smiles upon seeing this slot.

Li Xuan herself was pleased.

As she returned to her seat, turning her back to the camera, she pursed her lips into a faint smile at Zhang Qiyang. Her bright eyes held a touch of tenderness, electrifying yet sincere—wishing Zhang Qiyang good luck tonight.

Last week’s stunning second-place finisher Zhao Ziqi, adjusting her tight leather pants, happily stepped up to draw the second performance card.

It was number 6!

Zhao Ziqi’s luck was surprisingly good as well!

She would perform just before Li Xuan.

To her and the Chu Entertainment team, this slot was perfect for taking the initiative to suppress the key rival Li Xuan.

Though not as good as number 8, it was still excellent fortune.

Two top contenders had drawn excellent positions, tightening the nerves of the remaining singers.

Third to draw was Yue Li, who had surprisingly ranked third last week.

Her luck was less favorable.

She drew the second performance slot.

This unlucky position darkened her expression slightly as she turned away.

Next came the crafty Zhou Delin.

His luck wasn’t great either.

He would perform third, right after Yue Li—making his championship bid more challenging.

When will the "My Song" champion finally visit this master?

Many of Zhou Delin’s fans sighed over his bad luck in front of their TVs.

Following them, Zhao Lei and Lin Haoran drew their slots.

Lin Haoran, recently entangled in rumors, surprisingly drew the fifth slot.

Zhao Lei’s luck was decent—he drew the fourth slot, performing just before Lin Haoran.

Finally, only Zhang Qiyang and Ji Chunying remained.

Dramatically, only two performance cards were left: number 1 and number 8.

One was the best position; the other, the worst.

Ji Chunying, last week’s bottom finisher, had no choice.

Fate rested solely in Zhang Qiyang’s hands.

At that moment, countless Cannon King haters prayed for this "trash" to draw the worst slot—first performance—so they could endure his act and then enjoy the rest of the competition in peace.

The production team also hoped Zhang Qiyang would trip up again and draw the first slot, adding dramatic flair.

But what they didn’t expect was that Zhang Qiyang’s draw would be even more dramatic and talk-worthy than imagined.

With an aura of dark fire, this formidable man approached the draw stage.

Whether intentionally or not, trying to look cool like a gambling god, he swept his hand over the left cards, attempting to grab one.

But he failed to pick it up—the card slid to the floor and flipped over.

It was number 8! The last performance slot!