"M1..." Ouyang Guang silently repeated this concise and powerful name in his heart.

It was like a finger, a code, full of an unspoken sense of power. He subconsciously looked at Zhang Yixing, and the other's eyes flashed with the same shock.

"The eight of you," Lee Soo Man tapped his fingers lightly on the table, "are tentatively selected as reserve members of M1."

The four words "preliminary member" were like a clear boundary, instantly extinguishing any excessive excitement that might arise and replacing it with heavy pressure.

"The days ahead will be the real test." There was a hint of cold reality in Lee Soo Man's voice.

"As a whole, you will undergo unprecedented high-intensity closed training. Vocal music, dance, rap, musical instruments, language, artistic skills, physical fitness, teamwork, stage performance... Each one will be polished to the highest standards and the most stringent requirements."

His gaze became more severe, especially lingering on Ouyang Guang for a moment:

"The elimination mechanism will run through the entire preparatory period. Failure to keep up with the team's pace and meet the requirements means elimination. There is no luck here, only a competition of strength, will and team fit. Remember,"

His voice suddenly became heavier, like a heavy hammer hitting everyone's heart, "You are a whole, but in the end, only those few who are impeccable can stand on the M1 stage."

The cruel words almost froze the air in the office. Kim Min-ji stood aside, expressionless.

Ouyang felt a chill, but at the same time, an even more burning determination rose up. He clenched his fists tightly.

"Starting tomorrow," Lee Soo Man finally announced, his voice regaining its calmness, but with an irresistible sense of finality, "You will be the M1 pre-debut group. You have only one goal - to become M1, to become irreplaceable."

"Team Leader Jin," he turned to Jin Minzhi, "you will be fully responsible for the implementation of the subsequent training arrangements, discipline requirements, and assessment standards."

"Yes, President." Jin Minzhi responded solemnly, and swept his eyes across the eight people with a warning.

Lee Soo Man nodded slightly and stopped looking at them: "Okay, you can go out now. Go back and prepare."

The heavy wooden door slowly closed behind him, isolating the room that would decide his fate. The lights in the corridor were a little blindingly bright.

After a brief silence, Park Chanyeol was the first to let out a long breath, with disbelief and excitement that he had just suppressed: "M1... us? Really?" He looked at Kim Junmyeon, Kim Jong-in, Zhang Yixing and others, his eyes bright astonishingly.

As the oldest member, Kim Junmyeon quickly adjusted his state. He looked around at everyone with an unusually firm look in his eyes and said in a steady and powerful voice: "Everyone, you all heard what Teacher Li said. We have no way back. We can only move forward, together." He stretched out his hand.

Kim Jong-in remained silent, but the fighting spirit in his eyes became even more intense, and he placed his hand on the back of Kim Junmyeon's hand without hesitation.

Zhang Yixing followed closely behind, his movements showing a determination to make a last-ditch effort. Jin Wenkui also extended his hand, his face showing a solemn expression but also a budding fighting spirit.

Zhao Zhenhu and Liu Qiangxiu looked at each other and saw the complexity in each other's eyes - surprise, pressure, but also a little excitement of being selected. They stretched out their hands one after another.

Finally, everyone's eyes fell on Ouyang Guang.

He is the youngest, has the shortest practice time, and is undoubtedly under the greatest pressure at this moment.

He could feel the weight of those gazes - Kim Junmyeon's calm expectation, Kim Jong-in's silent joy, Park Chanyeol's enthusiastic encouragement, Zhang Yixing's silent support, Kim Moon-kyu's calm gaze, and Cao Zhenhao and Liu Qiangxiu's complex, evaluating gazes.

Ouyang Guang took a deep breath and suppressed the turmoil in his heart. He took a step forward and placed his hand firmly and firmly on the top.

Eight hands, of different sizes and temperatures, are tightly folded together at this moment, symbolizing the official start of a common journey full of knowledge and challenges.

"Together." Ouyang Guang's voice was not loud, but extremely clear, with the unique clarity of a young man and a determination to burn his boats.

Jin Jun tried his best to press down: "Together!"

"Together!" The voices of the others merged together, echoing in the empty corridor. These voices contained the uneasiness of the coming battle, and even more so the burning fighting spirit that had been ignited.