The training that day was particularly long. When Jin Minzhi opened the door with an unusually solemn look on her face, all the exercises came to a halt.

She glanced at the sweaty crowd and said calmly, "Everyone, get ready and follow me to the top floor conference room immediately."

The air froze instantly. Ouyang Guang's heart sank suddenly, almost bursting out of his chest.

He subconsciously looked at Zhang Yixing beside him. The other party pursed his lips tightly, with deep eyes, also revealing a hint of sadness and solemnity.

Lu Han and Huang Zitao exchanged uneasy glances. Wu Yifan had a blank expression but his jawline was tightly drawn.

As for the Korean members, Kim Junmyeon took a deep breath, Park Chanyeol put away his usual smile, Kim Jong-in's eyes were as sharp as a knife, and Do Kyung-soo lowered his eyelids.

This is no ordinary marriage.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, the scene inside the office made Ouyang Guang's breath catch.

The long conference table was filled with the company's core figures. Teacher Lee Soo-man sat in the main seat, and on both sides of him sat Director Kim Young-min and several senior managers, including Director Kim and Director Park.

Also included are music producer Yoo Young-jin, choreographers Sim Sung-hyun and Hwang Sang-hoon, and vocal teachers Jung Jin-young and The One’s Jung Soon-hyun.

Kim Min-ji stood quietly in the corner. This is almost the entire core team that SM needs to create a top boy group.

The invisible pressure was like a mountain, and Ouyang Guang was at the end of the team, feeling like he was stepping on clouds with every step.

After a simple greeting, the office fell into a heart-wrenching silence.

Lee Soo Man looked around at everyone, his eyes behind the lenses sharp and calm, and finally spoke, his voice not loud, but like a huge rock thrown into a deep pool:

"After long and repeated evaluations and considerations by the company, the final decision is that the debut member list of the boy band is officially confirmed as follows."

He picked up a list and read out the names without any extra preparation:

"Kim Minseok."

"Lu Han."

"Kris Wu."

"Kim Junmyeon."

"Zhang Yixing."

"Byeon Baekhyun."

"Kim Jong Dae."

"Park Chanyeol."

"Do Kyungsoo."

"Huang Zitao."

"Kim Jong-in."

"Wu Xun."

"Ouyang Guang."

Every time a name was mentioned, it was like a stone dropped into stagnant water. The person whose name was mentioned would relax his body slightly, then tighten it again.

After reading it, Lee Soo Man put down the list and glanced at everyone: "The above thirteen people are the final members of EXO."

Thirteen names. When the last syllable fell, the air seemed to be completely drained away.

There was no cheering, no applause. Everyone's eyes subconsciously, with incredible shock, were cast towards Jin Wenkui, who was standing in the middle of the line and whose face turned pale instantly, and Xu Yinghao, who was standing at the edge of the line and pursed his lips.

Jin Wenkui's back was straight, but Ouyang Guang saw his hands hanging at his sides, his knuckles were white from being clenched so tightly.

This brother, who had been in the M1 debut preparation class from the very beginning and had a stable singing voice and a calm personality like a cornerstone, shook his body almost imperceptibly at this moment, and the blood drained from his face, leaving only an incredibly grayish white.

Xu Yinghao lowered his head slightly, and his hope of joining was instantly extinguished.

They didn't even get an explanation.

Jin Minzhi stepped forward and said in a calm voice: "Jin Wenkui, Xu Yinghao, please follow me."

This cold declaration completely severed their last connection with this room and with the group that was about to be born.

Jin Wenkui took a deep breath and bowed deeply in the direction of the long table.

His movements were standard and restrained, and when he raised his head, there was even a very forced, broken smile on his face, and his gaze lingered briefly on the faces of his former teammates one by one.

The two turned around in silence, their steps somewhat unsteadily. When Jin Wenkui passed by Ouyang Guang, he paused slightly and glanced at him very briefly, the look in his eyes was so complicated that it was hard to describe.

There are falls, blessings, and perhaps a trace of unwillingness, which eventually turns into a silent darkness.

Without saying a word, he followed Kim Min-ji to the door, and Xu Yinghao followed silently behind.

The door closed gently, blocking out the backs of the two unsuccessful candidates and the suffocating heaviness in the conference room.

The air was filled with a sense of guilt and sadness, as if one had survived a disaster.

Park Chanyeol opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but was stopped by a look from Kim Junmyeon.

Kim Jong-in lowered his head, and his expression could not be seen clearly. Sadness, relief, confusion, pressure...all kinds of emotions were intertwined and rolling in everyone's eyes.

"Sadness belongs to the past, the future belongs to EXO."

Lee Soo Man seemed not to feel the heavy silence. He continued to speak, his voice carrying the power of an announcement.

"This boy band will carry the concept and mission of the whole group. Its name is EXO." (The pronunciation of XO echoed in the room)

"EXO?" Ouyang Guang repeated softly subconsciously.

The projected image shows a vast and profound cosmic star map, magnificent nebulae rotating, planets moving along predetermined orbits, and a dazzling star at the center, emitting endless light and heat.

Lee Soo-man's voice carries an almost fanatical creative passion and a grand sense of narrative.

"EXO comes from 'EXOPLANET', which means the planet outside the sun! You are the 'superpowers' who came to Earth from the unknown planet EXO and have extraordinary powers!"

He pointed to the brightest star in the center of the star map, his voice suddenly rose, and his eyes flashed with the sharp light of a planning blueprint.

"A powerful star that symbolizes the world of knowledge."

He paused for a moment, and glanced at the thirteen young faces with different expressions. "You thirteen people will be divided into two teams, EXO-K and EXO-M."

"EXO will be your common name. But your performance will unfold as twins."