Chapter 450
"Everyone! Good evening!"
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" A chorus of excited howls echoed wildly. The screams of a hundred thousand people were enough to drown out all other sounds. At this moment, there were no more fan bases than those of a single fan group; there was only the cheering of anticipation.
Standing at the center of the stage, Ji Shao wore a handsome, smiling face. His beautiful peach blossom eyes narrowed in a smile as he heard the cheers from the audience. Through the ultra-high-definition screens above the stage on all four sides, the fans in the audience could almost empathize with the youthful exuberance.
The members' energetic cheers echoed throughout the venue, suddenly setting the entire place ablaze. Fans who had come to support NINE STAR also began waving their light sticks, slow-jamming to the intro.
As the first verse approached, the innate rapport of NINE STAR fans seemed to manifest itself. Without the members' whispers, the noise in the stadium gradually died down. The music, already driven by the cheers, slowly returned to its home turf.
Unlike the quiet opening of other concerts, during the prelude to tonight's first song, NINE STAR on stage burst forth like a blazing firework, radiating an unprecedented brilliance. Dazzling, scorching, yet still gentle.
Every audience member in the audience watched intently. As the melody began, a faint humming could be heard throughout the stadium. The rhythm created by the diverse humming of the audience gradually drifted toward the stage, the two melodies intertwining and entwining, ultimately creating a unique live performance.
"The summer night breeze is so nostalgic..."
On stage, Ji Shao held the microphone and gently hummed these words. The stage lights seemed to coat his entire body with a faint golden glow. His closed eyes and the smile on his lips presented his gentle and sincere emotions to the audience of over 100,000.
Under camera, the smile is always gentle yet tinged with infinite regret. From the moment they appear on stage, every passing second signifies the approach of the final end.
As the final note faded, Ji Shao on the stage opened his eyes. Catching the camera angle provided by the director, he casually glanced at the audience in front of him. Even that brief glance elicited countless screams.
The prelude to the chorus seemed to be for this moment. Ji Shao's fans in the middle of the audience took advantage of the break to frantically shout out Ji Shao's name.
"Ji Shao!!!"
From the first second of the concert, fans only wanted to see one person. The gentle "Wind" blew, bringing only their thoughts of Ji Shao.
The Tiaosi fans, who occupied about half of the venue, shouted "Ji Shao" in unison. Not only the fans of other groups in the audience, but even the members who were singing towards their own group ticket area on the stage subconsciously looked over.
Ji Shao smiled and shook his head, his index finger raised to his lips. Then, he extended his hand to his companion, indicating that he was now the protagonist. This silent gesture quickly dissipated the excitement in the audience. The fans in the audience listened obediently to Ji Shao's command, but their eyes were completely reluctant to leave him.
…
Within the strict group ticket area.
Dozens of young people who would have been eye-catching if they were outside, watched the "trainees" headed by Shu Shining cheering crazily for Ji Shao, and couldn't help but glance back a few times. Sure enough -
The young girls and boys in the seats behind them all stared at the people in the front row with unhappy expressions. Yan Shu was still facing the audience seats in their group ticket area, and these people were actually shouting "Ji Shao" in front of their own group ticket area. It was simply the opposite of the heavenly power! It seemed that their brains were really not in good shape!
Shu Shi Ning, in the center of the heatwave, didn't care about the strange looks from the people around him. Feeling thirsty, he grabbed a bottle of mineral water and gulped down half of it, his gaze still following Ji Shao's figure. Actually, it would be a lie to say he didn't regret it.
After "Star 101" concluded, Shu Shi-ning became relatively famous. However, the small agency that signed him to the show was inherently lacking in vision and capabilities. While the popularity was still high, the agency offered him numerous variety shows without any productions in the pipeline. So, things just went their way, and once the hype faded, the "Star 101 members," without any productions, naturally fell into obscurity.
In his dreams at midnight, Shu Shi Ning would always think back to the past. Back then, his limbs were not very coordinated and he had conflicts with the production team, but his teammate Ji Ge always helped him and his teammates.
From the practice room with cameras installed to the basement training with only their group members, the only constant was Ji Shao, who always corrected their movements. Although not even a second of the footage was shown on the show, those who received this kindness will never forget it.
Shu Shining's current situation is something that many fans of the show find particularly regrettable. He clearly had the opportunity to occupy a small position in the entertainment industry with the popularity of "Star 101", but he encountered an agency that wanted to squeeze his blood and flesh for profit.
However, there was no need to discuss any of this now. Shu Shi Ning looked at the Nine Stars who were in perfect harmony on the stage. From his understanding of Ji Shao, he knew that the other party was really enjoying this stage at the moment.
Since that was the case, he decided to be the most enthusiastic supporter! He completed what he hadn't done on "Star Road 101" and wholeheartedly supported Ji Shao on stage!
Meanwhile, Zhang Hongyu felt like he had plenty of formidable rivals! The fan zone was truly filled with hidden talents, and even the slogans were so resounding that almost everyone seemed to be able to chime in and offer a shout or two.
After cheering until his voice was hoarse, he stopped adding drama and battle. Instead, he happily listened to the fans' slogans and shouted the members' names from the audience.
From the competition to graduation, this was the first time Zhang Hongyu had sat down and cheered for his fellow members wholeheartedly. Watching the young people soaring on the stage, at that moment, he seemed to finally have an epiphany. He seemed to understand what had been missing from his previous footage.
…
If one word were to describe this graduation concert, the audience would probably think of "diversity." Nine members, each with their own distinct personalities, shone brightly within the same group.
NINE STAR is different from other Korean idol groups. Although it is a group, each member has their own unique charm and popularity. Unlike leaving the group and becoming an amateur, the members are shining stars in their own right.
The saying that forming a group means reaching the pinnacle of success cannot be applied to them. For the members of NINE STAR, the most appropriate phrase for them should be the blessing that many fans of the show often say:
"When we gather together, we are a ball of fire; when we disperse, we are a sky full of stars!"
On the stage, the first round of performances had not yet ended. When the melody of the hit song of the year, "Jiang", sounded, it once again ignited the enthusiastic cheers of the fans in the audience.
The backstage director's room was ready, and the staff in charge of the central control were waiting for the drums to hit. As the first line of the lyrics came out of the members' mouths, the lights in the venue instantly changed in response to the drumbeat!
The lights in the auditorium of 100,000 people dimmed in an instant. After a "bang" sound, the cheering sticks in the hands of the fans turned into a part of the sea of blue lights.
But this was just the beginning. Almost as soon as the song changed, the cheering sticks instantly turned from blue to red, becoming dazzlingly bright. The bright red flames resembled a magnificent "wave," and the central control system cleverly utilized the cheering stick lights to create a visual feast for everyone in the venue.
As a fan of NINE STAR, no one is not familiar with "The General" and the stories behind it, let alone fans of Ji Shao who starred in the sister film of "The General", "The Unparalleled General".
The climax-filled central control light show, the reworked, passionate songs, and the blue jerseys on stage at that moment evoked more trepidation than any other color. This tremor wasn't fear, but a subconscious reaction to excessive excitement.
Knowing this might be the last time all nine of them would perform together, even the rehearsal schedule was incredibly tight. However, thanks to their incredible willpower, they managed to present a truly spectacular performance.
The music gradually died down, and the heated stage began to cool down. Following the sound of rapid breathing, the large lights dimmed one by one until a single spotlight lit up on the pitch-black stage.
In the center of the stage, someone raised a microphone. But all that reached the audience was the sound of heavy breathing. Even with the microphone at their lips, they were unable to speak due to their limited physical strength.
No one off the court urged him.
Everyone stared quietly at Wu Yanyan under the spotlight. On the pitch-black stage, only a single spotlight shone from above him. Those in the front row, closer to the stage, could more or less make out the silhouettes of the other members in the darkness.
Zhou Xiao understood that this should give the other members more time to recover. Anyone who could sing and dance for six consecutive stages with such concentration and still stand on the stage instead of collapsing on the ground was already a strong performer.
Performing on stage requires far more energy than practicing, which is not only physically but also mentally exhausting. Obviously, the latter has a much greater impact on the human body than the former.
Although he was the captain of NINE STAR, Zhou Xiao didn't know him well because the group's activities were almost non-existent in the second year. However, during the official photo shoot, she suddenly understood why he was the captain.
The other members' recovery wasn't necessarily slower than Wu Yanyan's, but it was he who stood on the stage, under the spotlight, being scrutinized by a crowd of over a hundred thousand people. Did he not care that his current fatigue was being seen by so many people? Not really.
Wu Yanyan, at the center of the stage, remained speechless, but his blue suit seemed even more fitted than it had been during the official photoshoot. In the quiet atmosphere, Zhou Xiao's thoughts drifted. It was like every difficult question on the exam had a solution in the end.
Beads of sweat rolled down Wu Yanyan's cheeks. He seemed to realize that he had paused for too long. Just as he was trying to utter a few words from his tight throat, a bony hand took the microphone from him in the darkness.
"Hello everyone, I'm Ji Shao from NINE STAR!" Halfway into the spotlight, Ji Shao's forehead was still beaded with sweat. His smile was incredibly wide, and the fans watching on the big screen couldn't help but laugh along. His sweat-soaked temples made him look a bit disheveled, but the audience felt a soft touch.
"Our captain may need some time to adjust," Ji Shao joked.
Under the spotlight, Wu Yanyan cooperated very well and pretended to wipe the sweat off her face. The pantomime performance between the two of them made everyone in the venue laugh.
"We're so glad that everyone can come to our concert..." Before Ji Shao could finish his words, the microphone was "grabbed" by another person who had leaned into the light.
"Oh my!" Zheng Shulin, like a lively monkey, took the microphone and began to sigh. "Isn't it said that Old Wu and I have the best relationship? This line should be 'inherited' by me! Brother Shao, you are being unfair! I worked so hard to memorize it!"
Hearing Zheng Shulin openly say that he and Wu Yanyan have a good relationship, the fans in the audience all laughed along. This was originally just a joke in the group show, but unexpectedly, the main character himself still remembered it.
But with this interruption, the sadness that was brewing was instantly dispelled. We all made a promise at the graduation concert: don't cry before it's over!
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