12.
At the first performance, the studio was packed, the roaring cheers nearly blowing the roof off the stage. The vibrant lights twinkled like a galaxy, and the air was thick with the fans' excited and anxious anticipation.
Backstage, the scene was bustling but not chaotic. The makeup artist was applying final touches, the director was conducting a final headset check, and the contestants were either taking deep breaths to calm themselves or gathered in a circle to cheer each other on.
The five members of the "Venom" group stood in the waiting area, feeling the vibrations and heat waves from the stage ahead through the slits in the curtain. The performance of the previous lyrical vocal group won a standing ovation, with thunderous applause, which undoubtedly put more pressure on the team that came next.
Li Mo stretched nervously, while Bobby and Xiao Fang repeatedly checked their clothing and headsets. Wu You folded her arms, staring at the ground with tears in her eyes. Her long eyelashes cast shadows on her eyes, making it impossible to tell what she was feeling.
A bony hand stretched out in front of him, and in its palm lay an individually wrapped chocolate, exactly the same one he gave Mi Xi yesterday.
Wu You was stunned for a moment, looked up and saw Mi Xi's calm face.
"Replenish energy." Mi Xi said concisely.
Wuyou blinked, took the chocolate, peeled it open, and popped it into his mouth. The familiar bittersweet aroma filled his mouth, and the last bit of nervousness in his heart was strangely suppressed. He snorted and whispered, "...You have a conscience."
Mi Xi didn't say anything, but just glanced at her teammates. Her voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard by everyone: "Remember the feeling of rehearsal, and enjoy the stage."
His composure was like a rock, calming everyone's mind.
At this moment, the host's announcement came through the speakers, with an excited tone:
"Next, let's welcome the trainees who will be performing the dark and alluring performance of 'Venom'! Mi Xi! Wu You! Li Mo! Bobby! Xiao Fang!"
“Ahhhhhhhhh——Mi Xi!!”
"Wuyo! Mommy loves you!"
"Go Team Venom!"
The screams like a tsunami erupted in an instant, almost piercing the eardrums.
The stage lights suddenly went out, plunging into pure darkness and silence.
The five of them quickly took their positions according to the rehearsal. Mi Xi stood in the center, her head slightly lowered, her rose-pink hair forming a vague outline in the darkness.
The next second, a cold, dark blue spotlight hit him like a sharp sword!
He slowly raised his head, the camera zooming in, and the big screen instantly reflected his impeccable face and those enchantingly beautiful peach blossom eyes. The teardrop mole at the corner of his eye was clearly visible, and the tattoo on his collarbone was faintly visible in the dim blue light.
Just one look, one freeze frame, and the whole audience screamed to a climax again!
The dark and eerie prelude music flows out, spreading silently like venom.
Move!
Mi Xi's body began to flow with the rhythm, each wave filled with a languid yet deadly allure. His movements seemed soft, yet they contained a powerful core strength, like a graceful predator prowling in the darkness.
Immediately afterwards, Wuyou entered the spotlight from behind. His dance moves, with their wild, explosive energy, formed a stark contrast to Mixi's feminine yet seamlessly blended with her. Their interactive part, featuring a close-fitting pirouette and eye contact, brought the song's testing, dangerous, and captivating tension to its fullest, drawing screams from the audience.
"Holy shit! This stare! I'm gone!"
"The sexual tension is so high! Can you watch this without paying?!"
Li Mo, Bobby, and Xiao Fang were equally impressive. Having gone through a difficult time getting used to each other, their movements were perfectly coordinated and their emotions were vibrant, completely immersing themselves in the atmosphere of the song. On stage, the five of them seemed to transform into five night elves, weaving a vast, alluring web with their bodies, capturing everyone's attention.
The song reached its climax, with intense drum beats and intense moves that were dazzling. Mi Xi's difficult backbend followed by a floor routine was executed with such fluidity and power, it captured the audience's attention. Wu You's subsequent explosive breaking performances further ignited the atmosphere.
They perfectly memorized every rehearsal request from the director, their movements precise, their interaction with the camera just right, and their facial expressions on point throughout. The entire performance, from the music and dance to the lighting and camerawork, was a truly impressive visual and auditory feast!
When the final ending pose was frozen - Mi Xi bent one knee slightly in front of him, looking arrogant, Wu You stood behind him with a cold look, and the other three spread out in a fan shape - the whole studio fell into a brief silence.
Then, like a volcano erupting, the deafening applause, screams and cheers almost blew the roof off!
"Venom! Venom! Venom!"
The audience was completely boiling!
The five held their ending pose, their chests heaving and sweat dripping down their jaws, but each of their eyes gleamed with excitement and brilliance. They had done it!
Ji Ye, who was standing at the backstage passage and watching, crossed his arms, looking at Mi Xi, who was like a luminous body on the stage, with deep eyes and a determined smile at the corner of his mouth.
In the mentors' booth, mentor Luo Wei excitedly stood up and applauded: "Perfect! This is the stage I want!"
At the end of the performance, the five stood in a row and bowed to the audience and the instructor. The audience shouted "Encore" for a long time.
In their first performance, the "Venom" group delivered a truly explosive performance with their impeccable performance, leaving a lasting impression. Their "venom" had already infused the hearts and minds of the audience, leaving them captivated and unable to extricate themselves.
————
The "Venom" group's performance brought the first half of the first performance to an explosive close. As the five returned backstage, they were greeted by a complex mix of looks from the other contestants—admiration, awe, and a hint of barely concealed envy. Their performance practically guaranteed a spot as one of the best performances of the round.
The excitement on Wuyou's face had not faded yet, and his tearful eyes were surprisingly bright. He nudged Mi Xi beside him with his elbow, his tone full of uncontrollable pride: "So what? I told you we could blow up the stage!" Sweat wet the loose hair on his forehead, sticking it to his smooth forehead, making him look like a little fox who had just won a fight and was full of pride.
Mi Xi's breathing hadn't fully calmed down yet, and a fine layer of sweat covered his forehead and neck, glistening under the bright backstage lights. He glanced at Wu You, saying nothing, only a barely perceptible quirk at the corner of his lips as a response. The extreme performance had consumed a great deal of his energy, and he didn't even feel the urge to say another word.
The staff immediately surrounded them, offering them water and touch-ups, and guided them to a designated rest area to watch the next group's performance. However, no matter how exciting the subsequent performances were, it seemed that they could not completely erase the strong impression that "Venom" had left on the hearts of the audience and the mentors.
After the performances concluded, the tense voting phase began. All contestants returned to the stage, standing under the bright lights, awaiting their fate. The host deliberately created suspense, and the vote count scrolled continuously on the big screen.
When the "Venom" group vote count was announced, exclamations erupted again—a remarkably high number, undoubtedly placing them first among the announced groups! And Mi Xi's individual vote count was even more impressive, firmly occupying the top spot on the individual leaderboard!
Although the final ranking will be combined with online voting, the on-site votes are enough to speak for themselves.
Backstage, the atmosphere was even more lively. Many familiar trainees came over to congratulate the "Venom" team. Li Mo, Bobby, and Xiao Fang hugged each other excitedly, practically crying with joy. Wu You tried hard to maintain a "don't be silly" expression, but the corners of her mouth couldn't be suppressed.
At this moment, one of the staff members exclaimed in surprise: "Oh my God! It's trending!"
Everyone took out their phones (they were allowed to use them briefly in certain areas) and saw several related terms prominently listed on the trending search list:
#Venom stage god#
#Mixi bloodbath straight shot#
#Mi Xi Wuyou Sexual Tension#
#Global Super Star 1#
When you click in, you'll see clips of the "Venom" stage performance and crazy praise.
[Oh my god! Is this something I can see without paying? Mi Xi's bending over! That look! I'm so bewitched!]
Wuyou is so amazing! She looks so cute, but she dances so fiercely! She and Mixi are a perfect match!
[This bloodbath livestream has been looped twenty times! Mi Xi, please use this face and this body to slay on stage!]
This is the stage performance of top idols! The entire "Venom" team is awesome!
Wuyou was scrolling through her phone when she saw that her and Mi Xi's couple was trending on the search. Her ears felt a little hot, and she secretly glanced at Mi Xi, only to find that she was staring at the phone screen with a barely noticeable frown on her face.
On Mi Xi's screen was a private message from Ji Ye three minutes ago. The content was simple and direct:
The performance was fantastic. I'll be waiting for you in parking lot B, space 07.
No questions asked, no formalities, just direct orders.
Mi Xi stared at the message for a few seconds, then locked the screen expressionlessly.
"What's wrong?" Wuyou keenly noticed his abnormality and came over to ask in a low voice.
"Nothing." Mi Xi stood up, "I'm going to the bathroom."
He needed some space to digest the joy of success and the more complicated situation that followed. The brilliance on the stage was real, but the undercurrents off the stage were equally real.
Glory and crisis often go hand in hand. The huge success of the first performance propelled him to the forefront of public opinion. And the prince's patience seemed to be running out.
Beneath the dazzling starry sky lies an unknown vortex. Mi Xi knows that he must be more careful to go far enough on this road.
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