bdsm-fiction Chapter 78 The Victory or Defeat is Over
Chapter 78 The Victory or Defeat is Over
Wang Bo watched Li Xuan's retreating figure.
The latter pulled out a pool ball, glanced at it, and exclaimed with delight, "Number 1!"
He showed the ball to the camera.
Next up is Qin Xiao.
He walked over slowly and casually pulled out a ball: "Number 4."
Then came Lin Xiaoya, Zhao Chen, Su Na, A Fei, and Bai Wei.
Lin Xiaoya drew number 2, Zhao Chen drew number 2, Su Na drew number 3, Bai Wei drew number 3, and A Fei drew number 4.
Now only Wang Bo hasn't smoked it yet.
There is one ball left in the box.
"Mr. Wang Bo, please." Director Zhao gestured, though it was no longer necessary.
Wang Bo walked over and reached into the box.
He took it out, didn't even look at it, and showed it directly to the camera.
1 number.
Li Xuan and Wang Bo are in the same group.
Li Xuan stood up, walked up to Wang Bo, extended his hand, and smiled brightly: "Wang Bo, what a coincidence, we brothers have met."
Wang Bo grasped his hand: "Yes, what a coincidence."
After the lottery results were announced, the atmosphere in the dressing room became subtle.
Qin Xiao, who knew the inside story, remained calm and composed, while Lin Xiaoya and Zhao Chen, who did not know the inside story, looked at Wang Bo with worry. A Fei played on his phone as if it were none of his business, while Bai Wei sat obediently in the corner, but her eyes kept darting between Wang Bo and Li Xuan.
Su Na leaned close to Wang Bo and whispered, "Teacher Wang Bo, Li Xuan came here today with ill intentions. I heard he's been training extremely hard these past two weeks."
"Thanks for the reminder," Wang Bo said with a smile.
"Aren't you nervous?" Suna looked at his calm face in disbelief.
"Is being nervous helpful?" Wang Bo asked rhetorically.
Suna was stunned, then gave her a thumbs up: "You have such a good attitude."
The live recording has officially begun.
As usual, the host gave a passionate opening speech, followed by an introduction to the competition format.
When the audience heard the question of whether Li Xuan's matchup with Wang Bo, a reunion of old friends, would be filled with mutual respect or fierce competition, they erupted in excited cheers.
The first matchup was between Lin Xiaoya and Zhao Chen – an internal power struggle within Starlight Media.
Both sang songs prepared by the company, which were decent but not outstanding. In the end, Lin Xiaoya won by a narrow margin.
Zhao Chen entered the waiting area, looking dejected.
The second pair is Su Na versus Bai Wei.
Suna takes the singing and dancing route, full of energy.
Bai Wei then delivered an original rock song, her screaming vocals electrifying the entire audience.
In the end, Bai Wei won.
Suna entered the waiting area, but she was quite calm: "Losing to an original work is not shameful."
Then, the main event begins.
"Next—" the host drawled, "the third group PK, Li Xuan versus Wang Bo!"
There was thunderous applause.
Li Xuan was the first to appear.
Today he wore a shiny silver performance outfit, and his hair was styled into a hedgehog shape with hairspray, making him look like a human-shaped LED light.
"Hello everyone, I'm Li Xuan!" he shouted into the microphone, his voice carrying throughout the venue through the speakers. "Today I'm bringing you an original song—'The Victory is Over'!"
The moment the song title was announced, the audience erupted in uproar.
So direct?
So arrogant?
Wang Bo listened in the waiting area and smiled.
It was indeed prepared especially for him.
The intro is a typical pop-rock arrangement with dense drumbeats and a heavy, distorted guitar tone.
Li Xuan spoke, his voice deliberately low and deep, carrying an air of arrogance that said, "I'm awesome."
They said it was a game.
But I had already seen through the rules and the game.
Who is the protagonist under the spotlight?
We'll find out tonight...
The lyrics are so straightforward they sound like a declaration of war, but the melody is quite catchy. The chorus features a cleverly designed high-pitched transition that showcases Li Xuan's excellent vocal control.
He also added a dance segment in the middle—although he wasn't a professional dancer, his movements were powerful and well-executed, and combined with the lighting effects, the visual impact was very strong.
The song is four and a half minutes long. Li Xuan sang and danced, and was covered in sweat and panting when he finished.
He stood in the center of the stage, arms outstretched towards the audience, his eyes brimming with confidence.
The applause was enthusiastic.
Many audience members were moved by his performance and stood up to applaud.
Li Xuan bowed as he left the stage, glancing at Wang Bo as he passed through the waiting area.
Wang Bo calmly picked up his guitar.
"Next—" the host's voice rang out again, "Wang Bo, he also has an original song to perform!"
Wang Bo walked onto the stage.
The lights dimmed, leaving only a spotlight shining on him.
He was dressed in a simple white shirt and jeans, carrying an acoustic guitar, standing in front of the microphone like a traveler about to begin telling a story.
The audience fell silent.
Anyone who experienced the first episode knows what Wang Bo's "originality" means.
The prelude begins.
The simple guitar arpeggios are clear and clean, like a mountain stream.
When Wang Bo spoke, his voice was gentler and more composed than usual.
There was no showing off, no shouting, just a calm narration.
But as soon as the first line was uttered, some audience members closed their eyes.
This melody... these lyrics...
The imagery is immediately striking.
Green mountains, white clouds, butterflies, clear streams, sunset glow, returning birds.
Simple imagery, yet it paints a vast and tranquil landscape painting.
In the audience, a man in his forties rubbed his eyes, reminiscing about his backpacking days when he was young.
The college girl next to her rested her chin on her hand, her gaze drifting into the distance—she recalled the scene of watching the sunset by Namtso Lake with her friends when they went to XZ last summer.
In the waiting area, Qin Xiao sat up straight.
He had initially approached the situation with a detached, spectator's attitude, but now he had to admit that the song's artistic conception had won.
It's not a victory of technique, it's a victory of aesthetics.
Li Xuan's expression began to turn ugly.
He thought Wang Bo would accept his challenge and sing a song that was equally aggressive.
But Wang Bo did not.
Wang Bo chose a different approach—not to compete or fight, but simply to quietly depict a landscape.
And that is precisely the most fatal aspect.
Because while you're yelling "The game is over," your opponent is already enjoying the scenery.
The difference in perspective is immediately apparent.
During the chorus, Wang Bo's voice rose slightly, but he remained restrained.
It's not a love song, but it's more moving than a love song.
It speaks of heaven and earth, of fate, and of the unexpected beauty in life.
Some people in the audience have already started wiping away tears.
These aren't tears of sadness, but warm tears shed when struck by beauty.
In the second verse, Wang Bo's guitar adds a slight strumming, and the rhythm speeds up a bit, like the footsteps of a traveler.
Upon hearing these lyrics, the man in his forties finally couldn't hold back his tears.
He thought of the friends he had said goodbye to over the years, the places he had visited, and the times he had met and parted ways.
Isn't life just a long journey?
As the chorus repeats, Wang Bo's voice becomes even more engaged and warmer.
The guitar music flowed like a gentle stream, and the lighting technician cast a warm yellow light, making the entire stage seem as if it were bathed in the glow of the setting sun.
Wang Bo stood in the light, eyes closed, completely immersed in the performance.
He recalled his past self before time travel, the days spent pursuing music, the hustle and bustle of bars, the loneliness of recording studios, the nervousness of standing on stage for the first time, and the joy of having his work recognized.
Those years, those journeys, have all been transformed into songs.