Chapter 1
A mechanical voice accompanied by the crackling of electrical currents played repeatedly in Qu Xiao’s mind.
Dark shadows flashed rapidly before her eyes, and she felt a sudden sensation of weightlessness beneath her feet. It took several seconds before she could make out her surroundings. She was inside an elevator ascending at high speed, with seemingly no intention of stopping.
The elevator’s interior was exquisitely decorated in white and gold. Qu Xiao took a deep breath and pressed a button.
No response!
Don’t tell me this elevator is about to malfunction?
As though it had heard her thoughts, the voice sounded again.
“Host, you may call me System. Now, allow me to introduce your mission.”
The system cleared its throat. Qu Xiao was the first binding target it had received after returning from a two-month vacation. Having just resumed work after two months off, it sounded as though it had only recently woken up. Its temper wasn’t particularly good either, and it still seemed rather cranky from being woken up.
It flipped a page of the script with its wire fingers. “Host Qu Xiao, formerly a music student at University C, you are currently in the preparation period before the talent survival show you signed up for, Dream Star Search, officially begins…”
Dream Star Search?
Wasn’t that the talent show featured in the novel she’d stayed up all night reading yesterday?
Qu Xiao’s breathing quickened.
That’s right. She had actually transmigrated into an entertainment industry novel and become a cannon-fodder, useless Alpha who happened to share her exact name!
The original Qu Xiao was a B-rank Alpha, a trainee whose small agency had squeezed every last bit of value out of her before sending her to participate in a talent survival show. She had become one of those countless supporting contestants who existed in every survival show, serving as nothing more than a foil for the others, with practically no presence of her own.
Everything changed on the eve of the initial stage performance. Several trainees from major agencies in her group set a trap for her. Under the pretense of “collecting props for the production team from the hotel,” they tricked her into going to the hotel’s top floor, where she accidentally marked the novel’s female lead, Wen Sixu, an S-rank Omega.
When the incident was exposed, the original Qu Xiao was forced to withdraw from the competition and subsequently had her personal information exposed online. Eventually, after being blacklisted across the internet, a bounty was placed on her by extremist fans, and she ended up a useless Alpha with permanently damaged glands.
After reviewing the horrifying plot, Qu Xiao silently made up her mind:
Cherish life, protect your glands, and stay away from Wen Sixu.
“Host, you’re so smart! It seems you’ve already figured out who our binding target is! Wen Sixu is the person you’re supposed to win over for your mission!”
What?
Qu Xiao’s head, already suffering from excessive sleep deprivation, immediately began to ache. Knowing that things would end so terribly, she was still supposed to seek out Wen Sixu? Did she have a death wish?
Her voice rang out calmly. “I’m not doing it. I want to stay away from Wen Sixu.”
System: “Say that again?”
Qu Xiao enunciated every word. “I. Want. To. Stay. Away. From. Wen. Sixu!”
The system’s voice suddenly became exceptionally clear, and a somewhat shrill electrical buzz echoed through Qu Xiao’s mind.
“What kind of matching mechanism is this?! I come back from a two-month vacation, and my very first assignment is a slacker like you! Do you have any idea that I have KPIs to meet too? Do you know how hard the last Alpha who graduated under my guidance worked, and that it was only thanks to her that I earned those two months of vacation? Well, I’m announcing it now—you’re the worst student I’ve ever had! I seriously suspect another system sent you here just to get revenge on me!”
Bombarded by this rapid-fire tirade, Qu Xiao was a beat slow to react. “What do you mean?”
The system snorted. “Just behave yourself and complete your mission, unless you want to end up exactly like the original owner of this body!”
Qu Xiao fell silent.
Of course she didn’t want to share the original owner’s fate, with her reputation ruined and her glands permanently damaged. But… would working hard to complete the mission, or even actively pursuing Wen Sixu, really change the ending as the system claimed?
A faint sound came from the elevator beneath her feet. The elevator, which had been ascending at high speed, finally came to a stop. The red numbers on the display flickered wildly. Qu Xiao narrowed her eyes to look, but she couldn’t make out which floor she was on.
No normal person would want to spend another second inside such a dangerous elevator!
The instant the elevator doors opened, Qu Xiao immediately stepped out with her long legs, landing firmly on the floor.
She had barely taken a breath of the air outside the cramped elevator when her sensitive nose caught a faint fragrance.
It was floral, yet not quite like ordinary flowers. A rich, sweet fragrance surged toward her, seemingly studying the owner of the Alpha pheromones that had suddenly intruded into its territory, before circling around her body.
As the fragrance grew increasingly concentrated, the system began an emotionless automated announcement.
“Pheromones detected.
Source: S-rank Omega.
Fragrance: White Camellia.”
Qu Xiao’s heart jolted. The original owner’s miserable experience had left her with quite a psychological shadow. Her first instinct upon encountering an S-rank Omega was to run as far away as possible. Once she got tangled up with those pheromones, she was finished!
She took a step backward, only to discover that the elevator doors behind her had already shut and the cabin was slowly descending. No matter how frantically she pressed the buttons, nothing worked.
The white camellia pheromones began wrapping around her as though they had taken on physical form. The blood vessels beneath the gland at the back of Qu Xiao’s neck seemed to sense something and began throbbing faintly, beyond her control.
She recalled the novel’s setting: the pheromones of a high-ranking Alpha could accelerate the onset of a lower-ranking Omega’s heat. Likewise, the pheromones of a high-ranking Omega could also trigger a lower-ranking Alpha’s rut.
“System! Hey! Give me a suppressant injection!”
The system seemed to have fallen asleep. There was no response.
Only one door stood open on the entire top floor, and whoever was staying up here wasn’t someone Qu Xiao could afford to offend at present. Covering the back of her neck, she began searching for a staircase.
But before she could take two steps, those pheromones suddenly tightened around her.
Sensing her resistance, the white camellia fragrance instantly transformed into an overpowering attraction. Qu Xiao nearly lost her balance, and the blood vessels beneath her gland grew so hot that they felt as though they might burn through her skin.
She struggled to maintain a clear head and instinctively bit her lip. However, the moment her sharp teeth touched it, a mass of pheromones slipped between her lips.
It felt like biting into soft camellia petals, releasing a great burst of floral nectar that left Qu Xiao’s lips glistening with moisture.
“Warning: Direct ingestion of pheromones detected. The host’s gland is severely congested. Continued exposure will cause irreversible damage. Please enter the room immediately—beep, beep, beep…”
The system’s piercing alarm made Qu Xiao’s head feel as though it were splitting apart. A sharp pain also shot through the back of her neck. She forced her legs to move and stepped through the open doorway.
In the dim light, Qu Xiao found herself looking into a pair of crystal-clear eyes.
The camellia pheromones wrapped around her once more, this time carrying a powerful soothing quality. Like flowing water, they gently eased the scorching heat in Qu Xiao’s gland.
The aching, parched gland at the back of her neck responded to the soothing sensation, and the stabbing pain subsided considerably. She opened her eyes, now certain that the high-ranking Omega pheromones from earlier belonged to the woman standing before her.
Although the woman wore only a bathrobe that revealed a glimpse of her delicate shoulders, her natural air of elegance and nobility was unmistakable. Long, pinkish-brown hair slid along the graceful contours of her face and into the hollow of her snow-white neck. Her crystal-clear eyes shimmered with moisture, and her cheeks were lightly flushed.
Pinkish-brown hair, a top-floor suite, an S-rank Omega… Scenes from the original novel flashed rapidly through Qu Xiao’s mind. For a moment, she almost thought the woman before her was Wen Sixu.
But she quickly dismissed the idea.
The original novel had described Wen Sixu as follows: Actress Wen had brown hair and an ordinary appearance, with gentleness being the only notable quality of her looks. Yet through her acting skills, she had risen to legendary status, winning major film and television awards one after another. At a young age, she had already become an award-winning actress with several prestigious international awards to her name.
The details clearly didn’t match.
First of all, the Omega before her had pinkish-brown hair. Second, Qu Xiao knew another obscure fact—
Actress Wen had suffered an injury while filming and developed a pheromone disorder. There was absolutely no way she could release such intensely concentrated pheromones.
Qu Xiao was just about to explain that she hadn’t deliberately trespassed today, nor had she intentionally released her own pheromones. Rather, she had been overwhelmed by a force she couldn’t resist, and she hoped this young lady would withdraw her pheromones…
But the woman before her had no intention of giving her a chance to explain.
Qu Xiao had barely moved an inch closer when her tie was seized. The woman reached out, caught hold of it, and used it to guide her closer before leaning forward and pressing her lips against Qu Xiao’s.
The instant their lips met, Qu Xiao felt as though something had exploded inside her head.
“Host’s gland has been stimulated. Entering a partial rut… Host, are you all right?”
Qu Xiao didn’t respond. The gland at the back of her neck was burning hot, and her blue iris pheromones were spreading uncontrollably, mingling with the white camellia fragrance until the two were indistinguishable.
Wen Sixu narrowed her peach-blossom eyes slightly, feeling the rich blue iris pheromones spread through the air and pour through the Alpha’s lips into her own, which desperately craved moisture.
“G-Gently… Mm…”
Wen Sixu experienced a sensation unlike anything she had ever felt in the gland at the back of her neck. Qu Xiao applied pressure with her teeth, but unfortunately, she was a novice Alpha attempting a temporary marking for the first time and had absolutely no grasp of the proper technique.
Pain shot through Wen Sixu, and a breathless gasp escaped her lips, accompanied by barely restrained anger.
“Are you a dog?”
When the two currents of pheromones in the room finally settled down, Wen Sixu raised a hand and touched the back of her neck.
For some unknown reason, the gland that hadn’t responded in over a year had actually managed to release some pheromones today.
And the gland that doctors had long since declared to have almost no chance of recovery now bore a temporary mark.
After a mosaic-censored scene came to an end, the system excitedly rubbed its wire fingers together until sparks flew. “Ahem, ahem. Host, you’ve really outdone yourself! You’ve only just met your target, and you’ve already completed a hidden mission! Now, please accept your reward—”
“Congratulations, Host! You’ve received one hint about the guest mentors’ preferences for tomorrow’s initial stage performance.”
As it spoke, the system unfolded a small slip of paper with its wire fingers.
“Mentor Wen’s preference is—dance! Choosing a dance performance will make it easier to receive a high rating!”
Wen Sixu glanced at the Alpha beside her, who was gradually catching her breath.
Her long, straight black hair had been tousled by Wen Sixu’s fingers earlier. Now, after shaking her head from side to side, she had smoothed it back into place herself, letting it frame her delicate cheeks. Her long lashes trembled slightly before her eyes suddenly opened, their watery gaze looking both obedient and as though she were secretly plotting something mischievous.
This low-ranking Alpha had been affected by her pheromones and seemed to have entered her rut ahead of schedule. Although she hadn’t known what she was doing at first, under Wen Sixu’s guidance, she’d quickly demonstrated some fairly impressive skills.
Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that she was a beginner, but a remarkably talented one?
However, an Alpha in rut wouldn’t be satisfied with just one round… Wen Sixu raised a hand and touched her gland, which had only just recovered a little. She had no intention of indulging the Alpha’s increasingly excessive demands.
Her waist still felt somewhat weak and sore. Reaching across the Alpha’s body, she retrieved a silver suppression bracelet from the bedside and fastened it around Qu Xiao’s wrist.
Qu Xiao watched as the woman took her hand and instinctively gripped it tightly in return. The stimulation caused another wave of heat to surge through the back of her neck, and the concentration of blue iris pheromones in the air increased once more.
But this time, the woman didn’t lean toward her. She merely held her hand as something cool was fastened around her wrist. Gradually, the scorching heat at the back of her neck began to subside.
Wen Sixu was just about to say something when a sudden, urgent ringing came from the door.
Without hesitation, she threw Qu Xiao’s clothes at her, her gaze icy. “Get out.”
Qu Xiao was bewildered. The woman still bore a few alluring marks along her collarbone, yet she sat against the headboard with an utterly cold expression, as though she might kick Qu Xiao off the bed at any moment.
“Someone’s here. Please leave.”
The faint flush on Wen Sixu’s cheeks and collarbone had faded, leaving her skin looking somewhat pale. Reclining against the soft pink silk bedding, she resembled a languid Persian cat.
The pheromone suppression bracelet effectively restrained the spread of her pheromones, allowing Qu Xiao to regain much of her clarity. She straightened her clothes and, under the Omega’s watchful gaze, left through the suite’s back door, even forgetting to retrieve her tie from the carpet.
Standing in the corridor, she could no longer smell the white camellia fragrance in the air. Only then did the realization belatedly dawn on her:
Was she really going to be discarded as soon as she’d served her purpose?
High-ranking Omegas really were such wicked and dangerous creatures.
Still, she didn’t dare hope for any acknowledgment of their relationship. Something far more urgent came to mind.
Could this white camellia-scented woman be just like Wen Sixu in the original novel—an extremely dangerous person who would ruthlessly pursue her destruction?
She hadn’t asked for the woman’s name.
Thank goodness. She hadn’t asked for her name.
Scenes from the original novel began playing uncontrollably in Qu Xiao’s mind.
The original owner’s personal information had been exposed online, with her ID number and home address posted for everyone to see.
On the day she withdrew from the competition, extremist fans had waited for her outside the hotel and thrown things at her.
And then there was that agonizing description of her glands being permanently damaged…
Qu Xiao covered the back of her neck, almost as though she were already experiencing that pain herself.
The Omega hadn’t asked for her name. If she hadn’t asked, that meant she could pretend Qu Xiao didn’t exist. And if she didn’t exist, she wouldn’t follow in the original owner’s footsteps, right?
Qu Xiao pressed the button and stepped into the elevator.
“Host, your room is number 1580~”
The system’s voice sounded again, much clearer this time, although it still seemed rather lazy.
She pressed “15” and easily found the room the system had mentioned. A quick scan of her fingerprint unlocked the door.
The room belonged to the original owner of her body.
The original owner had been so busy preparing for her initial stage performance that she hadn’t had time to pay any attention to her hotel room. There were hardly any signs that someone had been living here, aside from several tubs of spicy chicken instant noodles piled beside the bed.
Qu Xiao picked one up and examined it. It was even close to its expiration date, and the packaging had been crushed out of shape.
The hotel was located right next to the production team’s filming venue. Before the competition began, many trainees had chosen to stay here. Downstairs, a row of dedicated fansite photographers waited with their long telephoto lenses and cameras. Every trip outside was an opportunity for free publicity.
Lemon Entertainment hoped Qu Xiao’s pretty face would generate some buzz for the company. Even if the attention came from riding someone else’s popularity, it would still save them a considerable amount in marketing expenses. So the company gritted its teeth and booked her a room at this hotel for half a month.
Of course, it was the cheapest room available.
“Host, I must remind you that the performance-based agreement you signed with Lemon Entertainment is still in effect—which means that if you fail to make it to the second public performance in this survival show, you won’t be able to terminate your contract with Lemon Entertainment amicably.”
“A performance-based agreement?”
“That’s right.” The system projected a document into midair.
Qu Xiao merely glanced at it.
“Then if I don’t make it to the second public performance, I just won’t terminate my contract with the company.”
The system’s voice rose an octave.
“Of course you can, Host. That’s your personal choice, and I won’t interfere too much. However, if you’re eliminated from the competition and choose not to terminate your contract, you won’t be allowed to participate in shows, record songs, or conduct personal livestreams without authorization… The company will pay you a monthly salary at the minimum standard. That’s 2,800 yuan a month.”
Qu Xiao’s vision went black.
It was only after seeing Lemon Entertainment that Qu Xiao finally understood the saying, “Lemons only taste good once they’ve been squeezed into juice.”
So this company’s philosophy was to squeeze its artists completely dry, without leaving a single drop behind!
Qu Xiao wiped away her tears. “Fine. I’ll work hard and make it to the second public performance.”
Even though the original owner hadn’t come from a major agency and was hopeless at both singing and dancing, Qu Xiao herself had at least been a university music student. She had received formal training in singing. If she worked hard, perhaps she really could survive one round of eliminations.
Looking at Qu Xiao, who seemed to possess the makings of a relentless overachiever, the system smiled with satisfaction. “Host, that’s more like it! Look at the final clause of the agreement—if you manage to debut in the center position on debut night, Lemon Entertainment will award you a bonus of thirty million yuan, and I’ll also apply for a substantial reward on your behalf. Well? Doesn’t that sound tempting, Host?”
Qu Xiao had fallen asleep.
Sparks flew from the system’s wires. What overachiever potential? She was nothing but a lazy salted fish!
Qu Xiao squeezed her eyes shut and buried her head beneath the covers, shutting herself off from the outside world as she tried to forget the terrifying feeling of being hunted down by an Omega.
…
Only after watching the Alpha’s figure disappear did Wen Sixu lazily rise from the bed. She casually tidied her long hair, much like a Persian cat grooming its fur, changed into a loose set of casual clothes, and walked into the entertainment lounge outside the bedroom.
She picked up the remote control and pressed a button. The suite door slowly opened, revealing her assistant, Zhou Xuan, standing outside.
Zhou Xuan was a Beta and couldn’t detect the scent of pheromones.
After waiting outside for some time without receiving a response, Zhou Xuan had already begun to worry. After all, Wen Sixu had only just finished filming a movie before rushing here to coordinate with the survival show’s production team and join the program. Zhou Xuan was concerned about her health.
Omegas naturally had slightly less physical stamina than Alphas, and Omegas suffering from damaged, diseased glands had even less.
During the flight here, she’d noticed Wen Sixu sitting beside her with her eyes tightly shut. She knew it meant the actress’s old injury was acting up again.
It was all because of that accident while filming two years ago, which had damaged Wen Sixu’s gland.
And the person responsible for Wen Sixu’s injury was still alive and well, actively working in the film and television industry…
Fortunately, the suite door slowly opened. Zhou Xuan took a deep breath, stopped letting her thoughts run wild, and quickly walked inside.
Upon seeing Wen Sixu, Zhou Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. Not only did she not appear ill, but she seemed to be in excellent spirits. However, Zhou Xuan soon noticed that her cheeks were unusually red.
Even the snow-white skin beneath her collar seemed to have a faint reddish tint.
“Do you have a fever?”
As she spoke, Zhou Xuan raised her hand and touched the back of it to Wen Sixu’s forehead. Nothing seemed unusual.
“I’m perfectly fine.” As Wen Sixu spoke, she subtly leaned backward, ensuring that Zhou Xuan wouldn’t be able to see the marks on her neck from that distance.
The Alpha hadn’t understood the proper technique for temporary marking and had been afraid of hurting the Omega. She’d bitten the wrong spots several times before finally finding the gland, leaving several teeth marks on Wen Sixu’s body in the process. She’d been like a silly little puppy given a bone but unable to get to the meat.
After the marking, the Alpha, only half-satisfied, had released soothing pheromones, gently licking and sucking.
What a clumsy, low-ranking Alpha.
Unaware of any of this, Zhou Xuan began explaining the purpose of her visit.
“At seven tonight, the production team would like to invite you to discuss the procedures for the initial stage performances, including the scoring and ranking criteria for the contestants.”
Wen Sixu nodded. At sixteen, she had been a member of a girl group. After the group disbanded, she began transitioning into acting. She had also released several solo music video albums featuring singing and dancing. It wasn’t until her gland was injured that she completely shifted her career toward film and television, eventually winning the Best Actress award at the Xingyue Awards six months ago.
The production team of Dream Star Search had invited her to serve as one of the guest mentors in consideration of both her professional expertise and her popularity.
“First, get me a list of the trainees.”
…
“Host, Host, wake up!”
Qu Xiao rubbed her eyes. She had slept for two hours. Fortunately, the room was quiet, with no sign of any Omega coming to look for her.
“What is it?”
The system’s electronic voice sounded rather irritated. “It’s already five in the afternoon. Aren’t you hungry?”
“Not really.”
“If you don’t have an internal clock, at least set an alarm and pay attention to the messages in the group chat!”
What group chat?
Qu Xiao opened her phone and found an unread message in a group chat named “Production Team”:
[@Everyone, please come to the production team’s lounge to collect your suppression bracelets. You’ll be joining the production tomorrow, so please bring all your personal belongings and gather at the filming venue at seven o’clock.]
In this era of highly advanced medical technology, most pheromone fluctuations during an Alpha’s rut or an Omega’s heat could be managed with a single suppressant injection each day. However, trainees underwent intensive physical training every day, making pheromone leakage almost unavoidable. Daily suppressant injections could also cause certain side effects.
The production team had specially prepared suppression bracelets for the trainees, which worked more gently and came in different colors. Fans could even wear the same bracelets as their favorite idols.
“Oh.” Qu Xiao got up and headed toward the production team’s location, following the system’s directions.
The hotel was right next to the filming venue, so she arrived quickly.
Several trainees were already lining up to collect their bracelets. Qu Xiao joined the end of the line and greeted them with a smile.
The trainees ahead of her chose their favorite colors. When it was Qu Xiao’s turn, she had just reached into the box to take one when a staff member noticed her wrist.
“Miss, each person can only take one bracelet.”
Qu Xiao froze and glanced at the silver bracelet around her wrist. “Miss, I don’t think this one came from the production team.”
The staff member placed a finger against the inner side of the bracelet and turned the silicone band over. “Look at this logo. It really is custom-made for the production team.”
Qu Xiao stared at the logo, her fingertips tightening until they turned white.
This was the bracelet that Omega had given her yesterday! Could that Omega also be a trainee participating in the show? And an S-rank Omega at that! Who knew how powerful her background might be?
If Qu Xiao appeared before her wearing this silver bracelet, how would that be any different from openly declaring, “I’m the one who marked you”?
Qu Xiao had no desire to become a useless Alpha who was forced out of the competition and blacklisted. She hurriedly removed the bracelet and gave the female staff member an embarrassed smile.
“Sister, this bracelet isn’t mine. I… I accidentally mixed it up with someone else’s. Could I take a new one?”
The production team had prepared extra bracelets anyway. Looking at Qu Xiao’s delicate features, the staff member suddenly couldn’t help feeling delighted.
Being assigned to this production team was such a treat for the eyes!
She nodded and pushed the box closer to Qu Xiao. “Of course.”
Qu Xiao looked through the box and chose a light blue one. “I’ll take this one. Thank you!”
“Host, it looks like your official fan support color will probably be blue after your debut. It’s quite pretty, too.”
It was the system’s voice.
Qu Xiao replied, “Who said I’m going to debut? Have you arranged a guaranteed debut spot for me?”
System: “I didn’t! I haven’t! Don’t make things up! But think about those tens of millions. Whether you want to fight for a debut or get eliminated in the first round and return to Lemon Entertainment to be exploited is entirely up to you.”
Qu Xiao closed her eyes.
…
She didn’t want to think about so many things right now. She would return to the hotel for dinner first, then make some preparations for tomorrow’s initial stage performance.
There was a restaurant on the hotel’s first floor. Qu Xiao encountered several familiar-looking trainees there, too. Their names all sounded familiar, but unfortunately, the original novel hadn’t been completed, so she didn’t know who would ultimately secure the debut positions on the final group formation night.
However, she knew perfectly well which contestants were the production team’s favored picks and which were ordinary trainees from small agencies, just like her.
The hotel restaurant offered a wide variety of food, and guests received complimentary breakfast and dinner with their room cards. Qu Xiao chose a lobster taco and a glass of sugar-free fruit juice.
The calories were certainly high, but it tasted absolutely amazing.
“Host! You’re a trainee now, understand?! Someone who’s supposed to become an idol! How can you eat something so high in calories for dinner?”
“Letting something this delicious go uneaten would be the real waste.”
She rolled her eyes at the system, though she had no idea whether it could see her. After taking a sip of juice to moisten her throat, she took a large bite of the delicious taco.
“Oh my goodness! Is that spicy, too?! Host!”
Qu Xiao suddenly remembered something and interrupted the system’s endless nagging. “System, those rewards you mentioned for completing missions—what kinds of rewards are there?”
The system counted them off on its wire fingers. “For example, cards that remove negative trending topics, Golden Voice lozenges, stamina points…”
Qu Xiao took another enormous bite. “I don’t think any of those are worth as much as a taco.”
“Hmph! There are punishments for failing missions, you know! At best, you’ll end up trending for a scandal or humiliating yourself in public. At worst, your glands could be damaged, and your life points could be reduced. Think carefully about that.”
Qu Xiao nearly choked on her food.
Somehow, the meal in her hands didn’t seem quite as delicious anymore.
After dinner, Qu Xiao returned to her room and opened the preliminary program list for the initial stage performances.
Most individual trainees had formed groups of three or four. However, Lemon Entertainment had sent only Qu Xiao to participate, and the original owner hadn’t managed to find any teammates because her abilities were too poor. As a result, Qu Xiao would have to perform onstage alone.
And according to the performance order on the program list, she had been placed… third?!
Qu Xiao’s vision went dark again.
Her gaze moved downward, landing on the performance the original owner had registered for.
Singing and dancing: “I’m Willing.”
Qu Xiao’s amber-colored eyes brightened slightly.
“I’m Willing” was a song with a lively rhythm and an infectious melody. For her final assignment in Research on Popular Music last semester, Qu Xiao had chosen this very song as her research subject. On a sudden whim, she had even made a few small changes to the arrangement.
At that thought, her fear suddenly disappeared.
Qu Xiao rubbed her fingertips against the program list. After studying vocal music for so many years, she’d never had an opportunity to stand before a nationwide audience. Now, her company was paying for her to showcase her talents beneath the spotlight.
The more she thought about it, the more excited she became.
She wasn’t the original owner, who was hopeless at both singing and dancing. She was a university student who had received proper, formal vocal training.
“Hey.” Detecting the excited frequency of her brain waves, the system reminded her coldly, “Host, have you forgotten that you don’t know how to dance? You signed up for a singing-and-dancing performance!”
“It’s my stage. I can choose to sing without dancing.” Qu Xiao flipped through the program list. “I’ve checked. Some of the other trainees are only singing or only dancing. Why can’t I?”
The system fell silent for two seconds.
“But Host, according to the mentor preference hint I gave you last time, Mentor Wen prefers dancing. Choosing a dance performance will make it easier to receive a high rating. If your rating isn’t good enough, you could easily be eliminated in the first round.”
“There are five mentors in total. Why should I obsess over just one person’s evaluation?” Qu Xiao closed the program list. “I’m going to rest. Don’t interfere with my performance tomorrow.”
…
At the recording venue for the talent survival show Dream Star Search.
The cameras swept across the ninety-nine faces gathered beneath the pyramid-shaped seating platform. Qu Xiao’s makeup and styling had been done late, so she was now squeezed toward the back of the crowd. She tried to find a camera among the sea of moving heads, but when she discovered that the best camera position was far away from her, she abandoned the idea of getting some screen time.
Even if she appeared on camera, she’d probably end up on the cutting-room floor anyway.
Qu Xiao leaned toward a nearby mirror to examine herself and found that she was quite satisfied with today’s styling. Aside from the trainees from major agencies who had brought their own makeup artists, the remaining trainees had all been given standardized Korean-style makeup.
But when it had been her turn, the makeup artist seemed to be in a particularly good mood. She’d placed a blue star-shaped sequin beneath Qu Xiao’s eye and used temporary hair color to add a blue highlight to her long, straight black hair. The overall effect made her look like a sparkling little peacock.
Her clothes had come from the original owner’s wardrobe. She wore a white suit jacket with a row of golden tassels decorating one shoulder.
Considering that she’d removed the dancing portion of her performance, an overly flashy short skirt would only distract the audience. So Qu Xiao had replaced the original skirt with a pair of black shorts adorned with chains and sequins that glittered brilliantly beneath the spotlights.
Two trainees nearby were talking quietly.
“See that pyramid? Once recording starts, we’ll get to choose our seats freely. Then we’ll have the initial stage evaluations. After the evaluations, Class F will have to sit at the very bottom, with Classes C and B above them. Only Class A gets to sit at the very top.”
“We absolutely can’t end up in Class F…”
As they spoke, the line ahead began moving. It was time to choose their seats.
Qu Xiao watched as the crowd ahead gradually thinned and half the seats on the pyramid filled up. Then an electronic announcer’s voice rang through the venue.
“Please welcome Qu Xiao, trainee from Lemon Entertainment.”
A beam of light illuminated the stage beneath Qu Xiao’s feet.
She lowered her lashes and took a step forward. The beam of light followed her.
Qu Xiao immediately felt a little uncomfortable. It seemed as though a gaze was firmly fixed on her somewhere in the air, though she figured it was probably just an illusion created by the spotlight.
She took a deep breath, cleared the unnecessary thoughts from her mind, and strode toward the center of the stage before the pyramid.
Class A was at the top, followed by Class B…
Without giving it much thought, Qu Xiao climbed the steps and chose a seat near the bottom, with no one on either side of her.
“She’s so pretty. I saw her yesterday when we were collecting our bracelets.”
A quiet voice drifted down from somewhere higher up the pyramid. Qu Xiao instinctively tilted her ear toward it.
Were they… talking about her?
She lowered her head and glanced at the light blue bracelet on her left wrist. Ever since her accidental encounter with that unfamiliar Omega, merely hearing the word “bracelet” triggered an almost physical stress response.
“She really is pretty. I wonder how talented she is.”
“Talent isn’t even the issue anymore. Didn’t you hear which company she’s from? Even if she’s talented, she’ll probably be eliminated in the first round. Sigh…”
Qu Xiao’s fingers tightened.
Whether for the sake of her contract with the company or the system’s mission, she absolutely couldn’t afford to be eliminated in the first round.
The remaining twenty-odd trainees gradually took their seats. Qu Xiao glanced to either side and found that the two people sitting near her were also cannon-fodder characters whose names had never even appeared in the original novel.
They had the same role as her.
Qu Xiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Just now, she had quietly examined all ninety-odd faces seated around her.
The camellia-scented Omega from yesterday wasn’t among them.
Although that woman had a bracelet from the production team, she wasn’t a contestant in this survival show. After suffering one blow after another, this was the only piece of good news Qu Xiao had managed to deduce.
Spotlights swept over their heads. One beam briefly illuminated Qu Xiao’s face before moving away.
The seat she’d chosen was actually quite good. Although it was relatively low, it was close to the center, giving her a clear view of the host walking onto the stage with a microphone.
The host stopped facing the pyramid beneath their feet and declared, “Ninety-nine trainees, you are dream chasers, and you are also dream makers! Let us wait and see who will claim the brightest star ninety-nine days from now!”
The audience erupted into excitement.
Qu Xiao didn’t join the cheering, but she couldn’t help applauding along with everyone else. Her heartbeat suddenly quickened.
Wait, was it supposed to be this inspiring?
If she hadn’t already known that she’d been handed a cannon-fodder script, she would almost have been completely swept up in the atmosphere.
“Next, please join me in welcoming—the special guest mentor panel of Dream Star Search!”
The atmosphere became even more enthusiastic. Someone immediately shouted, “Sister Wen Sixu!” but their voice was drowned out by even louder cheers. Qu Xiao only caught the first syllable before the roar from above made her scalp tingle.
She stood up with most of the other trainees and began applauding. From this angle, she had an excellent view of the guests emerging from backstage.
Five guests walked out. At first, they were nothing more than five blurry figures, but the closer they came, the louder the cheering grew. By the time all five reached the pyramid and waved to the trainees seated above them, the entire welcoming ceremony had reached its climax.
For a moment, Qu Xiao felt as though the cheers around her had somehow been cut off.
She was still standing beside her seat, her hands raised but frozen in the middle of applauding. Her gaze was firmly drawn to a face below the stage. A barely perceptible glance swept in her direction, enough to make her feel as though she’d fallen into an icy abyss.
The woman standing in the center of the five guests wore a pink mermaid-style dress and had long, pinkish-brown hair. It was almost impossible not to notice her.
She still wore that faint smile, and her eyes seemed capable of stealing souls. Qu Xiao didn’t even know whether the woman had seen her, yet she was already rooted to the spot, her entire body turning cold.
It was that Omega.
The five guests reached the center of the stage, and the cheering gradually subsided. Qu Xiao sat down almost mechanically, like a puppet that had lost all sensation.
Smiling, the host raised the microphone.
“Let’s welcome our special guests, Mentor Ren Yue, Mentor Gu Weiyu, and… Mentor Wen Sixu!”
Qu Xiao’s nails dug so deeply into her palm that they left a dark red mark.
Wen Sixu?
She had marked Wen Sixu?!
A deafening wave of cheers erupted from the pyramid.
“Queen of Singers, Sister Gu Weiyu, please guide me!”
“Mentor Wen, you’re my goddess!”
Meanwhile, a single voice kept echoing inside Qu Xiao’s mind. It wasn’t the system’s voice, but the voice of what little reason she had left.
Qu Xiao, you’re really finished.
Just wait to be forced out of the competition and blacklisted…
She was absolutely certain of her prediction. Wen Sixu hadn’t so much as smiled in her direction since arriving. She must hate Qu Xiao to the bone.
“Next, please welcome our guest mentors as they present the special gift they’ve prepared for us!”
Qu Xiao froze for a moment.
Then the host quietly left the stage, and the five guest mentors took their positions at the center. Spotlights shone down on them as lively background music began playing.
So the “prepared gift” was a warm-up performance by the guest mentors before the initial stage evaluations.
Calling it a gift from the mentors wasn’t wrong, either. Qu Xiao could tell that countless trainees seated on the pyramid were fans of these guests. The fans of Wen Sixu and Gu Weiyu, in particular, were watching with their full attention.
“This is a journey through dreams. Have you ever seen my figure in your mind…”
Wen Sixu’s voice was the first to ignite the entire stage.
Strangely enough, the instant Qu Xiao heard Wen Sixu sing, her heart actually calmed down a little.
Her voice was cool, clear, and pleasant to the ear. Hearing her sing this kind of sweet little love song gave it an entirely different charm.
But immediately afterward, Qu Xiao’s heartbeat quickened again.
This time, however, it wasn’t because of the nervousness and fear surrounding that incident. Instead, the song had completely captivated her, drawing her into an atmosphere that felt almost like falling in love.
After finishing her part, Wen Sixu executed a beautiful dance move and turned to exchange positions with Gu Weiyu. As she did, Qu Xiao caught a glimpse of the fair skin at the back of her neck beneath her long, pinkish-brown hair. There was a small mark that looked different from her natural skin tone.
It was probably just a suppression patch.
Yet, for no apparent reason, it reminded Qu Xiao of the evidence of her wrongdoing that she’d left behind that day.
Surely… it was gone by now, right?
The original novel had mentioned twice that Wen Sixu suffered from a pheromone disorder and was unable to produce pheromones most of the time, so she rarely needed suppression patches.
Hopefully, she was just overthinking things.
Wen Sixu placed one hand on her waist and extended her other arm, tracing a graceful semicircle through the air. A cluster of roses decorating the side of her skirt swayed dramatically with the movement of her hips. She joined in for the chorus, then took the lead again for the final line.
“Let our journey be carried out in the name of love…”
The performance came to a perfect end.
Qu Xiao quietly watched Wen Sixu onstage, her chest rising and falling as she caught her breath. Around her, the trainees’ excited voices rose one after another.
“Mentor Wen is so steady! Whether it’s acting or singing and dancing, her skills are on a completely different level!”
Under the host’s guidance, the five guest mentors took their seats.
Qu Xiao had once again felt someone’s gaze resting on her, but when she looked around, nobody seemed to be paying her any attention.
The host raised the microphone, announcing the moment that would have the greatest impact on the trainees’ futures.
“Next, let’s invite our trainee groups to begin their performances!”
Qu Xiao’s heart tightened. The first trainee group had already begun its initial stage performance, and she was scheduled to perform third. The small display beside her seat was already prompting her to head backstage and prepare.
In the waiting room, the makeup artist checked that her makeup, hair, and outfit were all in order. The sound engineer glanced at her.
“I’m Willing, right?”
“Hm? Oh. Yes, sir.”
It took Qu Xiao two seconds to realize that he was referring to the song she’d chosen for her initial stage performance.
Although she’d changed her singing-and-dancing performance into a solo vocal performance, there was no need to replace the backing track.
The sound engineer wasn’t particularly pleased with her slow reaction, but after looking at her delicate face, he didn’t say anything more.
“Don’t be nervous.”
“All right. Thank you, sir.”
What the sound engineer didn’t know was that only ten percent of Qu Xiao’s nervousness came from performing onstage.
The other ninety percent came from having to face Wen Sixu.
To sum it up, what terrified her most was performing in front of Wen Sixu.
“Next, please welcome Qu Xiao, trainee from Lemon Entertainment!”
At the center of the judges’ table, Wen Sixu’s hand paused, her pen suddenly going still.
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