Chapter 131 Part 2

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Chapter 131 Part 2: The Missing Sakura Candy, Xie Qingxuan’s Attack (2)

After employing these combinations of moves, they left the bystanders stunned, yet they further enraged the fans of the deceived players.

In short, the collective sentiment can be summed up in one sentence:

“Damn, isn’t this just bullying honest people?”

This group of people began to retaliate.

“Your team wants to be idols, but ours doesn’t? Who would support someone who disrespects the stage, deceives their teammates to achieve their goals, is utterly selfish, and lacks any warmth?”

“Laugh all you want—keep barking like dogs. You may step on your teammates now to climb higher, but in the future, you’ll be the ones regretting it when your fans abandon you.”

“That’s enough. Just because it doesn’t break the game’s rules doesn’t mean it aligns with universal morals. Everyone eliminated faces the same consequences. Some Grade B players didn’t resort to cheating either. By your logic, does that mean they don’t aspire to be idols?”

Both sides of public opinion are growing increasingly harsh toward each other.

On the other hand, some argue that the blame lies entirely with ‘Dazzling Stage’ and Dream Weaver Rabbit. The atmosphere shapes behavior, and no one can remain true to themselves in such a deliberately pressurized environment.

It’s evident that this topic will dominate discussions for the third season of the show.

Of course, some remain uninterested in the controversy.

For instance, the fans of various Grade A players who have been unaffected.

The show pressed on, swiftly transitioning to Tang Liuli’s defeated CG.

Little Sakura gazed at this fluffy cat, publicly delivering a pointed and significant message. Then, the two began unveiling secrets one after another, greatly shocking both fanbases.

“Can you defeat Xie Qingxuan?”

“Let go of your petty grudges and join my team.”

“In the next round, let’s all recruit Little Qing for our team and reach the stage for the second performance together!”

But in response to such weighty, self-serving words, Tang Liuli replied:

“I will win back Chu Yuanqing in my own way.”

At this, both sides—the toxic fans and the regular fans—erupted.

Hey, what’s the difference between airing a public family dispute and openly declaring a friendship? Where does such possessiveness fit into pure friendship? Are the idols they’re chasing actually lesbians? Are CP fans the true instigators?

“Take off your sunglasses—does Little Liuli still need to play the game? If she were truly gaming the system, she’d have posted a big Weibo announcement and wouldn’t have been voted off during that round of the Carry Center competition.”

Meanwhile, CP fans started celebrating wildly.

And at this point, the third episode was only halfway through.

The subsequent plot featured dozens of condensed, fast-forwarded stage competitions.

This included the chaotic stage where Chu Yuanqing was contested as a prize, childhood friends parting ways to join rival teams, Xiaoyan’s rise in the entertainment circle as she defeated Ruan Wutong three times—only to be undone by the vengeful spirit Chen Yining.

The most astonishing element was the scheming and deceit of the fake competition league. They pulled out all the stops on stage, exploiting every opportunity within the rules, leaving the audience in awe, reminiscent of the drama ‘The Legend of Zhen Huan’.

Surprisingly, the fake competition league produced several impressive teams, even surging ahead of other Grade A contestants, rapidly advancing to the A1 area—proof of the advantages of embracing the atmosphere of ‘Dazzling Stage’.

Overall, the third episode packed in a tremendous amount of information, with dense highlights and a well-executed stage performance, satisfying the long-waiting audience.

Xu Ling watched the entire episode without skipping, yet still felt slightly unsatisfied after it ended.

The plot cut off abruptly at the moment Little Sakura triumphed over Honey Qing, with Xie Qingxuan teetering on the edge of a dark transformation during an intense stage, leaving many viewers disappointed as they eagerly awaited what would come next.

“Still, this episode was quite fulfilling, with more contestants mastering the ‘Heart Flow,’ resulting in numerous unexpected, high-quality stage performances back-to-back.”

“Miyuki and Honey Qing’s two stages were filmed and looked far better than the live broadcast. They’ll be edited and uploaded to the website soon.”

Xu Ling grew increasingly excited—she adored watching stages. That’s why she’d joined the talent show fan circle. Fans of Kirimi Miyuki and Chu Yuanqing admired them for their stages too.

Despite its simple plot, the third stage was visually stunning and captivating for the audience.

To explain, it’s like having 168 beautiful girls train in dance for a month, then showcasing their best performances in a single day—an extraordinary experience for viewers.

This is the allure of ‘Dazzling Stage’, with its high-tech features like virtual reality systems and nano-cameras, crafting an intense, high-quality stage layout.

The quality of the third stage alone outshone many other talent show stages, making a significant impact.

There were so many remarkable stages in this round that Xu Ling couldn’t fully appreciate them in one viewing. She decided to edit the standout performances into separate clips to savor them slowly.

Compared to previous years, just the stages from this round could provide inspiration for an entire year.

Xu Ling smiled happily and was about to turn on her computer when she suddenly looked puzzled, feeling as though she’d forgotten something.

No, something’s off.

Wait—where’s my sakura candy?!

Xu Ling racked her brain, but each time she tried to recall, a golden retriever seemed to cling to Honey Qing. Even as Honey Qing left the stage defeated, the dog bit her ear and boldly pushed her aside, asserting dominance.

In that moment, she recalled Miyuki shining brightly in the secondary rating, only to see Xie Qingxuan applying lipstick to Chu Yuanqing—a comical scene of lost love.

Darn it, can’t I have both the stage and romance?

Xu Ling, torn between sadness and frustration, picked up her stuffed cat, buried her face in its belly, and took a deep breath, causing the cat to wriggle away unhappily. She sipped her drink with a melancholic air and caught sight of a discarded little dinosaur plushie off to the side…

…

…

Zhelong Town, underground base.

When someone reached for the little dinosaur with a wicked claw, in a dormitory in the C1 area, four people faced off, creating a highly tense atmosphere.

Fan Qiuling collapsed on the ground, her expression vacant and bewildered, her small frame trembling uncontrollably. Tears of fear welled in her eyes, reflecting the imposing, cold-eyed figure of the Demon King, her mind utterly blank.

How strange—why did she feel as though something had vanished forever after just a fleeting glance from her?

Fan Qiuling suddenly felt terrified. Why had she joined ‘Dazzling Stage’? Why had she practiced singing and dancing day and night?

Oh, right—it was to win the love of more fans, to stand on stage, basking in the vanity and brilliance of cheers and lights.

But now, her inner desires felt hollow. No matter how hard she searched, it seemed she had nothing left—like a pauper taxed by a king, where a single light word could strip away everything she possessed, so ruthless and domineering.

Xie Qingxuan’s platinum blonde hair swayed, her stunning eyes devoid of empathy. The goddess dress she wore greedily absorbed the stolen radiance, exuding a hint of spirituality as she murmured softly:

“What does it taste like this time?”

Ji Shuzhu’s eyes narrowed, her lips curving slightly. Savoring the lingering taste on her tongue as if it were growing dull, she replied lightly:

“It’s fine—just an ordinary nut cake.”

Xie Qingxuan whispered gently:

“As long as it’s not flawed, it’s good enough. You won’t find a more dazzling sparkle in the C1 area.”

After speaking, the young girl glanced at Fan Qiuling, shivering on the ground. Her eyes were as calm as clouds, as deep as the sea. A dark vortex expanded, weaving an ominous cross—like an irrevocable decree—and she issued her command:

“Fan Qiuling, if you want to reclaim what’s yours, challenge me to a duel willingly.”

“This is ‘Dazzling Stage’, where fate is decided by performances— isn’t that reasonable?”