Chapter 99 Part 2

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Chapter 99 Part 2: The Contest Filled With Challenges (2)

The contestants gradually absorbed the rules and implications of the upcoming stage.

This was not just a competition—it was a battlefield requiring both strategy and foresight.

Choosing weaker teammates might ensure easy initial victories, but the team’s overall performance could falter, leading to setbacks in later stages. Even a team with exceptional abilities, like Heart Flow, could lose if their synchronization and harmony were off. Points would be deducted, and the team would face significant challenges.

On the other hand, forming a team of only top-tier dancers could create internal conflicts over leadership, destabilizing the group.

The key was balance—finding the right mix of strength, roles, and dynamics, all while considering the time and effort required to build cohesion. This phase tested not just skill but intelligence.

Despite this, Dream Weaver Rabbit’s rules left two glaring questions unanswered, leaving the participants uneasy.

Chen Yining, poised and radiant, stood out amidst the crowd. Her composed demeanor betrayed no trace of past anxieties, her focus solely on the present challenge. With a calm yet determined tone, she addressed Dream Weaver Rabbit:

“Since the first round of team formation isn’t performance-based, will we have free rein to choose our teammates, or will the program dictate the process?

And what happens to those who fail to form a team within the month? Will they face direct elimination, or will they be paired randomly?”

Dream Weaver Rabbit clapped its hands.

A glass pillar rose from the center of the white, spacious room. Inside it, five colorful fish swam gracefully, their shimmering bodies creating a beautiful, dreamlike scene.

With a mischievous smile, Dream Weaver Rabbit began to explain:

“These fish contain your information. The first round of team formation will be decided by lottery.

The lottery order is based on the number of likes your Carry Center short videos received in the previous round. Higher likes mean a higher priority in the draw.

To maintain fairness, highly-rated participants will have a greater chance of drawing strong teammates. But remember, luck plays a role, and even low-rated participants could turn the tables.”

The room buzzed with anticipation.

Dream Weaver Rabbit’s system ensured unpredictability. Allowing top-rated players to choose freely could have created lopsided teams—strong with strong, weak with weak—making the competition predictable and dull. The lottery, however, leveled the playing field by injecting randomness.

Dream Weaver Rabbit’s smile turned sharp as it addressed the second question:

“What happens to players who don’t complete their team within a month?

By efficiency standards, direct elimination would make sense. But to take a more humane approach, the program will let fully-formed teams vote. They’ll decide whether incomplete teams should be eliminated or randomly paired for the next round.”

The audience, watching the live broadcast, groaned in unison.

Dream Weaver Rabbit’s “humane” explanation felt anything but. Comments poured in, mocking the mascot’s pretentiousness while players focused on the impending lottery.

A low-rated participant clasped her hands together, silently praying for a top-tier teammate to carry her.

Meanwhile, the high-rated participants hoped their luck wouldn’t betray them, dreading the possibility of being saddled with a Grade F liability.

Among the Grade A contestants, their thoughts varied:

Chen Yining prayed she wouldn’t be paired with anyone but Ji Shuzhu.

Ji Shuzhu, calm as ever, decided to leave everything to fate.

Kirimi Miyuki and Tang Liuli, honest in their desires, wished to team up with Chu Yuanqing.

Xie Qingxuan maintained a practical mindset, viewing any strong teammate as a strategic asset.

Chu Yuanqing was the first to approach the pillar.

Placing her hand on its glass surface, her palm print glowed, spreading light throughout the structure. A golden fish leaped out, exploding like fireworks, scattering five hazy stars that converged into a card in her hand.

The card bore Xie Qingxuan’s photo.

The image was mesmerizing: platinum hair shimmering in the light, a serene gaze overlooking a bamboo forest lake, and a celestial detachment that felt both innocent and otherworldly. The background—a scene of ink paintings—enhanced its ethereal beauty.

Dream Weaver Rabbit’s announcement followed:

“Congratulations to player Chu Yuanqing for drawing a five-star card.

And congratulations to player Xie Qingxuan for losing lottery eligibility.”

The congratulatory tone felt more like mockery, but Chu Yuanqing seemed unfazed. Drawing a Grade A teammate on her first try was expected, and the legendary card only solidified her position.

Nearby, a green-eyed cat clenched its jaw, seething with frustration. Its dreams of pairing with Chu Yuanqing had shattered.

Kirimi Miyuki sighed in disappointment but quickly rekindled her determination. This setback only fueled her resolve to win Chu Yuanqing back on stage.

Next, Chen Yining stepped forward. Her luck did not betray her; she drew a five-star card featuring none other than her childhood friend, Ji Shuzhu.

Kirimi Miyuki, third in line, was less fortunate. She drew a four-star card—Chu Wang Shu. Though not the best outcome, it wasn’t the worst either.

Tang Liuli, meanwhile, felt a mix of relief and frustration. She avoided the fierce Little Sakura, but her drawn partner was Lin Baor, another lead singer. Two vocalists in one team meant minimal dance skills—a combination destined to attract challengers.

The audience and players alike erupted in laughter at the irony. Tang Liuli and Lin Baor exchanged defeated glances, already envisioning the challenges ahead.

As the lottery continued, the remaining players formed teams. By the end, the 84 groups reflected a chaotic mix of luck and skill—Grade B pairs, Grade F teams, and a few mismatched combinations of high and low grades.

Dream Weaver Rabbit clapped again, drawing everyone’s attention.

“Great! Now it’s time for the dance selection phase.

The difficulty of your first routine will significantly impact your team’s strategy and challenge timing. Let’s proceed in the same order and let pure luck decide your fate!”