Chapter 271 Last Member
"The envelope has been delivered successfully," Jo smugly said, his voice filled with excitement. He watched from his seat, one where the Mintellect employees were assigned to, and he narrowed his eyes at the stage, reflecting his satisfaction. "Excellent, Jo. You've done well."
In one of the dimly lit areas of the dome, Laohu smiled in satisfaction. He sat back in his seat, a wicked smile curling his lips.
Just right before him, Tony remained a stoic and loyal accomplice, monitoring the scene through the screen. He smirked and nodded in approval, confirming that the critical phase of their plan was underway. Laohu's smile grew wider as he imagined the imminent success of their grand scheme. Tonight, everything will fall into place, and Lin Zhi will finally make his debut. At this point, June's rank had just been called, and Laohu watched the pink-haired trainee with curiosity. This was the trainee that Lin Zhi wasn't fond of. He had been monitoring the show closely because of Lin Zhi, and he understood why Lin Zhi averted away from him—from June. June felt like the type of person who was blessed with natural charisma, someone born to be in the spotlight. Those types of people were definitely annoying. However, since this pink-haired trainee had made it into the debut group, even as the center of it, Lin Zhi would need to learn how to get along with him, or at least pretend to. June kept his gaze at the front, where the remaining uncalled trainees were. He still couldn't believe he debuted as the center just moments ago, but he decided to forgo the thought since an important event was about to happen...undoubtedly even more important than his center position. "I will be announcing the three trainees who are in the running for the last place on the debut team!" Minho announced, the music behind him escalating even further. - Gosh, I'll feel so bad for the trainees who aren't going to make it. - I'll close my eyes and ears for a second. Please call for my attention when everything's over.
- I don't know who to root for, guys. There are still so many good trainees left.
- I hate this so...freaking...much. June groaned as he leaned back against his seat. He always found this segment of the show to be insufferable. Why call three trainees when only one was going to make it? It was like they were giving the two other trainees false hope—
something to hold onto for a couple of moments before completely obliterating that hope. It was cruel. But then again, Azure had always been cruel. "Sehun!" Minho announced, causing the oldest trainee in the competition to cover his face. The other trainees turned to him, surprised. He had never come close to the debut spot, and in his mind, he had already given up. However, now, he wanted nothing more but to debut and live his dream. Sehun took a step forward, tears brimming in his eyes.
"C-Jay!" Minho exclaimed the second name, shocking the watchers once more. "Me?" C-Jay asked, pointing to himself in disbelief. The first two contenders weren't who they envisioned, and honestly, June wouldn't mind having either of them in the group. "And last but not the least—Lin Zhi!" Minho loudly said. Lin Zhi took a step forward, a smug smile on his face. Compared to the other two, it seemed like he already expected to be called.
Lin Zhi's gaze locked with June's, and he quickly smirked, throwing the newly-crowned center a subtle thumbs up. June clenched his fists in frustration, and then he glanced at Minjun. The little kid appeared to be in the same state as him, and that made June nervous. His dad would have fixed it by now, right? "Shit," June cursed under his breath. - I can't choose. I didn't vote for these three. Who's the best among them, guys? - Gosh, it's over for the other trainees. Daeho, you've worked hard! I also don't know who to root for right now. - C-Jay, please debut! Your personality will be a great addition to the team, especially in variety shows. - I don't think C-Jay is ready to debut with the team yet. He significantly lacks talent than the rest. Don't get me wrong. I like him as a trainee! But if we're talking about skillsets, Sehun deserves this spot.
- Nobody deserves it more than Lin Zhi. He's also in fifth place right now, so he's definitely making it in. - I think so too :(. I liked Lin Zhi before, but right now, why don't I want him in the group? Minho looked at the three trainees on the front of the circular platform. He also couldn't predict who would make it into the group, but he had a trainee he was secretly rooting for. Minho had always been a fan of underdogs, and he wanted Rising Stars to have some kind of twist. He opened the envelope, holding his breath as he brought out the sturdy card, which contained the name of the last-placed trainee. As he silently read the name on the card, Minho's eyebrow twitched, feeling a bit disappointed. It was just as expected. It wasn't the person Minho was rooting for. Maybe he felt too hopeful for a show that rarely had twists. Sometimes, things do go as expected. June had given him some hope—since someone without a company actually debuted as a center. However, he must have gotten his hopes a little too high this time. Trying his best to sound as excited as possible, Minho brought the microphone to his lips. His little thinking session had prolonged further than he had imagined, and almost everyone in the venue and in the comment section was already cursing him and his ancestors. - Minho, I am praying for your future work because a lot of people are against you right now. - Please, it's been more than three hours. End my suffering. - MINHO, JUST ANNOUNCE IT. - You're never going to have a wife. Minho cleared his throat with a smile. "Let me announce the last-ranked trainee."
Lin Zhi subconsciously took a step forward. "The last member of the debut team is…"
