Volume Two: Shadows of the Past Chapter Six: A Head-On Confrontation

"Go up on stage and compete," Chen Jing said, stopping in his tracks and turning back when he heard Chen Shuo calling out to him.

"Aren't you going to wait for the other contestants to go first?" Chen Shuo asked anxiously.

Shaking his head, Chen Jing didn't reply. He saw no need to wait for the others to exhaust themselves, even if that would be the most advantageous strategy. For this street dance competition, Chen Jing didn't want to rely on tricks or cleverness to win. He wanted to challenge his own limits. If he couldn't even face this bit of difficulty, he felt there would be no point in participating at all.

Seeing Chen Jing unmoved, Chen Shuo grew increasingly anxious and hurried forward to try to stop him. His idea was simple: let the others go first and use up their chances; that would be best for Chen Jing.

"Let’s not be the first ones up there," Chen Shuo pleaded. "Let the others go, let them use up their opportunities to revive themselves a bit."

Chen Jing shook his head and smiled. "It's fine. Let's just go up. Besides, look at them," he said, gesturing for Chen Shuo to notice the other contestants. Only then did Chen Shuo realize that the other nine contestants also showed no intention of being the first on stage; clearly, they were thinking along the same lines as him. After all, nobody wanted to waste their own chances when they could let others do it first.

Chen Shuo wanted to suggest that they simply wait as well—eventually, someone would have to go up. But he held his tongue, knowing Chen Jing wouldn't agree, and deep down, he didn't want to face the competition in such a calculating manner either. He didn’t want to dishonor his own dreams.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Shuo decided to let Chen Jing go on stage first. After all, each contestant had two chances; even if he failed the first time, it wouldn’t be the end of the world.

Now that Chen Shuo no longer stopped him, Chen Jing smiled and turned back toward the stage. Everyone in the venue watched as Chen Jing strode onto the platform.

Under Chen Shuo’s gaze, the host of the street dance competition grew instantly excited as Chen Jing took the stage. In fluent English, he shouted, "Oh my god! The very first contestant to step onto the stage is none other than Chen Jing! This is going to put enormous pressure on all the other competitors. After all, Chen Jing is widely regarded as the favorite to win the entire tournament! We can’t wait to see what kind of electrifying performance he’ll bring us. Let’s give it up for Chen Jing!"

The host’s introduction was met with thunderous applause from the audience. Chen Shuo still struggled to accept it. How had Chen Jing become so popular in just a single day?

Watching from below, the nine remaining contestants hesitated as they looked at Chen Jing on stage. None seemed willing to be the first to challenge him. They all understood that being the first, or even the second, third, or fourth to face Chen Jing would most likely end in defeat. So they stalled, reluctant to go up.

Staring at their hesitation, Chen Shuo was stunned. Did they really think they couldn't measure up to Jing? None of them dared to challenge him—it seemed unbelievable.

Fortunately, it was impossible for the remaining contestants to avoid challenging Chen Jing forever. At last, when no one else moved, one contestant could no longer restrain herself. Stepping forward was the only female finalist, a blue-haired, green-eyed Caucasian woman.

Seeing the challenger emerge, the host quickly shouted, "All right, Chen Jing is on the stage! Who will step up to challenge him? We’re all eagerly awaiting a contestant brave enough to take on this powerful opponent. Oh, what’s this? We have a challenger! Contestant number eight, Saluna! The only female finalist—what kind of spectacular duel will she and Chen Jing present? Let’s all look forward to it!"

As the only female finalist, Saluna was quite popular with the audience, though not quite at Chen Jing’s level. Still, she was a crowd favorite.

Saluna ascended the stage and greeted Chen Jing: "Hi, Chen Jing, I’m here to challenge you." Though aware of his formidable strength, she believed in herself and didn't think defeat was certain.

"Hello, Saluna," Chen Jing replied with a smile, "I watched your previous performances. I really admire you—your dance moves are wild and untamed."

"Thank you for the compliment. But I won’t let down my guard because of it. I’ll do my best to beat you," Saluna declared confidently.

Chen Jing shrugged. "I couldn’t wish for more."

The contest began. As the music played, Chen Jing and Saluna, contestant number eight, launched into their street dance battle on stage.

For the first few minutes, the contest was evenly matched, with both dancers exchanging impressive moves. But after several rounds, Chen Jing started to show his full strength. The moment he did, Saluna could no longer keep up with his rhythm.

After all, as a female dancer, street dance relies heavily on physical strength and explosive power. Women simply didn’t have the same burst of energy as men, and Chen Jing, with his years of training and flawless physique, possessed explosive power few could match.

At last, Chen Shuo understood why the audience had cheered for Chen Jing the moment he entered, why the other contestants hesitated to challenge him, and why everyone saw Chen Jing as the favorite to win.

Before Chen Shuo’s astonished eyes, Chen Jing’s dance moves became dazzling—isolations, robotic steps, floorwork, and more. Every move flowed effortlessly from Chen Jing’s body.

Very soon, Saluna couldn’t hold out any longer. As the music stopped, she was left gasping, looking at Chen Jing, wholeheartedly convinced of her defeat.

Although Saluna had watched Chen Jing perform the day before and found his street dance impressive and striking, she’d thought it was nothing beyond her own capabilities. Yet standing on the same stage as him, she realized just how naïve she’d been. Only as his opponent could she truly feel how solid his fundamentals were, how smooth and perfect his movements. Anyone who hadn’t faced him could never experience the pressure he exerted.

After the duel, the judges announced: Contestant number eight, Saluna—defeated! Chen Jing claimed his first victory.

Author’s note: This attempt at writing from Chen Shuo’s perspective didn’t turn out as well as I’d hoped. The foreign storyline will soon be finished. Although I love street dance, I won’t go into great detail about the competitions. The focus will return to entertainment. The street dance contest concludes in the next chapter.