Chapter 151: The Breakthrough Match Has Arrived

Sound of Music has always projected a professional, authoritative, and objective image. The column featuring its cover star carries immense influence, and its lavish praise of Lin Qihua surprised quite a few readers, though most largely agreed with the magazine's perspective. Lin Qihua's most striking impression on everyone is his extraordinary talent, which was fully confirmed during his twelve-hour themed creation livestream. Every brilliant shot in "The Vocalist" demonstrated that Lin Qihua's performances invariably combine great songs, exceptional vocal skills, and exquisite stage aesthetics, proving that he possesses unique insights and meticulous designs for every single performance. For the audience, watching his performances is always a joyous visual and auditory feast.

This exclusive interview presented a well-rounded Lin Qihua to the public. Beyond showcasing his boundless talent, it provided deeper insights into his image, personality, and growth journey. The impact on Lin Qihua was tremendous, as evidenced by the surge in his social media follower count to a whole new level.

Naturally, the management team of his fan club, "The Morning Stars," learned from past experiences and placed even greater emphasis on fan registration and management. The division of labor among staff members became more detailed, and greater focus was placed on communication and training for the fans, further enhancing their cohesion and fighting spirit.

Simultaneously, "The Morning Stars" adopted a new internal hierarchical model, dividing fans into three tiers. The innermost tier naturally consisted of the core members of "The Morning Stars," regional administrators, and fiercely loyal hardcore fans. As the core force of the fan club, they received the highest level of attention. Lin Qihua would frequently drop by online to chat and communicate with them, continuously deepening their bond. The middle tier comprised the fans who had stayed true to their original intentions and continued to support Lin Qihua during the recent hot-topic controversies; they served as the backbone and the bedrock of the fan club, receiving significant attention. The outermost tier included newly joined fans and those who had returned after leaving; lacking a certain duration of time, they were not yet fully integrated into the fold.

Of course, this hierarchical internal management within "The Morning Stars" was merely a way to clarify relationships. More importantly, it relied on regional leaders to communicate with and organize these fans. Through this reorganization, the fan club's combat effectiveness visibly increased, sharpening their weapons and awaiting the opportunity to showcase themselves to the world.

After the New Year's Day holiday, the competition in "The Vocalist" entered its white-hot stage. Compared to the initial lineup of first-tier singers, the competing artists had undergone dramatic changes. Guan Shengjie had been eliminated in the most recent episode, leaving only Wang Yalin, Lu Zhixuan, and Zhang Yuxun among the original starters. The first two were veterans of top-tier strength; as the competition progressed, their performances only grew better and showed diverse variations. Meanwhile, Zhang Yuxun had displayed remarkable growth, with visible improvement in every single episode. Combined with her stunning looks and beautiful vocals, she was deeply loved by everyone, and her survival was only logical. After the conclusion of the tenth episode, they could finally breathe a sigh of relief because the eleventh episode was a breakout round, meaning the original starting singers were exempt and could securely advance straight to the grand finale.

As for the other participating singers, they were not nearly as fortunate. Whether it was Yuan Xiaolai, who joined as a substitute in the first round, or the twelve artists including Lin Qihua who were eliminated later, all were required to participate in the brutal breakout round to fight for the four remaining spots in the grand finale.

Yuan Xiaolai, Guan Shengjie, Cai Yuting, Wen Weizhe, Lin Qihua, and other artists would all take the stage in a star-studded lineup.

Before the competition even began, the atmosphere outside was already heated, with endless discussions about who would successfully break through into the grand finale.

"Cai Yuting is my absolute favorite. I hope she brings a brilliant performance and successfully breaks through."

"In terms of sheer strength, Yuan Xiaolai should be a given without a doubt."

"I don't know about the others, but I know we owe Lin Qihua a vote. One of the spots is definitely his."

"Wen Weizhe also possesses formidable strength. His elimination in the first round didn't reflect his true capability, and no one should underestimate him."

"Everyone, don't forget that there are powerhouses like Huang Weidan, He Zhong, and Luo Ying. In terms of strength, they are second to no one. Everyone is starting at the same starting line, so it's hard to say who will win or lose."

"No matter what, I just hope they bring us fantastic performances, and I hope the live audience will choose prudently, allowing the strongest and best-performing contestants to advance to the grand finale."

Sound of Music also published an objective report: The breakout round of "The Vocalist" is about to commence, with twelve powerhouse vocalists striving with all their might for the four advancement spots. Among these twelve individuals, comparing their strength, fame, and audience expectations, Yuan Xiaolai and Lin Qihua should be the two with the highest certainty of successfully breaking through. One is an established frontline superstar whose strength speaks for itself, having consistently delivered stellar performances since joining as a substitute in the third episode, earning unanimous recognition from the audience; the other is a freshly minted, highly anticipated second-tier star with immense public acclaim, who is expected to deliver a breathtaking performance and secure a successful breakthrough. The other ten singers are evenly matched in strength, and the final outcome will depend on their on-site performance. We look forward to their wonderful displays.

The atmosphere grew increasingly enthusiastic, and the competition finally arrived amidst everyone's anticipation.

Stepping back into the Xiangzhou TV broadcasting hall and seeing the familiar Su Jianhao, Lin Qihua felt a surreal sense of as-if-it-were-yesterday.

"Welcome back," Su Jianhao said, giving him a big hug. "And congratulations on reaching the quasi-frontline."

"Haha, thank you."

"Now audiences nationwide are looking forward to what kind of work you'll bring out. The situation looks great."

"Everything relies on real strength to speak for itself. We definitely can't pin all our hopes on external hype."

"True. Anyway, keep it up."

"Of course."

Due to tight schedules—after all, there were twelve people needing rehearsals, making the arrangements extremely packed—his interactions with other singers were brief. He only managed to chat for a short while with familiar old friends like Cai Yuting, Guan Shengjie, Wen Weizhe, and Yuan Xiaolai to exchange mutual blessings before everyone went off to handle their respective matters. As for the other singers, they merely exchanged greetings.

The looks they cast his way were somewhat complex, carrying a hint of ingratiation. The outside world held very high expectations for Lin Qihua, making him a seeded contestant for this breakout round and a massive threat to everyone else. Yet, they were also filled with curiosity and anticipation, eager to see what songs and performances he would bring forth. Such sentiments were undeniably complicated.

Furthermore, Lin Qihua's current status differed vastly from before. As a second-tier or quasi-frontline artist, his standing was higher than the majority of the participating singers, leaving them momentarily unsure of how to face him. Moreover, Lin Qihua held the identity of a songwriter, a weight that carried tremendous significance. Establishing a good relationship with him was ideal; failing that, one must avoid offending him, as no one knew when they might need to beg him for a song in the future.

By the time rehearsals rolled around, Gao Rui and his group were chatting and laughing with him, creating a thoroughly harmonious atmosphere.

"This song of yours can be considered a microcosm of that incident, right?" Gao Rui chuckled.

"Yeah, the pressure was indeed immense at the time. Fortunately, I held on. After the rain comes clear skies, it naturally inspired some feelings."

"There is no doubt, however, that you've chosen a song perfectly suited for competition. Grasp it firmly, and I believe you can do it."

"Thank you for the encouragement."

Following the rehearsal came the drawing of lots. This time, Lin Qihua did not draw the first position, but a relatively late one—number eight. His luck could be considered quite good.

"Haha, pretty good. You'll have plenty of time to pace yourself," Su Jianhao said happily.

"Yeah, though the wait is a bit long, so I mustn't let my state peak too early."

At eight o'clock in the evening, the breakout round of "The Vocalist" went live on schedule, with countless viewers gathered in front of their televisions, eagerly awaiting the start of the competition.

The live audience also held their breath in anticipation of a magnificent musical feast.

Among them, the three original starting singers who had already advanced to the grand finale sat leisurely in the front row, waiting for the competition to begin from the perspective of mere spectators.

"I'm a little worried about Qihua's state," Wang Yalin said in a low voice. "He hasn't competed in a while."

"You don't need to worry about that," Lu Zhixuan replied. "This kid is exceptionally skilled at maintaining his state; he practices every day. Don't worry about him."

"The magazine also said his mindset is fantastic—completely composed and unfazed. I think he'll be fine," Zhang Yuxun chimed in, having grown quite familiar with the other two.

"That's good. Xiaolai should be fine, but as for Xiaojie and Xiaoting, it's hard to say. Their opponents are very strong, and I hope they can perform well."

"The difficulty is beyond ordinary. Look, Qihua's spot is basically secured, and four of the original starters are already in the finals. It'll be very hard for the remaining three to squeeze in under normal circumstances. There's a certain pattern to it—it's been like this these past few years. Of course, if they perform exceptionally well, there's still a chance." Lu Zhixuan analyzed.

The other two fell silent, knowing that Lu Zhixuan spoke the truth.

At exactly eight o'clock, the competition officially began. The atmosphere at the venue instantly heated up, and quite a few participating singers grew nervous all at once.

Today's host was Tian Le. After rattling off a string of sponsor advertisements and teasing the three starting singers leisurely watching from the audience, he finally introduced the main topic.

"Next, let's welcome our first competing singer to bring us his performance."

"Going first brings an extraordinary amount of pressure. Besides, with twelve people this time, by the time everyone finishes singing, people will have forgotten how well you performed," Su Jianhao said with lingering fear, clearly remembering how his collaborative partner had once drawn the first performing slot for three consecutive episodes.

"Indeed, the demands are much higher. But if you sing well and amaze everyone, it actually grants bonus points. Things like this have both pros and cons, though the cons probably outweigh the pros." Sitting on the sofa with his eyes closed to rest and preserve his energy, Lin Qihua still had a long wait before his performance slot, so he used the time to rest up and greet the competition in the best possible mental state.