Chapter 88: Father Kai!! Take Me With You!

To truly surpass your opponents, you must first understand them. Only then can you achieve even greater results.

Only Lin Yu remained utterly absorbed in the fierce battles of the Canyon. Beside him, Xu Mengbai leaned over to glance at his score and nearly swore aloud—13-0-0 with Kai! In the heat of the canyon, who could possibly keep their composure when facing such a relentless mad dog?

She watched as he lay in ambush in the brush for the next wave, waiting for the enemy Luban, who had just respawned and was coming up the lane to clear minions. With a single strike, Luban was instantly slain, not even needing his ultimate. The opponent was so startled, he flashed away as if fleeing for his life.

This… was shamelessly bold! Outrageously aggressive!

The match ended in just six minutes, when the opposing team collapsed and surrendered. The little Luban, humiliated, raged in all-chat, cursing Lin Yu’s Kai for his merciless domination—not only had he been crushed the entire game, but in the final wave, Lin Yu even dove into the base, used his ultimate, and executed him within the crystal itself! As the crystal’s damage closed in, Lin Yu coldly activated his invulnerability, turning away without a backward glance. Such an act was the very definition of provocation.

Lin Yu queued up for the next game. This time, he was matched against several other top-tier national streamers. The viewers recognized those familiar names and the barrage of messages quickly reminded him.

The broadcast director immediately saw the opportunity—two national-ranked streamers going head-to-head was bound to be a spectacle!

As soon as Lin Yu saw the enemy jungler’s name—“Defiant, What Can You Do To Me?”—he recognized him. In his previous life, this was the very jungler who had inspired him, whose godlike maneuvers had led him to try his own hand at the jungle role, hoping to carve out a place for himself in the game.

A student facing his teacher—of course Lin Yu was nervous, but he quickly composed himself and threw himself entirely into this new battle.

Deservedly known as his former idol among jungle streamers, their duel was a true contest of minds. The tension was palpable, both in the game and in the streaming room, where the audience watched with bated breath. In a split-second, Lin Yu seized a fleeting mistake, launching a sudden assault and instantly eliminating the rival jungler.

The live chat erupted with waves of “666” and “awesome!”

The kill lasted but a moment, yet outsiders could never guess how much mental chess had been played behind the scenes. It was only after careful observation and patience that Lin Yu finally found the small flaw in his opponent’s play, breaking through in one decisive move. Afterward, the opposing streamer, astounded, could only say:

“Is this kid really one of the industry artists? His skill is incredible!”

As this match ended, Wang Fei’s performance was drawing to a close. The viewers, still immersed in Lin Yu’s dazzling gameplay, only now realized they should cheer for Wang Fei as well.

Wang Fei soon finished his song, met with thunderous applause in the chat. Lin Yu clapped for him, but when Bai Yichu took the stage, his applause grew even more enthusiastic.

Wang Fei raised his fist in jest, mouthing, “You care more about girls than friends!” Outsiders wouldn’t notice, but insiders could tell—Wang Fei had clearly held back during his performance. From the start, he hadn’t sung with full power, and midway through, it was obvious he’d intentionally skipped some high notes.

After “Decency” was released, the top comment in the reviews was from the sweet makeup artist, who said something similar.

No one could deny that Lin Yu’s song, both in lyrics and melody, was deeply moving. After listening to “Decency,” countless netizens confessed they wanted to cry, that it brought back painful memories. But this is precisely the emotional resonance a song should evoke—if a song can’t move its listeners, it cannot truly be called a success.

Among those present, Wang Fei, the prince of love songs, could produce the same effect; many felt renewed faith in love after hearing him sing.

“I heard you wrote ‘Decency’ after a breakup. What’s your ex even thinking? How could she betray such a great guy?”

“If I could be with you, I wouldn’t even want to go to work! That’s what it means to be satisfied just with love—no need for anything else.”

“Oh, please, Yu belongs to all of us—don’t even think about keeping him for yourself!”

“Hmph! With a man as outstanding as Yu, who wouldn’t want him?”

The two women continued bantering until Xu Mengbai’s makeup artist pulled her away, finally ending this ‘match of rivalry.’

“Talent Show” officially began. The spotlight shone on the beautiful hostess, radiant as ever. Down below, a sea of fans held up support signs for their idols. The contestants had yet to appear on stage, but their names were already echoing throughout the studio.

The show was also being livestreamed online. Even before it began, the audience count had reached several thousand. The barrage of comments was so lively it nearly obscured the host’s face, causing some viewers to complain.

A program of this magnitude naturally boasted first-rate hosts—some viewers had tuned in just for them.

The male host delivered the rules and greetings, thanked the sponsors, and began introducing the judges.

“Let’s thank the four industry titans who’ve joined us as judges tonight! All familiar faces, so there’s no need for lengthy introductions, right?”

He cracked a joke, and the chat instantly lit up as fans shouted out each judge’s name.

“King Jiejie Lun, I love you!”

“Queen Xu Xin is the most beautiful! The best!”

“Entertainment world’s Prince of Critique—Ye!”

“Best Actress Lin Tingting, you’re amazing!”

The four judges greeted the audience and took their seats. The atmosphere, both in the studio and the livestream, reached a fever pitch—especially in the chat, which had gone completely wild.

“Help! I can’t believe I’m seeing Tingting!! Ahhh! Best Actress, I love you!”

“I knew Talent Show never disappoints! Every guest is top-tier. Who wouldn’t love this show? No wonder it’s so popular and can keep running for so many seasons!”

“Can the producers please urge Jiejie Lun to release a new song? He’s obsessed with milk tea! He’s even grown a double chin!”

“Well, now we can listen to Yu’s songs instead~ (winks)”

“Ugh, no wonder they didn’t include the judges’ names in the promos—they were secretly assembling this incredible lineup!”

“If I’d known, I would’ve sold everything I own just to get a ticket! This panel is out of this world!”

“Wait, was that girl just now my girlfriend? Why is there a guy next to her?”

“LOL, the bull loses to the fat pig with the million-dollar watch! So tragic!”

“Don’t worry, bro, I’m a professional appraiser—that watch is obviously a fake!”

…

The pre-show music began softly, as always, with the classic “We Are Family.” Originally performed at the Spring Festival Gala, it was unclear why it had become the opening for a talent show—perhaps to remind the guests, or more accurately, to reassure the audience that there was no backstage manipulation, that all the guests were truly supportive of one another.