I Became an All-round Artist

Wolf Howl Company.

The atmosphere had been tense these past few days, as the results from Seven Stars Entertainment were expected any moment now.

“I wonder how Red Moon's submission turned out. Do you think we’ll lose?” the assistant manager asked anxiously.

The manager’s face was cold. “Losing is not an option this time. Our main competitor is Red Moon. It’s not just about our rankings being close; our companies have a longstanding rivalry. We can't afford to lose!”

“Of course,” the assistant manager sighed. “I’d rather crash and burn losing to one of the other, less competitive companies than to Red Moon. Plus, everyone in the industry is watching this competition. Losing to them would be humiliating.”

“You’ve got some nerve saying that,” the manager retorted, though he couldn’t help but agree. “But you’re right. Losing to Red Moon is the worst-case scenario. We can’t afford to give them the satisfaction. Everyone knows we’re sworn enemies.”

Meanwhile, at Red Moon Company.

The situation over at Red Moon was almost identical. The whole company was waiting for Seven Stars to announce the results. No matter the past rumors of reconciliation, the rivalry between them and Wolf Howl ran deep—it wasn’t something easily forgotten.

“No worries!” “Red Moon is sure to win!” “Everyone worked hard on this song. Several of our top composers collaborated to perfect it, and we all think it turned out great. There’s no way we’ll lose to Wolf Howl.”

Despite their confident words, the composers were mostly trying to reassure themselves. Red Moon’s track was indeed excellent, but they knew Wolf Howl would also have given it their all.

Waiting can be excruciating.

Yet, it wasn’t just Red Moon and Wolf Howl feeling the pressure. The whole industry was watching closely. No matter which company won, this battle had become a topic of great interest for everyone—including potential clients. Some were even gossiping about the outcome:

“It’s been two months.” “The results should be coming soon.” “Wolf Howl seems to have the edge.” “If you go by the rankings, Wolf Howl is stronger.” “But Red Moon isn’t far behind.” “Seven Stars should announce it soon. So many people are waiting for this—it’s become quite the event. Personally, I’m hoping Red Moon wins since they’re ranked slightly lower.”

“Sympathy for the underdog, huh?” “If we’re talking underdogs, those other three companies in the running are the real weaklings. Wouldn’t it be hilarious if one of them actually won, making both Red Moon and Wolf Howl crash?”

“….”

That last comment was meant as a joke. No one seriously expected Red Moon and Wolf Howl to both lose. But little did they know, this time the joke was closer to reality than anyone could have predicted.

Finally, as both companies grew increasingly anxious, Seven Stars’ representative contacted them.

The results were in.

“Well, what’s the news?” When Wolf Howl’s manager received the call, he couldn’t help but swallow nervously. The assistant manager, throwing all professionalism aside, leaned in to hear the outcome firsthand.

“We’re sorry,” came the voice of Seven Stars’ representative.

The manager and assistant exchanged a look, both seeing the flash of disappointment in each other’s eyes. The assistant shook his head in frustration.

The manager forced himself to stay calm, replying with a stiff, “It’s fine.” But then, unable to hold back, he asked, “Was Red Moon’s submission better than ours?”

“No.”

“Then who?”

“Star Brilliance Music.”

“...”

After the call ended, the manager of Wolf Howl remained frozen in a strange mixture of disbelief and bewilderment. It wasn’t until the dial tone had long gone silent that he muttered, “Looks like we really crashed.”

The assistant, halfway out the door, suddenly froze in his tracks.

At the same time, Red Moon received the same call.

Unlike Wolf Howl, Red Moon’s management took the news with surprising calmness. They accepted the outcome easily enough, but as the conversation ended, the manager suddenly joked, “Looks like you’ve got a flag on your back.”

His assistant quickly caught the reference and quipped, “You’ve got one, too. The two of us together must look like generals on an opera stage!”

In traditional opera, generals are often depicted with flags mounted on their backs—a fitting metaphor for the defeat they had just experienced.

About twenty minutes later, Seven Stars officially announced the results of the competition. The chosen partner: Star Brilliance Music, featuring Xian Yu.

The industry’s first reaction wasn’t shock but confusion.

What?

Excuse me, what?

Which third-rate novelist came up with this plot twist? You thought we’d be shocked? No, we’re not shocked—we’re just baffled. This storyline makes no sense at all. It’s completely ridiculous!

As if a strong gust of wind had blown through the industry, everyone was left in a state of utter confusion.

Somehow, the most cliché response settled over everyone—yes, they were shocked. Despite themselves, they had all been blindsided.

This twist didn’t even give the industry insiders a chance to predict it after the fact:

“Did this really happen?” “Both companies lost?” “Star Brilliance Music is this strong?” “And it’s all thanks to someone ranked dead last in the Top 100?”

The shockwaves Star Brilliance Music sent through the industry that day were undeniable.

Many people had known the company had a powerful backer, but no one had truly understood how strong that backing was—until now.

People had underestimated them, as usual.

Until Seven Stars had come along and measured their true strength.

“Don’t you get it yet?” “Xian Yu is the mastermind here!” “As Red Moon and Wolf Howl collapse together, not a single fish swims free of blame.” “Stop with the poetic nonsense—it's just Red Moon and Wolf Howl finally reconciling before their demise.” “Xian Yu is a hero!”

All jokes aside, the industry’s shock didn’t prevent the more savvy clients from noticing what this truly meant.

When Xian Yu effortlessly toppled both Red Moon and Wolf Howl, a single thought flashed through countless clients' minds:

Star Brilliance Music is about to rise.

And right on the heels of that realization came another:

Should we try to collaborate with Xian Yu?

The second thought was far more practical than the first, and it had one immediate consequence—

Star Brilliance Music’s phone lines were flooded with calls.

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