Chapter 136: Documentary Theme Song

They said it was a one-day break, but strictly speaking, it was two. After all, the next round of song selection wouldn't be filmed until the evening of the second day. Tang Zhichu spent both days writing songs—some for the program's projects, and others for his own needs.

On the evening of the fifth, Tang Zhichu arrived at the recording hall just in time for the selection process. Once everyone was present, the host began to rattle off the current situation. The "death circle" was closing in. The Stellar Alliance was no longer at full strength, and since the Vanguard Alliance had been in the loser's bracket last round without any eliminations, another loss for them would mean two cumulative defeats, resulting in one member being eliminated.

"The loser's bracket last round consisted of the Vanguard Alliance and the Stellar Alliance. Based on the point system, the Stellar Alliance has priority to choose a project!" The host turned to look at the Stellar Alliance.

As the only alliance that had lost a member, Liu Xingyun didn't seem particularly anxious. To him, the early stages of the competition were like pruning branches; the real battle would be fought in the later stages when the core members remained. Without even consulting his team, a young man named Zhu Yiyang stood up. It was clear that Zhu was well-liked, as many people greeted him with surprise, not expecting him to step up so soon.

"I choose the ninth-ranked project: the theme song for the *Dynasty* documentary!"

The announcement sparked a flurry of discussion. By the metrics, it was a small project, but the difficulty was high—it was a patriotic, mainstream-themed work. Usually, such projects were thankless tasks; they couldn't be too commercial, yet they still had to be of high quality. When the host looked toward the winner's bracket, everyone avoided his gaze. Unless one was thoroughly prepared, no one dared to take such a risk.

Tang Zhichu hadn't intended to stand up, and the Wildfire Alliance didn't seem keen on touching such a project either. However, Zhu Yiyang kept his gaze fixed intently on Tang’s side. After a brief word with Shen Jianxin, Tang Zhichu stood up.

Sig tried to say something but was held back by Yun Miao. "The situation has changed. He has to step up every round now; the show needs him." Sig nodded. The viewership for the third round was on a different level than the second, and Tang Zhichu had successfully captured the buzz generated by the show. He understood what Yun Miao meant: the production team could no longer do without Tang Zhichu.

"Xiao Tang, are you sure you want to take this project?" the host confirmed.

Tang Zhichu nodded. "I'm sure."

"Very well. The first duel of the seventh round is set: the theme song for the *Dynasty* documentary. Are there any challengers?"

There were no volunteers, and certainly no challengers. Many people looked at the Stellar Alliance with strange expressions. Was Tang Zhichu holding a grudge, choosing them yet again?

What grudge? Of course, the one with Qiu Zhen. Tang Zhichu had been sabotaged by Qiu in the previous round. If not for his quick wit, he would have ended up as an enemy of Tianhe. Seeing everyone looking at him with suspicion, Qiu Zhen quickly turned his gaze away. He wanted nothing to do with Tang Zhichu; in his eyes, Tang was a lunatic.

Zhu Yiyang, however, seemed quite happy and even bowed his hands to Tang Zhichu in a gesture of respect. Tang Zhichu hadn't stood up for Zhu's sake. As he had discussed with Yu Hua the day before, the show had enough drama; it didn't need Tang Zhichu to keep manufacturing rivalries. What Yu Hua needed now was breadth, and mainstream projects provided exactly that.

With the duel between the Stellar Alliance and the Wildfire Alliance confirmed, the Vanguard Alliance, also in the loser's bracket, acted much more cautiously. They sent Pu Jingshi up again, choosing a film-related project to face off against the Sunflower Alliance. There were no challengers this round.

After the recording ended, everyone gathered in the cafeteria, where Tang Zhichu used his points to order hot pot, essentially hosting a banquet for everyone on behalf of the production team. At a long table, twenty-three people sat facing each other as four hot pots bubbled away. The four alliances were finally gathered together.

Tang Zhichu hadn't intended to make a speech, but someone egged him on, insisting he say a few words as a representative. Tang waved his hand. "What’s there to say? Let's eat! Dig in!" He picked up his chopsticks immediately. Many shook their heads and chuckled; they were starting to respect him. He didn't seem to want to represent anything or anyone, and this attitude sat well with everyone.

Tang Zhichu sat at the far left, next to Sig and Yun Miao, with Shen Jianxin across from him. After about ten minutes of eating and chatting, people began to swap seats—a normal occurrence as they moved to talk to those they preferred. Pu Jingshi moved over to Tang's side, while Yun Miao stood up and excused herself, pretending to go look for her friends.

Pu Jingshi held a beer—a rare exception allowed by the production team for the occasion. "Xiao Tang, technically we're family, in a way," Pu said with a smile. Tang nodded back, smiling; he knew Pu was referring to Chen Siyang. It was a joke meant to break the ice.

"Teacher Pu, I apologize. Some things were not my intention," Tang replied, clinking his glass against Pu's.

Pu Jingshi shook his head. "I understand. There's no bad blood between us." They were familiar enough now that they could speak openly. Pu Jingshi was a peacemaker; he didn't want to see conflict between Tang Zhichu and the so-called Tianhe faction. Currently, among the younger generation at Tianhe, both Qiu Zhen and He Shuyuan had a tepid relationship with Tang Zhichu. Tang had shown respect—respect for Sun Zhe—by suppressing Qiu Zhen in the last round without saying a word to He Shuyuan. The implication was clear: he had given face to the older generation, so the younger ones had better be careful and stay out of his way.

"Drink," Tang said, ending the conversation there. Pu sighed slightly but didn't push the matter further. "Drink."

After a while, Tang moved on. He went from left to right, chatting and drinking, until he reached the Sunflower Alliance at the far end. When Tang approached, Guo Jinglong didn't give him a hard time, simply pouring him a glass of water.

"If you're tired, just rest. Why bother with all of them?" Guo whispered. Guo had joined the show at the same time as Tang, and he had liked him from the start. With Bai Xiwei also on good terms with Tang, they formed a friendly alliance. Guo’s words were a reminder that Tang didn't need to please everyone—it was exhausting.

The banquet itself was a gesture to smooth things over with Sun Zhe, giving the man a way to save face. Tang had even made a point to toast Sun Zhe during his rounds.

Tang Zhichu smiled but didn't respond. Bai Xiwei handed him a bowl of food she had fished out of the pot. "Eat something. It looks like you and Chen Siyang really are together," she said with a smile.

Tang had refused to give a speech earlier, meaning he hadn't organized this meal for his own sake. Qiu Zhen had schemed against him, and Tang had countered it. Even though he had taught Qiu a lesson, he had given Sun Zhe enough face to ensure that Chen Siyang wouldn't have a hard time at Tianhe. He was, in effect, paving the way for her.