Chapter 130: "Firefighter!"

Once all the singers had gathered in the lounge, the recording of the second episode of "Sound of Nature" officially began. As per custom, before the show kicked off, everyone took turns drawing lots to determine their performance order.

Many singers prayed silently before drawing, hoping not to be placed near Zhang Yuan or Xu Yan. The psychological pressure of performing alongside them was simply too immense. After witnessing their performances in the previous round, the remaining singers understood that these two were no pushovers; they possessed genuine talent worthy of their reputations as budding divas. The competitors hoped to avoid being scheduled next to them, as the competitive pressure was overwhelming.

When the results were revealed, everyone was stunned. Xu Yan and Zhang Yuan were drawn second and sixth, respectively, effectively spacing themselves out to exert the maximum amount of pressure on all the other singers.

Although the draw was not what everyone had hoped for, they still had to approach the competition seriously. Ultimately, the results depended on their individual performances, and before stepping onto the stage, no one could guarantee how they would fare.

Take Zhou Ran, for example. When he first debuted, no one expected him to win the championship in the very first round. It was a story more outrageous than fiction; even a movie wouldn’t dare script such a "peak upon debut" trajectory. Zhou Ran’s success encouraged many; after all, miracles happen everywhere, and who wouldn't want to be the next Zhou Ran?

After the first episode concluded, Director Wang Chong was filled with confidence. He had hoped that with such a strong start, the subsequent episodes would proceed just as smoothly.

However, the second episode hit him like a bucket of cold water, shattering his dreams of a soaring success. It was a slap in the face.

From the very first performer, the second episode was plagued by errors. The singers' performances were a far cry from their efforts in the first episode, coming across as stiff and unnatural.

Even Zhang Xiaofeng, sitting in the audience, sensed it. The original songs performed by the contestants felt rushed, as if they had been thrown together at the last minute. On the surface, they seemed fine, but upon closer inspection, they were riddled with flaws and loopholes.

In the first episode, only Zhang Yuan and Xu Yan had performed original songs, while everyone else chose to adapt covers. But in this second episode, five singers suddenly opted for original material, leaving only Li Jie to continue with a cover arrangement.

Wang Chong was speechless. These singers performed worse with their original compositions than they had with covers. They were clearly forcing themselves to perform original works simply to chase higher scores from the production team.

But original songwriting is no easy feat. Xu Yan’s song had been polished over a long period, and Zhang Yuan’s situation was even more anomalous. After all, Zhou Ran was not an ordinary person; he had an entire Earth’s music library at his disposal. Who could possibly imitate that?

The consequence of forcing original songs was that the performances ended up like a "three-not-alike" creature—neither fish nor fowl. While the singers retained their basic technical skills, they completely failed to draw the audience in as they had in the first episode. Instead, the move backfired, making the audience hold the original songs to an even stricter standard and resulting in lower scores.

Seeing this, Wang Chong felt his heart sink. Aside from Li Jie, who was decent, the other singers were struggling. Even Xu Yan’s performance was lackluster compared to her debut, though it still hovered above the passing grade when compared to the others.

Wang Chong worried about the backlash the episode would face upon airing. He could foresee the criticism, but he was powerless to stop it. The show had no script; he couldn't predict what would happen during the performances.

"Sound of Nature" wasn't a show that could rely entirely on a script like some reality programs. The most Wang Chong could do was design some banter between singers to add interest, but beyond that, everything depended on the performers.

The catastrophe Wang Chong feared most had come to pass: a group of people blindly trying to emulate Zhou Ran and Xu Yan’s success with original songs. But songwriting is a professional craft. Even top-tier composers and lyricists wouldn't dare guarantee a hit within two days. If you can't produce a top-tier song, sticking to a cover is the pragmatic choice.

Wang Chong bore some responsibility for this. Because "Sound of Nature" had no elimination process, the singers felt free to experiment without fear of consequences.

Regret was useless now. The situation had spiraled, and even if he wanted to change the rules, it would have to wait until the next episode. This one had to be finished.

To turn the tide, he could only rely on Zhang Yuan and Zhou Ran. Wang Chong turned his gaze toward them, hoping their collaboration would create a miracle. After all, neither had ever failed, and Zhou Ran had never faltered since his debut. Wang Chong could only place his hopes on them now.

After the previous singer finished, only Zhang Yuan remained. As she stepped onto the stage, many eyes locked onto her—some hoping for a collapse, others praying she would succeed and rescue the night.