Volume One, Chapter 14: The White Elephant Idol’s Terrifying Popularity!

However, the audience below the stage was already utterly entranced, their emotions completely swept away by the two songs. Especially those detractors, who had come solely to stir up trouble, found themselves at a loss when Ren Yingying began singing the first song. By the time they realized what was happening, they'd already been utterly conquered by the second track, "Later." Their emotions were entirely under the music's spell, and they had forgotten the very reason they had come that night.

Yet, as the lights on stage blazed to life, the singers themselves were nowhere to be seen. Backstage, hearing the audience call their names in unison, both Song Hongyan and Ren Yingying were overwhelmed, eyes brimming with tears of joy.

“Mr. Chen, how about Yingying and I go on stage together?” Song Hongyan asked anxiously, “The fans are calling so loudly; if we don’t go out now, won’t we break their hearts?”

“It seems our performance tonight was a great success, Mr. Chen. We didn’t let you down!” Ren Yingying covered her mouth, emotional.

“You two, hold back for now,” Chen Tianxiong replied calmly. “Sometimes, as performers, you must control the rhythm of the stage, not be led by the fans. For now, let me handle everything.”

A mysterious smile played on Chen Tianxiong’s lips as he picked up the microphone and strode onto the stage.

“Dear fans, I’m truly sorry, but both Hongyan and Yingying are having some trouble with their voices,” he announced. “And, given their emotions are running low, they need some time to recover.”

A chorus of disappointed sighs swept through the audience. Many felt a wave of dismay, especially the detractors who began to holler again.

“Why?”
“We haven’t had enough!”
“Fine, we won’t make any noise! We’ll behave, please?”
“Let Hongyan come out, I want to hear ‘Later’ again!”
“Please, organizers, let the two ladies sing one more time!”

In that moment, the mood in the venue shifted entirely. The overwhelming plea was for the two sisters to return to the stage and perform their new songs again. Even the detractors, now utterly captivated, swore to themselves that this time, they would record everything. The songs were just too beautiful, resonating deep within their hearts.

“But they’re both very upset,” Chen Tianxiong continued, feigning difficulty. “After all, they’re just girls. Just now, they had to humble themselves and plead with you before finishing those two songs. Now, they’re still crying, and nothing can calm them down.”

The fans were stunned silent. Song Hongyan and Ren Yingying’s most ardent supporters were suddenly furious. Someone in the crowd shouted,

“Apologize, detractors!”
“Unforgivable!”
“Apologize, detractors…”

With a few people leading, the entire venue—from the front rows to the very back—erupted in a tidal wave of voices, as if tearing through the night itself. The scene was so overwhelming that many detractors were frightened into joining the calls for apology, and some, swept up in the frenzy, even began to see themselves as true fans. If you can’t beat them, join them.

Chen Tianxiong watched with satisfaction. This was exactly the effect he’d wanted. As the uproar gradually subsided, he raised the microphone once more and spoke solemnly:

“Here’s what we’ll do. Since everyone’s enthusiasm is so high, let Yingying and Hongyan prepare themselves, and they’ll return to the stage a bit later to continue singing.”

“So, next up, please welcome tonight’s special guest: the original creator of ‘Big Fish,’ the one everyone’s been searching for…” Chen Tianxiong paused dramatically.

The hush that fell over the venue was almost terrifying. The atmosphere and tension had reached their peak. In the instant silence fell after Chen Tianxiong’s words, it was as if the very air in the arena had solidified. Every breath was held, and even the sound of a heartbeat seemed audible. It was a moment of tense, expectant quiet, as everyone waited for the secret—long coveted by all—to finally be revealed.

“Let us all bear witness to a miracle in the world of music—the mysterious creator of ‘Big Fish,’ who has touched countless hearts: the White Elephant Deity!”

Chen Tianxiong’s voice, though not loud, rippled through the crowd like a stone cast into a tranquil lake, sending waves to every corner of the venue. As his announcement faded, a thin mist began to rise on stage. The lights dimmed, leaving only a few gentle blue beams weaving through the fog, creating an atmosphere at once dreamlike and mysterious.

The background music began softly—none other than the familiar melody of “Big Fish,” but this time performed live by a symphony orchestra. The music was grander, deeper, as though transporting the audience into an ancient and distant tale.

At the climax of the piece, a brilliant light pierced the mist, like the first rays of dawn, illuminating the center of the stage. Amid the interplay of light and shadow, a figure slowly appeared.

He had arrived.

Clad in a simple yet exquisitely designed white suit, its hem swaying gently as if he were striding atop the waves, he wore the pale, jade-like mask of the White Elephant. The young man’s eyes were deep and enigmatic; his presence stilled the entire world.

For a moment, the audience was silent, then an explosion of thunderous applause and cheers erupted, a force so mighty it seemed to shake the very dome and pierce the night sky. People stood, waving glow sticks, their screams and whistles weaving together in a feast for the senses. Some wept with excitement, others clung tightly to their companions, sharing in the unforgettable shock of the moment.

Even those who had come with grievances or loyalties to other singers were overwhelmed by this sudden turn of events. Every eye was drawn to the enigmatic White Elephant Deity.

At this moment, Su Le stood motionless at center stage—not as a deliberate pose, but because he too was shaken by the magnitude of the scene. Yet, in the eyes of the audience, his stillness became an act of artistry in itself.

The resounding cheers continued for a long time, as if the stadium might burst from the sheer volume. Chen Tianxiong, witnessing this, marveled inwardly at such terrifying charisma. He realized he had underestimated the impact “Big Fish” had made across the internet that day.

“I say, White Elephant…” someone suddenly stood up, waving their shirt, and shouted, “What do you all say?”

“Deity!”
“Deity!”

The crowd roared as one, earth-shattering, shaking the very heavens. It was “Big Fish” that had triumphed in the open auditions, besting those arrogant foreign singers and reversing the narrative so spectacularly, raising everything to these dizzying heights.

Even Su Le himself was swept up in the audience’s passionate fervor. When the cheers finally died down, he lifted the microphone and spoke calmly:

“Thank you all for your support. I am truly moved. To have your trust is my great honor. And to repay you, I have prepared a song, just for you!”

The moment Su Le finished speaking, it was as if dozens of tons of dynamite had detonated in the venue.