Chapter 162
Quintus had been Joshiu’s rival for a long time. The moment he saw Joshua’s expression, he could already guess what was going through his mind. Quintus found it amusing. True music lovers wouldn’t have so many little schemes just for the sake of winning.
He said, “Joshua, you can choose. If you want to sing first, I’ll go after you. If you choose to sing later, I’ll sing first.” He didn’t directly suggest that Joshua go first, nor did he expose Joshua’s thoughts. Instead, he let Joshua voice it himself. That way, if Joshua lost, he wouldn’t be able to blame it on the singing order.
After spending time with Phoebe, Quintus had picked up quite a few tactics for countering people. By letting Joshua choose first, Quintus subtly placed him on a pedestal. Now, even Joshua’s fans wouldn’t have any reason to complain if things didn’t go his way.
Joshua had initially planned to wait for Quintus to suggest that he go first. But when Quintus handed the choice to him instead, he didn’t hesitate. He smiled and said, “Well, why don’t I go first and set an example for you?” His tone carried a hint of arrogance, as if he saw himself as clearly superior to Quintus in every way. This only reinforced the online accusations about him: bullying newcomers, acting like a diva, and looking down on others. Many viewers didn’t expect Joshua to be this kind of person.
Quintus raised a hand politely in a “please go ahead” gesture and said, “Joshua, after you.” With that, he completely pushed Joshua onto the highest pedestal. If Joshua got beaten by Quintus, it would be humiliating. But Joshua, used to his own arrogance, didn’t even consider the underlying meaning. He assumed that Quintus had caved under pressure again.
With a nod to the host, he signaled that he was ready. The female host first played the original version of the song for everyone to hear. After it finished, she explained the rules. This time, the audience wouldn’t press the green or red buttons right away. Instead, after both performances, they would press green for the first singer or red for the second. She then adjusted the settings on the computer, removing the original vocals and leaving only the instrumental track. The lyrics appeared on the big screen at the front of the stage. Since memorizing the lyrics wasn’t required and he only had to follow along, it wasn’t difficult for Joshua. He started singing while watching the screen, following the instrumental track. The song chosen by the host was a sentimental ballad that suited both of them.
Joshua’s performance was indeed impressive. He was undeniably at a professional level. As soon as he finished, applause and cheers erupted in the bar, boosting his confidence even more. With a proud stride, he turned to Quintus. “Your turn.”
Quintus smiled back. “Alright.” But instead of singing right away, he took out his phone and opened a translation app. Then, he walked over to the host and spoke with her for a moment. As they conversed, the host nodded repeatedly. Everyone was curious about what they were talking about.
Chapter 162
Before long, the host revealed the answer. “This guest has made some modifications to the song. This is within the allowed rules. Also, instead of using the instrumental track, he will accompany himself on the guitar. Please look forward to his performance.” Her announcement left the audience stunned.
[Is Quintus getting too full of himself?] [In half an hour, not only did he memorize the song, but he also rearranged it? Is he joking with us?] [Quintus is really trying hard to win, but this just makes him look weak. He’s obviously scared.] [I recorded the original song when the host played it. When Quintus sings, I’ll play it side-by-side and see if he really memorized it.] [Caryl was to see Quintus embarrass himself.]
Joshua’s fans flooded the chat with mockery, eagerly waiting for Quintus to fail. Meanwhile, fans of Quintus and Phoebe were anxious but chose not to engage, to admit it sounded a bit unbelievable. Learning a brand-new song in thirty minutes was already difficult, but memorizing it and rearranging it seemed nearly impossible.
Following the host’s announcement, Quintus picked up the guitar he had played earlier and sat in the center of the stage. As soon as he started playing, his entire aura shifted. Then, he began to sing. Phoebe immediately noticed how smart his choice was. By playing the guitar himself, he emphasized his vocal skills and showcased his unique style.
Sure enough, the moment he opened his mouth, his voice carried an ethereal, almost heavenly quality. He remembered most of the lyrics, only glancing at the screen occasionally. More importantly, he fully immersed himself in the song, interpreting it with his own emotions. While the overall melody remained unchanged, he made several key modifications. It enhanced the song in a way that suited his voice and style better. The song became even more emotional and vivid, like an instant elevation of the original.
The entire venue fell silent. Everyone was completely absorbed in his performance. As the final note faded, Phoebe clapped first, snapping many people out of their trance. Immediately, the rest of the bar erupted into applause. Some even shouted words of praise.
Joshua’s expression darkened. He hadn’t expected Quintus to not only learn the song in minutes but also successfully rearrange it. How was this possible? Doubt crept into his mind. He wondered if Quintus knew about this song in advance and cheated.
As the applause continued, the host walked over and gave Quintus a hug. She said she liked his arrangement. Then, she let the audience vote. The big screen flickered to life as the results came in. The red bar, representing votes for Quintus, shot up rapidly. The green bar, Joshua’s, barely moved.
In the end, the red bar dominated. Quintus had won with over 90% of the votes. It was not just a win; it was a complete landslide. The host congratulated him with a bright smile. She announced that everyone at Quintus’s table got free drinks for the night. Joshua found this utterly unacceptable, especially since this was being broadcast live to audiences back home. Losing like this was beyond humiliating; it could even damage his reputation and status in the industry.
Unable to hold back, he turned to Quintus and questioned him skeptically. “Are you sure you never heard this song before?” Joshua considered himself a musical genius, yet even he couldn’t learn and rearrange a song so quickly. So he refused to believe that Quintus had managed to do it.
Chapter 162
In his mind, Quintus had only won by taking advantage of the rearrangement rule. Quintus, however, wasn’t surprised by Joshua’s doubts at all. “Joshua, just because you can’t do something doesn’t mean others can’t. I had never heard this song until just now,” Joshua didn’t believe him. “Oh is that so?” Then, with a mocking tone, he sneered. “I guess that makes you a genius above all geniuses?”
Quintus accepted the sarcasm with ease, smiling as he replied, “Thank you for the compliment, Joshua!” Joshua was momentarily speechless, his expression filled with disbelief and frustration. Phoebe wasn’t surprised by Joshua’s reaction at all. If anything, it was exactly what she had expected. After all, Joshua had always been excessively confident in himself. He truly believed he was an unparalleled genius singer-songwriter, unmatched by most. When facing Quintus, someone he had always looked down on and tried to suppress, his arrogance only intensified.
But what did surprise Phoebe was Quintus’s performance and natural talent; he was a musical prodigy, completely wasted by Jenkins Entertainment. Since Joshua refused to believe it, she would make sure he had no choice but to accept reality. She would help Quintus prove his talent once and for all. He was born for this stage. With that thought, Phoebe stood up and walked toward the stage.