Chapter 87: Is Your Production Team Stirring Up Trouble? (Begging for Support! 1/10)

At this moment, all the dancers were numb with shock from Sumu’s extraordinary pop strength. Within the domestic popping community, achieving such quality is rare— it takes years of practice to reach this level. It’s not simply a matter of muscle size; to attain this texture, one must coordinate control over their entire body, with each joint freezing in space. It’s the result of myriad details woven together.

But now, Sumu’s performance wasn’t just about powerful pops. His advanced moves followed one after another, each perfectly synchronized with every beat of the music, not missing a single nuance or drum accent.

Cries erupted throughout the hall.

“Ah!”

“Wow!”

Such is the culture of street dance: if you are extraordinary and your moves are explosive, you will be met with cheers and frenzy. Everyone watched, stunned and tugging at their hair, as Sumu executed his silky maneuvers— it was as if they’d forgotten the brilliant performances of Zhang Junyu and Tang Jiahao just moments ago.

“Damn, that was insane!”

“The DJ’s really stirring things up— even those sudden breaks were perfectly matched!”

“That was explosive, definitely at KOD level!”

“Doesn’t Sumu’s pop remind you of the foreign master, PopinC?”

“Now that you mention it, PopinC’s heavy shock quality— Sumu’s got that same vibe!”

“If Sumu bulked up with some protein powder, added more size, maybe he could try for the international competitions!”

“Seriously, is this street dance champion being held back by his acting career?”

“Get lost! Have you seen Sumu’s shows? Brother Qiang, Mei Changsu, Fan Xian— all so handsome! You don’t understand!”

The scene was spiraling out of control. Many were so blown away by Sumu that they jumped up on the spot. As the host called the countdown, Sumu wrapped up his final moves.

Next, it was the NNQT boy group’s turn to make their move. In these battles, both sides dance to the same track— the first goes for the first half, the second takes the latter half. It’s like two martial artists exchanging blows: the one who goes first is at a disadvantage, as the second can respond and adapt their elements and routines accordingly.

But in rare cases, the first dancer is so overwhelmingly strong that the second loses their composure, even falling apart.

Now, the four members of NNQT felt just that. After watching Sumu’s performance, they understood the gap— but their shock was even greater. They hadn’t expected Sumu to be this incredible. Anyone versed in popping can immediately tell from the framework and pop quality if someone is a master. “A professional’s skill shows at first touch”— this is the truth. Sumu’s popping, while not at the absolute top, had certainly reached the threshold.

This left the group somewhat deflated. After all, the boy band doesn’t focus solely on street dance; their foundation is street, but their main routines are idol MV moves, which don’t hold much weight in the street dance scene.

Zhao Feng glanced around. Their momentum was hard to muster, but as NNQT’s captain, he knew he had to steady the ship.

“Don’t panic, just dance the way we practiced!” Zhao Feng said.

“Captain, what moves did we practice again? I’ve forgotten…” Sun Han replied.

“Wasn’t it said earlier that Sumu couldn’t dance street?” Li Hang asked.

“This is a false report! If we lose, it’s not our fault, right?” Zhou Yang chimed in.

The four exchanged quick words, finally landing on their point: if they lost, blame Zhang Hua’an for the misinformation, not them.

With that thought, the four took the stage. Normally, the power of a group dance would surpass a solo, but not today. Sumu had set the bar so high that no matter how NNQT tried to build momentum, they couldn’t escape the shadow he’d cast. It was as if they were reliving the days, months ago, when Sumu’s period drama dominated them— the feeling was identical.

With trembling hearts, the four finished their routine— the moves were complete, but utterly out of sync. In group dance, synchrony is everything; fighting alone means collapse.

The outcome was obvious.

“Sumu wins!” the host declared, following the judges’ direction.

Screams erupted again, and the atmosphere surged to its peak. Everyone knew the next battle was crucial— the ultimate contest between mentors.

At this stage, the show was still being recorded, so only the live audience could sense the tension, not the wider viewers and netizens. Yet everyone understood: once such competitive programs air, fans everywhere will vie for supremacy.

Thus, the mentor battle’s outcome was vital for each star— a matter of honor for their fanbase.

Now, Sumu would face a true professional dancer. Unlike NNQT, Zhang Junyu wasn’t an amateur; he emerged from the authentic street dance scene. Everyone anticipated a fierce and spectacular battle.

Zhang Junyu greeted Sumu— outwardly calm, but inwardly very serious. He had to admit, Sumu’s popping level in the previous round had shocked him. He’d joked with Tang Jiahao before: whoever won between them would be number one. But now, it seemed he’d celebrated too soon.

The host announced, “OK! Next up, Sumu versus Zhang Junyu! Let’s hear the screams!”

“Wow!”

“Go Zhang Junyu!”

“Sumu rocks!”

Everyone stood, showing the highest respect for the battle. Even those outside the venue were on edge, including Liu Qiangxi, watching via video.

Truthfully, Sumu’s last performance was stunning enough. But if he could win this round too, then the five million would really be worth it. When the show aired, Sumu dancing in their brand’s clothes would surely spark a trend— those streetwear brands he wore would sell out in no time.

The DJ’s music started.

“!!!”

“???”

But as everyone heard the music, they were dumbfounded. The veteran OGs and some foreign masters exchanged strange glances.

“What the heck? The DJ is messing around!”

“What is this track? Never heard it, so many effects, the beats are chaotic!”

“Damn, the difficulty is on par with France’s JD tournament— the production team is ruthless!”

“This isn’t a set track; they’re forcing pure freestyle!”

“If that’s the case, Zhang Junyu’s locking has a slight advantage.”

“This is tough!”

Dancers of all backgrounds began questioning, from seasoned veterans to newer faces. But the battle had begun, and there was no turning back.

A bottle spun on the floor…

In the end, its neck pointed at Zhang Junyu.

“OK, everybody! Zhang Junyu goes first!”

PS: Thank you all for your encouragement and support yesterday! Ten chapters today! Five now, more this afternoon and evening!

(End of chapter)