IDEI CH56

By this time, it was already 10:20 in the evening. Because several of the earlier acts had run over schedule, by the time TND took the stage, the hour was exceedingly late.

Many in the crowd who had not specifically come for TND had either departed or retreated to the far edges of the grounds to rest.

Only high-energy music enthusiasts and TND fans still held their ground in the front rows, though they too were thoroughly exhausted; once the previous singer exited, quite a few slumped down onto the turf.

“TND is finally up next.” Yu Zhi massaged her aching calves, stamped her feet, and whispered to herself.

After enduring the entire day, her makeup had smudged, and weariness lined her face, yet her eyes remained luminous, fixed unblinkingly on the stage.

Consequently, the instant TND emerged, she caught sight of their figures.

—Yet she barely dared believe her eyes, because their styling tonight was radically distinct from anything before. That aura of arcane savagery bore no resemblance to ordinary stage concepts.

The nine men held their formation, hands clasped before them, heads lowered halfway. This was the opening pose for “New World Fantasy.”

Their garments were cast in tones of russet, dark brown, and slate grey—shades that looked somewhat faded and weathered—which by all rights ought to have appeared comical.

In reality, however, though the textiles carried a distressed texture, the tailoring was exquisite and seasoned, sculpting their tall, sinewy frames to perfection. Even with their heads bowed and their faces obscured, their wardrobe and imposing presence instantly plunged the audience into a scorched wasteland of dust and sand.

So extraordinary! Yu Zhi double-checked her phone’s focus, then stared toward the stage with bated breath.

Up on the platform, the figures moved.

To the heavy pulse of the intro beat, they lifted their heads in sequence. Each face revealed to the light drew another collective gasp from the pit below.

By the time all nine heads were raised, the grounds were engulfed in deafening screams.

Nine people, not a single look repeated, yet whether an enigmatic high priest, a battle-hardened warrior forging ahead, or a lethal predator, each possessed a singular, visceral tension.

This was… unbelievably handsome!!

The nine on stage had already launched into their choreography, their soaring vocals and crisp synchronization projecting a thunderous momentum straight into the chest of every spectator present.

Yu Zhi felt thoroughly dazzled. A flush crept across her cheeks as her gaze flicked from Gong Jiayu’s pale side-waist, drifting past the garment’s open slit to trace the lean contours of An Zai’s back.

Hiss, so fair, so remarkably supple.

She had barely caught two glimpses before Feng Qingyi and Xiao Yingyi advanced, locking hands before arching backward with abrupt force, bending their bodies like two taut bows.

Their loose clothing draped naturally with gravity, accentuating the cinched waistlines between their ribs—lean, wiry, and razor-sharp as blade edges.

Next, Mo Jinghai brushed past their locked arms to deliver his part. Yu Zhi’s eyes fell upon his chest.

She couldn’t pull them away.

Such powerful musculature, far from bulky, but full, taut, and sculpted. Framed by the broad leather waist corset, his posture appeared all the more towering and upright. With Mo Jinghai’s dynamic movements, the muscles across his chest flexed in steady rhythm.

So massive, so firm…

Yu Zhi’s face burned crimson, a wild brilliance detonating in her eyes.

From that moment on, the heat on her cheeks never cooled, only burning hotter with every passing measure.

She understood the narrative of this stage: it told the tale of a fierce, desperate struggle. People of the end times, cornered at the edge of oblivion, erupting with boundless resolve, paying the most devastating toll to wrest a single sliver of dawn from the dark.

A tragic, profoundly moving saga.

And yet…

Who could possibly keep their attention focused on the plot!!

The arcane, sultry runes disappearing into Lou Yuxing’s collar; the silver ring gleaming faintly at Feng Qingyi’s ankle; the leather choker cinching Yan Zihao’s throat; and above all, that metallic bite guard bracing Wei Mingzhe’s jaw…

Hiss!

Yu Zhi’s face burned hot, her hands clamped tightly together as she fought to swallow down her shrieks.

Beside her, however, someone had already lost all restraint.

“Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit, am I even worthy to witness this with my own eyes?” the girl adjacent to her squealed in sheer frenzy.

Yu Zhi turned her head, meeting a profile so flushed it looked intoxicated. She fell silent.

If she remembered correctly, this girl had been a fan of a ballad singer, spending every fast-tempo, high-energy stage casually texting on her phone.

Yet right now, though her phone remained clutched in her grip, Yu Zhi could faintly see dozens of unread messages piling up on her screen. The girl couldn’t care less about her chat; her eyes flashed with feral fervor, singing along at the top of her lungs with a voice on the verge of cracking, even bouncing to the bassline, swept entirely into the collective madness.

Yu Zhi snapped her gaze back to the stage without delay.

The crowd surged in feverish revelry. The roaring commotion up front swiftly reeled back the spectators resting in the rear lawn.

Glancing toward the stage, they were struck dumb by TND’s presentation, tumbling headlong into the frenzy as well.

The music festival drew to a thunderous climax amidst this collective euphoria.

Under the relentless pleas of the audience, TND delivered an a cappella rendition of half of “New World Fantasy” before they were finally allowed to step offstage.

Because it was an a cappella performance without demanding choreography, the spectators could at last scrutinize every intricate detail of their styling up close.

No matter how closely one looked, every contour was breathtaking, immaculate, and without flaw.

When the festival grounds finally dispersed and Yu Zhi stepped past the gates, she spotted dozens of young women sitting directly on the concrete pavement outside, laptops resting on their knees, their hands whipping across their trackpads and mice in a blur.

Their gazes were fiercely focused, their faces glowing with exhilaration.

Yu Zhi realized at once: the fansite masters were racing against the clock to edit and color-grade their photos. A styling triumph of this caliber deserved to hit Xingbo at the earliest possible second, letting the wider world bear witness to TND’s peerless brilliance!

After a moment’s thought, she found an open patch among the fansite photographers and crouched down as well. Pulling out her phone, she trimmed the excess fluff from the head and tail of her footage, then uploaded the high-definition video straight to Xingbo.

It looked like the fansite masters would still need a bit of time; she might as well drop her video first, letting more people feast their eyes early.

For tonight’s TND, missing even a single second was an absolute tragedy!!

Over on Xingbo, fans who had been unable to attend in person were already craning their necks in desperate anticipation.

The afternoon stage had already sent their expectations through the roof, leaving them refreshing the Super Topic incessantly. Text live-bloggers had offered initial eyewitness reports to soothe their cravings, yet the mental state of those reporters currently looked rather unhinged:

@IWantToListenToYou: Ahhhhhhhhh!! TND went on a total slaughter tonight!! Slay, slay, slay!! Anyone who missed TND tonight has suffered the greatest loss of their mortal life!! TND is god!!

@HandsomeWhoAreYou: Ahhhhhhhhh Lou Yuxing, step on me! Wei Mingzhe, I want to be your dog! Mo Jinghai, let me touch them!!!

@CloyingWife: Tonight’s TND was so handsome I crawled across the floor on all fours, threw a 720-degree backflip, added a spiral twist, and shot into the stratosphere to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the sun ahhhhh!!

Screams of this caliber saturated the Super Topic, leaving other fans both thrilled and exasperated. You’re all screaming your heads off, but tell us what actually happened!

Everyone waited on pins and needles, and the moment Yu Zhi’s crisp, high-definition clip landed as the very first video upload, the view count surged violently.

The comment feed was flooded instantly with [Ahhhhhhhhh] and [Holy shit], alongside strings of chaotic, excited gibberish:

[Having finished this video, I can only muster two syllables: Bad… ass…]

[This styling is an absolute trump card!]

[Wasteland punk aesthetics!!! A celestial masterpiece!]

[Wuwuwu, don’t bother leaving the door unlocked for me, I’m moving into this video tonight, resting my head on Hai-ge’s massive secret to sleep hehehe]

[? How many drinks did you have to end up this wasted]

Yu Zhi’s live footage served merely as an appetizer, a celebration confined within TND’s core fandom. An hour later, the fansite masters—whose mice were practically smoking from friction—detonated the real royal flush.

Having coordinated behind the scenes, they consolidated every high-resolution photo set and master clip beneath the single hashtag: #TND New World Fantasy Stage#.

Complete multi-cam stage coverage shot with professional cinema rigs, audio cleaned of ambient crowd noise, looking as immaculate as official 4K focus cams. Behind them came candid snapshots, profile portraits, and dynamic motion loops of every conceivable variety.

The topic’s engagement detonated instantly, rocketing straight into the top tier of the hot search like a guided missile.

Below it lay an ocean of fans shamelessly licking their screens.

Casual passersby tapped the tag with mild curiosity, only to have their faces smothered by raw charisma and blistering aesthetic tension.

What was more, the feed continued to churn out fresh assets without pause. The fansite masters were riding a wave of explosive creative fervor, washing over the public in relentless waves of visual splendor:

One post featured Xiao Yingyi kneeling on one knee, his gaze piercing like a honed dagger; the very next was a looping GIF of Feng Qingyi tilting his head with a subtle smirk before launching into a flawless standing backflip.

Lou Yuxing tilting his head back with palms pressed in prayer; Yan Zihao furrowing his brow as he tugged at his leather choker; Wei Mingzhe lifting his eyes through the slats of his metal bite guard; Gong Jiayu exposing his flank in a clean aerial cartwheel; An Zai lazily rolling his tongue over his lip ring…

Countless iconic stills, GIFs, and master clips bombarded the trending square in an unrelenting barrage, leaving viewers utterly breathless.

TND’s stage broke cleanly out of the niche pop sphere in an unprecedented viral explosion, carrying their album sales to a peak even higher than their initial release wave!

Tonight, the trending charts belonged entirely to TND.

Nor did the ripples stirred by this stage cease there. Over the following days, regardless of the social platform, feeds were saturated with footage from TND’s performance.

Even derivative fan creations detonated in popularity: dance covers, hand-choreography challenges, makeup recreations, and outfit breakdowns raked in monumental traffic. “New World Fantasy” swiftly became the most viral background track across the entire web.

Even Qi Yanning, who paid little attention to digital trends, stumbled across several TND-related clips over the subsequent days. He ended up watching several recreation tutorials, finding the interpretations rather amusing.

This was a breakout triumph in the truest sense, yet its genesis had been an ordinary music festival stage.

Numerous entertainment agencies scrambled to dissect the mechanics behind the phenomenon, and swiftly uncovered the crux.

TND’s foundational talent and striking visuals served as the bedrock, but the spark that detonated the stage into legend was the styling.

It was a landmark synthesis of high fashion and stagecraft never before seen in the domestic industry—unforgettable, arresting, and peerless!!

And the visionary behind it was the newly renowned Qi Yanning!

Almost overnight, styling proposals and commercial invitations poured in like a deluge.

He politely declined all near-term offers, retaining only a select few long-term projects to review at leisure.

At present, he was sitting inside the TND villa.

“Qi-ge!” An Zai sprawled across the sofa like a boneless creature, clutching his phone. “Your personal Super Topic has surpassed five hundred thousand followers!”

“Everyone is begging you to host a livestream to break down how you crafted our makeup looks. None of those beauty influencers can recreate them properly.”

Qi Yanning’s personal Super Topic had dwindled to a few tens of thousands following his past wave of coordinated online smear campaigns. Yet as his reputation was cleared and his styling genius came to light, it had drawn in a formidable wave of fresh followers.

Among them were prominent beauty vloggers, professional cosmetologists, and fashion industry insiders, analyzing Qi Yanning’s creations daily and heaping unabashed praise upon his craft, cultivating a remarkably harmonious space.

Qi Yanning cast him a sidelong glance, offering no comment.

He held zero interest in curating digital social media accounts. Furthermore, his current schedule was packed, leaving no bandwidth for such trivialities.

“Shouldn’t you be practicing?” Qi Yanning remarked evenly.

“I’m resting for ten minutes,” An Zai slumped into the cushions. “I’m so exhausted. Qi-ge, do you think Qin-ge is trying to work us into the ground? The schedule starting tomorrow is terrifyingly packed; just thinking about it makes my vision go dark.”

An Zai wailed, “And worse yet, you’re abandoning us again! How can you be so cold-hearted, my dear Qi-ge!!”

Qi Yanning ignored his theatrics, continuing to review the high-resolution photos of jewelry and props for Jin Ge Chang Feng Xing on his tablet.

These accessories had also been custom-forged; though crafted without astronomical gemstones, their silhouettes were dignified, regal, and richly distinguished.

This was the final batch of ornaments. Tomorrow, he was due on set with Jin Ge Chang Feng Xing to lock in the cast’s camera tests and oversee character styling portraits.

Production could wait no longer, charging full steam ahead toward their official filming date. Consequently, TND was once again left to graze on their own.

Qi Yanning locked the tablet, rose to his feet, and patted An Zai’s messy mop of hair.

“My absence will serve to cool down your hype,” Qi Yanning remarked at an unhurried pace. “Your recent breakout relied too heavily on visual presentation. Audiences will easily overlook your foundational competence, which will harm your long-term growth.”

Much like breathtaking actors being dismissed as mere eye candy with overlooked technique, exceptional styling and striking appearances could obscure TND’s formidable musical skill—a dangerous trap for their trajectory.

“Therefore, using this window to demonstrate your raw talent is the optimal path forward, wouldn’t you say?”

Qi Yanning looked down at An Zai sprawled lazily across the sofa.

An Zai met Qi Yanning’s gaze. After a long beat, his eyes turned remarkably earnest. “Qi-ge, you actually offered such a lengthy explanation instead of simply walking out the door… You truly do care about us in your heart!”

Qi Yanning drew a deep breath. Unable to help himself, he delivered a sharp rap against An Zai’s forehead.

Then, amidst An Zai’s exaggerated yelps of pain, he wheeled his suitcase through the door without looking back.

When Qi Yanning arrived on the set of Jin Ge Chang Feng Xing this time, the production had already taken coherent shape, bearing no resemblance to the chaotic disarray of his initial visits.

Wang Ning’an received him in person, escorting him directly to the central styling studio. The rest of the hair and makeup crew were already assembled within.

The moment Qi Yanning entered, everyone rose to greet him, their eyes brimming with curiosity and admiration. Several of the younger stylists gazed upon him with the unvarnished reverence reserved for an idol.

Qi Yanning was currently the most sought-after stylist in the industry! Setting aside his legendary trajectory from blacklisted idol to master artisan, the simple fact that every look he touched conquered the trending summits was enough to command the deep respect of any professional in the room.

They had scrutinized Qi Yanning’s methodology, yet his versatility was daunting: whether foundational SFX aging, high-impact stagecraft, or avant-garde editorial fashion, his execution approached staggering perfection.

Every single portfolio entry served as prime study material. Some had even combed through raw footage from TND’s variety livestreams, hunting down obscure background frames of Qi Yanning holding a brush to dissect his hand mechanics.

As for period drama styling, a domain Qi Yanning had not previously touched…

Initially, they had harbored reservations, considering he had never worked on a historical film set, and cinematic makeup operated under vastly different principles from runway fashion.

Yet their recent remote working sessions with Qi Yanning had won them over entirely. Qi Yanning possessed authentic, formidable mastery, paired with exceptional managerial clarity—a consummate leader.

Consequently, their demeanor toward Qi Yanning grew increasingly warm and deferential. Though Qi Yanning was younger than the vast majority of those present, in technical craftsmanship, mastery reigned supreme.

Qi Yanning swept his gaze across the room, offering a slight nod before cutting straight to business: “We have conducted ample virtual meetings, so we may dispense with formal introductions and proceed directly to our objectives. The cast has been finalized. All character looks must be locked down within three days. Can this be accomplished?”

A faint, poised smile touched Qi Yanning’s lips, yet his calm, commanding gaze bore an unmistakable weight as it swept over the team.

“It can!” the stylists responded in unison, their postures snapping taut.

“Excellent,” Qi Yanning’s smile deepened. “Come. Let us meet our female lead.”

Following Qi Yanning’s lead, the team arrived outside an executive dressing suite.

The door was tapped open, and a gentle, pleasantly surprised female voice rang out from within:

“Qi Yanning? Why are you here?”

“Miao-jie,” Qi Yanning offered a faint smile. “We meet again. I trust our collaboration this time will be just as pleasant.”

Miao Xi’s eyes curved into two radiant crescents. “Xiao Qi, I trust you completely. I have a distinct premonition that you are about to hand me another breathtaking surprise.”