Chapter 474 - Lowering Difficulty by Five Times! (1/2)
Chapter 474: Lowering Difficulty by Five Times!
On the day of the compet.i.tion.
Afternoon, at Central TV's Department 11's recording venue.
At the ground floor of the high-rise building, there was a filming spot. Cameras were hooked up, and there was even a camera drone buzzing midair. Underneath a large billboard screaming ”National Crosstalk and Skit Compet.i.tion”, regions were divided with thousands of people lining up to enter the venue.
”Don't push.”
”One by one!”
”Everyone line up with your preliminary compet.i.tion admission pa.s.s!”
”Please produce your identification cards as well. Thank you for cooperating!”
This was a much antic.i.p.ated day. Today was the day where the crosstalk compet.i.tion unveiled its curtains before the skit compet.i.tion. Numerous members of the media from the television stations, newspapers, and internet news portals were scrambling to report on the compet.i.tion.
Members of Central TV's Department 11 had long forgotten about breakfast. The moment they arrived, they were busying themselves with all sorts of jobs. Every year, the crosstalk and skit compet.i.tion would draw upon all their manpower. After all, this was the hottest program with the best ratings in the country. Not only domestically, even quite a number of overseas Chinese citizens looked forward to the beginning of the compet.i.tion. The powers had already their issued the order that the compet.i.tion was only to succeed and there was to be no failures. Hence, everyone from Central TV's Department 11 paid a great deal of attention to this. When it came to a program that everyone knew about, it was very difficult to make it better than the last. However, they had to ensure that it was not worse than the previous year's. This was a matter they worked very hard on every year!
Outside.
A host from Central TV's Department 11 was interviewing contestants for the crosstalk compet.i.tion. A few cameraman were also following closely behind.
”Nice to meet you Teacher Peng, long time no see.” the female host said with a smile.
The man, who was in his forties, looked over. ”h.e.l.lo, it's you this time?”
The female host said, ”The off-site hosting is still me. It was quite a pity last year. You had to quit last year during the finals due to medical reason. With you coming again this year, you must have a different feeling, right?”
Teacher Peng said with a sigh, ”That's right. There are more and more contestants, so the pressure is quite great. Don't you see, my partner is so scared that he has gone to the bathroom.”
”Hur Hur, you sure are humorous.” The female host said.
Then, they continued to interview several people. They were the popular contestants for this year's crosstalk compet.i.tion. There were professional crosstalk actors who were already somewhat famous in the industry, as well as contestants from last year who had pretty good results the previous year. There were also people from the general public and some popular ”non-mainstream” crosstalk actors on the internet.
It was a gathering of elites!
This year's compet.i.tion was bound to be an intense battle!
In the chaotic admission line, Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai had arrived on scene.
Yao Jiancai was still on the phone. ”Dear, don't be so angry...I swear to the Heavens that I didn't do anything. Really.. If you don't believe, ask Little Zhang. He can testify for me...Aiyah, we are already at the compet.i.tion's venue. I won't be able to use the phone once I enter... At least tell me something. I can't stay at Little Zhang's place forever. It's inappropriate...Can I come home today?”
Once the duo came over, the Central TV staff all stared at them. However, after a few glances, everyone returned to whatever they were busying themselves with. The female host hesitated for a few moments and did not interview them. In fact, she truly wished she could interview a legendary figure like Zhang Ye. Besides, Zhang Ye was partnering with the drama actor, Yao Jiancai for their ”song and dance”. This team combination was too strange and made many people curious. However, they knew very well about the governmental policies. Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai were banned, so even if they had seen them, they had to pretend as if they had never seen them.
”Eh?”
”That's Zhang Ye?”
”Isn't that Yao Jiancai?”
”The two of them really came?”
”Man, I thought those were just rumors on the internet!”
”Just mind yourselves. They have nothing to do with us. Even if they partic.i.p.ate, their program will not be aired. Even if it's aired, do you think their crosstalk will be any good?”
”Uh, that's true. We began learning crosstalk at a young age. You can't even get good at it without ten years of practice.”
Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai's arrival attracted the attention of many contestants. After all, in terms of fame, Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai were much more famous than these crosstalk actors. However, it was useless. Fame here wasn't useful. Besides they were banned, and this was a crosstalk compet.i.tion. If this were a calligraphy compet.i.tion, hosting compet.i.tion, or poem compet.i.tion, they would admit defeat without a second word if Zhang Ye came. However, a crosstalk compet.i.tion did not depend on one's literary talent or hosting abilities. With decree #43 looming in the background, the contestants did not think much of this duo as rivals!
This pair were G.o.ds of plague?
Let's avoid them as much as possible!
People from Central TV, as well as the contestants, turned a blind eye towards Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai. The two of them were currently on the cusp of a wave, so no one dared to incur trouble for themselves!
”Old Yao, hurry.” Zhang Ye rushed him.
Yao Jiancai hung up the phone call with his wife. He rushed over to line up. ”Old bro, you need to put in a good word for me when I go home tonight. My wife is still mad.”
Zhang Ye threw up his hands. ”Will I make a difference?”
Yao Jiancai said, ”At least my wife will let me in the door. If you don't go, she wouldn't even open the door for me. Heh, it's not like you don't know my wife's temper.”
People entered one by one, and soon, it was their turn. Everyone else had tensed looks, while others were practicing their lines, as they prepared for the preliminaries. However, Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai were rather special. Neither one of them looked nervous. As they chatted, they walked into the building and found a sofa to sit down on before carrying on with their chat. This was all about one's foundation. One of them was a C-lister and the other was a D-lister. They had encountered all sorts of situations, and had gone through all sorts of storms in the entertainment industry. What had they not seen? Naturally, they were much more calm and composed than other contestants. Even if they were worried deep down inside, it would not show on their faces.
Everyone came in.
The staff were also in position.
Following that, someone brought all the partic.i.p.ants through the corridors to an outdoor courtyard.
The crosstalk compet.i.tion's host immediately went on stage. A temporary hosting podium had been set up in the middle of the courtyard, and there was a wall of screens behind. The details inscribed in the decorations were quite intricate, and seemed ready for a magnificent show. Just from looking at the stage alone, one could tell that they had spent a great deal of money. One had to know that this was just the opening stage for the preliminaries. The host was a very popular celebrity host. However, he was not from Department 11, but was a host from Central TV's Department 3. It was for some unknown reason why he was transferred over for this compet.i.tion.
”w.a.n.g Ge'er!”
”Haha, w.a.n.g Ge'er!”
Some of the amateur partic.i.p.ants started shouting when they saw a star. w.a.n.g Ge'er was his official stage name, so anyone who liked him called him by that name.
The cameras began rolling.
Two cameras were aimed at the hosting podium, while two cameras were aimed at the contestants.
w.a.n.g Ge'er chuckled and said, ”Welcome everybody, be they new or old friends. The annual National Crosstalk and Skit Compet.i.tion's crosstalk compet.i.tion will once again begin. This year, I am honored to stand here as the host of the preliminaries...” After a bout of his chattering, it came to the important point. ”Let me introduce the procedure. The first part will be the divisions. We have invited notaries so as to ensure that this part is held fair and square. After the division, it will be the preliminaries within each division...”
Actually, instead of calling it a preliminary round, it was, in fact, more of an audition. It was quite similar to those singing compet.i.tions. As there were too many contestants, there was no way all of them could go on television. Hence, there was an internet choice audition. By using one's fame and true strength, the contestants would be promoted so as to formally enter the crosstalk compet.i.tion. To put it simply, the preliminaries were just a way to create a buzz, so that the audience all over the country would get to know the contestants.
The drawing of lots began.
Thousands of contestants watched intently!
These people were basically in pairs. Of course, there were groups with a handful of partners. There were even some groups with more than ten partners. There were probably a thousand groups total!
Zhang Ye and Yao Jiancai remained rather low key and stood right at the back of the crowd. This was because they knew that even if they walked to the front, the cameras would not focus on them.
”How long will the drawing of lots take?” Zhang Ye asked.
Yao Jiancai said, ”It will take at least half an hour. Picking lots would be fast, but the main thing is announcing the divisions. With over a thousand teams, how fast can it be? Just reading the names will take all day.”
Zhang Ye was still not particularly familiar with the compet.i.tion. ”Will they finish recording today?”
Yao Jiancai patted him on the shoulder and said, ”What are you thinking? The first round of preliminaries would take a few days of recording. Even if all the recording studios opened up, it wouldn't be done in a day. It's best if we can finish recording today, so that we don't have to keep coming for the next few days. It's like this with all talent shows. The contestants will have to endure the suffering.”
On the other side, the first pair in division A was chosen. The staff announced the names and sent the two of them to recording studio #3 to prepare for the compet.i.tion.
Seeing how things were, Zhang Ye said to Old Yao, ”I'll go to the bathroom.”
Yao Jiancai said casually. ”Go ahead. I'll stay here and watch.”
Zhang Ye then went back into the building and followed the corridors and managed to find a bathroom. Everyone was outside, so it was rather quiet in here. He was alone, so he went into a stall and locked the door from inside. He took a deep breath...Well, it was a bit smelly. He hurriedly put on a face mask, and then closed his eyes to calm his mind. He did not say a word, nor was he here to use the bathroom. He just stood there strangely.
Suddenly, Zhang Ye's hand moved as he opened the game ring's interface on his pinky. He grabbed out two items from his inventory. It was two dice!
[ Difficulty Adjustment Dice ] .