From Apocalypse To Entertainment Circle (BL)-Chapter 77: Settling In: A Villa, A Competition, and a Mysterious Roommate

Chapter 77: Settling In: A Villa, A Competition, and a Mysterious Roommate

After Sian’s short game, not much happened, and the interview ended in just two hours. Everyone packed up their bags and left. The cameraman, dedicated to capturing every nuance, never once flicked off the camera—every moment demanded preservation. While each episode of the program spanned merely an hour and the most exhilarating scenes were carefully curated during editing, the live broadcast had garnered an immense following. Enthusiastic fans would huddle for hours, fully engaged, even during the quieter segments that lacked dramatic flair. But now, with the dynamic Angel Team and the charismatic Sian congregated in one place, the air crackled with potential, assuring that not a single second would slip into mundanity.

Everyone got into the car and set off for the coastal resort, where they would board a boat to reach the island where the first round of the competition would take place. They would be staying there for ten days before moving to a new location for the second phase.

The boat, though not very large, exuded a sense of quality and craftsmanship that was unmistakable. Its sleek lines and polished finish hinted at an expensive design, while the rich wood accents and gleaming metal fixtures suggested luxury and attention to detail.

Sian was incredibly excited as soon as he stepped onto the deck. He stood there the entire time, watching the deep blue sea and the icy white waves left behind by the boat. His smile never faded throughout the journey. When the cameraman saw that everyone else was sitting around, bored, he decided to film Si’an for a bit. The silver-haired teenager standing against the backdrop of the vast blue sea and silky white clouds looked like a masterpiece—an image worth capturing.

When they arrived at their destination, Sian was taken aback by the sheer number of people. He knew there would be fifty participants, but seeing it in person was different. In addition to the contestants, there were cameramen, announcers, and staff... The scene was chaotic.

However, thanks to the staff’s professionalism and efficiency, the contestants were quickly assigned their rooms and sent to the villa where they would be staying. The villa was said to have been provided by an investor for filming purposes. There were enough rooms, but not enough for everyone to have their own. Each room housed four people, meaning a total of twelve rooms were used.

Sian didn’t know if he was just lucky, but he ended up sharing a room with only one other person. It seemed that after distributing the rooms, two participants were left without a place, so they were paired together.

Sian was pleased with this arrangement. He wasn’t fond of sharing his personal space with strangers, and with only one roommate, he wouldn’t have to be overly cautious.

As he searched for his assigned room, he mentally prepared himself to stay on guard. Unlike when he used to sleep in the comfort of his own bed, he would have to remain alert here. Just as he reached his room, he saw a tall figure standing by the door, back facing him.

Since this was the person he would be living with for the next ten days, Sian decided to take the initiative and greet him.

"Hello! I’m Sian. You must be my roommate. Did the staff give you a key? I have mine, so I’ll open the door first."

As soon as Sian spoke, the man turned his head.

The first thing Sian noticed was the man’s sharp features—a strikingly handsome face with slightly short hair. But it was his eyes that stood out the most: pitch black, darker than the night itself, exuding an air of something... unusual.

If someone could read Si’lan’s thoughts at that moment, they would find a string of words entirely inappropriate for children.

Sian was cursing.

[Damn it. Does this look like someone who participates in an entertainment show? At least put in some effort to disguise yourself, man! Every inch of you screams, "I’m not an idol." Just one glance, and I can tell you’re the type who carries guns and knives around.]

Oh, great. Goodbye, my peaceful, carefree life. I just wanted to impress everyone with my talent, play on the beach, and quietly go home. How do I always end up in the middle of a battlefield? Do I have Conan’s protagonist aura or something? No matter where I go, trouble follows.

"Ahem."

A deep, husky voice pulled Sian out of his thoughts.

"Huh?" He snapped back to reality, looking at the man who had unknowingly caused his internal meltdown.

"Sorry, I was zoning out. I’ll open the door now."

Sian decided to ignore the man’s aura and whatever secrets he was hiding. It wasn’t his business. He might as well adopt the wise saying: "I see nothing, I hear nothing, and I have nothing to do with anything."

He opened the door and stepped inside. The room wasn’t bad—after all, it was a villa. However, it wasn’t particularly decorated either. There were two beds on opposite sides, each with a small nightstand, a compact wardrobe, and a spacious bathroom. Simple, but sufficient.

The mysterious man didn’t attempt to converse with Sian again. He didn’t even bother introducing himself. It seemed he wasn’t the talkative type, which was perfectly fine with Sian.

After unpacking his things, Sian glanced at his roommate, who was already lying on his bed.

"I’ll take a shower first," he said. It was more of a courtesy statement than anything—he didn’t expect a response. Without waiting, he went straight into the bathroom.

The mysterious man barely reacted, simply glancing in the bathroom’s direction before closing his eyes again.

But when the bathroom door opened a few minutes later, his eyes flicked open instantly. For a brief moment, his pupils trembled—perhaps from shock.

After all, anyone would be startled to see an almost naked beauty in front of them.

Sian had only a towel wrapped around his waist. Why? Because some idiot forgot to bring his clothes inside.

Completely unaware of the impact his body had on others, Sian didn’t think much of it. Even if he was in a relationship with a man, he was still a man himself—he never cared about such trivial matters.

Fearing he’d catch a cold, he quickly grabbed his clothes and returned to the bathroom, utterly oblivious to the fact that the cold and composed man behind him had a faint flush creeping up his neck and the tips of his ears.

But within seconds, the man’s face returned to its usual expressionless state, as if nothing had happened.

That was the first day in the villa.

The contestants weren’t allowed to perform immediately. The competition would begin the next day, with five participants taking turns to perform. Only one winner would be selected from each group of five.

The teams were assigned randomly at the last moment, which meant every contestant was under constant pressure. No one knew when their turn would be, so they had to prepare their songs and practice diligently—it could be their turn today or tomorrow.

Sian had already chosen his song. He opted for an original piece from his previous world. The program didn’t prohibit original songs; all he had to do was provide a music track and hand it to the sound team. Easy. However, most participants avoided original songs because they had a lower chance of winning. But Si’an was confident in his song’s quality.

When Jiang Hangyu told him he’d be joining a variety show, Lan Qisheng had an entire studio built in the villa for him. Sian had worked hard, composing and producing multiple songs, just in case. And now, it was clear he had made the right choice.

Usually, companies select their idols for such programs months in advance, giving them time to practice and refine their performances. But that bastard Jiang Hangyu had deliberately kept Sian in the dark until the last moment. He hadn’t even explained much about the show.

No matter. Sian was smart. He had prepared for battle. Now, all that remained was stepping onto the stage and singing his heart out. He refused to believe he would be eliminated.

This wasn’t arrogance—just pure confidence in himself and his work.

At dinner, all participants were required to eat together—a rule designed to foster connections and, of course, create drama for the cameras. The dining hall was massive, almost like a banquet hall. In the center stood an enormous table with exactly fifty chairs, prepared specifically for the show.

As contestants were eliminated, the number of empty chairs would grow—a silent but effective pressure tactic.

Sian sat at his assigned seat, ignoring the various gazes directed his way. Some were curious, some envious, and some wary.

Of course, the Black Lotus and his friends’ hostile stares couldn’t be ignored. Their jealousy and resentment were on an entirely different level.

Sian paid no mind to them. He simply enjoyed his meal.

He quite liked Western food.