It was night when Arthur returned to the dormitory, and just outside, he saw Luther standing at the door.
It was eleven o'clock, and no one knew where Luther had been. His entire body was covered in mud, his shoes nowhere to be seen, and his pant legs were rolled up unevenly.
Arthur couldn't help but frown slightly, such a tiny change that it was nearly imperceptible.
Luther paid him no mind, simply opening the door and walking in.
The room was lit only by the dim glow of a bedside lamp. There were the faintest stirrings on the bed. At night, all the cameras in the dorms would be covered to ensure the trainees' privacy.
Without a word, Luther headed straight into the bathroom. The sound of rushing water soon filled the air.
Arthur thought of Luther's dirt-stained body, then remembered he would have to share the same bathroom with him. His brows furrowed so tightly it seemed they could crush a fly.
"You're not suited for that environment!" His mother's voice echoed once more in Arthur's mind. He frowned, a flicker of light flashing in his eyes.
It didn't take long before Arthur and Luther were in bed, and the room quickly fell into silence.
But Joshua could not fall asleep.
Almost the instant Luther opened the door and entered, Joshua jolted awake.
Even now, with Luther and Arthur fast asleep, Joshua still couldn't close his eyes.
[Joshua, what's wrong? You were asleep just now.] Nine, who had just finished browsing online, noticed Joshua staring blankly at the ceiling, eyes unfocused. Glancing at the time—it was past one in the morning—Nine grew concerned. If Joshua didn't rest, he might not have enough energy to perform on camera tomorrow.
Joshua said nothing, his hand trembling faintly beneath the blanket. Nine grew even more worried: [Your heartbeat isn't stable. Did someone bully you? Tell me, I'll deal with them! Are Leonard's words from earlier still bothering you?]
Joshua shook his head, speaking softly: "I'll sleep. Nine, be quiet."
Nine froze, then let out a frustrated huff. Still, he didn't say anything more.
The next morning, filming would begin as planned. The trainees would start drawing lots and practicing for the first elimination round.
This would be a turning point, as it would be the first time they'd see their fellow trainees eliminated. Even sitting in a chair didn't guarantee safety until the very end.
The only thing they could do was keep moving forward—toward the very top!
"You'll be divided into ten different groups. Which group will you belong to? The answer lies in our surprise box! Please, step forward and draw your lots to decide your group!"
With the MC's explanation, the trainees couldn't help but buzz with excitement.
They quickly lined up, hoping to be placed in a group with higher talent scores. The D-rank trainees wished for capable teammates, since a group's overall performance could sometimes raise their individual value. Being with popular trainees might also boost their own recognition…
"Joshua, which group do you think you'll get into?"
At that moment, Joshua's shoulder was suddenly nudged. He turned to see Justin standing beside him, leaning his head down as if he wanted to rest it on Joshua's.
Joshua lifted a hand to push his head away slightly, replying softly, "They haven't even announced the group names yet. How would I know?"
Just then, Joshua's cheeks were suddenly cupped in two hands. His eyes widened as Justin forced him to meet his gaze.
Justin narrowed his eyes in concern: "What's wrong? You've got dark circles under your eyes." Joshua even felt Justin's palms brushing against his cheeks, as if he were weighing them. "Looks like you've lost weight too…"
Joshua pressed his lips together, making them pout more under Justin's grip, and murmured, "Look at yourself. Can you really say your dark circles are lighter than mine?"
Justin chuckled mischievously.
The two of them bantered back and forth, unaware of Leonard standing in the distance, his gaze dark and heavy.
Finally, the drawing of lots is concluded. Some trainees cheered and bounced with joy, while others sighed in disappointment.
Joshua lifted his eyes to the nine teammates before him. The moment he spotted that striking red hair, a dull throb pulsed in his head, irritation already rising.
Nine shouted in frustration: [I should've tampered with the surprise box just now!]
Joshua couldn't help but find it amusing. Nine rambled on about so many things that Joshua couldn't even tell what he could and couldn't.
Leonard, too, was watching Joshua. His lips were curved as usual, but anyone could see the displeasure in his eyes.
Their group had eight other members—three from Rank B, two from Rank C, and three from Rank D.
Upon noticing Leonard in their group, the three D-rank trainees reacted as if parched desert travelers had found water. They quickly flocked to him, fawning and chatting eagerly.
The others might not have been quite over-the-top, but they were friendly toward Leonard nonetheless.
There was one thing Leonard hadn't been wrong about: appearing alongside him definitely guaranteed more screen time and recognition.
[We don't need that kind of screen time anyway. He's clinging to you while acting like he's doing you a favor—absolutely ridiculous. Joshua, you must take the center position and make Leonard cry his eyes out in misery!]
Nine had transformed into a devilish face.
"We're the same rank, Joshua. I still remember your performance!"
A young man walked up to Joshua. Seeing him about to talk, Joshua quickly interrupted, ears tinged with red: "I know you too, Will. I'm really glad to be on the same team as you."
Will had blue-dyed hair, pitch-black eyes, and both ears pierced—probably nearly a dozen holes. Two others trailed behind him like little quails, making it obvious who the boss was.
Will jerked a thumb over his shoulder: "These are Lucen and Lucian. We're all the same rank, so we'll become good friends!"
He said this with such a dead-serious face that it was almost comical, completely at odds with his street-gang demeanor.
"Oh, right, can I pinch your cheeks once?" Will asked, blunt as ever.
Joshua instinctively shielded his face. Why was it that one person after another seemed so interested in this chubby face of his?!
"I've had my eye on you since you stepped on stage—round and soft, just like my younger brother. But you're way cuter." Will began rattling on, his expression so serious he looked like a news anchor.
Just then, someone approached, and Leonard's voice rang out: "Alright, the songs have already been assigned to each group. Now we should choose a leader and then distribute the roles."
Will shot his hand up immediately, like an eager honor student: "I can be the leader!"
Behind him, Lucen and Lucian instantly expressed their full support, casting their votes for Will.
The others couldn't help glancing uncertainly at Leonard, waiting for his opinion.
Will said earnestly, "Everyone's input will still be respected, don't worry too much. We're a team, after all!"
He was already carrying out the first duty of a leader—reassuring his teammates!
"Everyone, quickly split into pairs and start warming up before practice!"
"Hold hands, talk sincerely—we'll touch each other's hearts, don't be shy!"
"Joshua and Leonard, hold hands and chat a bit! The atmosphere in our group will instantly improve twofold!"
Joshua: "..." Wait a second, something about this feels really off!