The show "The Masked Singer" has now reached its third episode.
The audience is already familiar with the styles of the judges and contestants.
The four judges each have their own distinct style.
Teacher Han Qi is usually quiet but offers precise critiques of vocal technique, serving as the show's critique anchor.
Teacher Liu Huan has a great personality, and his gentle demeanor makes him the comfort anchor for eliminated singers.
Mo Yan, on the other hand, enjoys analyzing the connection between a singer's timbre and their song. He often offers enlightening insights, acting as the show's explainer.
As for Yin Na, due to being proven wrong several times in a row, netizens have dubbed her the comic relief.
However, after "Night Rabbit's" performance of "Moonlight" last episode, she has been less confrontational towards Night Rabbit.
It was then that the audience realized.
Yin Na wasn't targeting anyone in particular; in her world, whoever could sing high notes was impressive, and whoever couldn't simply lacked vocal ability.
"Please welcome the first singer, Hu Die Lan, to the stage!"
The first group to perform were the two replacement singers.
The appearance of Hu Die Lan clearly indicated she was a female singer.
Moreover, her long legs were incredibly eye-catching.
"These legs... I feel like I've seen them somewhere before..." Su Yu thought to himself backstage, watching Hu Die Lan on the screen.
Most boys are somewhat leg enthusiasts.
Although Su Yu wouldn't admit to being a leg enthusiast, his favorite were Lin Yanyu's long legs, which were like a killer move for leg lovers.
He usually enjoyed giving Lin Yanyu leg massages.
And while the legs on screen weren't as striking as Lin Yanyu's, they were still memorable.
"Waves silently cast the night deep..."
When Hu Die Lan sang the first line.
Su Yu raised an eyebrow.
This singer was performing "Big Fish."
And this voice sounded similar to the opponent of Jiang Xiao'e in the city preliminaries.
"Ah..."
During the humming part.
Su Yu finally confirmed that Hu Die Lan was indeed Li Xiaorui, Jiang Xiao'e's opponent in the city preliminaries!
After Hu Die Lan finished.
The next replacement singer took the stage.
This singer, named "Black Warrior," wore a black mask and a samurai outfit, exuding a commanding presence.
When he began to sing, everyone was stunned.
"If someone asks me, I will tell them, but no one comes.
I anticipate, until disappointment, have things to say, but cannot convey..."
"Exaggeration"!
Another song by Ting Yu!
And it was a Cantonese song!
Black Warrior's Cantonese was very standard.
From this point, the range of Black Warrior's identity narrowed significantly.
"Could it be Zhang Wei?"
"It's probably not Zhang Wei; Zhang Wei's rendition of this song is more explosive."
"Not Zhang Wei, this person is definitely an old hand at Cantonese songs."
"The vocal skill is good, but the emotion and Zhang Wei's legendary live performance are somewhat lacking."
"You already said that was a legendary performance; even Zhang Wei himself said that live performance was unrepeatable, something even he couldn't replicate."
"Exactly, I remember the entire internet was criticizing Zhang Wei at that time. Under such pressure, he sang 'Exaggeration' and whether it was him or the audience, they were completely immersed. The most important thing in a song is immersion, so hearing anyone else sing this song now feels a bit off."
"Haven't you realized that 'The Masked Singer' has become a special showcase for Ting Yu's songs?"
As the show progressed, the live audience became increasingly professional, with many music critics even buying tickets to watch the recording.
Therefore, the audience's analyses also carried a professional tone.
Many people could discern the quality of vocal performance, not just whether the song was pleasant to listen to.
After both singers finished.
It was time for the judges' critiques.
Han Qi particularly liked Hu Die Lan's humming, so he voted for her.
Black Warrior, however, successfully mastered the song "Exaggeration," delivering a greater impact to the audience.
Therefore, he emerged victorious from this round.
After the voting, Black Warrior visibly relaxed.
Everyone knew that winning the first match meant successfully advancing to the next round.
This was why the first match was crucial.
"Mr. Black Warrior, do you have anything to say after winning this competition?" the host asked for an interview.
"It was alright, but I prefer not being masked because then I can tell my fans that I'm participating in the competition. Without fan lights, I feel restricted, and my performance suffers."
Black Warrior struck a cool pose and said half-jokingly.
The live audience burst into laughter.
"Damn, this guy really knows how to show off!" backstage, the Faceless Knight muttered under his breath, then quickly shut up, remembering the cameras in the lounge.
Since wearing the mask, why has he been cursing more and more...
This is not good, he needs to be civilized.
Fortunately, the production team hadn't edited the previous episodes.
Otherwise, if he won the championship and revealed his identity, it would be a huge embarrassment.
"It seems, Black Knight, you often hold concerts and know how to interact with your fans," Liu Huan said with a smile.
"I like it when they wave their support lights and create a sea of lights for me while I sing," Black Knight continued to say with his swagger.
"Then what is your fan support color?" Yin Na asked.
Black Knight held up a finger and wiggled it in front of him: "If I told you, wouldn't you be able to guess my identity?"
The audience below erupted in laughter again.
This Black Knight was quite interesting; like Night Rabbit, he belonged to the 'king of show-off' type of contestants.
From this short interview alone, everyone eagerly anticipated the clash between him and Night Rabbit in the next round.
"Now, please ask the two singers to go backstage and rest. Next, please welcome the next singer, Queen of Balloons, to the stage!"
The host continued with the program's flow.
But when he announced Queen of Balloons.
The audience's expressions turned peculiar.
Because Queen of Balloons' skill wasn't particularly strong among the current contestants. In everyone's memory, she should have been eliminated last episode.
However, to their surprise, she had good luck. Last episode, the Faceless Knight made a sudden mistake, allowing her to advance in the first round and stay for another episode.
It's important to remember that "The Masked Singer" is currently the hottest competition in the C-pop music scene. Staying for an extra episode meant singing two more songs, and with everyone eventually unmasking, this level of exposure was equivalent to a company's heavy promotion.
Therefore, staying for an extra episode was a huge profit.