From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show
chapter-969

"Where are you going?" Lena asked. "We're going to your new school in an hour."

Minjun smiled. "I know, Mom," he called out. "I just need to do something first. I'll be sure to be here when we leave."

Lena sighed and shook her head as Minjun ran to his bedroom. "What is that kid doing in his free time?" she muttered.

Breaking News: The Fall of Hong Zhilei - A 13-year-old's Breakdown

So, in case you've been living under a rock or, I don't know, still using flip phones (no judgment), here's the tea: Hong Zhilei, the former CEO of Azure Entertainment, has officially been canceled and not in the usual, celebrity-got-caught-with-a-bad-take way. Nope, this man has been arrested, like, handcuffed-and-shoved-into-a-car-level arrested.

It's been five days since Hong was dragged out of his secret hideaway, and I know what you're thinking: what really went down? Well, buckle up because this is going to be a wild ride.

Apparently, after a very dramatic arrest, he was handed over to the Chinese Authority. The drama doesn't stop there, though. During his arrest, someone leaked an interview where Zhilei can be seen going off on a full-blown tirade, throwing around the most random names: June (our KING), some bald guy (who??), and a girl named Lina? Len? Leni? (the plot thickens). It wasn't really clear, but you get the gist of it.

Watching the video was like watching your drunk uncle at a family gathering, trying to connect every conspiracy theory he's ever heard.

Oh, and just when you think it couldn't get any worse...they tested him for drugs. And guess what? Yep, the man was positive. He really did the most.

Anyway, now that Zhilei's locked up and babbling about bald men, Phoenix Entertainment's out here doing what they do best: winning. An exclusive source leaked that they are very close to sealing a deal to subsidize Azure Entertainment.

YUP, you heard that right. Phoenix might be stepping in to clean up the mess, and rumors say the deal is going down smoother than your poop after a morning iced latte.

This has been a wild ride, but Phoenix is literally killing it, per usual. The son of Phoenix's mysterious owner (seriously, who is this guy?) must be living his best life, probably sipping some bougie coffee while watching this all unfold. Ah, I envy that guy.

- Lei really wanted to take down everyone with him, but he fell on his own.

- Wait, wait, wait. He was ranting about June until the very last second? I knew that man was deranged! Keep him very far, please.

- Oh, I heard he's spending a long time in jail. They seized his properties and money, too, since it was apparently acquired through illegal means.

- Not him being on drugs AND screaming about a bald man.

-Man, this is why you don't trust people with too much money.

- Hey, maybe June doesn't have bad luck after all. Now that I think about it, he's won every major battle in his life! He just loses the minor ones.

- June will be very happy to hear that (I don't believe it, though).

- Are we just going to ignore the fact that Minmin is 13? He writes better than most of us!

***

Meanwhile, back at Phoenix Entertainment, things were looking really good.

The boys were scattered across the practice room, taking a much-needed breather after hours of rehearsing. The mirrors were fogged up from the intense choreo, sweat dripping from their faces. They'd been working nonstop, knowing that the world had its eyes on Phoenix Entertainment now more than ever.

"Are we sure about this?" Jaeyong asked as he lay on the floor.

"Yeah!" Jisung exclaimed, looking more excited than ever. "At first, I was sad to let it go, but I think it's time. We're going to leave it all in the past and start anew! That's what it means, too. Right, Casper?"

"Hmm," Casper hummed with a small smile. "I like the change."

Zeth shook his head in amusement. "I can't believe we're actually taking Casper's advice for this one."

"I consulted with June before consulting with you, guys," Casper said.

"Ahh," the group collectively said. "So, that's why it sounds decent."

"Are you sure about this June?" Jaeyong asked, looking at their center with a serious gaze.

With a small smile, June nodded.

Just then, Jay walked in, clipboard in hand, looking fresher than usual.

"Well, you look nice," Ren said as he entered.

Jay smiled and bowed like a prince. "Well, thank you."

"It wasn't a compliment," Akira chimed. "It means that you usually don't look nice, so it's a surprise to see you so nice for once."

Jay clicked his tongue and didn't bother replying to Akira's comment.

"Good news," Jay announced instead, standing at the center of the room.

He sounded really excited, so the boys paid great attention to what he was about to say.

"Phoenix is closing a deal soon with Azure Entertainment. We're finally expanding the company."

The boys looked at each other with excitement. June merely smirked, already having a hunch since Mei had been texting him nonstop since this morning.

"And," Jay continued, gazing at the boys with a knowing look, "the teasers will be released tomorrow night."

Shouts of excitement rippled through the room.

"Finally!" Akira exclaimed. "We're free from the dungeons! I can't wait for our fans to listen

to our song."

"One more thing," Jay said, cutting their celebration short.

"We can finally use your name."

Silence.

The boys glanced at each other, smirking.

Jay frowned in confusion. "What?" he asked with narrowed eyes. "I'm sensing something

suspicious in your expressions."

"You guys will stay as EVE, right? The design team is already working on your name and the logos. We've been holding it off for a while now."

The boys remained silent, making Jay even more suspicious.

"Let them stop for now," June said, breaking the silence.

Jay tilted his head to the side. "Why?" he asked.

The boys didn't answer again, making Jay feel skeptical.

Just then, Jaeyong raised his hand. "Can we hold a livestream tonight?"