The Master’s Mask Unveiled Again
Chapter 892 - 891: The Big Boss is Quiet, the Villain is Up to No Good

Chapter 892: Chapter 891: The Big Boss is Quiet, the Villain is Up to No Good

The voice of the girl on the other end was cold and distant. Sun Wei listened again and again, finding it oddly familiar.

But due to the girl’s identity, he didn’t dare speculate further.

Qiao Yaqian finally took the phone and, following Lu Mian’s instructions, turned on the speaker.

"La Ge’s ’The Four Seasons,’ keep singing it. Miss Xue, please wait for him to finish before taking action. At that point, I’ll cooperate with you."

Xue Lu thought to herself that Mi Lu definitely wanted to hear the song in its entirety and let everyone perceive the plagiarism. Naturally, she agreed.

Meanwhile, Sun Wei felt that he had already pledged allegiance to Mi Lu. Since this was a request from a big shot, how could he possibly refuse?

None of them expected Mi Lu to be persuaded so easily. They were already fantasizing about the grand scene when Mi Lu, the notable figure, would reward their efforts in exposing the plagiarist.

——

Music festival venue.

As various celebrities and stars walked down the red carpet and took their seats, the opening ceremony was supposed to commence.

But the scene was still a bit chaotic, with the highly anticipated Mi Lu nowhere to be seen.

Li Xinghan, a powerhouse actor who excelled in film, television, and music, sat with swift fingers gliding across his phone. Dressed in a fiery red runway-style suit, he was as bold and flamboyant as his personality.

As he lost a game, he felt dissatisfied and beckoned his manager, Wang Cheng, from a short distance away.

"Why hasn’t it started yet?"

Normally, he’d already arrived, so practically everyone must be here.

In terms of status and competence, he was top-notch.

Few people walking the red carpet after him could outshine him.

His manager Wang Cheng spoke softly, "I heard the chief planner is dealing with something about someone plagiarizing Mi Lu."

"Mi Lu?"

Li Xinghan tapped the start key on his phone again, opening a new game. Looking up, he squinted playfully at his single eyelid.

"That genius composer who rejected me twenty times and still doesn’t want to write me a song?"

Manager Wang Cheng gave an awkward laugh.

"Yes, the one who rejected you twenty times, yet you insist on trying a twenty-first time. But if you meet him in person today, maybe collaboration might be possible."

"What? You want me to seduce him into agreeing?" Li Xinghan ran a hand down his handsome features and, for a moment, even felt... maybe it wouldn’t be impossible.

"..." Wang Cheng genuinely wanted to cover this ancestor’s mouth, "Talent! Let your talent prove itself!"

Li Xinghan’s lovely and delicate phoenix eyes blinked. "Then it’s definitely a done deal! When that happens, I wonder how many people will be jealous of me. Ah..."

Wang Cheng: ... Jealous of your shamelessness?

——

At 8:15 PM, the music festival finally officially began.

Li Aiqi, Lu Xinnuan, and their peers came bouncing to the front of the stage dressed in breezy outfits.

Five sweet-voiced, beautiful young women—this year’s emerging singers from "The Voice of the Best"—took the stage first as the curtain-raiser for the festival.

"Xinghan, isn’t the girl leading the vocals from your Li Family?"

Someone nearby whispered to Li Xinghan.

Li Xinghan, immersed in his game, raised his eyelids briefly and replied indifferently, "Probably, I don’t really know her well."

The other person smiled awkwardly and shifted topics. "You went to F Continent for filming, wasn’t that challenging? I heard there are a lot of Primitive Forests and wild animals there..."

Li Xinghan’s single eyelid flickered. "The experience wasn’t bad..."

——

After a lively dance number, the hosts took the stage, formally announcing the start of the music festival.

The four hosts spent nearly ten minutes introducing each of the center-stage guests one by one.

There were respected elders like Master Kunyang.

There were talented individuals like Li Xinghan, combining looks and popularity.

And there were creative prodigies like Mi Lu.

However, to everyone’s disappointment, Mi Lu’s seat remained empty, and neither reporters nor fans saw him in person.

Yet the hosts teasingly hinted that Mi Lu himself was somewhere in the venue.

This immediately sparked curiosity, turning many attendees into sleuths searching all around.

"Now, let’s welcome the rising star singer La Ge to bring us a rendition of ’The Four Seasons.’"

As the host’s voice fell, the stage lights dimmed and shifted.

"Oh, here comes the plagiarism track!"

Someone muttered sarcastically from below.

The lively, captivating prelude rang out as La Ge stood on the rising platform, gradually appearing on stage.

Undoubtedly, the song was excellent, filled with depth and artistry.

Viewers who had seen La Ge’s one-minute video adored this track immensely. Being able to hear the complete song was a soul-refreshing experience for the audience.

Backstage.

Lu Xinnuan quickly changed out of her performance attire and found Xue Lu.

Listening to La Ge’s voice echoing from the stage, she leaned in and asked softly, "How’s it going? Did you find Mr. Mi Lu?"

"Xinnuan, Mi Lu is actually a woman, and she seems quite young..."

Lu Xinnuan didn’t care about such details. "What about the evidence? Did she see it?"

"Yes, the chief planner handed it over to her. I spoke with her on the phone; she said she’d cooperate with us to expose the plagiarist once La Ge finishes singing."

Lu Xinnuan let out a soft "Ah," her tone innocent and seemingly regretful. "I didn’t intend for this to blow up... I just wanted her to know about it at first..."

"Xinnuan, don’t overthink it."

Xue Lu comforted her and pulled her to the floor-to-ceiling windows backstage.

From this spot, they could see the stage and part of the audience seating.

She pointed at the fans holding Mi Lu light boards and sneered, "Even if you don’t pursue this, Mi Lu’s fans won’t let La Ge and Lu Mian off the hook."

"Ah, there’s not much we can do about that..."

——

La Ge held the stage on his own.

No backup dancers, no backup singers—not even any dramatic movements—just quietly standing on stage and singing the entire song.

The audience was captivated.

When the song ended and the stage lights shifted, the crowd was still somewhat lost in the moment.

Fu Yu and Shen Yixin were thoroughly impressed.

Master Kunyang sat in the front row, nodding proudly while eagerly recommending the song to people around him.

"It was written by Lu Mian—just a twenty-year-old girl! Amazing, right?"

The others chimed in agreement. "Master Kunyang’s judgment is undoubtedly spot on."

But internally, some had their doubts.

Master Kunyang... might have misjudged this time.

La Ge was preparing to bow and thank the audience, but the harmonious atmosphere was suddenly disrupted.

Someone shouted from offstage, "La Ge’s ’The Four Seasons’ is plagiarized!" The single comment sparked immediate chaos.

The stadium’s energy exploded.

"Apologize, La Ge! Apologize, Lu Mian!"

"Get the plagiarists out of the music industry! Shameless!"

"We demand justice for Mr. Mi Lu!"

"..."

The shouting grew louder and louder.

La Ge thought the issue had been resolved already. Bowing to the audience, he was caught off guard and scolded mercilessly, rendered momentarily speechless.

He wasn’t skilled at handling situations like this and could only stammer into the microphone, "She didn’t plagiarize..."

Master Kunyang’s expression turned grave.

Fu Yu’s section faced some commotion among the fans but remained relatively calm.

Shen Yixin worked to appease Mi Lu’s fans.

Backstage, Xue Lu practically jumped with excitement as she clasped Lu Xinnuan’s hand tightly.

"Xinnuan, look! It’s happening—it’s starting! With the fans kicking up such a fuss, Mi Lu will definitely step forward to clarify everything!"

Lu Xinnuan’s eyes flashed briefly, a hint of triumph gleaming deep within, though her words carried regret and pain.

"If this keeps escalating, Lu Mian might lose everything..."

Xue Lu clapped her hands in delight. "That’s guaranteed!"