120: Chapter 119

However, the real test was still to come. When they needed to serve a bowl of ordinary tonkotsu ramen to customers under names like "Lava-Roasted Rich Tonkotsu Ramen" or "Meteor Chashu Soft-Boiled Egg Ramen," and say the complete serving script with a smile...

The sense of shame hit them again like a tsunami, but this time, they had to face the wave, smiling as they "smashed" the noodles... and the slogan together in front of the customers.

The first battle of "Survival of the twelve star envoys in the Mortal World"—the Ramen Shop Shameful Slogan Operation—had officially begun! The four girls' idol professionalism (and shame tolerance) would face its most severe (and most hilarious) test here.

Unlike the "physical shame" faced by Group A in the ramen shop, the three members of Group B were currently facing the double torture of "creative exhaustion" and "traffic anxiety." They were squatting by a relatively secluded bench in the park, with the "Abstract Hilarious Prop Box" provided by the production team spread out before them, along with a phone connected to the TikTok account given by the team.

The contents of the box could be described as a chaotic mess: onesie pajamas printed with exaggerated expressions, cushions that made farting sounds, neon green afro wigs, plastic masks that could stretch faces into various strange shapes, several tubes of special effects makeup pens in eerie colors, a plastic trumpet that could mimic various animal sounds (out of tune), several bags of brightly colored but unknown flavored candies (from one of the investors), several bottles of fruit juice drinks in different flavors (from another investor), and even a few sample packs of a certain brand's laundry pods...

"How is this even possible!?!" Kim Chaewon scratched her hair. Usually prideful of her insight and deep thinking, her mind went blank when faced with the keywords "nonsense comedy" and "100,000 views." "One minute! And we have to use all this junk! And it has to be funny enough to go viral? We're not professional comedians!"

"And we have to make people remember the brand..." Jo Yuri picked up a bottle of juice, looking miserable. "We can't just take a dry sip and say 'it's delicious,' right? That would be too stiff; no one would watch it."

Honda Hitomi, with her gentle personality, was also a bit at a loss. She tried putting on a pink pig nose mask, her muffled voice coming from behind it: "Should we dance? Choreograph a cute dance and use these props as decorations?" But then she immediately dismissed it. "But... dance challenges seem hard to reach 100,000 views in a single day unless they're particularly catchy or topical..."

The three fell into a deadlock. The sun was shining brightly, and occasionally, elderly ladies walking dogs and playing children passed through the park, casting curious glances that only added to their pressure. Time ticked away, and they had no leads.

Just as they were about to despair and consider whether the three of them should just wear exaggerated headpieces and dance to "Panorama" (an IZ*ONE song) to take a gamble, Kim Chaewon's phone rang.

Caller ID: Jiang Zhiyu.

The three felt their hearts tighten simultaneously. A call at this time definitely meant nothing good!

Kim Chaewon hesitated for a moment before pressing the speakerphone button.

"Yo! Creative masters of Group B!" Jiang Zhiyu's energetic (and punchable) voice came through. "How's progress? Thought of a brilliant idea to blow up TikTok yet? 100,000 views and 5,000 comments are waiting for you!"

"...PD-nim, we..." Kim Chaewon tried to complain.

"Ah! I can tell from your voice that you've hit a bottleneck!" Jiang Zhiyu interrupted her, his tone full of "I knew it" smugness. "Don't worry! As your most reliable (?) PD, I've come to deliver a 'script'! I guarantee it's simple, effective, nonsensical, and will perfectly complete the task for our financial backers!"

The three looked at each other. Although they knew Jiang Zhiyu's "script" was likely another shame-play, in their current dead-end situation, they actually felt a faint sense of anticipation, thinking, "Just tell us what to do."

"Listen up!" Jiang Zhiyu cleared his throat and began dictating his "genius" script:

"Scene One: Indoors (you can film it back at your crappy apartment to save on venue fees)."

"Have one member—well, let's have Yuri-xi do it, your image is versatile—put on that most abstract headpiece from our prop box, the one printed with the 'detective conan black shadow man Smirk' emoji!"

(The three looked at the prop box and indeed found a black knitted headpiece at the very bottom that only exposed the eyes and mouth, printed with that classic "white light flashing beside the black shadow man as he smirks" expression. Shame level +100.)

"Then, Yuri-xi, your task is: sneak into the room stealthily (camera follows you), and lock onto the target clearly placed on the table—a 'Snickers bar' (investor)! You need to act out that comical 'I'm here to steal energy' vibe; the movements can be a bit exaggerated."

"Scene Two: Discovery and Chase."

"Just as Yuri-xi (wearing the headpiece) is about to succeed, the other two members—Chaewon-xi and Hitomi-xi—suddenly jump out from behind a door or a corner! Shout out: 'There's a thief! Stealing our Snickers!'"

"Then, a chaotic, comedy-filled chase scene begins! From the apartment room all the way to this small park! While running, you can add some comical falls (stay safe), hiding, or even accidentally bumping into a tree (fake bump) shots. The pursuers can use the 'fart cushion' from the prop box as a weapon, pressing it as they chase to add laughs."

"Scene Three: Park Dance Battle (13 seconds)."

"When the chase reaches an open area in the park (like this lawn), Yuri-xi (in the headpiece) is cornered. At this moment, music starts! Just pick any rhythmic BGM with a 'showdown' atmosphere (the production team provided a list). For the next 13 seconds, the three of you will have a 'dance battle'!"

"It's not a real fight; use dance moves to represent 'confrontation' and 'sparring'! You can borrow some martial arts or street dance moves, but make them funny and uncoordinated. For example, Chaewon-xi does a cool slide 'attack,' and Yuri-xi (headpiece) 'evades' with a clumsy penguin step; Hitomi-xi does a cute spinning 'flying kick,' and Yuri-xi (headpiece) 'defends' with an exaggerated lean back... In short, it should be both cool and stupid, making people want to laugh."

"Scene Four: Brand Bombardment (Slow Motion Heaven)."

"At the climax of the dance battle, Yuri-xi (headpiece) 'accidentally' throws the stolen Snickers at Chaewon-xi (misses, falls on the ground). Chaewon-xi 'angrily' picks up a pre-placed fruit juice drink (investor) and throws it at Yuri-xi (headpiece). Yuri-xi (headpiece) dodges, and the drink hits a clothesline (prop) that appeared out of nowhere, hanging a certain brand's white shirt (investor), causing the shirt to fall. Hitomi-xi takes the opportunity to grab a laundry pod (investor) and throws it like a shuriken..."

"Here's the key! Every moment an item is thrown, flies through the air, and hits the target (or misses) must be handled with slow motion, close-ups, and zooming! Let the audience clearly see the Snickers packaging, the juice bottle's brand logo, the white shirt's tag, and the color and shape of the laundry pod! Pair it with exaggerated sound effects like 'whoosh,' 'splat,' and 'thud'!"

"Remember, this isn't a battle; it's a carnival of brand display!"

"Scene Five: Final Blow (Water Gun Justice)."

"Just as Yuri-xi (headpiece) is getting dizzy from the bombardment of various investor products, Chaewon-xi and Hitomi-xi share a nod and simultaneously pull out two cool-looking colorful water guns (investor, a well-known water gun brand) from behind them (hidden beforehand)!"

"They strike a classic 'dual-wielding gunslinger' pose and shout (can be dubbed later): 'The stream of justice will sanction you!'"

"Then, 'pew pew pew—'! Two jets of water accurately (or slightly off-target for laughs) hit Yuri-xi's (headpiece) chest! Yuri-xi (headpiece) reacts with an exaggerated, slow-motion backward fall, and the 'stolen goods' (maybe half a pack of Snickers) fly out."

"The camera finally freezes on: the fallen 'black shadow man Smirk Headpiece,' surrounded by scattered investor products, and Chaewon-xi and Hitomi-xi holding water guns in victory poses. The screen fades to black, and subtitles appear: 'Stealing energy? Not happening! XX Energy Bar, replenishes your justice energy!' (Or a similar ad slogan added later)"

Jiang Zhiyu finished in one breath, and the sound of him drinking water came from the other end of the phone. "How is it? This script! Isn't it both nonsensical and hilarious, while perfectly completing the advertising tasks? Action, chases, dancing, slow motion, brand exposure, and even a little 'justice prevails over evil' plot! If filmed well, it'll definitely be catchy; 100,000 views isn't a dream!"

The three members of Group B holding the phone were completely stunned.

This script... had too many elements! The shame level was off the charts! The logic was fragmented! But for some reason, after listening, those comical images actually appeared in their minds, and... it seemed to really have the potential for a "catchy" and "viral video"?

"But... PD-nim," Hitomi asked weakly, "that headpiece... and the throwing things, the water guns... won't it be too..."

"Too what? Too creative?" Jiang Zhiyu said confidently. "That's the effect we want! Audiences love seeing idols drop their baggage and do strange yet cute things! Don't hesitate! Time is tight! The props are all ready, the scene is simple, it'll be fast to film!"

"Remember, the acting must be exaggerated! Be open! Don't be afraid of looking ugly! The more you let go, the better the effect! I have high hopes for you! Good luck! Looking forward to your hit video!"

With that, Jiang Zhiyu hung up the phone decisively.

By the park bench, there was silence.

Kim Chaewon, Jo Yuri, and Hitomi looked at each other, their expressions shifting from initial shock and daze to a complex mix of resignation, a "screw it" attitude, and a weird sense of fighting spirit born after being convinced by Jiang Zhiyu's "twisted logic."

"That..." Jo Yuri picked up the "black shadow man Smirk" headpiece, her fingers rubbing the coarse wool, her expression like someone facing death. "I... I'll wear this."

"We'll chase you." Kim Chaewon took a deep breath, picked up the fart cushion, and pressed it, making a comical "pfft—" sound.

"It seems... it is quite funny?" Hitomi said softly, picking up a bottle of juice.

"Then... let's try it!" Kim Chaewon gritted her teeth. "It's better than sitting here and coming up with nothing! Even though PD Jiang's ideas are weird, sometimes... the results are indeed..."

They didn't continue, but they all understood each other. Facing creative exhaustion and traffic pressure, Jiang Zhiyu's shameful yet concrete "script" had instead become a lifeline.

"Action!" Kim Chaewon stood up. "Back to the apartment first to film the indoor part! Yuri, figure out how to 'stealthily' steal the Snickers! Hitomi, let's think about the chase route and dance battle moves! We must finish filming, editing, and uploading by 6:00 PM!"

"Oh!!!"

Group B's fighting spirit was ignited in a strange way. They no longer obsessed over "high-level creativity" but prepared to fully immerse themselves in this "one-minute brand free-for-all" written by Jiang Zhiyu, filled with absurd ads and nonsensical laughs.

The 100,000 TikTok views challenge would unfold in a way no one could have predicted. In the end, what would be presented to the audience? A disastrously awkward video or an unexpectedly viral catchy comedy? The answer was in the hands of these three girls who were about to completely "let themselves go."

Compared to the ramen shop's fixed slogans and the TikTok group's abstract script, the task of the Marketing Group, Group C—Miyawaki Sakura, Jang Wonyoung, and Kim Minju—seemed to have clear goals (selling groceries and buying ingredients), but in reality, it was full of uncertainty and... "special care" from the PD.

The three held the slip of paper given by the production team, which had the address of a partner stall (a comprehensive stall selling daily groceries and snacks) and a list of items. They moved through the crowded market aisles. The air was a mix of the fishy smell of seafood, the earthy scent of vegetables, the aroma of cooked food, and the clamor of various bargaining voices. For idols accustomed to stages and cameras, this was a completely different world.

As the most experienced senior in the team (even if she had "amnesia," her aura remained), Sakura tried to straighten her back and encouraged her two younger sisters: "Girls, don't be afraid! Although the environment is unfamiliar and the task is difficult, as an idol, we must face any problem bravely! Treat this promotion as a special stage and the passersby as our audience! Use our sincerity and... well, the advantages of the products to move them!"

Her speech was full of a senior's sense of responsibility and an idol's professional awareness, making Jang Wonyoung and Kim Minju nod repeatedly, slightly dispelling their tension.

However, before the echoes of these inspiring words could fade, a voice so familiar it made their spines tingle rang out from a nearby stall with exaggerated praise:

"Well said! Sakura-xi! As expected of an idol role model with years of stage experience and unyielding perseverance!"

The three stiffly turned their heads.

Behind a steaming stall nearby that specialized in various Korean snacks, a man wearing an apron covered in flour and a headband with the word "Struggle" tied around his head was skillfully rolling rice cake balls while flashing a bright (and ill-intentioned) smile at them.

Who else could it be but Jiang Zhiyu?!