155: Chapter 154 Wandashan

The van glided smoothly through the afternoon traffic of Seoul, pulling away from the relatively "safe" confines of the KBS building. Inside the vehicle, the facade of lightheartedness they had barely maintained during the radio broadcast popped like a bubble in the sun, quickly dissolving into a heavy, almost stagnant atmosphere of oppression.

The twelve girls were packed into the spacious cabin, yet no one spoke. The euphoria and relief they felt when escaping the "apartment execution ground" earlier that morning had long since been washed away by Manager Oppa’s meaningful expression and the cold reality of returning to the "Myeong-dong filming site." Traces of fatigue from their radio duties lingered on every face, but deeper still was the dread of unknown "torture" and a sense of resigned numbness.

Kwon Eunbi watched the city streets flash by outside the window, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. She thought of Jiang Zhiyu’s breezy mention of a "joint on-site sale" over the phone and recalled the various humiliations of yesterday; her stomach tightened slightly. As the leader, she had to appear strong, but at this moment, even the strength to open her mouth and encourage her younger members seemed to have been drained away.

An Yujin hugged her knees, burying her face and leaving only her eyes visible as she stared blankly at the floor of the van. The slogans from the ramen shop still seemed to echo in her ears, and the title of "Firm Rock Guardian" felt like a heavy joke at this moment.

Yabuki Nako took small sips of water, her brow slightly furrowed as she still struggled to digest settings like "Abundant Artisan" and "Treasure Alchemy," as well as the new round of "public executions" they might bring.

Kang Hye-won leaned her head against the window glass, her eyes glazed over. Her mind was likely replaying the bizarre images of being a "Blazing Vanguard" and using "Fearless Charge" while working at the ramen shop.

Lee Chaeyeon, Kim Chaewon, Jo Yuri, and Honda Hitomi sat together in a low mood. Fragments of memories—TikTok scripts, black head covers, slow-motion product bombardments—flashed uncontrollably, plunging them collectively into a silence akin to the early symptoms of PTSD.

Miyawaki Sakura sat perfectly upright, hands folded on her knees. Her expression was a perfect mask of calm, but her slightly trembling fingertips betrayed her inner turmoil. The combination of terms like purple cabbage, rice cake balls, and Sakura Kill created shameful memories with immense destructive power.

Jang Wonyoung gripped the straps of her small bag tightly. There was little expression on her beautiful face, but deep in her eyes, there was a wealth of "resistance" and "vigilance." The Golden Toilet, the water bottle on her head, Star Spring Ferrying... and then that sudden Orion ad strike from this morning! She never wanted to hear the word "Orion" again for the rest of her life!

Kim Minju quietly adjusted her bangs over and over with mechanical movements. Libra's Fair Judgment had ultimately devolved into the farce of the Purple Cabbage Court, leaving her with a deep sense of powerlessness regarding Jiang Zhiyu's "creativity."

Choi Yena, however, wasn't as gloomy as the others. She was looking down at her phone, checking the "business data" (imaginary) for her sausage stall, her small face showing a bit of focus and... a faint hint of anticipation? She seemed more interested in whether her sausages would sell well during the upcoming "joint sale." But this weak air of optimism was insignificant under the overall low pressure enveloping the cabin.

Manager Oppa peeked through the rearview mirror from the passenger seat, observing the scene of "widespread misery" in the back. That bit of sympathy and guilt surfaced in his heart again. He thought of Producer Jiang Zhi Yu's projects, which, though absurd, indeed produced explosive data, and the various endorsements and commercial collaborations that followed as the show's popularity soared...

He cleared his throat, trying to break the suffocating silence, and spoke in as light and soothing a tone as possible:

“Kids, actually... think of the bright side.”

That one sentence drew the attention of all the members. Their gazes shifted to him in unison—there was no expectation in them, only the suspicion of "what good could you possibly say, Oppa?" and the exhaustion of "please don't try to comfort us."

The Manager braved the pressure and continued, "Producer Jiang's show, although... the process might be a bit... well, unique." He chose his words carefully, avoiding terms like "shameful," "demonic," or "outrageous." "But the results are truly great! The buzz is incredibly high, and the ratings and online views are all very good. And most importantly—"

He paused, trying to force an encouraging smile. "Producer Jiang has also brought you many tangible endorsements and commercial opportunities, hasn't he? Orion, Jieshi Sanitary Ware, and many other brands have noticed your performance on the show..."

“Oppa!!”

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by several overlapping screams of pain and indignation.

“Just be quiet! Please!” “Don't say another word!” “We don't want to hear this right now!”

Jang Wonyoung, in particular, was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; she bristled instantly, her beautiful face flushing bright red. Forgetting all about her idol image and senior-junior etiquette, she shouted toward Manager Oppa:

“You are not allowed to say the word ‘Orion’! Absolutely! Not!!”

Her voice was sharp with agitation, and her eyes were full of the resolve of "if you dare say it again, I'll fight you." The image from the morning's advertisement of her chibi-self shouting "I love eating Orion the most" was an indelible "dark history" in her career. Just thinking about it made her toes curl, wishing she could vanish on the spot.

The cabin fell silent for a moment. Everyone was startled by Jang Wonyoung's intense reaction; even Choi Yena, who had been immersed in her sausage world, looked up.

An Yujin blinked, looking at her sister who was overwhelmed with shame and indignation. Subconsciously, in a tone of natural ditziness and matter-of-factness, she added in a small voice:

“But Wonyoung... you are one of Orion's spokespeople now, and the ad is already filmed...”

This sentence was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Jang Wonyoung whipped her head around to glare at An Yujin, her beautiful almond eyes instantly filling with tears of frustrated rage. She reached out—not to hit anyone, but to cover her own ears—closed her eyes, and shouted in a near-collapsing, tearful tone:

“Ya! An Yujin! An-doe, an-doe!! Don't mention it! Don't you dare mention it again!!”

She completely abandoned her usual elegant and cute little princess image. At this moment, she was like a child who had finally exploded after being teased repeatedly, expressing her resistance and "I don't want to hear it" in the most direct way possible.

An Yujin was taken aback by this reaction and hurriedly waved her hands. “Ah, sorry Wonyoung, I didn't mean it like that...” She was just stating a fact.

As the other members watched this scene, a trace of absurd humor inexplicably mixed into their originally heavy moods. Jang Wonyoung’s "covering her ears and not listening" act was pitiful, but it was also... a bit funny. Even the usually cool Sakura couldn't help her lips from twitching slightly.

As the leader, Kwon Eunbi sighed and reached out to gently pat Jang Wonyoung’s shoulder as a form of comfort, but she didn't say anything. What could she say? Comfort her by saying "the endorsement fee is high, so just bear with it"? Or "negative publicity is still publicity"? Neither seemed right.

Manager Oppa shut his mouth completely, shrinking back into the passenger seat and staring straight ahead, pretending he didn't exist. He decided that before reaching their destination, he wouldn't open his mouth again. He didn't understand Producer Jiang's world; it was better to let the kids face it themselves.