191: Chapter 189 (G) I-DLE's new variety show "The Great Battle of the Mischievous Kids" has finally premiered!!!

While the eleven girls of IZ*ONE were using their wits (mostly wits) against the Mechanical Kitty Cat in the "Metal" attribute zone, staging a bizarre yet hot-blooded (?) "Rescue Duck X" operation, the real "duck"—Choi Yena herself—had pulled up a small stool and was sitting obediently (and boredly) in the backstage monitoring area, right next to the commander-in-chief, Jiang Zhiyu.

She was still wearing the apron printed with small fish patterns, and the charred aroma of sausages seemed to linger on the tip of her nose. But at this moment, she had transformed from the "Pisces Sausage Saintess" and "kidnapped hostage" into a pure... live audience member.

The large screen in front of her was divided into several sections, playing real-time footage captured by different cameras: Kwon Eunbi's steady command (the hard-working version), Jang Wonyoung's flash of inspiration, Kang Hye-won and Lee Chaeyeon's embarrassment and effort in their crude "Cloths," everyone's focus as they assembled the "Pneumatic Marble Gun," and finally, the cheers of joy as they successfully "knocked down" the Mechanical Meow King.

Choi Yena rested her chin in her hands, watching with great interest. But as she watched, the excitement on her small face gradually faded, replaced by a subtle trace of... disappointment. She let out a soft sigh.

Jiang Zhiyu was fully focused on the screens, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the control console as he evaluated the filming effects and the progress of the flow. Hearing the sigh from beside him, his eyes moved slightly. He turned his head and glanced at Choi Yena, but his gaze quickly returned to the screen, as if he were just confirming who had made the sound and didn't care about the reason.

Choi Yena stole a glance at Jiang Zhiyu. Today, PD Jiang was wearing a simple white short-sleeved T-shirt with a utility vest over it. His profile looked sharp under the light of the screens. Being so close, Choi Yena's nose sensitively caught a faint, ethereal fragrance emanating from Jiang Zhiyu.

That scent was very special. It didn't smell like perfume, but more like... some kind of ripe, even overripe fruit that was about to ferment into wine, mixed with the clean smell of sun-dried fabric. It was fresh with a hint of mellow sweetness and smelled very nice, but Choi Yena's mind wasn't on that right now.

What she cared more about was her screen time!

Being snatched away by the "Star Demons Claws" and taken off the main stage, she had thought it would be the climax of the "hostage plot" and that she would have an important role in the subsequent "rescue," like being locked in a cage looking pitiful while waiting for help, or providing key clues at a critical moment. And the result? She was brought backstage, had her sunglasses and headphones taken off, and then... that was it??

Watching her sisters on the screen working together and showing off their skills (even if the methods were bizarre) to pass the levels and "save" her, Choi Yena felt both moved and a little sour. Moved by their deep sisterly bond (as required by the script), and sour because... she seemed to have been completely excluded from this exciting (?) variety show!

This was no joke! As a member of IZ*ONE and the "Pisces Sausage Saintess," how could she be absent from such an "important" group action? Although the previous sausage stall and "kidnapping" scenes were already "exciting" enough, who wouldn't want to show their face more and participate in interesting segments?

However, although Choi Yena was grumbling in her heart, she didn't say anything. She always felt that with PD Jiang's bottomless (and full of bad taste) imagination, he couldn't really just leave her hanging. He must have some follow-up arrangements, maybe an even more "surprising" (or terrifying) script. So, she kept herself from asking and just sat there quietly (and a bit wilted) watching.

Just as Choi Yena was staring at the screen where her sisters were preparing to enter the next "Wood" attribute zone, and the small grievance in her heart was about to overflow, Jiang Zhiyu, who had been focused on monitoring, suddenly spoke without warning. His voice was calm, as if he were stating the most ordinary thing:

"Yena-ya."

"Huh? PD Jiang?" Choi Yena immediately sat up straight and looked at him.

Jiang Zhiyu was still looking at the screen, his finger pointing at one of the frames where the girls were cautiously stepping into a new area filled with green vines and fake tree props.

"For today's filming, once they reach the Wood attribute map, you just need to shout a few lines like 'Help!' or 'I'm over here' to cooperate, and then you can get ready to clock out."

"Ah?" Choi Yena didn't react for a moment. "Cl-clock out?"

"Yeah," Jiang Zhiyu finally turned his head and looked at Choi Yena. There was no particular expression on his face, he just nodded. "It's getting late, and we've already filmed plenty of material today—enough to edit several exciting episodes. Besides, the large props and special effects equipment needed for the subsequent variety show recordings will take time to specifically design and manufacture. That's about it for today's part."

"This... this is too sudden!" Choi Yena couldn't help but blurt out. She thought they were going to fight all the way to the end for a touching "victory reunion"! But after just passing the first level, it... ended? Then wouldn't her "hostage" role be an anticlimax?

Seeing the undisguised surprise and the hint of "I haven't acted enough yet" regret on Choi Yena's face, the corners of Jiang Zhiyu's mouth suddenly, slowly, bit by bit, curled upward. That smile was no longer his usual sunshine or mischief, but carried a deeper, mysterious, and... ill-intentioned wickedness.

He leaned in slightly closer to Choi Yena, lowering his voice, and that strange fruity fragrance grew a bit stronger. He looked into Choi Yena's wide, confused eyes and said slowly, in a tone as if sharing some shocking secret or coaxing a child:

"Don't worry, Yena~"

"Your solo program... the script, I've already thought it out."

"It's going to be very interesting~"

He deliberately emphasized the words "very interesting," drawing out the final syllable. Then, a large, standard devilish smile bloomed on his face, his eyes sparkling with the light of excitement and anticipation (anticipation for tormenting someone).

Choi Yena's heart skipped a beat at Jiang Zhiyu's sudden proximity, his eerie smile, and his suggestive words. Her back felt inexplicably chilly.

Solo program? Script? Very interesting?

Thinking back to PD Jiang's previous "creativity"... Sakura Unnie's rice cake balls, Eunbi Unnie's Lion Charge Duck Punch, Wonyoung's water bottle headgear, and that Mechanical Kitty Cat just now...

Choi Yena suddenly felt that her previous thought of wanting "more screen time" was perhaps... a bit too naive?

But for some reason, behind that chill, there was actually a tiny bit of... anticipation from being "specially cared for" by PD Jiang?

After all, being "personally" designed a "very interesting" solo script by PD Jiang was, in a way, a kind of "recognition" and "importance," right?

Probably.