270: Chapter 250 Wood-Attribute Field Arc: Aquarius's Guidance and Gemini's Clone

Sunlight filtered through the meticulously arranged artificial canopy, casting dappled shadows on the ground covered in moss and fallen leaves. The Wood Attribute Field truly created the illusion of strolling through a forest—if one ignored the army of green Slimes slowly wriggling beside the glowing green pool, emitting "gurgle" sounds.

Nako and Kim Minju had been hovering at the edge of the area covered by Slimes for nearly ten minutes.

The two held lightweight leaf baskets, their expressions shifting from initial nervousness to total bewilderment. Following the Old Monkey's hints of being "composed and patient" and "adapting to the environment," they lightened their footsteps and slowed their breathing, attempting to find a "harmonious way" to approach the pool and the Moonlight Flower patch.

But the problem was—there were simply no clues to be found!

Those translucent green Slimes were densely packed around the materials, wriggling slowly like a constantly shifting living barrier. The pool emitted an eerie green light, and the Moonlight Flower patch beside it flickered with a faint silver glow, but under the coverage of the Slimes, even the exact location was difficult to determine.

"Nako…" Kim Minju lowered her voice, her face filled with helplessness, "How exactly are we supposed to…"

Nako's big eyes widened even further at this moment. She cautiously tested the ground in front of her with her tiptoes, as if defusing a bomb: "I don't know… I have absolutely no idea… Does 'composed' mean standing here in a daze?"

The other members watching from outside the field also began to grow anxious.

Kwon Eunbi, as the leader, furrowed her brows: "There isn't much time left. According to the script settings, if the Slime army is disturbed, there will be a Slime attack…"

"And it will waste time," An Yujin added, her expression serious, "There might even be some kind of penalty segment."

Just then, Choi Yena, who had been sitting in the spectator area and originally just there to "watch," suddenly had an idea. She looked at Jang Wonyoung, who was wearing the "Crown Aquarius" and looked frosty, and Kim Chaewon, who was standing a bit further away and equally helpless about today's shoot.

"Wonyoung! Chaewon!" Choi Yena waved her hands, her voice filled with the excitement of someone who loved watching chaos, "Aren't you two aquarius and gemini? Quickly, think of a way! External support!"

Everyone's gaze turned in unison toward Jang Wonyoung and Kim Chaewon.

Jang Wonyoung: "……"

Kim Chaewon: "……"

A staff member timely handed over two script cards.

Jang Wonyoung looked down at the content on the card, and her already cold face darkened another shade instantly. She slowly raised her head, her gaze shooting toward Jiang Zhiyu in the off-field director's area like tangible icicles.

Behind the monitor, Jiang Zhiyu gave her a thumbs up, his smile blindingly bright.

"……" Jang Wonyoung took a deep breath, as if making a major sacrifice, and reached out—not to touch the water bottle on her head, but to directly take that crystal-clear "Crown Aquarius" off her head.

She held the water bottle above her head with both hands, her movements as stiff as if she were performing some ancient sacrificial ritual.

Then, in a tone devoid of emotion, almost like reading from a script, she recited the lines on the card:

"Oh aquarius, harboring mysterious power! I command you in the name of the aquarius Saint! Seal release!"

The moment the words fell—

Inside the Wood Attribute Field, clear water suddenly seeped from the previously dry mossy ground. These water currents, as if alive, meandered along the ground, gradually forming glowing paths that pointed toward several specific gaps in the area guarded by the Slime army.

Nako and Kim Minju looked in surprise at the water flow guidance that had suddenly appeared under their feet.

"Oh? It really works?" Nako blinked.

However, before they could be happy for long, a second set of lines rang out from outside the field—

Kim Chaewon held up her own script card, her expression even more despairing than Jang Wonyoung's. She looked at the text on the card, her mouth twitching a few times, and finally recited at a speed as fast as a train:

"Ancient glory of gemini, power of separation."

After finishing, she immediately hid the card behind her back, as if that could deny everything that had just happened.

But the changes inside the Wood Attribute Field did not stop.

Kim Chaewon suddenly felt the world spinning—when she regained her senses, she found herself standing next to Nako and Kim Minju, at the edge of the Slime army's encirclement!

"Eh eh eh?!" Kim Chaewon was so startled she almost jumped, "How did I get in here?!"

A staff member wearing green work clothes, disguised as a "Forest Elf," poked their head out from behind a "tree" and explained solemnly:

"The setting is the 'Clone Descent' skill! The gemini Saint can create a clone to arrive on the scene to support! In reality, it means Chaewon-xi has also entered the field to help! The time limit is thirty minutes!"

Kim Chaewon was stunned for two seconds, looked at the equally bewildered Nako and Kim Minju beside her, then looked at the wriggling green Slimes in the distance, and finally sighed as if resigning herself to fate:

"Fine… at least I can have some sense of participation…?"

Her tone was full of self-consolation, but her eyes were already filled with the grief and indignation of "Jiang Zhiyu, I'll remember this."

Meanwhile, outside the field, after finishing that shameful line, Jang Wonyoung had already quickly put the water bottle back on her head, as if nothing had happened just now. It was just that the low pressure radiating from her made the members within three meters silently step back half a pace.

"Wonyoung," Choi Yena leaned over and asked in a whisper, "What were you thinking when you were reciting those lines just now?"

Jang Wonyoung slowly turned her head, revealing a perfect but completely temperatureless "idol smile":

"Thinking about how to stuff PD Jiang into this water bottle, and then 'Seal release' him to the bottom of the Han River."

Choi Yena: "……"

Okay, understood, the aggro level is already maxed out.

Inside the field, the thirty-minute countdown began.

With the guidance of the water path and Kim Chaewon's joining, Nako and Kim Minju finally had direction.

"According to the water flow direction, there, there, and there…" Kim Chaewon pointed at the glowing path on the ground, "should be the gaps where the Slime coverage is relatively weak. But we need to approach from three directions simultaneously to distract them."

"But there are only three of us," Nako pointed out the problem.

Kim Chaewon looked at the leaf basket in her hand, then at those slow-wriggling green jelly-like creatures in the distance, and suddenly had an idea:

"Didn't the Old Monkey say 'composed and patient' and 'adaptability'? Maybe… we don't need to force a breakthrough?"

She squatted down and carefully observed the nearest Slime. That Slime was about the size of a basketball, its grass-green translucent body slowly undulating, and it didn't seem to react much to their proximity.

"They move very slowly," Kim Chaewon analyzed, "And it looks like… their intelligence isn't high?"

As if to verify her words, two Slimes nearby accidentally bumped into each other, then "fused" like jelly for a few seconds, and then slowly separated, continuing to wriggle without any purpose.

Nako and Kim Minju exchanged glances.

"So…" Kim Minju asked uncertainly, "Can we… sneak past them?"

"Or," Kim Chaewon's eyes lit up, "make them move aside themselves?"

She remembered something and took out a small pack of sponsor snacks left over from the previous shoot—fruit-flavored gummy candies—from her pocket.

Under Nako and Kim Minju's surprised gazes, Kim Chaewon cautiously placed a pink gummy on the ground, then slowly pushed it in front of a Slime.

That Slime paused, and the wriggling on its body surface seemed to speed up a little. It "hesitated" for a few seconds (if Slimes could have such an emotion as hesitation), and then slowly, extremely slowly… wriggled a short distance toward the gummy.

"They like sweet things!" Kim Chaewon lowered her voice excitedly.

Nako immediately rummaged through her own small bag and found a few candies—those she had secretly hidden earlier to replenish energy during the long shoot.

"I have some too!"

The three looked at each other, and a plan quickly took shape.

Outside the field, behind the monitor.

Jiang Zhiyu rubbed his chin, watching the scene on the screen where the three girls were squatting on the ground, using candies to "lure" the Slimes to make way, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"As expected of gemini," he whispered to himself, "It's a manifestation of adaptability and 'ability to adapt'…"

The staff member next to him asked in a whisper: "PD Jiang, this is different from the script's preset 'composed and patient collection,' should we intervene?"

"Why intervene?" Jiang Zhiyu raised an eyebrow, "The script is dead, but people are alive. This kind of improvisation is the essence of a reality show!"

He paused, then added:

"Besides, don't you think—the scene of luring Slimes with candy is much more interesting than simply 'composedly collecting'?"

The staff member looked at the scene on the screen, where Kim Chaewon was using a lollipop like a fishing rod to slowly "fish" a Slime to the side, and nodded silently.

Indeed… much more interesting.

Inside the field, twenty-five minutes remaining on the countdown.

Under the three's candy tactic, the first path to the pool had been successfully "opened up."

Nako was responsible for using candies to attract the Slimes' attention, while Kim Chaewon and Kim Minju took the opportunity to quickly pass through the gap and approach the glowing green pool.

"Star Fragments…" Kim Minju looked at the small pool of liquid shimmering with starlight in the center of the water pool, feeling a bit troubled, "How do we collect it? Use our hands directly?"

"Use this." Kim Chaewon rummaged through the "adventure prop bag" prepared by the staff in advance and found a small glass bottle—the bottle body was carved with constellation patterns, obviously a carefully designed prop.

She cautiously dipped the glass bottle into the pool, scooping up those liquids shimmering with starlight. The liquid swirled slowly inside the bottle, as if it truly contained the power of the stars.

"Success!" Kim Minju cheered in a whisper.

But just then—

"Gurgle!!!"

A "gurgle" sound, much louder than before and carrying a sense of dissatisfaction, came from the side.

The three turned their heads stiffly and found that a dozen Slimes seemed to have noticed their "home" being invaded and were slowly surrounding them from all directions. Their wriggling speed had obviously increased, and the green on their body surfaces had become more turbid.

"Oh no…" Nako's face turned pale, "Are they angry?"

"Run!" Kim Chaewon made a prompt decision, shoved the glass bottle filled with Star Fragments to Kim Minju, grabbed the remaining candies in the basket herself, and threw them hard into the distance, "Distract them!"

The candies drew an arc in the air and landed on the mossy ground in the distance.

A portion of the Slimes were indeed attracted by the sweets and turned their direction to wriggle toward the candies. But seven or eight were still persistently surrounding them, and the distance was getting closer and closer.

"Go to the Moonlight Flower side!" Kim Minju pointed to the flower patch shimmering with silver light on the other side, "According to the plan, split up!"

The three quickly separated, Nako continued to lure with candies, while Kim Chaewon and Kim Minju rushed toward the Moonlight Flower patch from two directions respectively.

Twenty minutes remaining on the countdown, the real challenge was only just beginning.

—

Just as Nako, Kim Minju, and Kim Chaewon were struggling to advance in the encirclement of the Slime army, Choi Yena in the off-field spectator area was hugging her light green Lemm, eating snacks and watching with great interest.

"Oh oh! Chaewon Unnie is so smart! Using candies to lure the Slimes!"

"Wow—Nako Unnie is running so fast! But that Slime is really crawling so slowly…"

"Minju Unnie be careful! On the left! Another one is coming from the left!"

She was completely immersed in the joy of watching her teammates "suffer," without noticing the approach of danger at all.

Until a familiar voice rang in her ear:

"Yena~"

Choi Yena stiffened all over.

That voice was gentle, kind, and even carried a hint of a smile—but to her, this was no different from a devil's whisper.

The alarm in her heart instantly sounded to the highest level, every cell was screaming: "Danger! Danger! PD Jiang is approaching! Level one alert!"

On the surface, Choi Yena quickly adjusted her expression, revealing a standard, polite, and twelve-point vigilant smile, and turned her head:

"What's wrong, PD Jiang?"

Jiang Zhiyu stood beside her, his hands tucked into the pockets of his director's vest, wearing his signature smile that seemed forever full of sunshine and "great ideas."

He tilted his head slightly, casting his gaze toward the wood-attribute set currently being filmed, his expression suddenly turning serious.

"Yena," his voice also took on a note of solemnity, "what do you think is the most important thing for a good variety show?"

Choi Yena blinked, her brain racing.

This was a trap question! Definitely a trap question!

She answered cautiously, "Um... interesting? Watchable? Something the audience likes?"

"Correct, but not entirely," Jiang Zhiyu shook his head, pointing toward the three people in the field who were struggling to dodge the Slime Slime sprays, "Look, Nako, Kim Minju, and Chaewon are all working very hard, and the cameras are following them. But—"

He paused, turned to look at Choi Yena, his gaze earnest:

"A variety show needs everyone to have screen time, for everyone to have a sense of participation and opportunities to show themselves. Do you think I'm right?"

Choi Yena: "..."

She stared at Jiang Zhiyu for three seconds, then let out a long, deep sigh.

That sigh was so heavy it felt as if half her soul had sighed right out of her.

Then, she leaned back, flopping onto the chair in the spectator area, striking a standard "lying flat" pose:

"PD Jiang, just tell me straight out what you want me to do."

She had seen this routine of preaching big principles before making a request too many times during the filming of twelve star envoys.

Kwon Eunbi Unnie had said that when PD Jiang started talking about "variety philosophy" and "show balance," it meant someone was about to be unlucky.

And this time, that unlucky person was obviously her.

Jiang Zhiyu's smile instantly switched back from "serious and earnest" to "sunny and bright," his speed of changing faces truly breathtaking.

"Hehe," he leaned in closer, lowering his voice as if to share some earth-shattering secret, "Do you want to make a cameo as the blue General Kitty Cat?"

Choi Yena nodded reflexively: "Nei~ I know..."

Halfway through her sentence, she suddenly froze.

Wait.

Blue what?

What kind of General Cat?

Blue Kitty what?

Her eyes slowly widened, her face full of disbelief:

"Hold on—what do you mean by blue General Kitty Cat?!!"

Jiang Zhiyu looked completely matter-of-fact: "It's just a blue Hello Kitty! General version! How cute!"

Choi Yena: "..."

She looked down at Lemm, who was innocently "bubbling" in her arms, then looked up at Jiang Zhiyu's face, which was written all over with "This is a great idea, right?", and finally cast her gaze toward the field—where her teammates were being chased in a sorry state by a group of green Slimes.

"PD Jiang," Choi Yena's voice trembled slightly, "I remember... in the previous script, the General Kitty Cat was played by Lee Chaeryeong-xi? And she was pink?"

"That's right!" Jiang Zhiyu nodded vigorously, "But look, wood-attribute field, green Slimes, pink Kitty Cat—the color coordination is off! So we need a blue one! Blue and green go so well together, a touch of cool in the forest!"

He spoke with great animation, as if expounding on some brilliant artistic theory.

The corner of Choi Yena's mouth began to twitch: "But... why me?"

"Because you're off today!" Jiang Zhiyu said righteously, "And you're a pisces. Aren't fish and cats a classic pairing? How fun!"

"That's a natural enemy pairing!!"

"Eh~ don't worry about these details~" Jiang Zhiyu waved his hand, and as if by magic, produced from behind his back a—huge, blue, Hello Kitty mask.

The mask was quite exquisitely made, with a silver General's emblem embroidered on the blue velvet surface. On top was a small blue military cap, and the bows on both sides had been modified into cool cloak clasp shapes.

In all fairness, the craftsmanship was excellent.

But it was blue.

And it was a Hello Kitty mask.

Choi Yena stared at the mask, her expression as if she were looking at some terrifying creature from another dimension.

"Come on, come on~" Jiang Zhiyu shoved the mask into her arms, "Just a short cameo! Not many lines, mainly just 'supervising the battle' behind the Slime army, strike a few cool poses, and then get 'defeated' by Nako and the others using a strategy! It's very simple!"

"Does getting defeated count as part of the cameo too?!!"

"Of course! The villain is an important character too!" Jiang Zhiyu clenched his fist, his eyes shining with the light of "I'm such a genius," "And think about it, Nako and the others are in a bitter fight right now, and suddenly a blue General Kitty Cat appears—how dramatic! How fun! The audience will definitely love it!"

Choi Yena hugged the blue mask and looked back at the soft Lemm in her arms.

Lemm seemed to sense its owner's conflict; the pale green light inside its body flickered a few times, and it made a soft "bubbling" sound, as if comforting her.

"...Alright." Choi Yena finally lowered her head in resignation, "How long do I have to act?"

"Ten minutes! Fifteen minutes at most!" Jiang Zhiyu immediately guaranteed, "As soon as we finish filming, you can come back and continue eating snacks and watching the show! And—!"

He lowered his voice mysteriously:

"After we finish filming this segment, I can have the prop team make a mini version of Lemm's 'Krabby Patty Form' as a charm to give you! You can hang it on your bag!"

Choi Yena's eyes lit up instantly.

"Really?!"

"When have I ever lied to you?"

(In the distance, Chaewon, who was frantically dodging Slime Slime in the field, sneezed, inexplicably feeling a chill down her back.)

"Deal!" Choi Yena stood up, clutching the blue Kitty Cat mask, her face full of the tragic determination of "I'll do anything for Lemm merchandise."

Jiang Zhiyu nodded with satisfaction and beckoned the makeup artist and costume designer over:

"Quick! Get Yena changed! Blue General Kitty Cat, needs to be cute amidst the coolness, and dignified amidst the cuteness! You have five minutes!"

"Yes, PD Jiang!"

Five minutes later.

At the edge of the wood-attribute field, in the "depths of the forest," a brand new character appeared.

Choi Yena—no, now she was "General Blue · Meow · Meow-lacris"—wearing a modified general's uniform with blue and silver trim, draped in a dark blue cloak, and wearing that huge blue Hello Kitty mask, she slowly walked out from behind a "big tree."

Her entrance music was a remixed version of the "Military March," but interspersed with cute "meow meow" sound effects.

In the field, Nako, Kim Minju, and Chaewon, who were using their last few candies to lure the Slimes, froze simultaneously.

The three of them looked in unison at the blue figure, their expressions unified into: "???"

"What... is that?" Chaewon muttered.

"A blue... Hello Kitty?" Kim Minju said uncertainly.

Nako narrowed her eyes, carefully observing the face shape vaguely visible under the mask, then gasped:

"Wait—that walking posture—it looks like Yena?!"

As if to verify her words, the blue General Kitty Cat raised the "scepter" in her hand (a gorgeous conductor's baton with a blue gem set at the top) and announced loudly in a voice processed by a voice changer, but still recognizably Choi Yena's:

"Meow! I am the commander of the Seventh Legion under the Star Demon, General Blue · Meow · Meow-lacris! Foolish saints, how dare you trespass into the Forbidden Wood and steal the Star Relics! Meow-ha! Today, I shall let you witness the power of this General! Meow-woo~!"

That last "meow-woo" was clearly a word Choi Yena added herself, with a bit of a voice crack, making it sound more like a scream.

Outside the field, Jiang Zhiyu was laughing so hard behind the monitor that he was rocking back and forth.

"Good! Very good! That's exactly the feeling! Cute amidst the awkwardness, and lifelessness amidst the cuteness! Perfect!"

In the field, Nako, Kim Minju, and Chaewon looked at each other.

They looked at the green Slimes still slowly wriggling around them, then at the blue General Kitty Cat striking exaggerated poses, and finally, all three sighed at the same time.

"So," Chaewon summarized, "our mission has changed from 'collecting materials' to 'defeating a blue Hello Kitty General while surrounded by Slimes'?"

"Seems like it." Kim Minju nodded.

Nako rubbed her forehead: "PD Jiang's imagination... I really can never keep up with it..."

But time waited for no one.

Fifteen minutes countdown.

The blue General Kitty Cat, Choi Yena, was already waving her scepter, commanding the surrounding Slimes to surround them.

Under her "command," the green jelly creatures actually increased their wriggling speed.

"No choice then," Chaewon gripped the leaf basket in her hand, "Stick to the plan, split up! Nako, continue collecting Moonflowers! Minju, protect the Star Droplets! I—"

She glanced at that blue figure, the corner of her mouth curling into a bitter smile:

"I'll go 'deal with' that General Blue."

The battle (or rather, an absurd chase scene) officially began.

Outside the field, Jiang Zhiyu watched the scene on the monitor with satisfaction and noted down in his notebook:

[Blue General Kitty Cat setup successful. Next time, I can consider a rainbow Kitty Cat legion, one general for each color, and have all of IZ*ONE make cameos... Hmm, good idea!]

He didn't notice at all that not far behind him, Jang Wonyoung was staring at his back with a cold gaze, the "Crown Aquarius" in her hand creaking.

"Jiang Zhiyu..." she whispered to herself, "After we finish filming this segment... let's settle our accounts properly..."

——Wood Attribute Field Chapter: The "Product Placement" War Blessed by the Stars

Just as Chaewon bit the bullet and charged toward the blue General Kitty Cat, and Nako and Kim Minju were struggling to collect Moonflowers amidst the Slime encirclement, Jiang Zhiyu revealed a satisfied smile behind the monitor.

He gave a wink to the assistant beside him.

The assistant immediately picked up the megaphone and, using that exaggerated tone of an "emergency battle report," shouted loudly toward the field:

"Oh—no—!"

This shout came so suddenly that not only were the three people in the field startled, but even Choi Yena, who was waving her blue scepter and trying hard to play the "dignified General," almost twisted her ankle.

The megaphone continued:

"Under the evil command of General Blue · Meow · Meow-lacris, the aggressiveness of the Slime army has increased significantly! They are launching a fierce attack on Saint Nako and Saint Minju!"

As if to coordinate with this statement, the surrounding green Slimes wriggled even more vigorously, and a few bold ones even tried to spray sticky, pale green liquid at Nako and Kim Minju.

"Ah—!" Kim Minju screamed and jumped away, barely dodging a pool of "Slime attack."

"The situation is critical now!" The voice from the megaphone became increasingly impassioned, "Remaining saints! You cannot stand by any longer! Please immediately use your star power—and those sacred products blessed by Star Fragments—to attack the enemy, or protect your companions!"

Both inside and outside the field, the expressions of all IZ*ONE members reached a high level of unity at this moment: first stunned, then realizing, and finally turning into the numbness of "I knew it."

Kwon Eunbi rubbed her forehead: "In the end, it's just the segment for promoting endorsed products..."

Jang Wonyoung sneered: "It's late, but it's here."

An Yujin sighed: "I knew PD Jiang wouldn't pass up any opportunity for product placement..."

Kang Hye-won's eyes lit up: "Products? What products? Is there anything to eat?"

Miyawaki Sakura had already given up on thinking, her eyes losing their luster.

In the field, Chaewon, while dodging the erratic "scepter attacks" from Choi Yena (General Blue), took a moment to shout toward the outside:

"So what do we do now?! Read the ad copy?!"

"That's right—!" The voice in the megaphone was full of encouragement, "Use your conviction to awaken the star power contained within the products! Remember, you are not selling, you are summoning sacred relics!"

"..." Chaewon's mouth twitched, "That sounds really nice." But the situation was stronger than the people.

[part:gemini-3.0-flash]

Seeing that the situation on Nako and Kim Minju's side was becoming increasingly critical—the Slimes, though slow-moving, were numerous, and while the mucus they spat out wasn't painful, it was sticky and disgusting, leaving light green stains on clothes—Kim Chaewon knew they had to act.

She took a deep breath and pulled out from a small pouch at her waist... a tube of lipstick.

It was a limited edition from a high-end cosmetic brand, exquisitely packaged, with a "Star Fragments · Mark of Beauty" label temporarily applied by the production team.

Kim Chaewon stared at the tube of lipstick for two seconds, her expression shifting from struggle to resignation, eventually turning into a sort of "whatever, let it all burn" open-mindedness.

She held the lipstick high and shouted in as solemn (but clearly awkward) a voice as possible:

"O radiance of the gemini Saintess—please grant this 'Star Glow Moisturizing Lipstick' the power of protection! Let its luster form a barrier and shield my companions!"

As her voice fell, she pressed the lipstick down hard—but no special effects occurred.

The set fell silent for two seconds.

Then, Jiang Zhiyu's voice, muffled by suppressed laughter, came through the loudspeaker: "Chaewon-ssi, you have to use it toward the people who need protecting..."

Kim Chaewon: "...Why didn't you say so earlier!"

Embarrassed, she turned toward Nako and Kim Minju, raising the lipstick again: "Uh... Star Glow Moisturizing, Protective Barrier, activate!"

This time, the props team finally triggered the mechanism.

A circle of soft, shimmering light lit up on the ground around Nako and Kim Minju, looking quite like a protective barrier. When several Slimes tried to approach and touched the light, ripples appeared on their surfaces, and they slowly retreated.

"Oh? It actually works?" Nako looked at the ring of light at her feet in surprise.

Kim Minju, on the other hand, noticed the details: "This light... it looks like that 'Star Shimmer Effect' from the lipstick commercial..."

"That's exactly what it is!" Kim Chaewon was ready to cry. "I just finished filming that commercial yesterday..."

With a successful case established, the others watching from the sidelines also caught on.

Kwon Eunbi sighed and pulled a sponsor's drink from her pocket—a label reading "Lionheart Energy Drink" was pasted on the bottle.

She opened the cap, took a deep breath, and said in the authoritative (though slightly trembling) tone of a leader:

"Glory of leo, be infused into this drink! Those who drink it shall receive the courage of a 'Fearless Charge'!"

After speaking, she took a sip herself and handed it to An Yujin next to her: "Yujin-ah, go help Chaewon and the others."

An Yujin took the drink with a complicated expression: "Unnie, this is actually just a sports drink, isn't it..."

"Stop talking and just drink it!"

"Yes..."

An Yujin tilted her head back to drink, and then—two small, metallic-glinting pauldrons suddenly popped out from the shoulders of her "Capricorn Battle Robe." Though they were clearly plastic props, paired with her current helpless yet tragic expression, they created a strangely comedic effect.

"Alright, I'm 'fearless' now," An Yujin said with a look of utter resignation before charging into the fray.

Jang Wonyoung watched all this coldly, then looked down at the "Crown Aquarius" on her head.

She knew there was no escape.

Sure enough, she was called out over the loudspeaker: "star spring messenger Saintess Wonyoung! Please use your holy 'Glacial Source Crystal Holy Water' to purify those contaminated Slimes!"

Jang Wonyoung closed her eyes and took three deep breaths before she could barely suppress the urge to hurl the water bottle at Jiang Zhiyu.

She took the water bottle off her head again—this time with movements carrying obvious murderous intent—and held it before her:

"...O holy water bottle containing the power of purity, please release your 'World-Purifying Star Spring' and wash away these creatures eroded by evil."

She recited it incredibly fast, every word seemingly squeezed out from between her teeth.

However, the prop effect was unexpectedly magnificent.

The staff activated pre-installed sprayers, and several fine mists of water sprayed from around the field, forming small rainbows in the sunlight. The murky green on the surface of the Slimes hit by the mist actually faded slightly, and their wriggling speed slowed down.

"Wow, so pretty!" Kang Hye-won clapped from the side, then suddenly remembered something. "Ah! It's my turn!"

She excitedly pulled out a pack of... instant noodles.

It was milk-flavored.

"Blazing flame of aries!" Kang Hye-won held the noodles high, her eyes sparkling. "Please bestow warmth and power upon these 'Star Milky Noodles'—those who eat them shall gain the stamina for a 'Fearless Charge' and the satisfaction of 'Healing the Soul'!"

She recited it incredibly smoothly, even with genuine emotion.

Jo Yuri, standing nearby, couldn't help but Make complaints: "Hyewon-ah, you added that last bit about 'healing the soul' on the spot, didn't you?"

"Hehe~" Kang Hye-won stuck out her tongue. "But instant noodles really do heal the soul!"

With Kang Hye-won setting an example as the "sincere type," the others gradually let loose.

Honda Hitomi pulled out a skincare product: "The gentle tides of cancer are contained within this 'Moonlight Repair Cream'—applying it grants a temporary 'Protective Film' to resist the mucus invasion!"

Yabuki Nako brought out some height-increasing insoles (a show-limited edition, covered in sequins): "The stability of taurus... um... let this 'Cloud-Climbing Ladder' grant you the ability of 'Firm Footing'!" (She laughed herself after finishing).

Lee Chaeyeon showed off a pair of sneakers: "The gale of sagittarius resides in these 'Shooting Star Leaping Battle Boots'—wear them to increase movement speed!" (In reality, they were just the sponsor's latest running shoes).

The most extreme was Miyawaki Sakura.

She expressionlessly pulled out a bag of rice cake balls—the same kind that appeared in the "Rice Cake Ball Instant Kill Array" before—and said in a dead voice:

"Sakura Kill of Love and Justice... Rice cake balls... eating them can... replenish stamina... probably."

By the end, her voice grew smaller and smaller, and the light in her eyes had completely died out.

On the field, the battle became increasingly chaotic and... hilarious due to the addition of these "Star-infused products."

An Yujin, drinking her "Lionheart Energy Drink" and sporting plastic pauldrons, stood alongside Kim Chaewon, who was using her "Star Glow Moisturizing Lipstick" as a magic wand, against the blue General Kitty Cat, Choi Yena.

Choi Yena clumsily parried with her scepter while finding time to recite her "General's lines": "Meow! Mere child's play! Behold my 'Blue Whirlwind Slash'! Meow-ha—!"

She swung her scepter and spun around, but she spun so hard she nearly threw herself off balance.

On the other side, under the protection of the "Protective Barrier," Nako and Kim Minju finally succeeded in gathering enough Moonlight Flowers. Nako even tried using the height-increasing insoles to reach a flower higher up.

"Nako-ya," Kim Minju whispered, "do those insoles... really work?"

"It's a placebo effect!" Nako said seriously. "But a placebo effect is still an effect!"

Jang Wonyoung stood in a relatively safe position, her face dark as she continued to provide support with "Holy Water Purification." Every time the sprayers activated, her expression grew a degree colder.

"Jiang Zhiyu..." she whispered the name repeatedly, as if reciting a curse.

Off-field, Jiang Zhiyu was already laughing so hard behind the monitor that he couldn't stand up straight.

"Good! Excellent! This is exactly the effect I wanted! Effort amidst the absurdity, professionalism through the awkwardness! The audience will definitely remember these products!"

An assistant wiped away sweat nearby: "PD Jiang, is this really okay? Isn't it a bit too... forced?"

"Forced?" Jiang Zhiyu arched an eyebrow. "This is called 'creative integration'! And look, even though they're complaining, they're acting very seriously! This kind of contrast is what's most interesting!"

He paused and looked at the blue figure in the field:

"Especially Yena. She didn't slack off just because it's a guest role; instead, she portrayed that feeling of 'I'm embarrassed but I'm trying my best'... Hmm, maybe I can give her more screen time next time."

Choi Yena, who was working hard at playing the "Blue General," suddenly felt a shiver, inexplicably feeling like someone was plotting against her.

Final five minutes of the countdown.

With the cooperation of everyone (and the products), the Slime army was temporarily "purified" or "dispersed," and the blue General Kitty Cat was "pushed back" to the edge of the field by An Yujin and Kim Chaewon.

Nako and Kim Minju successfully gathered the Star Drops and Moonlight Flowers, and the three groups met up, ready to retreat.

The "Old Monkey" NPC appeared at the right time, announcing in a raspy voice:

"Young Saintesses... you have proven the power of unity and wisdom... Now, take these pure materials and craft the purification potion... The Wood Realm is safe for now..."

"Great!" Nako breathed a sigh of relief, wiping non-existent sweat from her forehead.

Kim Minju looked at the basket full of materials in her hand, her expression complicated: "So, just now... were we on an adventure, or were we filming a commercial?"

Kim Chaewon patted her shoulder: "Look on the bright side, at least we're all still alive."

"Meow! Don't get cocky!" The blue General Kitty Cat, Choi Yena, waved her scepter in the distance. "This General shall return! Meow-wu—!"

After speaking, she followed the script and made a "cool turn," preparing to exit—

Only to be tripped by her own cape, nearly falling face-first into a pile of Slimes.

"Pfft—" Kim Chaewon couldn't help but laugh out loud.

An Yujin also suppressed a laugh as she stepped forward to help her: "Yena Unnie, be careful."

Choi Yena's face under the headpiece was already bright red, but she still had to maintain her "General persona," feigning composure: "Hmph! To-today you're lucky! Meow!"

She scrambled up and stumbled toward the sidelines, ending this embarrassing and chaotic guest appearance.

Off-field, Choi Yena, back in her casual clothes, hugged Lemm and slumped into a chair, looking done with life.

Jiang Zhiyu walked over with a smile and handed her an exquisite small box: "Here, as promised."

Choi Yena opened the box to find a chibi, light-green "Krabby Patty Form" Lemm keychain that was finely crafted and could glow.

"...Thank you, PD Jiang." Her mood improved slightly.

"Great acting!" Jiang Zhiyu gave a thumbs up. "Especially that part at the end where you tripped over your cape—was that complete improvisation? Your variety sense is exploding!"

Choi Yena: "...That really was an accident."

"Accidents create classics!" Jiang Zhiyu patted her shoulder and looked at the others. "Everyone worked hard today! Especially Nako, Minju, Chaewon, and our guest Yena! Today's shoot was a huge success!"

The group responded weakly: "Yes..."

Jang Wonyoung walked up to Jiang Zhiyu, looked up at him, and gave a sweet but dangerous smile:

"PD Jiang, today's 'product showcase segment' was very creative."

Jiang Zhiyu inexplicably felt a chill down his spine: "Ahaha... I'm glad Wonyoung found it interesting..."

"It was very interesting," Jang Wonyoung nodded, her tone soft. "So next time, if there's another segment like this, please be sure to tell me in advance—I will 'prepare thoroughly'."

She placed special emphasis on the words "prepare thoroughly."

Jiang Zhiyu gave a couple of dry laughs and wisely changed the subject: "Ah! It's getting late! Everyone pack up, let's call it a day! Tomorrow we continue the next stage of 'Project Rescue Duck X'!"

Upon hearing that it would continue tomorrow, all the members of IZ*ONE fell into a low-pressure mood again.

Only Choi Yena clutched her Lemm keychain and muttered softly: "At least I got some merch today..."

In the distance, the props team was packing up the blue Kitty Cat headpiece.

An assistant asked: "PD Jiang, are we using this headpiece next time?"

Jiang Zhiyu rubbed his chin in thought: "Yes! Of course we're using it! And I think we can develop a series—Red General, Yellow General, Purple General... let every member have a guest role! How fun!"

Kwon Eunbi, who had just walked over, heard this and paused, then silently turned around, pretending she hadn't heard a thing.

Sometimes, not knowing the future is a kind of happiness.