56: Chapter 56: Unbinding your Douyin membership is a scam!

Third Round: Extreme Physical Challenge—'Instant Noodle Bowling' and 'Hot Water Relay'

The five-minute break passed in a flash. The two teams briefly rehydrated by their respective cooking stations, reviewing their performance in low voices.

Im Yoona tucked her damp bangs behind her ear, her gaze sharpening again. "We lost the first two rounds due to strategy and mindset. This round is about physical fitness and cooperation. We can't lose again."

Wendy wiped her glasses and nodded. "We need to stay steady when we have the advantage and fight for our lives when we don't. They have the hot water priority now and an extra raid initiation right. We must win this round so we aren't too passive when we enter the final cooking stage."

Joy rubbed her waist, which was sore from dancing earlier, and said with a pained expression, "I just hope we don't have to wear those headgears again... That 'Subway Grandpa Looking at His Phone' expression is going to give me nightmares tonight."

On the other side, the atmosphere of the Bright Yellow Team was cautious yet tinged with a hint of tense excitement.

Yeri held the newly won eggs and ham, her small face lit up with excitement. "Unnie, we have noodles, hot water rights, sauce, and side dishes now. Is it a guaranteed win?"

Bae Joo-hyun shook her head gently, her gaze shifting to the Royal Blue Team, who had regained their fighting spirit, and then to Jiang Zhiyu, who was adjusting the 'Instant Noodle Bowling' setup in the distance. "It's not that simple. Jiang Zhiyu won't let us take all the advantages so easily. In this round, he will definitely set up obstacles that can overturn the situation."

Seulgi, holding her 'Bear Power' frying pan, asked innocently, "Then what should we do, Unnie?"

“Concentrate and don't make mistakes,” Bae Joo-hyun said succinctly. “Especially in the teamwork part, our chemistry... might not match theirs.”

Soon, Jiang Zhiyu's voice rang out through the megaphone:

“Everyone, the break is over. Now, we enter the third round—the final resource scramble before the final cooking segment.”

The screen behind him lit up, showing two icons side-by-side: one was a cartoonish instant noodle bowl shaped like a bowling ball, and the other was a steaming kettle used as a relay baton.

[Third Round: Extreme Physical Challenge]

Includes: A. Instant Noodle Bowling & B. Hot Water Relay Race

Jiang Zhiyu walked to the center of the venue, where clear tracks and zones had already been marked with tape.

“This round is divided into two consecutive sub-projects, and the team with the highest total score wins,” he explained. “After both sub-projects are finished, the total points will be calculated to determine the final winner of this round, as well as the ownership of the crucial 'Final Seasoning Resource Pack.'”

He pointed to a small cart being pushed up by staff. It was covered with a red cloth, but the outlines of Bottles and jars were visible—likely 'luxury' items like premium soy sauce, sesame oil, chili oil, and vinegar to enhance the flavor of the instant noodles.

“First, Project A: Instant Noodle Bowling.” Jiang Zhiyu gestured for everyone to look at the start of the track. Two special 'bowling balls'—transparent hollow spheres about 30 centimeters in diameter filled with colorful instant noodle cakes (props, not real noodles)—were placed side-by-side. The spheres had grooves for easy gripping. At the end of the track stood ten... staff members acting as 'Human Bowling Pins,' wearing different colored vests and instant noodle headgears!

Bullet Chat: [??? Human pins?] [Staff: Is there really no workplace injury insurance?] [This scene is too beautiful to look at!]

“Rules: Each team sends one member at a time to roll the 'Instant Noodle Bowling Ball' toward the 'human pins' opposite them. A point system is used: knock down 1-3 pins for 1 point; 4-6 pins for 2 points; 7-9 pins for 3 points; and a Strike for 5 points! But if you don't knock down any, 1 point is deducted.” Jiang Zhiyu added, “Three people per team, each person gets two throws, and the best score counts toward the team total.”

“Special rule:” A slight smile played on his lips. “The human pins are not static. After the ball is released, they can 'dodge' within a limited range (their feet are fixed, but their upper bodies can move slightly). So, this tests not only strength and accuracy but also anticipation and psychological games.”

Im Yoona raised an eyebrow at the words. "They can even dodge? This difficulty level..."

Bae Joo-hyun frowned slightly as she looked at the 'human pins' who were already warming up and eager to try; clearly, these staff members were also getting into the spirit of the game.

“Project B: Hot Water Relay Race.” Jiang Zhiyu pointed to another, longer track equipped with obstacles. “This is a team relay project. Each team needs to transport a full kettle of scalding (actually warm water, safety first) hot water from the start to the finish line—which is your respective cooking stations.”

“The relay is divided into three segments: the first is 'S-shaped Slalom'; the second is 'Balance Beam' (low height); the third is 'Hurdles' (low height). Each segment is completed by a different team member.”

“Key point:” Jiang Zhiyu held up a finger. “During transport, the hot water cannot spill below the marked line (there are scales on the kettle). Upon reaching the finish line, the last member will accurately pour the hot water into your team's kettle. The final volume of water poured will be measured, with 1 point for every 100 milliliters.”

“However,” he pivoted, “if the water spills below the mark during the relay, or if the kettle is dropped or overturned, that segment must be restarted from its beginning, and that member consumes one 'retry chance' (each team has only two retry chances). If the retry chances are used up and you still fail, that segment scores 0 points, and subsequent members can only continue the race with an empty kettle (a symbolic completion, but with no water points).”

The two projects—one testing individual precision and luck, the other testing team coordination and stability—were both closely linked to the resources needed for the final 'Instant Noodle Cooking': seasonings and hot water transport efficiency.

“The total points from both projects will be added together, and the team with the higher score wins the 'Final Seasoning Resource Pack',” Jiang Zhiyu summarized. “If extra hot water is needed in the final cooking segment, you can also obtain corresponding 'extra hot water replenishment time' based on the amount of hot water transported in this round.”

“Now,” he looked at the two teams, “decide the order of appearance. For Project A, 'Instant Noodle Bowling', which team will send a member first?”

“We'll go first.” Im Yoona took the initiative to raise her hand. She wanted to get into the zone as quickly as possible and establish a psychological advantage for the team.

“Good, Royal Blue Team, first bowler, please step forward.”

The Royal Blue Team had a quick internal discussion and decided to let Joy lead. The reason: she had good stamina and plenty of energy, making her suitable for this kind of game that required explosive power and a bit of 'reckless' spirit.

Joy shook her arms, walked to the starting line, and picked up the heavy 'Instant Noodle Bowling Ball.' The ten 'human pins' opposite her had already struck their poses—some with hands on hips, some with arms crossed, all in different stances, but their eyes (peering through the headgear's eye holes) all carried the intent of watching a good show.

“Player Joy, get ready—” Jiang Zhiyu acted as the temporary starter.

Joy took a deep breath, took two running steps, and forcefully rolled the ball down the track!

The ball was fast, heading straight for the center of the pin formation!

However, just as the ball was about to hit, several 'human pins' in the middle suddenly leaned to the sides or backward in unison!

The ball passed through the gap in the human wall! It only grazed one pin at the very edge that was slightly slower to react!

“Bang!” That poor pin was knocked over.

“1 knocked down!” the staff member called out. “1 point!”

Joy stamped her foot in frustration. “Yah! They actually dodged!”

Bullet Chat: [Hahaha, the human pins are so flexible!] [Joy got played!]

For the second throw, Joy learned her lesson, aiming slightly to the left and using even more speed!

This time, the pins still tried to dodge, but Joy's ball was too fast and the angle was trickier. In the end—

“Bang, bang, bang, bang!” Four pins were knocked down!

“4 knocked down, 2 points!”

Joy's total score: 2 points (taking the second result). Not too bad.

“Next, the Bright Yellow Team's first bowler.”

The Bright Yellow Team sent out Seulgi. The reason was that she was strong (after all, she could hold a frying pan as a shield) and had a steady personality, making her less likely to be distracted.

Seulgi picked up the ball innocently and took serious aim. Her posture was a bit clumsy, but very steady.

The ball was released; it wasn't fast, but its path was very straight.

The pins opposite seemed to think this ball was easy to dodge and began making their moves.

However, just as Seulgi's ball was about to reach them, whether because the ground was uneven or for some other reason, it suddenly skipped slightly, changing its original trajectory!

It happened to crash into several pins that had crowded together while trying to dodge!

“Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang—!”

“5 knocked down! 2 points!”

Seulgi chuckled innocently, very satisfied with her 'luck.'

On the second throw, she tried to replicate it, but this time the pins had learned their lesson and spread out further. Her ball only knocked down 2, scoring 1 point. The final score taken was 2 points.

After the first round, the two teams were tied.

In the second round, the Royal Blue Team sent out Wendy.

Wendy pushed up her glasses with a serious expression, as if performing a physics experiment. She carefully observed the track's friction, the ball's center of gravity, and the pins' standing habits, then chose a very tricky 'curveball' that rolled right along the sideline!

The pins clearly hadn't expected this move, and several near the sideline couldn't dodge in time—

“6 knocked down! 2 points!” (Same points as 5 knocked down, but more pins)

On the second try, Wendy wanted to go for a strike. She used too much force, and the ball veered straight off the track. 0 pins, 1 point deducted. The final score taken was 2 points.

The Bright Yellow Team sent out Yeri for the second round.

Yeri was young and had less strength, but she was full of clever ideas. Holding the ball, she wasn't in a hurry to throw; instead, she made faces at the pins, trying to distract them.

Then, she suddenly released the ball with a very low, almost ground-hugging 'grounder'!

This kind of ball was slow, but its low arc made it difficult to predict where it would land.

Some pins jumped, some crouched, and they fell into a mess.

The ball rolled leisurely past and knocked down... 3 pins.

1 point.

For the second try, Yeri changed her strategy and used all her strength to throw a high-arcing ball! The ball traced a parabola in the air and then slammed heavily into the back of the pin formation!

“Strike! STRIKE!” the staff member shouted!

“Yay!!!” Yeri jumped up and cheered.

“Wait.” Jiang Zhiyu suddenly spoke, pointing to one of the 'human pins' who had been hit in the back of the head by the ball (protected by a helmet) and was now sitting dazed on the ground. “The rule is 'rolling the ball,' Player Yeri. Your move just now was closer to a 'throw.'”

Yeri's face fell. “Eh? That's not allowed?”

“This throw is invalid, one warning,” Jiang Zhiyu announced heartlessly. “Please re-throw using a standard rolling posture.”

Yeri had no choice but to re-throw dejectedly. This time she only knocked down 2, scoring 1 point. Final score: 1 point.

After two rounds, the temporary scores were: Royal Blue Team (Joy 2 + Wendy 2 = 4 points), Bright Yellow Team (Seulgi 2 + Yeri 1 = 3 points).

In the final round, the two captains would make their appearances as the closers.

For the Royal Blue Team, Im Yoona.

Im Yoona stretched her wrists, walked to the start, and calmly scanned the pin formation opposite her. She didn't throw the ball immediately; instead, she gave the pins a smile that was incredibly sweet yet hid a 'murderous' intent.

Then, in a conversational tone, she whispered softly, "Dear 'Bottle' oppas and Unnies, you've worked so hard~ Why don't I treat everyone to a drink after we're finished, okay?"

The Bottles seemed to be stunned for a moment.

At that exact instant, Im Yoona suddenly struck! The ball was incredibly fast, heading straight for the center!

The Bottles reacted and tried to dodge, but that brief distraction just now made their movements half a beat slower!

"Bang bang bang bang bang bang—!" Seven Bottles fell in response!

"7 knocked down! 3 points accumulated!"

Bullet Chat: [Yoona's feint was brilliant! Amazing!][This is a honey trap!][Bottles: Beauty has led me astray!]

On the second throw, the Bottles were clearly on high alert. Im Yoona's ball only knocked down 4, earning 2 points. In the end, she took 3 points total.

The Royal Blue Team's total score now: 4 (from the first two) + 3 = 7 points.

The pressure shifted to the Bright Yellow Team's final pitcher—Bae Joo-hyun.

She needed to knock down at least 4 (earning 2 points) to bring the Bright Yellow Team's total to 5 points, so they wouldn't fall too far behind in Project A.

Bae Joo-hyun walked to the starting point and picked up the ball. Her movements were unhurried, as if she wasn't in the middle of an intense competition. She didn't look at the Bottles, nor did she try to interfere; she just quietly felt the weight of the ball, her gaze landing on the Bottle formation at the end of the track.

Then, she made her move.

It wasn't very fast, nor was it very slow. The path was unremarkable, rolling almost straight down the center line of the track.

The Bottles on the opposite side were ready and waiting, prepared to dodge based on the ball's trajectory.

However, as Bae Joo-hyun's ball rolled over an inconspicuous depression halfway through, it underwent an extremely subtle change in direction that was almost imperceptible to the naked eye!

It was this hair's breadth of difference that caused the Bottles, who had predicted a straight path and moved to the sides early, to collide exactly with the slightly deflected trajectory!

"Bang bang bang bang—!" Four Bottles were cleanly taken out.

"4 knocked down, 2 points accumulated," the staff member announced.

Bright Yellow Team's total for Project A: 3 (from the first two) + 2 = 5 points.

Project A concluded with the Royal Blue Team leading by 2 points at 7:5.

Jiang Zhiyu recorded the scores: "Project A is over, and the Royal Blue Team is in the lead. But the gap isn't large; Project B, the 'Hot Water Relay,' will be the key to a comeback."

"Now, I'll give you two minutes to discuss the relay order and strategy for Project B. Remember, stability is more important than speed, but being too slow will also affect the total amount of water. It's up to you to find the balance."

The two teams immediately huddled together.

Royal Blue Team: Im Yoona is skilled in agility, so she's responsible for the first segment, the 'S-curve Slalom'; Wendy has a good sense of balance, so she's in charge of the second segment, the 'Balance Beam'; Joy has strong explosive power, so she'll handle the final sprint's 'Hurdles' and pouring the water.

Bright Yellow Team: Bae Joo-hyun is calm, so she'll handle the first segment; Kang Seulgi has a stable lower body, so she's in charge of the balance beam; Yeri is nimble, so she'll handle the final hurdles and pouring (Yeri volunteered, wanting to make up for her previous mistake).

"Project B, Hot Water Relay, get ready—" Jiang Zhiyu raised the starting flag.

The first runners for both teams, Im Yoona and Bae Joo-hyun, stood behind their respective starting lines. In front of them was a kettle filled more than halfway with warm water (about 80°C, safe but hot to the touch), with a sealed cap on the spout. The kettle had clear scale lines marking a 'Safety Line' and a 'Danger Line' (spilling past the danger line would require a restart).

"The first segment is the S-curve Slalom. Navigate through five marker poles spaced two meters apart, reach the transition zone, and hand the kettle to the second runner. The kettle must be held in your hand; you cannot carry it in your arms or on your head," Jiang Zhiyu emphasized. "Start!"

The starting flag swung down!

Im Yoona and Bae Joo-hyun picked up their kettles almost simultaneously and dashed out!

Im Yoona's steps were light and nimble, weaving through the marker poles like a butterfly. The swaying of the kettle in her hand was strictly controlled; though the water surface rippled, it remained within the safety line. She was very fast, completing the slalom first and rushing into the transition zone.

Bae Joo-hyun, on the other hand, adopted a different strategy. Her speed wasn't the fastest, but every step was extremely stable. Her center of gravity was perfectly controlled, and her arms had almost no unnecessary movement. The kettle was as steady as a rock in her hand, the water surface so calm it seemed still. She reached the transition zone a step behind Im Yoona, but almost no water had spilled from her kettle.

The second baton exchange!

Royal Blue Team: Wendy took the kettle from Im Yoona, took a deep breath, and stepped onto the low balance beam, which was about three meters long and only twenty centimeters wide.

The balance beam was only ten centimeters off the ground, but the key was 'stability.' Wendy was fully focused, her eyes fixed on her feet, her arms slightly spread to maintain balance as she shuffled forward step by step. The kettle swayed slightly with her pace, but it was still within a controllable range. However, halfway through, she seemed to trip, and her body swayed violently!

"Ah!" Low gasps came from the audience.

Wendy narrowly steadied herself, but the water in the kettle sloshed violently, looking like it was about to splash past the danger line! She stopped immediately, waiting for the water surface to calm before continuing forward cautiously. She eventually made it across safely, but it clearly took a long time, and the water level had dropped a bit.

Bright Yellow Team's second runner: Kang Seulgi. Her sense of balance was unexpectedly good! Perhaps due to years of dancing and exercise, although her posture looked a bit silly after she stepped onto the balance beam, her steps were exceptionally solid, with almost no swaying! The kettle was so steady in her hand it was amazing; the water level barely changed! She crossed the balance beam faster and more steadily than Wendy, handing the kettle to Yeri, who was waiting in the transition zone.

By this time, Joy from the Royal Blue Team had already set off early, starting the final 'Hurdles' segment!

"The third segment, Hurdles (low obstacles). Reach the cooking station and accurately pour the water into your team's kettle," Jiang Zhiyu's voice followed the progress of the race.

Joy was like a nimble gazelle, carrying the kettle in one hand as she easily jumped over three low hurdles and rushed toward the Royal Blue Team's cooking station. Her speed was incredibly fast, but the kettle swayed heavily because of it, and water could clearly be seen splashing out of the spout!

"Watch the water level!" Im Yoona shouted from the sidelines.

Joy rushed to the cooking station, braked suddenly, and hurriedly unscrewed the kettle cap, aiming it at her team's empty kettle to pour.

"Splash—" The water poured out, but because she was in such a rush, a lot of it spilled outside.

On the other side, Yeri had also started the hurdles. She was small, so the hurdles were a bit of a struggle for her, but she gritted her teeth and persevered. Her movements weren't as fluid as Joy's, but she made up for it with caution. She held the kettle very steadily, trying to control the swaying during every jump.

She reached the cooking station second and also began pouring water. Her movements were steadier than Joy's, but she had less strength, so her pouring speed was slower.

Both sides were racing against time to pour the water while also trying their best not to spill.

"Time's up! Stop pouring!" Jiang Zhiyu pressed the timer.

The staff immediately stepped forward to measure the final amount of water in each team's kettle.

The Royal Blue Team's kettle scale showed: 520 ml.

The Bright Yellow Team's kettle scale showed: 580 ml.

"Royal Blue Team, final water volume 520 ml, calculated as 5.2 points, rounded to 5 points," Jiang Zhiyu announced. "Bright Yellow Team, final water volume 580 ml, calculated as 5.8 points, rounded to 6 points."

"Now, calculating the total score for Project B: Royal Blue Team 5 points, Bright Yellow Team 6 points."

"Combining with the Project A points: Royal Blue Team 7 points, Bright Yellow Team 5 points."

"Total points for the third stage: Royal Blue Team 7 + 5 = 12 points; Bright Yellow Team 5 + 6 = 11 points."

Jiang Zhiyu paused, his gaze sweeping over the two teams, who had various expressions due to the one-point difference.

"The final winner of the third stage, 'Extreme Physical Challenge,' is—"

"Royal Blue Team! Im Yoona, Wendy, Joy!"

"Yay!!!" The three members of the Royal Blue Team hugged and celebrated, sweeping away the gloom from their losses in the first two stages.

On the Bright Yellow Team's side, Yeri was a bit dejected, Seulgi scratched her head sheepishly, and Bae Joo-hyun accepted the result calmly.

"Congratulations to the Royal Blue Team on winning the 'Final Seasoning Resource Pack'!" Jiang Zhiyu pushed the small cart covered with a red cloth to the Royal Blue Team's cooking station.

Im Yoona lifted the red cloth, and inside was indeed a dazzling array of high-end condiments: Japanese soy sauce, fragrant sesame oil, special chili oil, aged vinegar, and even a small Bottle of sake and fish sauce!

"Additionally," Jiang Zhiyu added, "based on the water volume results from Project B, the Royal Blue Team will receive an extra 3 minutes of hot water supply time during the final cooking segment (to be used after their initial priority access ends). The Bright Yellow Team will receive an extra 1 minute."

"Now," Jiang Zhiyu's voice suddenly rose, carrying a weight of solemnity before the arrival of the final battle, "all preliminary resource acquisition segments are officially over!"

The large screen behind him lit up, displaying the final resource lists for both teams:

[Royal Blue Team (Im Yoona's Team)]

Noodle Blocks: 3 packs (Base Pack)

Sauce: Seafood flavor x1

Side Dishes: None

Condiments: Final Seasoning Resource Pack (Full Set)

Hot Water: 5 minutes priority access + 3 minutes extra supply

Special Privileges: None

[Bright Yellow Team (Bae Joo-hyun's Team)]

Noodle Blocks: 3 packs (Base Pack)

Sauce: Beef flavor x1, Jajang flavor x1

Side Dishes: Eggs x3, Ham slices x6, Vegetable packs x2

Condiments: None

Hot Water: 5 minutes priority access (already obtained) + 1 minute extra supply

Special Privileges: Priority Plunder Initiation x1

"The distribution of resources is clear." Jiang Zhiyu walked to the center of the area. "The Royal Blue Team has top-tier condiments and longer hot water time, but lacks core sauce variety and side dishes. The Bright Yellow Team has two distinct sauce flavors and abundant side dishes, but lacks flavor-enhancing condiments and has slightly shorter hot water time."

"So, the final cooking segment—" He spread his arms, his voice echoing through the studio via the microphone.

"'Battle, Chef-min!' Final Stage: 60-minute time-limited instant noodle preparation, starts now!"

"Also, the special rule: Plunder War, is officially unlocked!"

"The Bright Yellow Team has the priority to initiate. In the next 60 minutes, you can initiate up to three plunder challenges against the Royal Blue Team. The target can be any resource the opponent has already obtained (including hot water time, condiments, or even already prepared ingredients). Each plunder will be decided by a mini-game; the winner takes the target resource, and the loser loses it. The Royal Blue Team can also initiate plunders, but only after the Bright Yellow Team's three opportunities are used up."

"Remember," Jiang Zhiyu's gaze was cold and sharp as it swept over everyone, "this is the final stage. Strategy, courage, teamwork, and even a bit of luck will determine who can present the 'Ultimate Instant Noodles' to conquer the judges and take home the Golden Card—and who will face the 'Crazy Fan' public execution at the main entrance of SM Entertainment."

"Timer—start!"

A giant countdown timer appeared in the center of the screen: 60:00.

On both teams' cooking stations, the stoves were lit, and the kettles were set on them.

The true war has now officially begun.

The air was filled with tension, calculation, and... the aroma of instant noodles about to boil.

Final Cooking Segment—Ten Minutes of Chaos, Destruction, and Despair

Countdown: 60:00.

The moment Jiang Zhiyu announced the start of the final segment, both teams were like tightened strings, suddenly snapping toward their respective cooking stations.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

The Royal Blue Team (Im Yoona's team) was the first to activate their hot water priority!

Im Yoona was the fastest, placing the pre-prepared kettle onto the stove and turning the heat to maximum.

At the same time, Wendy immediately opened the "Final Condiment Resource Pack" and began mixing a "Secret Soup Base" like a chemist—she mixed Japanese soy sauce, fish sauce, and sake in specific proportions, then added a small amount of chili oil and sesame oil for fragrance, her movements precise and swift.

Joy was responsible for handling the noodle cakes (although there was only seafood-flavored sauce, the noodle cakes themselves were plain).

She carefully unwrapped the three packs of noodles, checking for breakage, while vigilantly watching the movements of the Bright Yellow Team opposite them—they possessed the priority stealing right, and the first wave of attacks could come at any moment.

The Bright Yellow Team (Bae Joo-hyun's team) adopted a different strategy.

They didn't boil water immediately, but instead processed their abundant side dishes first.

Bae Joo-hyun was responsible for carefully separating the shredded carrots, shredded onions, and corn kernels from the vegetable packets; Kang Seulgi, with a goofy but serious expression, began frying eggs and ham slices using the mini frying pan provided by the production team; Yeri held the two sauce packets (beef and black bean sauce), her little face scrunched in conflict: "Unnie, which flavor should we make? Or... should we mix them?"

"Prepare two basic soup bases first." Bae Joo-hyun decided decisively, "After Seulgi finishes frying the eggs and ham, use the same pan to stir-fry the beef sauce and black bean sauce in separate sections to create different flavor bases. Yeri, you go boil the water, but be careful, only use our basic five-minute priority, and save one minute of reserve supply time just in case."

"Nae!" Yeri immediately ran to boil the water.

The competition entered a high-speed rhythm from the very beginning.

The sounds of chopping vegetables, frying, the humming of the heating kettle, and the quick, short exchanges of instructions between team members intertwined, filled with a sense of urgency.

Countdown: 55:23.

The Bright Yellow Team's kettle was the first to emit a sharp whistle—the water was boiling!

"Yeri, be careful when pouring!" Bae Joo-hyun reminded her.

Just as Yeri was about to pick up the kettle to pour boiling water into the prepared noodle bowls, she suddenly stopped, her eyes darting around, and she abruptly raised her hand, shouting at Jiang Zhiyu in the judge's seat: "Referee-nim! We, the Bright Yellow Team, want to exercise our priority stealing right!"

It was coming!

The three members of the Royal Blue Team froze, looking over vigilantly.

The corners of Jiang Zhiyu's mouth lifted imperceptibly: "Target?"

Yeri pointed her small hand at the bowl of "Secret Mixed Sauce" that Wendy had just prepared, which was emitting an enticing aroma on the Royal Blue Team's cooking station: "We want to steal that—their special soup base!"

"Request valid." Jiang Zhiyu nodded, "Stealing method: 'Random Dance Imitation Battle'."

With a wave of his hand, staff immediately cleared an area in the center of the venue, and at the same time, upbeat K-pop music randomly started playing—it was TWICE's "What is Love?"!

"Rules: Each team sends one member to perform an instant imitation following a random 10-second dance segment from 'What is Love?' appearing on the big screen. Three staff judges will vote based on 'accuracy,' 'expressiveness,' and 'entertainment value.' Best of three. The winner gets the target resource."

"Please have both sides send out their first-round participants."

The Bright Yellow Team pushed Yeri out almost immediately—the maknae had fast reactions, learned dances quickly, and she knew TWICE's dances well!

After discussing, the Royal Blue Team sent out Joy—she was also the energetic type, and Joy's variety show sense might earn extra points.

The first random dance segment appeared: it was the classic "telescope" move from the chorus.

Yeri reacted extremely quickly, jumping up almost the moment the image appeared; although her movements had some of the maknae's immaturity, the rhythm and frame were very accurate.

Joy was not to be outdone; her movements were bigger, her expressions more exaggerated, and she even added an impromptu wink and hip sway, maximizing the variety show effect.

First round voting: Yeri (accuracy) vs. Joy (expressiveness + entertainment value)—2:1, Joy won by a narrow margin!

The Royal Blue Team held their ground for now.

In the second round, the Bright Yellow Team sent out Kang Seulgi. The Royal Blue Team sent out Im Yoona.

Random dance: it was a relatively complex choreography with footwork and hand details.

Im Yoona's dance foundation was unquestionable; her replication was textbook level, even the curve of her fingers was exactly the same, and her expression management was perfect.

Kang Seulgi struggled a bit, her goofy face full of seriousness as she tried to keep up with the movements, but the details were clearly lacking, though her clumsy earnestness was actually kind of cute.

Second round voting: Im Yoona won overwhelmingly, 3:0.

"Best of three, the Royal Blue Team wins!" Jiang Zhiyu announced, "Stealing failed, the Bright Yellow Team consumes one priority stealing right. The Royal Blue Team retains the special soup base."

"Yay!" Joy and Im Yoona high-fived.

Yeri pouted in frustration.

Bae Joo-hyun, however, remained calm, as if she had expected it: "It's okay, it was just the first probe. Let's continue with our steps."

Countdown: 48:15.

The Royal Blue Team's water also boiled.

Im Yoona skillfully put the three noodle cakes into the boiling water, while Wendy poured her "Secret Soup Base" into another small pot to heat, preparing to mix it once the noodles reached the right firmness.

Joy began to chop some green onions and cilantro that she had requested from the production team's "leftover area"—this was their only "green garnish."

On the Bright Yellow Team's side, Seulgi had already fried three beautiful soft-boiled eggs and six slices of charred, fragrant ham; she goofily placed them carefully on a plate for later use.

At the same time, she used the same pan, in separate sections, to quickly stir-fry the beef sauce and black bean sauce; the two rich, savory aromas filled the air, making one's mouth water.

Bae Joo-hyun had also finished processing the vegetables.

It seemed that both teams' cooking was progressing steadily.

Countdown: 40:00.

The Bright Yellow Team raised their hands again!

"Second priority stealing right!" This time it was Bae Joo-hyun who spoke personally, her gaze cold as she pointed to the "kettle" on the Royal Blue Team's cooking station that still had more than half left: "Target: their remaining 'extra 3 minutes of hot water supply time'."

"Request valid." Jiang Zhiyu seemed to be looking forward to it, "Stealing method: 'Lyrics Feihualing'."

"Rules: I will randomly recite a line of pop song lyrics (Korean) containing keywords related to 'food' or 'taste,' and team members must sing the next line of lyrics containing a different food or taste keyword within 5 seconds (must come from a different song). Those who cannot continue, repeat keywords, or exceed the time limit fail. One-on-one elimination tournament until one side has no one left to continue. The winner gets the target resource."

"First round, both team captains: Bae Joo-hyun vs. Im Yoona."

Jiang Zhiyu thought for a moment and recited the first line of lyrics: ""달콤한 맛 같은 거, 한번 맛보면 헤어 나올 수 없어" (Like a sweet taste, once you taste it you can't escape)—from Red Velvet's 'Red Flavor'."

Keyword: 달콤한 (sweet).

Im Yoona responded almost instantly, singing Girls Generation's "Kissing You": ""내 입술은 허니, 널 부르는 건 허니" (My lips are honey, calling you is also honey)—허니 (honey)!"

Keyword: 허니 (honey)—belongs to the "food/taste" category.

Bae Joo-hyun's expression was calm; after Im Yoona's last note faded, she immediately continued, singing IU's "Palette": ""참 달다, 달다, 이 느낌" (It's so sweet, sweet, this feeling)—달다 (sweet)."

Keyword: 달다 (sweet).

Im Yoona quickly followed up with TWICE's "TT": ""눈물이 나, 짜다" (Tears are flowing, so salty)—짜다 (salty)."

Keyword: 짜다 (salty).

Bae Joo-hyun continued almost seamlessly, singing her teammate Wendy's solo song "Like Water": ""넌 마치 따뜻한 국물 같아" (You are like warm soup)—국물 (soup)."

Keyword: 국물 (soup).

The two went back and forth, speaking at high speed, retrieving lyrics with ease, demonstrating an amazing repertoire of songs and reaction speeds.

The live audience and the chat were stunned: [What kind of god-tier battle is this!] [Are both of their brains lyric libraries?!] [As expected of SM! Such abundant copyright!] [Where did Jiang Zhiyu find these questions!]

After a few rounds, when Im Yoona was responding, because she was going too fast, she accidentally sang a line that repeated the "spicy (맵다)" keyword (which Joy had used before) and was ruled as a failure.

"Im Yoona made a mistake! Bright Yellow Team wins!" Jiang Zhiyu announced.

Bae Joo-hyun nodded slightly, politely acknowledging Im Yoona.

Im Yoona helplessly spread her hands and returned to her team.

"The Royal Blue Team loses the 'extra 3 minutes of hot water supply time'." Jiang Zhiyu took a small timer from the Royal Blue Team's resource area and placed it on the Bright Yellow Team's side.

The Bright Yellow Team now possessed: their own 5-minute priority + 1 minute of supply + the 3 minutes stolen = a total of 9 minutes of hot water time! A huge advantage!

The Royal Blue Team was left with only the basic 5-minute priority.

The situation reversed in an instant!

Countdown: 35:00.

Both teams entered the critical stage of cooking.

The Royal Blue Team's noodles were cooked to 80% doneness; Wendy was mixing the heated special soup base with the noodles, while Joy was preparing the green onions and cilantro for plating on the side.

Im Yoona stared at the Bright Yellow Team's abundant side dishes and those two pots of fragrant stir-fried sauces across from her, her eyes flickering, as if she was plotting something.

On the Bright Yellow Team's side, Yeri had already poured boiling water into two noodle bowls (corresponding to beef and black bean flavors respectively), Bae Joo-hyun was scooping the two stir-fried sauces into the noodle bowls to mix, and Seulgi was preparing to place the fried eggs and ham on top.

Everything seemed to be progressing toward completion.

Countdown: 30:00.

Jiang Zhiyu's voice, like a devil's whisper, echoed throughout the venue once again: "Everyone, the cooking is halfway through; do you feel... it's been too smooth?"

Alarm bells rang in the hearts of both teams' members simultaneously!

Jiang Zhiyu walked slowly from the judge's seat to the center of the venue, a smile on his face that was unprecedented, mixed with pleasure and malice.

"As the chief planner and judge of this episode, I think it is necessary, at the final moment, to add a little... 'uncertainty' to the fun of this showdown."

He clapped his hands.

"Now, I will temporarily join the game in the capacity of 'Special Judge · Chaotic Neutral'."