57: Chapter 57 King of Kings

He pulled something that looked like a remote control out of his pocket.

"This device is connected to the miniature microphones and receivers you're all wearing," Jiang Zhiyu explained, his tone as relaxed as if he were introducing a new toy. "Next, I will randomly select one contestant to enter a one-minute 'Jiang Zhiyu Possession Mode'."

"During 'Possession,' that member will temporarily lose control of their body (symbolically, of course) and follow my 'remote commands' to perform certain... well, actions that might have a 'small impact' on the cooking process."

"The instructions are completely random; they could be helpful, or they could be disruptive. They might be directed at their own team or the opposing one." Jiang Zhiyu's smile grew even brighter. "After all, a true cooking showdown is always full of surprises, isn't it?"

"So, who is the first lucky winner?"

He pressed the button on the remote.

A piercing electronic sound effect rang out, followed by all the lights in the venue flashing wildly, finally focusing on—

Kang Seulgi!

Seulgi looked up blankly, finding that the indicator light on her microphone had turned an eerie red.

Jiang Zhiyu's voice broadcast through her microphone (voice-modulated, with electrical static): "Contestant Kang Seulgi, congratulations on being the first participant. Command: Within ten seconds, toss that plate of fried eggs and ham next to you into the air in what you consider the most elegant way possible, and then—catch as many as you can."

Seulgi: "???"

"Ten, nine, eight..." Jiang Zhiyu began the countdown.

"Unnie! No!" Yeri screamed.

But Seulgi's body was already moving uncontrollably (under the influence of psychological suggestion and the pressure of the rules)! Her simple face was full of struggle, yet her hands involuntarily picked up the plate of golden fried eggs and aromatic ham slices!

"Three, two, one—toss!"

Swish!

An entire plate of side dishes was tossed into the air! Eggs and ham slices fell like scattering flower petals!

"Ahhh!" Seulgi scrambled to catch them, but only managed to save one fried egg and two slices of ham. Everything else fell to the floor, and one slice of ham even flew precisely into the pot of noodles the Royal Blue Team was stirring!

Royal Blue Team: "!!!"

"Ya! Our noodles!" Joy watched the stray ham land in their soup, wanting to cry but having no tears.

The Bright Yellow Team lost more than half of their precious side dishes!

The Jiang Zhiyu Possession Mode ended. Looking at the mess on the floor and the "remnants" in her hands, Seulgi's eyes instantly turned red. "I'm... I'm sorry... Unnie..."

Bae Joo-hyun took a deep breath and forced herself to stay calm. "It's okay. Pick them up; use whatever is still usable. Yeri, go back to the production team's scraps area and see if there's anything we can use as a substitute."

However, this was only the beginning.

Countdown: 25:00.

Jiang Zhiyu pressed the button again.

The lights flashed, stopping on Wendy this time.

"Contestant Wendy, command: Use the ladle you're currently stirring with to perform thirty seconds of 'passionate stirring' on the Bright Yellow Team's bowl of Jajangmyeon. Control the intensity as you see fit."

Wendy: "!!!"

She watched helplessly as her hand uncontrollably grabbed the ladle, crossed the cooking station, and rushed over to the Bright Yellow Team's side. She began a frantic, chaotic stirring of the bowl of Jajangmyeon that Bae Joo-hyun had just finished mixing evenly with sauce!

"Stop it, Teacher Son!" Yeri tried to intervene, but Wendy was quite strong, and she seemed to have even more strength while in the "possessed" state.

Thirty seconds later, the originally well-layered Jajangmyeon was stirred into a dark, mushy... indescribable mess where the sauce and noodles were completely clumped together.

Bae Joo-hyun looked at the bowl of noodles, her fingers gripping her chopsticks until they turned slightly white.

Wendy regained control. Looking at her "masterpiece," she pushed up her glasses, her expression blank. "I... I'm sorry..."

Countdown: 20:00.

The third possession fell upon Joy.

"Contestant Joy, command: Take the chopped green onions and cilantro next to you and scatter them evenly across every corner of the Royal Blue Team's cooking station, including but not limited to the stove, the floor, and your teammates' heads."

Joy: "Ya!!!"

In grief and indignation, she grabbed the small bowl of precious chopped green onions and cilantro (their only green garnish) and began scattering them like flower petals. Im Yoona and Wendy couldn't dodge in time, and many green bits landed on their hair and shoulders. The cooking station was a complete mess.

Countdown: 15:00.

The fourth possession: Yeri.

"Contestant Yeri, command: Pick up the Bright Yellow Team's kettle of freshly boiled water—of which there is still plenty left—walk over to the Royal Blue Team's cooking station, and 'generously' add water to them. The target is their noodle pot."

"No!!!" Im Yoona screamed. Their noodles were already cooked perfectly; adding more water would turn them into complete mush!

Crying (half from fear and half as a physiological reaction to being "possessed"), Yeri picked up the hot water kettle and wobbled toward the Royal Blue Team. Im Yoona and Wendy tried desperately to block her. The three of them performed a comical yet perilous "hot water offense and defense battle." In the end, most of the hot water was spilled on the floor, with only a small amount splashing into the Royal Blue Team's noodle pot—but it was enough to soften the texture of the noodles.

Countdown: 12:00.

The fifth possession: Im Yoona.

"Contestant Im Yoona, command: At your fastest speed, run to the Bright Yellow Team's cooking station and flip that bowl of Jajangmyeon—the one your teammate stirred—upside down onto the prepared serving plate, if it can still be called a 'serving plate'."

The perfect smile on Im Yoona's face completely shattered. Gritting her teeth, her body nevertheless rushed toward the Bright Yellow Team. Amidst the cries of Bae Joo-hyun and Seulgi, she grabbed the mushy bowl of Jajangmyeon and, with a "splat," flipped it onto the plate meant for presentation.

A dark, gooey mass smeared across the pristine white plate; the visual impact was intense.

Countdown: 10:00.

The sixth possession, and the final one, descended upon Bae Joo-hyun.

The light focused on her cool and currently slightly pale face.

Jiang Zhiyu's voice carried a hint of playful anticipation: "Contestant Bae Joo-hyun, the final command: Please walk to the center of the venue, face the camera, and say in your most sincere tone—'Judge Jiang Zhiyu's rules are truly interesting and fair. I'm having a lot of fun.'"

Bae Joo-hyun's body stiffened for a moment.

Slowly, step by step, she walked to the center camera.

The entire venue was silent; everyone was watching her.

She looked up, her cool eyes staring straight into the camera, seemingly piercing through it to look at the man behind the scenes controlling everything. Her lips parted slightly, and her voice, though not loud, carried clearly to every corner:

"Judge Jiang Zhiyu's rules..."

She paused, each word sounding as if it had been pulled out of ice water:

"Are truly..."

"So. Much. Fun."

"So. Very. Fair."

"I..."

She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her gaze was like a bottomless pool of freezing water.

"...am having a lot of fun."

Having finished, she turned and walked back to her cooking station, her back straight, yet appearing as if she were carrying a massive weight.

"Possession Mode is now over." Jiang Zhiyu tucked away the remote with satisfaction, as if the five minutes of devastating chaos that had just occurred had nothing to do with him. "Now, there are ten minutes remaining."

"Please continue to complete your... 'Ultimate Instant Noodles'."

He returned to the judges' table and sat down leisurely.

Meanwhile, on the floor, the cooking stations of both teams were scenes of utter carnage.

Royal Blue Team:

Stray ham slices had splashed into their specially prepared soup base, muddling the flavors.

The cooked noodles had become too soft due to the small amount of boiling water added.

Their only green garnish (chopped green onions and cilantro) was scattered everywhere, with very little remaining.

Cilantro leaves were stuck in the members' hair and on their clothes, leaving them looking disheveled.

Bright Yellow Team:

Most of their precious fried egg and ham side dishes were lost, leaving only one egg and two slices of ham.

The beef noodles were still relatively intact, but the Jajangmyeon had been stirred into a paste and flipped onto a plate, becoming a dark, shapeless lump.

Although they had plenty of hot water time, much of it had been wasted during the chaos.

The members were exhausted. Seulgi was still riddled with guilt, Yeri was shaken, and the aura around Bae Joo-hyun was terrifyingly low.

Only ten minutes left.

They had to reorganize and salvage from this wreckage to complete at least one "dish" presentable enough to serve.

Im Yoona looked at the mess before her, then at the equally pathetic state of the Bright Yellow Team across from her. Finally, her gaze locked onto the man at the judges' table who was smiling as if admiring his own masterpiece.

A perfect, sweet, and even somewhat grateful smile was forced back onto her face as she spoke into the camera with her gentlest voice:

"Judge Jiang Zhiyu's special segment was truly... impressive. It allowed us to experience... various surprises in the cooking process. Thank you so much."

But deep in her eyes, a raging fire of fury was nearly overflowing.

Jiang Zhiyu...

I'm definitely going to kill you!!!

She took a deep breath, turned around, and spoke to her teammates in a tone that was almost fierce, something she had never used before:

"Wendy, check if the soup base is still usable. Salvage as much as you can!"

"Joy, pick up whatever green onions you can from the floor! Wash them!"

"We still have five minutes of hot water time. Boil some more and run the noodles under cold water to see if we can save the texture!"

On the other side, Bae Joo-hyun also forced herself to calm down.

"Seulgi, Yeri, stop dazing off." Her voice was cold but steady. "Jajangmyeon... give up on it. Concentrate all remaining resources to make a top-tier bowl of beef noodles. Use the remaining egg, the two slices of ham, and all the vegetables. If there's not enough sauce, use the hot water time we won to go to the scraps area and exchange it for some beef bouillon powder."

"Unnie, what about the Jajangmyeon..." Yeri looked at the dark mess.

"It'll be for 'creative plating'." Bae Joo-hyun said expressionlessly. "Just call it 'Chaos Art Noodles'."

The final ten minutes flew by as both teams engaged in a nearly tragic effort of salvaging and reorganizing.

The stoves were relit, the sound of water rang out again, and knives clashed against cutting boards, all mixed with the members' hurried breaths and commands.

This was no longer just a simple cooking competition.

This was a desperate and stubborn battle for survival on the ruins of the disaster Jiang Zhiyu had created—for dignity, and to avoid becoming "crazy fans."

Countdown: 00:00.

"Time's up! Stop all operations!" Jiang Zhiyu's voice sounded like a final judgment.

The members of both teams, panting and drenched in sweat with various stains on their clothes, stood before the "works" they had barely managed to salvage.

Before the Royal Blue Team were two bowls of seafood noodle soup that looked somewhat normal, though the broth was slightly cloudy and garnished with only a few pathetic cilantro leaves (one was the original plan, the other a makeshift using salvaged noodles and broth).

Before the Bright Yellow Team was a richly topped, fragrant bowl of beef noodles (topped with the single fried egg, two slices of ham, and all the vegetables), with the dark lump of "Chaos Art Jajangmyeon" sitting beside it as a "side dish."

Everyone looked at Jiang Zhiyu, waiting for the final evaluation.

Jiang Zhiyu slowly stood up, adjusted his suit cuffs, and wore a standard, flawless smile befitting a "professional judge."

"And now, please welcome our panel of judges."

"The final outcome, and the fate of the Golden Card and the Public Execution—"

"Is about to be revealed."

The Final Judgment—The Sharp-Tongued Panel and Global Revelry

As Jiang Zhiyu's voice faded, the side door of the studio opened, and the members of the judging panel filed in.

The moment they saw who was coming, both the team members on-site and the viewers watching the live stream gasped, followed by even louder exclamations and... boisterous laughter from those who loved watching the drama unfold!

Seated prominently at the judges' table were—

Kim Taeyeon (Girls' Generation): Arms crossed, her face wearing her signature, seemingly calm but sharp-eyed "professional judge face."

Lee Soon-kyu (Sunny, Girls' Generation): Smiling so wide her teeth showed, she even held a small notebook, clearly there to "record dark history."

Choi Si-won & Kim Heechul (Super Junior): With these two "crazy oppas" sitting there, the entire vibe of the judging panel became unpredictable. Choi Si-won had a face that said "I'm very serious and fair," but the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed his excitement. Kim Heechul sat with his legs crossed, chin in hand, his eyes scanning the six disheveled "chefs," his face unashamedly showing an expression that said, "This show is way too interesting."

And, the veteran head chef from the SM Entertainment cafeteria, known for his fiery temper and picky palate—Park Da-shik. Wearing a snow-white chef's uniform and with his arms folded, his brow was furrowed as if he were there to judge, but to inspect a "kitchen disaster."

The bullet chat went completely wild:

[Holy crap! This judging lineup! It's insane!]

[Taeyeon Unnie + Sunny Unnie! Their own seniors are coming to judge them!]

[Siwon Oppa and Heechul Oppa! When these two get sharp-tongued, they don't care if you're a friend or foe!]

[Chef Park from the cafeteria! They say he's made many lazy trainees cry!]

[Jiang Zhiyu, where on earth did you assemble this devilish panel of judges?!]

[I'm already starting to break a sweat for Yoona and RV!]

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

"Welcome, judges."

Jiang Zhiyu bowed slightly toward the judging panel, then turned to the camera and the two teams.

"The judging panel will score based on five dimensions: 'Appearance, Aroma, Taste, Creativity, and Entertainment Value.' Each category is worth 10 points, for a total of 50 points. The highest and lowest scores will be dropped, and the average will be taken as the final score."

"First, please have the Royal Blue Team present their creations."

Im Yoona took a deep breath, struggling to maintain her final shred of dignity, and together with Wendy and Joy, carried the two bowls of seafood noodle soup to the judging panel.

One bowl was the "Special Seafood Noodle Soup" they had originally planned, and the other was the "Emergency Seafood Noodles" they had scrambled to save later.

Chef Park was the first to lean in and sniff. His brow immediately furrowed.

"The soup is cloudy, with oily froth that shouldn't be there. The flavor of the seafood sauce is masked by other things."

He picked up a spoon, ladled a bit of soup, and tasted it. His expression darkened further.

"The saltiness is unbalanced, and the aftertaste is bitter. Even a cafeteria apprentice wouldn't make such mistakes with the heat and seasoning."

The smile on Im Yoona's face almost faltered.

Kim Taeyeon was more restrained. She carefully examined the state of the noodles.

"The noodles are overcooked, mushy, and have lost the chewiness that instant noodles should have."

She also tasted a spoonful of the soup and frowned slightly.

"Creativity... it seems to be just ordinary seafood noodles. I don't see much of a 'special' surprise."

Sunny, on the other hand, grinned and first observed the cilantro leaves remaining in Im Yoona's and Joy's hair.

"I give full marks for 'Entertainment Value'! The styling is very creative! Especially this piece of cilantro on Im Yoona's hair; the placement is just right, adding a touch of... wild beauty?"

Im Yoona: "..." Unnie!

Choi Si-won picked up his chopsticks and examined the uniformity of the noodles with great seriousness, then said sternly, "As someone with strict requirements for food, I believe this bowl of noodles has already failed in terms of 'Appearance' and 'Aroma.' The 'Taste'... is barely edible, but it's far from being 'gourmet food.' As for 'Creativity,' I don't see any. As for 'Entertainment Value'... seeing you all in such a sorry state is indeed quite entertaining."

Sharp-tongued! Merciless!

Kim Heechul picked up the bowl of "Emergency Noodles" and poked at the slice of ham that didn't belong in seafood noodles (the one Seulgi had thrown over) with his chopsticks.

"What is this? A hidden Easter egg? Honey-glazed ham in seafood noodles? What kind of magical realism cuisine is this? I'd like to give points for 'Creativity,' but the logic just doesn't hold up!"

He tasted a bite, his expression twisting exaggeratedly.

"This taste... it's like my cat knocked over the spice rack and cooked it itself."

The three members of the Royal Blue Team: "..." Blood was already spraying in their hearts.

It was the Bright Yellow Team's turn.

Bae Joo-hyun, Seulgi, and Yeri stepped forward, carrying the all-or-nothing "Top-Tier Beef Noodles" and the plate of "Chaotic Art Black Bean Noodles."

Chef Park looked at the beef noodles first, his expression slightly easing.

"The beef sauce is stir-fried quite well, and the aroma has come out. The garnishing... is reasonably neat."

He tasted a bit of the soup and noodles, then nodded.

"The basic taste is acceptable, the beef flavor is prominent, and the noodles are cooked to the right firmness. It's the bowl that looks most like 'food' today."

The Bright Yellow Team breathed a slight sigh of relief.

But Chef Park immediately looked at the black, gloopy "Black Bean Noodles," his mouth twitching.

"What... is this? A sample of some new construction material? Or... abstract art?"

He gently poked the clump of solidified black matter with his chopsticks.

"'Chaotic Art Noodles'? The name is certainly apt. But as food, it is a failure. No, it shouldn't even be on the dining table."

Kim Taeyeon also tasted the beef noodles first and gave a relatively objective evaluation.

"The beef broth is rich, the noodle texture is good, and the heat for the fried egg was controlled well. It's a qualified, even decent, bowl of beef instant noodles. But... there's no major breakthrough in terms of 'Creativity'; it's just standard deliciousness."

Sunny's focus wandered again.

"Seulgi, I heard your fried egg and ham performed a scattering of flowers? And this is all you managed to save in the end? What a pity, otherwise this bowl of noodles would have been much richer. But this 'imperfect beauty' now also has a sense of story! Bonus points for 'Entertainment Value'!"

Seulgi bowed her head bashfully.

Choi Si-won's evaluation of the beef noodles was decent, but he launched into a one-minute "artistic critique" of the "Black Bean Noodles."

"In terms of structure, it has completely lost the form of noodles, merging with the sauce into an inseparable whole. In terms of color, it is too monotonous and deep, lacking appetite appeal. In terms of meaning... I cannot understand it. Perhaps it requires a post-modernist diner to appreciate?"

Kim Heechul skipped the beef noodles entirely and clicked his tongue in wonder at the black bean noodles.

"Wow... this is truly the boldest 'plating' I have ever seen. It successfully challenges people's inherent perception of 'noodles.' It tells us that food is not just for eating, but can also be used to express anger, despair, and... a silent protest against the judges?"

He looked at Jiang Zhiyu mischievously.

"Jiang Zhiyu-xi, do you think this plate of noodles expresses its emotions well?"

Jiang Zhiyu remained expressionless.

"I am just the executor of the rules; the emotions of the food need to be interpreted by the judges."

The judging segment ended amidst sharp tongues and teasing.

After the members of both teams retreated behind their cooking stations, their spirits sank to rock bottom.

Whether it was the Royal Blue Team, whose work was criticized as worthless, or the Bright Yellow Team, whose beef noodles were decent but whose black bean noodles became a laughingstock, both felt that victory was slim.

"Now, please have the judging panel score." Jiang Zhiyu gestured.

The judges lowered their heads and wrote down their scores on the scoreboards.

Taking advantage of this interval, Jiang Zhiyu picked up another tablet, turned to the camera, and wore a somewhat subtle expression.

"While waiting for the final results, let's see what kind of... exciting comments the audience in the live stream has about this 'showdown'."

He cleared his throat and began to read:

"Netizen with the ID 'Yoona Is My Wife' says: 'Even though my wife Yoona has cilantro in her hair, she is still a fairy! It doesn't matter if the noodles aren't good; as long as the person is good-looking, it's fine! Jiang Zhiyu, you just wait, don't leave after school!'"

Im Yoona covered her forehead, laughing and crying at the same time.

"Netizen with the ID 'Bae Sister Kill Me With Your Eyes': 'I could feel the murderous aura through the screen from that last line Irene said, 'I had a lot of fun.' Jiang Zhiyu, I advise you to sleep with one eye open tonight.'"

Bae Joo-hyun remained expressionless, but her fingertips twitched slightly.

"ID 'Where Is Joy's Chili Whip': 'Joy, why did you only use your whip to play around? You should have lashed it on Jiang Zhiyu! (Dog head emoji)'"

Joy made a whipping motion, lashing out at the empty air in Jiang Zhiyu's direction.

"ID 'Bear Seulgi Don't Cry': 'Seulgi, my heart broke when I saw your expression as the fried egg flew away! Jiang Zhiyu, you aren't human!'"

Seulgi blinked bashfully, feeling a bit touched.

"ID 'Yeri World': 'The maknae did great today! She looked so cool when she grabbed the hot water! Although the noodles were a bit tragic in the end... Yeri World will shine forever!'"

Yeri puffed out her little chest.

"ID 'Teacher Wendy Science Is Right': 'Teacher Son, science is not wrong; what's wrong is this world! (And Jiang Zhiyu)'"

Wendy pushed up her glasses and nodded in deep agreement.

"ID 'SJ Crazy Fan Head': 'Oppa Siwon and Oppa Heechul's commentary is even better than the show itself! I beg you two to start a food (sharp-tongued) review show!'"

Choi Si-won and Kim Heechul made heart signs at the camera.

"ID 'Cafeteria Chef Park's Apprentice': 'Master Park scolded them well! It makes me angry to see this food waste! However... it seems we can't blame them entirely? (Whispering)'"

Chef Park let out a cold snort.

Jiang Zhiyu flipped through the comments, that inscrutable smile lingering on the corners of his mouth until he saw one—

"Netizen with the ID 'Has Jiang Zhiyu Been Assassinated Today' asks: 'May I ask Judge Jiang Zhiyu, aren't you afraid that you won't be able to walk out of the SM Entertainment gates after filming the show, given that you designed so many perverted segments?'"

He looked up at the camera and revealed a smile that could be described as "innocent":

"Thank you for this netizen's concern. I believe that SM Entertainment is a big family full of love and peace. My colleagues, such as Senior Yoona and Senior Irene, are very gentle and kind people. They will surely understand that all of this is for the sake of the show's effect."

He paused and added, "Besides, my schedule for tonight is... to review the footage with the PD team of the 'SM Entertainment Weekend Special.' We will be staying in the editing room; it's very safe."

Bullet Comments: [No silver buried here!] [Jiang Zhiyu, you have a guilty conscience!] [The editing room isn't safe either! Yoona and Irene will storm over there!]

[This wave of hatred has been drawn perfectly!]

Just then, the judging panel's score tally was completed.

Jiang Zhiyu put away the tablet and took the final score card handed to him by a staff member.

The whole venue instantly quieted down.

The six "chefs" held their breath, their eyes fixed intently on that card.

Jiang Zhiyu glanced at the score, his brow raised almost imperceptibly, and then he slowly looked up, his gaze sweeping over the incredibly nervous members of both teams.

"After careful scoring by the judging panel, dropping one highest score and one lowest score, the final average scores are as follows—"

He deliberately dragged out his voice.

"Royal Blue Team, 'Seafood Noodle Soup' (average of two bowls): 28.5 points."

Im Yoona's, Wendy's, and Joy's faces instantly turned pale. This score... was very low.

"Bright Yellow Team, 'Top-Tier Beef Noodles' + 'Chaotic Art Black Bean Noodles' (composite score): 29.0 points."

Only 0.5 points higher!

The three members of the Bright Yellow Team were slightly stunned, seemingly not expecting the gap to be so small, but immediately, hope ignited in Yeri's and Seulgi's eyes—they won? Even if it was only by 0.5 points?!

However, Jiang Zhiyu hadn't finished speaking.

"However," he changed the subject, "before the final cooking segment began, I announced that the Bright Yellow Team possessed 'Priority to initiate the snatch battle three times.' They used it twice, succeeding once and failing once."

"According to the rules, for every successful snatch, the winning team will receive a 1-point bonus on their final score. For every failed snatch, 0.5 points will be deducted."

"The Bright Yellow Team succeeded in one snatch, adding 1 point; they failed once, deducting 0.5 points; net gain: +0.5 points."

"Therefore, the Bright Yellow Team's final score is adjusted to: 29.0 + 0.5 = 29.5 points."

"The Royal Blue Team was not successfully snatched from, so there is no bonus; number of times they initiated a snatch (after the Bright Yellow Team used up their three chances): 0. Therefore, the score remains unchanged: 28.5 points."

"So, the final winning team of this episode of 'SM Entertainment Weekend Special — Let's Battle, Chef-min!' is—"

Jiang Zhiyu raised his voice, his tone clearly carrying across the venue:

"The Bright Yellow Team! Bae Joo-hyun, Kang Seulgi, Kim Yerim!"

"Yeah—!!!" Yeri was the first to jump up, hugging Seulgi, and the two cried and laughed.

Bae Joo-hyun stood where she was, letting out a long, almost inaudible sigh of relief, her long-tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

She glanced at the Royal Blue Team opposite, who looked dejected, and then at that man on the judging panel, her eyes complex.

On the Royal Blue Team's side, Im Yoona closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, her face was once again wearing a polite, slightly forced smile.

Wendy silently tidied up the cooking station, while Joy pouted, her eyes slightly red.

"Congratulations to the Bright Yellow Team for winning the 'SM First weekend special Gold Card,' specially crafted by the 'SM Entertainment Weekend Special' production team!"

Jiang Zhiyu took three glittering physical cards from the attendant and personally presented them to Bae Joo-hyun, Seulgi, and Kim Yerim.

The cards shimmered under the lights, engraved with their names, the show's logo, and that enticing phrase, "One-time privilege redemption right."

"At the same time, according to the agreement before the match..."

Jiang Zhiyu's gaze turned to the defeated Royal Blue Team, his tone returning to that calm, waveless, yet heart-tightening cadence.

"The defeated team needs to carry out the punishment."

Im Yoona, Wendy, and Joy all stiffened simultaneously.

"The punishment content: Next Monday (the day after tomorrow) at 5:00 PM, at the main entrance of SM Entertainment, take turns praising one of the members of the winning team (the Bright Yellow Team) in the tone of the craziest fan, for no less than 30 seconds each, using a megaphone, with the whole process recorded and uploaded to the official channel."

Jiang Zhiyu paused, looking at Im Yoona's eyes, which were almost spitting fire but were being forcibly suppressed, and slowly added:

"Please, the three members of the Royal Blue Team, prepare your... lung capacity and lines in advance."

"So, I announce—" Jiang Zhiyu faced the camera, "The first episode of 'SM Entertainment Weekend Special — Let's Battle, Chef-min!', has come to a successful conclusion!"

"Thank you all for participating and watching. We will see you next time... on the weekend."

The impassioned closing music began to play, and the live stream signal slowly faded out.

But inside the studio, the real "war" might have just begun.