Peninsula: Who taught him to make that connection?!

Chapter 17: The Shocking Song Selection

That is a very rare quality—leadership demeanor.

Singing skills can be honed, and dancing can be practiced diligently, but this kind of seemingly innate aura is something that no amount of sweat can cultivate.

Some people spend three to five years in a dark practice room, but they may not be able to get their proud and arrogant teammates to willingly entrust their attention and trust to them.

But there are some people who don't need to shout commands at the top of their lungs. Just by standing quietly in their positions, they can act like a stabilizing force, instantly calming those around them and making them willing to follow their rhythm with peace of mind.

At this moment, Jiang Tang undoubtedly exudes the leadership qualities that can unite people's hearts.

"You have a good overall perspective."

Lee Soo-man's gaze was as deep as the sea, his eyes shifting between Kang Tang and Kim Hee-chul.

Faced with Lee Soo-man's praise, Kang Tang remained calm, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Thank you, teacher. I will continue to work hard."

Next, the individual presentations begin, with Group A going first.

Eunhyuk chose a dance.

As soon as the music started, he became completely absorbed in the melody.

The transitions between movements were smooth and fluid, and the control of the shoulders and knees when the racket landed was excellent.

Anyone can see that he is indeed very good at dancing.

Cho Kyuhyun sang a short ballad.

His clear and refreshing voice gives him a natural sense of intimacy, and even when he's just standing there singing, people don't feel that he's too distant.

When Kim Heechul took the stage, all eyes were on him.

Instead of performing a dance or a song, he acted in a short play.

Kim Heechul stood in front of the mirror, as if looking at the wound on his face. The lights in the practice room fell on his eyebrows and eyes, and when his excessively beautiful face quieted down, it had an indescribable sense of brokenness.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"It's okay."

"Anyway, what they saw first wasn't my effort."

That one sentence alone drew the attention of many people in the evaluation room.

The lines weren't particularly complex, nor were there any exaggerated emotional outbursts, but when he opened his mouth, it was as if he suddenly had a story to tell.

Beauty is no longer just beauty; it has become something that stings.

After Kim Heechul finished his performance, he glanced at Kang Tang.

His eyes held a casual smile, as if to say—don't disappoint me.

The presentations following Group A came one after another.

Some have stable singing skills, some have outstanding dancing skills, and some have mature facial expression management.

The trial training group stood by and watched, their spirits, which had just been boosted by Jiang Tang, began to wane a little.

When it was the turn of the trial group, the first few people performed only so-so.

Park Jung-woo went up and danced a short dance, and the dance teacher's evaluation was very direct.

"You're too eager to show off. You need to learn to tone it down. On stage, it's not about who tries the hardest that wins."

When Park Jung-woo stepped down, his face was somewhat pale.

Shortly after, the staff called people up again.

"Next up, Jiang Tang."

The atmosphere in the practice room changed noticeably when that name appeared.

Kim Tae-yeon stood outside the door, her fingers secretly clenching.

Kim Heechul looked up.

Yu Yongzhen picked up the pen again.

Even Lee Soo-man finally looked up from the evaluation form.

Jiang Tang stepped out of the line and stood in the center of the evaluation area.

He's been noticed far too many times today; everyone wants to see what else he can come up with.

Lee Soo-man asked calmly:

"Jiang Tang, what have you prepared?"

If Jiang Tang chooses to perform, many people will not be surprised.

His camera presence and emotional expression during the first selection had already impressed several teachers.

If he chooses to sing, that would be a safe bet.

After all, the smartest thing for a test taker is to show what they are most confident about.

The end-of-month evaluation is not a place to show off, especially after Group A's presentation, any mistakes will be magnified.

However, Jiang Tang did something that surprised everyone.

He turned slightly to the side, looked calmly at the vocal coach beside him, and said, "Teacher, could you please play the song from the Group A group dance again?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the huge evaluation room fell completely silent.

On Group A's side, Han Geng, Leeteuk, Eunhyuk, Donghae, and others looked at him almost simultaneously, their eyes revealing surprise.

The trial training team was also stunned.

Park Jung-woo frowned, as if he didn't understand what Kang Tang was trying to do.

Kim Heechul leaned to the side, his beautiful eyebrows slightly raised, and chuckled softly.

"Wow, this kid's really daring."

He knew better than anyone how difficult that song was; it took a lot of courage for a trainee to use it as a personal presentation on short notice.

But the stage won't let people off the hook just because they're bold.

Once the music starts, whether the movements are good or not, whether the rhythm is steady or not, and whether the body can support the emotions will all be clearly seen.

Kim Tae-yeon, Im Yoon-ah, Jessica Jung, and others were also stunned.

Especially Kim Tae-yeon, she knew that Kang Tang sometimes did unexpected things, but this time it was still too sudden.

In her memory, Jiang Tang did learn very quickly.

But that was teaching, that was practice, that was progress made little by little without so many judges watching.

Things are different now.

This is the end-of-month review.

Lee Soo-man sat in the middle, Yoo Young-jin sat beside him, and Han Jung-hoon and several teachers were watching.

Jiang Tang deliberately chose the song that Group A had just skipped.

Kim Tae-yeon suddenly felt an indescribable nervousness.

"Jiang Tang, you have to keep it up!"

Seeing Kim Tae-yeon's nervous expression, Lim Yoon-a suddenly smiled and poked Kim Tae-yeon's waist.

"Unnie, I don't think you need to worry. Since your friend chose this song, it means he's confident in his abilities."

Kim Tae-yeon's eyes also held a hint of anticipation.

Yu Yongzhen looked up at Jiang Tang, his eyes gleaming with an even stronger interest than before.

This choice is more than just risky; it's like walking a tightrope on the edge of a cliff.

But it is precisely this extraordinary courage and demeanor that makes a trainee's talent and potential shine through, like a touchstone.

Why choose this song?

A hint of surprise flashed across Lee Soo-man's eyes.

If Jiang Tang's answer is even slightly arrogant, he will immediately be labeled as "arrogant and ignorant".

However, Jiang Tang was not affected by the pressure at all.

He turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the trainees in Group A, and answered calmly:

"The seniors in Group A just danced exceptionally well, setting a high standard for us."

"That's why I wanted to take this rare opportunity to try. I wanted to know how well I could do with my current abilities, given the high standards set by my predecessors for the same song."

They are neither arrogant nor humble, facing the gap head-on, yet their sharpness remains hidden.

Lee Soo-man scrutinized him quietly for a full two seconds before his serious eyes finally relaxed slightly.

He slowly nodded and uttered two words:

"Let's begin."