Chapter 577

This year’s competition was divided into three rounds: the first round was the preliminary round; the second round was the advancement round; and the third round was the final round. Out of the total of eight contestants, three would be eliminated in the preliminary round, and a further two more would be eliminated during the advancement round. The final round would be a battle for the champion and first runner-up. Regardless, everyone was, of course, fighting for first place. All eight contestants had gathered together backstage to decide on the order to perform. Every year, the order was decided by drawing lots. Eight balls were placed in a sealed box. Everyone had to draw lots according to the alphabetical order of their names. Only a few minutes were needed to complete the process.