Twenty-five trainees were about to be cut to eighteen.
Kang-joon stood among the remaining trainees.
He had saved Jae-hyun from sabotage, but the attempt confirmed his primary directive which was the the closer he got to the Consortium Sale deadline (three weeks, three days), the more frequent and sophisticated the external attempts to destabilize the competition and thus create the conditions for a plausible accident would become.
His goal for this elimination round was to survive and ensure the right people survived alongside him.
He needed strong, controllable allies, and he needed weak, toxic liabilities to push to the top.
The trainees were seated, facing the ominous, darkened LED scoreboard that would reveal their fates.
Manager Kim and PD Na Ye-eun stood at the front, their expressions stern.
The rules were simple: the scores were based on the cumulative total of the 'Zero Gravity' performance, the 'Team Arrangement Mission,' and audience online votes.
Kang-joon already knew the exact rankings, having quickly deciphered the raw vote tallies leaked on the Hourglass phone he carried.
He needed to check one final variable...the mental state of his allies.
He subtly glanced at Jae-hyun.
The younger trainee was still pale from the shock of the fabricated emergency, but his gaze was now fixed and determined.
"Hyung," Jae-hyun whispered to Kang-joon, "Thank you...I won't let that distraction win." Kang-joon gave a barely perceptible nod.
Jae-hyun was now motivated by a desire for justice, not just fame which in his opinion was a much stronger, more reliable energy source. Next, Min-soo.
The Center was radiating anxious arrogance, desperate to confirm his superiority.
Kang-joon knew Min-soo's confidence was his greatest strength, but also his deadliest weakness.
If Min-soo ranked lower than expected, his explosive temper could lead to a self-inflicted career disaster.
PD Na Ye-eun stepped forward, her voice cutting through the tension.
"Trainees, the audience has spoken. Seventeen individuals have secured a spot. The eighteenth spot will be determined by the producers' 'Wild Card Pick.'
The first twelve rankings are safe."
The screen flared to life, displaying the rankings in stark, agonizing white light.
1. Min-soo (A-Class) - 97,000 Pts
2. Park Gun-woo (A-Class) - 95,500 Pts
...
4. Han Jae-hyun (A-Class) - 88,200 Pts
Min-soo let out a visible sigh of relief, though his dominance was less than he'd hoped. Jae-hyun smiled, waving weakly.
Kang-joon's gaze swept down the board, waiting for his name.
7. Lee Kang-joon (A-Class) - 81,300 Pts
'Perfect.'
High enough to confirm his A-Class status and his Vocal Team Leader role, but far enough from the top to avoid the crushing Center spotlight.
[System Warning: Host Rank (7) is adequate, but potential for Center Position remains high. Seek immediate opportunity for ranking increase.]
Not yet, Kang-joon thought.
I need to ensure my liabilities survive.
His 'Subversion Team' members were next.
11. Joo Hyuk (A-Class) - 75,900 Pts
12. Seo Won (A-Class) - 75,500 Pts
Seo Won, the 'jazz poet,' gasped, clutching his chest.
He was the last safe spot.
The shock was the validation of Kang-joon's unconventional plan.
Lee Hoon, the dancer, hadn't made the cut yet, but was still in the running.
The mood in the room curdled as PD Na read out the lowest scores.
One by one, trainees were dismissed, their faces masks of shame and shattered dreams. This was the raw reality of the industry, and every rejection tightened the knots of anxiety in the survivors.
Kang-joon remained stone-faced, tracking the movements of two specific survivors just above the elimination line.
Kim Do-yoon (ranked 15) and Oh Sun-ho (ranked 16).
In Loop #72, Kim Do-yoon suffered a severe, untreated case of pneumonia just after debut, forcing his temporary withdrawal, which led to a contract voidance.
In Loop #38, Oh Sun-ho was discovered to have a deep-seated anxiety disorder masked by overconfidence, which triggered a very public, career-ending panic attack during a live broadcast. Both were toxic assets guaranteed to cause legal problems for the Consortium buyer.
Kang-joon needed them both to survive.
"The final five spots are determined by a combination of public votes and production scores," Manager Kim announced.
He paused for dramatic effect.
"The next four trainees secured their spots based on consistent performance and audience engagement."
The screen flashed the next rankings.
13. Lee Hoon (A-Class) - 74,000 Pts
Lee Hoon, the stoic dancer, finally showed a flicker of emotion...a small, surprised nod. Kang-joon allowed himself a momentary satisfaction.
His most reliable liability was safe.
15. Kim Do-yoon (B-Class) - 70,100 Pts
16. Oh Sun-ho (B-Class) - 69,500 Pts
Both toxic assets were in.
Kang-joon's plan to burden the Consortium was progressing perfectly.
The tension spiked again.
The last spot, number 17, was revealed.
It was a Wild Card with a strong backstory but middling talent.
The room exhaled. Seventeen were safe.
The focus now shifted to the final, eighteenth spot...the Producer's Wild Card Pick.
"The Wild Card Pick is based on potential, narrative value, and the ability to enhance the final debut group," PD Na explained.
She pointed to a young, terrified trainee named Go Min-jae, a rapper who had ranked 20th but shown bursts of potential.
Min-jae's eyes filled with hope.
'Wait...'
In Loop #90, Min-jae had a devastating, career-ending ankle fracture during a celebratory stage rush after being picked as the Wild Card. The producers always picked the narrative underdog, which was usually a physical hazard waiting to happen.
'I have to prevent that pick.'
Kang-joon made a move he'd never risked before and spoke without being asked.
"PD-nim," he said, his voice clear and resonant across the hall.
"With respect, if the goal is to enhance the final group's stability and avoid unnecessary risk before the debut, the pick should be Park Ji-won."
Park Ji-won was an overlooked, uncharismatic vocalist who ranked 19th.
He had no narrative value, but Kang-joon knew Ji-won was the only trainee in the bottom tier who had completed his mandatory military service and was pursuing a college degree simultaneously.
In Loop #21, Ji-won was the one who pulled the group together after a financial crisis, simply because of his stable, low-key maturity.
PD Na narrowed her eyes at Kang-joon, unused to being challenged.
"And why Park Ji-won, Lee Kang-joon?"
"Ji-won-ssi is the only one in the bottom five who has a long-term professional profile outside of idol life," Kang-joon explained, using the language the producers understood.
"He represents stability and maturity. Choosing him sends a message to the audience that this group is about more than just flash...but about endurance and commitment.
That narrative enhances the group's marketability and ensures fewer long-term liabilities."
PD Na exchanged a long look with Manager Kim.
The idea that picking a stable trainee could reduce long-term risk and liability was compelling, especially with the impending sale.
"We... we appreciate the insight, Lee Kang-joon," PD Na finally said.
She pointed to Park Ji-won.
"Park Ji-won, congratulations.
You are the Wild Card Pick."
Min-jae collapsed, tears streaming.
Kang-joon had saved Min-jae from a fracture, but he had also injected the group with an anchor of stability, counter-balancing the toxicity of Do-yoon and Sun-ho.
He was walking a terrifyingly thin line.
The eliminated trainees were quickly ushered out.
The survivors were told to prepare for their next team assignment.
Min-soo cornered Kang-joon by the water cooler, his face a mix of awe and burning anger.
"You manipulative bastard," Min-soo hissed, keeping his voice low.
"You just saved that boring college guy and ruined Min-jae's life! Why?"
"Min-soo-ssi, I saved the group's future," Kang-joon said calmly, filling his water bottle. "You need anchors to hold down the stars, or the whole thing collapses. Ji-won is an anchor...
...Min-jae on the other hand was a gamble."
Min-soo stomped off, unable to argue with the cold, hard logic that had just dictated the fate of seven men.
Later that evening, in the quiet solitude of the production office (his key card proving invaluable), Kang-joon watched the final broadcast of the elimination segment.
He waited for the comment section to explode, confirming the external impact of his internal maneuvers.
[Pann Nate Forum: ROAD TO STARLIGHT - ELIMINATION SHOCK]
User: CEO_of_Starlight_Stocks
Title: The Producers Blew It. Why Ji-won Over Min-jae?
(Comments)
@AudienceAnalyst (14,900 Likes): The Min-jae elimination is a narrative disaster. PDs caved to corporate thinking. BUT...did anyone else notice Lee Kang-joon openly lobbying for Ji-won? He didn't lobby for his own team and lobbied for stability. This guy's positioning himself as the future leader.
@IdolTherapist (2,300 Likes): I'm worried about Min-soo (Rank 1). His facial reactions to his own rank were highly strained. He looks furious, not happy. Watch Lee Kang-joon. He never moves his expression, only his strategy. He's the only psychologically stable asset in the top ten.
@GlobalKpopInvestor (7,800 Likes): I'm selling my stock in Min-soo and doubling down on Kang-joon. The fact that the PDs listened to a trainee proves Kang-joon is already inside the system. He's a safer long-term investment. You guys should do it as well...thank me later!
Kang-joon smiled, a tiny, inward satisfaction.
If the buyers saw him as the key to the group's stability and concept, they would be far more likely to protect him from any 'unforeseen accident' that might ruin their investment.
He pulled out the encrypted Hourglass phone.
[Min-seo]: You saved the liabilities. Excellent work. The Consortium is panicking about the group's legal liabilities. Next assignment: The Concept Stage. Find a high-risk, unmarketable concept and force it onto the final team. Destroy the group's commercial appeal from the inside.
Kang-joon leaned back in the chair, the weight of the phone heavy in his hand.
He had mastered the physical hazards and the personal dynamics.
Now, he had to master the conceptual sabotage while maintaining his own strategic ascent.
He had three weeks and two days.
He was the most successful, most necessary trainee in the show.
His only option was to achieve the final, most glorious success, and hope the sheer value of that success created a protective barrier strong enough to survive the inevitable.