The tension in the Starline facilities did not dissipate.
Kang-joon now faced the Team Arrangement Mission.
This was the real test of his calculated mediocrity.
The System had flagged the high-potential team; Min-soo, Jae-hyun, and Dong-hyun as the optimal path, but Kang-joon knew winning too early meant speeding toward the liquidation deadline.
So, he let the hungry sharks; Min-soo and the others claim the high-value assets.
When the dust settled, Kang-joon was left with the three trainees universally considered the 'leftovers' or the 'B-Team.'
There was Joo Hyuk, a trainee so visually stunning he looked like a manhwa character, yet whose stage fright turned him into a sweating, paralyzed mess the moment a camera light hit him.
Then there was Seo Won, the rapper who genuinely struggled with maintaining a consistent beat, giving his verses a jarring, off-kilter quality.
Finally, there was Lee Hoon, a dancer with the physical grace of a jungle cat but the facial expression of a deeply confused marble statue.
To the producers, this was the elimination fodder.
'But to me...this is a perfectly disguised powerhouse.'
He gathered his bewildered teammates in an empty vocal booth, its walls padded with damp, peeling foam.
"Congratulations," Kang-joon announced, his voice steady and serious.
"We are the best team."
Joo Hyuk nervously adjusted his mask. "Hyung, Min-soo-hyung has Jae-hyun and Dong-hyun.
We have... stage fright, bad rhythm, and zero expression.
We are the elimination team."
Kang-joon leaned against the door.
"That is the greatest advantage anyone in this show could ask for."
The System, meanwhile, was screaming internally.
[System Error: Statistical Team Potential: D-. Penalty: Host must achieve A-Rank in arrangement to compensate for unit's low raw stats.]
Kang-joon ignored the penalty, knowing his unique asset could crush the System's metrics.
"The song is VORTEX's 'Adrenaline'," Kang-joon announced.
"But we are not doing the original.
" W-what do you mean?"
We are doing the Jazz Swing Acoustic Version."
He then proceeded to pull out his phone and quickly transcribe the entire, detailed sheet music for a chart-topping arrangement that the sunbae group, VORTEX, wouldn't even conceive of until their European tour next year.
Seo Won's eyes went wide.
"That... that rhythm is impossible! It swings every other beat!"
Kang-joon smiled.
"It's not impossible, Won-ssi...rather it's syncopated.
They think you have bad rhythm and we will be proving you have unique rhythm.
Your rap will be a rhythmic, spoken-word poetry recital over the backbeat."
Seo Won looked like he might cry.
Next was Joo Hyuk.
Kang-joon knew he couldn't cure stage fright, but he could weaponize it.
"Hyuk-ssi, your visual is gold, but your fear is real and we'll use it.
Your signature verse will be sung entirely with your back to the camera.
Your face will never be shown.
We will light you from behind, creating a perfect silhouette. The audience won't see fear...Your nervousness is now 'deep artistic immersion.'"
Joo Hyuk's shoulders instantly relaxed.
"I... I think I can do that, Hyung. No eye contact."
Kang-joon nodded, already winning the war for his teammates' confidence.
Finally, Lee Hoon, the dancer.
"Hoon-ssi, you move like water, but your face is a brick wall. This is our visual hook.
When the music transitions to the high-tempo tap-dance bridge, you will execute a series of complex, rapid movements; flips, spins, everything...but your face will remain completely stoic, expressing unflappable concentration."
Hoon simply nodded slowly, the instruction fitting neatly into his singular skill set.
The three days leading up to the interim check were grueling, but focused.
While the A-Team was struggling to add unnecessary flash to the existing 'Adrenaline' choreography, Kang-joon's team was mastering a hit song from the future.
The System kept buzzing.
[System Alert: Exploitation of Undetected Asset (VORTEX Jazz Version) detected. EXP Multiplier: x10. Host is gaining skill points at an unfair rate.]
The reward was huge, and it fueled Kang-joon's energy, proving the System was just a greedy scorekeeper, indifferent to the methods of success.
The day of the interim check arrived.
Kang-joon's team was the last to perform. Min-soo's team went first, executing a technically perfect, explosive dance that was praised, but ultimately predictable.
The producers looked bored.
Then, Kang-joon's team took the stage.
The lights dimmed, and the music started smooth, jazzy, and entirely unexpected.
When Joo Hyuk delivered his verse with a flawless, longing silhouette, Producer Seo leaned forward.
When Seo Won's syncopated "rap" broke the expected rhythm, Manager Kim began tapping his foot, unable to resist the groove. And when Lee Hoon's stone-faced agility dominated the tap bridge, the producers exchanged looks of genuine surprise.
When the music stopped, the silence was definitive.
Manager Kim was the first to speak.
"That was... brilliant. It's conceptually the only performance that breaks the mold."
Producer Seo agreed.
"It's high-concept, low-risk.
Lee Kang-joon, where did you find this arrangement?"
Kang-joon bowed low.
"I heard VORTEX experimenting with it during an acoustic set a few months ago, Producer-nim.
I thought it suited my teammates' unique strengths."
It was a plausible lie that satisfied the System's need for a logical source.
[System Quest: Arrangement Mission Passed. Grade: A+. Reward: [Vocal Arrangement (A) Skill] unlocked. EXP gained: +500.]
The reward was instantaneous, and the consequence was immediate.
"Kang-joon," Manager Kim said, his eyes glittering with ambition.
"You're too valuable for the Sub-Vocal 3 spot. Effective immediately, you are the Vocal Team Leader and will report directly to me for all arrangement and concept decisions.
You will be responsible for the sound of the entire final group."
Kang-joon bowed again, accepting the poisoned chalice.
He had secured a position of massive influence (Team Leader and direct access to management) without securing the high-risk, death-accelerating Center spotlight.
He was now deeply embedded in the show's structure, giving him the perfect vantage point to manage the inevitable random accidents.
As the trainees dispersed, Min-soo walked up to him, his competitive hostility replaced with baffled respect.
"You used the trash trainees to get a higher rank than me," Min-soo said, shaking his head. "You're not just smart, Hyung. You're cheating." Kang-joon merely smiled.