The Villain Is Too Popular

Real world, Station 13, 8 PM.

'First!'

'New week, new beginning!'

'Protect the best Stars in the world!'

After waiting for a full week, the fifth episode of Stars Prequel: Ember finally premiered amidst the anticipation of countless fans. After the groundwork laid in the previous four episodes, the audience now had less animosity towards 'Chen Kong,' the formerly frustrating protagonist of the anime.

After all, in the previous fourth episode, Chen Kong, through his performance, proved his worth as a 'weakling.' This had completely reversed the originally one-sided negative public opinion he faced.

With 'Chen Kong' no longer the sole flaw in the first four episodes, Stars Prequel: Ember, already a high-production, heavily promoted series, naturally generated considerable buzz on Station 13. The number of fans surged.

The content of the fifth episode seamlessly followed the conclusion of the final assessment. The story began with protagonist Chen Kong, severely injured after the final assessment, being 'confined' in a recovery pod. Watching Chen Kong, completely naked and covered in various instruments, on screen, the bullet comments not only showed no sympathy but instead laughed in a rather inhumane way.

'What recovery pod? This is clearly a big fish tank!'

'So white!'

'Doctor, please move aside, you're blocking the crucial spot.'

Amidst the bullet comments' teasing, the Ember doctor on screen began to introduce Chen Kong's condition. Though he spoke a lot, it could be summed up in a few words: nothing serious, he'll wake up in a few days.

Even if the doctor hadn't said anything, the audience knew Chen Kong wouldn't be in serious trouble. After all, if Chen Kong could be in serious trouble, how would the anime's plot progress? It couldn't possibly be a protagonist-less Children of Stars story, could it? If that were truly the case, then that would be... fantastic!

Although a small portion of the audience desperately hoped that Chen Kong would remain 'confined' in the recovery pod forever and never be released, the production team clearly wouldn't grant this wish.

So, quickly, the anime's camera shifted focus to the legs of the unnamed male doctor in the recovery room, following him as he moved.

As the unnamed male doctor passed Chen Kong's recovery pod, the anime's scene instantly switched from the recovery room to the Ember Organization's conference room.

Immediately after, the focal character of the camera also changed from the male doctor to Yun Meng, who walked into the conference room, creating a seamless scene transition.

Gazing at the black-stockinged legs that suddenly entered the screen, the bullet comments' attitude instantly performed a complete 180-degree turn.

'Slurp, slurp! Top-tier, premium goods!'

'In accordance with the porridge ceremony, in accordance with the porridge ceremony!'

'I told you this was a cooking anime!'

Amidst the bullet comments' revelry, the anime's camera slowly moved upwards along Yun Meng's black stockings. This clever camera language immediately caused some viewers in front of their screens to breathe rapidly.

Even their bodies, sitting in front of their computers, unconsciously bent into a 'shrimp chip' shape, almost pressing their eyes against the screen. However, to their disappointment, Stars Prequel: Ember, being rated for ages 12+, ultimately did not show the R-rated content they had imagined.

As the anime's camera finally stopped at Yun Meng's knees, the camera's direction began to shift, ultimately aiming at the eleven Children of Stars around the conference table from a bottom-up perspective.

Under the dimly lit conference room lights, these individuals were still young. Yet, their faces, half-hidden and half-revealed in the interplay of light and shadow, still conveyed an inexplicable sense of pressure.

At the far end of the conference table, a seated figure presented a stark contrast to the standing Children of Stars around him.

Tendo sat alone at the head seat, leaning back in his high-backed chair, arms crossed, legs casually crossed, and a relaxed expression. A classic 'Navy Admiral' sitting posture. This frozen frame seemed as if the production team was deliberately using unique camera language to tell everyone that the ten standing Children of Stars were merely there to highlight Tendo, the king among them. After all, only a king... doesn't need to bow to anyone.

'Wow! Just by looking at his sitting posture, you know this man is terrifyingly strong.'

'Is this really not the protagonist?'

'Such a cool sitting posture? Tendo, you bastard...'

They say a person can't stay cool for more than three seconds. Before the audience could recover from Tendo's domineering sitting posture, Yun Meng, passing by Tendo, gave him a light tap on the back of his head.

"At least pretend a little, you have no manners."

"Sister Yun, my injury isn't healed yet, so I can't move around much."

"Suit yourself, I'm too lazy to bother with you."

Watching Tendo, who was a king one second and clutching his head in defense the next, the bullet comments were immediately amused.

In fact, if someone else were to tap Tendo, that tap might very well have ruined the powerful composition the production team had meticulously crafted for Tendo. 

But when the one tapping him was Yun Meng, the result was completely different. Through Tendo's previous flashback, the audience already understood her relationship with Tendo was not that of biological siblings, but stronger than that of biological siblings.

Therefore, the older sister tapping her younger brother not only wouldn't damage Tendo's image as a strong person in the audience's hearts but would also give them a strange sense of familiarity.

'Hahaha, Yun Meng – Tendo's natural enemy woman!'

'Tendo: Sis, there are a lot of people here, give me some face.'

'I'm so envious that Tendo can be hit by Sister Yun like that. I also wish I had an older sister like that to hit me.'

'Previous comment, you... never mind, blessings.'

Watching Tendo being completely handled by Yun Meng, the audience not only felt no sympathy but also 'piled on' madly. A portion of viewers with peculiar preferences seemed to activate a hidden attribute, frantically saying they wanted to be hit in Tendo's place. This perfectly exemplified the diversity of human nature.

After a wave of bullet comment revelry, the Doctor began to state the purpose of their gathering, and why Tendo was left alone. He produced the two Star Essence cubes for Tendo to choose from. One was [Imagination], and the other was [Vector Control].

And as the audience expected, despite the Doctor's persuasion, Tendo ultimately and domineeringly chose [Vector Control].

"Whether it's suitable or not, it's not for others to say."

"The 'Imagination' that can only forever hide behind others' shadows does not conform to the personality of me, Tendo Simei."

"I, Tendo Simei, either do nothing, or if I do, I will be the strongest."

"So, Doctor, I think this 'Vector Control' is very suitable for me."

As Tendo absorbed the [Vector Control] Star Essence into his body, the fifth episode of Stars Prequel: Ember was already halfway through. After a black screen transition, the fifth episode's scene returned to the protagonist, Chen Kong, in the recovery room. However, this time, it was already the third day after the final assessment...