And so, amidst the heated debates among netizens, the Brain Battle program officially premiered.
Since it was a flagship program on state television, it was scheduled for the prime Saturday evening time slot.
At 8:30 PM, most families had finished their dinners.
Typically at this time, young people would be scrolling through short videos on their phones, while the television audience was mostly comprised of middle-aged and elderly folks who had been busy all day and were ready to unwind by watching family dramas.
In most households, the TV remote control was in the hands of the matriarch.
But today was different, because...
"Mom! My dear mom~ Please, let me watch the program on Channel One! My idol will be on this show!"
"Mooom~~~~"
"Mom, look, here's the complete series of the drama you've been following. You said you regretted falling asleep and missing an episode, so now you can watch it at your leisure..."
"Mom mom mom~ My idol, the top scorer in the college entrance exam, will be on this show. Ji Ruochu, your darling, we can't miss this, can we?"
In short, that evening, most families staged a heartwarming scene of "filial piety," and by 8:30 PM, the dramas had all concluded.
...
At 8:35 PM, the preview for Brain Battle ended.
"What are the ratings?"
"..."
"Di-di-director, I think I'm seeing things..."
At 8:40 PM, the ninety-nine contestants of Brain Battle entered the studio together. On screen were groups of the nation's brightest talents, with occasional close-up shots of individuals.
Those watching at home scrutinized the TV carefully, fearful of missing a glimpse of their beloved child. And soon after...
"It's already over 3?!"
"And still rising!"
"Ji Ruochu is this popular? She hasn't even appeared on screen yet, and the ratings are already this high?"
"No wonder everyone wants to book big celebrities. This feeling of skyrocketing from the ground up is really... exhilarating!"
...
At the Ji family home, at the same time.
"Not going for a walk?"
Ji Ruochu, already in her shoes, looked helpless.
"Ahem..." Her elderly father cleared his throat. "Daughter, your dad is feeling a bit tired today. Why don't we skip the walk? Let's all watch TV together as a family instead!"
"Yes, yes, let's watch TV together. We've never done that before..." Ling Chujin gazed at her daughter with pleading eyes.
Ji Ruochu: ...
"Alri-"
"Click."
The TV turned on instantly, and a solemn voice boomed from the speakers:
"Welcoming our host, Tan Zhiming..."
Seeing her parents' backs facing her as they sat in front of the TV, Ji Ruochu, expressionless, finished her sentence: "ghty then."
A moment later, the three of them sat properly in front of the television, with her parents each holding a phone, calling their own aging parents.
"Yes, it's on Channel Eight, it's already started. The host is still reading the sponsors' names..."
"I don't know when Ji Ruochu will be on. Since it's a pre-recorded broadcast, there will probably be some editing. But it's fine to watch a bit more, that way we can see just how amazing our Ji Ruochu is!"
Ji Ruochu, sitting in the middle of the couch: ...
Sometimes, watching TV with parents can be quite helpless.
Thankfully, her parents were sensible. Once the program began in earnest, they stopped chattering, sitting upright without even drinking water, their eyes glued to the screen.
Each had a small notebook and pen in hand, ostensibly "to help their daughter remember her most threatening opponents."
Ji Ruochu: ... No need for that.
"Let science return to science, and revere the brain with the brain. No more words, I will now announce the powerful rules of Brain Battle!
Over the past month, the program has selected 99 super brains from all over the world through comprehensive stress tests. But this is not the ultimate goal; the real battle is only just beginning.
Over the next two months, we will adopt a Hacker Marathon format, putting the 99 contestants through even more intense pressure tests.
In simple terms, the upcoming competition will operate in a non-stop 48-hour challenge mode, using extreme stress, cognitive, logical, and hell-level difficulty tests to select the strongest geniuses of Hua Country.
First, let us welcome with applause the scientific advisor and three on-site observers for this program!"
