From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show Chapter 1038: The Greatest Love

"What are we supposed to do now?" Mei asked, glancing around the room with a look of unease.

The evening was already well underway, and they had just wrapped up grueling practice sessions with their respective teams. Though exhaustion hung heavy upon them, the grind offered no reprieve.

Neither could find a proper way to break the ice, and the sheer absurdity of having to perform a love song together left them both repulsed.

"Are you going to answer me?" Mei pressed, frustration creeping into her tone.

June pursed his lips, running a hand through his hair in agitation.

"I have no idea," he sighed. "What else do you want me to say?"

Mei let out a sharp click of her tongue. "We were given this chance. We don't have the luxury of turning it down; we just have to deal with it."

"I'm aware of that!" June retorted, irritation evident. "I still hate that Jay picked this of all things for us."

"I doubt he picked it intentionally," Mei noted. "Why don't we just look at the lyrics?"

June nodded, stepping closer to where Mei held the lyric sheet.

The title of the track was 'The Greatest Love.'

Simply reading the title was enough to send a cold shiver down June's spine. It was a ballad written by a woman for her deceased husband, capturing the intense sentiment of love that persists even beyond the grave. It spoke of cherishing someone even more deeply once they were gone.

Essentially, it was a sorrowful funeral song often exchanged between lovers.

After scanning the opening lines, they both shook their heads in unison.

"Oh, I absolutely cannot do this!" Mei exclaimed. "Why are we being forced to endure this?"

"That’s precisely what I’ve been saying," June sighed. "What if we go to Jay and convince the network to let us change the song?"

Mei nodded, rising from the floor. They both made their way toward the exit, but faltered as they neared the door, falling into a tense, heavy silence. A whirlwind of thoughts seemed to be racing through their minds.

To storm out and voice their complaints to Jay would signal only one thing—that they weren't capable of handling this challenge.

And, as everyone knew, the siblings were fiercely competitive.

With a heavy sigh, Mei turned back around.

"Fu just surfaced," she mentioned, returning to her spot to sit back down. "I suppose it’s my mission now—we have to finish this performance together."

June groaned and sat down in front of her. "That guy is a real menace."

[What did I even do?]

[I never gave you any mission!]

[Tell June I didn't assign you a mission! I don't want him thinking I'm a menace.] Despite the system's protests, Mei remained silent. She gazed at the lyric sheet once more with a sigh. It was true that she didn't want to sing this with June—in fact, she didn't want to sing it with anyone. It was a legendary piece for lovers, and as an idol, she was terrified she wouldn't be able to do it justice.

Yet, at the same time, the prospect of the challenge intrigued her. While June had already graced many prestigious stages, she had only ever performed under the banner of her group. This was a monumental opportunity staring her in the face!

Furthermore, it was practically guaranteed to become a hit—especially with June by her side. As much as she hated to admit it, June was like a cheat code when it came to live performances.

Still, she couldn't fathom how they would pull off the duet without dying of embarrassment. "I think we need to examine ourselves first," Mei reasoned after a pause. "What is your 'greatest love'? Is this something you have ever experienced?"

June pressed his hand against his chin as the realization struck him all at once. What was the most significant thing he had ever done? How far had he truly gone for love?

There was really only one answer.

He had joined a gang just to keep his family fed.

He had starved himself so that his sister could have a meal.

He had allowed himself to be transmigrated into the shell of a washed-up trainee, following the whims of a flamboyant, slightly sinister system, all in a bid to become the nation's top idol.

Beyond that, he had battled past adversaries while confronting the ones in his present. He had endured the loss of dear ones and struggled with the resulting scars of distrust.

He had found new friends—a family—and earned the hearts of fans worldwide, despite never meeting them in person. He had funneled his internal suffering into his acting roles in dramas and films.

He had finally exacted vengeance against those who wronged him, bringing change not just to his own life, but to the industry itself—a mission he was still striving to complete.

Most importantly, he finally understood his true purpose here.

The dreams he had long suppressed, and the desires he dared not voice for fear of being unworthy—he realized life wasn't as bleak as he once thought. There would always be a rainbow after the storm, no matter how tired the cliche sounded.

Mei watched him, wondering if he had lost his mind. June had been quiet for minutes, his face cycling through a complex array of emotions.

"That’s precisely why you’re an actor," Mei whispered.

"June?" she called out, but he remained caught in his reverie.

June finally understood.

None of his actions were driven by spite, hatred, or mere revenge. They were all driven by love.

He did it to protect his sister.

He did it to preserve his surrogate family.

He did it so he could finally find inner peace.

He did it all because he chose to.

That was his greatest love—everything distilled into a single person, the very catalyst for this wild, unbelievable journey.

"My greatest love..." he murmured, finally breaking the silence after an eternity.

He lifted his head to meet Mei’s confused, wary gaze.

He exhaled a long breath before completing his thought.

"...is you."