From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show Chapter 3: Zero Skills

[These stats belong to you, host. Every single detail is pulled from the original Choi Joon-ho.]

- Vocals: C+

- Dance: D-

- Visual: C

- Rap: E-

- Charm: E+

June stared at the metrics with wide, disbelieving eyes. How could anyone spend six years as a trainee and wind up with rankings this miserable? It was no mystery why he never made his debut. Even Bo Wen likely held a higher standing than this!

[It is inappropriate to speak of the departed in such a manner, host.]

June rolled his eyes aggressively. "How am I supposed to become an idol with these kinds of stats? It’s completely impossible!"

[Do not fret, host. Your attributes are not stagnant. By fulfilling tasks and taking on side-missions, you will unlock opportunities to elevate your skills.]

"Can I start upgrading them immediately?"

[Your daily objectives are as follows:

1. Deliver a cup of coffee to the elderly grandmother living downstairs.

2. Perform a song from start to finish without your voice cracking.

3. Successfully have someone call you "handsome."

These missions will be swapped for fresh ones once you finish them.]

June let out a derisive scoff. These tasks seemed trivial! He decided to tackle the first one right away to get a head start on his vocal journey.

He brewed a cup of coffee and headed downstairs, rapping sharply on the door. It swung open quickly, but it wasn't an elderly woman standing there. A tiny child gazed up at him with startled, wide eyes.

"Where's your grandma, kid?"

The toddler merely stared at him in utter terror before bursting into loud sobs.

"What is this? Why the tears? Be a man and tell me where she is!"

The boy’s wailing only grew more intense, piercing June's eardrums. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, he crouched down to meet the child's height. He attempted a friendly smile, but it twisted into a menacing, intimidating grimace.

"Take me to your grandmother."

The boy screamed and tilted the steaming cup of coffee toward June, sending hot liquid splashing across his chest and face.

"You little menace!" he bellowed, frantically wiping his face with his shirt. With a slam, the door shut in his face, leaving him to deal with his burning skin.

[You must cleanse your face immediately, host. That could result in a permanent scar.]

June plodded back upstairs, his mood thoroughly soured. He had hoped for an easy path to skill improvement, but the brat had ruined everything! It appeared these missions were far more treacherous than he had originally assumed.

He retreated to the bathroom to splash cold water on his face, frowning as he inspected his reflection. His skin was raw and inflamed from the coffee, his face was marked with shallow cuts from the mirror, and a nasty bruise was blossoming on his head from his earlier fall.

He clicked his tongue in irritation, determined to get those stats moving. However, given his current disheveled appearance, he definitely couldn't complete the third mission yet. Consequently, he shifted his focus to the second task.

He pulled out his phone to browse for a track. Settling on "Shining Light" by the idol group IMMORTALS, he pressed play. As much as he hated to admit it, he was familiar with his fair share of idol music because Mei Ling constantly blasted it in the common area. At this point, his knowledge of K-pop rivaled his sister's.

Beyond that, he mostly listened to 1970s classics and Chinese rap—the kind of music the members of his old gang favored.

He squeezed his eyes shut and began to sing. Jun Hao had actually possessed a decent voice in his former life. Becoming a singer had been his childhood dream, and the nuns would often encourage him to sing back when they lived in the orphanage.

However, as he grew older and hit the harsh reality of the world, he realized being a singer was a privilege reserved for the wealthy. Artists were forced to train indefinitely, praying for producers to notice them before they could ever earn a living. He had abandoned that dream and turned to the life of a thug instead.

He closed his eyes and drifted back to the memory of his childhood performances.

June finished the track without a hitch. While Joon-ho’s underdeveloped vocal cords made his voice slightly unstable, his muscle memory from the past proved invaluable. His voice didn't crack, and his tone carried the hint of true potential.

As he flicked his eyes open, a notification panel materialized in the air.

[Congratulations! You have cleared your second mission. Please select an attribute to enhance.]

June rested his chin in his hand, pondering his next move. His vocals held the most promise, and strengthening them would significantly improve his chances of a successful debut.

"Vocals," he declared.

[An excellent choice!]

[Vocals+1]

[Current grade: B-]

"Are you not going to refresh the mission list?" he questioned the system.

[The missions only cycle once the entire set is finished. Please exert yourself to complete them, host. I truly hope you can improve before the competition commences.]

"Competition?" June asked, completely blindsided.

[Oh, absolutely! Did I neglect to mention that?]

"Yes, you did!"

[My mistake! Choi Joon-ho submitted an application for an idol survival program before he passed, and he has now been officially accepted.]

[You have been entered into the popular competition show "Rising Stars!" The system wishes you the best of luck.]