Exclusive Rights to An Online Voice Actor

Chapter 117

unedited

“It was more difficult than I thought—” That guy said a moment before they both left the mic sequence, once again in that original cheerful tone. Qi Jing didn’t say anything, focused on waiting for the judges’ evaluation and the audience votes to come through.

If this guy deliberately underplayed his ability during the semi-finals, only to reveal his true skill during the finals, then the people would naturally gain a newfound respect for him upon seeing his new shine.

It was utilising the disparity—a classic move of making the most out of the opportunity.

But to create this disparity is not something just anyone can do, it requires skill, and an incredible lot of self-confidence.

“But I don’t plan on losing...” Qi Jing muttered.

The other party was his cooperation partner, but in a way, he was also his opponent. He didn’t want to get defeated by this whole ‘sense of disparity’, it would feel so much worse to lose to it than if it was an open fight all the way through. Fortunately, Longbow, who couldn’t attend two semi-finals for the main roles auditions, was finally back, so the judging panel was back to three members. At least with those three, there wouldn’t be any dubiousness with the legitimacy of their judgement. Just... The audience could also jump into voting for that guy out of hype.

“Ding.” The score was finally there.

Qi Jing took a deep breath and slowly lifted his head to take a look at the screen.

【Group Score】: 4.0, 3.5, average score 3.75

【Elapsed Time】: 60 seconds = 0.6 points

【Audience Votes】: 86.2% voting ratio = 0.862 points

—————————————————–

Overall group score: 3.75＋0.6＋0.862 = 5.212 points

“Don’t ask for my return date” individual score:

【Voice Quality】: 4.0, 3.5, average score 3.75

【Enunciation】: 4.0, 4.0, average score 4.0

【Foundation Points】: 4.0, 4.0, average score 4.0

【Charisma】: 4.5, 4.0, average score 4.25

—————————————————–

Overall average scores: 3.75＋4.0＋4.0＋4.25 = 16.0 points

Additional audience vote points: 77.4% voting ratio = 0.774 points

Overall score: 16.0＋0.774＋5.212 = 21.986 points

“How long away is forever” individual score:

【Voice Quality】: 4.0, 3.5, average score 3.75

【Enunciation】: 4.0, 3.5, average score 3.75

【Foundation Points】: 4.0, 3.5, average score 3.75

【Charisma】: 4.5, 4.0, average score 4.25

—————————————————–

Overall average scores: 3.75＋3.75＋3.75＋4.25 = 15.5 points

Additional audience vote points: 81.7% voting ratio = 0.817 points

Overall score: 15.5＋0.817＋5.212 = 21.529 points

Less than half a point of difference—

“Hu...” Qi Jing exhaled in relief, thinking how close it was.

It was to no one’s surprise that this guy’s voting ratio was higher than his, and the group score was shared. Even Longbow gave them exactly the same scores—the only thing he lost on was the individual score Pu Yuzhi gave him.

Seeing this score, How long away is forever used a kaomoji that was completely incongruous with his voice to express his hurt feelings.

How long away is forever: ┭┮﹏┭┮ Waaaah... So I really wasn’t enough...

Audience 1: Pfahahaha— Sorry, I already did my best throwing you a vote for this one【Although I also voted on Return←Oi】

Audience 2: (*艸’*) To be honest, I really want to see how Don’t ask for my return date would react if he lost.

Audience 3: (*艸’*) To be honest, me too. 【Return Date-sama, please don’t hit me~】

Audience 4: (*&#k8278;’*) Seconding the two above.

Audience 5: (*&#k8278;’*) Lining up to express that I really really want to know what our Forever wanted to wish for~ Say it, say it, either way it’s gone, so you can’t jinx it anymore&#k2026;&#k3010;Oi oi oi&#k3011;

Audience 6: Pfft, the one above is so evil. Am I the only one who doesn’t want contestant How long away is forever to have his way? I really feel like he didn’t give his best during the semi-finals, so it’s kinda shady of him to go all out during the finals. And here I am, wanting to protect Don’t ask for my return date’s well-deserved rights!! (puffing chest)

...

After getting to know the scores, Qi Jing calmed down a little. But seeing this guy lament, his heart softened—his do-gooding side was acting up once again.

If it wasn’t too preposterous of a request, then there should be no harm in accepting it... right?

So he quietly opened the DM chat box.

【You】said to【How long away is forever】: Did you do that on purpose?

【How long away is forever】said to【You】: Eh?

【You】said to【How long away is forever】: The semi-finals. During the semi-finals, you didn’t go all out, right? Just now, you didn’t sound anything like someone who would just rank tenth during them.

Qi Jing went straight into the main point, but the other only denied, rolling from side to side.

【You】said to【How long away is forever】: Entice... (enticing shou?)

【How long away is forever】said to【You】: Pfft, no, it’s not about enticing shou. It’s just that, only when I’m acting in tandem with someone, I can get really into it, usually I’m the type that can’t do even remotely well when voice acting alone.

“Oh?” Qi Jing raised his brows. When he was voice acting before, he would often hear of some VAs that wouldn’t be able to voice act during run-throughs because of being unused to such setting, but he didn’t expect to stumble upon the exact opposite of that, “If that’s the case... Then that would make it really interesting.”

Although he himself could act both alone and with someone else, but because he was the type to get easily derailed by whoever he played with, it wasn’t difficult for him to understand this trait.

And what to do, after understanding it, he even started to pity that guy a bit...

No matter if it was online voice acting or the professional scene, the custom of playing with other voice actors was already slowly disappearing; most of it would be now done individually, so How long away is forever’s future was really too limited.

Once he thought of this, Qi Jing couldn’t help but type, 【Fine, tell me what you wished to ask for, I might consider it.】

After he sent it, How long away is forever sent a string of “～\(≧▽≦)/～” kaomojis, seemingly pleasantly surprised.

【How long away is forever】said to【You】: Really really really?!?! Return Date-sama, you really are such! A! Good! Guy!

【You】said to【How long away is forever】: ... (I’m starting to regret that = =)

【How long away is forever】said to【You】: ┭┮﹏┭┮ Don’t! Don’t be like this! I really really want this thing!! I’m begging you!!

【You】said to【How long away is forever】: ...Go ahead then.

【How long away is forever】said to【You】: (//////艸//////) I... I... I want to ask Return Date-sama to do an impression of “Sleek Horses Run Fast”, is that okay?

...

...WTF...

Qi Jing’s hand momentarily slipped, and he almost typed and sent “I’m sorry, I don’t know how to play a dunce”. But after later consideration, he deleted this message, unwilling to destroy the lofty image of that person in this guy’s eyes. The IRL was already too sad, better just leave him be with his beautiful misconception about the 2D.

Chatting through the messages to this point, he really felt like he had to change to a voice chat, because his typing speed could not keep up with the pace of this miraculous development.

“Sleek Horses Run Fast? You’re talking about that long retired great god, Sleek Horses Run Fast?”

“That’s him, that’s him!”

“So you were his fan...” No wonder he was so infatuated with his voice.

“Mhm~” How long away is forever used his middle-aged uncle voice as well as the bubbly and sweet girly tone as he chirped happily, “I’m Sleek Horses-sama’s hardcore fan! You sound very similar to him, both of you have this kind of gorgeous noble voice... Aaah, I can’t, it’s so cute!”

Qi Jing felt his temples begin to ache.

How long away is forever continued his unceasing stream of words, “Sleek Horses-sama is already retired and nowhere to be found, so I was so depressed... I always kept looking for someone with a similar voice, so when I heard your works, I was really moved! So please, Return Date-sama, you need to record something for me, I beg of you!”

Sure enough, he wanted him to record something, most fans of VAs would ask for this. “Will you promise me that this will never get shared with anyone else?”

“I will never share it!”

“Fine then, wait for a bit... I need to ask for an opinion from someone related, whether I will do it depends on them.”

How long away is forever agreed in confusion, clearly not knowing who Qi Jing meant by ‘someone related’. Meanwhile, Qi Jing only silently typed a few words into an ID search of the chat, and after he got the search results, he temporarily closed the current chat box, opening a new window.

【You】said to【Crossing the bridge noodles】: Good evening.

【Crossing the bridge noodles】said to【You】: Good evening, Return Date. I was listening to your audition just now. What’s up, is something going on?

【You】said to【Crossing the bridge noodles】: ...I want to use your boyfriend for a bit.

【Crossing the bridge noodles】said to【You】: .......................................

Amused by this string of ellipsis from Crossing the bridge noodles, Qi Jing laughed as he opened the voice chat to explain to him the situation.

After listening to the end, Crossing the bridge noodles didn’t seem too surprised, and replied calmly, “Such a hardworking contestant, I don’t think there will be any problem with recording a few words of encouragement for him.”

Qi Jing asked curiously, “Didn’t that guy avoid recording anything, even for you? Saying that it’s only right to say things directly?”

Crossing the bridge noodles hummed, with a smile yet not really, “That was only an excuse he used to come see me.”

Qi Jing was taken aback, then coughed lightly when he recovered.

—Noodles-kun, don’t flash your PDA so out of nowhere...

How long away is forever was still waiting impatiently as he left him. Qi Jing came back in passing to poke him with a question about what he wanted to have recorded, then disappeared without any additional word.

The second wait was shorter than the first one, only three minutes. After three minutes, Qi Jing directly sent him an MP3 file and said with a gentlemanly smile, “I finished recording. I did my best to make an impression of him, try listening to it—does it sound similar?”

How long away is forever sent him thanks, then their conversation ceased for a moment as he presumably went to listen to it.

Qi Jing waited for his reaction, a smile still on his face.

As expected, this guy’s voice was all shaky by the time he came back—it could even be described as crudely as howling from joy, “Aaaaaaaah, Return Date-sama! Return Date-sama! It’s so similar, really so similar! It’s almost as if Sleek Horses-sama recorded it himself—”

Qi Jing smiled impishly as he added in his mind, It’s not almost, it’s indeed your Sleek Horses-sama himself who recorded it~

“It’s similar enough to imagine it being true, right?”

“Mhm, mhm! You’re so amazing!”

Really, such a gullible fellow...

At this time, How long away is forever said something he didn’t see coming, “This way I will be so motivated when studying for my high school finals! Thank you, Return Date-sama!”

Wait...

“High, high school finals?” Qi Jing gasped in surprise, “How old are you?”

“I’m seventeen.”

When this number got said with the uncle voice, Qi Jing felt his whole worldview crash.

This guy probably also expected that he would react this way and complained grumbly, “I know that my voice doesn’t sound young, but it’s been like this since I went through mutation. I always get asked to play uncles, fathers and so on by the producers, I really can’t help that...”

Child... you have it hard too.

But this way, this young girl-like behaviour would also make more sense.

In the online voice acting circle, a person’s true age would always be different from their voices’ sense of age, not only for How long away is forever with his uncle voice, but also Shen Yan who was once titled as “Forever a Grandpa”.

And there was also Crossing the bridge noodles—

Qi Jing was still getting over the shock of getting to know How long away is forever’s real age as the discussion around Crossing the bridge noodles‘ ‘sense of age’ unfolded in the public chat. Or rather than calling it a discussion, it would be better to call it an argument, as both sides were inches away from a full-on battle, the smell of gunpowder thick in the air.

The reason was the upcoming start of the group No.20’s audition, still between “Fang Yisheng” and “Yan Buliu”.

And as for the contestants, it was 【Crossing the bridge noodles】vs.【Went off with a bang】.

Audience 1: °。°(((p(≧口≦)q)))°。° Awoooo~ Little Noodles! Our family’s Little Noodles will finally have his first audition today!

Audience 2: °。°(((p(≧口≦)q)))°。° Aaaah, I’m so nervous!! Break leg Little Noodles!! Big sis will vote on you in each audition, Little Noodles is the best!

Audience 3: ...Why did it have to be Crossing the bridge noodles? He’s too noob, he will drag down Bang Bang’s score.

Audience 4: The one above, don’t bitch around! Little Noodles also can do the youth voice! (╯－＿－)╯╧╧

Audience 5: Youth voice is a youth voice, but it’s still too young—an educated but inexperienced youth can’t pull off that bearing. And don’t you say that I didn’t listen to him and don’t know what I’m talking about, I have heard his “Fang Yisheng” audition for semi-finals. The cold demeanour wasn’t that bad, but since there was no intense scene, you wouldn’t hear his shortcomings, but the scene chosen for the finals is a showdown between two powerful opponents. It’s just perfect for our family’s Uncle Bang, but how about your family’s Little Noodles? (picks nose)

Audience 6: Seems like Crossing the bridge noodles has always been playing young boys, so he himself is probably also pretty young. The voice can be imitated, but it might be worrying if he’s not able to make his demeanour stronger.【I’m not a fan of either of them, don’t take it personally】

...

“It’s no wonder people would worry...” Qi Jing shook his head slowly before the screen.

In all of the Crossing the bridge noodles’ works he listened to, he would always do the same type of role—either the ‘inexperienced boy’ type the audience mentioned or a youth type. The roles he received were also either a refined scholar or a sickly beauty, always sounding like a youth in his early twenties, maybe twenty four or five at most, nothing more.

“Fang Yisheng” was described to be twenty seven, so this role could be a bit hard to pull off for Noodles.

Those fans of Went off with a bang weren’t wrong—during a usual dialogue, it’s not easy to catch the imperfections, but once there’s a need to manifest a strong bearing, people with a young-sounding voice would have it harder.

During the time when Jade Butterfly tried to drive a wedge between them, Qi Jing went through his weibo to understand him as a person, even finding a few recordings of his personal YY channel—he wanted to try listening what he would usually say to his fans, whether he would act the same as great god Bronze Sparrow Terrace.

But in the end, what he heard left him completely stumped.

“Little Fox hid under mom’s belly, walking while blinking its round eyes, looking curiously here and there. After a while, a spot of light appeared ahead. After seeing it, Little Fox said, ‘Mom, a star fell there, right?’”

His voice was even softer than in the audio dramas, as he used this very gentle and calming tone to read a children’s book slowly.

He would narrate the descriptions so, and whenever there was a dialogue between characters, he would also switch to the acting mode, like this part of dialogue where Little Fox spoke to its mom, where Crossing the bridge noodles’ voice suddenly turned high-pitched as he asked childishly, sounding so naive and sweet—

At that time, Qi Jing thought only one thing. And that was—Crossing the bridge noodles actually reads children’s books in his YY channel! He, he, he seemed like such a simple and rational guy on weibo, but he would actually use this tone to read children’s books!

And according to what Ning Xiaoxiao said, Crossing the bridge noodles would never mention his IRL activities when he was in his YY channel or wouldn’t talk of the 2D gossip, wouldn’t sing karaoke, do Q&As, organise any activities... He would only read books, and it would always be niche children’s books. Most of Crossing the bridge noodles’ fans were young girls that took pleasure in listening to it, even finding it very cute.

Only Qi Jing didn’t know what to think of it.

Once he kept being viewed through these lenses, it was no surprise that people in the circle would think of Crossing the bridge noodles as “pitiful and adorably pure boy”...

This inherent impression made Went off with a bang, who was in a team with him, quite angry, but he still said with a fake courteous smile, “Ranked third in semi-finals—I hope you live up to that achievement.”

Crossing the bridge noodles didn’t say a thing. His words only indirectly mocked Crossing the bridge noodles’ advantage of his fans’ support in votes, questioning his ability to keep this title.

Went off with a bang was the champion of “Yan Buliu” semi-finals audition, so he initially rejoiced in being able to get paired with the third place for “Fang Yisheng”, but once he saw Crossing the bridge noodles’ ID, his joy disappeared immediately. Crossing the bridge noodles was a very recognisable member of the online voice acting circle, the main reason for that being his ship with Bronze Sparrow Terrace, as well as his “lovable little shou voice”.

Went off with a bang never got along with Bronze Sparrow Terrace.

Went off with a bang didn’t like gays, and he especially didn’t like the “effeminate” gays.

Went off with a bang also took it for a fact that Crossing the bridge noodles was only capable of hindering him, so from the very moment he got put on the mic sequence, his attitude was simply mocking.

After tossing out his first remark, the other didn’t reply at all, so he couldn’t stop himself from continuing haughtily, continuing with the second one, “Just don’t get attached just because you’re playing with a man, little girl.”

This one was clearly meant to mock his sexuality.

Without waiting for his fans to fly into rage, the previously quiet Crossing the bridge noodles suddenly returned the jab, his tone indifferent, “Don’t worry, your voice is years apart from fitting my criteria for men.”

“Pfft...”

As a man No.1 to fit this criteria, Qi Jing couldn’t help a laugh from escaping his lips.

A/N:

As a man No.2 to fit this criteria, Five is getting covertly bullied in this chapter, pft...

I will also say in passing that Kitty’s Papa voice also doesn’t fit Noodles’ “criteria”.

T/N:

Lucilla: *grabs a popcorn to watch Noodles slay*