“But if we splurge now, what about the future promotions and marketing?"

Calvert clenched his teeth and retorted, “The future can wait! We've already sunk substantial funds into online voting, and if we pull the plug now, it'll all be for naught. We can't afford to quit. Allocate the budget, and I'll manage the aftermath."

Before long, Rollingrock Media's vote tally began to surge, establishing a substantial lead and holding it steadfastly.

Calvert monitored their numbers, praying fervently for the online voting to conclude, hoping to preserve their pole position without further hitches.

Ariana's side also monitored the situation closely, watching as their vote count stabilized. Ariana wore a smile and rallied her six-person troupe, affirming, “Securing second place would be a win in itself.

It demonstrates the audience's recognition and appreciation for all of you."

However, beneath their optimism lay a hint of despondency; they knew that their live audience's votes were insufficient. To avoid elimination, they needed to surpass the average vote count by at least threefold.

Yet now, as data settled into a seemingly irreversible pattern and the online voting's end loomed, it looked like all hope was lost.

Just when it seemed like game over, an astonishing twist unfolded.

Suddenly, Ariana's team's data skyrocketed, surging past the first-place team.

Bewilderment swept through everyone as they wondered if other teams ' data had hit a voting snag.

The reality, however, was that the network operated smoothly, and other teams' votes were indeed increasing, but at a snail's pace compared to Ariana's team. They were pulling ahead and doing so at an astonishing pace, soaring past the average vote count by more than three times!

Amazement rippled through the onlookers, who wondered who could have made the last-second move. Discussions among live audience and online viewers ignited with fervor.

Even Ariana was taken aback, never expecting someone to step in to support her so dramatically.

Amid this, Ariana overheard a staff member's hushed conversation.

“What's happening? A dozen more accounts suddenly started voting for their team, all from the same IP address. It must've cost them over ten million to maneuver this."

She asked, "May I know the location of that IP address, please?"

The staff member replied, "It traces back to somewhere in Eleymond, but I don't have exact details."

Their puzzled gaze met Ariana's.

"Aren't these your men?"